How the Excellent Nikon D850 model differ from one another (and the Nikon D810)

Several years ago, Nikon released some excellent cameras: the Nikon D850 and the Nikon D810. These two cameras are still popular among many photographers or Nikon Users. Nikon has always done a great job of outperforming their price point in both quality and functionality as Nikon has become one of the most respected and great brands in the world.

The Nikon D850 (released in 2017) and the Nikon D810 （released in 2014）start at $2,496.95 and $1,574.95 respectively. Here’s what the Nikon D850 has going for it: a tilting LCD screen, a touch screen of 7.0fps for continuous shooting and support of 1840 shots. But there are still compromises — and the Nikon D850 has no in-body image stabilization. It can’t compete with the Sony A7iii, and Nikon d7500 when it comes to in-body image stabilization. Speaking of the Nikon D810 comes with built-in flash and has an excellent low light ISO (2853).

That’s just a brief overview of some of the main differences between the Nikon D850 and the Nikon D810. You can dig into the more granular differences in the chart below, where we’ve rounded up all the relevant specs.

Reasons to choose Nikon D810 over Nikon D850

Both cameras are high-quality and feel good when you hold them with your hands. If you put the Nikon D810 and Nikon 850 together there are no significant differences in weight. The Nikon D810 weighs 980g and the Nikon D850 weighs 1015g. Additionally, with its built-in flash, the Nikon D810 does a good job in low-light conditions. If you’re tight budget, the Nikon D810 is your best choice.

Reasons to choose Nikon D850 over Nikon D810

When considering the Nikon D850, it is important to note that it is an upgraded version of the Nikon D810 and comes equipped with numerous new features. This makes it an excellent choice for many users. The Nikon D850 comes with a 45.7MP full-frame sensor, which is a big improvement over the 36.3MP sensor that the Nikon D810 has. Theoretically, this means that the Nikon D850’s sensor allows photographers to capture razor-sharp images.

There is also some improvement when it comes to video recording. The Nikon D850 is capable of doing 4K UHD (3840 x 2160p) video recording at frame rates of up to 30 fps and full HD footage at up to 120 fps. While the Nikon D810 could capture Full HD footage at up to 60p. The Nikon D810 falls short in this regard. If you’re ready to record some excellent and interesting videos, the Nikon D850 is worth trying out. Additionally, the D850 features 7fps continuous speed and up to 9fps with an optional battery grip over the 5fps continuous shooting offered by the Nikon D810. The increased speed of the D850 allows photographers to capture fast-action subjects and ensure you don’t miss any decisive moments.

The Nikon D850 and the Nikon D810 both feature rapid and flexible AF systems. However, in practical use, the D850’s AF system stands out with its 153-point autofocus system, including 93 cross-type points, which is more noticeable compared to the D810’s 51-point AF system with 15 cross-type points.

When it comes to low-light performance, the Nikon D850 excels. It can focus down to -4EV, providing superior performance compared to the -2EV capability of the Nikon D810.

Speaking of the ISO range, the Nikon D850 boasts a native ISO range of 64 to 25,600, which can be expanded to 32-102,400. In comparison, the D810 offers a native ISO range of 64 to 12,800, expandable to 32-51,200. If you often take landscape photos or like low-light photography, the D850’s wider ISO range could help you take some great images with fine details.

When it comes to LCD screens, the Nikon D850 features a tilting LCD screen and a touch screen. At first glance, this may seem like a minor update, but it offers significant benefits. The touchscreen functionality allows users to easily and efficiently adjust settings, capture videos, and take images. Notably, the touchscreen proves to be an important feature, enabling photographers to switch between different modes and make adjustments to settings while recording videos.

The smartphone remote plays a crucial role in various situations, particularly when it comes to group or selfie photography. Combined with this feature, photographers could control the camera via smartphone and get some excellent images or videos from a distance.

Common Strengths of Nikon D850 and Nikon D810

Both cameras support RAW format, ensuring that photographers can keep all the fine details of images efficiently and provide photographers with greater control over the post-processing stage, allowing them to adjust exposure, white balance, and other settings without losing image quality. There is also plenty that you don’t get on the Nikon D850 and Nikon D810 and one of the significant benefits you’ll get is their storage slot. The dual card slots offer increased storage capacity, allowing for the capture of a larger number of images and videos. Moreover, the dual card slots provide flexibility to photographers and allow them to manage their files. For example, you could choose one of the cards to store some videos and the other for images. Or you could use one card for RAW files and the other goes for JPEGs.

If you’re looking for a camera that can capture portrait photos and last for years to come, both the Nikon D850 and the Nikon D810 are excellent options. Both the D850 and the D810 come with excellent face-detection autofocus, which allows for precise and accurate focusing on human subjects’ faces.

In terms of battery life, the D850 offers an impressive battery capacity, with the ability to capture approximately 1840 shots on a single charge. The D810, on the other hand, provides a slightly lower battery capacity, allowing for around 1200 shots per charge. They could ensure extended shooting sessions.

