This article by Ross Harvey is one of the most thorough camera reviews I’ve ever read.
He has put the D5 to a serious test and is giving us an honest opinion of the camera’s features. If you need a camera that can perform extremely well in dark light, the Nikon D5 is certainly worth considering.
The Nikon D5 isn’t available in the UK yet, Nikon provided me with a review sample, which, much to my regret, I wasn’t allowed to keep. I did ask of course. More than once (thanks for being patient, Nina)! That being said, it’s an unbiased review; I’ve not been paid or employed to write anything specific, or to proffer a favourable report on the camera.
NIKON D5 ERGONOMICS
The D5 rear display is now touch screen, making it much (much) easier to select the focus point when using Live View. Great job Nikon! You can also swipe through images when reviewing, and use pinch gestures to zoom in/out. While the Live View focus point touch ability was amazing, I preferred to use the dials and D-Pad for reviewing images. I found myself swiping the screen by accident. A very minor niggle, of course, it’s something you’d get used to avoiding with a little practice.
Should camera weight be a deciding factor? I used to think not, but my opinion has changed. I’m spoiled by the D750. It’s so light (especially when paired with the very capable 35mm ƒ1.8). So light in fact, when I picked up a Sony A7Rii with 35mm lens attached I was genuinely shocked – it felt twice as heavy and seemed even bulkier in my hands. Hardly small and portable; the marketing boon of mirrorless cameras. The Nikon ƒ1.8 lens range (20, 28, 35, 50 and 85mm) is incredibly light, affordable and capable. If you need a small system, look no further.
Was the Nikon D5 too heavy for me? Not at all, I used twin D3s’s before moving to the D750s. I am however – and I don’t say this in a chest thumping manner – strong and fit. If you have back, shoulder or arm issues a lighter camera may be a more sensible choice. The means in which you carry and hold the camera makes a difference too. Tucking your elbows in can distribute the weight through your midriff, and using Spider Clips will keep the weight at your hips (and hence directly through your legs – not your torso) when at rest. I cannot fathom, at all, why people opt for shoulder straps or the trendy, but limiting, Money Maker system over something as light, functional and minimal as the Spider Belt system. For the record, I don’t use the large Spider belt itself, just the clips (attached to my own belt).
The button layout of the D5 is similar to the previous flagship models, all within reach and easily accessible. That’s all I need to say on the matter – they work. No issues whatsoever.
NIKON D5 AUTOFOCUS
Now we’re getting to the juicy stuff. To sum it up, the AF on the D5 is sublime. Fast and accurate, including the outer points (which I tested extensively). I see, compose and shoot quickly, and I need a camera that can keep up with that pace. The D5 didn’t miss a beat.
It was incredibly dark. The dancing ‘spot’ the couple occupied fell between the (dim) overheard lights, which were pointing outwards. As I was using off camera flash, and the Odin controller has no AF assist beam (unlike the flash units), I had to rely on the D5’s low light AF ability. Which. Was. Ridiculous. Seriously, it was fantastic. The D750 is already amazing in this regard, but the D5 beats it. I did miss a handful shots, but it was able to lock AF on even the most minimal of contrasts.
NIKON D5 SPEED & BUFFER
Now it gets serious. 12 Frames per Second (FPS) serious. Being used to the speed and buffer of the D750, my mind was blown when I tested the D5 buffer and speed. Although to use the term ‘tested’ is to imply there were boundary conditions. I couldn’t find them in real world usage tests when shooting the wedding. Let that sink in – there were no boundaries or limiting factors to the speed and buffer.
NIKON D5 LOW LIGHT CAPABILITY
Oh boy. We all know Nikon is the DSLR heavyweight champion of the world when it comes to low light, but how far has this D5 taken us? I can answer that in two words: silly levels. 100K ‘usable’ ISO, expandable to 3M (yes, million). I emphasised ‘usable’ as that’s a very subjective term, and depends entirely on the circumstance of both the image as it was taken, and how that image is to be viewed (small/web vs large/print).
NIKON D5 – THE UPPER ECHELONS OF ISO
Usable high ISO colour images and usable high ISO B&W images are very different things. Due to my graphic design background I’m predominantly a colour photographer. To me, colour emphasises the vibrancy and emotion of the day. It’s also much harder to edit properly (skin tones), which is why you see so many UK church wedding ceremonies in B&W – tricky light makes for difficult colour editing! So most hit the B&W button. I’ll only do that if it’s nigh on impossible to get the skin tones spot on. To achieve usable, print worthy colour with accurate skin tones at ISO 12800 is very empowering indeed.
CONCLUSION
The Nikon D5 is a revelation of capability. Its vital statistics – AF, low light AF, high ISO and shooting speed / buffer – are second to none. It’s an expensive camera and setup (XQD), but it’s the flagship Nikon and you get what you pay for. While the D750 has the better dynamic range at lower ISOs, you may not ever need, or even want that ability. I was pushing the shadows on the D5 in real-world examples without issue.
As a side note, the race for more MegaPixels is a farce, a distraction; a marketing ploy. I don’t want a camera with 40+ MP for either wedding or street photography. The 12MP of the D3s was the choice of countless professionals around the world (pro sports especially), and the vastly superior D5 is 20MP. More than enough. You could produce a huge print or canvas from that resolution. Don’t get sucked in to the MP hype; choose your camera(s) based on speed, AF, dynamic range and ISO performance. These four things are exponentially more valuable than MP.
Full marks to Nikon – 10/10. It’s a superior camera to all I have ever used. If you shoot fast action, this is the camera for you. Don’t even think twice about it, buy it. Right now.
The question: will I sell my D750s and move to a dual D5 setup?
While the D5 is an unrivalled, world leading piece of engineering, the D750 remains unbeatable for its price, weight and capability. I travel a lot, and having smaller, lighter gear over the course of a season is a big factor.
The D5 is a dream machine, and my finger is on the trigger. Watch this space!
Read the full review with amazing images over at Nikon Rumors.
Source: Nikon Rumors
