I reviewed the cameras according to their picture quality, build quality, shooting speed, ergonomics and popularity among photographers. All these models are good cameras for photography where one camera body has the perfect number of megapixels, a huge dynamic range, etc. Compare these models and choose the best photography camera for your photographic style

1. Sony A7RIII

The Sony a7R Mark III is the company’s latest high-resolution full frame mirrorless camera. Much like Nikon’s recent D850, it’s one that combines this resolution with high speed and fast autofocus capabilities to a degree we’ve not previously seen.

Like its predecessor, the Mark III is built around a 42MP BSI CMOS sensor, but unlike the a7R II, it can shoot at ten frames per second.

Essentially it can be seen as an a7R II that inherits many of the lessons learned from the company’s pro-sports model, the a9. This means faster processing, improved autofocus, improved handling and ergonomics, as well as the adoption of a much larger battery. While some of the individual changes are subtle, they very quickly combine to produce a hugely capable and highly useable camera.

Key Features

• 42MP BSI CMOS sensor
• Faster, lower-noise image processing
• 10 fps shooting with full AF, 8 fps with ‘live’ updates between shots
• 3.69M-dot (1280 x 960 pixel) OLED viewfinder
• Improved autofocus, including more tenacious Eye AF mode
• 5-axis image stabilization, rated at 5.5 stops (CIPA) with 50mm lens
• 4K footage from ‘Super 35’ crop region oversampled from 5K capture
• Video AF less inclined to refocus to background
• ‘Picture Profile’ video gamma/gamut modes including S-Log2 and 3
• Twin SD Card slots (one UHS-I and one UHS-II compatible)
• Bayer-cancelling multi-shot mode for improved resolution
• True 14 bit uncompressed Raw, even in continuous drive mode
• Use of phase detection (including Eye AF) at 3 fps with adapted lenses

Sony says the a7R III is based around the same 42MP back side illuminated CMOS sensor as its immediate predecessor, so doesn’t gain the full speed advantages of the a9’s Stacked CMOS chip (in terms of AF performance, continuous shooting rate or reduced rolling shutter in video and electronic shutter mode). However, the adoption of the processing systems, algorithms and refinements introduced on the a9 all have their benefits.

Canon eos 5D mark IV

The Canon EOS 5D series is arguably one of the most recognizable camera lines of the digital age and the Mark IV is designed to appeal to the same wide range of enthusiasts and professionals. Nearly identical-looking to its predecessor, it receives substantial upgrades under the hood, including: a higher-resolution sensor with Dual Pixel autofocus, 4K video capture, an upgraded AF system, a touchscreen, improved weather-sealing, built-in Wi-Fi/NFC, an interval timer and GPS. All this adds up to a camera that fits into Canon’s product line nicely as the all-around full-frame option.

It is built around a new 30.4MP CMOS sensor and uses the Digic 6+ processor. The AF system is from the flagship 1D X Mark II and contains 61 AF points (41 of which are cross-type) with up to 24% expanded vertical coverage compared with the system in the Mark III. The center point is sensitive to -3EV in One Shot (AF-S) mode (in Live View the sensor is sensitive to -4EV with a fast lens).

Canon 5D Mark IV Key Specifications

• New 30.4MP CMOS full-frame sensor with Dual Pixel AF
• DCI 4K 30/24p video using Motion JPEG + 4K Frame Grab
• 61-point AF system with 41 cross-type sensors (center point sensitive to -3 EV)
• Dual Pixel AF (sensitive to -4EV) for continuous Servo AF in stills (first for a full-frame Canon camera) and video
• ISO 100-32000 (expandable to 102400)
• 7 fps continuous shooting
• Dual Pixel Raw (image microadjustment, bokeh shift, ghosting reduction)
• 150,000-pixel RGB+IR metering sensor
• 1.62M-dot 3.2″ full-time touchscreen
• Wi-Fi w/ NFC + GPS
• Built-in bulb timer interval timers
• Improved weather-sealing

Sony A7RII

The Sony A7R II was launched in the early days of Sony’s full frame mirrorless camera range, but even now its specifications look compelling. It’s true that later models are faster, more versatile and more powerful, but at today’s prices you won’t find this combination of features and performance anywhere else.

