Nikon: Nikon Z50 II Review | The Most Professional Beginner Camera?

The Nikon Z50 ii is one of the best all-around values of any digital camera we've ever used! The competition is fierce, however, and we have a lot to talk about in this Nikon Z50 ii review. Should you buy a Sony A6700 instead? What about a Fujifilm X-S20? The alternatives do have allure, especially when you consider the abundance of APSC lenses available for the other system mounts. However, the Nikon Z50 II has at least one thing that other brands don't: Nikons are some of the most intuitive, easiest to use cameras on the market. Furthermore, the Z mount as a whole offers one of the most seamless transitions between APSC and full-frame systems, too! In this article, I will compare the Nikon Z50 II against its competition in key areas such as image quality and autofocus reliability. Honestly, though? If you're shopping for a compact, affordable digital camera that delivers professional results, I sincerely believe you should try out this camera before any others. For both photography and video, the Nikon Z50 II is a compelling choice. Whether your world is that of a wanderlust traveler, or a stay-at-home parent, all types of content creators should consider it. Even if you're a working pro who is looking for a complimentary camera for your flagship full-frame setup, the Z50 ii does not disappoint! So, without any further ado, let's dive in... Nikon Z50 II Specifications SENSOR: 20.9 megapixel APSC CMOS sensor LENS MOUNT: Nikon Z (Nikkor DX) APSC (1.5x crop) STILL IMAGES: 5568×3712 px VIDEO: 4K 30p H.264/H.265 8/10-bit, 1080p @ 120 fps ISO: 100 to 51200 AUTOFOCUS: 231-point hybrid AF, 3-D Tracking, Subject Detection SHOOTING SPEED (FPS): 30 FPS @ 1.2x add. Crop & JPG SHUTTER SPEEDS: 1/4000 sec to 900 sec, max flash sync 1/250 sec STABILIZATION: no VIEWFINDER: 2.36M dot OLED, 1.02x magnification LCD: 3.2 in, 1.04M dot LCD Touchscreen, fully articulating (side) CONNECTIVITY: Wifi & Bluetooth using "SnapBridge" app STORAGE: SDXC/SDHC, UHS-II BATTERY: EN-EL25 (1250 mAh) BODY CONSTRUCTION: SIZE: 5 x 3.8 x 2.6 in. (127 x 96.8 x 66.5 mm) WEIGHT: 17.46 oz / 495 g (body only) PRICE: $906.95 ( B&H | Adorama | Amazon ) Nikon Z50 II Review | Who Should Buy It? The Nikon Z50 ii is one of the most well-spec'd digital cameras priced under $1,000. In fact, it's one of the most professional-feeling "entry level" cameras I have ever held! So, right away, if you're looking for maximum value, the Nikon Z50 ii is one of my top recommendations. We do need to break down the details of exactly which types of photographers, videographers, and content creators ought to consider the Z50 ii, and why... All-Around Content Creator (Photo & Video) At its core, considering the 20-megapixel sensor, the impressive all-around build quality, and the overall feature set, the Nikon Z50 is a perfect choice for the content creator who needs to do a little bit of everything. I like it more than all of the dedicated vlogging cameras for two huge reasons... Firstly, because it has a viewfinder, and I absolutely need one for the times when I just want to take photos in a traditional manner. Secondly, I appreciate the all-around build quality & design, from the durability to the ergonomics. The Z50 ii is equally "effortless" to use no matter which way you are holding/aiming the camera. Having said that, there's a reason why I'm listing "content creator" first and foremost on what will be a long list of recommendations. Simply put, this camera's 20-megapixel sensor is behind all of its competitors in terms of resolution. The alternatives are at 24, 26, ~30, and even 40 megapixels! So, if you're making a lot of huge prints from your imagery, this might not be the best choice for you. However, the resolution is perfect for everyone who primarily shares their images on digital platforms. (NOTE: considering the sharpness of Nikkor lenses, you're still going to be able to make considerably large prints from the Z50 ii images; A 16×20" or 20×30" print should be no problem!) Travel Photography & Video Again, for those who are focused on either just photography, or both photo and video, the Z50 ii is an excellent camera for travel. Family vacation, or wilderness adventure; either way, you want a camera that is portable, durable, and just lets you focus on the moment at hand... Everyday Candid & Street Photography Even those of you who don't travel much, or at all; if you really like photography and just want to have a camera with you every day, the Z50 is a great choice. We're getting into the territory where style and fashion can become a topic, however, and this causes me to mention the Nikon Z fc. If you really want a stylish retro looking camera, then the Nikon Z fc has basically the same sensor, but in an even smaller package. (Presumably, a hypothetical Nikon Z fc II might also include the desirable updates to autofocus and overall performance that the Z50 II has, by the way...) All in all, though, what I like about the