D850 or Sony a9( bought a9)

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Soumen

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Hi Everyone,

I am looking for a new camera after I sold my d500 and 200-500. The combination in my view had only one major issue and be it my skills or equipment limitations I couldn’t get very clean images beyond iso 2000.
So I would like to ask if a combination of d850 + 300mm vr ii (used) + 1.4tc or Sony a9 + 200-600g lens will be a better buy.
I am a hobbyist photographer with a keen interest in wildlife photography and occasional portrait and travel photography.

P.S Whatever system I invest in now I intend to buy the 600mm lens by next year and I think Nikon would definitely have an advantage in the used market.

Thanks in advance
 
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Hi,

I am currently using D850 with 300mm pf and 1.7 x teleconverter. I set the area at 1.2 x which gives me roughly 30 MP. Obviously works well with 1.4x converter. I am finding
this combination excellent for my use which is mostly shooting birds. Max aperture is 6.7 which can be a bit of a problem with low light. I shoot auto ISO most of the time and have that limited to ISO 6400. Works great in low light providing I am close enough to subject that I don't have to crop too much.
 
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That's a tough call, I don't think you can go wrong either way. ISO performance is going to be similar for similar output (i.e. if you downsample the D850 to 24MP). The 200-600 is more versatile though. Although the 300 2.8 is a killer lens and works really well with the 1.4TC. However, it is coming up shorter than the 200-600 (420mm with the 1.4), but 1 1/3rd stop faster too. Of course, you can crop the D850 a bit more, but then you give up some ISO performance (finished output to finished output). In fact, once you crop the D850 to DX, it looks JUST like the D500.

Another rambling thought - you can also put a 2X on the 300mm as well - although I'd guess that the 200-600 might be a bit sharper at 600mm (a guess because I haven't used the 300 2.8 for a long time).

I think some of it also depends on how heavily you'll get into action. The D850 works well for action but the a9 is better. The no blackout experience is wonderful for action, as is the 20FPS frame rate.

The Sony 600 is outstanding, but I agree that a used Nikon 600mm is going to be far easier to come across - and the 600 Nikon is also really good. The Sony system overall is lighter though (I'm always shocked when I pick up the 600mm Sony and a9 after I've been using the Nikon gear). So, if weight is a consideration, that's one thought. (Although Nikon has the PF line too - I can see why you're struggling with this one LOL)

Swinging back to Nikon though, the D850 may be my favorite overall wildlife camera, so there's that too!

The good news is I don't think you can make a bad move here. I think you really need to look at the overall system you intend to shoot (and available of used lenses too) and go from there.
 
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Icarus said:
Hi,

I am currently using D850 with 300mm pf and 1.7 x teleconverter. I set the area at 1.2 x which gives me roughly 30 MP. Obviously works well with 1.4x converter. I am finding
this combination excellent for my use which is mostly shooting birds. Max aperture is 6.7 which can be a bit of a problem with low light. I shoot auto ISO most of the time and have that limited to ISO 6400. Works great in low light providing I am close enough to subject that I don't have to crop too much.
Click to expand...

Thank you. Glad that 1.7tc works well with the 300mm pf lens, will definitely keep that in mind.
 
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Thank you Steve, it’s quite a tough call with so many choices( definitely a good thing from a consumer point of view). At least I am on the right track with my shortlists.
And also I would like to thank you for your YouTube videos I bought my d500 after watching your reviews. And your books have been really helpful to understand the nuisances of Photography.
Steve said:
That's a tough call, I don't think you can go wrong either way. ISO performance is going to be similar for similar output (i.e. if you downsample the D850 to 24MP). The 200-600 is more versatile though. Although the 300 2.8 is a killer lens and works really well with the 1.4TC. However, it is coming up shorter than the 200-600 (420mm with the 1.4), but 1 1/3rd stop faster too. Of course, you can crop the D850 a bit more, but then you give up some ISO performance (finished output to finished output). In fact, once you crop the D850 to DX, it looks JUST like the D500.

Another rambling thought - you can also put a 2X on the 300mm as well - although I'd guess that the 200-600 might be a bit sharper at 600mm (a guess because I haven't used the 300 2.8 for a long time).

I think some of it also depends on how heavily you'll get into action. The D850 works well for action but the a9 is better. The no blackout experience is wonderful for action, as is the 20FPS frame rate.

