Do you want to know what's better Nikon D5 or Nikon D4S? SpecsPRO has compared Nikon D5 vs Nikon D4S: weight, battery, sensor, resolution, ISO, dynamic range and other important specifications.

Nikon D5 vs Nikon D4S

  • Main

  • Model

  • Price

  • Advantages

  • launch

  • Announced

  • Body type

  • Camera subcategory

  • Sensor

  • Effective pixels

  • Max resolution

  • Sensor size

  • Sensor type

  • Processor

  • Image ratio w:h

  • Sensor photo detectors

  • Other resolutions

  • Image

  • ISO

  • Boosted ISO (minimum)

  • Boosted ISO (maximum)

  • White balance presets

  • Custom white balance

  • Image stabilization

  • Uncompressed format

  • JPEG quality levels

  • Photography features

  • Minimum shutter speed

  • Maximum shutter speed

  • Aperture priority

  • Shutter priority

  • Manual exposure mode

  • Subject / scene modes

  • Built-in flash

  • External flash

  • Continuous drive

  • Self-timer

  • Metering modes

  • Exposure compensation

  • AE Bracketing

  • WB Bracketing

  • Flash modes

  • Screen / viewfinder

  • Articulated LCD

  • Screen size

  • Screen dots

  • Touch screen

  • Screen type

  • Live view

  • Viewfinder type

  • Viewfinder coverage

  • Viewfinder magnification

  • Videography features

  • Resolutions

  • File Format

  • Videography notes

  • Microphone

  • Speaker

  • Optics & Focus

  • Autofocus

  • Number of focus points

  • Lens mount

  • Focal length multiplier

  • Digital zoom

  • Manual focus

  • Physical

  • Weight (inc. batteries)

  • Dimensions

  • Environmentally sealed

  • Battery

  • Battery details

  • Battery Life (CIPA)

  • Storage

  • Storage types

  • Storage included

  • Connectivity

  • USB

  • HDMI

  • Microphone port

  • Headphone port

  • Wireless

  • Wireless notes

  • Remote control

  • Other features

  • Orientation sensor

  • Timelapse recording

  • GPS

  • GPS notes

  • Samples

  • Videos

Nikon D5
  • Main

  • Model

    Nikon D5

  • Price

  • Advantages

  • SENSOR Effective pixels: 21 megapixels

    SENSOR Max resolution: 5588 x 3712

    SENSOR Sensor photo detectors: 21 megapixels

    IMAGE ISO: Auto, 100-102400 (expandable to 50-3280000)

    IMAGE Boosted ISO (maximum): 3280000

    PHOTOGRAPHY FEATURES Continuous drive: 14.0 fps

    SCREEN / VIEWFINDER Screen dots: 2,359,000

    SCREEN / VIEWFINDER Touch screen: Yes

    VIDEOGRAPHY FEATURES Resolutions: 3840 x 2160 (30p/25p/24p), 1920 x 1080 (60p/50p/30p/25p/24p), 1280 x 720 (60p/50p)

    VIDEOGRAPHY FEATURES Microphone: Stereo

    OPTICS & FOCUS Number of focus points: 153

    PHYSICAL Battery Life (CIPA): 3780

    Go to the Summary

Nikon D4S
  • Main

  • Model

    Nikon D4S

  • Price

  • Advantages

  • SENSOR Sensor size: Full frame (36 x 23.9 mm)

    PHYSICAL Weight (inc. batteries): 1350 g (2.98 lb / 47.62 oz)

    Go to the Summary

  • launch

  • Announced

    Feb 2016

  • Body type

  • Camera subcategory

    Large SLR

  • Sensor

  • Effective pixels

    21 megapixels

  • Max resolution

    5588 x 3712

  • Sensor size

    Full frame (35.9 x 23.9 mm)

  • Sensor type

    CMOS

  • Processor

    EXPEED 5

  • Image ratio w:h

    1:1, 5:4, 4:3, 3:2

  • Sensor photo detectors

    21 megapixels

  • Other resolutions

  • Image

  • ISO

    Auto, 100-102400 (expandable to 50-3280000)

  • Boosted ISO (minimum)

    50

  • Boosted ISO (maximum)

    3280000

  • White balance presets

    12

  • Custom white balance

    Yes (6 slots)

