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D850 does appear to use a Sony Sensor

JohnBrew

Active member
Thanks Paul. This is interesting, but otoh who cares? It's the spin Nikon puts on image with their processors that counts. Just my opinion. For me, I'm sticking with the 810.
 

ptomsu

Workshop Member
Who cares - I could not agree more.

But what I do care is that many of these companies make so huge secrets out of who is producing their sensor - aka which sensor technology they finally use. And in case of the D850 I do remember several Nikon reps not telling the truth about which sensor (manufacturer) is used in the D850. And I do care about this because this is almost like lying! They must have known and I am meanwhile getting more than p.....d by that behaviour. :thumbdown::thumbdown::thumbdown:
 

Steen

Senior Subscriber Member

Despite how embarrassing it may sound, I actually do care a bit :eek:
Because so far my favorite image rendering stems exactly from the combination of a Sony sensor and a Nikon processor, and I happen to think that image renderings from different camera brands and models actually differ somewhat.
So knowing that the D850 model uses that good, old and well proven combination only makes me want the D850 even more.
It makes me feel very confident, and I would buy the D850 in a heartbeat, if only I could afford it *).
Unfortunately at the moment too many other expenses are threatening.
But perhaps a used D850 will be within my reach if mirrorless Nikon FX models with electronic viewfinders take over a big chunk of the attention in a not too distant future.
*) in my country D850 is 30195 DKK, which equals 4052 EUR, or 4700 USD
 

Paul2660

Well-known member
I care for sure. Sony has yet to be overtaken in this market.

I was curious as to the design/company as the colors from the D850 IMO are much easier to work out of the gate, with either a LR ON1 or C1 platform, where as I feel the noise levels are a bit higher than either my D810 or from the D800e. Which had led me to believe that it was possible that Nikon had picked a different platform. I just bracket a lot more with the D850 than I did with previous cameras in the D8xx Family. I noticed this first time I used the D850, shooting it at base of 64 in the same style as I would have my D810. Just more noise in the shadows than I expected but also better highlight recovery.

Paul Caldwell
 

ptomsu

Workshop Member
No matter who is the sensor supplier for Nikon (or any other brand) - it stinks when these camera manufacturers do not disclose which sensors (manufacturers) they are using! And Nikon has a great history in that regard :thumbdown:
 
V

Vivek

Guest
There is no shame in admitting that they use only the best sensors available in the market.
 

ptomsu

Workshop Member
There is no shame in admitting that they use only the best sensors available in the market.
Absolutely agree, but they don't - at least in the latest years. Only snobistisc remarks from the reps talked to in Europe that Nikon is using the best self designed sensor (actually claimed made by Nikon which is complete BS as we know) but definitely fearing to mention it would be from Sony!

Cannot be reiterated often enough - I find this arrogant behaviour and not what would bring me in as customer :thumbdown:
 

JPL

Member
relax :) and take pictures... no matter what brand of camera, no matter what sensor... no matter what semiconductor or rubber suppliers are used...

greetings from sunny morocco
JP
 
It doesn't make any difference to me with regards to this or any other particular camera.

But as someone interested in Nikon generally, because of the usual investment in stuff and knowledge, I'd love to know more about Nikon's and Sony's relationship. So far I've seen nothing but speculation. Is Sony fabbing sensors based on Nikon's designs? Are they collaborating on designs? Is Nikon just buying off-the-shelf parts, with some short-term exclusivity agreement that they pay for? Are they buddies? Or now that Sony's using their own top-end sensors, are they industrial frienemies, like Apple and Samsung (who are in an endless deathmatch in the courts over design patents, while Apple still buys custom chips from Samsung's chip division).

Enquiring minds want to know ...
 

iiiNelson

Well-known member
This clarifies everything - thanks for this post!

So we have a Nikon designed sensor based on Sony IP with a number of additions from Nikon AND manufactured by Sony!
Thats literally how/what everyone has done for years but when people say it’s a Sony sensor they’re implicitly referring to the fabricated base sensor itself being sourced from Sony. I do think Nikon went well out of their way to imply that the base sensor was sourced from another Sensor source (and ToweJazz/Samsung were heavily rumored) but I think that was crazy on their part to deny it. I think they’ve had a lot of success using Sony sensors and I don’t believe most people (outside people engaging in brand war drama) actually know and/or care it’s a Sony sourced imaging sensor.
 

ptomsu

Workshop Member
Thats literally how/what everyone has done for years but when people say it’s a Sony sensor they’re implicitly referring to the fabricated base sensor itself being sourced from Sony. I do think Nikon went well out of their way to imply that the base sensor was sourced from another Sensor source (and ToweJazz/Samsung were heavily rumored) but I think that was crazy on their part to deny it. I think they’ve had a lot of success using Sony sensors and I don’t believe most people (outside people engaging in brand war drama) actually know and/or care it’s a Sony sourced imaging sensor.
Afer all the hype from Nikon fanboys saying it IS A NIKON SENSOR I really care that now the truth is out - it IS A SONY BASED SENSOR WITH NIKON ADDITIONS!
 

iiiNelson

Well-known member
Afer all the hype from Nikon fanboys saying it IS A NIKON SENSOR I really care that now the truth is out - it IS A SONY BASED SENSOR WITH NIKON ADDITIONS!
I hear you but I’ve always assumed it was a Sony simply based on the economy of scale needed to mass produce the sensors for what would undoubtedly be a “hot” camera for the masses. In a lot of ways it is the “ultimate perfection” of the D8xx system where there really aren’t any major performance flaws. The information doesn’t change anything about the performance of the camera that we’ve known about it since release... but I guess it does take into account the credibility of all the sources that adamantly denied cooperation with Sony and relished on about how Nikon no longer needed Sony for sensor manufacturing. I think in the midst of the brand war people forget all the overall positives of Sony on the camera industry that is largely dying for a variety of reasons.
 

ptomsu

Workshop Member
I hear you but I’ve always assumed it was a Sony simply based on the economy of scale needed to mass produce the sensors for what would undoubtedly be a “hot” camera for the masses. In a lot of ways it is the “ultimate perfection” of the D8xx system where there really aren’t any major performance flaws. The information doesn’t change anything about the performance of the camera that we’ve known about it since release... but I guess it does take into account the credibility of all the sources that adamantly denied cooperation with Sony and relished on about how Nikon no longer needed Sony for sensor manufacturing. I think in the midst of the brand war people forget all the overall positives of Sony on the camera industry that is largely dying for a variety of reasons.
You are very right and I could not agree more. Only hope this way of thinking boils down into the hardcore fanbase as well!
 

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
I guess that it could be that Sony use Nikon semiconductor lithography to create the sensors :ROTFL::watch:
 
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