Today, Nikon announced its newest mirrorless camera, the Nikon Z50. Sporting a host of advanced features at an aggressive $860 price ($1000 including lens), the Z50 is Nikon’s attempt to reclaim some of the pocket-sized ILC market that Sony, Fuji, and Canon gobbled up. Here’s what you need to know.
What Is It?
The Z50 is Nikon’s third Z-series mirrorless camera – and the first one ever with a smaller DX-size sensor. The other two in Nikon’s lineup, the Z6 and Z7, started shipping around this time last year, but they’re much more expensive cameras. Body only, the Z50 sells for $860, while the Z6 is $1800 and the Z7 is $2800.
Traditionally, DX cameras have been Nikon’s lifeblood, outselling the company’s FX cameras at least three to one. Anyone who’s paying attention knows that Nikon is depending heavily on the Z50 (and likely other mirrorless DX cameras) as a critical part of their future.
What Lenses Does It Come With?
Alongside the Z50 camera itself, Nikon released two new Z lenses, both of which are DX only. Those are the:
- Nikon Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR lens, selling for $300
- Nikon Z DX 50-250mm f/4.5-6.3 VR lens, selling for $350
Most photographers who buy the Z50 will get at least the 16-50mm. If you do, the lens/camera combo is $1000, saving you $160 compared to buying them separately. If you want to buy both new lenses alongside the Z50, the kit price jumps up to $1350, which doesn’t save any additional money.
Personally, I’m impressed by the small size of these two lenses. The 16-50mm in particular is practically a pancake, weighing just 135 grams (4.8 ounces). Here’s how the two lenses look:
Key Specifications
| Camera Feature | Nikon Z50 |
|---|---|
| Sensor Resolution | 20.9 megapixels |
| Sensor Type | CMOS |
| Sensor Size | 23.5 × 15.6 mm |
| Sensor Pixel Size | 4.22 µ |
| Low Pass Filter | No |
| In-Body Image Stabilization | No |
| Image Size | 5568 × 3712 pixels |
| Image Processor | Expeed 6 |
| Viewfinder Type | 2.36 million dot OLED electronic viewfinder |
| Viewfinder Coverage | 100% |
| Viewfinder Magnification | 1.02× (0.67× FF equivalent) |
| Built-in Flash | Yes |
| Storage Media | 1× SD, UHS I Compatible |
| Continuous Shooting Speed | 11 FPS |
| Electronic Shutter | Yes |
| Shutter Speed Range | 1/4000 to 30 seconds |
| Exposure Metering Sensor | TTL exposure metering using main image sensor |
| Base ISO | ISO 100 |
| Native ISO Sensitivity | 100-51,200 |
| Boosted ISO Sensitivity | Up to 204,800 |
| Focus Points | 209 focus points |
| On Sensor Phase Detection | Yes |
| Flicker Detection | Yes |
| Video Maximum Resolution | 4K up to 30 fps; 1080p up to 120 fps |
| LCD Size | 3.2″ |
| LCD Resolution | 1,040,000 dot |
| LCD Type | Tilt Down |
| Touchscreen | Yes |
| Built-in Bluetooth | Yes |
| Built-in Wi-Fi / NFC | Yes |
| Battery Life | 300 shots (CIPA) Movies: Approx. 75 min. of movie recording |
| Weight (Body Only) | 395 g (13.9 oz) |
| Dimensions | 126.5 × 93.5 × 60 mm (5.0 × 3.7 × 2.4 in) |
| Current Price (Body Only) | $860 (body only); $1000 (with 16-50mm kit lens) |
Where Is It Positioned?
Nikon has positioned the Z50 on the upper end of “consumer,” above the D3400 and D5600 DSLRs and about the same as the D7500. Even ignoring price and specifications, one way to tell this is to recognize that the Z50 has two command dials, in line with Nikon’s higher end cameras:
In price, the Nikon Z50 sits slightly below the Nikon D7500. Body only, the D7500 is $900, rather than the Z50’s $860. However, the D7500 has a more expensive kit lens (the 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6 VR), bringing the DSLR’s total price to $1200.
On paper, the Z50 looks equal or better than the D7500 in most ways. However, I suspect that the D7500 in practice will retain a slightly more advanced user base – largely those who want Nikon’s battle-tested 51-point autofocus system and access to a much larger lineup of native lenses.
