I've looked at all of the Z50 reviews that's come out in the past 2 months since this camera has been released and honestly yours was the best I've ever seen, beating even the big names. They're too focused on entertainment now instead of technical specs, but you've answered all of the questions I have about this camera. Thanks and keep up the excellent work!
Thank you Faris for such a great feedback! Well, I like to test my cameras quite thoroughly, so in real-life situations I can be prepared. That's why the video is quite detailed :)
Good review dude. Very informative. I have the Z6, recently got the Z50 and love it. Carry the Z50 everywhere with me, all the time, and am capturing a greater variety of images this way - the poor old Z6 often gets left at home now! Am a keen hiker and the compact nature and lighter weight is a real plus, especially considering the image quality, even with kit lenses, is much better than I had expected. Also happy with its video quality, which I use on my own You Tube channel (no, I won't plug it!). Keep up the good work, first bit of work I've seen from you, and it's excellent.
Thank you Mat for sharing your personal experience here - it will be useful for people who are trying to decide if the Z50 fits them. Cheers from Hungary
Just want to ask one question as u have got both Z6 and Z50. Somebody told me that Nikon Z50 don't have customized AF tracking settings in still mode as compared to Z6. Is that right. I m little worried as they mentioned that kit lens can't track people properly in low light or at night. Thanks
Your Review about this Camera was perfect . All my questions have been answered in just 1 Video , while other take ages to explain . Couldnt decide between the Alpha 6600 and the Z50 but the price performance ratio on the Z50 is just unbelievable. Keep up the good work mate .💪🏼🙏🏼
The kit lenses are the best I've ever used. Usually the first thing i do is take the kits and sell them to buy a nice prime lol this time no way ill just add a prime later lol. Id love to see a portrait shoot video with these lenses one day.
In this video, a hungarian guy, Janos has the same lens and used it with the FTZ adapter on the Z50. He says it was working fine, but if you record video, the sound of focusing will be recorded too, because it's not 100% silent. ruclips.net/video/rlTDMufnt58/видео.html
@@miklosmayerphoto For the video you have filmed with kit lenses 16-50 or 50-250, there is any noise hearing in the video (from focusing motors etc..)?
I love my Z50. And yes, the kit lenses are much better than expected. Very sharp and almost no color fringing or other problems. For the price I think it’s a great deal for the camera and both lenses ($1200 in the US currently).
Excellent, comprehensive review with a dash of humour. I envy your command of a second language. Alas, my command of French which I studied in school as a Canadian has waned in comparison. I hope your channel grows as you are a great reviewer.
Thank you! Well, I've been learning English since 10, and in the last 10 years, English is the language I've been using at work. But what really made me better was reading the whole Harry Potter series in English :)
Excellent review! I've been using this camera for the last two months and I couldn't be happier with it. Lot of people wondering about the adaptor and I can tell it works great with f mount glass. I use the 35mm prime and the 55-200 telephoto and the focusing performance is excellent. The fast aperture of the prime helps a lot to autofocus accurately.
Thank you so much for the feedback! Great to hear that F lenses work flawlessly with the adapter - this is the question I get the most in the comments. I also noticed that using a wider aperture greatly increased focusing accuracy. I think it's simply because there's more light hitting the sensors. For example, the 16-50mm kit lens sometimes struggled at 50mm setting, at f/6.3 in low light, but was doing well at 16mm setting, where the widest aperture is f/3.5.
Why would a fast aperture help with focusing I've never heard this before there's plenty of two points then perform just as good focusing on us that's got nothing to do with it.
@@unbroken1010 because the wider aperture lets more light into the sensor which definitely helps especially in darker environments. The camera with the kit lens does a little bit of focus hunting at 50mm where the widest aperture is only 6.3, while with the prime it becomes fast and much more accurate.
I am thinking of buying this one just to be able to move around without the heavy D750. Saw many reviews but yours is by far the best. Easy going, good explanation and talking about the important things. Well done mate, got a new subscriber here. Another benefit of the Z50 is that you can use all the Z lenses but also all the f lenses with the adapter.
Your review is by far the best! I’m having an awesome run with my “Nifty Z 50”, and with the FTZ adapter my F mount lenses work very well. Keep up the great work!
The Z50 is a great buy for someone starting out, or who just wants a capable camera that isn't going to be anything extensive like portrait or sports photography (although it can probably do those too). Great value for the money and with the Z mount, gives you the option to invest in the FF lenses if you know you are going to move to FF at some point. The only downside to the Z DX system is the lens availability. Supposedly an 18-140 is slated to be released (probably later this year) and hopefully a 10-24 and a macro would be nice and sort of round out the offerings, as they are VERY slim with just 2 lenses right now. My hope is that Nikon releases at least a 10-24 and a macro lens (in addition to the planned 18-140) to at least give enthusiasts some lenses to use. If they could offer the 10-24 and a macro, I think most people would be satisfied (non-enthusiasts at least).
