Nikon D750 vs Nikon D850

Introduction

Full-frame DSLRs are very unique, they have an image sensor format that is the same size as 35mm format film. These types of cameras are the contrast to mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras, while many of these cameras come with much smaller sensors by standard, while full-frames tend to deliver more.

You can use such lenses for filmmaking, while lenses that are designed for 35mm cameras can be mounted on DSLR cameras. Thus, if a lens is designed for a full-frame camera no matter if its film or digital, it is mounted on a DSLR with much smaller sensor size, while the center of the lens’s image circle is the only thing that gets captured.

Today, I’ll be making a comparison review about two full-frame DSLRs with their main notable difference in price, where one of them comes at a way more expensive price, but still, it all depends on what type of photography you’re in more, that’s how you’re also going to know what features to look out for, and which camera meets your requirements the most depending on the features.

I have used both the Nikon D750 and the Nikon D850 for quite some time, I have tested them and therefore in this article, I am going to try to deliver you with the most accurate and precise information that I can, while in the end, I’ll be providing you with a comparison table where you’ll be able to see the key features and specs of each camera, and see which one outperforms the other in which aspect. So, let’s get more into details now and see what are these cameras truly capable of.

Head To Head Comparison

Nikon D750

It’s getting kind of old, me making comparison reviews about this camera every now and then, however, it’s a camera worth reviewing and comparing because it delivers so much into one full-frame DSLR package. I’ve said it before, it’s been one of my favorite DSLRs out there for years, but let’s see how it does when you compare it to a much higher-priced full-frame DSLR, is it worth it, what to expect, and what’s bad about it.

What has caught my attention more when I first got this camera was the design, more precisely, even though it takes its cues from its previous models, it’s still kind of unique, it has a deeper handgrip, while the buttons are all well-thought-out and decently-placed. Due to the well spacing between the controls and dials, the camera prevents you from accidentally pressing buttons, while the texture on the handgrip gives a smooth feeling to your hands, and a sense of security which allows you to hold the camera firmly no matter if you have dry or sweaty hands.

The body is quite durable as well since it boasts a magnesium alloy construction which is known to be strong and it can withstand years of torture without taking any damage or whatsoever. The D750 measures 116x142x156mm and it weighs 1,317grams, and pretty much it’s in-between average and heavy, but you can’t really call this a light camera, because it’s not.

Before we jump to performance, let’s also point out that the LCD screen is 3.2-inches with 1,228,800-dots, and I can assure you that it delivers an outstanding quality even in outdoor light. In addition, the screen can tilt which is great especially for videographers, since you can tilt it to the desired position to take shots from hard angles, but what’s really disappointing is that the D750 lacks touchscreen capabilities, and for this price, I really think that the manufacturer could have done more.

Now, first, I’m going to start with the 24-megapixel full-frame sensor, as I said, it’s the perfect camera to upgrade your photography, while this combines with the EXPEED 4 image processor for enhanced performance, while it allows for a continuous shooting speed of 6.5-frames per second, but that’s not all, since it can maintain this speed for 41 JPEG or 13 RAW-frames, while afterward, it slows down to 2.3fps and 1.4fps.

The optical viewfinder has a 0.7x magnification and 100% field coverage which is great since you won’t be missing any details around the corners.

During my testing, the D750 performed quite impressive even in low-light, with an ISO sensitivity that ranges from 50 to up to 51,200, I was able to get noise-free images even at extreme ISOs, but lately, feels like every camera I’ve reviewed has successfully done so, so I don’t think this is much groundbreaking. I also love pairing my D750 with a wide angle lens to make it an even more versatile camera.

Next, the autofocus system is also something that needs attention, in fact, that’s one of the main reasons this camera got all its reputation, it’s the perfect full-frame DSLR which is not only great for still photography and landscape, but it’s also perfect for portrait photography, wildlife, sports, and events. To be more precise, this particular camera has a 51-point AF system with 15 being cross-type, while for white balance it has 11-presets with fine-tuning, manual, Kelvin, and metering modes include multi, center-weighted, center, face-detect, so as you can see, you’ll really be equipped with everything indeed.

Thus, you can already tell that the D750 has some serious tracking abilities, it’s able to maintain focus across the frame with ease, even if the subject moves. Connectivity-wise, the D750 consists of a USB port, a mini HDMI, wired remote, microphone, headphone, while for instant sharing and image transferring with compatible smartphone devices or tablets, you can connect using the built-in Wi-Fi, while the camera is also GPS enabled, so there’s that.

In our review of DSLR cameras under $2000, we titled the D750 as the best all-purpose camera in that price range.

As a final verdict, I would seriously recommend the D750, to those looking for a reliable full-frame DSLR that will upgrade their photography to a whole new level, it’s feature-rich, well, for the most part, I’m still disappointed with the lack of a touchscreen, but nonetheless, everything else is pretty high-end. 

