D5vs Z50 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.
All-Round Photography — Z50 II (2024): Nikon's updated APS-C body with 4K/60p, improved subject tracking, and a vari-angle screen — a solid all-rounder.
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 II (2024)
- Beginners stepping into the Nikon Z system wanting improved autofocus
- Content creators who want APS-C Z quality with subject detection AF
- Z50 owners who want meaningfully better AF performance for people and pets
- Travel photographers wanting a compact, capable Z body at an accessible price
Quick take: The z50 ii has the highest resolution at 21mp; the z50 ii is the most affordable; only the d5 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | D5 (2016) | Z50 II (2024) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,800 | £899 |
| Sensor | 20.8MP full-frame BSI CMOS | 20.9MP APS-C CMOS |
| Resolution | 20.8MP | 20.9MP |
| Video | 4K UHD 30fps (heavy sensor crop) | 4K/60p uncropped, 1080p/120p, N-Log |
| Autofocus | Multi-CAM 20K 153-point AF system, 99 cross-type | Phase-detect, 249 points, subject detection (human/animal/vehicle) |
| Stabilisation | — | None (no IBIS) |
| Burst Rate | 12fps mechanical | 11fps mechanical, 30fps electronic |
| Battery Life | ~3780 shots (CIPA) | ~330 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 1405g (body only) | 385g body only |
| Dimensions | 160 × 158.5 × 92mm | 127.0 × 96.8 × 66.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | OVF 0.72× magnification, 100% coverage | EVF, 2.36M dots |
| Screen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen, 2.36M dots | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen |
| Mount | Nikon F mount | Nikon Z-mount |
| Memory Cards | Dual XQD slots (XQD variant) | Single SD UHS-I slot |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Ethernet (RJ-45), USB 3.0 | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | D5 | Z50 II |
|---|---|---|
| Sports & Action | ||
| Wildlife | — | |
| Wedding & Events | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Travel | — | |
| Family & Everyday | — |
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