Photographers have been waiting for (and reading Internet rumors about) the Nikon D5 for a while. Well, the wait is over and we now know what Nikon plans to pack into this beast.
And a beast it is.
The Nikon D5 sports a new 20-megapixel CMOS sensor with an incredible ISO range of 100-102,500 (matching the capabilities of Sony’s a7S II) plus 4K video recording and a blazing burst mode of 12 fps with AF-engaged.
Check out the full stats:
- The camera features a newly developed 20-megapixel CMOS sensor with a native ISO range of 100-102,400 with extended settings for ISO 50-3,280,000 (not a typo!).
- EXPEED 5 Image processor
- 4K videos recording (3840x2160p30) with clean HDMI out
- 153 AF points, including 99-point cross sensor and 15 points functional at f/8 plus a new AF processor
- Continuous shooting at 12 fps with AF tracking up to 200 frames when shooting 15-bit lossless RAW
- focusing down to -4 EV illumination
- a 3.2-inch, 2.36 million dot touchscreen display
- dual memory card slots
- 100 field of view through the viewfinder with a magnification of .72 times
- USB 3.0 connection
- Battery EN-EL18a
The D5 will be sold in a body with two XQD card slots or a model with two CF card slots. Both models are due in March for a body-only price of $6,500. Nikon says the XQD cards will deliver image transfer speeds 35 percent faster than CF cards. (More images of the D5 are below.)
Nikon also debuted a new flagship DX (crop sensor) camera in the D500. The highlights:
- a 20.9-megapixel DX-format CMOS sensor with a native ISO range of 100-51,200, expandable to 50-1,640,000
- 10 fps burst shooting (up to 79 shots in 14-bit uncompressed RAW) with AF and AE engaged
- Same AF system as the D5 with a 153-point AF array that fills the frame from side to side
- A 3.2-inch touch screen display
- A dual memory card slot for SD cards and XQD cards
- Updated SnapBridge technology for easier wirelessly photo transfers via Bluetooth.
- 4K recording at 3840x2160p30
It will ship in March with a body-only price of $2,000.
Then there’s the surprise, pictured above. That’s Nikon’s entry into the action camera and 360-degree camera all wrapped into one interestingly-shaped device.
Details are sparse, but company plans to call the lineup KeyMission with the first camera the KeyMission 360. It will offer a pair of image sensors/lenses on either side of the device to capture and stitch a single 360-degree still or 4K video. It will be waterproof to a depth of 100 feet and shock resistant. Electronic VR will keep things steady.
Nikon will have more details closer to the spring, when the camera is set to launch.
Nikon also added a pair of DX format 3.1x zoom lenses, the AF-P DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR and AF-P DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G.
According to Nikon, these are the first “AF-P” lenses for Nikon digital SLR cameras, which incorporate stepping motors to drive autofocusing. They offer retractable lens barrels and two aspherical lens elements. The AF-P DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR also features vibration reduction good for a CIPA-rated 4 stops of compensation.
The lenses accept 55m filters. Prices weren’t announced.
Finally, Nikon released a new speedlight, the SB-5,000. It’s the first Nikon model that operates via radio frequency without requiring a direct line-of-sight. It will have a range of 98 feet. When paired with the WR-R10 and the D5 or the D500, this speedlight can control up to six groups / 18 speedlights. The flash will offer a programmable “i” button for access to frequently used settings.
It will ship in March for $600.