Decision tools · Compare
D5 vs D850
Quick take: The D850 has the highest resolution at 46MP; the D5 is the most affordable.
Where the D5 wins
- Cheaper new: £864 vs £2,399
- Burst Rate: 12fps mechanical
- Battery Life: ~3780 shots (CIPA)
Where the D850 wins
- Resolution: 45.7MP
- Weight: 915g (body only)
- Portrait: 6.8 vs 6.0
- Street: 4.9 vs 3.9
- Travel: 5.0 vs 4.0
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.
Nikon
D850 2017
Best for Landscape, wildlife & professional studio photography
£2399
new today at Clifton Cameras
Price buttons are affiliate links — GearFrame may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never affects a score. Learn more
Size comparedbody only, no lens · drawn to one scale
- D5 160 × 158 × 92 mm · 1400 g
- D850 146 × 124 × 78 mm · 1005 g
The D850 is 14 mm narrower, 34 mm shorter, 14 mm slimmer and 395 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.
D850 — Landscape, Wildlife & Professional Studio Photography: The finest DSLR ever made — 45MP, 9fps, and nearly 2000 shots per charge in a body that still outperforms most mirrorless cameras for battery life.
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
D850 (2017)
is the right camera for you if…
- Nikon F-mount lens owners who want the highest resolution DSLR before switching to mirrorless
- Landscape and wildlife photographers who value the optical viewfinder and outstanding battery life
- Professional photographers who need 45MP resolution without the price of a medium format system
- Photojournalists and event photographers with a large F-mount lens investment
Full specificationsthe better value in each row is highlighted
| Specification | D5Nikon · 2016 | D850Nikon · 2017 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £864 usedBest | £2,399 |
| Sensor | 20.8MP full-frame BSI CMOS | 45.7MP full-frame BSI-CMOS |
| Resolution | 20.8MP | 45.7MPBest |
| Video | 4K UHD 30fps (heavy sensor crop) | 4K UHD/30p, 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | Multi-CAM 20K 153-point AF system, 99 cross-type | 153-point AF system (99 cross-type) — Multi-CAM 20K |
| Stabilisation | — | None (relies on VR lenses) |
| Burst Rate | 12fps mechanicalBest | 9fps (7fps with tilt screen AF) |
| Battery Life | ~3780 shots (CIPA)Best | ~1840 shots (CIPA) — outstanding |
| Weight | 1405g (body only) | 915g (body only)Best |
| Dimensions | 160 × 158.5 × 92mm | 146 × 124 × 78.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | OVF 0.72× magnification, 100% coverage | Optical pentaprism — 0.75× magnification, 100% coverage |
| Screen | 3.2" fixed touchscreen, 2.36M dots | 3.2" tilting touchscreen, 2.36M dots |
| Mount | Nikon F mount | Nikon F mount |
| Memory Cards | Dual XQD slots (XQD variant) | Dual slots — XQD and SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Ethernet (RJ-45), USB 3.0 | USB 3.0, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm mic & headphone jacks |
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
D5
D850
Portrait
6.0/10
6.8/10
Street
3.9/10
4.9/10
Travel
4.0/10
5.0/10
Wedding & Events
6.8/10
7.2/10
Filmmaking
5.5/10
5.6/10
Documentary
5.5/10
5.8/10
Sports & Action
6.7/10
6.5/10
Landscape
5.3/10
6.7/10
Wildlife
6.5/10
6.4/10
Casual
2.9/10
3.6/10
Food
4.3/10
5.8/10
Macro
3.6/10
5.5/10
Architecture
4.9/10
6.4/10
Astrophotography
6.3/10
6.3/10
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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