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This week, Nikon announced its latest APS-C camera, the Z50II. It's an update to 2019's Z50, using the same sensor but with an upgraded processor. With it comes Nikon's 3D tracking autofocus system, which can recognize up to nine subjects and automatically switch between them.
During our brief time with the camera, we were able to put it to the test shooting some wildlife around Seattle, as well as a variety of landscapes and other subjects.
This week there were a ton of accessories released, so we're going to skip any pre-amble and get straight into it. Let's start with the deals:
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Photo: Richard Butler
We're still several weeks away from Thanksgiving, but several brands have already started announcing their holiday sales. First off is Sony, which has put several cameras and lenses on sale. Included on that list is the a7RV, which is available for $400 off MSRP.
Tamron has also put many of its lenses on sale. Its 28-75mm F2.8 G2 for E-mount is $200 off, as is its 35-150mm F2-2.8, which is available for Sony E and Nikon Z mount. You can see the full list of lenses on sale on Tamron's website.
SmallRig takes on the Z50II
Image: SmallRig
This week, Nikon announced its new Z50II APS-C camera. If you're on the list to get one, you may also want to check out some of the accessories SmallRig's making for it. There are the usual suspects; a $30 base plate for quickly mounting the camera to a tripod and attaching a few accessories, and a $70 cage if you really want to build a video shooting setup, but there's also a wireless shooting grip.
The grip, which is currently listed as "coming soon" on SmallRig's website, does many things; it's a mini tripod that you can use to prop your Z50II up on a table, as well as a selfie stick. Built into the handle is a detachable remote you can use to wirelessly control your camera. It has a zoom toggle, shutter and record button and a customizable button.
While it's not the type of thing that will likely appeal to seasoned photographers the way the cages and plates will, it is a smart accessory for the younger beginner photographers that the Z50II is mainly aimed at. Currently there's no word on pricing, though SmallRig does make a very similar product for Canon and Sony that runs around $90.
All of the lights
Image: Harlowe
Harlowe, the company formerly known as Hobolite, which makes lighting equipment designed to look like classic film equipment, has some new lights available. First up are two RGB lighting tubes, which Harlowe calls the Blade series. The Blade 5 is 16.4cm (6.46") long, and the Blade ten is 36cm (14.17") long. They can be used to add a splash of color, or as tradition lights, as they also have a traditional bi-color white lighting mode.
Like most of Harlowe's products, there's a heavy emphasis on design; the Blade lights have a leather and metal look, which could be attractive to people who intend on including them in their shots. They're powered by a built-in battery, which charges via USB C, and can be controlled via dials or an app.
You can magnetically attach modifiers to the Blade lights, and they come with a frosted dome diffuser and barn doors, as well as a carrying bag. The Blade 5 is $199 and the Blade 10 is $299; there's also a kit that comes with one of each size for $399.
Folded up, the Sol 5 almost looks like an old lens.
Image: Harlowe
For creators that often shoot videos and photos on their phones, Harlowe has also released the Sol 5, a bi-color light that magnetically attaches to the back of an iPhone via MagSafe. By default it points away from the screen, lighting up whatever you're shooting with your phone's rear cameras, but it can also be flipped up to help provide some extra light for selfies. The Sol 5 is $79 by itself, or $159 if you opt for the "Travel Kit," which includes a diffusion panel and a carrying case.
Lowepro has announced a ton of new bags in its new Protactic III series, including some classic photographer-focused backpacks, slings, and more. There are a variety of sizes and classes of bags; the "Lite" models can still carry a bunch of gear but aren't as burly as the standard bags. The Lite models have a few of Lowepro's "SlipLock tabs" which can be used to add pouches, pockets, and other accessories onto the bag, but the regular models are absolutely covered with them. The loops are also compatible with standard MOLLE and PALS add-ons.
Compared to older models, Lowepro says its BP 350 and 450 packs have an "adaptive harness" to make carrying heavier loads more comfortable, an improved webbing system that makes it easier to attach large tripods to the bag, an updated divider system, and more exterior pockets. Like the previous Protactic packs, they have four access points, letting you get at your gear from the top, back, or either side of the pack.
Most of the packs in the lineup are made of somewhere between 85 and 87% recycled fabric, which Loewpro says still meets its standards for durability.
The packs and their respective accessories should be available starting later this month.
Taking flight
Photo: DJI
DJI has announced a newer, less expensive pair of FPV drone goggles called the Goggles N3. They're designed to work with the company's Avata 2 and Neo drones, and are built around a 1080p 60Hz LCD display that can put out up to 1350 nits of brightness. While that's definitely a step down from the dual Micro-OLED displays in DJI's more expensive Goggles 3, it does offer a 54° field of view, which is wider than the 44° FOV of the more premium goggles.
The Goggles N3 have a built-in defogging function, which could be useful if you're flying in a humid environment. They can be also used to play back panoramic videos from a microSD card, in case you want to feel like you're flying without actually getting out your drone.
The Goggles N3 will cost $229 when they launch later this month.
Sales for the quarter were 619.8 billion yen, essentially flat year-onyear.
Operating income increased 15% year-on-year to 70.2 billion yen, mainly due to the favorable impact of foreign exchange rates and cost reduction effects.
The FY24 forecast remains unchanged from the previous forecast.
Major markets such as North America, Europe, China and Japan remained generally stable during the quarter, and solid business operations enabled us to achieve operating income that exceeded the same quarter of the previous fiscal year.
We continue to pay close attention to inventory control, and, while overall segment sales remained essentially the same as in the same period of the previous fiscal year, we were able to reduce inventory by approximately 10% at the end of the quarter.
On the other hand, the imaging business, which significantly grew year-on-year in the first quarter ended June 30, 2024, mainly in China, was essentially flat year-on-year in the current quarter. As a result, we have incorporated into our forecast a pro-active change to a more cautious production and inventory plan in preparation for the year-end selling season.
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Updated Nov 8, 2024
Sixteen years after Panasonic introduced the first mirrorless camera, mirrorless cameras now dominate the interchangeable lens camera market. They include cameras designed for a wide range of photo and video pursuits and models at everything from budget to professional price points.
We've used and tested just about every current mirrorless camera on the market and picked out what we think are the stand-out models. We'll start with the most affordable models, then work our way up from there. In general terms, as you move up the price ladder, you'll see larger sensors with better image quality, higher resolution, faster burst rates, or more capable video specs. We'll explain why we've chosen each camera and try to explain the advantages and disadvantages of each choice.
Rolling shutter 'jello effect' present in 4K video
Crop when recording 4K/30p video
The Sony a6100 is an entry-level APS-C mirrorless camera. While in 2024 it's one of the older camera still available, its 24MP sensor, touchscreen for easy focus placement and Sony's excellent autofocus tracking, which especially excels at focusing on people and pets, still make it excellent value for its price.
The a6100 is happiest if you prefer to point-and-shoot in an auto mode, supported by its very good autofocus. The wide range of lenses available for it give you somewhere to grow if you find yourself catching the photography bug.
The a6100 is the most basic model in the a6000-series and doesn't feel quite as robust as its step-up siblings. It offers a lower-resolution electronic viewfinder, and twin control dials that are both thumb-operated. Its touchscreen flips upward 180-degrees for easy selfie framing and vlogging.
Sony's autofocus system has been trained to recognize people and pets as subjects, and will follow them flawlessly throughout the frame. Coupled with the ability to touch the screen to place a focus point, it's a system that will serve beginner users very well, whatever they're shooting.
"The a6100's autofocus can effortlessly track whatever you point it at"
The a6100 makes it easy to record 4K footage or slow-motion 1080 video. There's a socket to connect an external mic but no way to connect headphones for monitoring. It can be set up for tap-to-track autofocus in video, too. There's significant 'jello-effect' distortion in the 4K footage though, especially in 24p mode.
The a6100 is a good entry-level camera with a very powerful, easy-to-use autofocus system. We're not huge fans of the kit zoom and the interface isn't especially welcoming, but with a few settings changes, it can help you get excellent shots, easily.
The Sony a6700 is an enthusiast-level APS-C mirrorless camera built around an image-stabilized, 26MP BSI CMOS sensor. It includes an impressive collection of features for both photo and video shooters.
The a6700 might look a lot like the a6100, but it's a much more advanced model with better build quality, greater capabilities in both stills and video, and more hands-on control points.
The a6700 has a thumb-and-forefinger dial interface missing from Sony's less expensive models. It’s just slightly larger than previous models in the line, but in exchange, you also get a fully articulating display. However, it lacks the AF joystick found on many cameras in its class.
Autofocus on the a6700 offers class-leading subject detection and tracking capabilities. Combined with a dedicated ‘AI’ processor, it effectively tracks subjects around the frame even when shooting at the maximum 11 fps burst shooting rate.
"Excellent photo and video quality with best-in-class AF in stills and video make it an excellent choice for enthusiasts."
The camera produces very detailed 4K video up to 60p with 10-bit color, with good rolling shutter performance. There’s also a 4K/120p mode, albeit with a 1.58x crop. Autofocus performance is top-notch, with a well-designed touch interface. It's a strong option both for videographers and vloggers.
