Nikon D810 vs Sony A900

The Nikon D810 and the Sony Alpha A900 are two professional cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in June 2014 and September 2008. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with a full frame sensor. The Nikon has a resolution of 36.2 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 24.4 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Nikon D810		Sony A900
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Nikon F mount lenses		Sony A mount lenses
36.2 MP – Full Frame sensor		24.4 MP – Full Frame sensor
1080/60p Video		no Video
ISO 64-12,800 (32 - 51,200)		ISO 200-3,200 (100 - 6,400)
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
3.2" LCD – 1229k dots		3.0" LCD – 922k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
5 shutter flaps per second		5 shutter flaps per second
Lens stabilization only		In-body stabilization
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
1200 shots per battery charge		880 shots per battery charge
146 x 123 x 82 mm, 980 g		156 x 117 x 82 mm, 895 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon D810 and the Sony Alpha A900? 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

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Nikon D810 and the Sony A900 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All size dimensions 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 Sony A900 is somewhat larger (2 percent) than the Nikon D810. However, the A900 is markedly lighter (9 percent) than the D810. 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. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

Concerning battery life, the D810 gets 1200 shots out of its Nikon EN-EL15 battery, while the A900 can take 880 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FM500H power pack.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. 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 D810	146 mm	123 mm	82 mm	980 g	1200	Y	Jun 2014	US$ 3 299	ebay.com
2.		Sony A900	156 mm	117 mm	82 mm	895 g	880	Y	Sep 2008	US$ 2 999	ebay.com
3.		Canon 5DS	152 mm	116 mm	76 mm	930 g	700	Y	Feb 2015	US$ 3 699	ebay.com
4.		Nikon D4S	160 mm	157 mm	91 mm	1350 g	3020	Y	Feb 2014	US$ 6 499	ebay.com
5.		Nikon D600	141 mm	113 mm	82 mm	850 g	900	Y	Sep 2012	US$ 2 099	ebay.com
6.		Nikon D610	141 mm	113 mm	82 mm	850 g	900	Y	Oct 2013	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
7.		Nikon D700	147 mm	123 mm	77 mm	1074 g	1000	Y	Jul 2008	US$ 2 999	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D750	141 mm	113 mm	78 mm	750 g	1230	Y	Sep 2014	US$ 2 299	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D800	146 mm	123 mm	82 mm	1000 g	900	Y	Feb 2012	US$ 2 999	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D800E	146 mm	123 mm	82 mm	1000 g	900	Y	Feb 2012	US$ 3 299	ebay.com
11.		Nikon D850	146 mm	124 mm	79 mm	1005 g	1840	Y	Jul 2017	US$ 3 299	amazon.com
12.		Nikon Df	144 mm	110 mm	67 mm	760 g	1400	Y	Nov 2013	US$ 2 749	ebay.com
13.		Sony A7S II	127 mm	96 mm	60 mm	627 g	370	Y	Sep 2015	US$ 2 999	ebay.com
14.		Sony A9	127 mm	96 mm	63 mm	673 g	650	Y	Apr 2017	US$ 4 499	ebay.com
15.		Sony A99	147 mm	111 mm	78 mm	812 g	500	Y	Sep 2012	US$ 2 799	ebay.com
16.		Sony A99 II	143 mm	104 mm	76 mm	849 g	490	Y	Sep 2016	US$ 3 199	ebay.com
17.		Sony A850	156 mm	117 mm	82 mm	895 g	880	Y	Aug 2009	US$ 1 999	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

Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The A900 was somewhat cheaper (by 9 percent) than the D810 at launch, but both cameras fall into the same price category. 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 size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels 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 are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a full frame sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.0. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the large-sensor cameras that aim for top notch image quality. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the D810 offers a higher resolution of 36.2 megapixels, compared with 24.4 MP of the A900. This megapixels advantage translates into a 22 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the D810 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 4.88μm versus 5.94μm for the A900). In this context, it should be noted, however, that the D810 is much more recent (by 5 years and 9 months) than the A900, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that compensate for the smaller pixel size. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the D810 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Nikon D810 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the D810 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 36.8 x 24.6 inches or 93.5 x 62.4 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 29.4 x 19.6 inches or 74.8 x 49.9 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 24.5 x 16.4 inches or 62.3 x 41.6 cm. The corresponding values for the Sony A900 are 30.2 x 20.2 inches or 76.8 x 51.2 cm for good quality, 24.2 x 16.1 inches or 61.4 x 41 cm for very good quality, and 20.2 x 13.4 inches or 51.2 x 34.1 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Nikon D810 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 64 to ISO 12800, which can be extended to ISO 32-51200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Alpha A900 are ISO 200 to ISO 3200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-6400.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). Of the two cameras under review, the D810 provides substantially higher image quality than the A900, with an overall score that is 18 points higher. This advantage is based on 2 bits higher color depth, 2.5 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 D810	Full Frame	36.2	7360	4912	1080/60p	25.7	14.8	2853	97
2.		Sony A900	Full Frame	24.4	6048	4032	none	23.7	12.3	1431	79
3.		Canon 5DS	Full Frame	50.3	8688	5792	1080/30p	24.7	12.4	2381	87
4.		Nikon D4S	Full Frame	16.2	4928	3280	1080/60p	24.4	13.3	3074	89
5.		Nikon D600	Full Frame	24.2	6016	4016	1080/30p	25.1	14.2	2980	94
6.		Nikon D610	Full Frame	24.2	6016	4016	1080/30p	25.1	14.4	2925	94
7.		Nikon D700	Full Frame	12.1	4256	2832	none	23.5	12.2	2303	80
8.		Nikon D750	Full Frame	24.2	6016	4016	1080/60p	24.8	14.5	2956	93
9.		Nikon D800	Full Frame	36.2	7360	4912	1080/30p	25.3	14.4	2853	95
10.		Nikon D800E	Full Frame	36.2	7360	4912	1080/30p	25.6	14.3	2979	96
11.		Nikon D850	Full Frame	45.4	8256	5504	4K/30p	26.4	14.8	2660	100
12.		Nikon Df	Full Frame	16.2	4928	3280	none	24.6	13.1	3279	89
13.		Sony A7S II	Full Frame	12.0	4240	2832	4K/30p	23.6	13.3	2993	85
14.		Sony A9	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.9	13.3	3517	92
15.		Sony A99	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	25.0	14.0	1555	89
16.		Sony A99 II	Full Frame	42.2	7952	5304	4K/30p	25.4	13.4	2317	92
17.		Sony A850	Full Frame	24.4	6048	4032	none	23.8	12.2	1415	79

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. The D810 indeed provides movie recording capabilities, while the A900 does not. The highest resolution format that the D810 can use is 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The D810 and the A900 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 A900 has a higher magnification than the one of the D810 (0.74x vs 0.70x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Nikon D810, the Sony A900, and comparable 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 D810	optical	Y	3.2 / 1229	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	n
2.		Sony A900	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	Y
3.		Canon 5DS	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
4.		Nikon D4S	optical	Y	3.2 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	11.0/s	n	n
5.		Nikon D600	optical	Y	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.5/s	Y	n
6.		Nikon D610	optical	Y	3.2 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
7.		Nikon D700	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.0/s	Y	n
8.		Nikon D750	optical	Y	3.2 / 1229	tilting	n	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
9.		Nikon D800	optical	Y	3.2 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	4.0/s	Y	n
10.		Nikon D800E	optical	Y	3.2 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	4.0/s	Y	n
11.		Nikon D850	optical	Y	3.2 / 2359	tilting	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	n
12.		Nikon Df	optical	Y	3.2 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.5/s	n	n
13.		Sony A7S II	2400	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	Y
14.		Sony A9	3686	n	3.0 / 1440	tilting	Y	1/8000s	20.0/s	n	Y
15.		Sony A99	2359	Y	3.0 / 1229	full-flex	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	n	Y
16.		Sony A99 II	2400	Y	3.0 / 1229	full-flex	n	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
17.		Sony A850	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/8000s	3.0/s	n	Y
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 D810 has one, while the A900 does not. While the built-in flash of the D810 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The Nikon D810 has 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 D810 writes its imaging data to Compact Flash or SDXC cards, while the A900 uses Compact Flash or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. Both cameras feature dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails.