As for non-Nikon cameras, one of the Z50’s closest competitors is the recently-announced Canon M6 Mark II. That mirrorless camera has a 32.5 megapixel sensor, costs $1100 with Canon’s kit lens, shoots 14 FPS stills, and weighs 361 grams (to the Nikon’s 395 grams). On paper, the Canon looks like it’s ahead, although I’m interested to test them side-by-side before making a final judgment. Without in-person testing, it’s impossible to know how the Nikon performs in terms of autofocus, high ISO performance, dynamic range, ergonomics, lens quality, and so on.
Another close competitor in specifications is the Sony a6400 (though the whole Sony a6000 line has some similarities; see our comparison). The a6400 costs $1000 with a kit lens, just like the Nikon. It has a 24 megapixel sensor, shoots at 11 FPS, films 4K video (plus 1080p at 120 fps), and weighs 403 grams (including battery and card) versus 395 for the Nikon (body only).
Beyond that, the Z50 competes closely with the Fuji X-T30, a $900 camera (including lens). The Fuji shoots up to 20 frames per second stills at full resolution, sports a 26 megapixel X-Trans sensor, and includes a retro design with great manual controls. Not to mention Fuji’s excellent lens lineup.
All that said, we’ll need to wait for some in-person reviews to show how these cameras actually handle side by side. I suspect this will be a case of “pick any and you’ll be happy,” with minor differences here and there to sway first-time photographers. Certainly the Z50 seems like a worthy release from Nikon, both in features and in build. Here are a couple more images of its control layout:
Missing Features
The Z50 looks like a great camera in many ways, and I can’t wait to test it out. Still, here are some of the camera’s missing features that catch my eye initially:
- No DX prime lens. Nikon was infamous for its giant lineup of small-aperture zooms for its DX DSLRs, falling way behind companies like Fuji and Sony in creating a comprehensive DX lens lineup. Will mirrorless be different? Not if the first two lenses are anything to go by.
- No IBIS. At this price, it’s not really expected – neither the Canon M6 Mark II nor the Sony a6400 has in-body image stabilization – but it would have been a good way for Nikon to differentiate itself in the market.
- Tilt down LCD rather than tilt out to the side. This decision puzzles me. A lot of cameras today have LCDs that can be flipped to face the front, which is a useful feature for vlogging. (It might not be your thing, but it’s a rapidly growing market – one of the few in photography.) But the Z50’s screen tilts down, which means it’s blocked completely when the camera is on a tripod or gimbal. The down angle is only useful for shooting handheld selfies – and maybe I’m going out on a limb, but I don’t think that’s something most of this camera’s audience cares about very much.
- No physical zoom in/out buttons. Touchscreens are becoming more and more popular on cameras these days, but they still have some ergonomic flaws. You can’t use them with (most) gloves, and there’s no way to know what to press when your camera is to your eye. On the Z50, Nikon removed the magnification buttons in favor of touchscreen icons, which could annoy some potential users.
None of these issues is what I’d call fatal, but they’re all important to keep in mind! And of course we’ll be putting the Z50 through its paces as soon as we can, which should reveal more about the camera’s pros and cons.
Press Release
A Bigger Mount To Share The Boldest Ideas: It’s Easy To Take Creativity Further With The Lightweight Nikon Z 50 Mirrorless Camera
Nikon Also Announces the NIKKOR Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR and NIKKOR Z DX 50-250mm f/4.5-6.3 VR, Two New Lenses That Deliver Incredible Image Quality and Outstanding Portability
MELVILLE, NY – Today, Nikon Inc. announced the next Z series mirrorless camera, the DX-format Nikon Z 50, along with two new companion NIKKOR Z lenses, the NIKKOR Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR and NIKKOR Z DX 50-250mm f/4.5-6.3 VR. The new Nikon Z 50 takes full advantage of Nikon’s larger Z mount, providing creators of all types with the most innovative optical system for superior image and video quality. The compact and lightweight Nikon Z 50 was made for unique individuals seeking a camera that has the speed, portability and style to keep pace and share their creative storytelling and imagination, especially when paired with the new ultra-compact 16-50mm zoom and the slim 50-250mm telephoto zoom lenses.“The new Nikon Z 50 is a small yet capable camera that brings the best of the Nikon Z series to all kinds of creators to discover, share and engage,” said Jay Vannatter, Executive Vice President, Nikon Inc. “The new NIKKOR Z DX lenses expands the Nikon Z series to provide new creative tools for those looking to take their photo and video passions to new heights.”