Excellent photo and video quality, best-in-class AF in stills and video, and a deep set of features to support both make it an excellent choice for enthusiasts. Sony's E-mount also includes a good range of available lenses.
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What are my other APS-C options?
Although the Sony a6700 is the most capable APS-C camera, if you consider autofocus performance, image quality and video capabilities, there are several other worthy contenders to the title. We appreciate the combination of affordability and likeability of Nikon's Z fc, now that there are a handful of prime lenses to use with it, and we respect the Sony-rivaling capabilities of several of Canon's APS-C RF models, which you can now get some decent third-party fast zooms for. If you're willing to take a chance, Nikon's Z50II also looks to be a very interesting follow-up to the Z fc, but we haven't been able to test it enough to include it on this list.
Fujifilm's X-T50 is also worth considering if you're looking at APS-C cameras
Photo: Richard Butler
But it's the Fujifilm X-T50 that we'd suggest considering if you don't think the a6700 is for you. We like its design – including the film simulation button that encourages you to play with different looks – and it shoots great video and attractive stills. Touches such as the AF joystick make it that bit more engaging and enjoyable to shoot with, than the Sony.
Its autofocus tracking isn't nearly as reliable as Sony or Canon's latest cameras, but where it really shines is in the selection of lenses available for it. Fujifilm makes a broad selection of prime lenses and the excellent 16-50mm F2.8-4.8 OIS zoom, which is significantly better than the lenses bundled with most of these cameras. Third party support is strong, too, meaning the camera can grow with you as your photography develops.
Full-frame cameras (those with image sensors the same size as traditional "35mm" film) offer the potential for better image quality than smaller formats, simply because they have a larger area on which to capture light. However, you don't get something for nothing: even if you can find an affordable, compact full-frame camera at a good price, the lenses needed to make the most of it will be larger and will typically cost more than those for APS-C or Four Thirds sensors. Broadly speaking, there's a balance to be struck between image quality, size and price, which is worth contemplating before you make the assumption that full-frame is the best (or even 'better') format.
The Canon EOS R8 is a surprisingly capable compact full-frame mirrorless camera that has the features and image quality of Canon's EOS R6 II at a much lower price.
The EOS R8 has a comfortable grip and twin dials, giving a good level of direct control. There aren't many buttons so more committed users may want to move up to the EOS R6 II, rather than rely on the quick menu for changing settings.
Autofocus is the R8's strong suit: tracking and subject detection are simple to use and very effective. There's no AF joystick, so you'll have to use the touchscreen or select a subject and recompose. Battery life is very limited for an entry-level full-frame camera, though it can charge over USB, at least.
"If you're partial to Canon and are new to full-frame mirrorless, the EOS R8 is a great place to start your photographic journey."
The R8 shoots attractive video, including 4K footage at up to 60p. The lack of in-body stabilization means you'll need a stabilized lens or a tripod to get the best results.
Photos are on par with more expensive full-frame cameras, with great high ISO performance, detail-preserving noise reduction, and Canon's pleasing JPEG colors. The 40 fps burst mode is prone to rolling shutter distortion, reducing its usefulness for capturing action.
The EOS R8 offers the image quality and many of the features of Canon's more expensive models but battery life, viewfinder resolution and lack of sensor stabilization are part of the price you pay for that. The RF mount is still fairly new so it's worth researching your lens options before buying, but an adapter allows the use of EF DSLR lenses if you have them.
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What are the other entry-level full-frame options?
We also think the Nikon Z5 is worth considering if you're looking for a comparatively affordable full-frame camera. It's older than the Canon and its autofocus tracking and video capabilities lag significantly behind as a result. Like Canon's RF system, Nikon's Z-mount lens ecosystem is also somewhat short on affordable lenses to pair with an entry-level camera, though Nikon has allowed a couple of other brands to make selected lenses for the system.
Its usability is really what earns it a place in this guide, though. The Z5 has a larger, higher-resolution viewfinder than the EOS R8, much longer battery life, in-body image stabilization and an AF joystick, all of which can make it a rather more enjoyable camera to shoot with. Definitely worth a look.
There are some exceptionally good cameras in the $2000-$2500 price category, but few of them are as eye-catching as the Nikon Zf. While the styling is distinctly 1981, the performance is much more contemporary, with very competitive autofocus and the strong balance of stills and video capabilities that we've come to expect from a camera at this price.
The Zf gives the choice of using the dedicated control dials or customizable command dials. In most respects it copies its well-polished control system from other recent Nikons. Not everyone will enjoy the angular early 80's handling but it handles just as well as the cameras it resembles.
The Zf's autofocus is impressive, with both subject recognition and AF tracking both working well. It's perhaps not quite as confidence-inspiring as the latest Sony cameras, but it's not far off. It'd be nice to have an AF joystick but the rear control pad does a decent job.
"The Zf's looks may date from 1981, but its performance is completely contemporary"
The Zf has a very solid video feature set. Oversampled 4K/30 and cropped 4K/60 is standard for this sensor, but the Zf also adds a waveform display that's especially useful for exposing its 10-bit Log footage.
The Zf uses a very familiar 24MP BSI sensor that has underpinned numerous cameras in recent years, and the results are predictably good. There's plenty of dynamic range and enough detail capture for all but the most demanding applications.
The Nikon Zf's performance lives up to its looks. It's not as comfortable to hold for long periods as more modern designs, but it's also distinctive and engaging in a way they're arguably not. We're still completing our testing, but it hasn't disappointed yet.
Good autofocus tracking with auto subject recognition mode
Extensive choice of video resolutions and codecs
What we don't:
Peak dynamic range lower than peers
N-Raw video format has limited support
Nikon controls 3rd-party lens options
The Nikon Z6III is Nikon's third-generation full-frame enthusiast mirrorless camera, with a 'partially stacked' 25MP CMOS sensor.
The Nikon Z6III represents a significant step up for the Z6 series, and from the Zf, becoming a very capable camera for both stills and video. Its autofocus has caught up to the pack, and its sensor readout speeds – and, therefore, rolling shutter performance in video – are among the best in its category.
The Z6III has an ample grip and easy-to-use control scheme. Nikon's menus and touchscreen layout are also well-refined, but the camera lacks the company's traditional AF mode button or front-corner switch.
The Z6III is a genuine do-anything camera with excellent video and photo capabilities.
Autofocus is generally reliable, and the camera includes Nikon's 3D-tracking system and plenty of subject recognition modes. It can shoot 20 raws per second, or 60fps in JPEG mode.
The Z6III shoots many video formats, including Raw, and has dependable subject-tracking autofocus and a waveform display. Its 4K and 5.4K modes produce excellent detail, even in 60p, and its rolling shutter performance is outstanding.
Image quality is very good, with lots of detail and acceptable amounts of noise. There is a slight dynamic range tradeoff for speed, but it's only noticeable in extreme situations.
The Z6III is a significant step-up from its predecessor and is to-date the most all-round capable camera in its class. It excels in both stills and video.
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The mid-priced rivals
There are plenty of other cameras worth considering, in the around $2000 price category. Canon's EOS R6 II is probably the strongest competitor to the Z6III. It has a slightly smaller viewfinder, and its video specs aren't as good, but if you're just looking to shoot stills, your choice between the two should be dictated purely by which system has the lenses you want at prices you're happy with.
If you shoot outside a lot and need a compact system with excellent weather sealing, the OM System OM-1 II is worth considering; outside of that use case, it's probably worth considering other options unless you're heavily invested in Micro Four Thirds lenses.
Sony's a7 IV is also not a bad choice, with capable autofocus and slightly higher resolution capture than its peers, though its video suffers as a consequence. However, we'd strongly recommend the smaller, less expensive a7C II instead. Its autofocus is a generation newer, and it's appreciably smaller than its rivals. The viewfinder is small, and there's no AF joystick, though, which are the main reasons it's not one of our main picks.
Best high-end mirrorless camera: Canon EOS R5 II
45MP Stacked CMOS sensor | Eye-controlled AF subject selection | Up to 30fps continuous shooting
Excellent image quality in a range of circumstances
Very fast autofocus with great subject tracking
Good video support tools, including waveform display
What we don't:
Slight reduction in dynamic range in extreme scenarios
Eye control can be tempermental
Temperature limits require considered shooting in heaviest video modes
The Canon EOS R5 II is one of the most capable cameras we've ever tested and will almost certainly be up to any task that most photographers can throw at it. It shoots at high resolution, has an excellent autofocus system and sports plenty of video features.
The grip is very well-shaped and proportioned, and the controls are all well-placed and comfortable to use for extended periods. Eye Control for autofocus is excellent when it works, which isn't always
The EOS R5 II has excellent tracking and subject-tracking autofocus performance. The subject detection is effective without getting in your way. It can shoot Raws at up to an extremely rapid 30fps.
The EOS R5 II does a vast range of things and does most of them extremely well: it's a really impressive all-rounder for action, landscapes, video, you name it.
