Sony a900 vs Nikon D70s

This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony a900 and Nikon D70s. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.

Manufacturing

Sony a900 is manufacturered by Sony but Nikon D70s is from Nikon. Both Sony and Nikon are well known brands though.

Sony a900 were released 2008 and Nikon D70s was released 2005. That is a 3 years difference. In tech, this period can be of interest since technology is always improving, etc.

Camera Released
Sony a900 2008
Nikon D70s 2005

Type of camera

Both these cameras are DSLR cameras. No difference there.

Sensors / crop factor

These cameras have different sensors. Sony a900 has a "Sony Full Frame"-sensor while Nikon D70s 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 a900 50 mm
Full-frame sensor
No crop factor/focal length multiplier
Nikon D70s 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 a900 has a 25 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Nikon D70s has 6 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:

Camera Megapixels
Sony a900 25 MP
24385536 pixels
6048 x 4032
Nikon D70s 6 MP
6016000 pixels
3008 x 2000

Sony a900 has a 305 % larger resolution than Nikon D70s. 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 a900 has a larger ISO-range than Nikon D70s. Sony a900 has an ISO range that stretches from 100 to 1600 while Nikon D70s has 200 to 1600.

Camera ISO Range
Sony a900 100-1600
Nikon D70s 200-1600

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 a900
Lens compatibility chart for Nikon D70s

Pictures per second

Depending on what you are shooting the FPS, or frames/pictures per second, can definitely be of interest. Sony a900 can shoot up to 5 pictures per seconds and Nikon D70s can shoot up to 3 pictures per seconds.

Camera FPS (Frames per second)
Sony a900 5
Nikon D70s 3

Ability to record movies

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

Though, neither Sony a900 or Nikon D70s can shoot movies so if that is a functionality that you are really looking for you should look elsewhere.

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 a900 weighs 895 gr (equal to 1.97 lb) which is 32% heavier than Nikon D70s and its 679 gr (or 1.5 lb).

Camera Weight
Sony a900 895 gr
1.97 lb
Nikon D70s 679 gr
1.5 lb

Sony a900 vs Nikon D70s Specs

Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Sony a900 and Nikon D70s, 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 a900
Nikon D70s
Name Sony a900 Nikon D70s
Manufacturer Sony Nikon
Release Date and Price
Sony a900
Nikon D70s
Release Year 2008 2005
Release Date 2008-09-09 2005-04-20
MSRP 2999 USD 749 USD
Buy it today
Camera Type
Sony a900
Nikon D70s
Camera Type DSLR DSLR
Sensor
Sony a900
Nikon D70s
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 CCD
Resolution 6048 x 4032 pixels 3008 x 2000 pixels
Megapixels 25 MP 6 MP
Image Processor Bionz Nikon LSI (Large Scale Integration)
Image
Sony a900
Nikon D70s
ISO Range 100 - 1600 200 - 1600
White Balance Presets 7 6
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 a900
Nikon D70s
Autofocus Motor Yes Yes
Autofocus Phase Detect
Multi Area
Center
Selective Single Point
Single
Continuous
Phase Detect
Multi Area
Selective Single Point
Single
Continuous
Focus Points 9 5
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 a900
Nikon D70s
Articulated LCD Fixed Fixed
Screen size 3” 2”
Screen dots 921600 130000
Touch screen No No
Screen type TFT Xtra Fine color LCD N/A
Live view No No
Viewfinder Type Optical (pentaprism) Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Coverage 100% 95%
Viewfinder Magnification 0.74x 0.75× (0.5× 35mm equiv.)
Viewfinder Resolution N/A N/A
Photography features
Sony a900
Nikon D70s
Frames per second 5 fps 3 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 11 meters
External Flash Yes Yes
Self-Timer Yes Yes
Time-lapse No No
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 a900
Nikon D70s
Video recording No No
Video format N/A N/A
Video resolution N/A N/A
Built-in Microphone No No
Built-in Speakers No No
Storage
Sony a900
Nikon D70s
Memory Card Compact Flash
Memory Stick Pro Duo
Compact Flash
Connectivity
Sony a900
Nikon D70s
HDMI Output Yes No
Microphone Port No No
Headphone Port No No
Wireless No No
Remote Control Yes (Wired or Wireless (Optional)) Yes (Optional (ML-L3 or MC-DC1))
GPS No No
Body & Dimensions
Sony a900
Nikon D70s
Enviromentally sealed Yes No
Battery Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery Details Lithium-Ion NP-FM500H rechargeable battery & charger
Nikon EN-EL3a Lithium-Ion & charger included
Battery Life (CIPA) 880 shots 400 shots
Width 156 mm 140 mm
Height 117 mm 111 mm
Depth 82 mm 78 mm
Weight 895 gram 679 gram