Sony a850 vs Nikon D5300

This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony a850 and Nikon D5300. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.

Manufacturing

Sony a850 is manufacturered by Sony but Nikon D5300 is from Nikon. Both Sony and Nikon are well known brands though.

Sony a850 were released 2009 and Nikon D5300 was released 2013. That is a 4 years difference. In tech, this period can be of interest since technology is always improving, etc.

Camera Released
Sony a850 2009
Nikon D5300 2013

Type of camera

Both these cameras are DSLR cameras. No difference there.

Sensors / crop factor

These cameras have different sensors. Sony a850 has a "Sony Full Frame"-sensor while Nikon D5300 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 a850 50 mm
Full-frame sensor
No crop factor/focal length multiplier
Nikon D5300 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 a850 has a 25 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Nikon D5300 has 24 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:

Camera Megapixels
Sony a850 25 MP
24385536 pixels
6048 x 4032
Nikon D5300 24 MP
24000000 pixels
6000 x 4000

Sony a850 has a 2 % larger resolution than Nikon D5300. 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

Nikon D5300 has a larger ISO-range than Sony a850. Nikon D5300 has an ISO range that stretches from 100 to 12800 while Sony a850 has 200 to 3200.

Camera ISO Range
Sony a850 200-3200
Nikon D5300 100-12800

Autofocus and lens compatibility

There is a big difference between these two cameras. Sony a850 has a built-in autofocus motor but Nikon D5300 does not. If you want to be able to use autofocus on Nikon D5300 there is a need for having an autofocus motor inside the lens. We really encourage you to look closely at our lens compatibility charts at the links below.

Here is a complete overview of which lenses work with each camera:
Lens compatibility chart for Sony a850
Lens compatibility chart for Nikon D5300

Pictures per second

Depending on what you are shooting the FPS, or frames/pictures per second, can definitely be of interest. Sony a850 can shoot up to 3 pictures per seconds and Nikon D5300 can shoot up to 5 pictures per seconds.

Camera FPS (Frames per second)
Sony a850 3
Nikon D5300 5

Ability to record movies

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

It is only one of these two cameras that support recording movies and movie clips and that is Nikon D5300. Sadly, the Sony a850 does not support this.

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.

Sony a850 weighs 895 gr (equal to 1.97 lb) which is 86% heavier than Nikon D5300 and its 480 gr (or 1.06 lb).

Camera Weight
Sony a850 895 gr
1.97 lb
Nikon D5300 480 gr
1.06 lb

Sony a850 vs Nikon D5300 Specs

Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Sony a850 and Nikon D5300, 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 a850
Nikon D5300
Name Sony a850 Nikon D5300
Manufacturer Sony Nikon
Release Date and Price
Sony a850
Nikon D5300
Release Year 2009 2013
Release Date 2009-08-27 2013-10-17
MSRP 1999 USD 729 USD
Buy it today
Camera Type
Sony a850
Nikon D5300
Camera Type DSLR DSLR
Sensor
Sony a850
Nikon D5300
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 6048 x 4032 pixels 6000 x 4000 pixels
Megapixels 25 MP 24 MP
Image Processor Bionz EXPEED 4
Image
Sony a850
Nikon D5300
ISO Range 200 - 3200 100 - 12800
White Balance Presets 7 12
Custom White Balance Yes Yes
Image Stabilization Yes
(Sensor-Shift)
No
Image Stabilization CIPA Rating 0 stops 0 stops
Uncompressed format RAW RAW
Optics & Focus
Sony a850
Nikon D5300
Autofocus Motor Yes No
Autofocus Phase Detect
Multi Area
Selective Single Point
Single
Continuous
Contract Detect (sensor)
Phase Detect
Multi Area
Center
Selective Single Point
Tracking
Single
Continuous
Face Detection
LiveView
Focus Points 9 39
Lens Mount Sony A

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 a850
Nikon D5300
Articulated LCD Fixed Fully articulated
Screen size 3” 3,2”
Screen dots 921600 1037000
Touch screen No No
Screen type TFT Xtra Fine color LCD TFT LCD monitor
Live view No Yes
Viewfinder Type Optical (pentaprism) Optical (pentamirror)
Viewfinder Coverage 98% 95%
Viewfinder Magnification 0.74× 0.82× (0.55× 35mm equiv.)
Viewfinder Resolution N/A N/A
Photography features
Sony a850
Nikon D5300
Frames per second 3 fps 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 12 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 +/- 3 (at 1/3 EV steps) +/- 5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)
Videography features
Sony a850
Nikon D5300
Video recording No Yes
Video format N/A MPEG4
H.264
Video resolution N/A 1280 x 720
1920 x 1080
Built-in Microphone No Yes
Built-in Speakers No Yes
Storage
Sony a850
Nikon D5300
Memory Card Compact Flash
Memory Stick Pro Duo
Compact Flash
Connectivity
Sony a850
Nikon D5300
HDMI Output Yes Yes
Microphone Port No Yes
Headphone Port No No
Wireless No Yes
Built-In
Remote Control Yes (Wired or Wireless (Optional)) Optional with ML-L3 or WR-R10
GPS No Yes
Built-in
Body & Dimensions
Sony a850
Nikon D5300
Enviromentally sealed No No
Battery Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery Details Lithium-Ion NP-FM500H rechargeable battery & charger
Lithium-Ion EN-EL14a or EN-EL14 rechargeable battery & charger
Battery Life (CIPA) 880 shots 600 shots
Width 156 mm 125 mm
Height 117 mm 98 mm
Depth 82 mm 76 mm
Weight 895 gram 480 gram