It has plenty of video options up to Raw 8K/60p, offering high levels of detail, though it can overheat when shooting in its most impressive modes. Its rolling shutter rates are generally quite good.
The 45MP Raws are highly detailed, and the JPEG sharpening and noise reduction are sensible. It can't quite match higher-resolution cameras like the A7R V, but performs well in its own right.
The EOS R5 II excels at almost everything it tries to do, and that's a long list. It's hard to imagine what photo or video need it won't support you in.
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A worthy competitor
The strongest competitor to the EOS R5 II besides the original EOS R5 is Nikon's Z8. Canon's high-end entry does have some features that could be useful to certain photographers, like Action Priority AF and Eye Control, but outside of that your choice should again be dictated by lens selection, as they're both supremely capable cameras.
The Sony a7CR takes most of the features of the more expensive a7R V and provides them in a smaller package. The viewfinder is disappointing for such an expensive camera, but nothing gives you so much image quality in such a small, capable package.
The a7CR is impressively small for a full-frame camera. The addition of a front control dial improves handling significantly. Notably, there’s no joystick for positioning the AF point, and the viewfinder is small and very low resolution for a camera costing this much.
Autofocus performance on the a7CR is very good and is helped by a dedicated processor for crunching complex machine learning-trained algorithms. Subject recognition is quick, and the AF system tracks subjects tenaciously around the frame in either stills or video. 8 fps burst shooting with continuous AF results in a dependably high hit rate.
"If you're looking for maximum resolution in a travel-sized body, the a7RC is tough to beat."
The a7CR captures 4K video at up to 60 fps. The most detailed, oversampled footage results from a 1.2x crop of the sensor, which makes it challenging to maintain wider focal lengths. Auto Framing mode uses AI algorithms to mimic the way a camera operator might punch in on subjects, keeping them framed and in focus.
The a7CR's 61MP sensor can capture a lot of detail, putting it ahead of most full-frame rivals; though it is a little noisier in low light. JPEG colors are pleasing, and excellent sharpening makes the most out of the 61MP sensor. Raw files provide plenty of latitude to pull up shadows at base ISO.
The a7CR delivers impressive results for its size. It essentially provides the same level of image quality, and most of the same features, as Sony's a7R V, but in a smaller package. In exchange for the small size, you make a few compromises, like no AF joystick, but if you're looking for maximum resolution in a travel-sized body, the a7CR is tough to beat.
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What are the other high-end options?
Just about all the cameras that cost $2500 and up are, unsurprisingly, rather good. We go into a little more detail about their relative merits in our 'High-end camera buying guide.' As at any price, the key things to consider are what types of photography you plan to do (and hence, which features and capabilities are most important to you), and whether the lenses you need are available at a price you're willing to pay.
Why you should trust us
This buying guide is based on cameras used and tested by DPReview's editorial team. We don't select a camera until we've used it enough to be confident in recommending it, usually after our extensive review process. The selections are purely a reflection of which cameras we believe to be best: there are no financial incentives for us to select one model or brand over another.
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Product photos by Nikon
The Nikon Z50II is the company's latest entry-level APS-C mirrorless camera, built around a 21MP CMOS sensor. As with the original Z50, it's expressly aimed at stills and video creators looking for a small camera that makes it easy to upload.
It brings updated burst modes and AF functions to its predecessor, but most of the advancements are on the video side of the camera.
Key specifications
20.9MP APS-C sensor
Twin control dials
Full-width 4K video up to 30p (60p with crop)
3D-tracking autofocus and subject recognition for nine subject types
Up to 11fps mechanical, with up to 1 second pre-release capture
Fully articulated 3.2" touchscreen
Single UHS-II SD card slot in battery compartment
2.36M dot EVF with brightness up to 1000nits
The Z50II will retail for $909 body-only and $1,049 as a kit with Nikon's DX 16-50 F3.5-6.3 lens. The company says it'll be available in "late November."
The Z50II is, as the name suggests, an updated version of the company's original APS-C Z-mount camera. Much of what it gains comes from the use of a newer, more powerful Expeed 7 processor, but there are some subtle yet potentially significant additions beyond that.
Flexible Color Picture Control and Picture Control Button
The new Picture Control button is right above the rear control dial.
It's a change unrelated to processing power that helps signpost what the Z50II is and who it's intended for: the addition of a dedicated 'Picture Control' button to let you select the camera's color mode.
The changes go deeper than the labeling of a button, though. The Z50II becomes the first model to offer 'flexible' Picture Control profiles that let you adjust or download additional profiles. The camera comes with 31 but you can add more, and limit which ones appear when you hit the Picture Control button, so that it doesn't become overwhelming.
Nikon has, at least as far back as 2008, been one of the few brands to offer software to let you edit its in-camera profiles. The company's NX Studio software lets you adjust the existing Picture Controls, applying your own custom tone curve or changing the sharpening and saturation of the profile. However, you only get limited control over the color response, with a global hue adjustment, rather than the ability to re-map colors that a LUT would give.
It's the ability to download Creator Recipe profiles from Nikon's Imaging Cloud that we suspect most users will experiment with.
Brighter viewfinder
The Z50II also gains a brighter viewfinder, now capable of displaying up to 1000 nits, double the maximum brightness of the one in the existing model. The display isn't bright enough to fully preview HLG high dynamic range capture though, and is still the same 2.36M dot resolution.
Subject recognition / 3D Tracking
One of the most significant improvements that does come from the new processor is the Z50II's autofocus system. It gains the subject recognition modes from other recent Nikon cameras, boosting the number of recognized subjects from three to nine.
Nikon Z50II
Nikon Z50 / Zfc
Subjects recognized
Humans (Eye, Face, Upper Body)
Birds
Cats
Dogs
Cars
Motorcycles
Bicycles
Trains
Airplanes
Humans (Eye, Face, Upper Body)
Cats
Dogs
It also adds the 3D Tracking AF mode, that makes it quicker to track subjects, regardless of whether the camera has been specifically trained to recognize them.
C30 and pre-burst
Another Expeed 7 feature to arrive on the Z50II is its ability to shoot at high speeds in e-shutter mode, with the option to start buffering images when the shutter is half-pressed and saving images captured up to one second before the shutter button is fully depressed.
The Z50II's C30 and C15 modes can shoot with autofocus at up to 30fps or 15fps, respectively, though it only records JPEGs.
Nikon Imaging Cloud
The Z50II is also compatible with Nikon's Imaging Cloud service, which debuted with the Z6III. That means that, when connected to a Wi-Fi network, it can automatically upload your photos to Nikon's servers, which shuffle them off to your choice of third-party cloud storage services, such as Dropbox, Google Drive, or Lightroom. You can also have your camera automatically download firmware updates, and have it sync Picture Control presets that you've selected on your computer or phone. While many cameras have similar features, they have to be paired with a smartphone or camera to use them – the Z50II can do it on its own connected to your router.
What's new for video:
Despite using the same sensor as the Z50, Nikon has managed to squeeze significantly better video out of it. The Z50II can now encode video in 10-bit precision, allowing internal N-Log capture to maximize color and tone grading potential, or HLG high dynamic range capture for playback on HDR displays and TVs.
The Z50II also gains the ability to capture 4K/60 footage from a cropped region of the sensor.
On top of this, Nikon says the electronic image stabilization (eVR) in video mode is improved. The Z50II also gets a "product review" autofocus mode, that knows to override its face detection AF if an object is held up in front of the camera: a feature that can be useful for vloggers discussing a specific product they want to show.
How it compares
The Z50II arrives into what was previously a competitive point in the market but one that fewer and fewer manufactuers seem to be catering to. Fujifilm offers the similarly beginner-friendly X-M5 for around $200 less, but with no viewfinder, or the high-resolution, image stabilized X-T50 for a whopping $400 more. Meanwhile, Sony offers the now rather elderly a6400 at a comparable price. It makes fewer accommodations to people new to ILCs and its age means its video spec lags way behind.
It's only really Canon, with its EOS R10 that offers an approximately like-for-like competitor to the Z50II. The other camera we feel it makes sense to compare is Nikon's own Zfc. It has near identical spec to the original Z50, other than it has a fully articulated rear screen. By including another Nikon entry-level camera, we can see what's changed over the past five years.
Nikon Z50II
Canon EOS R10
Sony a6400
Nikon Zfc
MSRP (With kit zoom)
$909 ($1049 w/ 16-50 F3.5-6.3)
$979
$900
$960
Pixel count
20MP
24MP
24MP
20MP
Image stabilization
No
No
No
No
Max frame rate
11fps (mech)
30fps (e-shutter, JPEG)
15fps (mech)
23fps (e-shutter)
11fps (mech)
8fps (e-shutter)
11 fps (12-bit Raw)
9 fps (14-bit)
Viewfinder res. / mag.