It is possible just to press once the ISO or exposure compensation AND then after you can rotate the dial without having to push AND rotate the dial in the same time... You have to change the item in the menu. Menu Controls f5 : Release Button To Use Dial + Select YES.
MrToonfish, you saved the day, thank you so much! I didn't know this! This gives away that I've been mostly a Canon shooter until now :) Though I meet a lot of other cameras on my photo tours, I didn't know that there's a fix for this in the Nikons. So thank you again :)
@@miklosmayerphoto Hey that's great, we are here to help each other in the community ! In fact this feature is not very new and it is not restricted to the Z 50 / Z 6 / Z 7 mirrorless cameras... You can find the same on DSLRs too, as I have D7500 / D750 / D610 too, those cameras have the same feature, for example on the D750, Menu Controls but not in f5 but in f6, the feature exists but not always at the same place into the menu (depending of the model of course). Cheers.
@@MrToonfish That's so awesome, I really appreciate your valuable advice. To be honest, I went past this setting many times, I've seen it on DSLRs (as you mentioned). But I didn't know what it meant, so i never changed it :) Anyway, I've learnt so much from making the video and from the supportive comments, thank you everyone!
Great review, lots of info that really helps those that are interested in this camera, hoping to learn more about the high speed video and also how useful and easy to use is the time-lapse feature.
I bought this camera + kit as soon as it was released. Just a gut response really. But were my guts correct? You bet. Best value for money in recent years. Never been a Nikon user before for that matter. Thank you for an excellent review.
At Min 4:14 you say you have to keep ISO button pressed and rotate the dial to change the ISO. You can change this setting at f5 in the custom settings menu to press the ISO button once and then change the ISO.
Yes, thank you for pointing that out! Somebody else commented the same a year ago, and that was a big revelation to me :) But judging by others' reaction, to many other people as well ;) Anyways, thanks!
Great review. I've been shooting weddings and landscapes with a Pentax K3 for quite a few years now, and it has worked great (I still feel that old camera has features that many modern cameras are just catching up to). However, it is getting old. I've been looking at a z50 for about a month, and your review has confirmed that it would serve me well. Thanks to your concise and in-depth review I've subscribed and have started saving for the Z50. Thank you again.
Though I haven't tested it at a wedding, I think the Nikon Z50 would hold up well. The only downside yet is there are no fast Z lenses like a 17-50 f/2.8, so you would have to use adapted glasses
@@miklosmayerphoto That's what I've seen too. Honestly, everything I've seen shows that adapted glass works great on the system, so I'm not seeing that as being an issue. Looking forward to more videos, keep up the good work.
Thanks! Good question - I recommend you check out the reviews on DPReview.com, they have an interactive tool for comparing high-ISO or dynamic range between different cameras in standardised environment, that's the best test out there. www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikon-z50-review/5
Excellent review! I liked AF tests and the night photos showing the dynamic range and high ISO capability. I shoot a lot of indoor available light shoots with people and animals so high ISO behavior is important to me. I have a Z-50 and was pleasantly surprised with the quality of kit lens and the high ISO results. Also, the focus on ergonomics and operation is much appreciated as often they are ignored in favor of drooling over the specs. I will using the camera so I have to been to handle it comfortably. I think this is an excellent mirrorless for serious amateurs who are on a bit of a budget. Plus Nikon is using the Z mount on all their mirrorless so other Z-mount lens can be used.
Thank you Jay! That's exactly why I bought this camera and not the Fuji / Sony counterparts. They may have a tad bit better performance, but I just hate holding them in my hands - which is a pretty big deal :)
Would like a review of it being used with the FTZ adapter with DX and FX lenses. I have the Nikon DX 35mm F1.8, FX 28 mm F1.8 and FX 85mm F1.8 and the Tamron 45mm F1.8 and am thinking of getting the Z50 for when I want a travel camera to take the place .of my full frame Nikon Dslrs. Good channel..thanks. 🙂
Thank you Gordon. The thing is, I don't have any Nikon FX or DX glass, as I've been a Canon shooter for 10 years. But I'm also quite interested how the "old" lenses work together with the FTZ adapter! I'm hoping that Nikon Hungary will give me some lenses and the adapter to test. If this happens, I'm definitely going to make a video on that
I think the dogs test is perfect, more people should do it. Many people would buy this camera to take photos of their kids doing sports like MTB riding, skiing, skating, football etc. Great work, love the video!
It does not have a port for intervalometer. This is a must for night photography and long exposures. You can set the time, but you have to press the button which will add noise. The manual says you need an optional Bluetooth remote
That's true, and I found that out only after I made the review. Luckily it has a pretty good built-in timelapse program function, so I use that whenever I need more than 9 shots.
In my opinion you have made an excellent presentation of the product. I am just waiting for a new Nikon Z50 to arrive home and now, I am more convinced that I made a good decission, although the best opincion will come after the real test. Thanks for the good job.
