Canon EOS R3vs D5
Canon
Canon EOS R3 (2021)
Starting from £5999 new
Best for Sports & photojournalism professionals
View Canon EOS R3
Nikon
D5 (2016)
Starting from £1800 new
Best for Professional Sports, Photojournalism & Wildlife
View D5
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Sports & Photojournalism Professionals — Canon EOS R3 (2021): The pinnacle of Canon's mirrorless lineup for speed — Eye Control AF and 30fps burst in the most rugged body Canon has ever produced.
Professional Sports, Photojournalism & Wildlife — D5 (2016): Nikon's ultimate pro DSLR and a certified space traveller — the D5's 153-point AF, 12fps, and ISO 3,280,000 made it the weapon of choice for Olympic and space photography.
Who should buy what
Canon EOS R3 (2021)
- Professional sports and photojournalism photographers
- Canon users who need the fastest burst and most reliable AF in the system
- R5 users who want a pro-grade grip and faster shooting speed
- Event photographers who need eye-controlled AF and dual card slots
D5 (2016)
- Sports and wildlife photographers with an F-mount telephoto investment
- Photojournalists who need the fastest, most reliable DSLR AF available
- Nikon system professionals looking for a flagship body at used prices
- Collectors of cameras with a documented space pedigree
Quick take: The canon eos r3 has the highest resolution at 24mp; the d5 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Canon EOS R3 (2021) | D5 (2016) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £5,999 | £1,800 |
| Sensor | 24.1MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS | 20.8MP full-frame BSI CMOS |
| Resolution | 24.1MP | 20.8MP |
| Video | 6K RAW, 4K/120p, 1080p/180p | 4K UHD 30fps (heavy sensor crop) |
| Autofocus | Dual Pixel CMOS AF II with Eye Control AF | Multi-CAM 20K 153-point AF system, 99 cross-type |
| Stabilisation | 8-stop IBIS | — |
| Burst Rate | 30fps electronic / 12fps mechanical | 12fps mechanical |
| Battery Life | 620 shots (CIPA) | ~3780 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 1015g body only | 1405g (body only) |
| Dimensions | 150.0 × 142.6 × 87.2mm | 160 × 158.5 × 92mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | 0.76" OLED EVF, 5.76M dots, 120fps | OVF 0.72× magnification, 100% coverage |
| Screen | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen, 2.36M dots |
| Mount | Canon RF | Nikon F mount |
| Memory Cards | Dual CFexpress Type B | Dual XQD slots (XQD variant) |
| Connectivity | USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, LAN | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Ethernet (RJ-45), USB 3.0 |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Canon EOS R3 | D5 |
|---|---|---|
| Sports & Action | ||
| Wildlife | ||
| Photojournalism | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Wedding & Events | ||
| Travel | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Portrait | — | |
| Landscape | — |
More comparisons with Canon EOS R3
Camera family history