2.36M dot 0.68x
2.36M dot 0.59x
2.36M dot 0.71x
2.36M-dot 0.68x
Rear screen res. / type
3.2" / 1.04M dot fully-articulated
3.0" / 1.04M dot fully-articulated
3.0" / 921k dot tilting touchscreen
3.0" / 1.04M-dot fully-articulating
AF selection
Touchscreen / D-pad
Touchscreen / joystick
Touchscreen / D-pad
Touchscreen / D-pad
Video
UHD 30p full-width
UHD 60p with 1.5x crop
UHD 30p full-width
UHD 60p from 1.56x crop
UHD 24p full width
30p with 1.22x crop
UHD 30p/24p full-width
10-bit options
N-Log, HLG
HDR PQ
No
No
Mic / headphone sockets?
Yes / Yes
Yes / No
Yes / No
Yes / No
CIPA Battery rating (LCD/EVF)
250 / 230
350 / 210
410 / 360
360 / 310
Weight
520g (18.3 oz)
426g (15oz)
403 g (14.2oz)
445g (15.7oz)
Dimensions
127 x 97 x 67mm (5.0 x 3.8 x 2.6")
126 x 88 x 83 mm (5.0 x 3.5 x 3.3")
120 x 67 x 60 mm (4.7 x 2.6 x 2.4")
135 x 94 x 44 mm (5.3 x 3.7 x 1.7")
As well as advances in technology, another change since we reviewed the Z50 is that both Nikon and Canon have allowed some third-party lenses into their respective APS-C systems. In the case of Nikon, that includes three of Sigma's DC DN prime lenses, which add relatively affordable ways to boost the camera's capabilities. Canon, meanwhile, has allowed Sigma to offer its two DC DN zooms, with four prime lenses to follow.
This still leaves both systems well short of the variety of APS-C focused lenses offered for Fujifilm's X mount, or of the selection available for Sony, but means you're not solely dependent on the camera maker's development priorities for either camera anymore.
Body and handling
The body of the Z50II is very much like that of its predecessor, which is to say it's like a slightly shrunk-down version of Nikon's original Z-series full-frame models. Despite the size reduction, the Z50II retains a fairly substantial hand grip.
The body is primarily made from fiber-reinforced plastic, which gives it a fairly solid feel without becoming overly heavy. There's a textured coating around the handgrip and the back corner of the camera that gives a comfortable and reassuring amount of grip on the camera. The front and rear command dials are well positioned for forefinger and thumb operation without any need to shift your hand position on the camera.
It gains four extra buttons along the back of the camera, compared with its predecessor, which means its controls much more closely mimic those of the full-frame Z models, with dedicated +/– zoom buttons, a drive mode button and a 'DISP' button being added. There's an additional button on the top of the camera, too: just behind the existing [REC], ISO and Exposure Comp buttons is a dedicated 'Picture Control' button.
It doesn't gain the joystick that the full-frame models have, though, and the Stills/Movie switch they feature around their DISP buttons is instead on the Z50II's top plate. The Play and Drive Mode buttons are transposed relative to the full-frame models, but we doubt enough people will be trying to shoot both side-by-side for this difference to matter).
The Z50II also moves from a tilt up/down screen to a fully articulated one, as featured on the Zfc and Z30. Nikon has described all four of its APS-C Z-mount models as being for 'creators,' so this change is no real surprise.
Viewfinder & screen
The Z50II's viewfinder can now go as bright as 1000 nits: twice as bright as the one in the older model, which should mean there's less need for your eye to adapt when you're using the camera in bright sunshine. It's not bright enough to fully preview HLG images, though.
It remains a relatively low resolution 2.36M dot display, in keeping with the Z50II's lowly position in the lineup. It offers 0.68x magnification, in equivalent terms, which is pretty large for a camera at this price.
Ports & slots
The Z50II's specs tell the story of how far we've come in the five years since the launch of the original model. Its SD card slot can now make full use of the faster UHS-II cards, while its USB socket has been upgraded to the Type C standard and 5Gbit/s transfer rates. It's also been made compatible with the UVC/UAC USB video and audio standards, so it can be used as a webcam without the need for any specialist drivers or software.
The camera also gains a headphone socket to allow audio monitoring, something that really boosts its usefulness as a video camera.
Battery
The Z50II uses a new EN-EL25a battery, which sees the capacity increase from 8.5Wh to 9.4Wh. Despite this 10% increase, the CIPA battery ratings for the Z50II are 250 shots per charge using the rear screen and 230 using the viewfinder. These are around 20% lower than on its predecessor, presumably as a consequence of the more powerful processor.
CIPA figures tend to assume extensive use of flash and rather more looking at image review than most people actually do, so we wouldn't be at all surprised to get twice as many shots as this in our own usage, more if we were shooting bursts. You can also gain around 9 percent more shots if you engage power-saving mode, but these aren't great figures for a camera you might want to use a lot.
As you'd expect, the camera can be charged over its USB-C socket, so there are ways to top the battery up fairly easily. However, it does not come with a battery charger in the box.
Initial impressions
By Mitchell Clark
From a certain angle, the Z50II is a minor update to its predecessor. It has the same sensor housed in a similar body and doesn't add anything revolutionary – there are no features that are unheard of for its category or that make us rethink what's possible with photography.
That's not a bad thing. The Z50II's main audience is first-time camera buyers, and when I think back to when I was getting into photography, the Z50II would've been exactly what I was looking for – something that gets the basics right without costing an arm and a leg.
I only got to spend a day shooting with the Z50II, but during that time nothing about it felt budget. The ergonomics and build quality felt just right for its size, and its performance was snappy; I never felt like I was waiting around for the camera or that it couldn't shoot fast enough to capture whatever I pointed it at.
The autofocus, in particular, was a standout. We've praised Nikon's 3D Tracking system and subject recognition before, and it's just as capable in the Z50II. In the past, the autofocus situation on beginner-focused cameras has been awkward: people who aren't experienced need the most help, but the most capable systems are also the most expensive ones, so they don't make it into lower-end cameras. That's not the case with the Z50II.
The Z50II's autofocus system was confidence-inspiring, even in automatic subject detect mode.
ISO 100 | 1/400 sec | F4 | Nikon Z 70-200mm f2.8 VR S w/ 1.4x teleconverter
Photo: Mitchell Clark
It even features automatic subject detection, giving you one less thing to think about when you're scrambling to get the shot. That'd be great for parents looking to get great shots of their kids playing sports – or pet owners looking to show off their fast-moving dogs and cats – without breaking the bank.
The video features are also robust, to the point where it feels like Nikon's targeting not just content creators but first-year film students, too. Beginner photographers who also want to capture video will be happy with its standard 4K capabilities, but they won't have any use for features like N-Log and waveforms.
Then there's the Picture Control button. I'm not entirely convinced color profiles are the thing to draw new people into photography, but camera manufacturers seem to disagree – this year we saw Panasonic debut its LUT button, and Fujifilm release two cameras with film simulation dials.
Even if the crowds are craving color control, the indirectness of Nikon's system could make it a little tricky for beginners. You don't beam them directly from your phone to your camera; you select which ones you want in Nikon's app, and then your camera downloads them via Wi-Fi. My years in tech support tell me there will be some confusion based on the camera needing to be connected to the internet on its own.
The real elephant in the room is lenses. The company makes five 'DX' lenses for its APS-C systems: a single prime and four zooms with maximum apertures of 3.5 or higher. There are several third-party autofocus primes, including some of the very good Sigma DC DN Contemporaries, but if you want a zoom with a consistent or fast aperture, you'll have to use a heavier, more expensive full-frame option from Nikon.
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Sample gallery
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Focal length 75mm (equivalent to a full frame 59mm focal length)
Maximum aperture: f/3.4
Minimum focusing distance: 0.55m
10 elements in 10 groups with 1 aspherical element and 3 extra-low dispersion elements
Exposure times of 68 minutes to 1/2000th second, with full flash synchronization
Weight: 14 oz (398 g)
X Extension Tube: 9mm in length, 3.14 oz (89g) in weight, compatible with XCD series lenses
Press release:
Hasselblad Expands XCD Portable Lens Series with the Lightweight, Standard XCD 3,4/75P Lens, Ideal for Portraits, Street, and Still-Life Photography
The XCD 3,4/75P is the latest addition to the Hasselblad XCD Portable (P) lens series and the first standard lens in the lineup. With a 59mm full-frame equivalent focal length and the largest aperture in the XCD P series at f/3,4, the XCD 3,4/75P is designed for photographers who need powerful performance in a lightweight, agile form. Its exceptional optical quality and unique lightness make it ideal for capturing portraits, street scenes, and still life with effortless precision.
Mastering Light and Shadow for Exceptional Portraits
The XCD 3,4/75P boasts an optical structure of ten elements in ten groups, including one aspherical element and three ED elements, effectively suppressing chromatic dispersion. This sophisticated design contributes to its compact form and ensures a powerful optical performance that meets the demands of a 100-megapixel sensor. From the center to the edges of the frame, the lens delivers sharp, clear images with vibrant and lifelike colors. Its f/3,4 maximum aperture enhances detail capture in low-light portraits.
Exploring Diverse Subjects with a Unique Perspective
The XCD 3,4/75P has the longest focal length and the largest aperture in the XCD P series. It sits between standard and mid-telephoto lenses and is suitable for full-length and half-length portraits. The longer focal length, paired with its wide aperture, produces beautifully soft, natural bokeh to create stunning portrait images.
