Another way to put this question, zoom back to 2005 and say "How much better is the Z50ii than the Canon 1Ds MkII top of the range flagship camera used by professionals for weddings, events, photoshoots, with its 16.7MP?" - The required number of megapixels was reached a long time ago. You don't need more, you need better lenses and become a better photographer. The equipment has been good enough for 20 years.
The 'required' amount of pixels depends on your particular use case. For example, you need at least 33-34Mp to fill all the pixels on an 8K monitor/TV. Large prints are also demanding.
Yes, the "you need better lenses" mantra is more valid than ever. Because as soon as the lens (out)resolves the sensor, then the modern lossless AI resolution quadrupling software can be used easily.
Apart from that, your BIOLOGY is the limiting factor in most use cases. The average (i.e. mid-aged) human eye (referred to "vision = 100%" by ophthalmologist) manages to resolve 6 megapixels, when viewing a big print from a comfortable, natural, gallery-like viewing distance (which is about the print's diagonal). The more your age is above 40, the more your eye's resolution drops below 6 megapixels. As if the evolution made our eyes sufficient to find a yellow banana in a tree, that's all what's needed for a monkey to survive 😉
Actually, the above was also the reason, why many serious landscape photographers were migrating from film to digital, for their exhibition quality printing work, as soon as DSLRs had reached 6~8 megapixels, in the early 2000 decade.
Camera manufacturers offer a vast variety of excellent cameras at different levels. In my opinion, the camera itself is not the most important element-it's not even the second. The photographer, the artistic vision, the subject, the light, the lens, and the editing all play significant roles. There are many components. You can upgrade your technique, or you can enhance your artistic vision-there are no limits to growth. A piece of timeless advice: always shoot with the camera you have. Thank you for the enjoyable sunny walk and for your camera review, Nigel.
MP only matters for cropping and/or if you want to print really large. And when it comes to printing, nobody looks at a large print from close. Anyway good content Nigel!
@@dmiller9786 likely means pixel density (as the Z50 and Z7/Z8/Z9 have roughly the same density or PPI), but that doesn't matter for printing. Actual pixel counts matter for printing, especially if printing large, but 21MP images can be printed to about 12x18 if you don't crop (much). As to 20 vs 45, if you're printing larger than 12x18 you wuld benefit from a 24MP+ sensor. But if not, then 21MP is plenty unless you're a heavy cropper. And if you are, you may need to look at your technique if you find yourself cropping out so much in post.
Thank you, and so lovely to see you in Padley. There’s so much snobbery about gear and you’re bang on when you say the most important thing is just to get out there. Enjoy the autumn! 🍂🍁
Knowing what you're doing is always more important than spec sheets. The Z50 and now the Z50ii have a great sensor and big fat pixels that create lovely images.
And for even bigger, fatter pixels, the Z5 is a full frame sensor and about the same cost with 24 megapixels. Personally, I’d choose this Z50ii for the sake of better autofocus. But for landscapes on the cheap, hard to beat a Z5.
Thank you for holding the DX torch high! As a long time DSLR DX shooter I'm always amazed at the thought of if you're serious it must be Full Frame. A camera like th d7200 had similar dynamic range as FF with easier large DOF. I'm preordering a Z50II to compliment my Z6III for times where smaller and lighter may get me the shot. Great video
@@muttishelfer9122 For those who shoot wildlife and need to crop in. Large, fast primes are VERY pricey. If you can get a "decent" tele and a HIGH MP camera, you can cheat a bit and bring in your subject MUCH closer than you can crop in with a 20MP camera. For landscape photography, there's literally 0 need for a high MP camera.
Another informative and enjoyable video. I found myself at the 7:22 mark, when you were standing at the gated fence, wishing you would set up and take some photos there. The light, shadows, wonderfully shaped trees in the background and the rustic look of the fence and gate were PERFECT!! Plenty of potential for some magnificent photos.
Years ago while shooting 4x5 in the Cerro Torre area in Patagonia I had a tiny fuji x100 as my "travel companion". Whenever the situation was way to difficult for my large format set-up I resorted to the x100. I treated it like a full blown landscape setup- big gitso tripod, big ballhead, expensive filters, remote release. Got back home and forgot those files in some back up. Now I go through them and they are just superb- rich colors, clinically sharp. I printed a few of them at 90cm just to try things out using modern editing software and they look wonderful. I sold the fuji long ago but still have all the accessories. The moral of the story is- obsess about technique, about location, about the light
Great videos! The bigger the print, the further away you are supposed to look at it. So megapixels don't mean anything now unless your prints are seen from closer than usual. I printed an 80 cm by 130 cm photo taken with a 24mp for an exhibition. The number of people asking me what camera I used for such quality was astonishing, but visitors were looking at it from 2 meters away!
Cheers Nigel, it’s Sean in Atlanta! This was a great video and I have to tell you how much I have fallen in love with Padley Gorge! To be honest with you, I am a bit disappointed in the megapixel sensor of the new Z50ii. But you are correct because if you are only posting to social media or even for your own personal viewing pleasure, you just don’t need many more megapixels than that. We have all become numbed and marketed by the camera companies. I would like to make a comment about your presets, if I may. There are so many dozens of photographers who offer presets for sale, that it gets a bit confusing! And so many of them look a little under exposed, which I don’t always mind. I would rather look at a slightly under exposed image than an overexposed image. But then, they turn the sky a shade of green that I have never seen before in real life! Your presets, however, look amazing and very lifelike to me and I will be ordering a set soon for Christmas. Thank you for taking me on a tour of an area that I would never normally see! My heart belongs in England while I live here in the States, the land of strange decisions… Sean
A few years ago I upgraded from a point and shoot to the Z50. It was what I could afford at the moment I purchased it. Was fully expecting to want to upgrade at some point. But the Z50 does everything I need, and more. Lightweight, feels good in the hand and the image quality is just fine. I really like the button layout. I can change the ISO, exposure compensation, aperture, shutter speed, focus modes, etc, with one hand.
Hi Nigel, if I'm walking on Dartmoor, which I'm lucky to have on my doorstep, I'll generally take my my z50 with me instead of the my z7Ii, especially if I'm on a longish walk as my back isn't so great ( nothing like your situation, how you cope is amazing) and find the z50 with the 16-50 is adequate, its also a great travel camera too! I can also re-visit an area and take more kit with me if I can park closer to the location. Your enthusiasm shines through as ever, thank you.
