Sony a9 vs Nikon D300s
This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony a9 and Nikon D300s. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.
Manufacturing
Sony a9 is manufacturered by Sony but Nikon D300s is from Nikon. Both Sony and Nikon are well known brands though.
Sony a9 were released 2017 and Nikon D300s was released 2009. That is a 8 years difference. In tech, this period can be of interest since technology is always improving, etc.Camera | Released |
Sony a9 | 2017 |
Nikon D300s | 2009 |
Type of camera
Sony a9 is a Mirrorless camera while Nikon D300s is a DSLR camera. More information about their differences will come soon.
Sensors / crop factor
These cameras have different sensors. Sony a9 has a "Sony Full Frame"-sensor while Nikon D300s 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 a9 | 50 mm Full-frame sensor No crop factor/focal length multiplier |
Nikon D300s | 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 a9 has a 24 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Nikon D300s has 12,3 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:
Camera | Megapixels |
Sony a9 |
24 MP
24000000 pixels 6000 x 4000 |
Nikon D300s |
12,3 MP
12212224 pixels 4288 x 2848 |
Sony a9 has a 97 % larger resolution than Nikon D300s. 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 a9 has a larger ISO-range than Nikon D300s. Sony a9 has an ISO range that stretches from 100 to 51200 while Nikon D300s has 200 to 6400.
Camera | ISO Range |
Sony a9 | 100-51200 |
Nikon D300s | 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 a9
Lens compatibility chart for Nikon D300s
Pictures per second
Depending on what you are shooting the FPS, or frames/pictures per second, can definitely be of interest. Sony a9 can shoot up to 20 pictures per seconds and Nikon D300s can shoot up to 7 pictures per seconds.
Camera | FPS (Frames per second) |
Sony a9 | 20 |
Nikon D300s | 7 |
Ability to record movies
It is becoming more and more popular to record movies with digital cameras.
In this case, both Sony a9 and Nikon D300s 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 D300s weighs 938 gr (equal to 2.07 lb) which is 39% heavier than Sony a9 and its 673 gr (or 1.48 lb).
Camera | Weight |
Sony a9 | 673 gr 1.48 lb |
Nikon D300s | 938 gr 2.07 lb |
Sony a9 vs Nikon D300s Specs
Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Sony a9 and Nikon D300s, 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 a9 |
Nikon D300s |
Name | Sony a9 | Nikon D300s |
Manufacturer | Sony | Nikon |
Release Date and Price |
Sony a9 |
Nikon D300s |
Release Year | 2017 | 2009 |
Release Date | 2017-04-19 | 2009-07-30 |
MSRP | 4499 USD | 1799 USD |
Buy it today | ||
Camera Type |
Sony a9 |
Nikon D300s |
Camera Type | Mirrorless | DSLR |
Sensor |
Sony a9 |
Nikon D300s |
Sensor Size | Full Frame (approx 36 x 24 mm) |
APS-C (approx 23.7 x 15.5 mm) Also known as "DX" |
Sensor Type | Stacked CMOS | CMOS |
Resolution | 6000 x 4000 pixels | 4288 x 2848 pixels |
Megapixels | 24 MP | 12,3 MP |
Image Processor | Bionz X | EXPEED |
Image |
Sony a9 |
Nikon D300s |
ISO Range | 100 - 51200 | 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 + TIFF |
Optics & Focus |
Sony a9 |
Nikon D300s |
Autofocus Motor | Yes | Yes |
Autofocus |
Contract Detect (sensor) Phase Detect Multi Area Center Selective Single Point Tracking Single Continuous Touch Face Detection LiveView |
Contract Detect (sensor) Phase Detect Multi Area Selective Single Point Single Continuous Face Detection LiveView |
Focus Points | 693 | 51 |
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 a9 |
Nikon D300s |
Articulated LCD | Tilting | Fixed |
Screen size | 3” | 3” |
Screen dots | 1440000 | 920000 |
Touch screen | Yes | 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% | 100% |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.78x | 0.94× (0.63× 35mm equiv.) |
Viewfinder Resolution | 3686400 | N/A |
Photography features |
Sony a9 |
Nikon D300s |
Frames per second | 20 fps | 7 fps |
Minimum Shutter Speed | 30 seconds | 30 seconds |
Maximum Shutter Speed | 1/8000 seconds | 1/8000 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 Highlight Weighted Spot Average |
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 a9 |
Nikon D300s |
Video recording | Yes | Yes |
Video format |
MPEG4 H.264 AVCHD |
Motion JPEG |
Video resolution |
1280 x 720 1920 x 1080 3840 x 2160 |
1280 x 720 |
Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
Built-in Speakers | Yes | No |
Storage |
Sony a9 |
Nikon D300s |
Memory Card |
SD/SDHC |
Compact Flash |
Connectivity |
Sony a9 |
Nikon D300s |
HDMI Output | Yes | Yes |
Microphone Port | Yes | No |
Headphone Port | Yes | No |
Wireless |
Yes Built-in (802.11/b/g/n with NFC) |
Yes Eye-Fi Connected |
Remote Control | Yes (Wired or wireless) | Yes (Optional, wired or wireless) |
GPS | No |
Yes Optional with GP-1 |
Body & Dimensions |
Sony a9 |
Nikon D300s |
Enviromentally sealed | Yes | Yes |
Battery | Battery Pack | Battery Pack |
Battery Details |
NP-FZ100
|
Lithium-Ion EN-EL3e rechargeable battery & charger
|
Battery Life (CIPA) | 650 shots | 950 shots |
Width | 127 mm | 147 mm |
Height | 96 mm | 114 mm |
Depth | 63 mm | 74 mm |
Weight | 673 gram | 938 gram |