Nikon Z50 II First Impression Review: Major Upgrades or Just Hype? Find Out Now!

Nikon announced the long-awaited Nikon Z50 Mark II camera. If we talk about body design, we have a much-improved hand grip, which reminds us of DSLR cameras; they are very deep and very comfortable for professional hands. The other noticeable thing is a bright viewfinder of 1000 nits, despite having a 2.36 million resolution. Nikon has scaled the EVF. The other major improvement we can say in the design is the introduction of a vari-angle display screen on the rear side of the camera. As you can clearly remember, the Z50 had a tilting display screen, and now with the arrival of a vari-angle display as well as an additional audio port on the side of the camera, content creators can monitor their audio while recording videos.

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Overall Design Improvements

Overall, the camera is much improved compared to its predecessor. When we compare the designs, we see that we have a few extra controls and a newly added picture control button on top of the camera. The other noticeable advantage we have is the introduction of the EN-EL25a battery. Although it is very similar to the battery we have seen (EN-EL15) in the Z50, it has also been redesigned to run more efficiently.

Core Specifications

Now let’s talk about the internal core specifications of the camera. We have the same 20-megapixel sensor in the Nikon Z50 Mark II camera paired with the latest Expeed 7 image processor. Many users out there are disappointed with the resolution of the camera since it is the same sensor we have seen in the D500, Z30, and ZFC. All these cameras have the same, but the most interesting part of this particular sensor is its low-light performance, similar or even better to the recent current generation of higher-end APS-C cameras.

Resolution and Low-Light Performance

That said, resolution may be a completely personal choice, but having an excellent low-light-performing BSI CMOS sensor under a $1,000 budget is really impressive. I love to see the same sensor again in the Z50 Mark II body.

Advanced Autofocus

Now, with the introduction of the Expeed 7 image processor, we have an advanced autofocus algorithm inside the Z50 Mark II camera, which comes directly from the Nikon Z6 III and Nikon Z8 bodies. But kindly remember that Nikon’s higher-end cameras, or even the Nikon Z6 Mark III, have a partially stacked sensor, whereas the Z50 II does not have that. So the response of the AF algorithm present inside those cameras acts differently. But again, having advanced AF algorithms inside the Z50 Mark II camera enhances the autofocusing performance to the next level. The 3D auto-tracking performance keeps tracking the subject regardless of the subject or the camera movement. The other big advantage we have is the introduction of 9 different types of autofocus tracking modes. So, if we talk about the autofocus performance, the Z50 Mark II has now become one of the most advanced Nikon APS-C cameras Nikon ever announced.

Continuous Shooting Speed

The continuous shooting speed of the camera has been upscaled, and now you can shoot up to 30 frames per second with the electronic shutter. With the mechanical shutter, you can do continuous shooting up to 11 frames per second. We all know that the 20 MP BSI CMOS sensor is not a stacked CMOS sensor, so those who don’t want any kind of rolling shutter effect can select the mechanical shutter.

Picture Control / Profile Button and Cloud Integration

Now we have a dedicated picture profile button on the top of the camera, and with this button, you have a world of possibilities. You can browse all the presets and different kinds of picture profiles available to you through Nikon’s cloud system. Once you connect your camera with the NX software, it opens up multiple picture profiles being used by Nikon ambassadors worldwide while shooting images. So you can select any of these picture profiles for your camera and have some fun.

Video Features and Enhancements

Let’s talk about the video part of the camera. Nikon has done a lot for the video side of the camera. Starting from the design, Nikon has introduced a vari-angle display screen and a headphone port to monitor audio. Now, internally with the Expeed 7 image processor, we have an advanced 3D autofocus system for videos.

10-Bit Video Recording and Waveform

The Nikon Z50 Mark II now supports 10-bit video recording. You can record videos in 10-bit format and apply various colour profiles, including some introduced recently in Nikon’s professional cameras. Professionals will love this camera for the introduction of the waveform; now you can see the waveform functionality on the back of the camera, which helps set the exposure for the entire scene more accurately than the histogram.

Image Stabilization Drawbacks

The only thing that disappoints me is the presence of electronic image stabilization, which is not very effective in the Z50 Mark II. With VR lenses, you can achieve some stability, but it is not as good as we have seen in the Sony ZV-E10 or ZV-E10 Mark II cameras.

Here’s a straightforward table summarizing the pros and cons of the Nikon Z50 II:

Conclusion / Early Verdict