Nikon D7200 vs D850

The Nikon D7200 and the Nikon D850 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in March 2015 and July 2017. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are based on an APS-C (D7200) and a full frame (D850) sensor. The D7200 has a resolution of 24 megapixels, whereas the D850 provides 45.4 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Nikon D7200		Nikon D850
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Nikon F mount lenses		Nikon F mount lenses
24 MP – APS-C sensor		45.4 MP – Full Frame sensor
1080/60p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 100-25,600 (100 - 102,400)		ISO 64-25,600 (32 - 102,400)
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
3.2" LCD – 1229k dots		3.2" LCD – 2359k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Tilting touchscreen
6 shutter flaps per second		9 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
1110 shots per battery charge		1840 shots per battery charge
136 x 107 x 76 mm, 765 g		146 x 124 x 79 mm, 1005 g

Check D7200 offers at
ebay.com
Check D850 price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon D7200 and the Nikon D850? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The physical size and weight of the Nikon D7200 and the Nikon D850 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Nikon D850 is notably larger (24 percent) than the Nikon D7200. Moreover, the D850 is markedly heavier (31 percent) than the D7200. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. A larger imaging sensor (as in the D850) will tend to go along with bigger and heavier lenses, while more compact options are available for the smaller-sensor camera (D7200). You can compare the optics available in the Nikon Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the D7200 gets 1110 shots out of its Nikon EN-EL15 battery, while the D850 can take 1840 images on a single charge of its Nikon EN-EL15a power pack.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Nikon D7200	136 mm	107 mm	76 mm	765 g	1110	Y	Mar 2015	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
2.		Nikon D850	146 mm	124 mm	79 mm	1005 g	1840	Y	Jul 2017	US$ 3 299	amazon.com
3.		Canon 5DS	152 mm	116 mm	76 mm	930 g	700	Y	Feb 2015	US$ 3 699	ebay.com
4.		Canon 5DS R	152 mm	116 mm	76 mm	930 g	700	Y	Feb 2015	US$ 3 699	ebay.com
5.		Canon 80D	139 mm	105 mm	79 mm	730 g	960	Y	Feb 2016	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
6.		Nikon D5	160 mm	159 mm	92 mm	1415 g	3780	Y	Jan 2016	US$ 6 499	ebay.com
7.		Nikon D90	132 mm	103 mm	77 mm	703 g	850	n	Aug 2008	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D500	147 mm	115 mm	81 mm	860 g	1240	Y	Jan 2016	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D610	141 mm	113 mm	82 mm	850 g	900	Y	Oct 2013	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D750	141 mm	113 mm	78 mm	750 g	1230	Y	Sep 2014	US$ 2 299	ebay.com
11.		Nikon D810	146 mm	123 mm	82 mm	980 g	1200	Y	Jun 2014	US$ 3 299	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D3300	124 mm	98 mm	76 mm	430 g	700	n	Jan 2014	US$ 499	ebay.com
13.		Nikon D7000	132 mm	105 mm	77 mm	780 g	1050	Y	Sep 2010	US$ 1 499	ebay.com
14.		Nikon D7100	136 mm	107 mm	76 mm	765 g	950	Y	Feb 2013	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
15.		Nikon D7500	136 mm	104 mm	73 mm	720 g	950	Y	Apr 2017	US$ 1 299	amazon.com
16.		Pentax K-3 II	131 mm	100 mm	77 mm	800 g	720	Y	Apr 2015	US$ 1 099	ebay.com
17.		Sony A6300	120 mm	67 mm	49 mm	404 g	400	Y	Feb 2016	US$ 999	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The D7200 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 64 percent) than the D850, which puts it into a different market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Nikon D7200 features an APS-C sensor and the Nikon D850 a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the D850 is 134 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.5 and 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Technology-wise, the D850 uses a more advanced image processing engine (EXPEED 5) than the D7200 (EXPEED 4), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

With 45.4MP, the D850 offers a higher resolution than the D7200 (24MP), but the D850 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.35μm versus 3.91μm for the D7200) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the D850 is a much more recent model (by 2 years and 4 months) than the D7200, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that neither of the two cameras has an anti-alias filter installed, so they are able to capture all the detail the sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Nikon D850 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the D850 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 41.3 x 27.5 inches or 104.9 x 69.9 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 33 x 22 inches or 83.9 x 55.9 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 27.5 x 18.3 inches or 69.9 x 46.6 cm. The corresponding values for the Nikon D7200 are 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm for good quality, 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm for very good quality, and 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Nikon D7200 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 100-102400. The corresponding ISO settings for the Nikon D850 are ISO 64 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 32-102400.

In terms of underlying technology, the D7200 is build around a CMOS sensor, while the D850 uses a BSI-CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. Of the two cameras under consideration, the D850 offers substantially better image quality than the D7200 (overall score 13 points higher). The advantage is based on 1.9 bits higher color depth, 0.2 EV in additional dynamic range, and 1 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Nikon D7200	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.5	14.6	1333	87
2.		Nikon D850	Full Frame	45.4	8256	5504	4K/30p	26.4	14.8	2660	100
3.		Canon 5DS	Full Frame	50.3	8688	5792	1080/30p	24.7	12.4	2381	87
4.		Canon 5DS R	Full Frame	50.3	8688	5792	1080/30p	24.6	12.4	2308	86
5.		Canon 80D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.2	1135	79
6.		Nikon D5	Full Frame	20.7	5588	3712	4K/30p	25.1	12.3	2343	88
7.		Nikon D90	APS-C	12.2	4288	2848	720/24p	22.7	12.5	977	73
8.		Nikon D500	APS-C	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	24.0	14.0	1324	83
9.		Nikon D610	Full Frame	24.2	6016	4016	1080/30p	25.1	14.4	2925	94
10.		Nikon D750	Full Frame	24.2	6016	4016	1080/60p	24.8	14.5	2956	93
11.		Nikon D810	Full Frame	36.2	7360	4912	1080/60p	25.7	14.8	2853	97
12.		Nikon D3300	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.3	12.8	1385	82
13.		Nikon D7000	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/24p	23.5	13.9	1167	80
14.		Nikon D7100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.2	13.7	1256	83
15.		Nikon D7500	APS-C	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	24.3	14.0	1483	86
16.		Pentax K-3 II	APS-C	24.1	6016	4000	1080/60i	23.6	13.6	1106	80
17.		Sony A6300	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.4	13.7	1437	85

