Nikon Z 50II in-depth review

What is the Nikon Z 50II and who is it for?

The Z 50 was announced back in autumn 2019. Since then, Nikon has introduced eight full-frame cameras but only two APS-C models. From that evidence, it seems Nikon’s priorities do not lie with the APS-C format – though the arrival of the Z 50II might indicate a shift.

Priced at £849 body-only and equipped with a hybrid-orientated feature set, the Z 50II targets content creators seeking a higher-quality alternative to smartphones. With a strong hybrid presence from Fujifilm, Panasonic and Sony, Nikon faces stiff competition, but on paper the Z 50II looks promising. Let’s dig deeper into what it offers.

Nikon Z 50II APS-C sensor & image processor

The Z 50II’s list of headline features, considering its price point, is impressive.

Its APS-C sensor offers 20.9-megapixel resolution and it is capable of shooting full-width 4K/30p video and JPEG stills at up to 30fps. It also uses the Expeed 7 image processor. This is the same engine found in the top-end Z 8 and Z 9 models.

Nikon Z 50II picture modes

Picture modes and creative filters on digital cameras aren’t new, and some brands have made more of them than others. The Z 50II’s dedicated Picture Control button, just in front of the rear input dial, gives easy access to 31 settings.

These include the usual image profiles like Standard, Vivid and Landscape. There are also 20 creatively named options such as Somber, Silence, Melancholic and Sunday. While some are more practical than others, users can tinker with various parameters, allowing for personalised settings.

Scrolling through the full list of options is slow – arranging them in alphabetical order would have been helpful. However, you can cherry-pick your favourites, reducing the list to as few as two.

NX Studio software

As with other picture modes, Nikon’s Picture Control modes apply to JPEGs only. Although, if you shoot Raws (either alone or with JPEGs simultaneously) and use Nikon’s free NX Studio software, the chosen colour setting is embedded. This allows you to fine-tune the effect, pick another mode or opt for normal full colour before exporting as usual.

Log onto the Nikon Imaging Cloud, and up to nine image presets can be downloaded, appearing as new Picture Control profiles.

Nikon Z 50II monitor and viewfinder

A fully articulating monitor is an essential component on any camera with ambitions of being considered a hybrid. A forward-facing monitor makes vlogging a breeze, and the Z 50II offers this feature. This is a real step up from the Z 50, which only had a tilt monitor.

One feature under threat in this market is the EVF, with hybrid models from competitors relying solely on a monitor. This design choice might not bother those moving up from smartphones – and it does help to reduce size and weight. However, more experienced camera users may find EVF-less cameras a bit less intuitive. Perhaps that’s why Nikon has stayed loyal to the EVF.

The Z 50II is equipped with a 2.36-million-dot screen offering up to 1000 nits of brightness – twice as bright as its predecessor. The viewing image is crisp, high-contrast and detailed, leaving no room for complaints on this front.

Nikon Z 50II control layout

In terms of control design and layout, the Z 50II will feel familiar to existing Nikon users. The right-side on/off switch and adjacent ISO, exposure compensation and movie record buttons are well-placed. Additionally, the lock-free exposure mode dial includes three user settings along with PSAM and fully auto options.

Around the base of the mode dial is a stills/video switchover selector. Yet since it lacks a lock, it’s easy to unintentionally switch functions – something to watch for. A firmer action would have been better.

The two front-mounted function buttons, Fn1 and Fn2, are seriously useful. Each gives the option of 65 different settings or features. However, accessing them proved a bit tricky due to how close they are to the lens barrel.

Given the camera’s small stature, the back panel is busy with controls, but there’s no focus lever. Shifting the focus point is done with the four-way thumb pad or by touch. Using the thumb to move the AF point when the eye is up to the viewfinder eyepiece is quick and more direct than using a focus joystick. While, when using the monitor, touching the screen moves the AF point and takes a shot as well.

I needed a slight hand adjustment to reach the thumb pad when using the monitor or with the camera up to the eye. The same goes for accessing the cluster of buttons below. Pressing the i button brings up a virtual panel of 12 controls and features, and you can edit the items on offer.

Nikon Z 50II continuous shooting

The Z 50II boasts impressive continuous shooting credentials if you need to rattle through lots of pictures quickly. In Continuous High (extended) mode with the mechanical shutter, I got 96 Raws or 81 Raws/Fine JPEGs at 10fps – not quite the 11fps Nikon quotes. Once the buffer was full, it took around 25 seconds for the write LED to extinguish.

For faster shooting, there are C15 and C30 modes, which provide 15fps and 30fps respectively. These settings work with the electronic shutter and yield JPEG files only.

Using a Sandisk Extreme Pro SD 200MB/s card and holding my finger down on the shutter button until the buffer read zero, I got 604 shots at the claimed 30fps, which is an excellent capacity.

Pre-Release Capture

Pre-Release Capture is featured on the Z 50II and available in C15 and C30 electronic shutter modes. There are three pre-release options: 0.3sec, 0.5sec and 1sec – and four post-release options: 1sec, 2secs, 3secs and maximum.

Having the timing options is a benefit, but it’s disappointing that the feature is JPEG only. Although that’s not really a surprise given this camera’s target market.

Nikon Z 50II autofocus

Nikon’s Z 8 and Z 9 have excellent AF skills, and the Z 50II – powered by the ultra-fast Expeed 7 processor – follows suit with accurate, responsive and sensitive performance. It offers single-point, zone, 3D-tracking and full-area options, along with strong subject detection capabilities such as auto, people, cats/dogs, birds, vehicles and planes.

I made use of three lenses for this test, including the Z DX 50-250mm f/4.5-6.3 VR zoom. The camera’s AF was sensitive, even on grey winter days. Snapping birds and squirrels in the garden, I used auto subject detection with the cats/dogs and birds settings. The system performed perfectly well for stills, though didn’t always pick up on a creature’s eye unless it was large in the frame.

Nikon Z 50II video quality

The Z 50II’s hybrid credentials are evident when looking at the camera’s video specs. It can shoot edge-to-edge 4K/30p video and 4K/60p with a 1.5x crop (which, of course, is on top of the 1.5x crop of the DX format).

You get this with 3D tracking and subject detection AF. The AF performance in video mode was impressive, with subject and eye detection working well. While the Z 50II is considered entry- or mid-level in price, it can shoot 10-bit and N-Log video internally and features separate microphone and headphone ports, catering to more advanced users.

Nikon Z 50II image stabilisation

The Z 50II lacks IBIS, so handheld footage can be a bit shaky, although Nikon’s DX format zoom lenses offer vibration reduction (VR) to help. The camera does feature electronic VR, but this comes with a significant crop. However, my tests proved video image quality to be excellent, with crisp, detailed and sharp images.

Conclusion

To sum up, while the Z 50II is targeted at users moving up from smartphones, its feature set makes it appealing to a broader audience. The downside is its relatively modest 20.9-megapixel sensor, which has been around for several years now. However, its ISO performance was perfectly acceptable – likely due to the enhancements offered by the Expeed 7 processor.