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D5vs Nikon Zf

GearFrame · Updated March 2026

Nikon D5 Nikon D5 (2016) Starting from £1800 new Best for Professional Sports, Photojournalism & Wildlife View D5
VS
Nikon Nikon Zf Nikon Nikon Zf (2023) Starting from £1699 new Best for Street & travel photography View Nikon Zf

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.

Street & Travel Photography — Nikon Zf (2023): Full-frame performance in a stunning retro body — the Zf's 8-stop IBIS and gorgeous design make it uniquely compelling.

↓ Full specifications below

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

Nikon Zf (2023)

  • Photographers who want full-frame Z quality in a retro-styled body
  • Street and travel photographers attracted to the classic dial aesthetic
  • Zfc owners who want to step up to full-frame without losing the retro design
  • Anyone who wants the best-looking full-frame mirrorless available

Quick take: The nikon zf has the highest resolution at 24mp; the nikon zf is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.

Full specifications

Specification D5 (2016)Nikon Zf (2023)
Price £1,800 £1,699
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, FHD/120p, N-Log, 10-bit
Autofocus Multi-CAM 20K 153-point AF system, 99 cross-type Phase-detect 273 points, subject detection (human/animal/vehicle)
Stabilisation 5-axis IBIS, 8.0 stops
Burst Rate 12fps mechanical 14fps mechanical, 30fps electronic
Battery Life ~3780 shots (CIPA) ~380 shots (CIPA)
Weight 1405g (body only) 710g with battery
Dimensions 160 × 158.5 × 92mm 144.0 × 103.0 × 49.0mm
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" vari-angle touchscreen
Mount Nikon F mount Nikon Z-mount (full-frame)
Memory Cards Dual XQD slots (XQD variant) Single SD UHS-II slot
Connectivity Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Ethernet (RJ-45), USB 3.0 USB-C 3.2, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi
Genre D5Nikon Zf
Sports & Action
10.0
4.0
Wildlife
9.0
Wedding & Events
8.0
Street
8.0
9.0
Portrait
7.0
9.0
Landscape
7.0
9.0
Travel
9.0
Vlogging & Video
7.0

GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →

⚡ Compare specs side by side D5 prices → Nikon Zf prices →

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