It was a great surprise early in the morning to find out Nikon released this camera. What a great device! Still more often than not I use my z50 for landscapes, so I'm gonna definitely upgrade to the z50ll soon. I'd like to see Nikon expanding the list of DX lenses in the future. Great photos as always!
D750 lanscape guy here. I print max 36" on the long side - 24mp is plenty for that. Besides mp, there's capture-able dynamic range. My primary issue with the D7000 (last Dx camera I owned) was lack of dynamic range not mp (in spite of it having a good bit less than 20). Stacking exposures got very, very old. Now if this camera has the same dynamic range as a D750, I want one - but I'd be amazed if it does, just given the larger area FF sensors and lenses have to gather photons.
I have both a Pentax K-1 and a K-3, but have recently gone back to using two elderly 16.3mp K-5 bodies for black and white work. With the sensitivity set to ISO 80, and the black and white parameters optimised, they produce stunning 11x 14 and 12 x 12 images.
I have the original Z50. I’m mostly pleased with it - after the firmware updates. Great size for travel and hiking and I have no complaints about the images. My biggest complaint is I can’t use it in the winter (30 F and below), no matter how many batteries I have in my pockets.
This place looks a lot like what we have here at the moment in Canada, province of Quebec, except maybe with less leaves in the trees. Very inspiring video!
I think a nice blue sky is underrated. Yes it can be quite bright and harder to get the dynamic range correct but, as with your pic with the silver birches proves it does work. It's not the classic moody sky but a nice reflection of the beautiful day you were out shooting in.
I agree. I always enjoy my travel videos being nice and bright and sunny as mid day was when I was there. The brightness gives a nice happy, feeling to the memory of being there. Moody photos are nice and all of course but for my personal photos, I actually like the bright mid day sun.
I had the Z50 for a brief time before getting frustrated with it's flip-down screen and got the Z7 instead for a good deal second-hand (almost new.) It's great that Nikon has heard the feedback regarding this and has adapted the flip-screen with the Z50ii for more ease of use. Having had a Canon M50ii in the past to video/photograph & print images of the Litli-Hrutur eruption in Iceland I can vouch that megapixels shouldn't be the 'make or break' when it comes to imaging.
One thing about these camera reviews (and I don't mean just yours, I mean the decided majority do this) is that they always approach these non-pro cameras from the viewpoint of a pro. All kinds of lenses, all kinds of tweaks in post-processing, images shot in RAW, etc, etc.
Nice video, Nigel. I tried a z50 as a travel/backup to my Z9 but didn't like that some of the controls eg playback & zoom were on the screen rather than the body, so changed it for a used Z6 which I am enjoying more. Presumably you can close the flippy screen to protect it when it's in your bag. Had one on my D5300 a few years back and enjoyed it. Bringing the Expeed 7 processor with bird recognition to an entry level camera is immense. Well done Nikon! Love the Peak District but it's a two hour drive for me from the Cotswolds.!
@NigelDanson thank you, appreciate it. Maybe I will upgrade, I found it so easy to transition to mirroless from d300 this was a beast for it's time. And like u said price point plays a factor, not making billboard images.
Picture controls: I shoot raw + jpg pairs, and usually leave the Picture Control in Auto. But I also like the Black & White picture controls. See the world through the viewfinder or rear screen in black and white! I can experiment with very high contrast or shades of gray low contrast too.
I’ve had the original Z50 since 2021. It has the same sensor as the new camera and takes great images. I use my Z7 and Z8 mostly, but I don’t hesitate to grab my Z50 when I want to travel light. I find that 20 megapixels is plenty for most situations and if I need a larger print from a file, I can always go to Gigapixel AI. I doubt I’ll be a upgrading to the 50 II as the original does everything I need it to
I have the 12-28 PZ, what a great lens, if that is any indication the coming cine PZ lens is going to be a knockout. Nikon, in my opinion, is the epitome of outperforming the spec sheet. It shoots better than you think it should. Sometimes I pick up a new Fujifilm my friends shoot with, great cameras, but even the high end ones (sssshhh, don't tell them!) with all the IBIS and things that make it look good on paper, the images look the same. Hell, a lot of times the Nikon sensor + Nikon color profiles are actually preferable!
I have prints in 120cm x 90cm from an Olympus E1 (5MP), as well as two prints in 90cm x 60cm from a Nikon D300s (12MP) and from an Olympus OMD E-M1 (16MP) 😊 No one has ever stood in front of it and said “oh, that's only 5, 12 or 16MP”. Of course, if you approach the E1 image from below the normal viewing distance and look at the details, you can see the lack of fine resolution. Today's sensors with more than 20MP resolution also allow large prints without any problems, as a) the print itself levels out a lot and b) the viewing distance also increases with the size of the print. In the end, of course, the highMP sensors leave room for cropping the image, which you don't have with sensors with fewer MP. In principle, however, the problem has been significantly alleviated for standard print output sizes.
I have a Fuji XT-2 with a 24 MP Xtrans III sensor and it takes fantastic photos. No need for me to upgrade to a modern camera. If I broke, I’d buy a used one and save tons of money which I could use to improve my skills.
I have the Z50 and I've never been worried about the sensor (other than thinking it's only 20mp then kick myself because the D500 was about the same and it was fine). Now it sounded like a toy and the auto focus was slower than I liked - but the image quality was never a problem. It's my tag along camera when walking the dogs because it's small and light. I recently switched from the kit 50-250 to the 24-200 because I want a wider angle shot more often in the morning than needing 250mm. So I'm pretty keen to check out the II version. I have a few other Z camera's but due to their size and weight are not my first choice for walk about. So I think pro's can use this camera just fine in many use cases.To call it a beginner camera (which budget wise makes sense) I think does it a bit of a dis-service. It performs better than that label would suggest.
Great video, I been using older cameras, some of the best shots come from the older cameras 12mpx - 24mpx is my range. Sharing on social media. Subject matter and composition is truly the only thing that I concern myself with. Pixel peeping is the least thing I am concerned with. Thanks for sharing
Thanks for video. Question I have is would the Z50 have fared better with a high quality lens rather than the budget zoom lens. Especially if run through DXO or similar. Also, as a comment, I would not be happy to pay £1,000 then have to shoot on an F6.3 lens ! I am not encouraged to swap my second hand Olympus EM5 with a pro quality lens even though it is only 16MP. Seems to me that the best way to good sharp pictures is to buy high quality lenses, especially primes.
