D5vs Z5
Nikon
D5 (2016)
Starting from £1800 new
Best for Professional Sports, Photojournalism & Wildlife
View D5
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.
Entry-Level Full-Frame & Dslr Switchers — Z5 (2020): The most affordable route into full-frame Z — dual card slots, IBIS, and a capable sensor at an accessible price.
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
Z5 (2020)
- DSLR photographers switching to full-frame mirrorless for the first time
- Enthusiasts who want full-frame image quality on a tighter budget
- Photographers stepping up from APS-C who don't need fast burst or 4K
- Z5 II shoppers on a budget — the original Z5 is now excellent value used
Quick take: The z5 has the highest resolution at 24mp; the z5 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | D5 (2016) | Z5 (2020) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,800 | £999 |
| Sensor | 20.8MP full-frame BSI CMOS | 24.3MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS |
| Resolution | 20.8MP | 24.3MP |
| Video | 4K UHD 30fps (heavy sensor crop) | 4K/30p (with crop), 1080p/60p |
| Autofocus | Multi-CAM 20K 153-point AF system, 99 cross-type | Hybrid AF — 273 phase-detect points, eye/subject detection |
| Stabilisation | — | IBIS — up to 5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 12fps mechanical | 4.5fps |
| Battery Life | ~3780 shots (CIPA) | ~470 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 1405g (body only) | 590g (with battery) |
| Dimensions | 160 × 158.5 × 92mm | 134 × 100.5 × 69.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | OVF 0.72× magnification, 100% coverage | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.8× magnification |
| Screen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen, 2.36M dots | 3.2" tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Nikon F mount | Nikon Z mount |
| Memory Cards | Dual XQD slots (XQD variant) | Dual SD UHS-II slots |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Ethernet (RJ-45), USB 3.0 | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | D5 | Z5 |
|---|---|---|
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Wedding & Events | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Travel | — | |
| Everyday | — | |
| Sports | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
More comparisons with D5
Camera family history