Nikon D5 vs Sony A7 III

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Nikon D5 vs Sony A7 III

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35mm 858.0mm²
20.8 megapixels
ISO 100 - 102,400

Go in depth with our full Nikon D5 Review.
How does it shoot? Nikon D5 in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the D5.
Compare Nikon D5 image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Nikon D5 conclusion.

35mm 847.3mm²
24.2 megapixels
ISO 100 - 51,200

Go in depth with our full Sony A7 III Review.
How does it shoot? Sony A7 III in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the A7 III.
Compare Sony A7 III image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Sony A7 III conclusion.

Succeeded by the Nikon D6
Compare D5 vs D6

Succeeded by the Sony A7 IV
Compare A7 III vs A7 IV

Compare NIKON D6 vs SONY A7 IV

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Differences

Nikon D5 advantages over Sony A7 III

Lens selection
Excellent vs Good
Better lens selection gives you more options
Fast startup
~0.40 vs 1.7 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
Longer stills battery life
More info

Longer stills battery life

Cameras with longer battery life can take more photos before exhausting their batteries.

Special note: The measurement standard for battery life stipulates that if a camera has an internal flash, it must be used for 50% of photos taken. For this reason, comparisons of one camera with an internal flash to another without will not be comparable

3780 vs 710 shots
Capture more photos
Top deck display
Yes vs No
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
Higher-res screen
590k vs 307k pixels
More detail on the screen lets you judge focus and composition
Faster JPEG shooting
12.1 fps vs 9.9 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
12.1 fps vs 9.7 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Bigger RAW buffer
183 vs 33 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
Higher extended ISO
3276800 vs 204800 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Sony A7 III advantages over Nikon D5

Focus peaking
Peaker vs Non-peaker
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
Less expensive
$1498 vs $3290*
Save money for lenses or accessories
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Yes vs No
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
Tiltable Screen
Tiltable vs Fixed
Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
Built-in Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi vs None
Share your photos wirelessly
NFC
Yes vs No
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
Built-in Bluetooth
Yes vs No
Always-on wireless connectivity
Higher effective ISO

Higher effective ISO

Maximum effective ISO is an estimate of the highest sensitivity at which a camera can capture excellent quality photos.

Cameras with higher effective ISO will be better choices for indoor photography, night shooting, and indoor sports photography, especially if you intend to make large prints.

You can learn more at our glossary entry.

Maximum effective ISO test data courtesy of DxO Mark.
A7 III test data on DxO Mark D5 test data on DxO Mark

3,730 vs 2,343 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
More dynamic range

More dynamic range

Cameras with more dynamic range allow you to take photos with dramatic differences in highlight and shadow areas while retaining detail in both.

Think of a brilliant sunset on a rocky beach: Bright sunset in the background, with dark rocks in the foreground. High dynamic range means more of the extremes will be faithfully reproduced.

Dynamic range test data courtesy of DxO Mark.
A7 III test data on DxO Mark D5 test data on DxO Mark

14.7 vs 12.3 evs
Retain detail in highlight and shadows
On-sensor phase detect
Yes vs No
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
More viewfinder magnification
0.78x vs 0.72x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
More pixels
24.2 vs 20.8 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
Slow-motion videos
Yes vs No
Shoot slow-motion videos

Similarities

Common Strengths

Eye-level viewfinder
Both provide
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
Shoot 4K video
Both provide
Make sure you have a fast computer
Touchscreen
Both provide
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
External Mic Jack
Both provide
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
HDMI out
Both provide
Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
Hot shoe
Both provide
Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
Dual card slots
Both provide
Gives you more storage flexibility
Headphone jack
Both provide
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
Bulb shutter
Both provide
Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures

Common Weaknesses

Tilt-swivel screen
Neither provide
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
In-camera panoramas
Neither provide
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
Built-in GPS
Neither provide
Geotag your photos
Internal flash
Neither provide
Useful in a pinch for fill flash

User reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read D5 User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read A7 III User Reviews

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Review Excerpt

Excellent image quality; Excellent high ISO performance; Fast 153-point autofocus system; Fast continuous shooting speeds; 4K video recording; Pro-quality camera body; Outstanding battery life.
Large and heavy body might not be right for all; Loud shutter; Underutilized touchscreen; Low ISO dynamic range not as good as predecessor; Extended high ISOs not very useful; Sluggish Live View AF.
Read our Nikon D5 Review

New 24MP sensor offers excellent image quality; Outstanding high ISO performance and dynamic range; Improved JPEG colors; Improved build quality; Fast autofocus; Excellent 4K video; Very good battery life.
Buffer clearing can be slow even with fast UHS-II cards; UHS-II support only on one card slot; No losslessly compressed RAW option; Dedicated battery charger not included; Menus are still confusing; No built-in flash.
Read our Sony A7 III Review

The Competition

Compared to Canon EOS-1D C

Nikon D5

Canon EOS-1D C

$4893
35mm

Touchscreen
More cross-type AF points

$6989
35mm

Compare Nikon D5 vs Canon EOS-1D C

Sony A7 III

Canon EOS-1D C

$1531
35mm

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$6989
35mm

Lens selection
Bigger pixels

Compare Sony A7 III vs Canon EOS-1D C

Compared to Nikon D4S

Nikon D5

Nikon D4S

$4893
35mm

Less expensive
Shoot 4K video

$5399
35mm

Fast startup
Higher effective ISO

Compare Nikon D5 vs Nikon D4S

Sony A7 III

Nikon D4S

$1531
35mm

Focus peaking
Less expensive

$5399
35mm

Lens selection
Bigger pixels

Compare Sony A7 III vs Nikon D4S

Compared to Canon 1DX Mark II

Nikon D5

Canon 1DX Mark II

$4893
35mm

Fast startup
Longer stills battery life

$2999
35mm

Higher effective ISO
Built-in GPS

Compare Nikon D5 vs Canon 1DX Mark II

Sony A7 III

Canon 1DX Mark II

$1531
35mm

Focus peaking
Less expensive

$2999
35mm

Lens selection
Fast startup

Compare Sony A7 III vs Canon 1DX Mark II

Compared to Nikon Z6

Nikon D5

Nikon Z6

$4893
35mm

Fast startup
Longer video battery life

$1396
35mm

Focus peaking
Less expensive

Compare Nikon D5 vs Nikon Z6

Sony A7 III

Nikon Z6

$1531
35mm

Less expensive
NFC

$1396
35mm

Top deck display
More dots on screen

Compare Sony A7 III vs Nikon Z6

Compared to Nikon Z6 II

Nikon D5

Nikon Z6 II

$4893
35mm

Longer video battery life
Higher extended ISO

$1747
35mm

Focus peaking
Less expensive

Compare Nikon D5 vs Nikon Z6 II

Sony A7 III

Nikon Z6 II

$1531
35mm

Less expensive
NFC

$1747
35mm

Top deck display
Newer

Compare Sony A7 III vs Nikon Z6 II

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