When a sudden case of jet-set wanderlust strikes, or if there’s an idea that just has to be shared in 4K video, the Nikon Z 50 is the unobtrusive companion that promises to help deliver content that truly stands out. This is Nikon’s first DX-format mirrorless camera, delivering a more compact lightweight system to those upgrading to mirrorless or discovering the Nikon Z mount system. The new Z 50 offers an ergonomic design, intuitive operability and the steadfast reliability Nikon is known for, but in a slimmer, lightweight and attainable body. Taking advantage of the Nikon Z mount, the Z 50 produces stunning image quality and provides optimal performance for any type of content creation, from still photography to high-quality 4K video.
SMALL ON SIZE, BIG ON FUN: The easy-to-carry, compact and lightweight 14-oz body of the Nikon Z 50 is designed with intuitive controls and an agile yet durable magnesium alloy frame. It’s effortless to carry while vlogging a vacation, hiking the backcountry or exploring a new part of town. Since it’s mirrorless, users can activate the silent shutter function for truly low-profile shooting in sensitive situations.
TELL YOUR STORY, BEAUTIFULLY: A DX-format 20.9-megapixel CMOS sensor delivers superior image quality, sharpness, color and tones to document it all, even in low light. The EXPEED 6 image-processing engine helps to achieve excellent low-light performance and the highest standard sensitivity in its class1 for still-image shooting – ISO 51,200 – so users can capture high-resolution photos in challenging lighting conditions, like concerts or night street photography.
HIGH-SPEED PERFORMANCE: The camera quickly locks focus with a 209-point Hybrid AF System that enables broad coverage of approximately 87% of the frame horizontally and 85% vertically. It’s also the first Nikon DX-format camera to employ Eye-Detection AF, which makes portrait photography simple by recognizing and instantly focusing on a subject’s eyes, even if they are moving. What’s more, with fast 11 fps (with AF/AE) continuous shooting, users can keep up with fleeting moments and never miss a moment of the action.
FLIP-DOWN SELFIE SCREEN: The Nikon Z 50 features an easy to use interface with a 3.2-inch flip-down LCD touchscreen that’s ideal for selfies and vlogging. The LCD features familiar soft keys and icons, while intuitive controls make storytelling simple. Selfie Mode automatically disables all but essential controls while the LCD is flipped down, which makes it easy for the photographer to turn the camera on themselves and capture flattering photos and videos without worry of accidentally changing settings.
EPIC VIDEO FEATURES AND NEW CREATIVE OPTIONS: Sharp, vibrant 4K video is just the beginning – Experience built in 120p slow-motion, time-lapse and interval timer as well as in-camera video trimming and 20 Creative Picture Controls. These Creative Picture Controls and Special Effect modes instantly transform an image or video footage, while Scene Modes automatically adjust settings to optimize performance for beginners. For smooth footage, the camera also incorporates additional built in stabilization while shooting Full HD or 4K video.
SHARE BETTER CONTENT, INSTANTLY: Built-in Wi-Fi® and Bluetooth connectivity along with support for the new SnapBridge2 version 2.6 app allows users to seamlessly share still images and videos with friends, families and followers. In addition to automatically sending gorgeous images to one’s phone, users now also have the ability to easily transfer video to their smart device quickly. The latest version of SnapBridge also supports RAW image transfer and advanced remote capture functions.
THE NIKKOR Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR & NIKKOR Z DX 50-250mm f/4.5-6.3 VR – NEXT GENERATION DX-FORMAT NIKKOR LENSES
The new NIKKOR Z DX 16-50mm standard zoom and the NIKKOR Z DX 50-250mm telephoto zoom lenses are designed to complement the new Z 50, striking the balance of small size and sharp optics. The NIKKOR Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR lens is a slim zoom lens that lets users capture a wide variety of scenes, from beautiful landscapes to candid portraits. The compact telephoto NIKKOR Z DX 50-250mm f/4.5-6.3 VR lens allows anyone to go the extra distance and capture far-away subjects, like city skylines or birds in flight. When paired with the new lenses, Dual Detect Optical VR is enabled on the Z 50 to help control the effects of camera shake when shooting.
