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Nikon D5 vs Nikon Z 9

Every spec side by side, from each maker's published figures.

Better figure, where one is clearly better

NikonD5NikonZ 9
Overview
ReleasedMarch 2016December 2021
Image and sensor
Camera typeDSLRMirrorless
Sensor formatFull frameFull frame
Sensor typeCMOSStacked backside-illuminated CMOS
Sensor dimensions35.9 × 23.9 mm35.9 × 23.9 mm
Effective resolution20.8 MP45.7 MP
Largest image5568 × 37128256 × 5504
RAW recordingYesYes
Standard ISO range100–10240064–25600
Sensor detailJapan 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 areas52.37 million total pixels; sensor cleaning, dust-off reference data, protective sensor shield and electro-conductive/fluorine coatings
Image formatsLarge 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 uncompressed14-bit NEF RAW with lossless or high-efficiency compression; JPEG and RAW plus JPEG
ISO detailExpanded equivalents ISO 50–3280000; Auto ISOExpandable to equivalent ISO 32–102400; auto ISO available
Image processorEXPEED 5; Advanced Scene Recognition SystemEXPEED 7
Lens and shooting
Lens mountNikon F mountNikon Z mount
StabilisationOptical lens stabilisationSensor shift
Maximum continuous burst12 fps20 fps
Lens detailCompatible 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 areaNIKKOR Z lenses; NIKKOR F lenses require a mount adapter and retain model-dependent restrictions
AutofocusMulti-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/VLHybrid phase/contrast detection with 493 single-point FX still positions; 3D tracking and subject detection for people, animals and vehicles. Maker sensitivity −6.5 EV or −8.5 EV with Starlight View, measured in AF-S at ISO 100, 20°C and f/1.2.
Shutter1/8000 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 actuationsElectronic shutter only, with selectable sound and protective sensor shield; 1/32000 to 30 seconds, Bulb/Time and manual-mode extension to 900 seconds. Flash sync 1/200 or 1/250 second with reduced guide number at higher speeds; compatible Auto FP up to 1/8000 may produce horizontal lines.
Burst detailApproximately 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 cardContinuous high-speed RAW/JPEG up to 20 fps. High-speed C30 provides large full-resolution FX or DX JPEGs and C120 small FX JPEGs (4128 × 2752), with approximately four-second bursts in the linked manual. Firmware 3.00 adds C60 large DX JPEGs, also approximately four seconds; current Japan specs additionally list C15. Pre-release capture supported. These restricted high-speed modes are qualified separately from the main continuous-shooting figure.
Stabilisation detailOptical 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 modesFive-axis sensor shift; Synchro VR up to 6 stops with supported VR lenses under Nikon CIPA conditions, including NIKKOR Z 70–200mm f/2.8 VR S with required lens firmware; electronic movie VR available
FlashNo built-in flash; hot shoe and threaded PC sync terminal; optical/radio Nikon CLS with compatible external Speedlights and required accessoriesNo built-in flash; ISO 518 hot shoe, ISO 519 threaded sync terminal and compatible external i-TTL Speedlights
Exposure controlsP/S/A/M; 180000-pixel RGB metering with Colour Matrix Metering III, centre-weighted, spot and highlight-weighted modes; ±5 EV compensation; Active D-LightingP/S/A/M; ±5 EV still-image or ±3 EV movie compensation; matrix, centre-weighted, spot and highlight-weighted metering
Video
Highest video resolution3840 × 2160 at 30 fps8256 × 4644 at 59.94 fps
Video detailH.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 moviesWith firmware 2.0 or later, internal N-RAW 12-bit 8256 × 4644 up to 59.94p, 5392 × 3032 up to 59.94p and 4128 × 2322 up to 119.88p. Conventional UHD 7680 × 4320 up to 29.97p; UHD 4K and Full HD up to 119.88p. ProRes RAW HQ, ProRes 422 HQ, H.265 8/10-bit and H.264 have format-dependent limits. N-Log/HLG, waveform, timecode and RAW proxies. Nikon's UHD 8K/30p recording-time claim is 125 minutes under specified conditions; launch firmware and the early reviews predate internal RAW video support.
AudioBuilt-in stereo microphone; 3.5 mm stereo microphone input and headphone output; adjustable sensitivity; linear PCM; photograph voice memosBuilt-in stereo microphones; 24-bit PCM recording, external microphone with attenuator and headphone monitoring; AAC used for MP4
Screen and viewfinder
ViewfinderOpticalElectronic
Screen size3.2″3.2″
Screen dots2,359,0002,100,000
TouchscreenYesYes
Tilting screen–Yes
Display detailFixed 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 subpixelsFour-axis horizontal/vertical tilt, approximately 100% coverage and 170° viewing angle; dots count subpixels
Viewfinder detailPentaprism; 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 overlay0.5-inch Quad-VGA OLED, approximately 3.69 million dots, 100% coverage, 0.8× magnification and 23 mm eyepoint; blackout-free display with high-frame-rate option
Connections and design
Wi-Fi–Yes
Bluetooth–Yes
Battery life (maker's claim)3780 photographs770 photographs
Body weight1235 g1160 g
Release detailNikon Japan records sale on 26 March 2016; the US announcement scheduled March availability. Nikon's Japanese announcement explicitly identifies D4S as the previous modelNikon Japan explicitly records first sale on 24 December 2021; US announcement on 28 October specified availability within 2021. TechRadar's later regional delivery-delay wording does not override the confirmed Japanese first sale.
Recording mediaTwo 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 bodiesTwo CFexpress Type B/XQD slots; overflow, backup, RAW/JPEG separation, duplicate JPEG recording and card copying
PortsUSB 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 connectorUSB-C SuperSpeed USB, full-size HDMI Type A, 3.5 mm microphone/headphone sockets, ten-pin remote terminal and threaded flash-sync socket; RJ-45 Ethernet 1000BASE-T/100BASE-TX/10BASE-T
Wireless connectionsNo integrated Wi-Fi or GPS; optional WT-6/WT-5 provides wireless network transfer. Optional GP-1A connects through the ten-pin terminalWi-Fi IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac and Bluetooth 5.0; built-in GNSS supports GPS, GLONASS and QZSS with location/time recording and track logs
Battery life detailApproximately 3780 CIPA photographs; original US specifications use EN-EL18a, while the later Japanese technical sheet specifies EN-EL18b at the same shot countEN-EL18d; CIPA monitor approximately 770 shots with power saving or 740 without; EVF 740 with power saving or 700 without. Nikon's separate continuous-shooting test gives approximately 5310 shots; movie battery claim approximately 170 minutes. Earlier EN-EL18-series batteries give fewer shots.
ChargingExternal MH-26a charger; Japanese technical sheet lists optional EH-6c adapter with EP-6 power connectorUSB charging/power delivery and MH-33 external charger; optional EH-7P charging supports EN-EL18d/18c/18b, while earlier battery revisions retain restrictions; optional EH-6d with EP-6a power connector
DimensionsApproximately 160 × 158.5 × 92 mmApproximately 149 × 149.5 × 90.5 mm
Weight detailXQD 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 bodyApproximately 1160 g body only or 1340 g with battery/card, excluding body cap and shoe cover
MaterialsWeather-sealed construction; illuminated controlsWeather-sealed magnesium-alloy body with integrated vertical grip; maker operating range −10°C to 40°C
In the box–EN-EL18d, MH-33 charger, AN-DC24 strap, UC-E24 USB cable, HDMI/USB cable clip, BS-1 shoe cover and BF-N1 body cap; current UK included-accessory tiles also list EH-7P UK adapter

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