Nikon D4S vs Sony A7 III

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Nikon D4S vs Sony A7 III

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35mm 860.4mm²
16.2 megapixels
ISO 100 - 25,600

Go in depth with our full Nikon D4S Review.
How does it shoot? Nikon D4S in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the D4S.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Nikon D4S conclusion.

35mm 847.3mm²
24.2 megapixels
ISO 100 - 51,200

Go in depth with our full Sony A7 III Review.
How does it shoot? Sony A7 III in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the A7 III.
Compare Sony A7 III image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Sony A7 III conclusion.

Succeeded by the Nikon D5
Compare D4S vs D5

Succeeded by the Sony A7 IV
Compare A7 III vs A7 IV

Compare NIKON D5 vs SONY A7 IV

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Differences

Nikon D4S advantages over Sony A7 III

Lens selection
Excellent vs Good
Better lens selection gives you more options
Bigger pixels
~ 7.31 vs 5.93 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
Fast startup
~0.20 vs 1.7 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
Longer stills battery life
More info

Longer stills battery life

Cameras with longer battery life can take more photos before exhausting their batteries.

Special note: The measurement standard for battery life stipulates that if a camera has an internal flash, it must be used for 50% of photos taken. For this reason, comparisons of one camera with an internal flash to another without will not be comparable

3020 vs 710 shots
Capture more photos
Top deck display
Yes vs No
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
Faster RAW shooting
10.8 fps vs 9.7 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Bigger RAW buffer
78 vs 33 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
Higher extended ISO
409600 vs 204800 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Sony A7 III advantages over Nikon D4S

Focus peaking
Peaker vs Non-peaker
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
Less expensive
$1498 vs $4800*
Save money for lenses or accessories
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Yes vs No
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
Shoot 4K video
4K (UHD) vs 1080p
Make sure you have a fast computer
Touchscreen
Touch vs No touch
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
Tiltable Screen
Tiltable vs Fixed
Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
Built-in Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi vs None
Share your photos wirelessly
NFC
Yes vs No
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
Built-in Bluetooth
Yes vs No
Always-on wireless connectivity
Higher effective ISO

Higher effective ISO

Maximum effective ISO is an estimate of the highest sensitivity at which a camera can capture excellent quality photos.

Cameras with higher effective ISO will be better choices for indoor photography, night shooting, and indoor sports photography, especially if you intend to make large prints.

You can learn more at our glossary entry.

Maximum effective ISO test data courtesy of DxO Mark.
A7 III test data on DxO Mark D4S test data on DxO Mark

3,730 vs 3,074 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
More dynamic range

More dynamic range

Cameras with more dynamic range allow you to take photos with dramatic differences in highlight and shadow areas while retaining detail in both.

Think of a brilliant sunset on a rocky beach: Bright sunset in the background, with dark rocks in the foreground. High dynamic range means more of the extremes will be faithfully reproduced.

Dynamic range test data courtesy of DxO Mark.
A7 III test data on DxO Mark D4S test data on DxO Mark

14.7 vs 13.3 evs
Retain detail in highlight and shadows
On-sensor phase detect
Yes vs No
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
Newer
7 years vs 11 years old
Newer cameras often support more advanced features
More viewfinder magnification
0.78x vs 0.70x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
More pixels
24.2 vs 16.2 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
Slow-motion videos
Yes vs No
Shoot slow-motion videos

Similarities

Common Strengths

Eye-level viewfinder
Both provide
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
External Mic Jack
Both provide
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
HDMI out
Both provide
Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
Hot shoe
Both provide
Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
Dual card slots
Both provide
Gives you more storage flexibility
Headphone jack
Both provide
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
Bulb shutter
Both provide
Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures

Common Weaknesses

Tilt-swivel screen
Neither provide
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
In-camera panoramas
Neither provide
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
Built-in GPS
Neither provide
Geotag your photos
Internal flash
Neither provide
Useful in a pinch for fill flash

User reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read D4S User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read A7 III User Reviews

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Body Only
Kit with 28-70mm Lens

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Review Excerpt

Excellent, tank-like build quality; First-rate ergonomics a pro would expect; Superb performance with confident autofocus; Great image quality; Big, bright viewfinder with 100% coverage; Excellent battery life; Doubles as a powerful video capture tool
Fairly minor upgrade over the D4; Image quality improvements apply only to JPEG; XQD card format isn't broadly accepted; Consumer-friendly default JPEG processing may turn off some pros; Body is large and hefty (but that's normal for pro gear)
Read our Nikon D4S Review

New 24MP sensor offers excellent image quality; Outstanding high ISO performance and dynamic range; Improved JPEG colors; Improved build quality; Fast autofocus; Excellent 4K video; Very good battery life.
Buffer clearing can be slow even with fast UHS-II cards; UHS-II support only on one card slot; No losslessly compressed RAW option; Dedicated battery charger not included; Menus are still confusing; No built-in flash.
Read our Sony A7 III Review

The Competition

Compared to Canon 1DX

Nikon D4S

Canon 1DX

$5399
35mm

Fast startup
Higher effective ISO

$5299
35mm

More cross-type AF points
Less shutter lag

Compare Nikon D4S vs Canon 1DX

Sony A7 III

Canon 1DX

$1531
35mm

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$5299
35mm

Lens selection
Bigger pixels

Compare Sony A7 III vs Canon 1DX

Compared to Nikon D4

Nikon D4S

Nikon D4

$5399
35mm

Fast startup
Higher extended ISO

$4500
35mm

Bigger JPEG buffer
Bigger RAW buffer

Compare Nikon D4S vs Nikon D4

Sony A7 III

Nikon D4

$1531
35mm

Focus peaking
Less expensive

$4500
35mm

Lens selection
Bigger pixels

Compare Sony A7 III vs Nikon D4

Compared to Canon EOS-1D C

Nikon D4S

Canon EOS-1D C

$5399
35mm

Higher extended ISO

$6989
35mm

Shoot 4K video
More cross-type AF points

Compare Nikon D4S vs Canon EOS-1D C

Sony A7 III

Canon EOS-1D C

$1531
35mm

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$6989
35mm

Lens selection
Bigger pixels

Compare Sony A7 III vs Canon EOS-1D C

Compared to Sony A7 II

Nikon D4S

Sony A7 II

$5399
35mm

Lens selection
Bigger pixels

$1179
35mm

Less expensive
Focus peaking

Compare Nikon D4S vs Sony A7 II

Sony A7 III

Sony A7 II

$1531
35mm

Shoot 4K video
Touchscreen

$1179
35mm

In-camera panoramas

Compare Sony A7 III vs Sony A7 II

Compared to Nikon Z6

Nikon D4S

Nikon Z6

$5399
35mm

Bigger pixels
Fast startup

$1396
35mm

Less expensive
Focus peaking

Compare Nikon D4S vs Nikon Z6

Sony A7 III

Nikon Z6

$1531
35mm

Less expensive
NFC

$1396
35mm

Top deck display
More dots on screen

Compare Sony A7 III vs Nikon Z6

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