The Sony 600 is outstanding, but I agree that a used Nikon 600mm is going to be far easier to come across - and the 600 Nikon is also really good. The Sony system overall is lighter though (I'm always shocked when I pick up the 600mm Sony and a9 after I've been using the Nikon gear). So, if weight is a consideration, that's one thought. (Although Nikon has the PF line too - I can see why you're struggling with this one LOL)

Swinging back to Nikon though, the D850 may be my favorite overall wildlife camera, so there's that too!

The good news is I don't think you can make a bad move here. I think you really need to look at the overall system you intend to shoot (and available of used lenses too) and go from there.
Click to expand...
 
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I can‘t comment on the Sony as I’ve never used it, I do have the Nikon d850, 300mm 2.8 vrii and the 600mm f4 fl. the d850 with the battery grip and enl18c battery is a dream and I use it most of the time for my wildlife photography. Nikon will be supporting DSLRs for the foreseeable future until they catch up on the mirrorless front.
 
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I also use the D850 with the 500mm pf. It is a lightweight fantastic combination and tack sharp at f/5.6! With the battery grip, it is heavier but still lighter than the D500 with the 200-500. It is about the same weight with the battery grip as the a7riv with the 200-600. The big disadvantages are it is a fixed focal length (Steve mentioned that) and it is hard to find!
 
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When I was debating Nikon vs. Sony I was comparing the D810. The deciding factor for me was weather. I have not kept up with Sony, so maybe they have improved in that area but a few years ago they did not have a good reputation for weather proofing. I now have a D850, 300 f/2.8 and a 500 f/4. Also have a D500 and still have the D810, too. I do not see much difference between them at ISOs of 2000 or higher. Low light is just difficult to deal with. I do a lot of shooting from a boat early in the morning and it's tough to keep the ISO down even with large apertures. No problems in the rain, though. :)
 
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In my opinion you are comparing apples to oranges here.... Both will take great pictures. While I have not used Sony it is my understanding that they are ahead of Nikon in focus recognition & tracking with their mirrorless pro level cameras. However, the Nikon DSLR is not going to function like the mirrorless Sony, 2 different creatures trying to achieve the same outcome. It is my belief that Nikon is lagging behind Sony and others in mirrorless camera performance. It would seem that mirrorless is the way things are headed. Does that mean the DSLR will no longer take a good picture? No, it just means they will likely quit making any new cameras or lens at some point. My hope is that Nikon will continue to pursue the improvement of their mirrorless camera line while also recognizing that there are many, like me, who have invested quite heavily in DSLR cameras and lenses, and may not be willing or able to switch. I don't think you can go wrong with either direction but one may become more obsolete quicker.
 
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I have a D850 and Tamron 150-600 G2, came from a D600 body. I've been busy and haven't been able to master the high MP camera, and I have to say my pictures kind of look like trash. I know it's me and not the equipment, and I a working on it (though i did buy a TAP recently). I find the ISO to be garbage over 1600, and I imagine that's also me.

That said, I came across an amazing deal on an A9 kit, that after parting out would make the A9 cheaper than an A7 III used, so I bought it for my legacy glass. It seems like a shame not to use it for birding, but the 200-600 is relatively expensive for one of these consumer zooms. If Sony had something like the 500 PF, it would be a no brainer for my daughter to shoot(she's only 10), but the 200-600 is still heavy. That said, I've watched videos from online reviewers like Steve and the tracking looks amazing, and I know she'd love it. Sony doesn't seem to have anything like the 400mm 5.6 or the 300mm 4 with TC. Is the 200-600 really the best bang for the buck and the lightest weight? Is the metabones + 400/5.6 L even usable for AF? I thought about getting her a Canon RP and the 600 F/11, which would cost less than the Sony lens. Sorry for rambling. I appreciate your thoughts, as I have a similar situation as the OP.
 
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Having spent some time with the Sony a9 and 200-600g lens I am very happy with the purchase, I feel tracking and high iso performance is definitely better compared to d500/200-500 combo. The auto tracking and blackout free shooting is definitely a welcome change. Lots to learn about the camera and hope to add a 1.4tc for the summer.
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To an extent the 200-600g lens tilted the decision towards a9 significantly and I have seen some great examples with the a9, 200-600g lens along with the 1.4tc. It would be good to have that kind of reach on a budget before saving up for the exotic primes.
 
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