Sony a850 vs Nikon D780

This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony a850 and Nikon D780. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.

Sony a850

Nikon D780

Manufacturing

Sony a850 is manufacturered by Sony but Nikon D780 is from Nikon. Both Sony and Nikon are well known brands though.

Sony a850 were released 2009 and Nikon D780 was released 2020. That is a 11 years difference. In tech, this period can be of interest since technology is always improving, etc.

Camera	Released
Sony a850	2009
Nikon D780	2020

Type of camera

Both these cameras are DSLR cameras. No difference there.

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 a850	50 mm Full-frame sensor No crop factor/focal length multiplier
Nikon D780	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 a850 has a 25 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Nikon D780 has 25 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 D780	25 MP 24337152 pixels 6048 x 4024

Sony a850 has a 0 % larger resolution than Nikon D780. 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 D780 has a larger ISO-range than Sony a850. Nikon D780 has an ISO range that stretches from 100 to 51200 while Sony a850 has 200 to 3200.

Camera	ISO Range
Sony a850	200-3200
Nikon D780	100-51200

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 a850
Lens compatibility chart for Nikon D780

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 D780 can shoot up to 12 pictures per seconds.

Camera	FPS (Frames per second)
Sony a850	3
Nikon D780	12

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 D780. 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 7% heavier than Nikon D780 and its 840 gr (or 1.85 lb).

Camera	Weight
Sony a850	895 gr 1.97 lb
Nikon D780	840 gr 1.85 lb