The list of Sony A7 cameras could quickly get confusing, so let’s clarify it a little. There are essentially three models. The regular A7 is an affordable general purpose model with 24 million pixels; the A7R is a high-resolution model originally launched with 36 million pixels, but then with 42 million and now 61 million. The A7S was a 12-megapixel video-centric model and the first to offer 4K video, but unless we see a new Sony A7S Mark III quite soon, we must assume that this line had ended.

Key Feature

Sensor: 42.4 million effective pixel full-frame (35.9 x 24mm) Exmor R CMOS
Focal length conversion: 1x
Memory: SD/SDHC/SDXC and various Memory Stick options
Viewfinder: 2,359,296-dot OLED
Max video resolution: 4K (3,840 x 2,160) at 30p
ISO range: 100-25,600; expandable to ISO 50-102,400 for stills
Autofocus points: 399
Max burst rate: 5fps at full resolution
Screen: 3-inch LCD with 1,228,800 dots
Shutter speeds: 30-1/8,000 sec for stills
Weight: 582g (body only)
Dimensions: 126.9 x 95.7 x 60.3mm
Power supply: NP-FW50 lithium-ion battery (supplied)

Nikon D850

Whether you’re shooting weddings, landscapes, portraits, action or wildlife, the D850 won’t leave you wanting. A much more versatile proposition than the D810 (and its closest rivals for that matter), the D850 is a brilliant DSLR, and perhaps the most well-rounded camera we’ve ever tested .

The Nikon D850 is finally here. After months of speculation, and Nikon itself teasing us back in July that the camera actually existed and was in development, the D850 has been officially announced – and boy, does it look like it’s been worth the wait.

Superseding the brilliant 36.3MP that’s loved by both pros and enthusiasts alike, the D850 certainly has big shoes to fill. That said, while the D810 ticked a lot of boxes for photographers, its modest burst shooting speed of 5fps meant it wasn’t the perfect all-round DSLR.

Key Feature

Sensor: 45.7MP full-frame CMOS

Lens mount: Nikon F

Screen: 3.2-inch tilt-angle touchscreen, 2,359,000 dots

Burst shooting: 7fps

Autofocus: 153-point AF

Video: 4K

Connectivity: Wi-Fi and Bluetooth

Battery life: 1,840 shots

Weight: 1,005g

Compare

	Sony a7R III	Nikon D850	Sony a7R II	Canon EOS 5DS R	Pentax K-1
MSRP (Body only)	$3200	$3300	$3200	$3900	$1800
Pixel Count (MP)	42.4	45.7	42.4	50	36
Sensor type	BSI-CMOS	BSI-CMOS	BSI-CMOS	CMOS	CMOS
ISO Range	100-32,000	64-25,600	100-25,600	100-6,400	100-204,800
Stabilization	In-body (5.5 stops)	Lens-only	In-body (4.5 stops)	Lens-only	In-body (5 stops)
AF working range	–3EV (@F2)	–4EV	–2EV (@F2)	–2EV	–3EV
Viewfinder magnification & eyepoint	0.78x 23mm	0.75x 17mm	0.78x 23mm	0.71x 21mm	0.70x 21.7mm
Connectivity options	Wi-Fi, BT (+NFC)	Wi-Fi, BT	Wi-Fi (+NFC)	Optional SD Card	Wi-Fi
Video	4K/30p 1080/120p	4K/30p	4K/30p	1080/60p	1080/30p
Mic/ Headphone	Yes / Yes	Yes / Yes	Yes / Yes	Yes / No	Yes / Yes
Flash sync speed	1/250th	1/250th	1/250th	1/200th	1/200th
Flash Sync socket	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
Continuous shooting	10fps	7fps*	5fps	5.0fps	4.4fps
Intervalometer	No	Yes	Via app	Yes	Yes
Memory format	SD (UHS-II) SD (UHS-I)	XQD SD (UHS-II)	1x SD (UHS-I)	CF (UDMA) SD (UHS-I)	2x SD (UHS-I)
USB (Connector)	3.1 (C) 2.0 (micro B)	3.0 (micro B)	2.0 (micro B)	3.0 (micro B)	2.0 (micro B)
Battery life (CIPA) VF/LCD	530/650	1,840/ –	290/340	700/200	760/ –
Weight	657g (23.2oz)	1005g (35.5oz)	625g (22.0oz)	930g (32.8oz)	1010g (35.6oz)