Nikon D7100 vs Sony A9

Cameras
Compare Cameras
Nikon D7100 vs Sony A9

APS-C 366.6mm²
24.1 megapixels
ISO 100 - 6400

Go in depth with our full Nikon D7100 Review.
See real-world photos taken with the D7100.

35mm 847.3mm²
24.2 megapixels
ISO 100 - 51,200

Go in depth with our full Sony A9 Review.
How does it shoot? Sony A9 in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the A9.
Compare Sony A9 image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Sony A9 conclusion.

Succeeded by the Nikon D7200
Compare D7100 vs D7200

Succeeded by the Sony A9 II
Compare A9 vs A9 II

Compare NIKON D7200 vs SONY A9 II

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Differences

Nikon D7100 advantages over Sony A9

Lens selection
Excellent vs Good
Better lens selection gives you more options
Less expensive
$870 vs $2999*
Save money for lenses or accessories
Fast startup
~0.30 vs 1.2 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
Longer stills battery life
More info

Longer stills battery life

Cameras with longer battery life can take more photos before exhausting their batteries.

Special note: The measurement standard for battery life stipulates that if a camera has an internal flash, it must be used for 50% of photos taken. For this reason, comparisons of one camera with an internal flash to another without will not be comparable

950 vs 650 shots
Capture more photos
Internal flash
Internal flash vs None
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Top deck display
Yes vs No
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
Lacks anti-aliasing filter
No Filter vs Filter
Enjoy sharper photos

Sony A9 advantages over Nikon D7100

Focus peaking
Peaker vs Non-peaker
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
Larger sensor
35mm vs APS-C
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Yes vs No
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
Bigger pixels
~ 5.93 vs 3.92 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
Shoot 4K video
4K (UHD) vs 1080p
Make sure you have a fast computer
Touchscreen
Touch vs No touch
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
Tiltable Screen
Tiltable vs Fixed
Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
Built-in Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi vs None
Share your photos wirelessly
NFC
Yes vs No
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
Built-in Bluetooth
Yes vs No
Always-on wireless connectivity
Higher effective ISO

Higher effective ISO

Maximum effective ISO is an estimate of the highest sensitivity at which a camera can capture excellent quality photos.

Cameras with higher effective ISO will be better choices for indoor photography, night shooting, and indoor sports photography, especially if you intend to make large prints.

You can learn more at our glossary entry.

Maximum effective ISO test data courtesy of DxO Mark.
A9 test data on DxO Mark D7100 test data on DxO Mark

3,517 vs 1,256 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
On-sensor phase detect
Yes vs No
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
Newer
7 years vs 11 years old
Newer cameras often support more advanced features
More viewfinder magnification
0.78x vs 0.63x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
Has anti-aliasing filter
Filter vs No Filter
Reduces unsightly moiré in photos
Faster JPEG shooting
20.0 fps vs 5.8 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Bigger JPEG buffer
364 vs 12 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
20.0 fps vs 5.3 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Bigger RAW buffer
240 vs 5 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
Slow-motion videos
Yes vs No
Shoot slow-motion videos
Faster shutter
1/32000 vs 1/8000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light
Higher extended ISO
204800 vs 25600 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Similarities

Common Strengths

Eye-level viewfinder
Both provide
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
External Mic Jack
Both provide
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
HDMI out
Both provide
Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
Hot shoe
Both provide
Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
Dual card slots
Both provide
Gives you more storage flexibility
Headphone jack
Both provide
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
Bulb shutter
Both provide
Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures

Common Weaknesses

Tilt-swivel screen
Neither provide
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
In-camera panoramas
Neither provide
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
Built-in GPS
Neither provide
Geotag your photos

User reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read D7100 User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read A9 User Reviews

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Kit with 18-140mm Lens

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Review Excerpt

Solid, ergonomic body design; Stunning, highly detailed photos, thanks to 24.1MP sensor upgrade and removal of optical low-pass filter; Cool 1.3x crop mode extends reach to nearly 2x the full-frame equivalent; Records Full 1080p HD video at up to 30fps with full-time AF; Many pro-level features packed into a consumer-friendly body at reasonable price.
Shallow buffer that hampers continuous burst shooting; AF slightly slower than average for its class; No real-time aperture control while in Movie mode (among other quirks); More noticeable moire patterns and aliasing artifacts (but only found when shooting fabrics with strong, distinct patterns).
Read our Nikon D7100 Review

New sensor offers incredible performance; Excellent image quality at low & high ISOs; Very good dynamic range; Phenomenal 20fps burst speed & deep buffer; Very good battery life for a mirrorless; 4K video; Dual card slots.
Slow buffer clearing; Only one card slot is UHS-II compatible; Touchscreen underutilized; No lossless RAW compression option; No 4K/60p option.
Read our Sony A9 Review

The Competition

Compared to Canon 70D

Nikon D7100

Canon 70D

$695
APS-C

Fast startup
Higher effective ISO

$999
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Touchscreen

Compare Nikon D7100 vs Canon 70D

Sony A9

Canon 70D

$3147
35mm

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$999
APS-C

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Sony A9 vs Canon 70D

Compared to Pentax K-3

Nikon D7100

Pentax K-3

$695
APS-C

Fast startup
Longer stills battery life

$699
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compare Nikon D7100 vs Pentax K-3

Sony A9

Pentax K-3

$3147
35mm

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

$699
APS-C

Lens selection
Fast startup

Compare Sony A9 vs Pentax K-3

Compared to Sony A77 II

Nikon D7100

Sony A77 II

$695
APS-C

Lens selection
Less expensive

$1198
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Focus peaking

Compare Nikon D7100 vs Sony A77 II

Sony A9

Sony A77 II

$3147
35mm

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

$1198
APS-C

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Sony A9 vs Sony A77 II

Compared to Leica SL (Typ 601)

Nikon D7100

Leica SL (Typ 601)

$695
APS-C

Less expensive
Fast startup

$3802
35mm

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

Compare Nikon D7100 vs Leica SL (Typ 601)

Sony A9

Leica SL (Typ 601)

$3147
35mm

Less expensive
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$3802
35mm

Built-in GPS
Top deck display

Compare Sony A9 vs Leica SL (Typ 601)

Compared to Sony A9 II

Nikon D7100

Sony A9 II

$695
APS-C

Less expensive
Lens selection

$4498
35mm

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

Compare Nikon D7100 vs Sony A9 II

Sony A9

Sony A9 II

$3147
35mm

Less expensive

$4498
35mm

Newer

Compare Sony A9 vs Sony A9 II

Compare Other Cameras?