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Nikon D5 · Nikon USA front photograph with a lens; lens is not part of body specifications

Nikon D5
Photo 1 of 26

Nikon D5 · Nikon USA front photograph with a lens; lens is not part of body specifications

Nikon · Nikon DSLR

D5

Released March 2016

A 20.8-megapixel full-frame professional DSLR with 153-point autofocus, 12 fps tracking and 4K video.

Model history · 3 models, 2012–2016
  1. 2012D4Compare
  2. 2014D4SCompare
  3. 2016D5
Type
DSLR
Sensor
Full frame
Megapixels
20.8
Lens
Nikon F mount
Video
3840 × 2160 at 30 fps
Body weight
1235 g

What reviewers say

Both praise low-light autofocus, speed, handling and high-ISO images, while finding the extreme expanded sensitivities impractical. Photography Blog recommends upgrading chiefly for action and low-light work, criticising external wireless costs and the launch firmware's short 4K limit. Shutterbug values tracking and video, but its working photographer remains satisfied with D4S; both find the price difficult.

From photographyblog.com and shutterbug.com

Specifications

Report a wrong or missing spec

Image and sensor

Camera type
DSLR
Sensor format
Full frame
Sensor type
CMOS
Sensor dimensions
35.9 × 23.9 mm
Effective resolution
20.8 MP
Largest image
5568 × 3712
RAW recording
Yes
Standard ISO range
100–102400
Sensor detail
Japan specifies 20.82 million effective and 21.33 million total pixels, rounded to 20.8 million effective in the US; sensor-cleaning system. FX, 1.2×, DX and 5:4 image areas
Image formats
Large NEF RAW at 12 or 14 bits with lossless compression, compression or no compression; medium and small RAW fixed to 12-bit lossless compression on Nikon's technical sheet. TIFF RGB, JPEG and RAW plus JPEG; Flat Picture Control. The original US announcement incorrectly describes medium/small RAW as uncompressed
ISO detail
Expanded equivalents ISO 50–3280000; Auto ISO
Image processor
EXPEED 5; Advanced Scene Recognition System

Lens and shooting

Lens mount
Nikon F mount
Stabilisation
Optical lens stabilisation
Maximum continuous burst
12 fps
Lens detail
Compatible G/E/D AF NIKKOR lenses, subject to PC lens restrictions; body autofocus motor for compatible screw-drive lenses. Non-CPU AI lenses support aperture-priority/manual; non-AI, IX and F3AF lenses unsupported; DX lenses use the DX image area
Autofocus
Multi-CAM 20K; 153 points including 99 cross-type, with 55 points and 35 cross-type points user-selectable. Fifteen points support f/8, nine selectable; centre sensitivity -4 EV and other points -3 EV at ISO 100, 20°C. Single-point, dynamic 25/72/153, 3D tracking, Group-area and auto-area; firmware C1.10 adds dynamic nine-point AF, C1.20 adds Group-area HL/VL
Shutter
1/8000 to 30 seconds, Bulb and Time; flash sync 1/250 second; electronic front-curtain option in mirror-up mode; Nikon tested the shutter to 400000 actuations
Burst detail
Approximately 12 fps with AF/AE tracking; 14 fps locks focus and exposure with the mirror up. Nikon quotes up to 200 full-size 14-bit lossless RAW frames with its specified Lexar 2933× XQD 2.0 card
Stabilisation detail
Optical VR depends on the lens; no sensor-shift stabilisation. Firmware C1.10 adds electronic movie vibration reduction with a crop, excluding 4K and 1920 × 1080 crop modes
Flash
No built-in flash; hot shoe and threaded PC sync terminal; optical/radio Nikon CLS with compatible external Speedlights and required accessories
Exposure controls
P/S/A/M; 180000-pixel RGB metering with Colour Matrix Metering III, centre-weighted, spot and highlight-weighted modes; ±5 EV compensation; Active D-Lighting