Z50 II is that it just "gets out of the way" of letting you take pictures. The ergonomics and menu interfaces are excellent. (It seems that ALL retro style digital cameras, unfortunately, have multiple "quirks" that either require a lot of getting used to, or are simply inferior. More on this later... Real Estate, Commercial, & Editorial Photography On the one hand, if you photograph real estate for clients that mostly use digital media for their listings, the Z50 II is a perfect example of how you can pay your bills with a truly modest professional tool. Just get the right lens for the job, (my Nikon Z 12-28mm review is coming soon!) ...add a tripod... and you're all set! The same thing applies to a lot of other high-end pro work. Maybe you do food photography, or apparel; the Z50 II is a well-rounded camera. It can start you off in a new career as a photographer, and then it can act as a seamless transition to a flagship pro camera, and remain a useful 2nd or backup camera, too. On the other hand, if the client does require high-resolution images, then the Z50 II is at a distinct disadvantage, of course. Portrait & Wedding Photography Here is where I have to recommend an alternative, at least for working pros. For most photographers who do work such as weddings or portraits, features like dual card slots and sensor stabilization become highly necessary. Indeed, I would be doing you a disservice if I didn't recommend saving up for a camera like the Nikon Z5 II, even though it's nearly double the price. Having said that, here's the deal: if you're just starting out, the Z50 II is still one of the best beginner cameras for an aspiring pro. In fact, I dare say that no other "upgrade path" on the market will feel as seamless as the Nikon system. You can jump to a Z5 II and barely have to change anything about how the camera feels & operates. I'll discuss this more later, but other entry-level cameras just don't offer quite the same user experience. Action Sports & Wildlife Photography The same theme of my advice goes well here too: if you're a wildlife photographer who mainly uses a Z6 III, you might want a 2nd camera with a different lens. So, again, I cannot emphasize enough how helpful it is to have two cameras that are as similar as possible when it comes to how the ergonomics feel, where the buttons are, etc. All that is to say, the Z50 II is more than adequate for high-speed action sports & wildlife; especially if you're okay with JPG capture, you'll get up to the new (insane, in my opinion) industry standard of 30 FPS. Landscape & Nightscape Photography With just 20 megapixels at its disposal, I would like to lump together all of the photography genres in which you might be making enormous prints. Maybe it's landscape photography, or maybe it's back to portraits & weddings. Either way, there's no avoiding this reality: 20 megapixels is plenty for most things, but it's still the lowest-resolution sensor on the market. The Z50 II does have excellent image quality, however, with dynamic range and high ISO image results that make it one of the best APSC sensors we have ever reviewed. All you need to do is keep the resolution in mind if you're an adventurous landscape photographer who makes "huge" prints measured in feet or yards/meters. Nikon Z50 II Review | Pros & Cons Now that we've talked about genres of photography, let's briefly go over the nitty-gritty details of how the Nikon Z50 II actually performs. Spoiler alert: The image quality for both video and stills is incredible. The (digital) sensor stabilization, when combined with a lens that has optical stabilization, is shockingly good. The autofocus performance is impressive, and overall, as I've been saying, the camera is just a delight to use. Image Quality (Stills) Although its resolution is clocked at 20 megapixels, resolution is, of course, just a number. How do the images out of the Nikon Z50 II actually look? Gorgeous. Colors and contrast are vibrant and clear. Dynamic range is impressive, almost on par with full-frame sensors though not quite. In fact, even the high-ISO noise levels are almost on par with full-frame sensors, too! This is one of the most impressive aspects of the Z50 II, and indeed the 20-megapixel sensor that Nikon has been sticking with for a while now. It's an incredible sensor, and hard to beat. Dynamic Range Test, ISO 100 I dare say that if you're not really a pixel-peeper, you'll be hard-pressed to notice a difference between the Z50 II images and those from any full-frame Nikon camera. The dynamic range at ISO 100 is incredible; its shadow recovery (and highlight recovery) will drop your jaw. The noise levels at high ISOs are also virtually indistinguishable from full-frame, as long as you keep it modest and correctly expose your images around ISO 3200 or so. That's how good this sensor is. Most folks, in my opinion, ought to consider this much more strongly, than any megapixel comparison. (SIDE NOTE: 30-40 megapixels on APSC is severely hampered by diff