Elegance in Lightness for Photographers on the Go
Weighing just 398g and measuring only 71mm in length, the XCD 3,4/75P is a compact, lightweight, and highly portable lens, making it an excellent choice for portrait and street photographers on the move. Its sleek metal body is accentuated by a signature "H" pattern around the focus ring, adding elegance and Hasselblad’s distinctive style to its lightweight design.
Focusing on Beauty with Precision and Speed
Engineered for fast, accurate, and responsive focusing, the XCD 3,4/75P utilizes a linear stepping motor and a lighter, smaller focusing lens group. The linear stepping motor provides more precise control over the focus, enhancing accuracy, while the smaller focusing lens group makes focusing faster. When paired with a Hasselblad X System or V System medium format digital cameras that support PDAF, users will enjoy a smooth, quiet, and flexible focusing experience.
Silent and Subtle, Capturing Stunning Moments
The XCD 3,4/75P is equipped with a compact leaf shutter that operates with minimal vibration and noise, allowing users to shoot confidently in quiet environments. The leaf shutter offers speeds of up to 1/2000 second and full flash synchronization at all speeds, enabling photographers to capture high-speed subjects or use flash to creatively control light, even in bright sunlight, and achieve exceptional results.
The XCD 3,4/75P lens is priced at $2,229 USD / € 2529 EUR and is available to purchase online and at selected retail stores worldwide.
The Hasselblad X Extension Tube (9mm) will be launched simultaneously. It is designed specifically for the X System cameras, 907X cameras, and XCD series lenses. Extending the distance between the lens and the image sensor reduces the XCD lens's minimum focusing distance, enhancing the close-up capability and bringing intricate details within reach. The Hasselblad X Extension Tube is priced at $299 USD / €339 EUR and available to purchase online and at selected retail stores worldwide.
Hasselblad has officially announced its XCD 3,4/75P prime lens after teasing the new product on the company's X account earlier this week. It's part of the company's 'P' (for portable) series of more compact lenses. When used with Hasselblad's X, 907X and CFV 100C medium format digital cameras, the 75mm F3.4 lens provides a 59mm equivalent field of view.
Hasselblad suggests the lens should be suitable for a variety of applications, including portraiture with soft, natural bokeh or as a relatively fast, compact lens for street photography.
Optically, the XCD 3,4/75P comprises 10 elements in 10 groups, including one aspherical and three ED (Extra-low Dispersion) elements to help suppress chromatic aberration. It has a minimum focus distance of 55cm (21.6”) and a maximum magnification of 0.17x. It includes a 72mm front filter thread.
A linear stepping motor drives autofocus, and Hasselblad says the focusing lens group is designed to be small, allowing the lens to focus quickly.
The new lens is 75mm (2.9") in diameter, 76mm (2.9”) long and weighs 398g (14oz).
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Images: Hasselblad
At 75mm, it becomes the longest lens in the P series, joining Hasselblad's existing XCD 4/28P (22mm equiv) and XCD 4/45P (35mm equiv) lenses. It's also considerably smaller and more than 60% lighter than Hasselblad's XCD 80mm F1.9, the lens with the most similar focal length in Hasselblad's current lens lineup.
Like other XCD lenses, the 3,4/75P includes a built-in leaf shutter, supporting shutter speeds up to 1/2000 sec, which makes it a stop slower than Hasselblad's latest XCD V series lenses (which top out at 1/4000 sec), but allows for flash synchronization at all shutter speeds. The leaf shutter design contrasts with lenses for Fujifilm's GFX medium format system, which rely on a focal plane shutter in the camera.
Alongside the new lens, Hasselblad has also announced the X Extension Tube (9mm), designed specifically for Hasselblad’s X system cameras, 907X cameras and XCD series of lenses. It extends the distance between the lens and the sensor to reduce the minimum focus distance and improve close-up photography.
The XCD 3,4/75P is expected to be available immediately for $2229 in the US or €2529 in Europe. The X Extension Tube (9mm) is priced at $299 or €339.
Press release:
Hasselblad Expands XCD Portable Lens Series with the Lightweight, Standard XCD 3,4/75P Lens, Ideal for Portraits, Street, and Still-Life Photography
The XCD 3,4/75P is the latest addition to the Hasselblad XCD Portable (P) lens series and the first standard lens in the lineup. With a 59mm full-frame equivalent focal length and the largest aperture in the XCD P series at f/3,4, the XCD 3,4/75P is designed for photographers who need powerful performance in a lightweight, agile form. Its exceptional optical quality and unique lightness make it ideal for capturing portraits, street scenes, and still life with effortless precision.
Mastering Light and Shadow for Exceptional Portraits
The XCD 3,4/75P boasts an optical structure of ten elements in ten groups, including one aspherical element and three ED elements, effectively suppressing chromatic dispersion. This sophisticated design contributes to its compact form and ensures a powerful optical performance that meets the demands of a 100-megapixel sensor. From the center to the edges of the frame, the lens delivers sharp, clear images with vibrant and lifelike colors. Its f/3,4 maximum aperture enhances detail capture in low-light portraits.
Exploring Diverse Subjects with a Unique Perspective
The XCD 3,4/75P has the longest focal length and the largest aperture in the XCD P series. It sits between standard and mid-telephoto lenses and is suitable for full-length and half-length portraits. The longer focal length, paired with its wide aperture, produces beautifully soft, natural bokeh to create stunning portrait images.
Elegance in Lightness for Photographers on the Go
Weighing just 398g and measuring only 71mm in length, the XCD 3,4/75P is a compact, lightweight, and highly portable lens, making it an excellent choice for portrait and street photographers on the move. Its sleek metal body is accentuated by a signature "H" pattern around the focus ring, adding elegance and Hasselblad’s distinctive style to its lightweight design.
Focusing on Beauty with Precision and Speed
Engineered for fast, accurate, and responsive focusing, the XCD 3,4/75P utilizes a linear stepping motor and a lighter, smaller focusing lens group. The linear stepping motor provides more precise control over the focus, enhancing accuracy, while the smaller focusing lens group makes focusing faster. When paired with a Hasselblad X System or V System medium format digital cameras that support PDAF, users will enjoy a smooth, quiet, and flexible focusing experience.
Silent and Subtle, Capturing Stunning Moments
The XCD 3,4/75P is equipped with a compact leaf shutter that operates with minimal vibration and noise, allowing users to shoot confidently in quiet environments. The leaf shutter offers speeds of up to 1/2000 second and full flash synchronization at all speeds, enabling photographers to capture high-speed subjects or use flash to creatively control light, even in bright sunlight, and achieve exceptional results.
The XCD 3,4/75P lens is priced at $2,229 USD / € 2529 EUR and is available to purchase online and at selected retail stores worldwide. For more information, visit www.hasselblad.com.
The Hasselblad X Extension Tube (9mm) will be launched simultaneously. It is designed specifically for the X System cameras, 907X cameras, and XCD series lenses. Extending the distance between the lens and the image sensor reduces the XCD lens's minimum focusing distance, enhancing the close-up capability and bringing intricate details within reach. The Hasselblad X Extension Tube is priced at $299 USD / €339 EUR and available to purchase online and at selected retail stores worldwide.
Principal specifications
Lens type
Prime lens
Max Format size
Medium Format (44x33mm)
Focal length
75 mm
Image stabilization
No
Lens mount
Hasselblad X
Aperture
Maximum aperture
F3.4
Minimum aperture
F32
Aperture ring
No
Optics
Elements
10
Groups
10
Special elements / coatings
2 aspherical element, 3 ED (Extra-low dispersion) elements
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Product photos by Nikon
The Nikon Z50II is the company's latest entry-level APS-C mirrorless camera, built around a 21MP CMOS sensor. As with the original Z50, it's expressly aimed at stills and video creators looking for a small camera that makes it easy to upload.
It brings updated burst modes and AF functions to its predecessor, but most of the advancements are on the video side of the camera.
Key specifications
20.9MP APS-C sensor
Twin control dials
Full-width 4K video up to 30p (60p with crop)
3D-tracking autofocus and subject recognition for nine subject types
Up to 11fps mechanical, with up to 1 second pre-release capture
Fully articulated 3.2" touchscreen
Single UHS-II SD card slot in battery compartment
2.36M dot EVF with brightness up to 1000nits
The Z50II will retail for $909 body-only and $1,049 as a kit with Nikon's DX 16-50 F3.5-6.3 lens. The company says it'll be available in "late November."
The Z50II is, as the name suggests, an updated version of the company's original APS-C Z-mount camera. Much of what it gains comes from the use of a newer, more powerful Expeed 7 processor, but there are some subtle yet potentially significant additions beyond that.
Flexible Color Picture Control and Picture Control Button
The new Picture Control button is right above the rear control dial.
It's a change unrelated to processing power that helps signpost what the Z50II is and who it's intended for: the addition of a dedicated 'Picture Control' button to let you select the camera's color mode.
