Conquer the dark: The New Nikon D5 HD-SLR

I received the press release for the new D5 yesterday from Nikon... I thought I would share that press release with you...

Conquer the dark: The New Nikon D5 HD-SLR shatters expectations for thrilling new levels of low-light performance, image quality and speed

Mississauga, ON, January 5, 2016 – Today, Nikon Canada announced the latest in its acclaimed series of flagship FX-format professional HD-SLR cameras, the Nikon D5. Far surpassing mere evolution, the D5 boasts myriad powerful new imaging innovations, including a Nikon-developed 20.8-megapixel CMOS sensor, an all-new 153-point AF system, 4K UHD video capture and EXPEED 5 image processing to give photographers the best balance of performance, precision and low-light ability. Nikon has also announced products, including the WT-6A Wireless Transmitter and the exciting new SB-5000 Speedlight, Nikon’s first radio frequency (RF) controlled flash. 

“The D5 doesn’t simply get the shot that others might miss — it gets the shot that others just simply cannot,” said Amanda Mohammed, Communications and Nikon Professional Services Manager at Nikon Canada. “With these new products, it becomes evident that photographers who choose Nikon cameras and NIKKOR lenses are equipped with an unrivaled system to surpass even the highest imaging expectations.”

The Nikon D5 once again redefines what an HD-SLR is capable of capturing, and is engineered with the ideal balance of resolution, low-light ability, system speed and processing power. The resulting camera body is truly worthy of the flagship moniker, giving professional photographers and multimedia content creators an indispensable tool to make their creative vision a reality with superior image quality. The D5 introduces many technological firsts for Nikon and offers a variety of new features that share a common goal: to get the shot, no matter what.

New features include:

Astounding low-light performance – The Nikon D5 offers an unprecedented native ISO range, from 100 to 102,400, reinforcing the D-series reputation as the leader of low-light image capture. A new world of shooting opportunities awaits, as advancements in noise reduction and processing help capture low-noise images that were previously impossible, with fantastic fidelity. The D5 tames the shadows, whether shooting a newlywed couple’s first dance or sports with minimal lighting. The D5 also realizes unprecedented image quality in the high-sensitivity range between ISO 3200 and 12800 – the range favoured by sports photographers. In addition, the D5 affords the ability to use higher shutter speeds with minimal illumination, letting photographers capture stunning images that are sharper, clearer, and more colourful than ever before. As an added benefit, the next generation autofocus system performs in near darkness, acquiring focus in as little as EV-4 illumination. For extreme low-light ability, the ISO range is expandable from 50 (Lo-1) to a staggering ISO 3,280,000 (Hi-5), offering near-night vision capability that’s well beyond the visibility of the human eye. This extreme sensitivity is a benefit to photojournalists as well as for surveillance and security applications, letting users get shots others cannot see without a flash. This vast ISO range is also available to those capturing 4K UHD video, opening up new possibilities for multimedia and spot-news capture.

Exhilarating image quality – The Nikon D5 delivers on the promise of stunning image quality, with the adoption of a new, Nikon-developed 20.8-megapixel FX-format CMOS sensor. The camera is designed to achieve the optimized balance between the large full-frame sensor size, resolution and the new EXPEED 5 image processing engine. Users can be confident that images will have enhanced sharpness and clarity, faithful skin tones and the unequaled dynamic range that Nikon pros have come to love. EXPEED 5 also helps to enhance noise reduction, letting photographers take full advantage of the D5’s vast ISO range. When paired with legendary NIKKOR optics, the D5 is truly a tool to help photographers capture the sharpest images possible with astounding clarity and radiant colours. 

Powerful performance – Nikon’s EXPEED 5 engine serves to dramatically enhance camera performance, delivering low noise, high speed image processing and offering the additional processing power needed for 4K UHD video. For professional sports and wildlife photographers, the D5 is capable of capturing images at 12 frames-per-second (fps) with full AE and AF, helping to ensure the decisive moment is caught with crystal clarity and absolute sharpness. Users can also shoot at up to 14 fps with fixed focus and exposure and the mirror locked up, ideal for remote capture. Because the action won’t take a break, the extended buffer lets users shoot for up to 200 frames of 14-bit lossless RAW/NEF files + JPG fine*. The new processor is also 25 per cent more efficient, with up to 3,780 shots per charge. 

Fast autofocus acquisition, with precision – An exciting addition to the D5 is an all-new AF system with Nikon’s first dedicated AF processor. The Multi-CAM 20K AF sensor module offers superior AF performance with 153 AF points, including 99 cross-type sensors – triple the AF points from Nikon’s previous flagship, the D4S. Of these 153 points, 55 AF points/35 cross type points are selectable by photographers to quickly and easily frame any shot. The system is configurable in 153, 72 and 25-point coverage when used with Continuous AF, allowing for stellar AF tracking performance of even the most rapidly moving subjects throughout the frame. Fifteen of the AF points are also functional up to f/8, further aiding those who require extreme telephoto capabilities, including wildlife photographers. This all-new AF system is coupled with a new 180K pixel RGB metering system and Advanced Scene Recognition System helping to achieve optimally balanced exposures and accurate white balance in even the most challenging light.  

