Who should buy the Nikon D5 vs Nikon ZR?

Nikon D5 is best for Professional Sports, Photojournalism & Wildlife.

D5 vs Nikon ZR

Name: Nikon D5
Brand: Nikon
Price: 1800.00 GBP
Availability: InStock

Quick take: The Nikon ZR has the highest resolution at 25MP; the D5 is the most affordable.

16 specs side by side·15 genres scored·UK prices from Wex Photo Video and Clifton Cameras

How to read this page. Highlighted cells win that row on the spec alone. Genre scores are the engine's base scores (enthusiast, photo and video); Camera Match re-weights them for your level and priorities. Price buttons are affiliate links; the price you pay is the same.

Nikon D5 2016 Best for Professional Sports, Photojournalism & Wildlife

£1800 list price · used from £902 at eBay

Used £902 at eBay → Full specs & prices

Nikon Nikon ZR 2025

£1999 new today at Clifton Cameras

£1999 at Clifton Cameras → Full specs & prices

Price buttons are affiliate links — GearFrame may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never affects a score. Learn more

Verdictwhich should you buy?

D5 — Professional Sports, Photojournalism & Wildlife: 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.

Who should buy what

D5 (2016)

is the right camera for you if…

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

Full specificationsthe better value in each row is highlighted

Specification	D5Nikon · 2016	Nikon ZRNikon · 2025
Price	£1,800Best	£1,999
Sensor	20.8MP full-frame BSI CMOS	24.5MP full-frame CMOS
Resolution	20.8MP	25.0MPBest
Video	4K UHD 30fps (heavy sensor crop)	6K/60p, 4K/120p, internal R3D NE/N-RAW, ProRes, 10-bit N-Log, 32-bit float audio
Autofocus	Multi-CAM 20K 153-point AF system, 99 cross-type	Hybrid phase-detect AF with subject detection
Stabilisation	—	7.5-stop IBIS (Synchro VR)
Burst Rate	12fps mechanical	20fpsBest
Battery Life	~3780 shots (CIPA)Best	390 shots (CIPA); ~90-125 min continuous recording
Weight	1405g (body only)	630g (with battery and card)Best
Dimensions	160 × 158.5 × 92mm	—
Weather Sealed	Yes	Yes
Viewfinder	OVF 0.72× magnification, 100% coverage	None (screen only)
Screen	3.2" fixed touchscreen, 2.36M dots	4.0" fully articulating touchscreen
Mount	Nikon F mount	Nikon Z-mount
Memory Cards	Dual XQD slots (XQD variant)	CFexpress Type B + microSD
Connectivity	Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Ethernet (RJ-45), USB 3.0	USB-C, HDMI (micro), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth

Wins the row — price, resolution, burst, battery, weight and sealing are compared; text specs aren't ranked.

How they score by genreengine base scores out of 10

Genre

Nikon ZR

Portrait

6.0/10

6.6/10

Street

3.9/10

4.8/10

Travel

4.1/10

6.1/10

Wedding & Events

6.8/10

6.6/10

Filmmaking

5.5/10

7.9/10

Documentary

5.5/10

8.1/10

Sports & Action

6.7/10

6.4/10

Landscape

5.3/10

6.1/10

Wildlife

6.5/10

Casual

2.9/10

5.7/10

Food

4.3/10

7.8/10

Macro

3.6/10

6.2/10

Architecture

4.9/10

7.2/10

Astrophotography

6.3/10

5.6/10

Vlogging & Video

—

6.5/10

Scores come from the same engine as Camera Match: verified specifications weighted by what each genre needs, with documented adjustments. The product page and this table show the enthusiast base score. See how scores are calculated →

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