I was thinking about buying the Z50 myself, this really got it covered and his has some nice feautures, it will also be a nice upgrade from the Nikon D3400, especially if I want to continue the Z line.
Fabrice, exactly, it will definitely be a good choice! As other commenters have also said they were really happy with the Z50. It will be a huge leap from the D3400 in terms of functionality and size (an autofocus performance). Also, if you already have Nikon glass, you can easily adapt them with the FTZ adapter - I spoke to many Nikon shooters, and none of them had issues with adapted glass.
Hello Miklos. I really enjoyed your very detailed review, just like everyone else here! and I wonder if you might be prepared to advise me further please? I am approaching 74 years old and have been using (and enjoying) my D300 since it was new. I use a separate mini-DV video camera for video which is ageing now and I am disappointed when I make a video for the family with my lovely still shots from the Nikon combined with footage from my Sony camcorder. I feel that the video is showing its age in terms of quality, combined with the limitations of the smaller sensor. I am therefore looking for a new camera which will combine stills with video well, and, hopefully, equalise the quality too. I think I saw that tonight, demonstrated here, in all its glory in your video. I'm not a big fan of using a screen to compose and much prefer to use a viewfinder, I think it's because I am a photographer at heart and like the camera up to my eye, which I can hold steadier there. I assume therefore that I need to go mirrorless to be able to use the viewfinder and not "live view" on a screen and the Z50 seems to fit the bill. With my D300 I also own a selection of DX VR lenses which I'd like to be able to use with my new purchase. I have done quite a bit of digging around to see various options and finally came across your marvellous channel tonight. It is just what I have been looking for I think! After that looooong explanation, which I hope you'll forgive, I wonder if you see any inconsistencies in my thoughts before I take the plunge and buy the Z50? I also looked at a couple of models in the Dxxxx range before I discovered that I think I need mirrorless to enable me to use the viewfinder. I shall be looking at all your video's now I've been lucky enough to find you. (Subscribed: Tick) Thank you for all the knowledge, time and effort your channel takes to produce. With Kind regards, Roy from England.
Roy, thank you so much for your positive comment - I do appreciate you taking the time to explain the situation you're in. So much easier to help this way! I definitely recommend the Nikon Z50 for you - it will give you very good quality video plus high quality images. If you have DX lenses already, make sure to buy the FTZ adapter as well, and you're good to go! I also find it easier to compose through the viewfinder, and the Nikon Z50 has a good one. You'll love how you can take photos / record videos with the same camera, and also the AF system will be such a big jump compared to the D300. If this helps: I bought my Nikon Z50 in November, 2019, and have been using that for photography and for recording videos with that for RUclips. And everybody I showed the camera in real life started to fall for it. I hope this helped Roy - if there's anything you'd ask, just go for it! :) Cheers from Hungary!
@@miklosmayerphoto Brilliant! Thank you so much for your take on things and your encouraging words. And thank you so much for your time and rapid response. I was aware of the f-z adaptor and was looking around to find info on which of the functions of my f-mount VR lenses would be enabled via the adaptor. I might be acting a bit stupid because, looking at all the contacts on the adaptor, why would it not permit ALL of the functions, as if the f-mount lenses were attached to a DX camera? Silly me...thinking too deeply again! I also looked at the D7500 which was my first choice because of the articulating screen, until my learning curve taught me I would only be able to use live view. I don't mind doing that when on a tripod doing night shots (like your beautiful ones) but I would never buy a camera without optical or EVF. I find a screen impossible in daylight. So the Z50 body only with adaptor it is! Once again, thank you very much for your input and reassurance and wishing you and your channel much well-deserved success. You're a breath of fresh air! Kind regards. Roy.
I'm an amateur photographer. I just upgraded from an old Nikon D40x to the Z50. I had no complaints with the D40, but 10 Mpixel is a bit low these days. I was going to get the D7500, but for the same price, why not get the added features of the Z50. Right? I have been using it for a few weeks now, and I definitely have some gripes. The low light performance is actually significantly worse than the D40. I guess this is due to the higher res sensor, although I don't remember this ever being an issue with the D7500 which uses the same sensor. I also compared autofocus performance. While the D40 is very slightly slower, it's much more reliable. Especially in low light. With the Z50, at any ISO higher than about 4000, the AF hunts back and forth like crazy. It just can't get a lock. That is, the AF will lock but the image will be entirely blurry. The D40 reliably can be used up to its max ISO of 6400 The other thing is that the Z DX kit lenses feel much cheaper. The 50-200 lens rattles as you move it, and both lenses are flexible and feel like squeaky, cheap plastic. The old F mount kit lenses that I've used felt rock solid. I suspect they are much cheaper lenses, and they apply AI or digital correction.
