Nikon Z5 II vs Sony A7 III – Let’s compare the two and find out the best, we have selected all the major difference between the two camera, starting from the desing part, and the the Major differences in the photography part of both camera,s and finally, the best camera for video.
In the Latest Nikon Z5 II, we have a deep rear hand grip and an enhanced display as well as an electronic viewfinder. The rear display screen in the Nikon Z5 II is a vari-angle display screen with higher resolution, so you can also create content/vlog with the camera, and photographers will have a bit more compositional freedom. The electronic viewfinder is of higher resolution and rated up to 3000 nits of brightness, helping to shoot perfectly in daylight conditions. The Nikon Z5 II design is slightly more professional and looks very similar to the Nikon professional Z6 III model. The battery life of the Nikon Z5 II is slightly limited so you have to carry an extra battery pack or a power bank with you.
Nikon Z5 II vs Sony A7 III– Design Specification Comparison
| Aspect | Nikon Z5 II | Sony A7 III |
| Body Dimensions | 134 x 100.5 x 72 mm (Large handgrip) | 127 x 96 x 74 mm (Slightly small) |
| Weight | 700g (with battery, media) | 650g (with battery) |
| Grip & Ergonomics | Larger, deeper grip with still/video switch, tactile dials | Smaller grip, more custom buttons, compact layout |
| Build & Weather Sealing | Magnesium alloy, weather-sealed (32 to 104°F, 85% humidity) | Magnesium alloy, dust/moisture resistant (tropicalization) |
| Card Slots | Dual UHS-II SD/SDHC/SDXC slots | One UHS-II + one UHS-I SD slot |
| Battery & Card Slot Design | Separate battery compartment, dual card slots | Battery and one card slot in same compartment |
| Display Size | 3.2-inch touchscreen | 3.0-inch touchscreen |
| Display Resolution | 2,100,000 dots | 921,600 dots |
| Display Type | 3-way tilting (up/down/side) vari-angle | 2-way tilting (up/down) |
| Touchscreen Functionality | Full control (menus, focus, zoom) | Limited (focus point, double-tap zoom) |
| Viewfinder Type | Electronic OLED | Electronic OLED |
| Viewfinder Resolution | 3,690,000 dots | 2,359,296 dots |
| Viewfinder Magnification | 0.8x | 0.78x |
| Viewfinder Eye Point | 21 mm | 23 mm |
| Battery | 1x EN-EL15c Lithium-Ion (~380 shots CIPA) | 1x NP-FZ100 Lithium-Ion (~610 shots CIPA) |
| Power Delivery | USB-C input/output (live power during shooting) | USB 3.1 (charging only) |
| Video I/O | Micro-HDMI output | Mini-HDMI output |
| Audio I/O | 3.5mm headphone, 3.5mm microphone | 3.5mm headphone, 3.5mm microphone |
| Other I/O | 3.5mm remote, USB-C 3.2/3.1 Gen 1 (data/power) and Multi-interface shoe | Multi-interface shoe (remote/audio), USB 3.1 (data) |
| Wireless Connectivity | 2.4/5 GHz Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), Bluetooth 5.0 | 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi (802.11b/g/n), Bluetooth 4.1 |
| NFC | None | Included |
| Mobile App | SnapBridge (Android/iOS, files/firmware/remote) | Imaging Edge Mobile (Android/iOS, files/remote) |
| GPS | Via smartphone (SnapBridge) | Via smartphone (Imaging Edge) |
Internal Core specification of the camera
Both cameras use a 24-megapixel full-frame BSI CMOS sensor, but the Nikon Z5 II, with the help of new image processor features, has a standard ISO range of up to 64000 and expandable up to 204800, which is one stop more than that of the Sony A7 III.
Not only does it have a better ISO range, but the new Z5 II camera also uses a sensor-shift image stabilisation system of 7.5 stops. As we know, the A7 III is limited to 5 stops, so Z5 II will be helping you a bit more to capture low-light images while hand-holding this camera.
Adding more value to it, the autofocus sensitivity now can touch down to minus 10 EV, and in Sony, it is limited to minus 3. So, we consider all these factors — the Z5 II becomes a bit more suitable a camera to work with under variable light conditions.
