Decision tools · Compare
D40 vs D5
Quick take: The D5 has the highest resolution at 21MP; the D40 is the most affordable; only the D5 is weather sealed.
Where the D40 wins
- Cheaper new: £25 vs £864
- Weight: 475g (with battery)
- Street: 5.5 vs 3.9
- Travel: 4.8 vs 4.0
Where the D5 wins
- Resolution: 20.8MP
- Burst Rate: 12fps mechanical
- Battery Life: ~3780 shots (CIPA)
- Weather Sealed: Yes
- Portrait: 6.0 vs 4.7
16 specs side by side·14 genres scored·UK prices from Wex Photo Video, Clifton Cameras, MPB, eBay and Amazon UK
How to read this page. Highlighted cells win that row on the spec alone. Genre scores are the engine's base scores (enthusiast, photo and video); Camera Match re-weights them for your level and priorities. Price buttons are affiliate links; the price you pay is the same.
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Size comparedbody only, no lens · drawn to one scale
- D40 126 × 94 × 64 mm · 475 g
- D5 160 × 158 × 92 mm · 1400 g
The D40 is 34 mm narrower, 64 mm shorter, 28 mm slimmer and 925 g lighter than the D5.
Drawn to scale from the makers' dimensions (W × H × D). Front shown, depth on the slanted edge.
Verdictwhich should you buy?
D5 — Professional Sports, Photojournalism & Wildlife: 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
D5 (2016)
is the right camera for you if…
- 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
Full specificationsthe better value in each row is highlighted
| Specification | D40Nikon · 2006 | D5Nikon · 2016 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £25 usedBest | £864 used |
| Sensor | 6.1MP APS-C (DX) CCD | 20.8MP full-frame BSI CMOS |
| Resolution | 6.1MP | 20.8MPBest |
| Video | No video | 4K UHD 30fps (heavy sensor crop) |
| Autofocus | 3-point phase-detect AF (AF-S / AF-I lenses only - no body AF motor) | Multi-CAM 20K 153-point AF system, 99 cross-type |
| Stabilisation | No IBIS (lens-based stabilisation only) | — |
| Burst Rate | 2.5fps | 12fps mechanicalBest |
| Battery Life | ~470 shots (CIPA) | ~3780 shots (CIPA)Best |
| Weight | 475g (with battery)Best | 1405g (body only) |
| Dimensions | 126 × 94 × 64mm | 160 × 158.5 × 92mm |
| Weather Sealed | Not weather sealed | YesBest |
| Viewfinder | Optical pentamirror, 95% coverage, 0.8x | OVF 0.72× magnification, 100% coverage |
| Screen | 2.5" fixed LCD, 230k dots | 3.2" fixed touchscreen, 2.36M dots |
| Mount | Nikon F | Nikon F mount |
| Memory Cards | Single SD slot | Dual XQD slots (XQD variant) |
| Connectivity | USB 2.0, video out | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Ethernet (RJ-45), USB 3.0 |
Wins the row — price, resolution, burst, battery, weight and sealing are compared; text specs aren't ranked.
How they score by genreengine base scores out of 10
Genre
D40
D5
Portrait
4.7/10
6.0/10
Street
5.5/10
3.9/10
Travel
4.8/10
4.0/10
Wedding & Events
3.6/10
6.8/10
Documentary
3.1/10
5.5/10
Sports & Action
4.0/10
6.7/10
Landscape
3.1/10
5.3/10
Wildlife
4.5/10
6.5/10
Casual
3.3/10
2.9/10
Food
3.4/10
4.3/10
Macro
3.1/10
3.6/10
Architecture
3.1/10
4.9/10
Astrophotography
5.0/10
6.3/10
Filmmaking
—
5.5/10
Scores come from the same engine as Camera Match: verified specifications weighted by what each genre needs, with documented adjustments. The product page and this table show the enthusiast base score. See how scores are calculated →
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