Nikon D810 vs Sony A7R II

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Nikon D810 vs Sony A7R II

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35mm 861.6mm²
36.3 megapixels
ISO 64 - 12,800

Go in depth with our full Nikon D810 Review.
How does it shoot? Nikon D810 in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the D810.
Compare Nikon D810 image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Nikon D810 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 D850
Compare D810 vs D850

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

Compare NIKON D850 vs SONY A7R III

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Differences

Nikon D810 advantages over Sony A7R II

Lens selection
Excellent vs Good
Better lens selection gives you more options
Fast startup
~0.50 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

1200 vs 340 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
Dual card slots
Yes vs No
Gives you more storage flexibility
Bigger JPEG buffer
57 vs 23 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)

Sony A7R II advantages over Nikon D810

Less expensive
$1798* vs $2079
Save money for lenses or accessories
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
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 D810 test data on DxO Mark

3,434 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
Thinner
60 mm vs 81 mm
Thinner
Lighter weight
640g vs 988g
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 36.3 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
Slow-motion videos
Yes vs No
Shoot slow-motion videos
Higher extended ISO
102400 vs 51200 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
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

User reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read D810 User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read A7R II User Reviews

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Body Only
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Review Excerpt

Handles even better than its predecessors; Absolutely spectacular images from the 36-megapixel image sensor; Unusually wide sensitivity range for its resolution; Improved performance and buffer depths; Improved video feature set; Impressive low-light autofocus
Prone to moire and false color with some subjects; No longer available with a low-pass filter; Demands excellent lenses for the best detail; White balance tends warm under tungsten lighting
Read our Nikon D810 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 5D Mark IV

Nikon D810

Canon 5D Mark IV

$2246
35mm

Less expensive
Longer stills battery life

$2099
35mm

Shoot 4K video
Touchscreen

Compare Nikon D810 vs Canon 5D Mark IV

Sony A7R II

Canon 5D Mark IV

$2348
35mm

Less expensive
Focus peaking

$2099
35mm

Lens selection
Bigger pixels

Compare Sony A7R II vs Canon 5D Mark IV

Compared to Nikon D800

Nikon D810

Nikon D800

$2246
35mm

Longer stills battery life
Lacks anti-aliasing filter

$1850
35mm

Fast startup
Has anti-aliasing filter

Compare Nikon D810 vs Nikon D800

Sony A7R II

Nikon D800

$2348
35mm

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$1850
35mm

Lens selection
Fast startup

Compare Sony A7R II vs Nikon D800

Compared to Nikon D800E

Nikon D810

Nikon D800E

$2246
35mm

Longer stills battery life
Faster JPEG shooting

$2212
35mm

Fast startup

Compare Nikon D810 vs Nikon D800E

Sony A7R II

Nikon D800E

$2348
35mm

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$2212
35mm

Lens selection
Fast startup

Compare Sony A7R II vs Nikon D800E

Compared to Canon 5DS R

Nikon D810

Canon 5DS R

$2246
35mm

Bigger pixels
Higher effective ISO

$1849
35mm

Less expensive
More cross-type AF points

Compare Nikon D810 vs Canon 5DS R

Sony A7R II

Canon 5DS R

$2348
35mm

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$1849
35mm

Less expensive
Lens selection

Compare Sony A7R II vs Canon 5DS R

Compared to Sony A9

Nikon D810

Sony A9

$2246
35mm

Lens selection
Less expensive

$2997
35mm

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compare Nikon D810 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

Compare Other Cameras?