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the D850 provides a better video resolution than the D7200. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the D7200 is limited to 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The D7200 and the D850 are similar in the sense that both have an optical viewfinder. The latter is useful for getting a clear image for framing even in brightly lit environments. The viewfinders of both cameras offer the same field of view (100%), but the viewfinder of the D850 has a higher magnification than the one of the D7200 (0.75x vs 0.63x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Nikon D7200 and Nikon D850 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Nikon D7200	optical	Y	3.2 / 1229	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	Y	n
2.		Nikon D850	optical	Y	3.2 / 2359	tilting	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	n
3.		Canon 5DS	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
4.		Canon 5DS R	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
5.		Canon 80D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	n
6.		Nikon D5	optical	Y	3.2 / 2359	fixed	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	n
7.		Nikon D90	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.5/s	Y	n
8.		Nikon D500	optical	Y	3.2 / 2359	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	n
9.		Nikon D610	optical	Y	3.2 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
10.		Nikon D750	optical	Y	3.2 / 1229	tilting	n	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
11.		Nikon D810	optical	Y	3.2 / 1229	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	n
12.		Nikon D3300	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
13.		Nikon D7000	optical	Y	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	Y	n
14.		Nikon D7100	optical	Y	3.2 / 1229	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	Y	n
15.		Nikon D7500	optical	Y	3.2 / 922	tilting	Y	1/8000s	8.0/s	Y	n
16.		Pentax K-3 II	optical	Y	3.2 / 1037	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.3/s	n	Y
17.		Sony A6300	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The D7200 has one, while the D850 does not. While the built-in flash of the D7200 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The Nikon D7200 and the Nikon D850 both have an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

The D7200 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the D850 uses SDXC or XQD cards. Both cameras feature dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. The D850 supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the D7200 can use UHS-I cards (up to 104 MB/s).

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Nikon D7200 and Nikon D850 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Nikon D7200	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
2.		Nikon D850	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	Y	Y
3.		Canon 5DS	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	3.0	-	-	-
4.		Canon 5DS R	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	3.0	-	-	-
5.		Canon 80D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
6.		Nikon D5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
7.		Nikon D90	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Nikon D500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	Y	Y
9.		Nikon D610	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Nikon D750	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
11.		Nikon D810	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	-	-
12.		Nikon D3300	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Nikon D7000	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Nikon D7100	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Nikon D7500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
16.		Pentax K-3 II	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
17.		Sony A6300	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Nikon D850 (unlike the D7200) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

The D850 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Nikon. In contrast, the D7200 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the D7200 was succeeded by the Nikon D7500. Further information on the features and operation of the D7200 and D850 can be found, respectively, in the Nikon D7200 Manual (free pdf) or the online Nikon D850 Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Nikon D7200 better than the Nikon D850 or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Reasons to prefer the Nikon D7200:

• More compact: Is smaller (136x107mm vs 146x124mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 240g or 24 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (64 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in March 2015).

Advantages of the Nikon D850:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (45.4 vs 24MP), which boosts linear resolution by 38%.
• Better image quality: Scores substantially higher (13 points) in the DXO overall evaluation.
• Richer colors: Generates noticeably more natural colors (1.9 bits more color depth).
• Better low-light sensitivity: Can shoot in dim conditions (1 stops ISO advantage).
• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (EXPEED 5 vs EXPEED 4).
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/60p).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.75x vs 0.63x).
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (2359k vs 1229k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
• Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (9 vs 6 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (1840 versus 1110) out of a single battery charge.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.0 vs 2.0).
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
• More modern: Reflects 2 years and 4 months of technical progress since the D7200 launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the D850 is the clear winner of the contest (17 : 5 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Nikon D7200 and the Nikon D850 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the D7200 or the D850. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Nikon D7200	4/5	+ +	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2015	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
2.		Nikon D850	4.5/5	+ +	5/5	89/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2017	US$ 3 299	amazon.com
3.		Canon 5DS	..	+	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	US$ 3 699	ebay.com
4.		Canon 5DS R	5/5	+	..	83/100	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	US$ 3 699	ebay.com
5.		Canon 80D	4/5	+ +	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
6.		Nikon D5	..	..	4/5	89/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2016	US$ 6 499	ebay.com
7.		Nikon D90	..	+ +	..	+ +	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2008	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D500	5/5	+ +	4.7/5	91/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2016	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D610	4/5	+ +	..	87/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2013	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D750	5/5	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	US$ 2 299	ebay.com
11.		Nikon D810	5/5	..	5/5	86/100	5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2014	US$ 3 299	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D3300	3/5	+	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2014	US$ 499	ebay.com
13.		Nikon D7000	4/5	..	..	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2010	US$ 1 499	ebay.com
14.		Nikon D7100	5/5	+ +	..	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2013	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
15.		Nikon D7500	4.5/5	+ +	4.5/5	86/100	5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2017	US$ 1 299	amazon.com
16.		Pentax K-3 II	4.5/5	..	..	..	5/5	5/5	Apr 2015	US$ 1 099	ebay.com
17.		Sony A6300	4.5/5	+	..	85/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2016	US$ 999	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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