D5vs Z6
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.
Travel, Portrait, Video — Z6 (2018): Nikon's proof of concept — and a genuinely excellent camera.
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
Z6 (2018)
- Nikon DSLR users making their first move to mirrorless
- Photographers who want full-frame Nikon glass on a budget
Quick take: The z6 has the highest resolution at 24mp; the z6 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | D5 (2016) | Z6 (2018) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,800 | £749 |
| Sensor | 20.8MP full-frame BSI CMOS | Full-frame BSI CMOS 35mm |
| Resolution | 20.8MP | 24.5MP |
| Video | 4K UHD 30fps (heavy sensor crop) | 4K 30fps (full-width), 1080p 120fps |
| Autofocus | Multi-CAM 20K 153-point AF system, 99 cross-type | 273-point phase-detect hybrid AF |
| Stabilisation | — | 5-axis IBIS, 5.0 stops |
| Burst Rate | 12fps mechanical | 12fps |
| Battery Life | ~3780 shots (CIPA) | 310 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 1405g (body only) | 585g (body only) |
| Dimensions | 160 × 158.5 × 92mm | 134.0 × 100.5 × 67.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | OVF 0.72× magnification, 100% coverage | EVF 0.80× 3.69M-dot |
| Screen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen, 2.36M dots | 3.2" tilting touchscreen, 2.1M-dot |
| Mount | Nikon F mount | Nikon Z-Mount |
| Memory Cards | Dual XQD slots (XQD variant) | Single XQD / CFexpress Type B |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Ethernet (RJ-45), USB 3.0 | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, USB-C 3.1, HDMI |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | D5 | Z6 |
|---|---|---|
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Wildlife | ||
| Wedding & Events | ||
| Street | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Travel | — | |
| 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