Both the new NIKKOR Z DX lenses unleash the potential of the Nikon Z mount, using the superior design flexibility made possible by the large-diameter and the 16mm flange focal distance to deliver outstanding optical performance and sharpness in a deceptively compact form factor.
In addition to achieving incredible image quality, the new NIKKOR Z DX lenses are optimized for video capture when paired with the Z 50, making them must-haves for emerging content creators. Both lenses promise reduced focus breathing, a customizable control ring for smooth control of aperture or exposure compensation, as well as fast and quiet operation. Additionally, the new lenses offer in-lens optical Vibration Reduction (VR) technology to allow for smooth recording, with camera shake compensation equivalent to 4.5 stops3 and 5.0 stops3, respectively.
Beyond these two new lenses, Nikon Z 50 users can enjoy greater variety in imaging expression by mounting any of the current lenses in the NIKKOR Z lineup. A vast selection of traditional F-Mount NIKKOR lenses is also available to shooters via the Mount Adapter FTZ, with many lenses retaining functions such as VR and AF.
Price and Availability
The Nikon Z 50 will be available in November 2019, in several configurations including body-only for a suggested retail price (SRP) of $859.95*, a one-lens kit with the NIKKOR Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR lens for a SRP of $999.95* or a two-lens kit with both the NIKKOR Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR and NIKKOR Z DX 50-250mm f/4.5-6.3 VR lenses for a SRP of $1349.95.
For more information on the latest Nikon products, including the new Nikon Z 50, NIKKOR Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR, NIKKOR Z DX 50-250mm f/4.5-6.3 VR and the full Nikon Z mount system, please visit www.nikonusa.com.
About Nikon
Nikon Inc. is a world leader in digital imaging, precision optics and photo and video capture technologies; globally recognized for setting new standards in product design and performance for an award-winning array of equipment that enable visual storytelling and content creation. Nikon Inc. distributes consumer and professional digital SLR cameras, NIKKOR optics, Speedlights and system accessories, Nikon COOLPIX® compact digital cameras and Nikon software products, as well as the revolutionary Nikon Z series of mirrorless cameras and NIKKOR Z lenses, which achieve a new dimension in optical performance. In 2018, Nikon Corporation, the parent company of Nikon Inc., announced the production of 110 million NIKKOR lenses, creating a new milestone in Nikon’s heritage of superior optics. For more information, dial (800) NIKON-US or visit www.nikonusa.com, which links all levels of photographers and visual storytellers to the Web’s most comprehensive learning and sharing communities. Connect with Nikon on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Vimeo and Flickr.
You could work around the flip down screen issue by using an L bracket that has a tripod screw hole near one of the edges, that way any gorillapod won’t block the screen…
Or you just can use an normal L-bracket (highly recommeneded: Smallrig!) and use the ballhead at a 90° degree…
But still – if they wnat to place this body between D5xxx and D7xxx, then why not give it a fully articulated screen like the D5xxx have? That would be a no -brainer for me: I loved the D5100 for that, the Canon G11 and the Nikon P7800 for this detail only. Nikon could do, it still could serve as selfie screen and is not more expensive than this highly linited LCD of the Z 50. So no sale…
I think Nikon dropped the ball on this one, too much time in Sake bars (thanks Thom Hogan). A first time buyer is going to have a hard time rationalizing the z50 over the Sony which has more megapixels, more focus points and more lens choice. Obviously a seasoned shooter might appreciate the subtle nuances but then that type of person will likely be looking at a z6 or z7 instead.
hi Spencer
Now that Nikon have Shrunk the Z6 to the Size of the Z50 camera body, what’s stopping Nikon putting a Full Frame Sensor into a Z50 Size Body
They need to release a Z mount version of the premium 16-80/2.8-4 and for less than $1000. This camera is too nice to be confined to the $99 collapsing kit zoom, even if it’s sharp. Okay it’s not $99 but you know that will be the future price adder when kitted with a camera. And they need a cheap native prime (35/1.8) and an ultra wide angle zoom right now.
