Sony A900 vs Nikon D300S

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Sony A900 vs Nikon D300S

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35mm 861.6mm²
24.6 megapixels
ISO 200 - 3200

Go in depth with our full Sony A900 Review.
See real-world photos taken with the A900.

APS-C 372.9mm²
12.3 megapixels
ISO 200 - 3200

Go in depth with our full Nikon D300S Review.
See real-world photos taken with the D300S.

Succeeded by the Nikon D500
Compare D300S vs D500
Compare Sony A900 vs Nikon D500

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Differences

Sony A900 advantages over Nikon D300S

Larger sensor
35mm vs APS-C
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Yes vs No
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
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.
A900 test data on DxO Mark D300S test data on DxO Mark

1,431 vs 787 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
More viewfinder magnification
0.74x vs 0.63x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
More pixels
24.6 vs 12.3 megapixels
Higher resolution photos

Nikon D300S advantages over Sony A900

Lens selection
Excellent vs Good
Better lens selection gives you more options
Fast startup
~0.30 vs 0.5 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
Internal flash
Internal flash vs None
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
External Mic Jack
Jack vs No jack
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
More cross-type AF points
15 vs 1
Cross-type AF points improve autofocus performance
Shoots 24p video
Yes vs No
Gives your movies a big-screen feel
More AF points
51 vs 9
More AF points improve autofocus
Faster JPEG shooting
7.1 fps vs 5.0 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Bigger JPEG buffer
26 vs 11 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)

Similarities

Common Strengths

Eye-level viewfinder
Both provide
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
Top deck display
Both provide
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
Pentaprism viewfinder
Both provide
Much better viewfinder picture fidelity
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
Bulb shutter
Both provide
Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures

Common Weaknesses

Focus peaking
Neither provide
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
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
In-camera panoramas
Neither provide
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
Tiltable Screen
Neither provide
Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
Built-in Wi-Fi
Neither provide
Share your photos wirelessly
Built-in Bluetooth
Neither provide
Always-on wireless connectivity
Built-in GPS
Neither provide
Geotag your photos
On-sensor phase detect
Neither provide
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
Headphone jack
Neither provide
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
Slow-motion videos
Neither provide
Shoot slow-motion videos

User reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read A900 User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read D300S User Reviews

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Kit with 18-200mm Lens

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Review Excerpt

Read our Sony A900 Full Review

Rugged construction; 51-point AF system capable of sophisticated AF tracking; Large, bright optical viewfinder; 7 fps JPEG or 12-bit RAW burst mode; HD Video capture.
14-bit RAW mode slows continuous shooting from 7 fps to 2.7 fps; Somewhat slow AF for a camera at this level, especially in 51-point auto-area mode; Video capture tops out at 720p24.
Read our Nikon D300S Full Review

The Competition

Compared to Canon 50D

Sony A900

Canon 50D

$3000
35mm

Larger sensor
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$1000
APS-C

Lens selection
Less expensive

Compare Sony A900 vs Canon 50D

Nikon D300S

Canon 50D

$1697
APS-C

Higher effective ISO
Longer stills battery life

$1000
APS-C

Less shutter lag
More pixels

Compare Nikon D300S vs Canon 50D

Compared to Sony A850

Sony A900

Sony A850

$3000
35mm

Faster JPEG shooting

$2219
35mm

Less expensive
Bigger JPEG buffer

Compare Sony A900 vs Sony A850

Nikon D300S

Sony A850

$1697
APS-C

Lens selection
Fast startup

$2219
35mm

Larger sensor
In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compare Nikon D300S vs Sony A850

Compared to Sony DSLR-A550

Sony A900

Sony DSLR-A550

$3000
35mm

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

$859
APS-C

Less expensive
Tiltable Screen

Compare Sony A900 vs Sony DSLR-A550

Nikon D300S

Sony DSLR-A550

$1697
APS-C

Lens selection
Fast startup

$859
APS-C

In-Camera Image Stabilization
Tiltable Screen

Compare Nikon D300S vs Sony DSLR-A550

Compared to Nikon D800

Sony A900

Nikon D800

$3000
35mm

In-Camera Image Stabilization
Bigger pixels

$1850
35mm

Lens selection
Fast startup

Compare Sony A900 vs Nikon D800

Nikon D300S

Nikon D800

$1697
APS-C

Faster JPEG shooting
Faster RAW shooting

$1850
35mm

Larger sensor
Better color depth

Compare Nikon D300S vs Nikon D800

Compared to Canon 5D Mark III

Sony A900

Canon 5D Mark III

$3000
35mm

In-Camera Image Stabilization

$2799
35mm

Lens selection
Higher effective ISO

Compare Sony A900 vs Canon 5D Mark III

Nikon D300S

Canon 5D Mark III

$1697
APS-C

Less expensive
Fast startup

$2799
35mm

Larger sensor
Higher effective ISO

Compare Nikon D300S vs Canon 5D Mark III

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