Nikon D850

Sensor resolves exceptionally fine detail ; Super-fast autofocus and silent shooting in Live View ; Inherits AF toggle from D500 for fast AF point positioning ; Impressive battery life with EN-EL15a battery

Lacks on-chip phase detection AF in Live View ; Touchscreen doesn’t allow users to adjust key exposure settings ; SnapBridge connectivity requires improvement

The Nikon D850 is the perfect blend of high-resolution, speed and performance. It’s an all-round sensation and will be hugely popular with its target audience.

45.7-megapixel full-frame sensor renders excellent detail ; Speedy 153-point autofocus system ; 7 fps burst mode; 9 fps with battery grip ; Sturdy, weather-sealed design ; 4K video and 1080p slow-motion

Live-view autofocus is slower ; Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connection isn’t always reliable ; Pricey

Full-frame 45.7MP image sensor. 153-point autofocus system. 7fps burst shooting. Wide ISO range. 4K video. Large optical viewfinder. Tilting touch LCD. Dual card slots. Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

Live View focus uses contrast detection only. Omits built-in flash. SnapBridge system needs some work.

Whether or not the D850 is even on your radar is largely dependent on how vested you are in your current camera system, and whether or not that system is Nikon. Let's talk about other systems first. For Canon devotees, we recommend the EOS 5D Mark IV...

Super high-res sensor capable of incredible detail ; Burst mode makes it good for action too ; Weatherproof and extremely well built ; Incredibly crisp optical viewfinder ; Silent shooting mode is a useful extra

Centred focus points sometimes means recomposing ; XQD cards are expensive

A dependable beast of a full-frame camera that should be top of the wishlist for pros and enthusiastic amateurs alike

Excellent dynamic range ; High-resolution and sharp detail (in the right hands) ; New silent shooting mode ; Large viewfinder ; Vibrant and responsive tilt-angle touchscreen LCD ; Insanely good battery life ; Nikon’s best AF system ; Improved handling...

No built-in flash ; AF in Live view mode is slow ; Especially in low light ; Xpensive once all extras are included

The Nikon D850 impresses on paper. But after sustained use it's blown us away. This is one mean 45.4-million-pixel picture-making machine.

Potential for large and detailed images ; Sophisticated and proven AF system ; Large and bright viewfinder ; 19.4MP DX crop mode ; Epic battery life

More expensive than D810 ; Live View focusing speed behind rivals ; SnapBridge still clunky

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...

Packed with features ; Outstanding picture quality ; Easy to use and share photos

Slightly on the heavy side ; This level of performance doesn't come cheap

It doesn’t come cheap, but if you’re in the market for a well-built high-specification, high-resolution DSLR that packs all of the latest technology, then it really is the best choice out there. My only remaining thought is how on Earth are they...