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Nikon D3S vs Nikon D800

6.28 in
6.18 in
Nikon D3S Digital Camera
Nikon D3S
5.7 in
4.8 in
Nikon D800 Digital Camera
Nikon D800
Available colors
Editiorial reviews
29
4.4 out of 5
10 user ratings
5 stars
70 %
4 stars
20 %
3 stars
10 %
2 stars
0 %
1 stars
0 %
Read editorial reviews
17
4.5 out of 5
7 user ratings
5 stars
71 %
4 stars
28 %
3 stars
0 %
2 stars
0 %
1 stars
0 %
Read editorial reviews
User rating
41
4.0 out of 5
41 user ratings
5 stars
34 %
4 stars
39 %
3 stars
24 %
2 stars
2 %
1 stars
0 %
48
4.2 out of 5
48 user ratings
5 stars
39 %
4 stars
41 %
3 stars
14 %
2 stars
4 %
1 stars
0 %

Video Comparisons (1)

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Full Comparison

Sensor

Nikon D3SNikon D3S
Nikon D800Nikon D800
Sensor typeCMOSCMOS
Image sensor formatFull frameFull frame
Sensor size1.42 in1.41 in
Sensor photo detectors13.0 Mpx37.0 Mpx
Effective pixels12.0 Mpx36.0 Mpx
Image ratio w:h
  • 5:4
  • 3:2
  • 5:4
  • 3:2
Max resolution4256 x 2832 px7360 x 4912 px
Other resolutions
  • 3552x2832
  • 3552x2368
  • 3184x2128
  • 2784x1848
  • 2656x1776
  • 2128x1416
  • 2080x1384
  • 1776x1416
  • 1776x1184
  • 1392x920
  • 6144x4912
  • 6144x4080
  • 5520x3680
  • 4800x3200
  • 4608x3680
  • 4608x3056
  • 3680x2456
  • 3600x2400
  • 3072x2456
  • 3072x2040
  • 2400x1600
ProcessorExpeedExpeed 3

Image

Nikon D3SNikon D3S
Nikon D800Nikon D800
ISO
  • 200
  • 12800
  • 100
  • 200
  • 400
  • 800
  • 1600
  • 3200
  • 6400
  • 12800
  • 25600
  • Auto
ISO minimum20050
ISO maximum1280025600
Boosted ISO minimum10050
Boosted ISO maximum10240025600
Maximum image resolution4256 x 2832 px7360 x 4912 px
White balance presets1212
White balance modes
  • Auto
  • Cloudy
  • Flash
  • Fluorescent
  • Incandescent
  • Manual
  • Shade
  • Sunny
  • Auto
  • Cloudy
  • Custom modes
  • Flash
  • Fluorescent
  • Incandescent
  • Shade
Custom white balanceyesyes
Supported image file formats
  • JPG
  • RAW
  • TIF
  • JPEG XR
  • RAW
Photo effects
  • Black&White
  • Neutral
  • Vivid
  • Black&White
  • Neutral
  • Vivid
Image stabilizeryesno
Image stabilization typeNoNo
Supported aspect ratios16:95:4
Uncompressed formatRAW + TIFFRAW
HDRnoyes
AEB/HDR supportyesyes

Optics and focus

Nikon D3SNikon D3S
Nikon D800Nikon D800
Lens mountNikon FNikon F
Magnification (Crop factor)1.0 x1.0 x
AF assist (auto-focus assist light)noLamp
Focus adjustmentAutoAuto
Contrast autofocusyesyes
Focal length multiplier1x1x
Autofocus
  • Servo Auto Focus
  • Single Auto Focus
  • Continuous Auto Focus
  • Face detection
  • Single Auto Focus
Auto Focus (AF) lockyesyes
Manual focusyesyes
Auto Focus (AF) assist beamyesyes
Number of focus points5151
Max number of AF points (incl. assistant)5151
Image stabiliserLens based onlyLens based only
Phase detection autofocusyesyes

Screen and viewfinder

Nikon D3SNikon D3S
Nikon D800Nikon D800
Screen size3.0 in3.2 in
Articulated LCDnono
Screen technologyLCDLCD
Screen dots921000921000
Touch screennono
Field of view100.0 %100.0 %
Live viewyesyes
ViewfinderOpticalOptical
Viewfinder coverage100.0 %100.0 %
Viewfinder magnification0.7 x0.7 x
Separate info displayyesyes

