NIKON Z50 REVIEWED
A GREAT NEW MIRRORLESS SNAPPER!
NIKON MADE A spectacular debut in the mirrorless full-frame world with the Nikon Z6, an all-rounder that is still one of our favourate snappers. And now it’s trying to repeat the trick for APS-C cameras with the dinkier, more hobbyist-friendly Nikon Z50.
What are APS-C cameras? This sensor format became dominant in the early days of DSLRs, and is used in cameras that sit below full-frame models. Smaller than full-frame, and called DX format by Nikon, these sensors are found in more compact, affordable bodies that are great for travel.
Not that the Nikon Z50 is small for an APS-C camera. Perhaps thinking of those who might be moving from its DSLRs, Nikon has prioritised handling in the form of a generous grip, at the expense of a very small body that is the calling card of cameras like the Fujifilm X-T30.
Central to the Z50 is its use of the same Z-mount that debuted in the Z7 and Z6. This means you can use all of the existing lenses that have already been announced for the Z range, as well as existing F-mount (DSLR) lenses via an optional adapter. However, there have been two lenses especially created for the DX format, which are set to be joined by plenty of others over time.
FEATURES
At the heart of the Z50 is a 20.9MP sensor, which is joined by an Expeed 6 processor (the same engine as found in the Nikon Z6/Z7. Although this has the same pixel count as the Nikon D500 DSLR, we’re told it’s not the same sensor. The Expeed engine helps to facilitate features like 4K video recording, as well as the native ISO range, which starts as low as ISO 50 and tops out at ISO 25600.
Also joining the party from the Z6 is the same hybrid autofocusing system, with 209 on-sensor AF points that cover approximately 90% of the frame and promise to deliver edge-to-edge sharpness. Sensitivity down to -4EV is promised for low-light shooting, and there’s also Eye-Detection AF, which should come in handy when photographing people; unlike Sony’s similarly specced models, there’s no Animal Eye
AF, though.
TO COMPOSE YOUR IMAGES, YOU’VE GOT THE CHOICE OF A 0.39-INCH, 2360K-DOT ELECTRONIC VIEWFINDER (WHICH IS SMALLER AND LOWER IN RESOLUTION THAN THE ONE ON THE Z6/Z7), OR A 3.2-INCH TILTING TFT LCD, WHICH IS TOUCH-SENSITIVE.
To compose your images, you’ve got the choice of a 0.39-inch, 2360k-dot electronic viewfinder (which is smaller and lower in resolution than the one on the Z6/Z7), or a 3.2-inch tilting TFT LCD, which is touch-sensitive. Unlike the Z6/Z7, you have the benefit of tilting this to face forward from the bottom hinge, making it useful for selfies – but less so for attaching the camera to a tripod.
BUILD & HANDLING
Place the Z50 next to its full-frame siblings, the Z6 and Z7, and you can definitely see the family resemblance. There’s the same kind of layout, viewfinder placement and button layout, only in a more compact frame.
Using the camera with the new Nikkor 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 ‘pancake’ lens makes for a very neat overall package; it’s not quite pocket-friendly, but it certainly slides much more neatly into smaller bags than a full-frame equivalent.
Some controls have been removed to save space, though. You won’t find a top-plate LCD, and nor is there a joystick on the back of the camera. The former we didn’t miss too much, but a joystick for changing the AF point would have come in really handy.
Unlike on some rival cameras, you can’t continue to use the touchscreen while working with the viewfinder, and this can really slow down the process of selecting the appropriate AF point, as you have to work with the much slower directional keys; it’s not the end of the world though.
PERFORMANCE
The Nikon Z50 uses the same AF system as the Z6, with the impressive array of 209 points giving you 90% coverage across the frame.
In most situations, the camera is capable of locking onto subjects quickly and easily, and it only rarely picks out the wrong subject to lock onto when left set to Auto-area AF. Switching to Single-point AF allows you to select your own AF point. It’s only in particularly low-light conditions that there’s a little hunting before the system locks on to the subject, but it’s rare for a false confirmation of focus to be displayed.
For moving subjects, you can switch to AF-C and enable a continuous frame rate. As we’ve seen with the Z6 and Z7, while the camera is a good performer when the subject is fairly predictable, being able to follow something which isn’t moving too erratically, it’s not on the same level as Sony has achieved with cameras like the A9, and even the Sony A6500 from its APS-C range.
The colors produced by the sensor are great, looking realistic while having a good amount of vibrancy and saturation, and the all-purpose metering setting does a very good job of judging exposures to produce balanced results in a variety of shooting conditions. Similarly, the automatic white balance setting copes well with different lighting conditions, perhaps erring just a touch towards yellowish tones when faced with artificial lighting sources.
VERDICT
As with its big brothers, the Z6 and Z7, there’s a heck of a lot to like about the Nikon Z50. It’s not a perfect camera by any means, but it’s a welcome addition to what is an admittedly crowded market.
If you’re already a fan of the Nikon brand – perhaps you already have one of its DSLRs – and have been contemplating moving to mirrorless, it’s an especially tempting proposition. The Z50 is also a great option for those looking for their first ‘proper’ camera, giving you many of the perks of the Z6/Z7 without such a high price tag.
The Z50 is a fantastic first foray into the APS-C mirrorless market for Nikon. It shows that the company is keen to keep developing in this area, and perhaps signals another nail in the coffin for DSLRs, at least at the hobbyist level. It’s not a perfect camera, but it is a very good one – and one that will only get better as the price drops, and more lenses become available.