I shot a camera with that sensor on a converted Sony 16-55 2.8G and I can attest that, despite needing to use a software like LR that can apply the lens corrections from a different brand to the Nikon, the technical quality did produce noticeably good results on that sensor. Even though the combo was slightly janky, if I used my Z30 for professional work I would buy the Sony lens and adapt it.
If the Z50ii is anything like the Z6iii (or any other Nikon digital camera that I'm aware of) then Picture Control settings are applied to RAW photos if you use NX Studio as your RAW converter. I find this very useful as it gives the convenience of jpeg and the power of RAW for post processing.
I'm not in the ecosystem of Nikon any more, but I think this is a good addition to their range. I'm not really the person to be asking about megapixels given that I use a GFX 100 but I shoot professionally but I do think there's a place for the smaller end market cameras to get people into Photography and it still has quite a few of the features of the better cameras. The problem often being is when these cameras are released is that they are very similar prices to a Z camera that might be three or four years old for instance the new price of this camera you could probably get a Z7 second hand.... and with the firmware updates I would be buying the Z7 over this camera. I do like the ability to crop in more but in some ways a 20 megapixel camera is gonna force you to work on your composition a little bit more as well because you know you haven't got that extra cropping ability so for beginners I would definitely recommend this camera. I prefer Fuji over Nikon for the style of Photography because I just think the colours are better but that's a subjective thing as well. Thanks for your video.
I see clearly the differences in color and tonality at 21:29 min:sec. And yes, in Resolution too. But I think the Z50 II is a fine camera. Would love it more, if there would be an ibis
I suppose the advantage to some extra pixels, is that when you are stupid like me and only shoot that waterfall in landscape format, you are still able to crop into portrait in post processing 😊
Great video as always an agree sensor size is not always important but if you do wildlife you often can’t get close and cropping in is important. Also shame that the sensor is the same as the old d500 would have expected some thing never for the price
Comparing my Canon M6 mark II with it's 32.5MP sensor against the Z50 II's 20.9 MP sensor, it's like having a 1.25x adapter permanently built in to the camera. When I go for a walkaround shoot I have two choices. Carry an extra lens or crop. I'm an amateur photographer who shoots every thing and zooming with my feet is often not an option. I'm always going to pay for those extra pixels over the extra weight and expense of a 100-400mm lens.
Another great video, Nigel, to the point that it will spark a massive debate on the subject of how megapixels do you really need? I've been using the same 24MP camera for the last 9 years and as a rule it's served me well over that time. I have been thinking about an upgrade to a Nikon Mirrorless system, most likely one of their full frame models, but which one? It will boil down to which one I can afford most likely out of the Z7II and Z6III, as although I would love a Z8, alas it's probably out of my budget when you add in the Z Series lenses I feel I need. Unless I have a nice win on my Premium Bonds and then that could all change. Anyway, you've captured some wonderful images during your morning there and thanks to your video I can see that there's so much more to this area than I discovered on my only visit to Padley Gorge. Admittedly, it was on a Kase Filters UK Demo Day and just gave me a taste of it. I will have to study the map of the area a bit more to see where all the places you ventured to are in relation to the gorge itself. I might even be tempted to venture over there on Monday of next week. I've also purchased your Woodland Presets and I've been having a little play with them on a few of my woodland scenes. So far, my biggest dilemma has been deciding which preset best suits each image, but I'm guessing with time and experience that will become easier. Keep up the good work!
I've been waiting for a nice DX Z camera with features of the z6iii, Z8. While the Z50 ii isn't the pro grade DX I'd hoped for it's still impressive. I'll pick one up to accompany my Z5, and so I can use my great DX lenses from F mount with the benefits of mirrorless. Can't wait to see how my 2005 DX Nikon AFS 17-55mm f2.8g ED works on it.
I was looking to switch from my canon set to Nikon because I do alot of hiking and the canon system is like hauling bricks around. Have wanted to switch to Nikon for some time now and this camera looks amazing sights I will research it. Question, what was that little black box with the red cable on your hot foot onto your nikon? Always enjoy Nigel.
A great upgrade if one wants a small camera but otherwise Z7,8,9 shooters can just shoot in DX mode for almost the same POV and resolution, or crop in post. Shame there's no IBIS but it's made to a price-point I suppose. Great travel camera though. Thanks for uploading.
Nigel, Thank-you so much for giving a honest, genuine and a non condescending review of the Z50ii, I own the original Z50 and really like this camera but hate the battery life (I carry one original battery and three generic batteries when I'm out for a long period) I'm a little torn to be honest with you I was thinking of stepping back into the dslr world by replacing my Z50 for a nikon D500 mainly because of the said battery issues, but love the electronic viewfinder, I was also thinking of trading it in for the new version but I've seen on another review that the battery life is even worse due to the better processor, what's your thoughts? Many thanks Steve H
I use a Z 50 when bicycling around the Netherlands and a battery generally lasts an entire day of riding around and shooting a few dozen shots plus some occasional viewing and sometimes a couple of brief videos of some interesting machine running. This is with the camera on and SnapBridge running. It doesn't drain my phone, either. I carry a second battery in my pocket but most days I don't even need it. I don't know what people are doing to get poor battery life. Must be some settings I guess. I'm there in the summer with warm weather. Maybe that helps. I ordered the new version because I like new toys and some of the upgrades are nice. USB-C for instance :-) But the old version is still an excellent camera
For me simple answer is yes. But the flexibility of 45mp is sweet....there have been countless instances where I just want to shave a little from one side of a 45mp frame, maintaining all that stunning resolution. I'd say glass is more important than MP count TBH.
Good one Nigel! Many like to talk about the number of megapixels and which is better, but not a lot of discussion on dynamic range. When shooting in harsh light as your were in this video, can you comment on megapixel size, sensor size, or lens making a difference with respect to dynamic range.?
Basically the answer is no, you don't need 40 mps, you don't need 60 mps or 100 mps. If you need to crop, wildlife perhaps. What's important is how the sensor renders what it captures. The Canon 5DMk2 with its 24mp sensor was a ground breaking camera and for many it will " fill the bill" even now. It rendered fabulous landscapes. Few people print pictures bigger than +- 40 by 60 inches.