Have you tried the newest firmware on the Z50? I found that improved AF accuracy a lot! My 50-250 mm lens doesn't rattle at all - but don't forget that the image stabilizer in the lens is a moving part, that can make sounds.
@@miklosmayerphoto Updating the firmware is a good idea. I didn't think to do that. Both the Z mount and the F mount lenses that I use have the stabilizer, though.
Thanks for the excellent review. I'm researching mirror-less cameras that would make a great entry point around a $1,000 {USD} budget when considering body+kit lens. This really helped out compared to other videos covering the z 50.
Thank you! Well, the Z50 is pretty good in this category. The other contender would be the Fuji X-T30, but I think with 2 kit lenses, the Fuji gets a tad bit more expensive. I was quite debating between the two cameras, but I don't like the ergonomics of the Fuji and also don't like the fact that Fuji does not open their RAW profile. However, the Fuji kit lenses have very good reputation, and probably sharper than the Nikon kit lenses.
Well done video. I'm thinking of picking one up for times we don't feel like carrying our dslrs, also to get a taste of mirrorless. Seems like people really like this camera, you don't hear too many reviewers saying anything too bad about it.. Cheers
José, you might also want to check out the full-frame Z5. I'm in the process of putting out a review of it. Compared to the Z50, it's a more professional body with image stabilised sensor, dual SD card slots, but with less video specs. Overall, I really liked it, and go for that if my goal is professional work. However, the I still love the Z50 because of its small size, and I just love the 50-250 kit lens with it.
@@miklosmayerphoto Many thanks for your comment, Miklós! As I am not going to use it professionally, I think the Z50 makes more sense. But, if I had the chance, I'll give the Z5 a try. Definitely, it has some stunning specs...
Yes, that's a big drawback for the Z50, and unfortunately Nikon will not release dedicated APS-C lenses. There's only one in the lineup, a 18-140 mm, but it's not yet announced. However, if you just use the Z50 with the two kit lenses, that's a really good travel camera. Or you can buy the FTZ adapter and use older lenses on it. Or just invest in full frame Z lenses (which are really good btw).
The Z50 is a great value for the money - plan on getting one - it is a small fun camera perfect for travel. Wish Nikon did put IBIS into the camera that would have been great to use with non-VR lenses (such as 500mm Cat lenses). Wish they made the screen flip out to the left instead of flip down which is a minus if you want to mount on a tripod for vlogging! Great review btw very concise and objective. What I am really waiting for from Nikon is the mirrorless D500 - the Z50 is similar in some ways but needs - deeper buffer, faster AF, 2 card slots - basically the same or better performance as the D500 but with a mirrorless Z mount form factor.
Hi Chris, you're right, the IBIS and the flip-out screen are two features everybody craves for... I'm not sure though Nikon will put IBIS into their crop mirrorless line, the space is quite limited there for the IBIS mechanism. Rumours say there'll be a Z30, but we haven't heard about more advanced crop sensor camera from Nikon yet.
Yes, the Nikon z50 is a good move for Nikon. I just bought one. I received it yesterday. So far I like the camera. I like that it’s small and easy to carry around. I like the fact that it uses normal memory cards and not the weird expensive ones the z6 and z7 use. I like all the new features too, like face detection. This is my first mirrorless camera. I am a Nikon user, so I chose Nikon and not Canon or any of the others. Sony is too complicated, so I would never buy Sony. I can’t wait to get out and really enjoy the camera. Since I only received it yesterday I have only had a chance to take pictures around my yard.
Michele, I think you made a good purchase, have fun using the camera. If you have any questions about it, ask it as a comment here, and we'll help. Cheers from Hungary!
I wonder if you actually set the AF mode to Sport or did you use the regular AF mode. Amazing review, detailed and very accurate. I owned the Z 50 for a little and can say this review is spot on among all reviews of the Z 50 compared to any you'll see out there. This and Ken Rockwell review are #1
Thank you so much, you really made my day with that comment :) I don't think that the AF has a dedicated Sport mode... But the image stabilizer has a Normal and a Sport mode. As for AF, you can set Focus priority or Release priority.
The best review of a photo camera I've ever seen. Thanx! And, YES, Nikon again made an excellent "entry level" camera. On a side-note: I didn't know about the difference in mounts between the two line-ups of canon mirror-less cameras, though I am not surprised - one more own goal made by extremely conceited management of this company.
Glad it was helpful! The video specs of this camera is really good, so you shouldn't really worry about that. The only con could be the lack of articulating screen - you can't see yourself while filming on a tripod.
