Canon R5 vs Nikon d850

Which would you rather have?

If I had zero lenses to start with and had a budget for lenses for each system then R5. Mirrorless offers lots of benefits outside of battery life, better AF, eye tracking that is amazing, 20FPS for sports etc. Noise is roughly the same, and both have great build quality.

That said I doubt most people will drop $4k on a body without having existing lenses or experience with one system or another which will heavily influence their decision.

Well the D850 is a very good DSLR. But I did notice the most recent Nikon F lenses have gotten pretty expensive. I'd rather buy the R5 and invest in R lenses: which while same price points, are slated for staying the next system for FF Canon photography. I'm also not sure if longevity is a requirement: there's an ongoing concern about Nikon as a company (which has been losing sales, and unlike Sony or Canon, is not diversified).

If that was the choice presented TO ME I’d pick up a used D850 and wait it out for a year or two for a Z8. If the Z7III picks up the AF from the Z9 that would also be an option for me because it could make the Z7 a true D850 replacement (the Z7II is not).

I like Canon, but switched systems to Nikon a number of years ago and just like Nikon more. I have a Z6 and just like my D700 I love shooting with it.

My recommendation changes if it’s being given to someone who isn’t invested in any system, wants a brand new camera and needs something right now. If that were the case I’d recommend the R5.