Sony a7S II vs Nikon D90

This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony a7S II and Nikon D90. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.

Manufacturing

Sony a7S II is manufacturered by Sony but Nikon D90 is from Nikon. Both Sony and Nikon are well known brands though.

Sony a7S II were released 2015 and Nikon D90 was released 2008. That is a 7 years difference. In tech, this period can be of interest since technology is always improving, etc.

Camera Released
Sony a7S II 2015
Nikon D90 2008

Type of camera

Sony a7S II is a Mirrorless camera while Nikon D90 is a DSLR camera. More information about their differences will come soon.

Sensors / crop factor

These cameras have different sensors. Sony a7S II has a "Sony Full Frame"-sensor while Nikon D90 has a "Nikon DX"-sensor, and their difference in sensors will also affect the crop factor and experience focal length. See the table below.

Camera Focal length, 50mm f/1.8 **
Sony a7S II 50 mm
Full-frame sensor
No crop factor/focal length multiplier
Nikon D90 75 mm
Nikon DX sensor
Crop factor/focal length multiplier by * 1.5

** 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 D90 has 12,3 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 D90 12,3 MP
12212224 pixels
4288 x 2848

Nikon D90 has a 2 % 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 D90. Sony a7S II has an ISO range that stretches from 100 to 102400 while Nikon D90 has 200 to 6400.

Camera ISO Range
Sony a7S II 100-102400
Nikon D90 200-6400

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 D90

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 D90 can shoot up to 4,5 pictures per seconds.

Camera FPS (Frames per second)
Sony a7S II 5
Nikon D90 4,5

Ability to record movies

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

In this case, both Sony a7S II and Nikon D90 can shoot movies.

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 D90 weighs 703 gr (equal to 1.55 lb) which is 12% heavier than Sony a7S II and its 627 gr (or 1.38 lb).

Camera Weight
Sony a7S II 627 gr
1.38 lb
Nikon D90 703 gr
1.55 lb

Sony a7S II vs Nikon D90 Specs

Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Sony a7S II and Nikon D90, next to each other. Each category of data is a link to an article covering the subject, giving you a deeper understanding so you can better understand the strengths and weaknesses of the two camera models.

Product
Sony a7S II
Nikon D90
Name Sony a7S II Nikon D90
Manufacturer Sony Nikon
Release Date and Price
Sony a7S II
Nikon D90
Release Year 2015 2008
Release Date 2015-09-11 2008-08-27
MSRP 2999 USD 899 USD
Buy it today
Camera Type
Sony a7S II
Nikon D90
Camera Type Mirrorless DSLR
Sensor
Sony a7S II
Nikon D90
Sensor Size Full Frame (approx 36 x 24 mm) APS-C (approx 23.7 x 15.5 mm)
Also known as "DX"
Sensor Type CMOS CMOS
Resolution 4240 x 2832 pixels 4288 x 2848 pixels
Megapixels 12 MP 12,3 MP
Image Processor Bionz X Nikon LSI (Large Scale Integration)
Image
Sony a7S II
Nikon D90
ISO Range 100 - 102400 200 - 6400
White Balance Presets 10 12
Custom White Balance Yes Yes
Image Stabilization Yes
(Sensor-Shift (5 axis))
No
Image Stabilization CIPA Rating 0 stops 0 stops
Uncompressed format RAW RAW
Optics & Focus
Sony a7S II
Nikon D90
Autofocus Motor Yes Yes
Autofocus Contract Detect (sensor)
Multi Area
Center
Selective Single Point
Single
Continuous
Face Detection
LiveView
Contract Detect (sensor)
Phase Detect
Multi Area
Selective Single Point
Single
Continuous
Face Detection
LiveView
Focus Points 169 11
Lens Mount Sony E

See Compatible Lenses
Nikon F

See Compatible Lenses
Focal Length Multiplier Full frame
No multiplier
Example:
24 mm remains 24 mm
50 mm remains 50 mm
100 mm remains 100 mm
200 mm remains 200 mm
DX / APS-C (1.5x)
1.5x multiplier
Example:
24 mm becomes 36 mm
50 mm becomes 75 mm
100 mm becomes 150 mm
200 mm becomes 300 mm
Screen & Viewfinder
Sony a7S II
Nikon D90
Articulated LCD Tilting Fixed
Screen size 3” 3”
Screen dots 1228800 920000
Touch screen No No
Screen type TFT-LCD Super Density TFT color LCD with wide-viewing angle
Live view Yes Yes
Viewfinder Type Electronic Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Coverage 100% 96%
Viewfinder Magnification 0.78x 0.96× (0.64× 35mm equiv.)
Viewfinder Resolution N/A N/A
Photography features
Sony a7S II
Nikon D90
Frames per second 5 fps 4,5 fps
Minimum Shutter Speed 30 seconds 30 seconds
Maximum Shutter Speed 1/8000 seconds 1/4000 seconds
Built-in Flash No Yes
Built-in Flash Range N/A 17 meters
External Flash Yes Yes
Self-Timer Yes Yes
Time-lapse No Yes
Metering modes Multi
Center Weighted
Spot
Multi
Center Weighted
Spot
Exposure Compensation +/- 5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps) +/- 5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)
Videography features
Sony a7S II
Nikon D90
Video recording Yes Yes
Video format MPEG4
XAVC-S
AVCHD
MPEG4
Video resolution 1280 x 720
1920 x 1080
3840 x 2160
1280 x 720
Built-in Microphone Yes Yes
Built-in Speakers Yes Yes
Storage
Sony a7S II
Nikon D90
Memory Card Memory Stick Pro Duo
SD/SDHC
SD/SDHC
Connectivity
Sony a7S II
Nikon D90
HDMI Output Yes Yes
Microphone Port Yes No
Headphone Port Yes No
Wireless Yes
Built-in (802.11b/g/n with NFC)
Yes
Eye-Fi Connected
Remote Control Yes (wired or smartphone) Yes (Optional ML-L3 or MC-DC2)
GPS No Yes
Optional
Body & Dimensions
Sony a7S II
Nikon D90
Enviromentally sealed Yes No
Battery Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery Details NP-FW50 lithium-ion battery and charger
Lithium-Ion EN-EL3e rechargeable battery & charger
Battery Life (CIPA) 370 shots 850 shots
Width 127 mm 132 mm
Height 96 mm 103 mm
Depth 60 mm 77 mm
Weight 627 gram 703 gram