Sony a7S II vs Nikon D40x

This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony a7S II and Nikon D40x. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.

Manufacturing

Sony a7S II is manufacturered by Sony but Nikon D40x is from Nikon. Both Sony and Nikon are well known brands though.

Sony a7S II were released 2015 and Nikon D40x was released 2007. That is a 8 years difference. In tech, this period can be of interest since technology is always improving, etc.

Camera Released
Sony a7S II 2015
Nikon D40x 2007

Type of camera

Sony a7S II is a Mirrorless camera while Nikon D40x is a DSLR camera. More information about their differences will come soon.

Sensors / crop factor

These cameras have different sensors. Sony a7S II has a "Sony Full Frame"-sensor while Nikon D40x has a "Nikon DX"-sensor, and their difference in sensors will also affect the crop factor and experience focal length. See the table below.

Camera Focal length, 50mm f/1.8 **
Sony a7S II 50 mm
Full-frame sensor
No crop factor/focal length multiplier
Nikon D40x 75 mm
Nikon DX sensor
Crop factor/focal length multiplier by * 1.5

** Experienced focal length when using a lens such as a common "50mm f/1.8"

Learn more about crop factor and focal length multiplier here:
Camera selection can affect the focal length (Sony)
Camera selection can affect the focal length (Nikon)

Resolution

Sony a7S II has a 12 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Nikon D40x has 10 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:

Camera Megapixels
Sony a7S II 12 MP
12007680 pixels
4240 x 2832
Nikon D40x 10 MP
10036224 pixels
3872 x 2592

Sony a7S II has a 20 % larger resolution than Nikon D40x. This could give you more details in the picture but also a possibility to crop more in the pictures, afterward while editing the pictures, if needed that is.

ISO range

Sony a7S II has a larger ISO-range than Nikon D40x. Sony a7S II has an ISO range that stretches from 100 to 102400 while Nikon D40x has 100 to 3200.

Camera ISO Range
Sony a7S II 100-102400
Nikon D40x 100-3200

Autofocus and lens compatibility

There is a big difference between these two cameras. Sony a7S II has a built-in autofocus motor but Nikon D40x does not. If you want to be able to use autofocus on Nikon D40x there is a need for having an autofocus motor inside the lens. We really encourage you to look closely at our lens compatibility charts at the links below.

Here is a complete overview of which lenses work with each camera:
Lens compatibility chart for Sony a7S II
Lens compatibility chart for Nikon D40x

Pictures per second

Depending on what you are shooting the FPS, or frames/pictures per second, can definitely be of interest. Sony a7S II can shoot up to 5 pictures per seconds and Nikon D40x can shoot up to 3 pictures per seconds.

Camera FPS (Frames per second)
Sony a7S II 5
Nikon D40x 3

Ability to record movies

It is becoming more and more popular to record movies with digital cameras.

When comparing these two cameras there is only one of them that can shoot movies and that is Sony a7S II. Unfortunately Nikon D40x does not support recording movies and movie clips.

Weight

The weight of the camera can be an extremely important factor, especially if the camera is about to be used, or carried around, for several hours at a time.

Sony a7S II weighs 627 gr (equal to 1.38 lb) which is 20% heavier than Nikon D40x and its 522 gr (or 1.15 lb).

Camera Weight
Sony a7S II 627 gr
1.38 lb
Nikon D40x 522 gr
1.15 lb

Sony a7S II vs Nikon D40x Specs

Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Sony a7S II and Nikon D40x, next to each other. Each category of data is a link to an article covering the subject, giving you a deeper understanding so you can better understand the strengths and weaknesses of the two camera models.

Product
Sony a7S II
Nikon D40x
Name Sony a7S II Nikon D40x
Manufacturer Sony Nikon
Release Date and Price
Sony a7S II
Nikon D40x
Release Year 2015 2007
Release Date 2015-09-11 2007-03-06
MSRP 2999 USD 729 USD
Buy it today
Camera Type
Sony a7S II
Nikon D40x
Camera Type Mirrorless DSLR
Sensor
Sony a7S II
Nikon D40x
Sensor Size Full Frame (approx 36 x 24 mm) APS-C (approx 23.7 x 15.5 mm)
Also known as "DX"
Sensor Type CMOS CCD
Resolution 4240 x 2832 pixels 3872 x 2592 pixels
Megapixels 12 MP 10 MP
Image Processor Bionz X EXPEED
Image
Sony a7S II
Nikon D40x
ISO Range 100 - 102400 100 - 3200
White Balance Presets 10 6
Custom White Balance Yes Yes
Image Stabilization Yes
(Sensor-Shift (5 axis))
No
Image Stabilization CIPA Rating 0 stops 0 stops
Uncompressed format RAW RAW
Optics & Focus
Sony a7S II
Nikon D40x
Autofocus Motor Yes No
Autofocus Contract Detect (sensor)
Multi Area
Center
Selective Single Point
Single
Continuous
Face Detection
LiveView
Phase Detect
Multi Area
Selective Single Point
Single
Continuous
Focus Points 169 3
Lens Mount Sony E

See Compatible Lenses
Nikon F

See Compatible Lenses
Focal Length Multiplier Full frame
No multiplier
Example:
24 mm remains 24 mm
50 mm remains 50 mm
100 mm remains 100 mm
200 mm remains 200 mm
DX / APS-C (1.5x)
1.5x multiplier
Example:
24 mm becomes 36 mm
50 mm becomes 75 mm
100 mm becomes 150 mm
200 mm becomes 300 mm
Screen & Viewfinder
Sony a7S II
Nikon D40x
Articulated LCD Tilting Fixed
Screen size 3” 2,5”
Screen dots 1228800 230000
Touch screen No No
Screen type TFT-LCD N/A
Live view Yes No
Viewfinder Type Electronic Optical (pentamirror)
Viewfinder Coverage 100% 95%
Viewfinder Magnification 0.78x 0.8× (0.53× 35mm equiv.)
Viewfinder Resolution N/A N/A
Photography features
Sony a7S II
Nikon D40x
Frames per second 5 fps 3 fps
Minimum Shutter Speed 30 seconds 30 seconds
Maximum Shutter Speed 1/8000 seconds 1/4000 seconds
Built-in Flash No Yes
Built-in Flash Range N/A 17 meters
External Flash Yes Yes
Self-Timer Yes Yes
Time-lapse No Yes
Metering modes Multi
Center Weighted
Spot
Multi
Center Weighted
Spot
Exposure Compensation +/- 5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps) +/- 5 (at 1/3 EV steps)
Videography features
Sony a7S II
Nikon D40x
Video recording Yes No
Video format MPEG4
XAVC-S
AVCHD
N/A
Video resolution 1280 x 720
1920 x 1080
3840 x 2160
N/A
Built-in Microphone Yes No
Built-in Speakers Yes No
Storage
Sony a7S II
Nikon D40x
Memory Card Memory Stick Pro Duo
SD/SDHC
SD/SDHC
Connectivity
Sony a7S II
Nikon D40x
HDMI Output Yes No
Microphone Port Yes No
Headphone Port Yes No
Wireless Yes
Built-in (802.11b/g/n with NFC)
No
Remote Control Yes (wired or smartphone) Yes (Optional (ML-L3))
GPS No No
Body & Dimensions
Sony a7S II
Nikon D40x
Enviromentally sealed Yes No
Battery Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery Details NP-FW50 lithium-ion battery and charger
Nikon EN-EL9 Lithium-Ion & charger included
Battery Life (CIPA) 370 shots 520 shots
Width 127 mm 124 mm
Height 96 mm 94 mm
Depth 60 mm 64 mm
Weight 627 gram 522 gram