With the release of the Nikon Z6, an all-around camera that now holds the number one spot on our list of the best cameras, Nikon made a sensational entrance into the world of mirrorless full-frame cameras. And now it's aiming to pull the same trick for APS-C cameras with the Nikon Z50, which is a smaller and more user-friendly DSLR camera for amateur photographers.
What exactly are these "APS-C" cameras? This sensor format was the industry standard in the early days of digital single-lens reflex cameras (DSLRs), and it is used in cameras that are less expensive than full-frame models. These sensors are smaller than full-frame and are referred to as DX format by Nikon. They are found in bodies that are more compact, more affordably priced, and are perfect for traveling.
It's not that the Nikon Z50 is a small camera for the APS-C format. Handling has been stressed by Nikon in the form of a generous grip, at the sacrifice of a very tiny body, which is the hallmark of cameras like as the Fujifilm X-T30. This may be due to the fact that Nikon may have been thinking about individuals who may be moving away from its DSLRs.
The Z50 makes use of the same Z-mount that was first introduced in the Z7 and Z6. This is one of the most important aspects of the Z50. Because of this, you will be able to utilize all of the lenses that have previously been announced for the Z series, in addition to existing F-mount (DSLR) lenses by means of an extra adapter. On the other hand, there have already been two lenses developed specifically for the DX format, and it is anticipated that many more will join them in the coming years.
These lenses are a 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 'pancake' lens, which is the standard lens included in the kit, and a 50-250mm telephoto lens, They are available singly or as a very reasonably priced twin lens bundle that also includes the Z50. The standard lens included in the kit is the 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 pancake lens.
Z-mount identical to that of the Nikon Z6 and Z7
Electronic viewfinder, as well as a touchscreen that can tilt
sensor with 20.9 megapixels and APS-C size (DX format)
The sensor of the Z50 has a resolution of 20.9 megapixels, and it is paired with an Expeed 6 processor, which is the same kind of engine that is found in the Nikon Z6 and Z7. We have been informed that this does not utilize the same sensor as the Nikon D500 DSLR, despite the fact that it has the same pixel count. The Expeed engine is responsible for helping to make features like the recording of 4K video and the native ISO range possible. The native ISO range begins at ISO 50 and goes all the way up to ISO 25600.
The same hybrid auto focusing mechanism that was found in the Z6 has also been brought over to the Z7. This system has 209 on-sensor AF points that cover about 90 percent of the frame and claim to give sharpness from edge to edge. There is a promise of sensitivity down to -4EV for low-light shooting, and there is also Eye-Detection AF, which might come in useful when photographing people. However, in contrast to Sony's models with similarly specced specifications, there is no Animal Eye AF on this camera.
You have the option of using either a 0.39-inch electronic viewfinder with 2360k dots (which is significantly smaller and has a lesser resolution than the viewfinder on the Z6 and Z7) or a 3.2-inch tilting TFT LCD that is touch-sensitive. Both can be used to compose your photographs. It is possible to tilt this to face forward from the bottom hinge, which makes it ideal for taking selfies but less useful for connecting the camera to a tripod. This feature differentiates it from the Z6 and Z7 models.
The ability to record video in 4K resolution is now quite standard on most modern cameras, and the Z50 is no exception; it supports frame rates of up to 30 frames per second.
There is built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth that, when combined with the Nikon Snap Bridge app, allow you to transfer files from the camera to your Smartphone. There is also a micro USB port for in-camera charging, which means that you can recover its charge using a portable external battery. However, it is unfortunate that this connection type is not the more standard USB-C connection type, which is becoming more widespread.
One more point that's worth mentioning is that this camera's single card slot is compatible with SD cards, as opposed to the XQD format that's used by the Z6 and Z7. This is excellent news for those individuals who already have a collection of SD cards, as well as for the wallets of those individuals who do not, as the cost of using this format is significantly lower than the cost of using XQD.