The changes go deeper than the labeling of a button, though. The Z50II becomes the first model to offer 'flexible' Picture Control profiles that let you adjust or download additional profiles. The camera comes with 31 but you can add more, and limit which ones appear when you hit the Picture Control button, so that it doesn't become overwhelming.
Nikon has, at least as far back as 2008, been one of the few brands to offer software to let you edit its in-camera profiles. The company's NX Studio software lets you adjust the existing Picture Controls, applying your own custom tone curve or changing the sharpening and saturation of the profile. However, you only get limited control over the color response, with a global hue adjustment, rather than the ability to re-map colors that a LUT would give.
It's the ability to download Creator Recipe profiles from Nikon's Imaging Cloud that we suspect most users will experiment with.
Brighter viewfinder
The Z50II also gains a brighter viewfinder, now capable of displaying up to 1000 nits, double the maximum brightness of the one in the existing model. The display isn't bright enough to fully preview HLG high dynamic range capture though, and is still the same 2.36M dot resolution.
Subject recognition / 3D Tracking
One of the most significant improvements that does come from the new processor is the Z50II's autofocus system. It gains the subject recognition modes from other recent Nikon cameras, boosting the number of recognized subjects from three to nine.
Nikon Z50II
Nikon Z50 / Zfc
Subjects recognized
Humans (Eye, Face, Upper Body)
Birds
Cats
Dogs
Cars
Motorcycles
Bicycles
Trains
Airplanes
Humans (Eye, Face, Upper Body)
Cats
Dogs
It also adds the 3D Tracking AF mode, that makes it quicker to track subjects, regardless of whether the camera has been specifically trained to recognize them.
C30 and pre-burst
Another Expeed 7 feature to arrive on the Z50II is its ability to shoot at high speeds in e-shutter mode, with the option to start buffering images when the shutter is half-pressed and saving images captured up to one second before the shutter button is fully depressed.
The Z50II's C30 and C15 modes can shoot with autofocus at up to 30fps or 15fps, respectively, though it only records JPEGs.
Nikon Imaging Cloud
The Z50II is also compatible with Nikon's Imaging Cloud service, which debuted with the Z6III. That means that, when connected to a Wi-Fi network, it can automatically upload your photos to Nikon's servers, which shuffle them off to your choice of third-party cloud storage services, such as Dropbox, Google Drive, or Lightroom. You can also have your camera automatically download firmware updates, and have it sync Picture Control presets that you've selected on your computer or phone. While many cameras have similar features, they have to be paired with a smartphone or camera to use them – the Z50II can do it on its own connected to your router.
What's new for video:
Despite using the same sensor as the Z50, Nikon has managed to squeeze significantly better video out of it. The Z50II can now encode video in 10-bit precision, allowing internal N-Log capture to maximize color and tone grading potential, or HLG high dynamic range capture for playback on HDR displays and TVs.
The Z50II also gains the ability to capture 4K/60 footage from a cropped region of the sensor.
On top of this, Nikon says the electronic image stabilization (eVR) in video mode is improved. The Z50II also gets a "product review" autofocus mode, that knows to override its face detection AF if an object is held up in front of the camera: a feature that can be useful for vloggers discussing a specific product they want to show.
How it compares
The Z50II arrives into what was previously a competitive point in the market but one that fewer and fewer manufactuers seem to be catering to. Fujifilm offers the similarly beginner-friendly X-M5 for around $200 less, but with no viewfinder, or the high-resolution, image stabilized X-T50 for a whopping $400 more. Meanwhile, Sony offers the now rather elderly a6400 at a comparable price. It makes fewer accommodations to people new to ILCs and its age means its video spec lags way behind.
It's only really Canon, with its EOS R10 that offers an approximately like-for-like competitor to the Z50II. The other camera we feel it makes sense to compare is Nikon's own Zfc. It has near identical spec to the original Z50, other than it has a fully articulated rear screen. By including another Nikon entry-level camera, we can see what's changed over the past five years.
Nikon Z50II
Canon EOS R10
Sony a6400
Nikon Zfc
MSRP (With kit zoom)
$909 ($1049 w/ 16-50 F3.5-6.3)
$979
$900
$960
Pixel count
20MP
24MP
24MP
20MP
Image stabilization
No
No
No
No
Max frame rate
11fps (mech)
30fps (e-shutter, JPEG)
15fps (mech)
23fps (e-shutter)
11fps (mech)
8fps (e-shutter)
11 fps (12-bit Raw)
9 fps (14-bit)
Viewfinder res. / mag.
2.36M dot 0.68x
2.36M dot 0.59x
2.36M dot 0.71x
2.36M-dot 0.68x
Rear screen res. / type
3.2" / 1.04M dot fully-articulated
3.0" / 1.04M dot fully-articulated
3.0" / 921k dot tilting touchscreen
3.0" / 1.04M-dot fully-articulating
AF selection
Touchscreen / D-pad
Touchscreen / joystick
Touchscreen / D-pad
Touchscreen / D-pad
Video
UHD 30p full-width
UHD 60p with 1.5x crop
UHD 30p full-width
UHD 60p from 1.56x crop
UHD 24p full width
30p with 1.22x crop
UHD 30p/24p full-width
10-bit options
N-Log, HLG
HDR PQ
No
No
Mic / headphone sockets?
Yes / Yes
Yes / No
Yes / No
Yes / No
CIPA Battery rating (LCD/EVF)
250 / 230
350 / 210
410 / 360
360 / 310
Weight
520g (18.3 oz)
426g (15oz)
403 g (14.2oz)
445g (15.7oz)
Dimensions
127 x 97 x 67mm (5.0 x 3.8 x 2.6")
126 x 88 x 83 mm (5.0 x 3.5 x 3.3")
120 x 67 x 60 mm (4.7 x 2.6 x 2.4")
135 x 94 x 44 mm (5.3 x 3.7 x 1.7")
As well as advances in technology, another change since we reviewed the Z50 is that both Nikon and Canon have allowed some third-party lenses into their respective APS-C systems. In the case of Nikon, that includes three of Sigma's DC DN prime lenses, which add relatively affordable ways to boost the camera's capabilities. Canon, meanwhile, has allowed Sigma to offer its two DC DN zooms, with four prime lenses to follow.
This still leaves both systems well short of the variety of APS-C focused lenses offered for Fujifilm's X mount, or of the selection available for Sony, but means you're not solely dependent on the camera maker's development priorities for either camera anymore.
Body and handling
The body of the Z50II is very much like that of its predecessor, which is to say it's like a slightly shrunk-down version of Nikon's original Z-series full-frame models. Despite the size reduction, the Z50II retains a fairly substantial hand grip.
The body is primarily made from fiber-reinforced plastic, which gives it a fairly solid feel without becoming overly heavy. There's a textured coating around the handgrip and the back corner of the camera that gives a comfortable and reassuring amount of grip on the camera. The front and rear command dials are well positioned for forefinger and thumb operation without any need to shift your hand position on the camera.
It gains four extra buttons along the back of the camera, compared with its predecessor, which means its controls much more closely mimic those of the full-frame Z models, with dedicated +/– zoom buttons, a drive mode button and a 'DISP' button being added. There's an additional button on the top of the camera, too: just behind the existing [REC], ISO and Exposure Comp buttons is a dedicated 'Picture Control' button.
It doesn't gain the joystick that the full-frame models have, though, and the Stills/Movie switch they feature around their DISP buttons is instead on the Z50II's top plate. The Play and Drive Mode buttons are transposed relative to the full-frame models, but we doubt enough people will be trying to shoot both side-by-side for this difference to matter).
The Z50II also moves from a tilt up/down screen to a fully articulated one, as featured on the Zfc and Z30. Nikon has described all four of its APS-C Z-mount models as being for 'creators,' so this change is no real surprise.
Viewfinder & screen
The Z50II's viewfinder can now go as bright as 1000 nits: twice as bright as the one in the older model, which should mean there's less need for your eye to adapt when you're using the camera in bright sunshine. It's not bright enough to fully preview HLG images, though.
It remains a relatively low resolution 2.36M dot display, in keeping with the Z50II's lowly position in the lineup. It offers 0.68x magnification, in equivalent terms, which is pretty large for a camera at this price.
Ports & slots
The Z50II's specs tell the story of how far we've come in the five years since the launch of the original model. Its SD card slot can now make full use of the faster UHS-II cards, while its USB socket has been upgraded to the Type C standard and 5Gbit/s transfer rates. It's also been made compatible with the UVC/UAC USB video and audio standards, so it can be used as a webcam without the need for any specialist drivers or software.
The camera also gains a headphone socket to allow audio monitoring, something that really boosts its usefulness as a video camera.
Battery
The Z50II uses a new EN-EL25a battery, which sees the capacity increase from 8.5Wh to 9.4Wh. Despite this 10% increase, the CIPA battery ratings for the Z50II are 250 shots per charge using the rear screen and 230 using the viewfinder. These are around 20% lower than on its predecessor, presumably as a consequence of the more powerful processor.
