D5vs A7C II
Nikon
D5 (2016)
Starting from £1800 new
Best for Professional Sports, Photojournalism & Wildlife
View D5
VS
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.
Full-Frame Hybrid — A7C II (2023): Full-frame AI autofocus in the most compact body available — the best camera under £1,500 for hybrid shooters.
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
A7C II (2023)
- Travel photographers who want full-frame quality in the most compact body
- Hybrid shooters who need full-frame video and IBIS in a small package
- A7C owners looking for a significant AF and video upgrade
- Portrait and wedding photographers who want a discreet full-frame backup
Quick take: The a7c ii has the highest resolution at 33mp; the a7c ii is the most affordable; only the d5 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | D5 (2016) | A7C II (2023) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,800 | £1,499 |
| Sensor | 20.8MP full-frame BSI CMOS | 33MP Full-frame Exmor R BSI CMOS |
| Resolution | 20.8MP | 33.0MP |
| Video | 4K UHD 30fps (heavy sensor crop) | 4K/60p oversampled, S-Log3, 10-bit internal |
| Autofocus | Multi-CAM 20K 153-point AF system, 99 cross-type | 759-point phase-detect, AI subject recognition |
| Stabilisation | — | 5-axis IBIS, 7.0 stops |
| Burst Rate | 12fps mechanical | 10fps mechanical, 30fps electronic |
| Battery Life | ~3780 shots (CIPA) | ~530 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 1405g (body only) | 514g body only |
| Dimensions | 160 × 158.5 × 92mm | 124.0 × 71.1 × 63.4mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | OVF 0.72× magnification, 100% coverage | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.70× magnification |
| Screen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen, 2.36M dots | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen |
| Mount | Nikon F mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Dual XQD slots (XQD variant) | Dual slots: SD UHS-II + CFexpress Type A |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Ethernet (RJ-45), USB 3.0 | USB-C (3.2), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | D5 | A7C II |
|---|---|---|
| Sports & Action | ||
| Wildlife | — | |
| Wedding & Events | ||
| Street | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Vlogging & Video | — |
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Camera family history