Nikon has announced the Z50 II, an eagerly anticipated upgrade to its first crop-sensor mirrorless camera, launching nearly five years after the original Z50’s debut in 2019. The Nikon Z50II retains many core specifications from its predecessor, including the 20.9MP sensor, an ISO range spanning 100 to 51,200, and a maximum shooting speed of 11 frames per second. However, it now features Nikon’s advanced Expeed 7 processor, the same high-performance chip found in the flagship Z9, Z8, and Z6 III models. This cutting-edge addition enhances autofocus, subject tracking, and video capabilities, significantly improving the camera’s overall responsiveness and making it a powerful tool for today’s content creators.
The Expeed 7 processor brings Z9-level performance to a smaller camera, allowing users to benefit from faster image processing, smoother transitions, and better tracking. Nikon’s inclusion of this advanced chip effectively boosts the Z50 II’s speed and versatility, enhancing shooting experiences for both photos and video.
Enhanced Design for Easier Content Creation
The Z50 II comes with several physical upgrades that enhance usability, particularly for those creating on the go. Nikon has increased the viewfinder’s brightness, doubling it to 1000 nits from the previous model’s 500 nits, which greatly benefits users when composing shots in bright conditions. Nikon designed the new 3.2-inch rear screen to flip out sideways instead of downwards, a significant improvement for vloggers and selfie-takers using tripods. Additionally, this redesigned screen rotates all text and overlaid information to match the camera’s orientation, eliminating the need to crane one’s neck to view settings during vertical shooting.
Nikon has also improved the camera’s control layout, with the Z50 II introducing a convenient Picture Control button on the top plate near the exposure mode dial. While previous Nikon models required users to navigate menus to access Picture Controls, this new button offers quick, direct access to these settings. Picture Controls allow photographers to apply various in-camera looks to their images, enhancing creative possibilities, especially for JPEG shooters. These unique looks will also carry over to RAW files if processed in Nikon’s NX Studio software. Additionally, the Z50 II is fully compatible with Nikon Cloud, where users can download and share custom Picture Controls, including options crafted by Nikon Creators, further expanding editing possibilities.
With its Nikon Cloud compatibility, the Z50 II offers automated cloud backups, allowing users to upload images directly over Wi-Fi. The camera also supports over-the-air firmware updates, so users can bypass the traditional process of downloading updates on a computer, transferring them to a memory card, and manually updating through the camera’s menus.
Tailored for Video and Streaming
The Nikon Z50II introduces features that enhance video functionality, aligning it closely with the needs of influencers, vloggers, and creators. The camera captures oversampled 4K 30p video directly from the 5.6K sensor readout, ensuring uncropped footage that maintains the native field of view of attached lenses. This upgrade also includes a 4K 60p slow-motion recording mode with a 1.5x crop, while a Full HD 120p option provides four-times slow-motion playback, ideal for cinematic effects. Nikon’s new Product Review mode automatically shifts focus between a presenter and an object brought closer to the lens, making it an excellent choice for product-focused videos and reviews. Once connected via USB, the Z50 II is also recognized as a webcam for platforms like YouTube Live, Twitch, and Zoom, no longer requiring Nikon’s Webcam Utility software for seamless streaming.
Further supporting creators, the Z50 II incorporates Nikon’s flagship AI-driven face and eye tracking, capable of detecting and focusing on a variety of subjects, from animals and birds to vehicles. This feature, originally developed for Nikon’s Z9, ensures robust subject detection across nine categories, enabling precise focus on moving subjects. Nikon has also equipped the Z50 II with a Pre-Release Capture function, first introduced in its high-end models, which captures up to one second of full-resolution JPEG images in the background before the shutter is fully pressed. This feature ensures users won’t miss crucial moments, particularly in fast-paced shooting scenarios.
With the Expeed 7 processor, the Z50 II also offers enhanced exposure adjustments and delivers noticeable improvements in high-ISO image quality, significantly reducing noise in low-light conditions. The pop-up flash from the original Z50 also returns, making it the only Z-series camera to feature this built-in lighting option. While modest in power, the pop-up flash can be helpful for fill lighting in harsh or uneven conditions. Nikon’s Creative Lighting System further expands its utility by enabling it to act as a Commander unit for remotely controlling standalone flash units.
User-Friendly Design and Accessories for a Compact, Efficient Setup
The Nikon Z50II remains compact and lightweight at 465g, with a redesigned grip for added comfort during extended use. Nikon has introduced more physical buttons, reducing reliance on the ‘soft’ controls seen on the rear display of the original Z50, giving users a more tactile experience. Although it keeps the same 20.9MP sensor as its predecessor, the advanced Expeed 7 processor brings substantial boosts in performance, particularly in responsiveness and startup speed. Additionally, Nikon includes a new wired remote control, the MC-DC3, which connects through the headphone port due to the absence of a dedicated remote slot. This remote offers focus control with a half-press feature and is compatible with Bulb mode for long exposures.
The Nikon Z50II as a compelling tool for Gen Z creators, influencers, and vloggers who value both high-quality stills and advanced video capabilities. The camera will be available for purchase by the end of November, with a range of options including a body-only model, a kit featuring the popular 16-50mm lens, and a dual-lens bundle that adds a 50-250mm telephoto zoom. For Australian buyers, Nikon is offering a bundle with the Nikkor Z DX 18-140mm f/3.5-6.3 VR zoom lens.