Nikon D750 Sample Images:

Similar Comparison: Nikon D750 vs Nikon D810

Nikon D850

The Nikon D850 is a high-end high-resolution full-frame DSLR which boasts premium specs and holds a plethora of premium features in it. It’s really pretty special since it has a backside-illuminated CMOS sensor, but I’m going to talk about that later in the review. Before we start, I’d like to point out that this camera comes with a really expensive price, while it’s most suited for professionals and people who have used a complex and sophisticated camera’s before, but it’s not what I’d suggest to novice users and people who are just starting out.

You know what makes Nikon cameras be simple to use yet have an eye-catching design, it’s because in most of their cameras the don’t change their design or construction, which in this case, the D850 has a similar design to the D750, and a similar design to its previous models. The button layout remains mainly the same, with some slight differences in buttons but everything is pretty straightforward, the controls are illuminated now, however, the handgrip on the D750 is deeper than the D850, which in my opinion is not as comfortable as holding the D750, but again, it’s curved and it has the same texture on it to add an extra flair of comfort. On the other hand, this is only my personal opinion which doesn’t really need to affect your thoughts about this camera.

What’s really noticeable between these two cameras is the rear display, more precisely, the Nikon D850 has a 3.2-inch tilting LCD screen with 2.36M-dots and a resolution of 1024×768 pixels, which is way better than the D750’s, it is a better performer in outdoor light, while it delivers astonishing colors and details. Apart from that, the screen is also touch-enabled, so for those users that are used to having this feature, the D850 will allow you to navigate through the menu, change settings, use some features and much more with only one swipe or tap of a finger.

This camera is not only a full-frame DSLR, but to enrich its quality more, the D850 has a 45.7-megapixel BSI CMOS sensor that delivers breathtaking image quality with plenty of detail, sharpness, and vibrancy, and this still doesn’t quite describe the high-quality that this camera offers. It runs the EXPEED 5 image processor which quickly processes all 45.7-megapixels of data for lower noise, wider dynamic range, subtle tonal and textural details, while it also allows for continuous shooting speed of up to 9-frames per second.

Other than that, the autofocus system is an industry-leading AF when compared to other DSLRs, to be exact, the Nikon D850 has a 153-point AF system which combines with 180,000-pixel metering system, so you already get the idea of how good this camera is when it comes to keeping focus on subjects, while it doesn’t matter if the subject moves or whatsoever.

Therefore, similar to the D750, I would also recommend this camera for portrait photography, sports, action, commercial applications, filmmaking, and basically everything else that you can throw at it.

Since we mentioned filmmaking, the D850 not only that records full HD 1080p, but it can also record at 4K resolution at up to 30p from full sensor width, and in 1080p at up to 120p. As you can see, pretty much everything that this camera offers is high-end. Additionally, it also has advanced time-lapse options, including in-camera 4K video creation.

We didn’t mention the ISO performance, this camera is also a perfect low-light performer, while it has a native ISO sensitivity than ranges from 64 to up to 25,600, and a boosted ISO range of 32 – 102,400. In practice, the ISO 64 mode allows for more light in bright conditions, while the dynamic range gives a noticeable advantage over the D750.

Moreover, the D850 consists of a built-in Wi-Fi, NFC, and Bluetooth 4.1 LE, which means that you can connect your devices in a lot of ways for image transferring and sharing, and the SnapBridge app will also allow you for remote camera control.

To cut it short, the Nikon D850 is on top of the line when it comes to full-frame DSLRs, it’s a high-end camera which will serve you well for no matter what type of photography you use it, whether it’s sunset photography, landscape, portrait photography, videography, commercial applications, you name it. I would highly recommend this camera to those looking for the best option out there, even though the price it’s a bit high, I seriously think that it’s pretty reasonable and it delivers great value for that money.

Nikon D850 Sample Images:

Similar Comparison: Nikon D750 vs Sony A7R II

Nikon D750 vs Nikon D850 Feature Comparison

	Nikon D750	Nikon D850
Camera Type	Full-Frame DSLR	Full-Frame DSLR
Megapixels	24.3	45.7
ISO Range	100 to 12,800(51,200)	64-25,600(32-102,400)
Flip-Out Screen	Yes	Yes
AF Points	51 AF Points	153 AF Points
Viewfinder	Yes	Yes
Touchscreen	No	Yes
Video Recording	Yes	Yes
Sensor Size	Full-Frame CMOS	Full-Frame CMOS

Similar Comparison: Nikon D750 vs Canon 5D Mark III

Conclusion

If your question is which camera is the best, I think it’s pretty obvious, especially now that we’ve gotten the comparison table out of the way.

However, if you ask yourself which features do I need the most, then maybe the D750 would be the ideal choice for you. If you don’t really need 4K, then you don’t really need a high-cost camera such as the D850.

The Nikon D750 is a decent camera for still photography, portrait photography, and it has a much lower price than the D850, it’s a well-rounded full-frame camera which as I said, it can elevate your photography experience to a whole new level.

On the other hand, if you’re looking for a high-end model with all high-end specs and features, then you’d really want to consider the Nikon D850 because you won’t find a better full-frame DSLR camera out there.

Similar Comparison: Nikon D750 vs Canon 5D Mark IV