Rugged reliability – Downtime is never an option, so professionals need a camera that’s going to be reliable and support a demanding workflow. The Nikon D5 delivers with rugged construction and robust weather sealing, coupled with a familiar yet enhanced Nikon interface. A new 3.2-inch 2359K dot XGA LCD adds touchscreen functionality, allowing the user to easily pinch, zoom, swipe and scrub in playback, and also enter text faster than ever before. Being the champion of low-light, it is only natural that buttons and dials illuminate for enhanced visibility, while two additional Function buttons have been added for increased customization. The camera also features a Quick Release Mode setting for rapid access to release mode settings. Additionally, a new shutter and mirror sequencing mechanism nearly eliminates blackout time and mirror slap for bright, consistent views during high-speed shooting – realizing truly confident tracking of fast, erratically moving subjects that were previously difficult to track. The D5’s shutter itself is tested to 400K actuations for maximum durability. When paired with the WR-R10 wireless remote controller (transceiver) and WR-A10 Wireless Remote Adapter, the D5 can also interface with Nikon’s newest Speedlight, the RF controlled SB-5000, for new possibilities in lighting control.** 

Rapid and flexible workflow – Further enhancing speed, the D5 is able to utilize the superior read and write speed of XQD memory cards, which are up to 35 per cent faster than CF cards. To appeal to a wide variety of photographers, the D5 will be available in two versions; with either dual XQD card slots or with dual CF card capability. The camera is also capable of shooting smaller RAW Size S or M file types (12-bit, uncompressed) for greater flexibility when transferring batches of files from the field, while retaining image integrity. Photographers can also use the built in 1000 Base-T 400MBps Ethernet connection for image transfer, with speeds up to 1.5x faster than the D4S.

Multimedia powerhouse with 4K UHD video – The Nikon D5 is the first Nikon HD-SLR capable of capturing 4K UHD video (3840x2160 at 30p), letting users create stunning ultra-high definition video with beautiful clarity and colour. Multimedia content creators can also use the D5 to produce 4K time-lapse videos in-camera using the Time-lapse Movie function, and can create 8-megapixel still images from frame grabs. A great addition to any production environment, the D5 includes all of the most popular pro-level features of the Nikon D810, such as Full HD 1080p video at a variety of frame rates, uncompressed HDMI out, simultaneous live view and headphone/microphone connections. Additionally, the D5 adds a feature to smooth exposure transitions using the Auto ISO function as well as exposure compensation, to create natural-looking exposure transitions in video.

New radio-controlled SB-5000 Speedlight – Lighting with no limits

 

The Nikon D5 is optimized to work with the newest Nikon flagship speedlight, the SB-5000, illuminating new possibilities in creative lighting. A first for Nikon, the flash operates via radio frequency and will operate without a direct line of sight for a range of up to approximately 98 feet (30 metres). This new-found flexibility lets photographers place lights in different rooms and around corners, and work seamlessly in bright ambient light with maximum efficiency. 

When paired with the WR-R10 and the D5 or the D500, this speedlight can control up to six groups (A-F) or 18 speedlights for truly advanced wireless lighting. It’s also possible to perform Advanced Wireless Lighting using either radio-controlled (up to three groups) and/or optical controlled units (up to three groups) by simply attaching a conventional, optical-control Nikon Speedlight or the SU-800 Commander (as a master or commander unit) and a WR-R10 (as a commander) onto the D5. 

 

The smaller SB-5000 Speedlight also has a radically new design that includes its own internal cooling system, which prevents overheating of the flash panel from consecutive firings. As a result, the SB-5000 can fire consecutively for longer than conventional models, without flash cool-down time between bursts, and can fire up to 120 continuous shots at 5 second intervals. Controls have also been streamlined and refined, with the addition of an “i” button for access to frequently used settings. The design also integrates versatile bounce ability, with the flash head capable of tilting down to -7° or up to 90°, and rotating horizontally 180° to the left and right.  

 

New WT-6A Transmitter

Nikon has also announced the WT-6A Wireless Transmitter for use with the D5. An ideal solution for professional image transfer, the WT-6A can transfer with speeds of up to 130 mbps wirelessly and supports the fast IEEE802.11ac standard. The connectivity distance has been extended to approximately 656 ft. and can be used to transfer images to an FTP server or to a computer. When in HTTP mode, the unit can be used to operate camera controls, begin Live View shooting or start/stop HD video recording.

 

Price and availability

The Nikon D5 HD-SLR will be available at Authorized Nikon Canada Dealers in March 2016 for a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $8,499.95***. 

The Nikon SB-5000 AF Speedlight will be available in March 2016 for an MSRP of $769.95**. 

 

 The WT-6A Wireless Transmitter will also be available in March 2016, with pricing to be announced at a later date