CIPA figures tend to assume extensive use of flash and rather more looking at image review than most people actually do, so we wouldn't be at all surprised to get twice as many shots as this in our own usage, more if we were shooting bursts. You can also gain around 9 percent more shots if you engage power-saving mode, but these aren't great figures for a camera you might want to use a lot.
As you'd expect, the camera can be charged over its USB-C socket, so there are ways to top the battery up fairly easily. However, it does not come with a battery charger in the box.
Initial impressions
By Mitchell Clark
From a certain angle, the Z50II is a minor update to its predecessor. It has the same sensor housed in a similar body and doesn't add anything revolutionary – there are no features that are unheard of for its category or that make us rethink what's possible with photography.
That's not a bad thing. The Z50II's main audience is first-time camera buyers, and when I think back to when I was getting into photography, the Z50II would've been exactly what I was looking for – something that gets the basics right without costing an arm and a leg.
I only got to spend a day shooting with the Z50II, but during that time nothing about it felt budget. The ergonomics and build quality felt just right for its size, and its performance was snappy; I never felt like I was waiting around for the camera or that it couldn't shoot fast enough to capture whatever I pointed it at.
The autofocus, in particular, was a standout. We've praised Nikon's 3D Tracking system and subject recognition before, and it's just as capable in the Z50II. In the past, the autofocus situation on beginner-focused cameras has been awkward: people who aren't experienced need the most help, but the most capable systems are also the most expensive ones, so they don't make it into lower-end cameras. That's not the case with the Z50II.
The Z50II's autofocus system was confidence-inspiring, even in automatic subject detect mode.
ISO 100 | 1/400 sec | F4 | Nikon Z 70-200mm f2.8 VR S w/ 1.4x teleconverter
Photo: Mitchell Clark
It even features automatic subject detection, giving you one less thing to think about when you're scrambling to get the shot. That'd be great for parents looking to get great shots of their kids playing sports – or pet owners looking to show off their fast-moving dogs and cats – without breaking the bank.
The video features are also robust, to the point where it feels like Nikon's targeting not just content creators but first-year film students, too. Beginner photographers who also want to capture video will be happy with its standard 4K capabilities, but they won't have any use for features like N-Log and waveforms.
Then there's the Picture Control button. I'm not entirely convinced color profiles are the thing to draw new people into photography, but camera manufacturers seem to disagree – this year we saw Panasonic debut its LUT button, and Fujifilm release two cameras with film simulation dials.
Even if the crowds are craving color control, the indirectness of Nikon's system could make it a little tricky for beginners. You don't beam them directly from your phone to your camera; you select which ones you want in Nikon's app, and then your camera downloads them via Wi-Fi. My years in tech support tell me there will be some confusion based on the camera needing to be connected to the internet on its own.
The real elephant in the room is lenses. The company makes five 'DX' lenses for its APS-C systems: a single prime and four zooms with maximum apertures of 3.5 or higher. There are several third-party autofocus primes, including some of the very good Sigma DC DN Contemporaries, but if you want a zoom with a consistent or fast aperture, you'll have to use a heavier, more expensive full-frame option from Nikon.
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Same 20.9MP DX-format CMOS sensor as the Z50 (not confirmed yet, hopefully my info is wrong and they will introduce a new sensor – Fuji for example, is already using a 40MP sensor in their latest X100VI camera)
Laowa is making its APS-C wide-angle 'zoom shift' lens available outside of China, a few months after it launched it in the country. The 12-24mm F5.6 lens is unusual – the company says it's the "first wide-angle zoom shift lens," giving you control over perspective without being locked into a single focal length.
That versatility does come with a cost. For one, the lens' F5.6 maximum aperture is relatively slow for APS-C cameras. You also only get plus or minus 7mm of shift, while some of Laowa's shift primes can reach up to 11mm of shift in either direction. It also doesn't have any tilting abilities.
Image: Laowa
The lens is mainly marketed at landscape and architectural photographers looking to take images with minimal distortion. However, it does have some features for those who are interested in it for creative purposes; its minimum focusing distance is a relatively close 15 cm (5.9").
BCN Retail published the article "Is the compact camera dead?" Here is the recap from digicame-info:
Casio has left the compact camera market, Nikon has stopped development, and Sony and Fujifilm have significantly scaled back their lineups. Some may fear that the category itself will disappear as it is pushed aside by smartphones. The bottom line is that it is not dead at all. Compact cameras still account for more than 60% of camera sales. Although their sales value composition ratio is small, ranging from the upper 20% to lower 30%, a certain level of sales continues.
The average price is also rising, just like with interchangeable lens cameras. In particular, the increase in the proportion of relatively high-priced models over 50,000 yen stands out. As of September 2021, this was only 6.8% of the total number of units sold, but this September it had risen to 33.2%. This is thought to be largely due to the impact of inflation, but at the same time, it is also highly likely that there are an increasing number of users who want better products even if they are a little more expensive.
Year-on-year sales of interchangeable lens cameras fell significantly in both unit volume and value. Although the decline narrowed in October, sales remain below the previous year's level. Compact cameras are also showing a slowdown, with unit sales declining slightly in September and October. However, sales value remained above the previous year, with October sales value increasing by double digits to 115.3%. With prices of mirrorless cameras rising, it could be said that even relatively high-priced compact cameras are now looking cheap.
The compact camera market structure has changed significantly in the past few years. Canon is by far the top five in terms of sales volume in September, with a large share of 31.1%, backed by the PowerShot and IXY series. Meanwhile, Fujifilm, in second place, took a 13.4% share, largely due to the huge sales of its instax mini Evo. Kodak and Kenko Tokina, in third and fourth place, moved into the "vacant lot" left by major manufacturers. They are the main players who have expanded their market share by leveraging their good cost performance, and have greatly changed the market. And Ricoh Imaging, with its GR series, has made it into the top five with a modest single-digit share. The GR brand, which has been around since the film era, still has many die-hard fans.
The market price of old compact digital cameras has increased 20-fold in one year
The Japanese website Dime published the article "The market price has increased by about 20 times in one year! The noisy charm of old compact digital cameras that Gen Z is addicted to". Here is the recap from digicame-info:
Among young people in their teens and twenties who belong to Generation Z, old models from the heyday of compact digital cameras in the 2000s and 2010s (= old compact digital cameras) are suddenly gaining popularity. What is the reason for this attraction to Generation Z? Yuta Mimura, manager of the used camera specialty store "2nd BASE", analyzes as follows.
"Many people perceive the characteristics of the image, such as the tendency for it to have blown out highlights and noise, as being film-like, and the lo-fi feel is probably what makes it so popular."
"The vast majority of compact digital camera users want to try film, but the running costs of film and developing are a hurdle. Old compact digital cameras make it easy to take low-fi photos at low cost. What's more, their Y2K designs from the 2000s are also boosting their popularity."
"Sales (of old compact digital cameras) were not that high at first, but from around spring of last year sales started to pick up, and by summer our inventory couldn't keep up."
It is unclear how long the boom will last, but its momentum does not seem to be slowing down, with cameras that were selling for 1,000 or 2,000 yen two or three years ago now selling for around 20,000 yen.
The Sony Airpeak S1 drone and all related products/services are now discontinued. Sony has not announced any replacements or plans to continue the product line, which is precisely what GoPro did with their Karma drones a few years ago. I think it is safe to assume that Sony killed their drone program.
Here is the full text of the press release from Sony Japan:
Notice of discontinuation of Airpeak S1 sales
Thank you for your continued patronage of Sony products.
Due to recent changes in the business environment, sales of the Airpeak S1 and related products, except for some accessories, will end at the end of March 2025. Please see below for a list of products to be discontinued and details of the end of support, including repair services after the end of sales.
*These products are sold at Airpeak dealers. Please contact your local dealer for details.
Scheduled End of Life for Related Applications and Services
Application Service Name
End of service
Airpeak Base
Airpeak Flight
Airpeak Plus *1
March 31, 2030
Airpeak Protect Plan ※2
March 31, 2026
*1 Sales will end on March 31, 2029. *2 Sales will end on March 31, 2025.
*1*2 The planned end date of the paid services will depend on when the customer completes the service start-up procedure after purchase, but the above is the maximum period during which the services will be offered.
End of support schedule
Support Content
End of service
Regular inspection
and repair
software maintenance
The Laowa 12-24mm f/5.6 Zoom Shift lens offers a versatile zoom range of 12mm to 24mm, providing an expansive angle of view from 102.5° to 63.9°. This allows photographers to capture a wide variety of scenes. With a constant aperture of f/5.6, the lens ensures consistent exposure throughout the entire zoom range, offering great flexibility while maintaining high image quality.
Precise±7mm Shift Amount
The remarkable ±7mm shift capability set this lens apart. All shift lenses currently available in the market are primes, which makes this lens the WORLD’s first wide-angle zoom shift lens. This feature enables photographers to achieve precise perspective control and effortlessly minimize distortion.
Exceptional Distortion Control
The lens showcases excellent distortion control, allowing users to capture accurate and true-to-life images. This makes it an excellent choice for architectural and interior photography, where precise image quality is crucial.
