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Nikon Announces Latest Flagship D5

Posted on: 01-5-2016 Posted in: Photography

Today, camera manufacturer Nikon announced their latest flagship camera, the D5. DSLR enthusiasts who are also using their cameras for video are scrambling for their wallets since the D5 now shoots 4K UHD at 30 fps. The addition of 4K video isn’t the only improvement over the D5’s predecessor, the D4s which was released less than a year ago. In fact, almost every feature of the D5 is a marked improvement over the D4s.

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The D5 is an FX format DSLR like the D4s. While the CMOS sensor is approximately the same size as its predecessor’s, the D5 offers 20.8 megapixels and some of the components include an anti-reflection coating which minimizes flare and ghosting. The EXPEED 5 image processing engine (the D4s featured the EXPEED 4 engine) allows for ISOs from 100 to 102,400 with the ability to expand from 50 to 3,280,000. Yes, that’s right: 3,280,000. With a sensor that sensitive, you could almost take a photo inside of a black hole. Seriously though, the engine includes new noise reduction and color fidelity enhancements that make taking quality images possible in extremely low light conditions.

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In addition to the improved light sensitivity, the D5 has also enhanced the auto focus. The 20K Multi-CAM AF sensor of the D5 boasts 153 AF points in comparison to the D4s’s 51 and 99 Cross Type sensors as opposed to the 15 offered in the D4s. In the past, getting the auto focus to perform in low light settings was nothing short of a nightmare. The D5 has broken new ground with the addition of a separate sensor which is solely dedicated to auto focus. The auto focus works in near darkness at -4 EV.

For those who shoot sports or any other moving subjects, the D5 offers 12 fps with fulltime AF or AE engaged and 14 fps for fixed focus. The memory buffer further supports high-speed burst shooting handling up to 200 NEF/RAW images per burst. The new 180K RGB Advanced Scene Recognition System ensures that each of those images has the proper exposure.

Those photographers who are seeking a high quality video solution as well can breathe a sigh of relief as the D5 finally offers 4K UHD video at 30, 25, or 24p at an angle of view approximately 1.5X the lens focal length. The low-light capabilities of the D5 coupled with the versatility of NIKKOR lenses make producing high-quality videos a reality.

For those who shoot tethered, the communication system in the D5 is 1.5 times faster than that of the D4s. Files transfer wired at 400 mbps and 130 mbps wirelessly with the new optional WT-6A Wireless Transmitter which offers a connectivity distance of 656 feet.

Another major improvement over the D4s is the addition of a high resolution XGA Touchscreen LCD with “a smartphone-like interface that makes it easy to select AF points or Spot White Balance in Live View, swipe through shots, pinch to zoom, edit file names and more.”

The D5 is offered two ways: one with a double CF card slot and the other with a double XQD slot. For those who are interested in the video and burst capabilities, the XQD version is recommended.

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