Great video. And funny, years ago Olympus offered all the „small but excellent“ arguments. Now, the pendulum swings in that direction but the world is in „high MP francy“. Sad
Been toying with trying out street photography but am concerned about going out with my Z7ii. The z50ii with a pancake lens may fit the bill. Will wait for the first round of discounts since the z50ii is the same price I paid for a z5 a few years ago.
Ken, I'm just back from a weekend in Rome and found my Z50 with 16-50mm Kit lens a great option for street photography. Unobtrusive and not to heavy to have round your neck for 10 hour days. I've just pre-ordered a Z50ii. The smaller sized Z50 got me back into photography as I take my camera out much more now over the full frame Canon I used to have.
Really interesting. I have a Z50 along with my Z6ii, and often take it out as it's lighter & smaller. I do have a 24mm DX lens, but otherwise use FF lenses. It would be great if you were to choose a zoom lens that you could use with APSC and FF, so that variable is (in effect) removed from the comparison. I rented a Fujifilm X-T50 (40mp) and took same shots with both my Nikons. Definitely conclude that extra pixels made no beneficial difference. Maybe the f1.4 Fuji lens wasn't in good condition, but in the end I'm sticking with Nikon for APSC. There was a lot to like about the Fuji, but not enough to warrant the price, at the moment.
I think the best argument for "is X megapixels enough" is really comparing to modern screen resolutions. 4K is kind of the modern high standard, sure 8K is being talked about but we are a ways away from that due to how much processing power from GPUs/CPUs that would take. Rendering anything at 4K is of incredibly high quality and is 8 Megapixels.... So 20MP is truly plenty. As someone who owns a Sony A7RIV with 62 MP I honestly think that the best of all worlds for megapixel count is in the 40-45 range. Gives you plenty of resolution and plenty of ability to crop but also reduces file sizes a bit, is less demanding of lenses, and has a slightly better noise performance.
The problem is not that 20 isn't enough, the problem is that others have more. Considering that aps-c is often the entry point in a system, you don't want people with 0 camera knowledge compare the megapixels and chose based only on that. Right above my PC rig I have a 100x60cm canvas print from the Nikon D7500 (same sensor), it looks great, even though I moved on to A7IV now. But again, the thing is more a matter of marketing than anything else. Canon, Fuji and Sony offering 24mp might lose Nikon a few new users.
Sadly here in my part of Devon Autumn colour hasn't happened. The wind has emptied a lot of the trees before they turned colour. Off to Exmoor tomorrow so see what that is like.
Once I shot a full frame camera I swore I'd never go back to aps-c, but lately I've been considering it so I can stop carrying around such heavy full frame gear. I wonder if these new up-scaling programs can help with the low megapixels in this camera (when necessary)? I've always wanted higher pixels because, why not? It doesn't add any weight, and I wouldn't want to get a shot of a lifetime (or a shot in a place I'll never be back to) and years later look back and say I wish I'd have taken that at higher resolution.
Suppose it’s worth mentioning that 20mp APS-C sensor has the same pixel density as a 45mp FF sensor. Most the kit lenses Nikon has made for the Z mount may not even be able to resolve that level of pixel density, and not sure more resolution would matter that much.
Wouldn't the result have been the same from your last test when you tested the Z7 vs Z50 (gen 1)? Especially since the Z50's sensor didn't change...? For the average person 21MP is probably plenty, although you may be limited on cropping if you're going to print anything larger than say 12x18 (you wouldn't really be able to crop at all or very little). I'm personally one that likes the higher res FF bodies as it gives me options after capture (without having to resort to enlargement software) and I can always down-size the image to print it smaller. But at the price point of the Z50 II, at $910 or so, it's hard to beat to get very good AF.
To me it seems a bit counterintuitive to promote a small lightweight camera and then use it with a clunky tripod. I would be interested to see a comparison of the image quality with and without a tripod.
Any chance of including one more link ... to all that sunshine. I'm ten days into a "grey overcast" spell and the forecast is for it to go on another week. 😢😂
Another way to put this question, zoom back to 2005 and say "How much better is the Z50ii than the Canon 1Ds MkII top of the range flagship camera used by professionals for weddings, events, photoshoots, with its 16.7MP?" - The required number of megapixels was reached a long time ago. You don't need more, you need better lenses and become a better photographer. The equipment has been good enough for 20 years.
Canon 1ds ii was 16mp on full frame - 2004, are they comparable in Sensor technologies
The 'required' amount of pixels depends on your particular use case. For example, you need at least 33-34Mp to fill all the pixels on an 8K monitor/TV. Large prints are also demanding.
Yes, the "you need better lenses" mantra is more valid than ever. Because as soon as the lens (out)resolves the sensor, then the modern lossless AI resolution quadrupling software can be used easily.
Apart from that, your BIOLOGY is the limiting factor in most use cases. The average (i.e. mid-aged) human eye (referred to "vision = 100%" by ophthalmologist) manages to resolve 6 megapixels, when viewing a big print from a comfortable, natural, gallery-like viewing distance (which is about the print's diagonal).
The more your age is above 40, the more your eye's resolution drops below 6 megapixels.
As if the evolution made our eyes sufficient to find a yellow banana in a tree, that's all what's needed for a monkey to survive 😉
Actually, the above was also the reason, why many serious landscape photographers were migrating from film to digital, for their exhibition quality printing work, as soon as DSLRs had reached 6~8 megapixels, in the early 2000 decade.
Camera manufacturers offer a vast variety of excellent cameras at different levels. In my opinion, the camera itself is not the most important element-it's not even the second. The photographer, the artistic vision, the subject, the light, the lens, and the editing all play significant roles. There are many components.
You can upgrade your technique, or you can enhance your artistic vision-there are no limits to growth. A piece of timeless advice: always shoot with the camera you have.
Thank you for the enjoyable sunny walk and for your camera review, Nigel.
MP only matters for cropping and/or if you want to print really large. And when it comes to printing, nobody looks at a large print from close. Anyway good content Nigel!
Yes, but also 20mpx on a DX sensor is close to 45mpx on FX. Plenty mpx for cropping in Z50.
@@andrzejjaniak6849 You are confused
@@andrzejjaniak6849 >plenty mpx for cropping in Z50
if you want 640x480 Dimension sure
@@andrzejjaniak6849 MP's are MP's.