@@miklosmayerphoto There is a new gadget called the SmallRig Vlogging Mounting Plate that is designed to fix this. It comes in the vlogger kit donsphoto.com/shop/brands/nikon/nikon-z-50-creators-kit/d9746dc0-76a3-0138-96e8-00163ecd2826?variation=2715976
Great video. Seems that this camera is perfect for someone who wants to start vlogging, take pictures, travels, hikes etc and he doesn't need kilograms of equipment in the back. The price seems to be very good and I think if we compare this tiny camera with others double as price, is not half of the quality. I have a question - for video recording, let's say in 1080p, with the kit lens, has this camera any settings, or preset (or something like that) that allows you to use the movie (upload on youtube for example after some collages) without passing by "hard-preprocesing" like: colors rendering, colors modifications of the whole movie? I mean the daylight video just out of the camera seems ok, natural in colors, luminosity, clarity... is good enough? (I know that this 'good enough' is relative) with I mean with a minimal post the video could be usefull immediately? Thx
Thank you! There are quite many different picture profiles in video mode as well, and you can customize them pretty well. Like brightness, sharpness (3 parameters within that), contrast, WB adjust, and saturation. Plus you can apply Active D-lighting to video, too, so with some experimenting you can easily create setting in video that is ready to upload without editing.
Been a long time Nikon shooter and have the z6,7 and z50. I think the z series cameras are amazing and the Z50 is awesome for travel. The Z50 takes amazing images and the kit lenses are awesome.
I think the same Steven - although people give a lot of crap to Nikon, but I think their direction is pretty good! I don't need f/1.2 lenses, the f/1.8 lenses are great compromise for aperture and size. Also the unified mount is a good idea.
Good video. The one area that is not covered enough about the Z50 is the video in low-light... it is really, really awful. I've had it now for about a year and I'm super disappointed. Gonna grab me the Sony A7SIII.
At the end of my video there are quite many night videos of Budapest. The Z50's video is exactly as good as other APS-C cameras at this price range. Of course, a 3x more expensive and dedicated full-frame video camera (Sony A7S III) will have better quality.
I will say that I’ve tried the Canon M50, returned, Canon R, sold, and was not a fan of them at all. I recently bought the Z50 and I will tell you, Nikon just does it right. It is missing some things, but overall its a great buy. I thought I would never use the 16-50 and only use the 24-70, or 16-80, but the kit lens is great out of the box. Low light performance is awesome for a kit lens.
I absolutely agree with you! You mention you have the 24-70 and 16-80 lenses, so I guess you also have an FTZ adapter. Many of us are quite interested how the "old' Nikon FX and DX glasses work with the FTZ. Is the focusing as fast and accurate as with native glasses? If you could give some insights, that would be great, thank you!
Excellent and thorough review. Probably the best review I’ve watched. I think the Z50 is an excellent camera at its price point and it’s use of the z lens mount is very intelligent engineering strategy by Nikon. I will be buying it as a backup camera for my Z6 and a more portable pocket camera. I shoot hybrid nature and love the Z system. The colors, dynamic range and low light performance are best in class. I was surprised about the results of the electronic image stabilization when shooting video...any more thoughts on that ?
Tim, thank you so much! Yes, the Z50 will be an ideal second camera, especially that you can share lenses with the Z6. The part where I was testing the electronic stabilizer is the weakest part of the video - that is a very subjective test, and I didn't do more repetitions... But since I hardly ever walk and record at the same time, I've never used it in half a year. I just use the optical stabilizer whenever shooting handheld.
I’d just like to let you know that it was a year ago when I first watched this very well produced video review of the Z50, and now that I’m finally getting around to making a purchase I have come back to listen again to your comments and observations. Right now I’m torned between this model and the Z5. I’ve used a aps-c DSLR for many years so the sensor size is not a concern. My focus now is mainly compactness and portability. They are both a lot smaller than my DSLR. if price is not in the decision process which would you consider a better choice? Thanks and cheers from Vancouver🇨🇦😊
Philip, I'm happy to hear that you find my videos so useful! Have you seen my Nikon Z5 review too? The thing I really loved in the Z5 was the IBIS - just worked great. And of course that it's full frame :) But it's quite slow for events (4.5 fps versus the 11 fps of the Z50). Also, I really like the 50-250 mm kit lens for the Z50. If photography is your main goal, then probably I'd recommend the Z5 - but there's not much difference there. Also, the Z50 has a smaller body, so some people may find it uncomfortably small.
@@miklosmayerphoto yes, ive just watched your Z5 video and I must say that as a long time Nikon user I’m accustomed to their design styling and have never been disappointed with whatever they produced so when the Z50 came out I almost bought it but hesitated to see if they introduce focus-shift in a firmware update. Thats why I asked for your opinion between these 2 great new models😄
@@psoon04286 I don't think the focus-stacking option will be put into the Nikon Z50... As far as I can see, Nikon puts this feature into only higher end models.
The kit lenses of the Z50 are very very good. Christopher Frost just reviewed them ... recommend everyone - who is not sure if the lenses are good enough - to watch his tests.
Fantastic review, do you think this would serve as a great backup, second camera to my Z6. I just concerned with no ibis. Also only two native DX lenses.