15cm closest focusing distance
The Laowa 12-24mm f/5.6 Zoom Shift lens also has an exceptionally short focusing distance. Capable of focusing as close as 5.9 inches (15 cm) from the sensor. This lens offers photographers plenty of opportunities for creative experimentation.
77mm filter thread
The Laowa 12-24mm f/5.6 Zoom Shift lens offers the convenience of a 77mm filter thread, which can be used when the lens hood is attached.
Specifications
Format Compatibility
APS-C
Focal length
12-24mm
Max. Aperture
f/5.6
Angle of view
102.5°- 63.9°
Lens structure
15 elements in 11 groups
(2 aspherical elements, 3 ED elements)
Aperture blades
9
Shift Capability
±7mm
Min. Focusing distance
15cm
Max. Magnification
0.4
Focus mode
Manual (MF)
Filter thread
ø77mm
Dimensions
Ø98.91mm x 80mm
Weight
About 575g
Mount
Sony E / Nikon Z / Canon RF / L Mount / Fuji X / EF-M
With experience comes wisdom. And for photographers, few things are as satisfying as sharing that wisdom with those just starting their photographic journey. It's a chance to mentor, guide, and give back to the community that helped us grow.
Recently, a discussion in our forums caught our eye. The question posed was simple: "What have you learned that you would tell beginners?" The responses were insightful, offering a trove of knowledge perfect for sharing. In this article, we've gathered some advice from experienced DPReview forum users and some thoughts from our own editors.
The advice broadly falls into three categories: gear, technique, and the photographic process itself. Read on to discover what your fellow DPReview users said, and make sure to share your own hard-earned wisdom in the comments!
Gear: Don't get distracted by shiny objects
It's easy to get caught up in the allure of new cameras and lenses, but gear is only one piece of the puzzle. As sirhawkeye64, who started the forum thread, wisely points out, "I would have focused more on skill...and less on gear or having the latest gear or buying gear that I really never used, and perhaps instead learning to really use the gear I had."
User yardcoyote echoed this sentiment, advising beginners to trust their instincts and avoid getting swept up in trends: "Almost all my mistakes happened because I didn't trust myself and my photographic instincts. Now I know and trust that I don't want zoom lenses, I don't want wide angle, I don't want burst... I don't want to shoot Raw and do extensive work in post."
It's easy to get caught up in the allure of new cameras and lenses, but gear is only a piece of the puzzle. Learn to use the gear you have, and don't hesitate to buy used or refurbished gear.
Photo: Richard Butler
"It used to bother me a lot that I wasn't in the mainstream and that many people think I am not a 'real' photographer, at least partly because of these things. Now, I don't care as much. I'm just gonna go over here and take pictures."
Finding the right lenses can be a journey in itself. Editor Richard Butler suggests careful consideration: "Take some time to work out which other lenses you might need. A lot of people buy wide-angle or telephoto zooms, but you may find something like a portrait lens, a macro, or a bright 35mm prime if you like to capture the world as you see it."
"The key thing is that you don’t need all of these; you may not need many lenses at all. But you need to work out what you enjoy and what you want to photograph before you make an informed decision about what lens to buy next."
"I would have focused more on skill...and less on gear..."
For some, considerations of comfort and practicality are key. User mmartel wishes they had prioritized ergonomics: "I've found that grams and millimeters don't matter to me at all, and big EVFs are great... Just because a camera is larger or heavier doesn't mean it's less comfortable to carry and use."
User Leo_Yai emphasizes the importance of a manageable kit: "Keep the body size reasonable. Too small is too fiddly, too big stays in the garage too often, not taking images. Same for lenses... If you ever think, 'Should I change the lens?' then your carrying system is too cumbersome." Ultimately, the best gear is the gear you actually use.
Many experienced photographers suggest buying used gear. If you don't want to buy from a private party, you can often buy reliable used gear from shops like MPB.com (above). Some manufacturers sell refurbished products through their own websites.
Finally, Editor Dale Baskin offers this reassuring advice: "Don’t obsess about having fancy gear or the newest camera. Buy something used in good condition... Don't hesitate to buy refurbished or used gear."
Technique: Master the fundamentals
While gear is essential, mastering photographic techniques is crucial for creating compelling images. User GreenEyesGTA advocates for learning manual focus: "My biggest leap in photography was when I stopped [using] AF/burst so much and took my time with MF [manual focus]."
User Claus H keeps it concise, suggesting a focus on the basics: f-stop, focal length, shutter speed, ISO, composition, and color vs. black and white, along with skills like focusing on composition and leveling your camera.
Focus on learning the fundamentals – both the fundamentals of photography and of your camera.
Photo: Dale Baskin
"React emotionally to your pictures," Claus says. "Make them as good as you can, don't become a technophobe about them. If an image has soul, it has soul, regardless of what it was shot with. Learn the technical, but educate your eyes. Once you have the basics down, carry a camera as often as you can, and shoot, shoot, shoot."
Shooting a lot will help you get to know your camera, but Editor Mitchell Clark highlights the importance of exploring your camera's features. "My photography journey started well into the digital age when even basic cameras had capable auto modes and a litany of complex features. In a lot of ways this was a blessing, but it also let me build some bad habits that took years to undo."
"Once you have the basics down, carry a camera as often as you can, and shoot, shoot, shoot."
"I shot in manual but pretty much ignored everything else. This helped give me a solid understanding of exposure, but it also left huge gaps in my knowledge about how cameras worked and what they were capable of."
"Don't make that mistake," he implores. "While you probably shouldn't read your camera's manual cover to cover, I recommend taking a day to dive through the menus and make sure you have an understanding of what most of the options do. Today's cameras have so many features and capabilities, and it'd be a shame if you didn't use all the ones that fit your shooting style and needs."
The photographic process: Find your voice
Beyond gear and technique, photography is about capturing moments, expressing creativity, sharing your vision with the world, and being true to yourself and your vision.
"Make the images [you] want to make, don't be afraid to experiment, and don't assume that what 'everyone thinks' and 'everyone does' are the right things for you, says yardcoyote.
SeeingSomeThingsMissingMany emphasizes the importance of finding your passion: "[Choose] a subject matter you really like that makes you want to photograph it a lot; [Find] an easy-to-use camera you enjoy that makes you want to use this camera again and again."
Choose a subject matter you really like and photograph it a lot. Finding your own niche in photography allows you to build expertise and shoot something you really enjoy.
Photo: Dale Baskin
Finding your voice and vision is about more than just taking great photos, though. Dale Baskin offers this helpful hint: "Find a niche. When you're in learning mode, it's tempting to take pictures of lots of subjects without much creative focus, which is natural because you're learning your craft. As you get better, find one or two things you really love to shoot and get really good at shooting them. It allows you to become an expert and take your experience to the next level."
While feedback is valuable, staying true to your vision is essential. As Mitchell Clark notes, "If the images you're taking make you happy, it doesn't really matter what other people think of them." He also encourages sharing your work freely, reminding us that perfection shouldn't be an obstacle to sharing our creativity.
"Make the images [you] want to make, don't be afraid to experiment..."
With that in mind, user teejaywhy offers a simple but powerful reminder: "When sharing photos to friends or family (or random internet people, for that matter), remember: LESS IS MORE."
Richard Butler agrees: "One of the key skills of photography is to be able to critically assess your own work. This not only lets you focus your efforts on the photos most worthy of processing and editing, but also helps you learn which things work and which things don’t, helping you develop as a photographer."
Which brings us to the other thing he says he wished he’d known earlier: "Don’t judge your efforts too harshly at first: remember that everyone else is only sharing their best work."
Retrospekt, a company known for refurbishing and reselling classic consumer electronic devices, has announced a limited run of 24-karat gold-plated Rollei 35 film cameras called the Retrospekt 24K Gold Edition.
There's no denying the current fascination with film and digital vintage cameras, and the Rollei 35 is one of the most famous compact film cameras ever made. It was initially launched at Photokina in 1966, and at the time of its introduction, it was the smallest 35mm film camera available; over two million were eventually manufactured.
According to Retrospekt, its limited edition gold-plated cameras are fully-restored vintage Rollei 35 film cameras, with each camera being disassembled and its internal mechanicals refurbished to like-new condition. Each camera's exterior metal parts are electroplated with 24-karat gold.
Original Rollei 35 models usually had 40mm F2.8 or F3.5 Zeiss lenses. Retrospekt's gold-plated cameras include a Zeiss Tessar, Rollei Tessar or Schneider Kreuznach Xenar 40mm F3.5 lens.
Image: Retrospekt
Each camera comes in a presentation box, with a leather case and a wrist strap. The company says the case and strap are made of new materials modeled after the camera's original accessories.
Retrospekt did not disclose how many cameras the limited run would include.
The Rollei 35 is one of the most iconic film cameras in history. Earlier this year, a company called Mint Camera started taking orders on the Rollei 35AF, a modern version of the design that incorporates autofocus.
The Retrospekt 24K Gold Edition sells for $999, including case and accessories, and can be ordered from Retrospect beginning today.
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