Nikon Z50 vs Canon EOS 5DS

This is a full comparison between the cameras Nikon Z50 and Canon EOS 5DS. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.

Manufacturing

Nikon Z50 is manufacturered by Nikon but Canon EOS 5DS is from Canon. Both Nikon and Canon are well known brands though.

Type of camera

Nikon Z50 is a Mirrorless camera while Canon EOS 5DS is a DSLR camera. More information about their differences will come soon.

Sensors / crop factor

These cameras have different sensors. Nikon Z50 has a "Nikon DX"-sensor while Canon EOS 5DS has a "Canon Full Frame"-sensor, and their difference in sensors will also affect the crop factor and experience focal length. See the table below.

** Experienced focal length when using a lens such as a common "50mm f/1.8"

Learn more about crop factor and focal length multiplier here:
Camera selection can affect the focal length (Nikon)
Camera selection can affect the focal length (Canon)

Resolution

Nikon Z50 has a 21 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Canon EOS 5DS has 51 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:

Canon EOS 5DS has a 143 % larger resolution than Nikon Z50. This could give you more details in the picture but also a possibility to crop more in the pictures, afterward while editing the pictures, if needed that is.

ISO range

Nikon Z50 has a larger ISO-range than Canon EOS 5DS. Nikon Z50 has an ISO range that stretches from 100 to 51200 while Canon EOS 5DS has 100 to 6400.

Autofocus and lens compatibility

Both of these cameras have a built-in autofocus motor. Some lenses, that support autofocus, do not have an autofocus motor of their own but this won't cause any problems with these two cameras.

Here is a complete overview of which lenses work with each camera:
Lens compatibility chart for Nikon Z50
Lens compatibility chart for Canon EOS 5DS

Pictures per second

Depending on what you are shooting the FPS, or frames/pictures per second, can definitely be of interest. Nikon Z50 can shoot up to 11 pictures per seconds and Canon EOS 5DS can shoot up to 5 pictures per seconds.

Ability to record movies

It is becoming more and more popular to record movies with digital cameras.

In this case, both Nikon Z50 and Canon EOS 5DS can shoot movies.

Weight

The weight of the camera can be an extremely important factor, especially if the camera is about to be used, or carried around, for several hours at a time.

Canon EOS 5DS weighs 930 gr (equal to 2.05 lb) which is 107% heavier than Nikon Z50 and its 450 gr (or 0.99 lb).

Nikon Z50 vs Canon EOS 5DS Specs

Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Nikon Z50 and Canon EOS 5DS, next to each other. Each category of data is a link to an article covering the subject, giving you a deeper understanding so you can better understand the strengths and weaknesses of the two camera models.

Product	Nikon Z50	Canon EOS 5DS
Name	Nikon Z50	Canon EOS 5DS
Manufacturer	Nikon	Canon
Release Date and Price	Nikon Z50	Canon EOS 5DS
Release Year	2019	2015
Release Date	2019-10-10	2015-02-06
MSRP	859 USD	3699 USD
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Camera Type	Nikon Z50	Canon EOS 5DS
Camera Type	Mirrorless	DSLR
Sensor	Nikon Z50	Canon EOS 5DS
Sensor Size	APS-C (approx 23.7 x 15.5 mm) Also known as "DX"	Full Frame (approx 36 x 24 mm)
Sensor Type	CMOS	CMOS
Resolution	5568 x 3712 pixels	8688 x 5792 pixels
Megapixels	21 MP	51 MP
Image Processor	EXPEED 6	DUAL DIGIC 6
Image	Nikon Z50	Canon EOS 5DS
ISO Range	100 - 51200	100 - 6400
White Balance Presets	12	8
Custom White Balance	Yes	Yes
Image Stabilization	No	No
Image Stabilization CIPA Rating	0 stops	0 stops
Uncompressed format	RAW	RAW
Optics & Focus	Nikon Z50	Canon EOS 5DS
Autofocus Motor	Yes	Yes
Autofocus	Contract Detect (sensor) Phase Detect Multi Area Center Selective Single Point Tracking Single Continuous Touch Face Detection LiveView	Contract Detect (sensor) Phase Detect Multi Area Center Selective Single Point Tracking Single Continuous Face Detection LiveView
Focus Points	209	61
Lens Mount	Nikon Z See Compatible Lenses	Canon EF See Compatible Lenses
Focal Length Multiplier	DX / APS-C (1.5x) 1.5x multiplier Example: 24 mm becomes 36 mm 50 mm becomes 75 mm 100 mm becomes 150 mm 200 mm becomes 300 mm	Full frame No multiplier Example: 24 mm remains 24 mm 50 mm remains 50 mm 100 mm remains 100 mm 200 mm remains 200 mm
Screen & Viewfinder	Nikon Z50	Canon EOS 5DS
Articulated LCD	Tilting	Fixed
Screen size	3.2”	3.2”
Screen dots	1040000	1040000
Touch screen	Yes	No
Screen type	TFT LCD	ClearView II TFT-LCD
Live view	Yes	Yes
Viewfinder Type	Electronic	Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Coverage	100%	100%
Viewfinder Magnification	1.02× (0.68× 35mm equiv.)	0.71×
Viewfinder Resolution	2360000	N/A
Photography features	Nikon Z50	Canon EOS 5DS
Frames per second	11 fps	5 fps
Minimum Shutter Speed	30 seconds	30 seconds
Maximum Shutter Speed	1/4000 seconds	1/8000 seconds
Built-in Flash	Yes	No
Built-in Flash Range	7 meters	N/A
External Flash	Yes	Yes
Self-Timer	Yes	Yes
Time-lapse	Yes	Yes
Metering modes	Multi Center Weighted Highlight Weighted Spot	Multi Center Weighted Spot Partial
Exposure Compensation	+/- 5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)	+/- 5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)
Videography features	Nikon Z50	Canon EOS 5DS
Video recording	Yes	Yes
Video format	MPEG4 H.264	H.264
Video resolution	1920 x 1080 3840 x 2160	1280 x 720 1920 x 1080
Built-in Microphone	Yes	Yes
Built-in Speakers	Yes	Yes
Storage	Nikon Z50	Canon EOS 5DS
Memory Card	SD/SDHC	Compact Flash SD/SDHC
Connectivity	Nikon Z50	Canon EOS 5DS
HDMI Output	Yes	Yes
Microphone Port	Yes	Yes
Headphone Port	No	No
Wireless	Yes Built-in (802.11ac + Bluetooth)	No
Remote Control	Yes (via smartphone)	Yes (Wired and wireless)
GPS	No	No
Body & Dimensions	Nikon Z50	Canon EOS 5DS
Enviromentally sealed	Yes	Yes
Battery	Battery Pack	Battery Pack
Battery Details	EN-EL25 lithium-ion battery & charger	LP-E6 lithium-ion battery & charger
Battery Life (CIPA)	320 shots	700 shots
Width	127 mm	152 mm
Height	94 mm	116 mm
Depth	60 mm	76 mm
Weight	450 gram	930 gram