Like using a small Nikon Z6/Z7
A suitable distribution of buttons and dials
Unable to locate a joystick
When you put the Z50 in the same room as its full-frame brothers and sisters, the Z6 and Z7, you can plainly see that they come from the same family. The layout, position of the viewfinder, and button arrangement are all the same; the only difference is that the body of the camera is smaller.
It is not exactly pocket-friendly, but it certainly slides much more neatly into smaller bags than a full-frame counterpart when used in conjunction with the camera and the new Nikkor 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 'pancake' lens. The combination of these two makes for a really compact overall package.
However, in order to preserve space, certain controls have been eliminated. The camera does not come with a top-plate LCD, nor does the rear of the device feature a joystick of any kind. The former was something that we didn't miss all that much, but having a joystick to adjust where the AF point was would have been quite helpful.
This can considerably slow down the process of picking the optimal AF point, as you have to work with the much slower directional keys; nonetheless, this is not the end of the world. Unlike on other competing cameras, you cannot continue to utilize the touchscreen while working with the viewfinder.
In a more upbeat note, while being packed in a more compact form factor, the buttons that are present do not give the impression of being overly crammed together. Additionally, the grip is nicely defined, which makes it easy to use for extended periods of time without becoming uncomfortable. Some of the capabilities that were lost due to the absence of buttons have been "virtually" recreated on the touchscreen in the form of other alternatives, such as the magnify option and the display button.
On the very top of the camera is a mode dial with a switch that lets you go from taking still images to video recording instantly. You can also switch back to taking still images at any time. A button that is specifically designated for recording video is also included on the top of the camera, along with an ISO button and an exposure compensation button.
Despite the fact that the electronic viewfinder on the Z50 isn't quite up to the standard of those on its full-frame siblings – not that you'd expect it to be – it is still very usable. Furthermore, if you've never used one of the full-frame models, you're also much less likely to notice the reduction in quality. The tilting screen is also quite helpful, and the newly added forward-facing option is convenient for taking selfies and capturing videos. However, some people will be unhappy to see that it is more difficult to utilize the screen when the camera is attached to a tripod.
Identical autofocus technology to that of the Z6, with 209 points covering 90 percent of the frame.
battery capacity of 300 shots
Automatic eye-tracking focus
The Nikon Z50 employs the same autofocus (AF) mechanism as the Z6, which features a remarkable array of 209 points that provide you with coverage of 90 percent across the frame.
When left in the Auto-area AF mode, the camera is able to rapidly and easily lock onto targets in the majority of scenarios, and it does so very infrequently when it does choose the incorrect subject to lock onto. When you switch to Single-point AF, you'll have the ability to choose your own AF point. It is only when the lighting is especially dim that there is some searching before the system locks on to the subject, although it is quite uncommon for a false confirmation of focus to be presented.
You can change your autofocus mode to AF-C and enable a continuous frame rate to photograph moving subjects. 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 what Sony has achieved with cameras like the A9, and even the Sony A6500 from its APS-C range. This is something that we've seen with both of those models.
If you have a passion for photographing action and sports, you should go elsewhere for a camera because this is not the right one for you. However, it does a respectable job when confronted with the rare moving subject, such as youngsters and dogs.
It is a bit of a letdown that the Z50 is only compatible with the slower UHS-I SD cards in terms of storage capacity. Even though shooting at up to 11 frames per second is possible, using these cards means that the buffer typically fills up rather rapidly. On the other hand, if you're only going to be shooting for a few seconds here and there, it shouldn't be too much of a problem.
Eye AF does an excellent job of recognizing a subject's eye in a scene and tracking it even while the face is moving in different directions, which is a challenge for certain autofocus systems. Again, this is definitely not a camera that will be used widely by professional portrait photographers, but for people who take photographs of their families, this kind of feature can prove to be really helpful.
The new EN-EL25 battery that comes with the Z50 is supposed to have a life span of up to 300 shots. Although this isn't the most generous rating available, the 300 shots is a cautious estimate, and in practice, you should find that it lasts at the very least for an entire day of shooting at a normal pace. The purchase of an additional battery can be worthwhile, though, if you are someone who records a significant amount of 4K video.