I’ve been using the 16-50 on the Z50 for a few days now and I have to say it is certainly the best kit lens I’ve ever used, considering it’s very compact size. Focusing is fast, silent and accurate and the VR is good. The lens gives you F3.5-4.5 in the 16-28mm range, which is fine when you look at other lens’ specs, but yes the the 30-50mm part of the range at F5-6.3 is not ideal. I am thinking of picking up the old DX 35mm F1.8 to use on the FTZ because I doubt the $500+ they would want for a Z-mount version will add that much.
The pancake design of the 16-50 is very welcome for compact travelling. I hope the two 28 and 40 mm compact primes in the Nikon Z-mount roadmap are pancake, or collapsible at least.
I don’t see the appeal of this camera, personally. If someone is spending one grand over a camera + cheap lens combo I should think that they have some pretty clear ideas on why they picked that system and that they want to remain in such system/sensor format and in that case, why on earth would anyone pick this camera vs a Fuji x-t30? The z50 has the unenviable position of being the bastard child that Nikon is trotting out with a grand total of what, two lenses coming in the next two years (and two unbelievably cheap lenses out now – plastic mounts, seriously, I’d been hoping we’d left those times behind us) which pretty much says to me that Nikon’s view of dx as “yeah well, it sells, we have to do it” is still the same as it has always been.
Why buy something that’s crippled immediately out of the gate and 7-9 years behind every single competitor instead of an arguably as good as or better camera which has a literal boatload of good to excellent lenses that were designed from the ground up for APS-C? That’s another thing I don’t get, people saying “oh but it’s the same Z mount, just get full frame lenses” yeah, who wouldn’t love paying more to have a lens that is uselessly big since it covers a much larger sensor area (besides which, paying 250€ for a 50 f/1.8 F mount lens made sense even with an entry level D3***, paying almost the price of the camera for the Z mount equivalent…well, not so much, I don’t think).
In fact, I can see only one reason that one would choose this over a Fuji camera (or a Sony, or a Canon M, or any other APS-C ML) and that’s the much-talked *upgrade path*. I’m not going to say that it’s not a thing (I should know, I went from a D3200 to a D750 myself) but the vast (let me underline that again, VAST) majority of people who buy into a cheap (?) APS-C body, buy that body with a kit lens and that’s it. The percentage of people who choose to take the upgrade path is incredibly small (I think that was the case with you too Spencer, IIRC you went from a D7000 to a D800) so banking on a camera to succeed just because of that would be rather asinine, in my view.
And don’t even get me started on people saying “oh there are lots (no, not really) of dx lenses, just use an ftz adaptor”. I know plenty of beginner photographers who started out by buying a simple low or midrange body+kit lens, and I know for a fact that if they’d been told “hey, if you want to use any other lens, you’ll have to buy an adaptor that costs 150€ and the lenses you’ll adapt won’t be performing as well as they would on the original mount” they would have been like “ok, next camera then”. Granted, this is just my personal experience, but somehow I don’t think it’s all that different from what other beginners would think.
In the end, ML dx seems to be on track to become simply the ML variant of the DSLR dx, a line with no support and that is there just to make money. Sure, that’s what corporations are all about, making money, but I wish Nikon would put some bloody effort or no effort whatsoever rather than this infuriatingly milquetoast approach of theirs.
Nasim’s article of why dx has no future seems to be just as true today as it was almost 8 years ago.
“crippled immediately out of the gate and 7-9 years behind every single competitor”
Sorry, that is pure nonsense.
“Nasim’s article of why dx has no future seems to be just as true today as it was almost 8 years ago.”
Well, Nasim was wrong, DX is still here and remains quite popular. BTW, he also predicted there would be no follow-up to Nikon D300s – wrong again, D500 arrived with great success and is still in demand.
The main reason I am considering the Z50 is I want a compact MILC to use alongside my suite of Nikon DSLRs.
It is clear that MILCs are never going to replace DSLRs for serious sports and wildlife work because EVFs cannot compete with OVFs with regards to resolution (human eye) and update speed (speed of light). But having a MILC that operates in a similar way to older Nikons, with good ergonomics, menu system and high quality EVF is attractive to me. I would have no interest in Fuji or Sony since they can’t compete in the sports and wildlife genre, and even if they could it would require a £10k+ investments considering the loss when exchanging lenses. Moreover, they have terrible ergonomics and perform more like fragile toys than professional tools in outdoor situations. Having considered the Z6/7 closely and noting in particular that their EVFs comprehensively outperform others in actual use, the Z50 seems to be quite good value if Nikon have continued those standards. For me the Z50 so far seems to be a ‘high-quality D5xxx’, which could be ideal for a back-up/video centric body with wide-angle lenses, and I can drop the AF-S 70-200mm onto it in an emergency.
