D5vs FX3
Nikon
D5 (2016)
Starting from £1800 new
Best for Professional Sports, Photojournalism & Wildlife
View D5
Sony
FX3 (2021)
Starting from £3799 new
Best for Professional video, documentary & cinematic filmmaking
View FX3
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.
Professional Video, Documentary & Cinematic Filmmaking — FX3 (2021): The definitive run-and-gun cinema camera — A7S III sensor quality in a body built specifically for video professionals.
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
FX3 (2021)
- Professional videographers and filmmakers who need cinema-quality colour science in a compact body
- Documentary and run-and-gun shooters who need 4K/120p and built-in XLR audio
- Sony A7S III owners who want a purpose-built video body alongside their stills camera
- Gimbal and drone operators who need a compact full-frame cinema camera
Quick take: The d5 has the highest resolution at 21mp; the d5 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | D5 (2016) | FX3 (2021) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,800 | £3,799 |
| Sensor | 20.8MP full-frame BSI CMOS | 12.1MP full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS (same as A7S III) |
| Resolution | 20.8MP | 12.1MP |
| Video | 4K UHD 30fps (heavy sensor crop) | 4K/120p, 4K/60p 10-bit, 12-bit RAW output, S-Log3, S-Cinetone |
| Autofocus | Multi-CAM 20K 153-point AF system, 99 cross-type | Real-time tracking with subject recognition (human, animal) |
| Stabilisation | — | 5-axis IBIS — 5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 12fps mechanical | 10fps mechanical, 10fps electronic |
| Battery Life | ~3780 shots (CIPA) | ~640 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 1405g (body only) | 715g body only (with XLR handle) |
| Dimensions | 160 × 158.5 × 92mm | 129.7 × 78.0 × 84.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | OVF 0.72× magnification, 100% coverage | None — monitor/external EVF use only |
| Screen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen, 2.36M dots | 3.0" touchscreen, fully articulating |
| Mount | Nikon F mount | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Dual XQD slots (XQD variant) | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II slots |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Ethernet (RJ-45), USB 3.0 | USB-C (10Gbps), full-size HDMI, XLR via handle, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | D5 | FX3 |
|---|---|---|
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Wedding & Events | — | |
| Street | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Landscape | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Low Light | — | |
| Wedding | — | |
| Travel | — |
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