Despite the crop sensor, there is a good level of detail.
Vibrant colours
There is some blurring and loss of information at higher ISOs.
In spite of the fact that it has a less capacious sensor and a lower resolution than both the Z6 and the Z7, the Nikon Z50 is capable of producing photographs that have a fantastic overall sense of detail. You might notice that the detail isn't quite as fine as it is on the 45.7-megapixel Nikon Z7 when pixel-peeping at 100 percent, but for the price and level of the camera, you wouldn't expect that to be the case. Additionally, not many enthusiasts and hobbyists are likely to be examining their images that closely.
The all-purpose metering setting does a very good job of judging exposures in order to produce balanced results in a variety of shooting conditions, which contributes to the sensor's ability to produce excellent colors that have a realistic appearance while also having a good amount of vibrancy and saturation. In a similar vein, the automated white balance setting performs admirably in a variety of lighting environments, but it tends to produce images with somewhat more yellowish tones when exposed to artificial light sources.
The Z50 has a smaller sensor than the full-frame Z Series cameras, thus it doesn't perform quite as well in low light as those cameras, but it still manages to deliver a solid performance overall. If you intend to share or print a smaller image, you can get away with higher ISOs; however, it is best if you can keep the ISO setting at 6400 or lower. Beginning at ISO 12800 and going higher, you will begin to notice a smoothing effect, in addition to some noise, when looking at images at the A4 size.
CONCLUSION
There is a great deal to like about the Nikon Z50, just like there is a great deal to like about its older brothers, the Z6 and Z7. Although it is by no means a flawless camera, its arrival on the market, which is, to be fair, already somewhat saturated, is very much appreciated.
If you are already a lover of the Nikon brand – perhaps you already own one of its DSLRs – and have been thinking about making the switch to mirrorless, it is an extremely enticing prospect for you to consider. The Z50 is an excellent choice for individuals who are searching for their first "real" camera because it provides many of the advantages of the Z6 and Z7 models without the prohibitively high price tag.
The construction and handling are two aspects that stand out as particularly appealing on the Z50, which is effectively a scaled-down version of some of the best full-frame models. Although it is pleasant to use and has a nice spread of buttons, it does not include a joystick, which makes selecting the AF point through the viewfinder a slower process. The deep grip and good spread of buttons make it ideal for most scenarios.
Speaking of which, the viewfinder, despite being smaller and having a lower resolution than those found on the Z6 and Z7, is still very usable and comfortable to use. If you've never used a full-frame Z Series model, you're not likely to feel as though you're missing out on anything important because of this. It is also on par with cameras from competing companies that are in direct competition with the Z50, such as the Fujifilm X-T30, which utilizes a device with a similar resolution and dimensions (0.39 inches and 2360 thousand dots).
The screen's ability to tilt is a useful feature, but because it tilts from the bottom of the camera, you can't use it with a tripod even if this feature is present. It works well for taking selfies, but those who plan to use the camera for vlogging will find it to be of much less use.
When we talk about competitors, it will be difficult for Nikon to persuade wavering customers to pick the Z50 over Fujifilm's successful X Series cameras or the Sony Alpha range of digital cameras. Even though the Z50 shares the same Z mount as its full-frame siblings, which makes it compatible with a wide selection of lenses, it still can't compete with the range and variety of options that are available from other manufacturers.
Having said that, the Z50 does have an advantage over its competitors in a couple of key areas. One is the pricing, which is particularly attractive when considering the competitively priced twin-lens package. The other is its handling, which stands out more than usual when compared to Sony's Alpha cameras, which have a reputation for being less ergonomic.
Nikon has made a strong debut with the Z50, the company's first mirrorless camera designed for the APS-C format. It demonstrates that the firm is eager to continue expanding in this area, and it may signal another nail in the coffin for DSLRs, at least on the enthusiast level. It is not a perfect camera, but it is a very excellent one — and it is one that will only get better when the price drops and additional lenses become available to use with it.