Somebody commented under my Nikon Z5 video, that since he has the Z50, he takes that camera everywhere, and his Z6 stays home :) So it makes a good spare camera for sure! But if you're shooting on a wedding, than probably it's better to have a spare camera with the same sensor - so you can freely switch lenses back and fourth. I also really wish the Z50 had IBIS, that would make it a killer camera!
To be honest, testing battery life is so hard, that I didn't do that... Well, definitely not a DSLR-like performance, and I don't have any reference to compare it to. But the size of the battery is also small, so I wasn't really surprised. What's for sure is that you have to have at least one spare battery :)
@@miklosmayerphoto thanks for the reply appreciated. Do you think my point about the EIS is right - I've seen a few hand held stationery clips and it does seem to help.
Thank you for you excellent review. With this camera, Nikon introduces a new battery which has not a dummy adapter to plug into a wall socket when you shoot inside. I read the battery charges over USB. But I would like to know if you can power the camera via USB while you operate it for long video shooting sessions.
Thank you Francois! Good question there... I don't know if I can power the camera via USB... But I didn't even know I can charge it via USB :) I just googled on it, and on Ken Rockwell's site, he says that the battery can only be charged via USB if the camera is turned OFF. Now that doesn't answer your question, but maybe helps in some way... www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/mirrorless/z50-users-guide.htm#charge
Thanks for your reply. I have looked into the manual and found the charging procedure via USB. No mention there if you can power the camera via USB while operating the camera. It seems unlikely. I’d be grateful if someone owning a Z50 would give it a try and share with the community.
@@fxcormontagne Just tested it myself: 1. If camera is OFF, it's charging via USB 2. If camera is ON, not charging via USB 3. If I take the battery out, but leave it plugged to USB, I can't turn the camera ON. Does this help?
Thank you for a detail review of Z 50. I am willing to buy a camera for wildlife photography, specially for birding. Will Z50 be a good choice over D 7500 in this scenario? How the Nikkor 70-200 mm and 200-500 mm lenses will perform with FTZ adaptor in Z50? Is the focusing power of Z50 quite enough good for "bird or wild animal" tracking?
Thank you! I've just released a new video showing the "animal AF" performance of the Nikon Z50: ruclips.net/video/dJfv3fOsEvU/видео.html I think it's fast enough (11 fps), plus the AF is really good, so wildlife photography wouldn't be a problem. All Nikon glasses work perfectly with the FTZ adapter, you won't feel any slowing down. Third party lenses may require firmware updates, but Nikon lenses will be fine!
Very good review, thank you! Downloaden some RAW files (also from other sources) to edit them in Capture One and couldn't believe how sharp and good the quality of the kit lens is. Did you have the chance to test some Z primes on it? What would be the lowest shutter speed you can shoot handheld with a non-stabilized Z 50 mm or so (or 35mm)? I really like this camera (haven't bought it yet) but I'm a bit disappointed with Nikon because they don't release any additional Z DX lenses. Wished they would give us a wide angle zoom and 2-3 compact lightweight F1.8-ish primes. Then the Z50 would be a winner.
You're right - Nikon really should have some dedicated Z DX glass... But looking at their current financial situation, I don't think it's going to happen. I did not have a chance to test any Z prime lenses, though I would love to, especially the 85/1.8! I'm sure those lenses perform very well across the sensor, because of the crop factor. About the longest shutter speed handheld: as the Z50 is really light, it is harder to hold still than a DSLR for example. So with a 35 mm lens, I would go 1/80 or faster. With 50 mm, I would go 1/100 or faster. There's a video I made about tricks for having a stable handheld shot : ruclips.net/video/Jpo0E1qcuv0/видео.html
When adding a tripod plate, not allowing it to tilt downward is the same result as 90% of all tilting LCD screens on cameras today. So the real solution to this problem is to purchase a FLAT PLATE which cost the same as a Tripod base plate. The flat plate doesn't block the LCD screen as much as the smallrig. Nikon Straight Bracket is $10 SmallRig is $30 for the base plate and $70 for the full cage
You're right there - today's MILC cameras are so narrow, that nearly all "old" plates just fail when you attach them. Than you for the Smallrig tips - I'm considering buying those.
@@miklosmayerphoto Canon created one specifically for there vlogging camera where the camera was offset and the mic was center weighted atop the tripod.
I shoot my Olympus camera at 100mm (eqv. of 200 on full frame) at 1/4 seconds and get perfect sharpness in more than 70% of the shots :) That's waht I call stabilization. IBIS is the best way to go, especially for night photography, because it works on all lenses. I have the Z6, not Olympus level of IBIS, but good. They should have put it here. The camera is crippled by the lack of it. And I don't agree with the argument it's cheaper like that. I would gladly pay $100 more for such an useful feature, especially the ability to shoot the Z primes stabilized.