@@dmiller9786 likely means pixel density (as the Z50 and Z7/Z8/Z9 have roughly the same density or PPI), but that doesn't matter for printing. Actual pixel counts matter for printing, especially if printing large, but 21MP images can be printed to about 12x18 if you don't crop (much). As to 20 vs 45, if you're printing larger than 12x18 you wuld benefit from a 24MP+ sensor. But if not, then 21MP is plenty unless you're a heavy cropper. And if you are, you may need to look at your technique if you find yourself cropping out so much in post.
Thank you, and so lovely to see you in Padley. There’s so much snobbery about gear and you’re bang on when you say the most important thing is just to get out there. Enjoy the autumn! 🍂🍁
Knowing what you're doing is always more important than spec sheets. The Z50 and now the Z50ii have a great sensor and big fat pixels that create lovely images.
And for even bigger, fatter pixels, the Z5 is a full frame sensor and about the same cost with 24 megapixels. Personally, I’d choose this Z50ii for the sake of better autofocus. But for landscapes on the cheap, hard to beat a Z5.
@@adamaufdencamp5080 Yep, the Z5 is a killer steal for slow landscape work, but with a pretty archaic AF system as you alluded.
Thank you for holding the DX torch high! As a long time DSLR DX shooter I'm always amazed at the thought of if you're serious it must be Full Frame. A camera like th d7200 had similar dynamic range as FF with easier large DOF. I'm preordering a Z50II to compliment my Z6III for times where smaller and lighter may get me the shot. Great video
20 MP is plenty even for professionals. Very informative video thank you
So why Z7II, Z8 and Z9 offer 45MP?
I agree. Photography is so accessible to all now - even using our phones is sometimes good enough!
@@muttishelfer9122 good question.
@muttishelfer9122 because they can and folks will buy them so why not
@@muttishelfer9122
For those who shoot wildlife and need to crop in. Large, fast primes are VERY pricey. If you can get a "decent" tele and a HIGH MP camera, you can cheat a bit and bring in your subject MUCH closer than you can crop in with a 20MP camera.
For landscape photography, there's literally 0 need for a high MP camera.
Another informative and enjoyable video. I found myself at the 7:22 mark, when you were standing at the gated fence, wishing you would set up and take some photos there. The light, shadows, wonderfully shaped trees in the background and the rustic look of the fence and gate were PERFECT!! Plenty of potential for some magnificent photos.
The Z50 ii is looking good. Still crossing my fingers for a Z5 ii though.
Years ago while shooting 4x5 in the Cerro Torre area in Patagonia I had a tiny fuji x100 as my "travel companion". Whenever the situation was way to difficult for my large format set-up I resorted to the x100. I treated it like a full blown landscape setup- big gitso tripod, big ballhead, expensive filters, remote release. Got back home and forgot those files in some back up. Now I go through them and they are just superb- rich colors, clinically sharp. I printed a few of them at 90cm just to try things out using modern editing software and they look wonderful. I sold the fuji long ago but still have all the accessories. The moral of the story is- obsess about technique, about location, about the light
Great videos! The bigger the print, the further away you are supposed to look at it. So megapixels don't mean anything now unless your prints are seen from closer than usual.
I printed an 80 cm by 130 cm photo taken with a 24mp for an exhibition. The number of people asking me what camera I used for such quality was astonishing, but visitors were looking at it from 2 meters away!
Cheers Nigel, it’s Sean in Atlanta! This was a great video and I have to tell you how much I have fallen in love with Padley Gorge! To be honest with you, I am a bit disappointed in the megapixel sensor of the new Z50ii. But you are correct because if you are only posting to social media or even for your own personal viewing pleasure, you just don’t need many more megapixels than that. We have all become numbed and marketed by the camera companies.
I would like to make a comment about your presets, if I may. There are so many dozens of photographers who offer presets for sale, that it gets a bit confusing! And so many of them look a little under exposed, which I don’t always mind. I would rather look at a slightly under exposed image than an overexposed image. But then, they turn the sky a shade of green that I have never seen before in real life! Your presets, however, look amazing and very lifelike to me and I will be ordering a set soon for Christmas.
Thank you for taking me on a tour of an area that I would never normally see! My heart belongs in England while I live here in the States, the land of strange decisions…
Sean
My 40D 6 meg does a good job. I print the files up 11x14.
A few years ago I upgraded from a point and shoot to the Z50. It was what I could afford at the moment I purchased it. Was fully expecting to want to upgrade at some point. But the Z50 does everything I need, and more. Lightweight, feels good in the hand and the image quality is just fine. I really like the button layout. I can change the ISO, exposure compensation, aperture, shutter speed, focus modes, etc, with one hand.
Hi Nigel, if I'm walking on Dartmoor, which I'm lucky to have on my doorstep, I'll generally take my my z50 with me instead of the my z7Ii, especially if I'm on a longish walk as my back isn't so great ( nothing like your situation, how you cope is amazing) and find the z50 with the 16-50 is adequate, its also a great travel camera too! I can also re-visit an area and take more kit with me if I can park closer to the location. Your enthusiasm shines through as ever, thank you.
It was a great surprise early in the morning to find out Nikon released this camera. What a great device! Still more often than not I use my z50 for landscapes, so I'm gonna definitely upgrade to the z50ll soon. I'd like to see Nikon expanding the list of DX lenses in the future. Great photos as always!
D750 lanscape guy here. I print max 36" on the long side - 24mp is plenty for that. Besides mp, there's capture-able dynamic range. My primary issue with the D7000 (last Dx camera I owned) was lack of dynamic range not mp (in spite of it having a good bit less than 20). Stacking exposures got very, very old. Now if this camera has the same dynamic range as a D750, I want one - but I'd be amazed if it does, just given the larger area FF sensors and lenses have to gather photons.
I have both a Pentax K-1 and a K-3, but have recently gone back to using two elderly 16.3mp K-5 bodies for black and white work. With the sensitivity set to ISO 80, and the black and white parameters optimised, they produce stunning 11x 14 and 12 x 12 images.
As you and many others keep saying the thing that matters is who is behind the lens
Keep the videos coming - they're great
Nigel,
Thank you for the noce video, it really shows your excellent photography skills! Well done! Regards, Noë
I love that area - not just the Gorge but the old quarry, millstones, rocks and heather.
I think I needed to hear this reminder today, as I wonder if I’m missing out by having “just” 24mp bodies. Thanks for keep me grounded! 😎📷
Love your content, friend. Thanks for always providing us with excellent insight!
