D5vs Z5 II
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.
Full-Frame Value — Z5 II (2024): The most accessible full-frame mirrorless — dual card slots, weather sealing, and Nikon colour at a sensible 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 II (2024)
- DSLR photographers making the switch to full-frame mirrorless
- Enthusiasts who want full-frame Z quality at the most accessible price
- Z5 owners wanting significantly improved autofocus and uncropped 4K
- Landscape and portrait photographers stepping up from APS-C
Quick take: The z5 ii has the highest resolution at 24mp; the z5 ii is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | D5 (2016) | Z5 II (2024) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,800 | £1,299 |
| Sensor | 20.8MP full-frame BSI CMOS | 24.5MP Full-frame BSI CMOS |
| Resolution | 20.8MP | 24.5MP |
| Video | 4K UHD 30fps (heavy sensor crop) | 4K/30p oversampled, 1080p/120p, N-Log |
| Autofocus | Multi-CAM 20K 153-point AF system, 99 cross-type | Phase-detect, 273 points, subject detection (human/animal/vehicle) |
| Stabilisation | — | 5-axis IBIS, 5.0 stops |
| Burst Rate | 12fps mechanical | 14fps mechanical, 30fps electronic |
| Battery Life | ~3780 shots (CIPA) | ~470 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 1405g (body only) | 700g body only |
| Dimensions | 160 × 158.5 × 92mm | 134.0 × 100.5 × 69.9mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | OVF 0.72× magnification, 100% coverage | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.80× magnification |
| Screen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen, 2.36M dots | 3.2" tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Nikon F mount | Nikon Z-mount (full-frame) |
| Memory Cards | Dual XQD slots (XQD variant) | Dual SD UHS-II slots |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Ethernet (RJ-45), USB 3.0 | USB-C 3.2, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | D5 | Z5 II |
|---|---|---|
| Sports & Action | ||
| Wildlife | — | |
| Wedding & Events | ||
| Street | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Travel | — |
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