Nikon D50 vs Nikon D850

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D50 compared with D850

	NikonD50	NikonD850
Overview
Released
Released	2005	September 2017
Image and sensor
Camera type
Camera type	DSLR	DSLR
Sensor format
Sensor format	APS-C	Full frame
Sensor type
Sensor type	CCD	Backside-illuminated CMOS
Sensor dimensions
Sensor dimensions	23.7 × 15.6 mm	35.9 × 23.9 mm
Effective resolution
Effective resolution	6.1 MP	45.7 MP
Largest image
Largest image	3008 × 2000	8256 × 5504
RAW recording
RAW recording	Yes	Yes
Standard ISO range
Standard ISO range	200–1600	64–25600
Sensor detail
Sensor detail	Nikon DX CCD with 6.1 million effective and 6.24 million total pixels; approximately 1.5× lens focal-length equivalent; Image Dust Off reference data for optional Nikon Capture correction	46.89 million total pixels; no optical low-pass filter; sensor cleaning and image-dust-off reference data. UK effective resolution rounded to 45.7 MP; Japan specifies 45.75 million, distinct from the 45.44-million-pixel largest file.
Image formats
Image formats	Compressed 12-bit NEF RAW, JPEG and simultaneous RAW plus Basic JPEG; maximum 3008 × 2000 pixels; Image Optimisation settings	12/14-bit NEF RAW with lossless compression, compression or no compression; medium/small RAW fixed at 12-bit lossless; JPEG, RGB TIFF and RAW plus JPEG
ISO detail
ISO detail	ISO 200–1600 in whole stops	Expandable to equivalent ISO 32–102400; Auto ISO available
Image processor
Image processor	–	EXPEED 5
Lens and shooting
Lens mount
Lens mount	Nikon F mount	Nikon F mount
Stabilisation
Stabilisation	Optical lens stabilisation	Optical lens stabilisation
Maximum continuous burst
Maximum continuous burst	2.5 fps	9 fps
Lens detail
Lens detail	Body autofocus motor supports compatible AF NIKKOR lenses, including type G and D; AF-S lenses also supported. Other AF NIKKOR lenses lose 3D matrix metering; non-CPU lenses require manual exposure without metering; IX and F3AF lenses unsupported; E-type lenses incompatible according to current Nikon USA specification	Compatible F-mount lenses include G/E/D, other supported AF, P and AI non-CPU lenses with restrictions; DX lenses use a cropped image area. Non-AI, IX and F3AF lenses unsupported.
Autofocus
Autofocus	Multi-CAM 900 phase-detection module; five selectable focus areas; -1 to +19 EV at ISO 100 equivalent, 20°C; AF-S/AF-C/AF-A and manual focus, single-area, dynamic-area and closest-subject-priority modes; AF-assist illuminator. Current US page lists Face-Priority AF, absent from the original manual specification; no face-detection capability inferred	Viewfinder Multi-CAM 20K phase detection with 153 points, 99 cross-type and 55 user-selectable; 15 support f/8. Live view uses contrast detection with face, wide, normal, pinpoint and tracking modes. Review references to a Multi-CAM 3500 module are incorrect.
Shutter
Shutter	Combined mechanical and CCD electronic shutter; 1/4000 to 30 seconds in half or one-third stops, Bulb and remote long exposures; flash synchronisation up to 1/500 second	1/8000 to 30 seconds, Bulb and Time; mechanical focal-plane and electronic front-curtain options; flash sync 1/250 second with compatible Auto FP support; electronic silent live-view modes
Burst detail
Burst detail	Approximately 2.5 fps; US launch specifies up to 137 Normal Large JPEG frames on SanDisk UltraII 256 MB SD card. Original manual buffer table separately lists four RAW or nine Fine Large JPEG frames with long-exposure noise reduction off; card-dependent sustained shooting differs from buffer capacity	Main 9 fps requires optional MB-D18 grip, EN-EL18b battery and BL-5 cover; body with EN-EL15-series battery reaches 7 fps. Full-resolution silent Mode 1 reaches 6 fps. Brief silent Mode 2 reaches 30 fps for at most three seconds with fixed focus/exposure and 3600 × 2400 DX JPEG Normal files; this restricted mode is not the headline continuous rate.
Stabilisation detail
Stabilisation detail	Optical VR depends on the attached lens; no sensor-shift stabilisation. Pictured original AF-S DX 18–55 mm ED kit lens has no VR	No sensor-shift stabilisation; optical VR depends on the attached lens. Electronic movie vibration reduction available with mode restrictions.