  • Image stabilization

    No

  • Uncompressed format

    RAW

  • JPEG quality levels

    Fine, normal, basic

  • Photography features

  • Minimum shutter speed

    30 sec

  • Maximum shutter speed

    1/8000 sec

  • Aperture priority

    Yes

  • Shutter priority

    Yes

  • Manual exposure mode

    Yes

  • Subject / scene modes

    No

  • Built-in flash

    No

  • External flash

    Yes (via hot shoe and flash sync port)

  • Continuous drive

    14.0 fps

  • Self-timer

    Yes (2, 5, 10, 20 secs)

  • Metering modes

    • Multi
    • Center-weighted
    • Highlight-weighted
    • Spot

  • Exposure compensation

    ±5 (at 1/3 EV, 2/3 EV, 1 EV steps)

  • AE Bracketing

    ±5 (2, 3, 5, 7 frames at 1/3 EV, 2/3 EV, 1 EV steps)

  • WB Bracketing

    Yes

  • Flash modes

  • Screen / viewfinder

  • Articulated LCD

    Fixed

  • Screen size

    3.2

  • Screen dots

    2,359,000

  • Touch screen

    Yes

  • Screen type

    TFT LCD

  • Live view

    Yes

  • Viewfinder type

    Optical (pentaprism)

  • Viewfinder coverage

    100%

  • Viewfinder magnification

    0.72×

  • Videography features

  • Resolutions

    3840 x 2160 (30p/25p/24p), 1920 x 1080 (60p/50p/30p/25p/24p), 1280 x 720 (60p/50p)

  • File Format

    MPEG-4, H.264

  • Videography notes

    1.5X crop mode with DX lenses

  • Microphone

    Stereo

  • Speaker

    Mono

  • Optics & Focus

  • Autofocus

    • Contrast Detect (sensor)
    • Phase Detect
    • Multi-area
    • Center
    • Selective single-point
    • Tracking
    • Single
    • Continuous
    • Touch
    • Face Detection
    • Live View

  • Number of focus points

    153

  • Lens mount

    Nikon F

  • Focal length multiplier

    1×

  • Digital zoom

  • Manual focus

  • Physical

  • Weight (inc. batteries)

    1415 g (3.12 lb / 49.91 oz)

  • Dimensions

    160 x 159 x 92 mm (6.3 x 6.26 x 3.62)

  • Environmentally sealed

    Yes

  • Battery

    Battery Pack

  • Battery details

    EN-EL18a lithium-ion battery & charger

  • Battery Life (CIPA)

    3780

  • Storage

  • Storage types

    Dual CompactFlash or dual XQD

  • Storage included

  • Connectivity

  • USB

    USB 3.0 (5 GBit/sec)

  • HDMI

    Yes (mini-HDMI)

  • Microphone port

    Yes

  • Headphone port

    Yes

  • Wireless

    Optional

  • Wireless notes

    Requires WT-5A or WT-6A

  • Remote control

    Yes (wired, wireless, smartphone)

  • Other features

  • Orientation sensor

    Yes

  • Timelapse recording

    Yes

  • GPS

    Optional

  • GPS notes

    GP-1A

  • Watch sample photos

  • Watch video reviews

  • launch

  • Announced

    Feb 25, 2014

  • Body type

  • Camera subcategory

    Large SLR

  • Sensor

  • Effective pixels

    16 megapixels

  • Max resolution

    4928 x 3280

  • Sensor size

    Full frame (36 x 23.9 mm)

  • Sensor type

    CMOS

  • Processor

    Expeed 4

  • Image ratio w:h

    5:4, 3:2

  • Sensor photo detectors

    17 megapixels

  • Other resolutions

    4096 x 2720, 4096 x 3280, 3696 x 2456, 3200 x 2128, 3072 x 2456, 3072 x 2040, 2464 x 1640, 2400 x 1592, 2048 x 1360, 2048 x 1640, 1600 x 1064

  • Image

  • ISO

    Auto, ISO 100-25600 (expands to 50-409600)

  • Boosted ISO (minimum)

    50

  • Boosted ISO (maximum)

    409600

  • White balance presets

    12

  • Custom white balance

    Yes (4 slots)

  • Image stabilization

    No

  • Uncompressed format

    RAW + TIFF

  • JPEG quality levels

    Fine, normal, basic

  • Photography features

  • Minimum shutter speed

    30 sec

  • Maximum shutter speed

    1/8000 sec

  • Aperture priority

    Yes

  • Shutter priority

    Yes

  • Manual exposure mode

    Yes

  • Subject / scene modes

    No

  • Built-in flash

    No

  • External flash

    Yes (via hotshoe, flash sync port)

