Upgrade Guide
Nikon Z5→Nikon D90
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Situational
One clear hardware improvement over the Z5. Worth it if that specific upgrade aligns with what you shoot.
What's new in the D90
-
Battery life~850 shots (CIPA) vs ~470 shots (CIPA)
Unchanged or similar
-
Resolution12MP (down from 24MP — optimised for low light)
-
Weather sealingNot present in new body
Suitability by genre
Base scores — computed from verified specs for an enthusiast shooting photo and video. The Upgrade Checker adjusts them for your skill level.
| Genre | Z5 | D90 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | -2.5 | ||
| Street | -1.1 | ||
| Travel | -1.4 | ||
| Wedding & Events | -2.8 | ||
| Filmmaking | — | ||
| Documentary | -3.4 | ||
| Sports & Action | -1.6 | ||
| Landscape | -2.4 | ||
| Wildlife | -1.5 | ||
| Casual | -2.2 | ||
| Food | -3.0 | ||
| Macro | -3.1 | ||
| Architecture | -2.2 | ||
| Astrophotography | -1.4 |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | Z5 | D90 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £999 | £25 | |
| Released | 2020 | 2008 | ↓ |
| Sensor | 24.3MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS | 12.3MP APS-C CMOS | |
| Resolution | 24MP | 12MP | ↓ |
| Video | 4K/30p (with crop), 1080p/60p | 720p/24 | |
| Autofocus | Hybrid AF — 273 phase-detect points, eye/subject detection | 11-point phase-detect (1 cross-type) via viewfinder; contrast AF with face priority in live view | |
| Stabilisation | IBIS — up to 5 stops | No IBIS (lens-based stabilisation only) | |
| Burst Rate | 4.5fps | 4.5fps | |
| Battery Life | ~470 shots (CIPA) | ~850 shots (CIPA) | ↑ |
| Weight | 590g (body only) | 700g (with battery) | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Not weather sealed | ↓ |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.8× magnification | Optical pentaprism, 96% coverage, 0.94x | |
| Screen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen | 3.0" fixed LCD, 920k dots | |
| Mount | Nikon Z mount | Nikon F-mount (DX) | |
| Memory Cards | Dual SD UHS-II slots | Single SD slot |
Compare side-by-side
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Get a personalised upgrade score
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Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the D90 against your specific genres — not just specs.
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