Sony a7S II vs Nikon D3

This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony a7S II and Nikon D3. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.

Sony a7S II

Nikon D3

Manufacturing

Sony a7S II is manufacturered by Sony but Nikon D3 is from Nikon. Both Sony and Nikon are well known brands though.

Sony a7S II were released 2015 and Nikon D3 was released 2007. That is a 8 years difference. In tech, this period can be of interest since technology is always improving, etc.

Camera	Released
Sony a7S II	2015
Nikon D3	2007

Type of camera

Sony a7S II is a Mirrorless camera while Nikon D3 is a DSLR camera. More information about their differences will come soon.

Sensors / crop factor

Even though the camera sensors might be called differently they are both considered Full frame which means that the focal length of the lenses is not affected. There is no crop factor on any of these cameras and sensors.

Camera	Focal length, 50mm f/1.8 **
Sony a7S II	50 mm Full-frame sensor No crop factor/focal length multiplier
Nikon D3	50 mm Full-frame sensor No crop factor/focal length multiplier

** Experienced focal length when using a lens such as a common "50mm f/1.8"

Learn more about crop factor and focal length multiplier here:
Camera selection can affect the focal length (Sony)
Camera selection can affect the focal length (Nikon)

Resolution

Sony a7S II has a 12 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Nikon D3 has 12,1 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:

Camera	Megapixels
Sony a7S II	12 MP 12007680 pixels 4240 x 2832
Nikon D3	12,1 MP 12052992 pixels 4256 x 2832

Nikon D3 has a 0 % larger resolution than Sony a7S II. This could give you more details in the picture but also a possibility to crop more in the pictures, afterward while editing the pictures, if needed that is.

ISO range

Sony a7S II has a larger ISO-range than Nikon D3. Sony a7S II has an ISO range that stretches from 100 to 102400 while Nikon D3 has 200 to 25600.

Camera	ISO Range
Sony a7S II	100-102400
Nikon D3	200-25600

Autofocus and lens compatibility

Both of these cameras have a built-in autofocus motor. Some lenses, that support autofocus, do not have an autofocus motor of their own but this won't cause any problems with these two cameras.

Here is a complete overview of which lenses work with each camera:
Lens compatibility chart for Sony a7S II
Lens compatibility chart for Nikon D3

Pictures per second

Depending on what you are shooting the FPS, or frames/pictures per second, can definitely be of interest. Sony a7S II can shoot up to 5 pictures per seconds and Nikon D3 can shoot up to 9 pictures per seconds.

Camera	FPS (Frames per second)
Sony a7S II	5
Nikon D3	9

Ability to record movies

It is becoming more and more popular to record movies with digital cameras.

When comparing these two cameras there is only one of them that can shoot movies and that is Sony a7S II. Unfortunately Nikon D3 does not support recording movies and movie clips.

Weight

The weight of the camera can be an extremely important factor, especially if the camera is about to be used, or carried around, for several hours at a time.

Nikon D3 weighs 1300 gr (equal to 2.87 lb) which is 107% heavier than Sony a7S II and its 627 gr (or 1.38 lb).

Camera	Weight
Sony a7S II	627 gr 1.38 lb
Nikon D3	1300 gr 2.87 lb