D5vs Z50
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.
Beginner, Travel, Everyday — Z50 (2019): Nikon's Z system at its most accessible.
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
Z50 (2019)
- Nikon DSLR users wanting a lighter mirrorless
- First-time enthusiast camera buyers
Quick take: The z50 has the highest resolution at 21mp; the z50 is the most affordable; only the d5 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | D5 (2016) | Z50 (2019) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,800 | £499 |
| Sensor | 20.8MP full-frame BSI CMOS | APS-C CMOS |
| Resolution | 20.8MP | 20.9MP |
| Video | 4K UHD 30fps (heavy sensor crop) | 4K 30fps (1.5× crop), 1080p 120fps |
| Autofocus | Multi-CAM 20K 153-point AF system, 99 cross-type | 209-point phase-detect hybrid AF |
| Stabilisation | — | None |
| Burst Rate | 12fps mechanical | 11fps |
| Battery Life | ~3780 shots (CIPA) | 300 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 1405g (body only) | 397g (body only) |
| Dimensions | 160 × 158.5 × 92mm | 126.5 × 93.5 × 60.0mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | OVF 0.72× magnification, 100% coverage | EVF 0.68× 2.36M-dot |
| Screen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen, 2.36M dots | 3.2" downward-tilting touchscreen, 1.04M-dot |
| Mount | Nikon F mount | Nikon Z-Mount (DX) |
| Memory Cards | Dual XQD slots (XQD variant) | Single SD UHS-I |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Ethernet (RJ-45), USB 3.0 | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, Micro USB, Micro HDMI |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | D5 | Z50 |
|---|---|---|
| Sports & Action | ||
| Wildlife | — | |
| Wedding & Events | — | |
| Street | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Landscape | — | |
| Travel | — | |
| Casual | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — |
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