Great content, thank you!
At 11:03 you're absolutely right: Disappointed about the resolution.
Simple consequence: Nikon sells one less.
I have the original Z50. I’m mostly pleased with it - after the firmware updates. Great size for travel and hiking and I have no complaints about the images. My biggest complaint is I can’t use it in the winter (30 F and below), no matter how many batteries I have in my pockets.
This place looks a lot like what we have here at the moment in Canada, province of Quebec, except maybe with less leaves in the trees. Very inspiring video!
I think a nice blue sky is underrated. Yes it can be quite bright and harder to get the dynamic range correct but, as with your pic with the silver birches proves it does work. It's not the classic moody sky but a nice reflection of the beautiful day you were out shooting in.
I agree. I always enjoy my travel videos being nice and bright and sunny as mid day was when I was there. The brightness gives a nice happy, feeling to the memory of being there. Moody photos are nice and all of course but for my personal photos, I actually like the bright mid day sun.
I had the Z50 for a brief time before getting frustrated with it's flip-down screen and got the Z7 instead for a good deal second-hand (almost new.) It's great that Nikon has heard the feedback regarding this and has adapted the flip-screen with the Z50ii for more ease of use. Having had a Canon M50ii in the past to video/photograph & print images of the Litli-Hrutur eruption in Iceland I can vouch that megapixels shouldn't be the 'make or break' when it comes to imaging.
One thing about these camera reviews (and I don't mean just yours, I mean the decided majority do this) is that they always approach these non-pro cameras from the viewpoint of a pro. All kinds of lenses, all kinds of tweaks in post-processing, images shot in RAW, etc, etc.
Nice video, Nigel. I tried a z50 as a travel/backup to my Z9 but didn't like that some of the controls eg playback & zoom were on the screen rather than the body, so changed it for a used Z6 which I am enjoying more. Presumably you can close the flippy screen to protect it when it's in your bag. Had one on my D5300 a few years back and enjoyed it. Bringing the Expeed 7 processor with bird recognition to an entry level camera is immense. Well done Nikon! Love the Peak District but it's a two hour drive for me from the Cotswolds.!
Really enjoyed your video. What a great location to shoot. Just wondering what ball head and printer do you use? Thanks Nigel.
Thanks for review, like you said depends on budget.
Upgrade from the z50 to the 2? Any thoughts
Same quality images and way better focus and video
@NigelDanson thank you, appreciate it. Maybe I will upgrade, I found it so easy to transition to mirroless from d300 this was a beast for it's time.
And like u said price point plays a factor, not making billboard images.
Picture controls: I shoot raw + jpg pairs, and usually leave the Picture Control in Auto. But I also like the Black & White picture controls. See the world through the viewfinder or rear screen in black and white! I can experiment with very high contrast or shades of gray low contrast too.
A very interesting and helpful video, Nigel. Thanks.
I’ve had the original Z50 since 2021. It has the same sensor as the new camera and takes great images. I use my Z7 and Z8 mostly, but I don’t hesitate to grab my Z50 when I want to travel light. I find that 20 megapixels is plenty for most situations and if I need a larger print from a file, I can always go to Gigapixel AI. I doubt I’ll be a upgrading to the 50 II as the original does everything I need it to
I have the 12-28 PZ, what a great lens, if that is any indication the coming cine PZ lens is going to be a knockout. Nikon, in my opinion, is the epitome of outperforming the spec sheet. It shoots better than you think it should. Sometimes I pick up a new Fujifilm my friends shoot with, great cameras, but even the high end ones (sssshhh, don't tell them!) with all the IBIS and things that make it look good on paper, the images look the same. Hell, a lot of times the Nikon sensor + Nikon color profiles are actually preferable!
Thank you for this video! I shoot a Canon 77D and my prints are terrific.
Great intro to the new Z. For me, I often crop and therefore more megapixels is preferable.
Autumn colours!
Beautiful Autumn colours on a Hasselblad X2D with the XCD 2,5/55v.
Now, that would be something to see.
Yes that seems like a great travel and vlogging camera. Thanks for the video!
20 MP is absolutely enough in my opinion.
I have prints in 120cm x 90cm from an Olympus E1 (5MP), as well as two prints in 90cm x 60cm from a Nikon D300s (12MP) and from an Olympus OMD E-M1 (16MP) 😊
No one has ever stood in front of it and said “oh, that's only 5, 12 or 16MP”.
Of course, if you approach the E1 image from below the normal viewing distance and look at the details, you can see the lack of fine resolution. Today's sensors with more than 20MP resolution also allow large prints without any problems, as a) the print itself levels out a lot and b) the viewing distance also increases with the size of the print.
In the end, of course, the highMP sensors leave room for cropping the image, which you don't have with sensors with fewer MP. In principle, however, the problem has been significantly alleviated for standard print output sizes.
I have a Fuji XT-2 with a 24 MP Xtrans III sensor and it takes fantastic photos. No need for me to upgrade to a modern camera. If I broke, I’d buy a used one and save tons of money which I could use to improve my skills.
Great video Nigel. Does the Z50 crop in 4k video mode? Good for widlife, thanks.
Your videos are so inspirational
thank you for the amazing content!
I have the Z50 and I've never been worried about the sensor (other than thinking it's only 20mp then kick myself because the D500 was about the same and it was fine). Now it sounded like a toy and the auto focus was slower than I liked - but the image quality was never a problem. It's my tag along camera when walking the dogs because it's small and light. I recently switched from the kit 50-250 to the 24-200 because I want a wider angle shot more often in the morning than needing 250mm. So I'm pretty keen to check out the II version. I have a few other Z camera's but due to their size and weight are not my first choice for walk about.
So I think pro's can use this camera just fine in many use cases.To call it a beginner camera (which budget wise makes sense) I think does it a bit of a dis-service. It performs better than that label would suggest.
Great video, I been using older cameras, some of the best shots come from the older cameras 12mpx - 24mpx is my range. Sharing on social media. Subject matter and composition is truly the only thing that I concern myself with. Pixel peeping is the least thing I am concerned with. Thanks for sharing
Thanks for video. Question I have is would the Z50 have fared better with a high quality lens rather than the budget zoom lens. Especially if run through DXO or similar. Also, as a comment, I would not be happy to pay £1,000 then have to shoot on an F6.3 lens ! I am not encouraged to swap my second hand Olympus EM5 with a pro quality lens even though it is only 16MP. Seems to me that the best way to good sharp pictures is to buy high quality lenses, especially primes.