Video

Highest video resolution
3840 × 2160 at 30 fps
Video detail
H.264 MOV at 4K 30p/25p/24p, Full HD 60p/50p/30p/25p/24p and 720p 60p/50p; actual NTSC rates 59.94/29.97/23.976. Native 1920 × 1080 crop also supports 60p/50p/30p/25p/24p. Firmware C1.10 extends recording to 29 minutes 59 seconds across up to eight 4 GB files; Photography Blog's three-minute 4K criticism concerns original firmware. Contrast-detection AF-S/AF-F; uncompressed HDMI output; in-camera time-lapse movies
Audio
Built-in stereo microphone; 3.5 mm stereo microphone input and headphone output; adjustable sensitivity; linear PCM; photograph voice memos

Screen and viewfinder

Viewfinder
Optical
Screen size
3.2″
Screen dots
2,359,000
Touchscreen
Yes
Display detail
Fixed touch TFT with 170° viewing angle and approximately 100% coverage; playback gestures and touch text entry. US specifies 2359000 dots, Japan rounds to 2360000; dots count subpixels
Viewfinder detail
Pentaprism; approximately 100% FX, 97% 1.2×/DX, and 100% vertical/97% horizontal for 5:4; 0.72× magnification with 50mm f/1.4 at infinity; 17 mm eyepoint; grid overlay

Connections and design

Battery life (maker's claim)
3780 photographs
Body weight
1235 g
Release detail
Nikon Japan records sale on 26 March 2016; the US announcement scheduled March availability. Nikon's Japanese announcement explicitly identifies D4S as the previous model
Recording media
Two XQD slots or two CompactFlash Type I UDMA7 slots, selected by body version; overflow, backup, separate RAW/JPEG and card copying. Firmware C1.40 adds CFexpress Type B support to XQD bodies
Ports
USB 3.0 Micro-B, mini-HDMI Type C, 3.5 mm microphone/headphone sockets, RJ-45 Ethernet with 10/100/1000BASE-T support, ten-pin accessory terminal, PC sync and WT-6/WT-5 expansion connector
Wireless connections
No integrated Wi-Fi or GPS; optional WT-6/WT-5 provides wireless network transfer. Optional GP-1A connects through the ten-pin terminal
Battery life detail
Approximately 3780 CIPA photographs; original US specifications use EN-EL18a, while the later Japanese technical sheet specifies EN-EL18b at the same shot count
Charging
External MH-26a charger; Japanese technical sheet lists optional EH-6c adapter with EP-6 power connector
Dimensions
Approximately 160 × 158.5 × 92 mm
Weight detail
XQD version approximately 1235 g body only or 1405 g with battery and two XQD cards; CompactFlash version 1240 g body only or 1415 g with battery and two CF cards. Main weight represents the XQD body
Materials
Weather-sealed construction; illuminated controls

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Full-resolution 12 fps shooting with autofocus and exposure tracking
  • Integrated vertical grip and illuminated controls
  • Two matching card slots and Gigabit Ethernet

Cons

  • Wireless networking requires an optional transmitter
  • Fixed screen and contrast-detection live-view autofocus
  • Large body weighing at least 1235 g before battery and cards

Closest rivals

Model
TypeSensorMegapixelsLensVideoBody weightReleased
CanonEOS 5D Mark IV
DSLRFull frame30.4Canon EF4096 × 2160 at 29.97 fps800 gSept 2016
NikonD810A
DSLRFull frame36.3Nikon F mount1920 × 1080 at 60 fps880 gMay 2015
NikonD850
DSLRFull frame45.7Nikon F mount3840 × 2160 at 29.97 fps915 gSept 2017

Previous model: D4S. Newer model: D6.

Sources

  1. nij.nikon.com/products/lineup/slr/d5/spec.html
  2. nij.nikon.com/products/lineup/slr/d5
  3. nikonusa.com/p/d5/1557/overview
  4. jp.nikon.com/company/news/2016/0106_d5_02
  5. nikonusa.com/press-room/d5-sb-5000-wt-6a-conquer-the-dark
  6. downloadcenter.nikonimglib.com/en/download/fw/451.html

Photo: Nikon USA front photograph with a lens; lens is not part of body specifications

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