Check out the sansmirror website, there’s a Nikon mirrorless safari article, I think it’s safe to say that the z6 and z7 can easily compete with DSLR for wildlife.
“It is clear that MILCs are never going to replace DSLRs for serious sports and wildlife work because EVFs cannot compete with OVFs with regards to resolution (human eye) and update speed (speed of light).”
That’s half true for Nikon MILCs, but Sony’s ⍺9 I and II already surpassed your prejudice. I mean, what good is update speed if your OVF stays dark because the mirror is up (blackout time)? The faster the fps the shorter the time a DSLR AF module has to track focus. Maybe you look for Mark Smith in YT, he does birds in flight with an ⍺9.
Your “never replace” already is on it’s way to become an overcome myth. The only field DSLRs can compete is: no energy needed to view through the finder. This is a substantial advantage, but meanwhile the only one remaining in favor of DSLRs – everything else is done better by MILC!
“everything else is done better by MILC”
Nope.
I hear you, although it’s not really prejudice if it’s based on 25-years experience. The issue with the EVFs, no matter how high the resolution and update speed, is looking at something small in the frame, like a bird flying 200m away from one side of your view to the other, will always be an indistinct mess on a video screen compared to through a high-quality optical viewfinder. If you don’t believe me (your prejudice), think about Leica, Swarovski, Zeiss and Nikon – they aren’t worried about Sony producing electronic binoculars any time soon. Most professional wildlife and sports photography is done at large distances in difficult light.
I’m not talking about binoculars, but of cameras. With your 25 year experience and my 40 year experience with OVF, I first tell you a camera is not a binocular – I know birdwatchers who prefer binoculars over OVFs any time.
But they don’t come home with a picture. And while you desperately try to find the bird behind the branches and manual focus it because the rest of AF is crap at this specific moment, I just push the 100% enlargement button, manualfocus on the birds eye and take the shot without any noise.
But of course on second I tell you, you can stick as long as you want to the ferrytale of supreme OVF, no problem… :)
fairytale might be better than ferrytale :)
Joachim you’re arguing with someone who doesn’t know that he doesn’t know.
I shoot a9 and A7riv and fully understand what you posit and I also have Nikon friends who refuse to look through the viewfinder of the a9….for fear of seeing their greatest fear=obsolescence.
But I’m camping in the Nikon world too with a D500…one of the few cameras that can even come close to the a9 for AF acquisition and tracking; and I’ve ordered a Z50. My Sony friends chimed in with comments like ‘expect huge disappointment’ or ‘why step backwards?’ Personally I prefer mirrorless and like many posters here I have years of experience with the likes of the D850 and 1DXii. I know the Z50 will pale even compared to the wife’s a6400 BUT Sony doesn’t have anything like the 300PF and 500PF lenses!
One of my Nikon friends has been using the Z50 for a week now. He tells me the Z50 is 75% of the D500 for AF capability. To me 75% of awesome means the Z50 is good if not a little better and that was good enough for my 500PF to hear :)
Z50 just landed and it’s better than expected. Nikon are the masters of ergonomics. This is super compact but still feels well engineered and has all the buttons you could want. Grip is easily the best of any compact MILC. The updated Expeed 6 menu options are great including the more comprehensive clarity sliders. {I have found that you need to up the clarity in most picture modes a little bit.} Works fine with adapted lenses too. 4K in flat profile is superb. Just exactly want you want if you need a back-up travel body, or are just starting to get serious about your photography. Even the EVF is better than most other 2.36k models I’ve tried and the Eye-AF is great. Nikon really hits it out of the park with this one (at the price point).