Yes it would but I wanted to be realistic as I think people we mostly use these lenses
I shot a camera with that sensor on a converted Sony 16-55 2.8G and I can attest that, despite needing to use a software like LR that can apply the lens corrections from a different brand to the Nikon, the technical quality did produce noticeably good results on that sensor. Even though the combo was slightly janky, if I used my Z30 for professional work I would buy the Sony lens and adapt it.
Great video as usual. Love your content. 👌🏼
I had the canon R6. 20MP. Full frame but still. And I was always very surprised at how well it cropped and printed.
Same here Adam, my images are a match for most others that I see when printed.
If the Z50ii is anything like the Z6iii (or any other Nikon digital camera that I'm aware of) then Picture Control settings are applied to RAW photos if you use NX Studio as your RAW converter. I find this very useful as it gives the convenience of jpeg and the power of RAW for post processing.
I'm not in the ecosystem of Nikon any more, but I think this is a good addition to their range. I'm not really the person to be asking about megapixels given that I use a GFX 100 but I shoot professionally but I do think there's a place for the smaller end market cameras to get people into Photography and it still has quite a few of the features of the better cameras. The problem often being is when these cameras are released is that they are very similar prices to a Z camera that might be three or four years old for instance the new price of this camera you could probably get a Z7 second hand.... and with the firmware updates I would be buying the Z7 over this camera. I do like the ability to crop in more but in some ways a 20 megapixel camera is gonna force you to work on your composition a little bit more as well because you know you haven't got that extra cropping ability so for beginners I would definitely recommend this camera. I prefer Fuji over Nikon for the style of Photography because I just think the colours are better but that's a subjective thing as well. Thanks for your video.
I see clearly the differences in color and tonality at 21:29 min:sec. And yes, in Resolution too. But I think the Z50 II is a fine camera. Would love it more, if there would be an ibis
depends what you are using the image for, on a massive print it will look soft, say A1, A0 or larger.
I suppose the advantage to some extra pixels, is that when you are stupid like me and only shoot that waterfall in landscape format, you are still able to crop into portrait in post processing 😊
Kinda. That's not a good example, because that actually would prevent you from being a better photographer, knowing you can cheat in post, latter.
@@Warrior_Resisting_Colonialism I totally agree, which is why I called myself stupid.
Great video as always an agree sensor size is not always important but if you do wildlife you often can’t get close and cropping in is important. Also shame that the sensor is the same as the old d500 would have expected some thing never for the price
Comparing my Canon M6 mark II with it's 32.5MP sensor against the Z50 II's 20.9 MP sensor, it's like having a 1.25x adapter permanently built in to the camera. When I go for a walkaround shoot I have two choices. Carry an extra lens or crop. I'm an amateur photographer who shoots every thing and zooming with my feet is often not an option. I'm always going to pay for those extra pixels over the extra weight and expense of a 100-400mm lens.
Another great video, Nigel, to the point that it will spark a massive debate on the subject of how megapixels do you really need? I've been using the same 24MP camera for the last 9 years and as a rule it's served me well over that time. I have been thinking about an upgrade to a Nikon Mirrorless system, most likely one of their full frame models, but which one? It will boil down to which one I can afford most likely out of the Z7II and Z6III, as although I would love a Z8, alas it's probably out of my budget when you add in the Z Series lenses I feel I need. Unless I have a nice win on my Premium Bonds and then that could all change.
Anyway, you've captured some wonderful images during your morning there and thanks to your video I can see that there's so much more to this area than I discovered on my only visit to Padley Gorge. Admittedly, it was on a Kase Filters UK Demo Day and just gave me a taste of it. I will have to study the map of the area a bit more to see where all the places you ventured to are in relation to the gorge itself. I might even be tempted to venture over there on Monday of next week.
I've also purchased your Woodland Presets and I've been having a little play with them on a few of my woodland scenes. So far, my biggest dilemma has been deciding which preset best suits each image, but I'm guessing with time and experience that will become easier.
Keep up the good work!
Some fabulous autumnal images Nigel
I've been waiting for a nice DX Z camera with features of the z6iii, Z8. While the Z50 ii isn't the pro grade DX I'd hoped for it's still impressive. I'll pick one up to accompany my Z5, and so I can use my great DX lenses from F mount with the benefits of mirrorless. Can't wait to see how my 2005 DX Nikon AFS 17-55mm f2.8g ED works on it.
thanks for opinion
I was looking to switch from my canon set to Nikon because I do alot of hiking and the canon system is like hauling bricks around. Have wanted to switch to Nikon for some time now and this camera looks amazing sights I will research it. Question, what was that little black box with the red cable on your hot foot onto your nikon? Always enjoy Nigel.
A great upgrade if one wants a small camera but otherwise Z7,8,9 shooters can just shoot in DX mode for almost the same POV and resolution, or crop in post. Shame there's no IBIS but it's made to a price-point I suppose. Great travel camera though. Thanks for uploading.
20mpx on a DX sensor is like 45mpx on FX. We don't need more mpx in a DX camera.
Nigel, Thank-you so much for giving a honest, genuine and a non condescending review of the Z50ii, I own the original Z50 and really like this camera but hate the battery life (I carry one original battery and three generic batteries when I'm out for a long period) I'm a little torn to be honest with you I was thinking of stepping back into the dslr world by replacing my Z50 for a nikon D500 mainly because of the said battery issues, but love the electronic viewfinder, I was also thinking of trading it in for the new version but I've seen on another review that the battery life is even worse due to the better processor, what's your thoughts?
Many thanks Steve H
My D500 eats batteries - even the new (c) version. Not much more than 400 per charge. I get far more out of D7500 with the older battery.
I use a Z 50 when bicycling around the Netherlands and a battery generally lasts an entire day of riding around and shooting a few dozen shots plus some occasional viewing and sometimes a couple of brief videos of some interesting machine running. This is with the camera on and SnapBridge running. It doesn't drain my phone, either. I carry a second battery in my pocket but most days I don't even need it. I don't know what people are doing to get poor battery life. Must be some settings I guess. I'm there in the summer with warm weather. Maybe that helps. I ordered the new version because I like new toys and some of the upgrades are nice. USB-C for instance :-) But the old version is still an excellent camera
For me simple answer is yes. But the flexibility of 45mp is sweet....there have been countless instances where I just want to shave a little from one side of a 45mp frame, maintaining all that stunning resolution. I'd say glass is more important than MP count TBH.
