Nikon Z50II: affordable camera with high-end autofocus

With the Z50II, Nikon is bringing its most affordable mirrorless system camera up to the state of the art. Like its predecessor, it has an APS-C sensor with a resolution of 21 megapixels. The body also remains the same. The autofocus and image processor are new. Nikon has also given the entry-level camera some features from the professional sector. Unfortunately, a stabilised sensor is still missing in line with the price range.

New

Cameras

EUR999,–

Nikon Z50II

20.90 Mpx, DX

Cameras

New

EUR999,–

Nikon Z50II

20.90 Mpx, DX

Much of the innovation can be attributed to the Expeed 7 processor. It is said to be twelve times more powerful than the previous chip. This enables, for example, better noise reduction at high sensitivities and fast start-up.

The improved autofocus system has a scene recognition function which, according to Nikon, is on a par with the Z9. The Z50II gets 3D tracking and recognises people (eyes, faces, bodies), birds, cats, dogs, cars, motorbikes, bicycles, trains and planes.

The continuous shooting speed is 30 frames per second (FPS) with electronic shutter. However, this is likely to cause rolling shutter effects due to the not particularly fast sensor. However, 11 FPS is still possible with a mechanical shutter. The camera also has a pre-release capture function.

The electronic viewfinder has the same resolution as before (2.36 million pixels), but is said to be twice as bright. Like its predecessor, the Nikon Z50II has a built-in flash. At 550 grams including memory card and battery, it is light and compact. Despite this, the body is said to be ergonomic. Nikon experts should also find their way around the controls immediately, making the Z50II suitable as a second camera.

Direct access to various image looks

Since the Z50II is intended for beginners, among others, Nikon has focussed on simple operation. This includes a dedicated "Picture Control" button next to the shutter release. It offers direct access to various picture modes for photos and videos. These can be individually managed and arranged. Additional image looks can also be downloaded via free access to the Nikon Imaging Cloud.

The Z50II is the first Nikon Z camera to offer a mode for product presentations. It automatically shifts the focus from the face to the product when it is held in the camera. The quality of the videos is good for a budget camera: 4K with 30 FPS is downsampled from the full 5.6K resolution. With 60 FPS, oversampling is omitted and a crop is required.

The Nikon Z50II will cost 999 francs at market launch and will be available from 21 November - also in three kit versions: DX 16-50 f/3.5-6.3 VR, DX 16-50 VR + 50-250 VR and DX 18-140 VR.