Focus on this: Nikon's best DSLRs get big discounts during Amazon's Mid-Year Sale

Nikon D780 vs D850
(Image credit: Nikon)

No one is making a DSLR anymore, with Nikon stopping in 2020. The last from this camera maker was the Nikon D780 and it was an amazing way to step away from this genre of cameras.

It's like a mix of DSLR and mirrorless technology rolled into one – its hybrid design incorporates the sensor, autofocus technology and performance power found in Nikon's mirrorless marvels, like the Z7 and the Z6, with an optical viewfinder and body of a traditional DSLR.

The previous Nikon DSLR that was launched is also a marvel. The Nikon D850, along with its newer cousin, tops our list of the best DSLR you can get right now. Better yet, they're both full-frame cameras, so you can trust them both to offer a little better low-light capability than their APS-C counterparts.

And they're both currently discounted rather well on Amazon Australia, with the D780 body down to its lowest price yet on the retail giant's platform.

Nikon D780 (body only) | AU$3,499 AU$2,499

<a href="https://target.georiot.com/Proxy.ashx?tsid=8430&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Famazon.com.au%2Fdp%2FB083QFZZVY%3Ftag%3Dhawk-future-22%26ascsubtag%3Dhawk-custom-tracking-22" data-link-merchant="Amazon AU"">Nikon D780 (body only) | AU$3,499 AU$2,499 (save AU$1,000)

You can't go wrong with this DSLR – it's 24MP full-frame sensor offers impeccable image quality, and its performance can keep up with that of any Nikon mirrorless camera you want to pit it against. You'll get Nikon's tried-and-tested 51-point phase detection AF system when using the optical viewfinder, but switch to live view and you've got the Z6's brilliant 273-point on-sensor AF system with eye detection.

Nikon D850 (body only)|AU$4,599 AU$3,299 on Amazon

<a href="https://target.georiot.com/Proxy.ashx?tsid=8430&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Famazon.com.au%2Fdp%2FB077QD6TXR%3Ftag%3Dhawk-future-22%26ascsubtag%3Dhawk-custom-tracking-22" data-link-merchant="Amazon AU"">Nikon D850 (body only)|AU$4,599 AU$3,299 on Amazon (save AU$1,300)

It's possible to find the older D850 for under the AU$4K mark in Australia, so this discount isn't as enticing as the D780's. Still, you're getting a 45.7MP powerhouse, which also boasts 7fps burst shooting, a 153-point hybrid AF system, 4K 30fps and 1080p 120fps video, 8K timelapse and dual memory card slots. It's image quality is just excellent!

The Nikon D850 is one of the best Nikon cameras and arguably the best DSLR, period. It boasts a heavy duty 45.7MP sensor, which is so pixel-packed that it can capture 8K timelapses. 

It can rattle off shots at 7fps if you're shooting action, which might not seem like a lot, but you don't always need high speeds to get some excellent captures. The continuous shooting speed is backed by a robust hybrid autofocus system, and it records 4K video up to 30fps and 1080p video all the way up to 120fps for true slow-motion.  Making this a real multi-media powerhouse for any content creator.

However, the newer Nikon D780 can outshine it in some ways... if you don't need such a high resolution sensor. There's some seriously clever tech under the hood of the D780. While its AF system sounds antiquated when we mention the 51-point phase-detect system, it's transformed when in live view with the faster 273-point AF from the Nikon Z6. There's up to 12fps continuous shooting here in live view, with full AF tracking too. There's even the option to go faster at 30fps, but you'll get 8MP images, or even quicker at 120fps for 2MP results. What more could you want? Oh, 4K UHD video – check.

Read more:
The best Nikon lenses
The best Nikon cameras
The best portrait lenses for Nikon users
Best telephoto lenses for Nikon users

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Sharmishta Sarkar
Managing Editor (APAC)

In addition to looking after they day-to-day functioning of Digital Camera World in Australia, Sharmishta is the Managing Editor (APAC) for TechRadar as well, and helps produce two of Future's photography print magazines Down Under. Her passion for photography started when she was wandering the wilds of India studying monkeys (yes, life took a sharp turn somewhere along the way) and is entirely self-taught. That puts her in the unique position of understanding what a beginner or enthusiast is looking for in a camera or lens, and writes to help those like her on their path to developing their skills or finding the best gear. While she experiments with quite a few genres of photography, her main area of interest is nature photography – wildlife, landscapes and macro. She still prefers an optical viewfinder but is utterly fascinated with what mirrorless technology has been able to achieve. 


With an ear to the ground in the Asia-Pacific territory, she is constantly on top of camera news and breaking developments in the Australian region, in addition to sourcing local deals during big retail events like Amazon Prime Day and Black Friday / Cyber Monday. 


She’s also a skilled stargazer, always eager to share astrophotography tips such as photographing the blood moon without even using a tripod!