Nikon Z5 II vs Sony A7 III – Photography Core Specs Comparison
| Aspect | Nikon Z5 II | Sony A7 III |
| Sensor Type | 24.5MP full-frame CMOS (6048 x 4032) | 24.2MP full-frame BSI CMOS |
| Sensor Crop | 1.0x (full-frame) | 1.0x (full-frame) |
| Image Stabilization | 5-axis sensor-shift IBIS(7.5 Stops CIPA) | 5-axis sensor-shift IBIS (5.0 stops CIPA) |
| ISO Sensitivity (Photo) | 100-64,000 (Extended: 50-204,800) | 100-51,200 (Extended: 50-102,400) |
| Autofocus Points | 273 phase-detection points | 693 phase-detection + 425 contrast points (93% coverage) |
| AI AF Type | 9 Different types of subject tracking include Bird eye AF | Precise and better, but doesn’t have a dedicated bird eye AF mode |
| Autofocus Sensitivity | -10 to +19 EV | -3 to +20 EV |
| AF Modes | Continuous-Servo, Full-Time Servo, Manual, Single-Servo | Continuous, Manual, Single, Tracking |
| Specialized AF | Bird/insect/vehicle + 9-subject AI detection | Real-time Eye AF (human/animal) |
| Continuous Shooting | 14 FPS + 30 fps (Mech + electronic shutter) | 10 fps (mechanical/electronic) |
| Buffer Depth | 200 RAW frames @ 14 FPS | ~89 RAW at 10 fps |
| Shutter Type | Mechanical focal plane + electronic rolling | Mechanical + electronic front-curtain |
| Shutter Speed | 1/8000 to 30 sec, Bulb/Time modes | 1/8000 to 30 sec, Bulb mode |
| Metering Methods | Center-Weighted, Highlight Weighted, Matrix, Spot | Center-Weighted, Multi-zone, Spot |
| Metering Range | -4 to 17 EV | -3 to 20 EV |
| Exposure Modes | Aperture Priority, Auto, Manual, Program, Shutter Priority | Aperture Priority, Auto, Manual, Program, Shutter Priority |
| Exposure Compensation | -5 to +5 EV (1/3, 1/2 EV steps) | -5 to +5 EV (1/3, 1/2 EV steps) |
| White Balance | Auto, Cloudy, Color Temp, Sunlight, Flash, Fluorescent, Incandescent, Manual, Shade | Auto, Cloudy, Color Temp, Custom, Daylight, Flash, Fluorescent, Incandescent, Shade, Underwater |
| Image File Formats | HEIF, JPEG, RAW (14-bit) | JPEG, RAW (14-bit) |
| Aspect Ratios | 1:1, 3:2, 16:9 | 3:2, 16:9 |
| Interval Recording | Yes | No |
| Self-Timer | 2/5/10/20 sec delay | 2/5/10 sec delay |
| Flash Sync Speed | 1/200 sec | 1/250 sec |
| Flash Compensation | -3 to +1 EV (1/3, 1/2 EV steps) | -3 to +3 EV (1/3, 1/2 EV steps) |
Autofocusing mode
The new Z5 II features the same AI AF algorithm that we have seen in the Nikon Z8 camera and uses 9 different types of subject detection algorithms. While shooting a scene, it automatically detects a subject, focuses on their eye, and keeps tracking them.
So overall, the autofocusing experience of the Nikon Z5 II camera has been upskilled like a professional Nikon mirrorless camera.
The Sony A7 III does have a very strong eye autofocus and tracking mechanism, but it does lack a multiple subject detection mode or AI AF in it since it’s a 2018 model. Expecting too much from it isn’t good. Although it has a higher number of autofocus points, it does focus very well.
Continuous shooting speed:
The Nikon Z5 II camera is now able to capture 14 frames of RAW with the help of a mechanical shutter and up to 30 frames of full-size JPEG images. The camera also supports a pre-capture function, highly suitable for sports and wildlife shooters, that stores 30 30-FPS bursts before you press the shutter.
And the good thing is that the Nikon Z5 II refreshes its AI autofocus and auto exposure in every single frame, even if you are using it at 30 per second.
The Nikon Z5 II is also a highly reliable camera, but it remains limited to 11 frames per second. The Z5 II now becomes a perfect option for sports or wildlife photographers, anyone who loves to capture as many frames as possible of their favourite moment.
Nikon Z5 II vs Sony A7 III -Video Core Specs Comparison
| Aspect | Nikon Z5 II | Sony A7 III |
| Internal Recording Modes | 4K (3840 x 2160) at 23.98/25/29.97/50/59.94 fps; 1080p at 23.98/25/29.97/50/59.94/100/120 fps | 4K (3840 x 2160) at 23.98/25/29.97 fps; 1080p at 23.98/25/29.97/50/59.94/120 fps |
| Sensor Crop (4K) | DX crop at 4k 60p | NA |
| Internal Recording | 12-bit NRAW Video, 4:2:2 10-bit internal recording, 4K up to 29.97 fps | 8-bit via HDMI, 4K up to 29.97 fps |
| Video Profiles | H.265, H.264/MOV/MP4 (N Log ) | H.264, S-Log2/3, HLG |
| Recording Limit | 2 hr 5 min | ~29 min (pre-firmware) |
| Audio Recording | 24-bit 48 kHz (MOV/RAW), 16-bit 48 kHz (MP4) | 16-bit 48 kHz |
| Built-In Microphone | Stereo | Stereo |
| Fast/Slow-Motion Support | None (1080p/120 fps max) | None (1080p/120 fps max) |
| Streaming | Yes / Upto 4K | None |
Video comparison
In video, it’s very clearly visible in the table also that the Sony A7 III camera remains limited to 8-bit internal recording and even it has a time limitation of 30 minutes, whereas in the Nikon Z5 II camera we can record 4:2:2 10-bit internal recording at the rate of 4K 60 frames per second. But while recording at 60 FPS, we have to face DX crop, and when we are recording 4K 30 FPS, we are getting high-quality oversampled footage from the sensor.
Not limited to that, with higher quality video recording capability, you also get more stable footage due to the new 7.5 stops of IBIS mechanism, as well as integrated EIS compared to 4.5 to 5 stops of IBIS of the Sony A7 III.
Conclusions
Overall, for wedding cinematographers, content creators or professional cinematographers, the Nikon Z5 II is more usable in terms of specs when compared to the Sony A7 III.
Now, considering all these major factors, for sure, for a photographer, the Nikon Z5 II camera is now more suitable to use in comparison to the Sony A7 III camera. If Sony wants to beat the Z5 II. Sony needs to bring a perfect replacement for the A7 III camera. Either they should bring out the A7 IIIA or they should lower the price of A7 IV to an extent that users can buy it instead of the Nikon Z5 II.
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