D5vs D6
Nikon
D5 (2016)
Starting from £1800 new
Best for Professional Sports, Photojournalism & Wildlife
View D5
Nikon
D6 (2020)
Starting from £3200 new
Best for Professional Sports, Press & Wildlife Photography
View D6
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
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.
Professional Sports, Press & Wildlife Photography — D6 (2020): Nikon's final and finest DSLR — the D6 brought 105 all-cross-type AF points, 14fps, and built-in LAN to the F mount. The last word in optical viewfinder photography.
Who should buy what
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
D6 (2020)
- Sports, wildlife, and press photographers who prefer an optical viewfinder
- Professional Nikon shooters with a substantial F-mount lens collection
- Photojournalists who need built-in LAN for wire transmission
- Nikon system professionals seeking a used flagship at under-new-price value
Quick take: The d5 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | D5 (2016) | D6 (2020) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,800 | £3,200 |
| Sensor | 20.8MP full-frame BSI CMOS | 20.8MP full-frame BSI CMOS |
| Resolution | 20.8MP | 20.8MP |
| Video | 4K UHD 30fps (heavy sensor crop) | 4K UHD 30fps |
| Autofocus | Multi-CAM 20K 153-point AF system, 99 cross-type | Multi-CAM 3500FX III — 105 AF points, all cross-type |
| Burst Rate | 12fps mechanical | 14fps mechanical |
| Battery Life | ~3780 shots (CIPA) | ~3580 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 1405g (body only) | 1450g (body only) |
| Dimensions | 160 × 158.5 × 92mm | 160 × 163.5 × 92mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | OVF 0.72× magnification, 100% coverage | OVF 0.72× magnification, 100% coverage |
| Screen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen, 2.36M dots | 3.2" fixed touchscreen, 2.36M dots |
| Mount | Nikon F mount | Nikon F mount |
| Memory Cards | Dual XQD slots (XQD variant) | Dual CFexpress Type B / XQD slots |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Ethernet (RJ-45), USB 3.0 | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, Ethernet (built-in), USB 3.1 |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | D5 | D6 |
|---|---|---|
| Sports & Action | ||
| Wildlife | ||
| Wedding & Events | ||
| Street | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Landscape |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
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Camera family history