D5vs A7S II
Nikon
D5 (2016)
Starting from £1800 new
Best for Professional Sports, Photojournalism & Wildlife
View D5
Sony
A7S II (2015)
Starting from £799 new
Best for Low-light video, documentary & available-light filmmaking
View A7S II
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.
Low-Light Video, Documentary & Available-Light Filmmaking — A7S II (2015): A landmark in mirrorless history — the first Sony with IBIS and internal 4K, its low-light video capability still impresses today at a used-market price.
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
A7S II (2015)
- Filmmakers and videographers who want legendary low-light performance at a used-price discount
- Documentary shooters working in unpredictable available light conditions
- A7S III shooters who want a second Sony FE body for backup or B-camera use
- Budget-conscious video producers who want full-frame 4K with S-Log at an accessible price
Quick take: The d5 has the highest resolution at 21mp; the a7s ii is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | D5 (2016) | A7S II (2015) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,800 | £799 |
| Sensor | 20.8MP full-frame BSI CMOS | 12.1MP full-frame BSI Exmor CMOS |
| Resolution | 20.8MP | 12.1MP |
| Video | 4K UHD 30fps (heavy sensor crop) | 4K/30p internal (full sensor readout), 1080p/120p, S-Log2/S-Log3 |
| Autofocus | Multi-CAM 20K 153-point AF system, 99 cross-type | 169 phase-detect + 25 contrast AF — limited by modern standards |
| Stabilisation | — | 5-axis IBIS — 4.5 stops (first Sony mirrorless with IBIS) |
| Burst Rate | 12fps mechanical | 5fps continuous |
| Battery Life | ~3780 shots (CIPA) | ~370 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 1405g (body only) | 584g body only |
| Dimensions | 160 × 158.5 × 92mm | 126.9 × 95.7 × 60.3mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | OVF 0.72× magnification, 100% coverage | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.71× magnification |
| Screen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen, 2.36M dots | 3.0" tilting LCD, 1.23M dots |
| Mount | Nikon F mount | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Dual XQD slots (XQD variant) | Dual SD UHS-I slots |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Ethernet (RJ-45), USB 3.0 | USB Micro-B, Bluetooth (via app), Wi-Fi, 3.5mm mic jack |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | D5 | A7S II |
|---|---|---|
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Wedding & Events | — | |
| Street | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Landscape | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Low Light | — | |
| Wedding | — | |
| Sports | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
More comparisons with D5
Camera family history