Great video and awesome photos.
You are amazing teacher
Good one Nigel! Many like to talk about the number of megapixels and which is better, but not a lot of discussion on dynamic range. When shooting in harsh light as your were in this video, can you comment on megapixel size, sensor size, or lens making a difference with respect to dynamic range.?
Basically the answer is no, you don't need 40 mps, you don't need 60 mps or 100 mps. If you need to crop, wildlife perhaps. What's important is how the sensor renders what it captures. The Canon 5DMk2 with its 24mp sensor was a ground breaking camera and for many it will " fill the bill" even now. It rendered fabulous landscapes. Few people print pictures bigger than +- 40 by 60 inches.
Great video. And funny, years ago Olympus offered all the „small but excellent“ arguments. Now, the pendulum swings in that direction but the world is in „high MP francy“. Sad
Been toying with trying out street photography but am concerned about going out with my Z7ii. The z50ii with a pancake lens may fit the bill. Will wait for the first round of discounts since the z50ii is the same price I paid for a z5 a few years ago.
Ken, I'm just back from a weekend in Rome and found my Z50 with 16-50mm Kit lens a great option for street photography. Unobtrusive and not to heavy to have round your neck for 10 hour days. I've just pre-ordered a Z50ii. The smaller sized Z50 got me back into photography as I take my camera out much more now over the full frame Canon I used to have.
I have both the z50 and z8 and I understand completely what you are saying but my question is the mark2 worth the upgrade from the z50 original?
Really interesting. I have a Z50 along with my Z6ii, and often take it out as it's lighter & smaller. I do have a 24mm DX lens, but otherwise use FF lenses. It would be great if you were to choose a zoom lens that you could use with APSC and FF, so that variable is (in effect) removed from the comparison.
I rented a Fujifilm X-T50 (40mp) and took same shots with both my Nikons. Definitely conclude that extra pixels made no beneficial difference. Maybe the f1.4 Fuji lens wasn't in good condition, but in the end I'm sticking with Nikon for APSC. There was a lot to like about the Fuji, but not enough to warrant the price, at the moment.
I think the best argument for "is X megapixels enough" is really comparing to modern screen resolutions. 4K is kind of the modern high standard, sure 8K is being talked about but we are a ways away from that due to how much processing power from GPUs/CPUs that would take. Rendering anything at 4K is of incredibly high quality and is 8 Megapixels.... So 20MP is truly plenty. As someone who owns a Sony A7RIV with 62 MP I honestly think that the best of all worlds for megapixel count is in the 40-45 range. Gives you plenty of resolution and plenty of ability to crop but also reduces file sizes a bit, is less demanding of lenses, and has a slightly better noise performance.
The problem is not that 20 isn't enough, the problem is that others have more. Considering that aps-c is often the entry point in a system, you don't want people with 0 camera knowledge compare the megapixels and chose based only on that. Right above my PC rig I have a 100x60cm canvas print from the Nikon D7500 (same sensor), it looks great, even though I moved on to A7IV now. But again, the thing is more a matter of marketing than anything else. Canon, Fuji and Sony offering 24mp might lose Nikon a few new users.
I have 21 megapixel (D7500) camera and prints (with 300dpi) look amazing in sizes like 45x30cm or 60x40cm, sizes i tried so far.
Great video.
Where is this splendid autumnal forest? thanks for your review and beautiful photos
you have a great eye. thank you for this video
Great video, can you tell me when you will be starting your black Friday deals please
Is it much of an upgrade on the zfc?
I can crop pretty heavy on my d7200 with 24mp. I have some of my best shots that are technically 9mp
Hi nigel months ago i watched a story that you been to malta.Is there a video coming about your trip to malta?Thanks
Ricci is everywhere. Carry on. 👍🥂
He is... some say there are more than one of him...
@@NigelDanson He's obviously been cloned. 😜
I used to get great pictures with 3 mp. Just sayin'
I still do, fave camera only has 12 mp,
Wow, fresh new video ❤
Sadly here in my part of Devon Autumn colour hasn't happened. The wind has emptied a lot of the trees before they turned colour. Off to Exmoor tomorrow so see what that is like.
hi geat video and thanks for sharing could you name all the beautiful treeline places you visted please
Now that Nikon has a good APS-C camera they should come up with with a good zoom for it, at least 2.8-4
Once I shot a full frame camera I swore I'd never go back to aps-c, but lately I've been considering it so I can stop carrying around such heavy full frame gear. I wonder if these new up-scaling programs can help with the low megapixels in this camera (when necessary)?
I've always wanted higher pixels because, why not? It doesn't add any weight, and I wouldn't want to get a shot of a lifetime (or a shot in a place I'll never be back to) and years later look back and say I wish I'd have taken that at higher resolution.
My D500 is 21mp DX and I’ve never found that to be insufficient for my amateur uses
Aww
Suppose it’s worth mentioning that 20mp APS-C sensor has the same pixel density as a 45mp FF sensor. Most the kit lenses Nikon has made for the Z mount may not even be able to resolve that level of pixel density, and not sure more resolution would matter that much.
Given the images the pioneers of photography created…
Wouldn't the result have been the same from your last test when you tested the Z7 vs Z50 (gen 1)? Especially since the Z50's sensor didn't change...? For the average person 21MP is probably plenty, although you may be limited on cropping if you're going to print anything larger than say 12x18 (you wouldn't really be able to crop at all or very little).
I'm personally one that likes the higher res FF bodies as it gives me options after capture (without having to resort to enlargement software) and I can always down-size the image to print it smaller. But at the price point of the Z50 II, at $910 or so, it's hard to beat to get very good AF.
To me it seems a bit counterintuitive to promote a small lightweight camera and then use it with a clunky tripod.
I would be interested to see a comparison of the image quality with and without a tripod.
Any chance of including one more link ... to all that sunshine. I'm ten days into a "grey overcast" spell and the forecast is for it to go on another week. 😢😂
I know I generally don’t need more megapixels (mine has 26). But then I want to crop in on a picture and run down that rabbit hole again.
Can't see any link to sign up for drone master class
100% even if you're shooting billboards you're going to be standing so far away the pixel count doesn't matter.