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 D810 and Sony Alpha A900 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 D810	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	-	-
2.		Sony A900	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon 5DS	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	3.0	-	-	-
4.		Nikon D4S	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Nikon D600	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Nikon D610	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Nikon D700	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Nikon D750	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
9.		Nikon D800	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
10.		Nikon D800E	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
11.		Nikon D850	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	Y	Y
12.		Nikon Df	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Sony A7S II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Sony A9	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
15.		Sony A99	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Sony A99 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
17.		Sony A850	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the D810 offers wifi support, while the A900 does not. Wifi can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location.

Both cameras feature a PC Sync terminal to control professional strobe lights, which will be appreciated by studio photographers.

Both the D810 and the A900 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The A900 was replaced by the Sony A99, while the D810 was followed by the Nikon D850. Further information on the features and operation of the D810 and A900 can be found, respectively, in the Nikon D810 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A900 Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is there a clear favorite between the Nikon D810 and the Sony A900? Which camera is better? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Reasons to prefer the Nikon D810:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (36.2 vs 24.4MP) with a 22% higher linear resolution.
• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Better image quality: Scores substantially higher (18 points) in the DXO overall assessment.
• Richer colors: Generates images with noticeably better colors (2 bits more color depth).
• More dynamic range: Captures a larger spectrum of light and dark details (2.5 EV of extra DR).
• Better low-light sensitivity: Requires less light for good images (1 stops ISO advantage).
• Broader imaging potential: Can record not only still images but also 1080/60p movies.
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1229k vs 922k dots).
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (1200 versus 880) on a single battery charge.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.0 vs 2.0).
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• More modern: Reflects 5 years and 9 months of technical progress since the A900 launch.

Arguments in favor of the Sony Alpha A900:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.74x vs 0.70x).
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in September 2008).

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the D810 is the clear winner of the match-up (15 : 4 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 D810 and the Sony A900 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 technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the D810 or the A900 perform in practice. 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 where reviews by experts come in. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera 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 D810	5/5	..	5/5	86/100	5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2014	US$ 3 299	ebay.com
2.		Sony A900	..	+ +	..	+ +	4.5/5	5/5	Sep 2008	US$ 2 999	ebay.com
3.		Canon 5DS	..	+	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	US$ 3 699	ebay.com
4.		Nikon D4S	5/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2014	US$ 6 499	ebay.com
5.		Nikon D600	4/5	+ +	..	87/100	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 2 099	ebay.com
6.		Nikon D610	4/5	+ +	..	87/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2013	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
7.		Nikon D700	..	89/100	..	+ +	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2008	US$ 2 999	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D750	5/5	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	US$ 2 299	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D800	5/5	+ +	..	82/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2012	US$ 2 999	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D800E	..	..	..	84/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2012	US$ 3 299	ebay.com
11.		Nikon D850	4.5/5	+ +	5/5	89/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2017	US$ 3 299	amazon.com
12.		Nikon Df	4/5	..	..	81/100	4/5	4/5	Nov 2013	US$ 2 749	ebay.com
13.		Sony A7S II	5/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	5/5	Sep 2015	US$ 2 999	ebay.com
14.		Sony A9	5/5	+ +	4.8/5	89/100	5/5	5/5	Apr 2017	US$ 4 499	ebay.com
15.		Sony A99	5/5	..	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 2 799	ebay.com
16.		Sony A99 II	..	..	4.5/5	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2016	US$ 3 199	ebay.com
17.		Sony A850	3/5	..	..	75/100	..	4.5/5	Aug 2009	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make your choice using the following search menu. 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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