With holiday deals bringing the price back down to less than a grand, the Nikon Z 5 is arguably the best value full frame mirrorless camera on the market right now.

Launched in July last year for $1,399, the Z 5 doesn’t lack much in comparison to its more expensive sibling, the Z 6 and with the seasonal discount, it’s available from B&H Photo for us $996.95 — a saving of more than $400.

The other contender for this title is the Canon EOS RP, an entry-level full frame mirrorless camera that’s only $899. The RP is a shade smaller, notably lighter, and offers slightly more megapixels. However, for an extra hundred dollars, the Z 5 brings some major advantages. Firstly, this is a weather-sealed body meaning that it will stand up to shooting in challenging conditions — a source of pride for Nikon. Secondly, there are two card slots meaning that you have a layer of redundancy when photographing and filming, saving your data in the event of a card failure — or, in my case, acting as a means of actually being able to shoot on those days when I head out to grab some photos without first remembering to put my SD card back in the camera. Thirdly, there’s in-body stabilization, giving you smoother handheld footage and allowing slower shutter speeds when photographing without a tripod.

When you also factor in the higher resolution EVF, the Z 5 is almost certainly the better option over the RP. As a pricey entry-level camera or as a back-up to your other Nikon mirrorless, the Z 5 is an excellent choice and at this price, now’s a good time to buy.

Will you be placing an order? Let us know in the comments below.