Nikon D4S vs Sony A7R II

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Nikon D4S vs Sony A7R II

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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 861.6mm²
42.4 megapixels
ISO 100 - 25,600

Go in depth with our full Sony A7R II Review.
How does it shoot? Sony A7R II in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the A7R II.
Compare Sony A7R II image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Sony A7R II conclusion.

Succeeded by the Nikon D5
Compare D4S vs D5

Succeeded by the Sony A7R III
Compare A7R II vs A7R III

Compare NIKON D5 vs SONY A7R III

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Differences

Nikon D4S advantages over Sony A7R II

Lens selection
Excellent vs Good
Better lens selection gives you more options
Bigger pixels
~ 7.31 vs 4.51 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
Fast startup
~0.20 vs 1.5 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 340 shots
Capture more photos
Top deck display
Yes vs No
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
Dual card slots
Yes vs No
Gives you more storage flexibility
Has anti-aliasing filter
Filter vs No Filter
Reduces unsightly moiré in photos
Faster JPEG shooting
10.6 fps vs 5.0 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Bigger JPEG buffer
200 vs 23 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
10.8 fps vs 5.0 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Bigger RAW buffer
78 vs 23 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
Higher extended ISO
409600 vs 102400 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Sony A7R II advantages over Nikon D4S

Focus peaking
Peaker vs Non-peaker
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
Less expensive
$1798 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
In-camera panoramas
Yes vs No
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
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
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.
A7R II test data on DxO Mark D4S test data on DxO Mark

3,434 vs 3,074 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
On-sensor phase detect
Yes vs No
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
Thinner
60 mm vs 90 mm
Thinner
Lighter weight
640g vs 1356g
Lighter weight
More viewfinder magnification
0.78x vs 0.70x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
More pixels
42.4 vs 16.2 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
Lacks anti-aliasing filter
No Filter vs Filter
Enjoy sharper 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
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
Touchscreen
Neither provide
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
Built-in Bluetooth
Neither provide
Always-on wireless connectivity
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 A7R II User Reviews

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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

Superb image quality; Very high resolution; Surprisingly good high ISO performance; Fast autofocus; Compact, comfortable body with lots of customization potential; Bright, roomy and clear viewfinder; Tilting LCD display; Five-axis stabilization; Intuitive Wi-Fi / NFC connectivity
Movie button is poorly located; No touch screen; Not as fast to start up or shoot photos as a similarly-priced SLR; Rather slow buffer clearing; No built-in flash; Single card slot; Not weather-sealed to the same degree as some rivals
Read our Sony A7R II 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 A7R II

Canon 1DX

$2348
35mm

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$5299
35mm

Lens selection
Bigger pixels

Compare Sony A7R II 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 A7R II

Nikon D4

$2348
35mm

Focus peaking
Less expensive

$4500
35mm

Lens selection
Bigger pixels

Compare Sony A7R II 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 A7R II

Canon EOS-1D C

$2348
35mm

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$6989
35mm

Lens selection
Bigger pixels

Compare Sony A7R II vs Canon EOS-1D C

Compared to Sony A9

Nikon D4S

Sony A9

$5399
35mm

Lens selection
Bigger pixels

$2997
35mm

Focus peaking
Less expensive

Compare Nikon D4S vs Sony A9

Sony A7R II

Sony A9

$2348
35mm

Less expensive
In-camera panoramas

$2997
35mm

Bigger pixels
Touchscreen

Compare Sony A7R II vs Sony A9

Compared to Sony A7R III

Nikon D4S

Sony A7R III

$5399
35mm

Lens selection
Bigger pixels

$2151
35mm

Less expensive
Focus peaking

Compare Nikon D4S vs Sony A7R III

Sony A7R II

Sony A7R III

$2348
35mm

In-camera panoramas

$2151
35mm

Touchscreen
High resolution composite

Compare Sony A7R II vs Sony A7R III

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