Nikon Z5 vs Sony a1 Specifications Comparison
| Camera Feature | Nikon Z5 | Sony a1 |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | July 2020 | January 2021 |
| Camera Type | Mirrorless | Mirrorless |
| Sensor Type | CMOS | Stacked CMOS |
| Image Processor | EXPEED 6 | BIONZ XR |
| Resolution | 24.3 MP | 50.1 MP |
| Pixel Dimensions | 6016×4016 | 8640×5760 |
| Sensor Dimensions | 35.9 x 23.9 mm (Full Frame) | 35.9 x 24.0 mm (Full Frame) |
| Sensor Pixel Size | 5.95µ | 4.16µ |
| Low Pass Filter | Yes | No |
| IBIS (In-Body Image Stabilization) | Yes | Yes |
| Base ISO | ISO 100 | ISO 100 |
| Max Native ISO | ISO 51,200 | ISO 32,000 |
| Extended ISOs | ISO 50-102,400 | ISO 50-102,400 |
| High-Resolution Sensor Shift | No | Yes |
| Focus Stack Bracketing | Yes | No |
| Pre-Shoot Burst Mode | No | No |
| Fastest Shutter Speed | 1/8000 | 1/32000 |
| Longest Shutter Speed | 30 seconds | 30 seconds |
| Continuous Shooting (Mechanical Shutter) | 4.5 FPS | 10 FPS |
| Continuous Shooting (Electronic Shutter) | 4.5 FPS | 30 FPS |
| Notes for High FPS Shooting | None | Compressed raw at 30 FPS (uncompressed and lossless compressed raw at 20 FPS) |
| Buffer Size (Raw) | 100 frames (4.5 FPS) | 155 frames (30 FPS), 238 frames (20 FPS) |
| Autofocus System | Hybrid PDAF | Hybrid PDAF |
| Autofocus Points | 273 | 759 |
| Maximum Low-Light AF Sensitivity (Standardized to f/2, ISO 100) | -3.5 EV | -4 EV |
| Standard Flash Sync Speed | 1/200 | 1/400 |
| Curtain to Protect Sensor at Shutdown | No | Yes |
Video Features | ||
| Maximum Video Bit Depth (Internal) | 8 bits | 10 bits |
| Maximum Video Bit Depth (External) | 8 bits | 12 bits |
| Raw Video | No | Yes, externally |
| 8K Maximum Framerate | N/A | 30 FPS |
| 4K Maximum Framerate | 30 FPS | 120 FPS |
| 1080P Maximum Framerate | 60 FPS | 240 FPS |
| Additional Video Crop Factor | 1.7x crop at 4K | No |
| Chroma Subsampling | 4:2:0 | 4:2:2 |
| Video Recording Limit | 30 min | 780 min |
Physical and Other Features | ||
| Card Slots | 2 | 2 |
| Slot 1 Type | SD (UHS-II) | CFExpress Type A, or SD (UHS-II) |
| Slot 2 Type | SD (UHS-II) | CFExpress Type A, or SD (UHS-II) |
| Rear LCD Size (Diagonal) | 3.2 in | 3.0 in |
| Rear LCD Resolution | 1.04 million dots | 1.44 million dots |
| Articulating LCD | Single Axis | Single Axis |
| Touchscreen | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF | EVF |
| Viewfinder Magnification | 0.8x | 0.90x |
| Viewfinder Resolution | 3.69 million dots | 9.44 million dots |
| Viewfinder Coverage | 100% | 100% |
| Voice Memo | No | Yes |
| Headphone Jack | Yes | Yes |
| Microphone Jack | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in Flash | No | No |
| GPS | No | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| WiFi | Yes | Yes |
| USB Type | Type C 3.1 | Type C 3.2 Gen 1 |
| Battery Type | EN-EL15c | NP-FZ100 |
| Battery Life (Viewfinder) | 390 frames | 430 frames |
| Battery Life (Rear LCD) | 470 frames | 530 frames |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Weight (Body Only w/ Battery + Card) | 675 g (1.49 lbs.) | 737 g (1.62 lbs.) |
| Dimensions (LxHxD) | 134 x 101 x 80 mm (5.3 x 4.0 x 3.1″)1 | 129 x 97 x 81 mm (5.1 x 3.9 x 3.3″) |
Price Comparison | ||
| MSRP, Body Only | $1400 (Check Current Price) | $6500 (Check Current Price) |
| Used Prices (Affiliate) | Nikon Z5 Used Prices | Sony a1 Used Prices |
| 1The Nikon Z5’s official dimensions do not include the depth of the protruding viewfinder. To match the typical standards today, 15mm were added to the Z5’s depth measurement in this table. | ||
Questions? Go to our forum, where you can start a conversation and talk to photographers about these two cameras!
Photography Life is part of the B&H and KEH affiliate programs. When you make a purchase through the affiliate links in this article, we can be compensated with a percentage of each sale. If you found this comparison useful, buying anything through these links allows you to support Photography Life at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting our efforts!