As exxpected, after a thorough BiF session yesterday, I can confirm that the Z50 is not yet DSLR level for that genre. The Z50 is great for as a back-up video-centric body, which was my requirement, but I wouldn’t recommend it for BiF. The AF is fast and accurate, especially for stationary or slow moving subjects. Probably equivalent to about D7500 level. The problem, as is the case with all MILCs, is the viewfinder delay. When shooting BiF a bird can decide to change direction at 30 miles an hour in less than a tenth of a second. The only possible way to follow that is with an OVF. Even with all modes set to help you (max power, dynamic tracking, all unecessary stuff off) what you see is a bit late in single mode, and quite a bit late in burst mode. Even the Sony A9 is like that, despite having no blackout, you are still momentarily behind the action.
So, MILCs and BiF really don’t mix. What you have to do is pan as best as possible before starting your burst and hope that the bird continues in the same direction and speed. This means, unless you are shooting something like a swan, you may be able to get a burst of 5 shots, but then the object will have changed direction or moved out of speed with you. With a DSLR the blackouts are short enough for you to track for longer. For the BiF bursts that I did capture, many frames did turn out nicely in focus, but you have little confidence using the EVF because of the delay, and once a burst starts you are simply keeping your fingers crossed. The Z50 also falls down for battery life, which so far is coming in the 300-500 shot range.
Having demoed the Z6 extensively beforehand, this is exactly what I expected. Nikon have created a great compact MILC and the EVF is the best 2.36k resolution model I have used, especially if you select Flat profile (whilst shooting in Raw of course) to minimise the contrast in the screen. Otherwise the EVF is way too contrasty and lacking in detail for outdoor work, as are most EVFs. Another recommendation is the new Auto-Daylight option for white-balance; Expeed 6 seems to have tidied up the already superior Nikon menu system and the custom i menu being dependent on Photo/Movie selector is very handy.
I certainly recommend the Z50 for most other genres. And with uncropped 4K and OSPDAF focusing, it is clearly superior to DSLRs for video. But for BiF and by analogy other fast moving sports and wildlife, a recent DSLR will still be better. I can imagine that the next update round from Nikon will be very close to DSLR, but there is still a serious place for OVFs in BiF and sports.
Who’s going to take a portrait with a 50mm f6.3 dx lens?
I don’t see how this can be ranked alongside a D7500. How do they compare for action shots? I’d be surprised if the Z50 is in the same league.
So what’s going on? Is the DSLR is aimed at the action photographer and the mirrorless is aimed at those who are minimising size and weight?
Who will take that portrait? Someone who’s happy to use their little ILC with eye-AF to get a nice photo of a friend or child with no concern for the aesthetics that delight gear collectors?
The AF of the Z6 and Z7 is fine, just not as good as the AF of the D750 or D850 for some things. I’m sure it’ll be perfectly adequate compared to its peers.
An important “missing feature” not mentioned in the article – the built-in flash does not support the Nikon Creative Lighting System (CLS).
Will it take the FTZ mount to use existing F mount lens? How will this work with the older lenses designed for the DX camera line, with the mount and the new DX sensor?
Yes it’ll take FTZ just fine, and anything with an autofocus motor in it (all AF-S and AF-P lenses) will work just fine, including and especially the DX lenses.
I am pleased. What I would have bought last year instead of my Z6. I wish it had higher FPS and UHS-II, and IBIS would have made sense, but the absence of all those means there’s room above the Z50 if Nikon wants to pursue that class of camera.
I am delighted the lenses are so small but they’re keeping most of the handling I enjoy from my Z6.
“Tilt down LCD rather than tilt out to the side. This decision puzzles me. …”
To me, it’s one reason not to buy this camera. The Z 7 in DX mode has app. the same number of MP and exactly the same number of focus points. That stupid “selfie design” of the LCD cannot be used on a tripod. The LCD is completely uslesess in portrait mode at low or high positions.
“No physical zoom in/out buttons. … You can’t use them with (most) gloves, and there’s no way to know what to press when your camera is to your eye.”
This doesn’t bother me at all. To zoom in at 100%, I prefer to use the OK button. Gloves? Try Sealskinz (www.sealskinz.com/glove…-black.htm), they do have contact patterns and work fine. With bigger gloves these small buttons are also not easy to operate.
Is there any reason to buy a Z 50 instead a Fuji X-T3 (with a better grip and loads of better features) or an X-H1? The only reason I can imagine: if one has a couple of Nikon tele lenses. and needs long FL which Fuji still falls short of,