Photography features

Nikon D3SNikon D3S
Nikon D800Nikon D800
Camera shutter typeElectronicElectronic
Minimum shutter speed30.0 s30.0 s
Maximum shutter speed1.0 s1.0 s
Shutter priorityyesyes
Aperture priorityyesyes
Manual exposure modeyesyes
Number of exposures22
Exposure compensation plus55
Exposure compensation minus-5-5
Expousure compensation steps
  • 1/3
  • 1/2
  • 1
  • 1/3
  • 1/2
  • 1
Auto exposure lockyesyes
AE EV steps
  • 1/3
  • 1/2
  • 2/3
  • 1
  • 1/3
  • 1/2
  • 2/3
  • 1
Continuous shootingyesyes
Self-timer delay
  • 2
  • 5
  • 10
  • 20
  • 2
  • 5
  • 10
  • 20
Histogramyesyes
AE frames
  • 2
  • 3
  • 5
  • 7
  • 2
  • 3
  • 5
  • 7
WB Bracketing
Yes
Yes
Subject / scene modesnono
Flash sync speed1/250s1/250s
Built-in flashyesyes
Flash modes
  • Redeye Reduction
  • Slow Sync
  • Auto
  • Redeye Reduction
  • Slow Sync
External flash connection
  • Hot shoe
  • PC terminal
  • Hot shoe
  • PC terminal
External flashyesyes
Continuous drive11.0 fps4.0 fps
Scene modes
  • Backlight
  • Beach
  • Dawn
  • Dusk
  • Fireworks
  • Museum
  • Night
  • Night portrait
  • Panorama
  • Party
  • Portrait
  • Self-portrait
  • Snow
  • Sports
  • Spotlight
  • Portrait
  • Landscape
Self-timeryesyes
Metering modes
  • Multi
  • Center-weighted
  • Spot
  • Multi
  • Center-weighted
  • Average
  • Spot
Manual settingsyesyes
Self-timer optionscustomcustom
Speed (JPEG)9.0 fps4.0 fps
Speed (RAW)9.0 fps4.0 fps
Exposure bracketing0.3 - 1.0±EV0.3 - 1.0±EV

Videography features

Nikon D3SNikon D3S
Nikon D800Nikon D800
Maximum resolution1280 x 720 px1920 x 1080 px
Video recordingyesyes
Recording resolutions
  • 320 x 240
  • 640 x 480
  • 1280 x 720
  • 1280 x 720
  • 1920 x 1080
HD typeNot supportedFull HD
Supported video file formatsAVI
  • H.264
  • MOV
  • MPEG-4
Analog signal format system
  • NTSC
  • PAL
NTSC
Camera playback
  • Highlights
  • Movie
  • Single image
  • Slide show
  • Thumbnails
  • Highlights
  • Movie
  • Single image
  • Slide show
Max frame rate (highest resolution)24.0 fps30.0 fps
Motion JPEG frame rate24.0 fps60.0 fps

Audio features

Nikon D3SNikon D3S
Nikon D800Nikon D800
Built-in microphoneyesyes
Microphone typeStereoMono
Audio systemMonoMono

Design

Nikon D3SNikon D3S
Nikon D800Nikon D800
Body typeSLRSLR
Body materialAluminum-magnesiumAluminum-magnesium
Colour of productBlackBlack
Anti-dust systemyesyes
Environmentally sealedyesyes

Dimensions

Nikon D3SNikon D3S
Nikon D800Nikon D800
Weight43.74 oz31.75 oz
Width6.28 in5.7 in
Height6.18 in4.8 in
Depth3.44 in3.2 in

Storage

Nikon D3SNikon D3S
Nikon D800Nikon D800
Compatible memory cards
  • SD
  • SDHC
  • CF
  • SD
  • SDHC
  • SDXC
Memory slots21
Storage types
  • Compact Flash Type I/II
  • UDMA
  • Compact Flash Type I
  • SD
  • SDHC
  • SDXC
Camera file system
  • DCF 2.0
  • DPOF
  • Exif 2.21
  • DCF 2.0
  • DPOF 1.1
  • Exif 2.3

Power

Nikon D3SNikon D3S
Nikon D800Nikon D800
Power source typeBatteryBattery
Battery life (CIPA)4200900
Battery technology
Lithium-Ion
Lithium-Ion
Number of batteries supported11
AC adapter includedyesyes

Connectivity

Nikon D3SNikon D3S
Nikon D800Nikon D800
HDMIyesyes
HDMI ports quantity11
USB version2.03.1
Remote controlyesyes
PictBridgeyesyes
NFCnono
Wireless network (Wi-Fi)noyes
Bluetoothyesno
Firewirenono

Other features

Nikon D3SNikon D3S
Nikon D800Nikon D800
Timelapse recordingyesyes
GPSnoyes
Orientation sensoryesyes
Tripod mounting supportedyesyes
On Screen Display (OSD) languages
  • ENG
  • ESP
  • FIN
  • FRE
  • ITA
  • JPN
  • KOR
  • RUS
  • ARA
  • CHI
  • CHI
  • CZE
  • DAN
  • DEU
  • DUT
  • ENG
  • ESP
  • FIN
  • FRE
  • ITA
  • JPN
  • KOR
  • NOR
  • POL
  • POR
  • RUM
  • RUS
  • SWE
  • THA
  • TUR
  • UKR
Image editing modes
  • Crop
  • Resizing
  • Resizing
  • Rotating
  • Trimming

Pros & Cons

Pros
      Cons

          Often compared with Nikon D3S

          Often compared with Nikon D800