Sony a6000 vs Nikon D5

This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony a6000 and Nikon D5. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.

Manufacturing

Sony a6000 is manufacturered by Sony but Nikon D5 is from Nikon. Both Sony and Nikon are well known brands though.

Type of camera

Sony a6000 is a Mirrorless camera while Nikon D5 is a DSLR camera. More information about their differences will come soon.

Sensors / crop factor

These cameras have different sensors. Sony a6000 has a "Sony APS-C"-sensor while Nikon D5 has a "Nikon FX"-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 (Sony)
Camera selection can affect the focal length (Nikon)

Resolution

Sony a6000 has a 24 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Nikon D5 has 21 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:

Sony a6000 has a 16 % larger resolution than Nikon D5. 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 D5 has a larger ISO-range than Sony a6000. Nikon D5 has an ISO range that stretches from 100 to 102400 while Sony a6000 has 100 to 25600.

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 Sony a6000
Lens compatibility chart for Nikon D5

Pictures per second

Depending on what you are shooting the FPS, or frames/pictures per second, can definitely be of interest. Sony a6000 can shoot up to 11 pictures per seconds and Nikon D5 can shoot up to 14 pictures per seconds.

Ability to record movies

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

In this case, both Sony a6000 and Nikon D5 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.

Nikon D5 weighs 1415 gr (equal to 3.12 lb) which is 311% heavier than Sony a6000 and its 344 gr (or 0.76 lb).

Sony a6000 vs Nikon D5 Specs

Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Sony a6000 and Nikon D5, 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	Sony a6000	Nikon D5
Name	Sony a6000	Nikon D5
Manufacturer	Sony	Nikon
Release Date and Price	Sony a6000	Nikon D5
Release Year	2014	2016
Release Date	2014-02-12	2016-01-05
MSRP	799 USD	6499 USD
Buy it today
Camera Type	Sony a6000	Nikon D5
Camera Type	Mirrorless	DSLR
Sensor	Sony a6000	Nikon D5
Sensor Size	APS-C (approx 23.5 x 15.6 mm)	Full Frame (approx 36 x 23.9 mm) Also known as "FX"
Sensor Type	CMOS	CMOS
Resolution	6000 x 4000 pixels	5588 x 3712 pixels
Megapixels	24 MP	21 MP
Image Processor	Bionz X	EXPEED 5
Image	Sony a6000	Nikon D5
ISO Range	100 - 25600	100 - 102400
White Balance Presets	10	12
Custom White Balance	Yes	Yes
Image Stabilization	No	No
Image Stabilization CIPA Rating	0 stops	0 stops
Uncompressed format	RAW	RAW
Optics & Focus	Sony a6000	Nikon D5
Autofocus Motor	Yes	Yes
Autofocus	Contract Detect (sensor) Phase Detect Multi Area Center Selective Single Point Tracking Single Continuous Face Detection LiveView	Contract Detect (sensor) Phase Detect Multi Area Center Selective Single Point Tracking Single Continuous Touch Face Detection LiveView
Focus Points	179	153
Lens Mount	Sony E See Compatible Lenses	Nikon F See Compatible Lenses
Focal Length Multiplier	APS-C Sensor (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	FX (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	Sony a6000	Nikon D5
Articulated LCD	Tilting	Fixed
Screen size	3”	3.2”
Screen dots	921600	2359000
Touch screen	No	Yes
Screen type	TFT LCD	TFT LCD
Live view	Yes	Yes
Viewfinder Type	Electronic	Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Coverage	100%	100%
Viewfinder Magnification	1.05× (0.7× 35mm equiv.)	0.72×
Viewfinder Resolution	N/A	0
Photography features	Sony a6000	Nikon D5
Frames per second	11 fps	14 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	6 meters	N/A
External Flash	Yes	Yes
Self-Timer	Yes	Yes
Time-lapse	No	Yes
Metering modes	Multi Center Weighted Spot	Multi Center Weighted Highlight Weighted Spot
Exposure Compensation	+/- 5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)	+/- 5 (at 1/3 EV, 2/3 EV, 1 EV steps)
Videography features	Sony a6000	Nikon D5
Video recording	Yes	Yes
Video format	MPEG4 AVCHD	MPEG4 H.264
Video resolution	1440 x 1080 1920 x 1080	1280 x 720 1920 x 1080 3840 x 2160
Built-in Microphone	Yes	Yes
Built-in Speakers	Yes	Yes
Storage	Sony a6000	Nikon D5
Memory Card	Memory Stick Pro Duo SD/SDHC	Compact Flash XQD
Connectivity	Sony a6000	Nikon D5
HDMI Output	Yes	Yes
Microphone Port	No	Yes
Headphone Port	No	Yes
Wireless	Yes Built-in (802.11b/g/n with NFC)	Yes Optional with WT-5A or WT-6A
Remote Control	Yes (wired or PC)	Yes (wired, wireless, smartphone)
GPS	No	Yes Optional with GP-1A
Body & Dimensions	Sony a6000	Nikon D5
Enviromentally sealed	No	Yes
Battery	Battery Pack	Battery Pack
Battery Details	NP-FW50 lithium-ion battery and USB charger	EN-EL18a lithium-ion battery & charger
Battery Life (CIPA)	360 shots	3780 shots
Width	120 mm	160 mm
Height	67 mm	159 mm
Depth	45 mm	92 mm
Weight	344 gram	1415 gram