Flash
Flash	Built-in pop-up i-TTL flash; original manual guide number approximately 15 m at ISO 200 (17 manual) or 11 m at ISO 100 (12 manual); accessory shoe	No built-in flash; ISO 518 hot shoe, ISO 519 sync terminal and compatible external i-TTL Speedlights
Exposure controls
Exposure controls	P/S/A/M, Auto and six scene modes; 420-segment RGB matrix, centre-weighted and spot metering; ±5 EV compensation in half or one-third stops; exposure/flash and white-balance bracketing	P/S/A/M; ±5 EV compensation; 180K-pixel RGB metering sensor, unlike Photography Blog's erroneous 91K-pixel narrative
Screen and viewfinder
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Optical	Optical
Screen size
Screen size	2″	3.2″
Screen dots
Screen dots	130,000	2,359,000
Touchscreen
Touchscreen	No	Yes
Tilting screen
Tilting screen	No	Yes
Display detail
Display detail	Fixed 2-inch low-temperature-polysilicon TFT with 130000 dots; top status LCD; contextual help and playback magnification; dots count subpixels	Tilting TFT, approximately 100% coverage and 170° viewing angle; maker US announcement specifies 2359K dots, Japan rounds to approximately 2.36 million; dots count subpixels
Viewfinder detail
Viewfinder detail	Pentamirror; approximately 95% coverage and 0.75× magnification; original manual specifies 18 mm eyepoint, conflicting with 8 mm on current US page	Pentaprism, approximately 100% FX coverage, 0.75× magnification with 50mm f/1.4 at infinity, 17 mm eyepoint and −3 to +1 dioptre adjustment
Connections and design
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi	–	Yes
Bluetooth
Bluetooth	–	Yes
Battery life (maker's claim)
Battery life (maker's claim)	400 photographs	1840 photographs
Body weight
Body weight	540 g (better)	915 g
Release detail
Release detail	Nikon USA original announcement dated 20 April 2005 states June US availability as a prospective schedule; actual first-sale month is unconfirmed, so year precision is retained	Announced on 24 August 2017 after a July development announcement; Nikon US states September availability and Nikon Japan specified 8 September. Main retains September because the exact first UK retail day is unconfirmed.
Recording media
Recording media	One Secure Digital card slot; no SDHC compatibility inferred	Current maker specification supports CFexpress Type B/XQD plus UHS-II SD/SDHC/SDXC; overflow, backup, RAW/JPEG separation and card copying. Launch specification had XQD plus SD.
Ports
Ports	USB 2.0 Hi-Speed, NTSC/PAL video output and DC input; optional ML-L3 infrared remote	USB 3.0 Micro-B, mini HDMI Type C, 3.5 mm microphone and headphone sockets, 10-pin remote terminal and flash-sync socket; Ethernet requires the optional WT-7 transmitter
Wireless connections
Wireless connections	–	Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11b/g and Bluetooth 4.1; SnapBridge
Battery life detail
Battery life detail	EN-EL3 lithium-ion battery; main 400 shots is original manual single-frame test with 18–55 mm ED lens, Normal Large JPEG and flash every other exposure, not labelled CIPA. Separate 2000-shot continuous test uses Basic Medium JPEG and limited monitor use; the launch announcement promotes that continuous figure	EN-EL15a/15b; maker CIPA claim approximately 1840 shots using the camera's own EN-EL15-series battery, not requiring the D5 battery as UK marketing prose could suggest. EN-EL15c may be supplied. Optional MB-D18 supports EN-EL18b, EN-EL15-series or eight AA cells.
Charging
Charging	External MH-18a quick charger; optional EH-5 mains adapter	External MH-25a charger; optional EH-5c/EH-5b AC adapter and EP-5B power connector
Dimensions
Dimensions	Approximately 133 × 102 × 76 mm	Approximately 146 × 124 × 78.5 mm
Weight detail
Weight detail	Approximately 540 g excluding battery, memory card and body cap	Approximately 915 g body only or 1005 g including battery and XQD card, excluding body cap
Materials
Materials	–	Weather-sealed construction; maker operating range 0–40°C
In the box
In the box	–	EN-EL15-series battery, MH-25a charger, HDMI/USB cable clip, UC-E22 USB cable, AN-DC18 strap, BF-1B body cap and DK-17F eyepiece; battery revision may vary
Colours
Colours	Black or silver	–
Video
Highest video resolution
Highest video resolution	–	3840 × 2160 at 29.97 fps
Video detail
Video detail	No movie recording or live-view composition; NTSC/PAL output is for playback, despite the current US page labelling it Movie File Format	Full-width FX or DX UHD 3840 × 2160 at 29.97/25/23.976p; Full HD up to 59.94p and cropped silent slow-motion capture at 100/119.88 fps played at 25/29.97/23.976p. H.264 MOV/MP4; recording limit 29 minutes 59 seconds. In-camera 4K time-lapse; 8K time-lapse requires still-frame assembly in external software.
Audio
Audio	–	Built-in stereo microphones, external 3.5 mm microphone input and headphone monitoring; PCM or AAC depending on file format; slow motion has no audio