I agree with you that Nikon should have a more advanced version of the Z50 (IBIS + Log profiles for video) offered at a bit higher price point as well Just like there's a Sony A6100, A6400 and A6600. Nikon executives should really be more creative nowadays.... About stabilizing: in terms of effectiveness, it really comes down to size and center of gravity. If there's a BIG tele lens on any camera (I mean literally big, in terms of weight), then stabilizing the lens itself will have better results, then stabilizing the sensor. But with small lenses, where the center of gravity is closer in the body, stabilizing the sensor can be more effective. Recently I saw a teardown of Nikon Z7, and it mentioned how little distances the IBIS moves - less than with the Sonys. Therefore the reviewer was quite surprised that the Nikon's IBIS did a better job. kolarivision.com/nikon-z7-dissasembly-teardown/ Of course, when it comes to IBIS, Olympus is the king :)
Thanks! No, I didn't have the chance for that... But it seems that all AF-S and AF-P Nikkor lenses work flawlessly with the FTZ adapter. There might be issues with third-party lenses like Tamron / Sigma, but in general they also tend to work. Here's a great article from Ken Rockwell: www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/mirrorless/lenses/ftz.htm
Thank you for the great review! It's a shame that Nikon doesn't release more DX lenses for the Z50. There's a 18-140mm on the roadmap for 2021 but no wide angle lens and no prime lenses. With the adapter the size-and-weight-advantage would be gone.
Thank you Patrick! Indeed, not much to see yet for the DX format. As I can see, every camera manufacturer (except Fuji/Olympus) focuses on full-frame first, everything gets optimized around that first.
For video streaming you need to connect the camera via USB and use Nikon's dedicated software. Mind you, for me the video is always lagging, like it's recording only every 3rd frame and I cannot make it work right... I haven't checked if the camera is also being powered by the computer then, or it's running on its battery.
Köszi a szinvonalas elemzésért. A gépet én jószerivel vloggingra használom. Az tapasztaltam, hogy alapbol nem igazan kezeli jol a kontrasztos beallitasokat. Mi a te tapasztalatod a "dynamic range" optimális beállításaról? Köszi.
Szia, köszi! Én mindig a Flat profilt használom videózáshoz, és vágáskor növelem a kontrasztot, ha szükséges. Valamint az Active D-lighting Magas értéken van. A többi profillal nem vagyok kibékülve, ha videózok...
Download the Nikon Z50 raw files here: bit.ly/nikonz50download
I've looked at all of the Z50 reviews that's come out in the past 2 months since this camera has been released and honestly yours was the best I've ever seen, beating even the big names. They're too focused on entertainment now instead of technical specs, but you've answered all of the questions I have about this camera. Thanks and keep up the excellent work!
Thank you Faris for such a great feedback! Well, I like to test my cameras quite thoroughly, so in real-life situations I can be prepared. That's why the video is quite detailed :)
I agree Faris!!!
i whole heartedly agree with this! My jaw dropped at the face tracking AF. But then i am using a D750 and the focussing capabilities on them... well..
Excellent review !
Agreed. This was a fantastic review. I really appreciate the analyses, especially the low light and lens sharpness tests.
This is the best review of this camera out there. You're doing a great job.
I tried my best :) But I still see a lot of things I can improve
Definitely the best Z50 review I've seen. Thank you.
Thank you :)
Good review dude. Very informative. I have the Z6, recently got the Z50 and love it. Carry the Z50 everywhere with me, all the time, and am capturing a greater variety of images this way - the poor old Z6 often gets left at home now! Am a keen hiker and the compact nature and lighter weight is a real plus, especially considering the image quality, even with kit lenses, is much better than I had expected. Also happy with its video quality, which I use on my own You Tube channel (no, I won't plug it!).
Keep up the good work, first bit of work I've seen from you, and it's excellent.
Thank you Mat for sharing your personal experience here - it will be useful for people who are trying to decide if the Z50 fits them. Cheers from Hungary
Just want to ask one question as u have got both Z6 and Z50. Somebody told me that Nikon Z50 don't have customized AF tracking settings in still mode as compared to Z6. Is that right.
I m little worried as they mentioned that kit lens can't track people properly in low light or at night. Thanks
Your Review about this Camera was perfect . All my questions have been answered in just 1 Video , while other take ages to explain . Couldnt decide between the Alpha 6600 and the Z50 but the price performance ratio on the Z50 is just unbelievable. Keep up the good work mate .💪🏼🙏🏼
Thanks, I'm very happy to hear this :)
Good review, thank you. I own the Z 50 so I'm a bit biased. I am impressed with it and am finding the kt lenses better than most others I've used.
Thank you Simon! I also quite like the kit lenses that come with it :)
The kit lenses are the best I've ever used. Usually the first thing i do is take the kits and sell them to buy a nice prime lol this time no way ill just add a prime later lol. Id love to see a portrait shoot video with these lenses one day.
i'll buy buy this one with ftz adapter to sigma art 18-35mm f1.8, how about that?
