Nikon has pushed the boat out with the Z5 II – the second-gen mannequin delivers a number of performance-based enhancements and inherits a raft of flagship options, together with very good autofocus expertise.
These enhancements mirror how the Nikon Z50 II improved on the Z50 – it was a good if not radical improve.
The rub, nonetheless, is that the Z5 II feels expensive for an entry-level mannequin, and is near stepping on the toes of Nikon’s mid-range fashions; a lot so, actually, that it might characterize an improve from the Z6 II – the earlier model of Nikon’s mid-range mannequin, since up to date by the Z6 III.
So the query is, does the Z5 II step out of its lane, or is it a wonderfully balanced providing?
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(Picture credit score: Nikon)
(Picture credit score: Nikon)
An excessive amount of digicam?
Within the 5 years since its launch, the Nikon Z5 has steadily dropped in value, and will be had for manner lower than $1,000 / £1,000. That looks like a wise price ticket for newcomers and fanatics contemplating their first full-frame digicam.
The Z5 is surprisingly nicely made for an entry-level mannequin, too, which means it is glorious worth for stills-focused customers. Nevertheless, in 2025 the digicam’s specs are considerably modest, particularly if you happen to shoot motion and video. In steps the Z5 II.
At £1,599 / AU$2,99 body-only, or £1,859 / AU$3,300 with the 24-50mm lens, the Z5 II, prices round 10% greater than the Z5 when it launched in 2020, nevertheless it’s successfully double the value of a Z5 now in 2025. In some areas, the Z5 II can be obtainable in a package with the 24-70mm f/4 lens (£2,129 / AU$3,370) or with the 24-200mm lens (£2,299 / AU$4,062). I am going to replace this web page with US pricing after I get it.
What do you get for the cash? A digicam with the identical 24.5MP decision because the Z5, albeit in a refined sensor that is similar to the one within the Nikon Zf , with Nikon’s best-ever picture stabilization, now rated as much as 7.5EV.
There’s additionally Nikon’s newest, snappier Expeed 7 processor, which delivers considerably sooner burst-shooting speeds: 14fps steady excessive, and 30fps in a high-speed body seize+ mode, full with as much as one second of pre-capture if you half-press the shutter button.
The phase-detection autofocus system with 3D monitoring can be Nikon’s greatest model, as discovered within the flagship Z8 and Z9 fashions, with topic detection for as much as 9 varieties, together with folks, birds, canines, cats, vehicles, and airplanes.
Nikon says the Z5 II’s autofocus can detect distant and small topics that take up as little as 3% of the body, plus it is essentially the most delicate focusing but, rated as much as -10EV, which means it is capable of purchase focus in close to darkness.
Video recording is way improved over the Z5 too. We now get 4K 30p video with Nikon’s N-RAW and N-Log colour profiles, plus 4K 60p video, albeit with a picture space crop. N-RAW video will be recorded straight onto a reminiscence card, which is a primary for Nikon – the Z5 II has twin SD UHS-II slots.
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(Picture credit score: Nikon)
(Picture credit score: Nikon)
It is not simply the efficiency that is acquired a lift – the Z5 II’s dealing with is improved too. Its weather-sealed physique is very like the Z6 III’s, together with a 3.2-inch 2.1m-dot touchscreen that is now the vari-angle sort, which means it that may be flipped out to the aspect of the digicam and reversed for selfies. The three.69m-dot EVF is 3 times brighter too, rated at 3,000 nits to the Z5’s 1,000 nits.
And, as on the Z50 II, there is a Image Management button, with which customers can choose the colour profile they like, together with recipes that may be downloaded from Nikon’s Imaging Cloud and / or customized created.
General, it is a sizable replace with out rocking the boat, even when the asking value is pushing it a bit. That stated, we can’t labor the associated fee level an excessive amount of, as a result of Nikon has a historical past of discounting its cameras extra quickly, and closely, than rivals.
The truth that the Z5 II addresses the three Z6 III upgrades I wished for as a Z6 II user is super-impressive – Nikon’s Z5 sequence simply upped the bar for entry-level efficiency.
We’re at the moment finishing up an in-depth evaluation of the Nikon Z5 II, and we’ll share our experiences quickly.
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