What types of Photography are Nikon D7500 and Nikon D7500 Good for?

Portrait and Wedding Photography

Nikon D850

Nikon D850 is an excellent choice for portrait photography as this camera comes with many great features, including dynamic range (14.8 EV at base ISO). This exceptional dynamic range could ensure vibrant portraits without losing detail. Additionally, the D850 is equipped with Nikon’s latest 3D colour matrix metering III system and a 180,000-pixel RGB metering sensor, which offers photographers excellent colour. When it comes to autofocus, the Nikon D850 and the Nikon D810 excel in capturing portrait and wedding photos with exceptional accuracy and precision. The autofocus systems in both cameras are designed to track and focus on subjects, ensuring that the images are sharp and in focus.

Nikon D810

If you are a wedding and portrait photographer and have a tight budget, the Nikon D810 is also your best bet. The Nikon D810 is not as excellent as the Nikon D850, but there are still some exceptional features you’ll get compared with the Nikon D800, including better autofocus performance, faster image processing, a larger image buffer and a quieter shutter. When you first hold this camera with your hands, it feels comfortable and lightweight. Its viewfinder is bright and high-resolution, making it a good choice for adjusting settings.  D4s autofocus system found in the Nikon D800 could allow photographers to capture good images in low-light conditions. Additionally, the Nikon D810’s spot focusing as well as group area AF do an excellent job of keeping subjects in focus. It is high hope for this camera. In terms of the shutter noise, the D810 is as quiet as the 5D MkII and doesn’t affect people’s experience.

Landscape photography

Nikon D850

The Nikon D850 is well-suited for landscape photography. In terms of buttons and settings, it features a standard button layout that allows users to efficiently adjust settings. The inclusion of a touchscreen significantly speeds up menu navigation. Additionally, the D850 surprises users with its SD card slots, offering one SD card slot and one XQD card slot. This provides more flexibility for photographers in managing their images and videos.

The D850’s LCD screen boasts higher resolution and sturdiness compared to the Nikon D750. With its 100% viewfinder coverage, photographers can effectively compose their images. The AF system of the D850 is equipped with 153 focus points, including 99 cross-type points, which is highly beneficial for landscape photography. Furthermore, the D850’s ability to shoot at ISO 64 results in exceptional images with fine details and a wide dynamic range.

Nikon D810

The Nikon D810 is a durable, affordable camera with several notable features. As mentioned earlier, the absence of an anti-aliasing filter and an optical low-pass filter in the D810 allows it to capture sharper images compared to its predecessor, the D800.

For landscape photography, the D810 can be a reliable choice. It supports capturing approximately 1,200 images on a single charge, ensuring you have enough battery life to capture all the interesting moments during your weekend outing. The camera’s live view, with a resolution of 1,229,000 dots, provides users with a detailed preview of the scene, allowing for accurate composition and fine-tuning of settings before capturing the image.

Wildlife and Bird Photography

Nikon D850

The Nikon D850 is a great balance between capability and affordability. It features a 45.7MP BSI (backside-illuminated) sensor, which offers users a high resolution and excellent image quality. The Nikon D850 indeed features a sensitive touchscreen and a great tilting screen, which make menu navigation easy and provide photographers with flexibility in capturing subjects from low or ground-level angles. Resolution is one of the important things when you want to buy a camera. The Nikon D850 features a 45.7-megapixel resolution that could offer high-quality images with excellent details and great sharpness. Nikon introduced focus peaking on the D850, including 1 (low sensitivity), 2 (standard) and 3 (high sensitivity). This feature could help photographers preview the extent of depth of field before releasing the shutter

Nikon D810

If you’re a bird and wildlife photographer, the Nikon D810 is a great choice due to its excellent autofocus system, high resolution of 36 MP, and 5 fps continuous shooting. These features enable photographers to capture fast-moving subjects and provide the flexibility for heavy cropping options. In terms of the group AF feature, this feature in the Nikon D810 works exceptionally well for tracking birds in flight. Speaking of the metering system, the Nikon D810 comes with a “3D Color Matrix Meter III” name like the Nikon D800 / D800E. In contrast, the D810 is more accurate when dealing with some difficult and fast-changing situations.

Night Photography

Nikon D850

Many photographers may like taking night photos. The larger optical viewfinder on the D850 provides users with a clear and expansive view of the scene allowing for better composition and framing of shots, particularly in challenging lighting situations such as night photography. Its touchscreen makes it simple to navigate the camera’s menu system. With dual SD card slots, the D850 could offer more flexibility to photographers and allow them to organize their images. The Nikon D850 introduces backlit buttons on the left side of the camera, which photographers use to navigate and adjust settings in the night. Additionally, its live-view focus peaking and zebra stripes help photographers achieve optimal focus and exposure.

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