Nikon D800 vs Sony A7 III

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Nikon D800 vs Sony A7 III

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35mm 861.6mm²
36.3 megapixels
ISO 100 - 6400

Go in depth with our full Nikon D800 Review.
See real-world photos taken with the D800.

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 D810
Compare D800 vs D810

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

Compare NIKON D810 vs SONY A7 IV

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Differences

Nikon D800 advantages over Sony A7 III

Lens selection
Excellent vs Good
Better lens selection gives you more options
Fast startup
~0.30 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

900 vs 710 shots
Capture more photos
Internal flash
Internal flash vs None
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Top deck display
Yes vs No
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
More pixels
36.3 vs 24.2 megapixels
Higher resolution photos

Sony A7 III advantages over Nikon D800

Focus peaking
Peaker vs Non-peaker
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Yes vs No
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
Bigger pixels
~ 5.93 vs 4.88 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
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 D800 test data on DxO Mark

3,730 vs 2,853 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
On-sensor phase detect
Yes vs No
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
Newer
7 years vs 13 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
Faster JPEG shooting
9.9 fps vs 4.0 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Bigger JPEG buffer
163 vs 54 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
9.7 fps vs 4.0 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Bigger RAW buffer
33 vs 18 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
Slow-motion videos
Yes vs No
Shoot slow-motion videos
Higher extended ISO
204800 vs 25600 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

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

User reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read D800 User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read A7 III User Reviews

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Review Excerpt

Rugged build; Excellent controls; Extremely high resolution; Dual cards; Surprising high ISO performance.
Very large files; Slower frame rate; Custom white balance gives a greenish tint; Battery life lower than D700.
Read our Nikon D800 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 5D Mark III

Nikon D800

Canon 5D Mark III

$1850
35mm

Fast startup
Higher effective ISO

$2079
35mm

Bigger pixels
More cross-type AF points

Compare Nikon D800 vs Canon 5D Mark III

Sony A7 III

Canon 5D Mark III

$1531
35mm

Less expensive
Focus peaking

$2079
35mm

Lens selection
Fast startup

Compare Sony A7 III vs Canon 5D Mark III

Compared to Nikon D800E

Nikon D800

Nikon D800E

$1850
35mm

Has anti-aliasing filter

$2212
35mm

Lacks anti-aliasing filter

Compare Nikon D800 vs Nikon D800E

Sony A7 III

Nikon D800E

$1531
35mm

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$2212
35mm

Lens selection
Fast startup

Compare Sony A7 III vs Nikon D800E

Compared to Nikon D810

Nikon D800

Nikon D810

$1850
35mm

Fast startup
Has anti-aliasing filter

$2246
35mm

Longer stills battery life
Lacks anti-aliasing filter

Compare Nikon D800 vs Nikon D810

Sony A7 III

Nikon D810

$1531
35mm

Focus peaking
Less expensive

$2246
35mm

Lens selection
Fast startup

Compare Sony A7 III vs Nikon D810

Compared to Nikon Z6

Nikon D800

Nikon Z6

$1850
35mm

Fast startup
Longer stills battery life

$1396
35mm

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compare Nikon D800 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

Compared to Nikon Z6 II

Nikon D800

Nikon Z6 II

$1850
35mm

Internal flash
More pixels

$1747
35mm

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compare Nikon D800 vs Nikon Z6 II

Sony A7 III

Nikon Z6 II

$1531
35mm

Less expensive
NFC

$1747
35mm

Top deck display
Newer

Compare Sony A7 III vs Nikon Z6 II

Compare Other Cameras?