  • Continuous drive

    11.0 fps

  • Self-timer

    Yes (2-20 seconds, 1-9 exposures at intervals of 0.5, 1, 2, or 3 seconds)

  • Metering modes

    • Multi
    • Center-weighted
    • Spot

  • Exposure compensation

    ±5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV, 1 EV steps)

  • AE Bracketing

    ±5 (2, 3, 5, 7 frames at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV, 2/3 EV, 1 EV steps)

  • WB Bracketing

    Yes (2-9 frames in steps of 1, 2, or 3)

  • Flash modes

    Auto FP high-speed sync, front-curtain, rear-curtain, redeye reduction, redeye reduction w/slow sync, slow rear-curtain sync, off

  • Screen / viewfinder

  • Articulated LCD

    Fixed

  • Screen size

    3.2

  • Screen dots

    921,000

  • Touch screen

    No

  • Screen type

    TFT LCD with brightness and color adjustment

  • Live view

    Yes

  • Viewfinder type

    Optical (pentaprism)

  • Viewfinder coverage

    100%

  • Viewfinder magnification

    0.7×

  • Videography features

  • Resolutions

    1920 x 1080 (60, 50, 30, 25, 24 fps), 1280 x 720 (60, 50 fps), 640 x 424 (30, 25 fps)

  • File Format

    MPEG-4, H.264

  • Videography notes

    Bit rates for 1080/60p: 42Mbps (10 min limit), 24Mbps (20 min limit)

  • Microphone

    Mono

  • Speaker

    Mono

  • Optics & Focus

  • Autofocus

    • Contrast Detect (sensor)
    • Phase Detect
    • Multi-area
    • Center
    • Selective single-point
    • Tracking
    • Single
    • Continuous
    • Face Detection
    • Live View

  • Number of focus points

    51

  • Lens mount

    Nikon F

  • Focal length multiplier

    1×

  • Digital zoom

    No

  • Manual focus

    Yes

  • Physical

  • Weight (inc. batteries)

    1350 g (2.98 lb / 47.62 oz)

  • Dimensions

    160 x 157 x 91 mm (6.3 x 6.18 x 3.58)

  • Environmentally sealed

    Yes (Water and dust resistant)

  • Battery

    Battery Pack

  • Battery details

    Lithium-Ion EN-EL18a rechargeable battery & charger

  • Battery Life (CIPA)

    3020

  • Storage

  • Storage types

    CompactFlash, XQD

  • Storage included

    None

  • Connectivity

  • USB

    USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)

  • HDMI

    Yes (mini-HDMI)

  • Microphone port

    Yes

  • Headphone port

    Yes

  • Wireless

    Optional

  • Wireless notes

    via WT-5A or WT-4A

  • Remote control

    Yes (wired or wireless)

  • Other features

  • Orientation sensor

    Yes

  • Timelapse recording

    Yes (9999 shots)

  • GPS

    Optional

  • GPS notes

    via GP-1A

  • ————

  • Watch video reviews

  • Summary

    The D5 highest resolution of 5588 x 3712 pixels (21 megapixels) is better than the D4S maximum resolution of 4928 x 3280 pixels (16 megapixels). The D4S is produced with larger sensor compared to the D5: Full frame (36 x 23.9 mm) versus Full frame (35.9 x 23.9 mm). It is the most important difference between these cameras as big sensor allows the photographer to take photos of the better quality. The D5 offers a wider ISO range of 100-102400 than 100-25600 ISO range of the D4S. Such ISO numbers allow the camera owner to take good quality photos in low light situations. The D5 has more focus points than the D4S: 153 vs 51. More number of focus points means less risk of losing focus lock when tracking a moving subject.

    The D5 display is better as it offers more screen dots 2,359,000 in comparison to 921,000 dots of the D4S display. The higher dot count display is better for reviewing photos on your camera. The D5 has a touch screen.

    The D5 battery life is better than the D4S battery life. According to CIPA standards you will be able to capture 3780 photos with the D5 and only 3020 with the D4S. The D4S weighs 1350g that is 65g lighter than the weight of the D5.

    Taking into account the above differences the Nikon D5 becomes the best choice. Check the list of the best offers on Amazon.