D5vs Sony FX30
Nikon
D5 (2016)
Starting from £1800 new
Best for Professional Sports, Photojournalism & Wildlife
View D5
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.
Video Creators & Filmmakers — Sony FX30 (2022): The Cinema Line entry point — S-Cinetone colour science, 4K/120p, and XLR audio in a compact, affordable body that punches far above its 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
Sony FX30 (2022)
- Filmmakers and video creators who want a dedicated cinema-style APS-C body
- Content creators who need S-Cinetone and S-Log3 in a compact form factor
- A6700 owners who want cinema-style ergonomics and a full-size HDMI port
- Video professionals who want Sony's colour science without full-frame pricing
Quick take: The sony fx30 has the highest resolution at 26mp; the sony fx30 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | D5 (2016) | Sony FX30 (2022) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,800 | £1,799 |
| Sensor | 20.8MP full-frame BSI CMOS | 26.1MP APS-C BSI Exmor R CMOS |
| Resolution | 20.8MP | 26.1MP |
| Video | 4K UHD 30fps (heavy sensor crop) | 4K/120p, 4K/60p S-Log3, 1080p/240p |
| Autofocus | Multi-CAM 20K 153-point AF system, 99 cross-type | Real-time tracking AF, 759-point phase-detect |
| Stabilisation | — | 5-axis Active IBIS |
| Burst Rate | 12fps mechanical | 20fps electronic |
| Battery Life | ~3780 shots (CIPA) | 740 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 1405g (body only) | 579g body only |
| Dimensions | 160 × 158.5 × 92mm | 129.7 × 77.8 × 84.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | OVF 0.72× magnification, 100% coverage | None (EVF optional via XLR handle) |
| Screen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen, 2.36M dots | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen |
| Mount | Nikon F mount | Sony FE (E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Dual XQD slots (XQD variant) | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Ethernet (RJ-45), USB 3.0 | USB-C 3.2, HDMI A, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | D5 | Sony FX30 |
|---|---|---|
| Sports & Action | ||
| Wildlife | — | |
| Wedding & Events | ||
| Street | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Landscape | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Documentary | — | |
| Travel | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
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Camera family history