Nikon Z8 vs Nikon D850 - Image Quality Review
Introduction
How much of an image quality difference is there between the Nikon Z8 and Nikon D850?
To find out, I compared a series of real-world landscape images captured with both cameras to evaluate detail, ISO performance, and dynamic range recovery side by side. While both cameras feature 45 megapixel full frame sensors and a base ISO of 64, the Nikon Z8 uses a stacked sensor and mirrorless design while the Nikon D850 is a DSLR with a mechanical shutter, making this an interesting comparison between two highly regarded Nikon cameras released six years apart.
For this comparison, all images were captured in RAW format and compared side by side in Lightroom using real-world landscape examples, ISO testing, and exposure recovery tests. To keep testing as consistent as possible, the same Nikon F-mount 70-200mm f/2.8 lens was used on both cameras, with the Nikon FTZ II adapter used on the Nikon Z8. Aside from lens profile corrections, the images remained at Lightroom’s default settings for comparison.
Watch the Full Comparison
Watch the full side-by-side comparison video below, including landscape image comparisons, ISO testing, underexposure and overexposure recovery, and detailed image quality observations.
Key Takeaways
Overall Image Quality: In real-world landscape images, the Nikon Z8 and Nikon D850 delivered nearly identical image quality. Detail, sharpness, and overall rendering were extremely close, with both cameras producing excellent results.
White Balance Differences: One minor difference I noticed was that the Nikon Z8 rendered slightly cooler tones while the Nikon D850 appeared slightly warmer, despite both cameras being shot at the same manual Kelvin setting. In practice, this difference is minor and easily corrected in post-processing.
ISO Performance: Across the ISO range, both cameras performed very similarly. At higher ISO values, the Nikon D850 showed slightly more visible noise in some darker areas, though the difference remained small and likely insignificant in real-world use.
Dynamic Range Recovery: During three-stop and five-stop exposure recovery tests, both cameras held up extremely well with only minor differences. The Nikon D850 showed slightly more noise and occasional banding during more extreme adjustments, but overall performance remained remarkably close.
Overexposure Recovery: Both cameras recovered overexposed files similarly. Recovering two stops worked well, while three-stop recovery pushed both cameras beyond what looked practical for real-world use.
Bottom Line: Despite major differences in age and camera design, the Nikon Z8 and Nikon D850 produced extremely similar still image quality in this comparison.
RAW Files
Download the original RAW files from this comparison to inspect the images yourself, test your own editing workflow, and inspect the files in Lightroom, Photoshop, or your preferred RAW editor.
Check Current Pricing
Check current pricing and availability below:
Nikon Z8
View at B&H Photo | View at Amazon
Nikon D850
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Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8
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Nikon FTZ II Adapter
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