In this video, a hungarian guy, Janos has the same lens and used it with the FTZ adapter on the Z50. He says it was working fine, but if you record video, the sound of focusing will be recorded too, because it's not 100% silent.
ruclips.net/video/rlTDMufnt58/видео.html
@@miklosmayerphoto For the video you have filmed with kit lenses 16-50 or 50-250, there is any noise hearing in the video (from focusing motors etc..)?
I love my Z50. And yes, the kit lenses are much better than expected. Very sharp and almost no color fringing or other problems. For the price I think it’s a great deal for the camera and both lenses ($1200 in the US currently).
I think absolutely the same!
Excellent, comprehensive review with a dash of humour. I envy your command of a second language. Alas, my command of French which I studied in school as a Canadian has waned in comparison. I hope your channel grows as you are a great reviewer.
Thank you! Well, I've been learning English since 10, and in the last 10 years, English is the language I've been using at work.
But what really made me better was reading the whole Harry Potter series in English :)
This is the best review of the Nikon z50 on RUclips. Thank you so much.
Glad you think so! :)
Excellent review! I've been using this camera for the last two months and I couldn't be happier with it. Lot of people wondering about the adaptor and I can tell it works great with f mount glass. I use the 35mm prime and the 55-200 telephoto and the focusing performance is excellent. The fast aperture of the prime helps a lot to autofocus accurately.
Thank you so much for the feedback! Great to hear that F lenses work flawlessly with the adapter - this is the question I get the most in the comments.
I also noticed that using a wider aperture greatly increased focusing accuracy. I think it's simply because there's more light hitting the sensors.
For example, the 16-50mm kit lens sometimes struggled at 50mm setting, at f/6.3 in low light, but was doing well at 16mm setting, where the widest aperture is f/3.5.
Why would a fast aperture help with focusing I've never heard this before there's plenty of two points then perform just as good focusing on us that's got nothing to do with it.
@@unbroken1010 because the wider aperture lets more light into the sensor which definitely helps especially in darker environments. The camera with the kit lens does a little bit of focus hunting at 50mm where the widest aperture is only 6.3, while with the prime it becomes fast and much more accurate.
Best review on youtube: specs, test, samples, real life use scenarios.
Thank you, glad you liked it! :))
This is a very well done video of the Nikon Z50! I have this camera and learned a lot from your video, keep up the good work! Thanks for making it!
Thank you for this great feedback! :)
Best Review on this camera I've seen, thank you! This has made my camera purchase so much easier.
Glad I helped! Enjoy it as much as I do :)
i own a z6 and later bought a z50 as a second camera but i seem to grab the z50 most of the time for taking pictures, its a great camera, cheers
That's a great feedback, thank you! I also prefer the small body of the Z50!
I am thinking of buying this one just to be able to move around without the heavy D750. Saw many reviews but yours is by far the best.
Easy going, good explanation and talking about the important things. Well done mate, got a new subscriber here.
Another benefit of the Z50 is that you can use all the Z lenses but also all the f lenses with the adapter.
Thank you so much - I always try to give my best ;)
Your review is by far the best! I’m having an awesome run with my “Nifty Z 50”, and with the FTZ adapter my F mount lenses work very well.
Keep up the great work!
Thank you Richard :)
The Z50 is a great buy for someone starting out, or who just wants a capable camera that isn't going to be anything extensive like portrait or sports photography (although it can probably do those too). Great value for the money and with the Z mount, gives you the option to invest in the FF lenses if you know you are going to move to FF at some point. The only downside to the Z DX system is the lens availability. Supposedly an 18-140 is slated to be released (probably later this year) and hopefully a 10-24 and a macro would be nice and sort of round out the offerings, as they are VERY slim with just 2 lenses right now. My hope is that Nikon releases at least a 10-24 and a macro lens (in addition to the planned 18-140) to at least give enthusiasts some lenses to use. If they could offer the 10-24 and a macro, I think most people would be satisfied (non-enthusiasts at least).
Very true, it would be great if Nikon offered dedicated lenses to it!
Great video man!
Thank you :)
It is possible just to press once the ISO or exposure compensation AND then after you can rotate the dial without having to push AND rotate the dial in the same time... You have to change the item in the menu. Menu Controls f5 : Release Button To Use Dial + Select YES.
MrToonfish, you saved the day, thank you so much! I didn't know this! This gives away that I've been mostly a Canon shooter until now :) Though I meet a lot of other cameras on my photo tours, I didn't know that there's a fix for this in the Nikons. So thank you again :)
@@miklosmayerphoto Hey that's great, we are here to help each other in the community ! In fact this feature is not very new and it is not restricted to the Z 50 / Z 6 / Z 7 mirrorless cameras... You can find the same on DSLRs too, as I have D7500 / D750 / D610 too, those cameras have the same feature, for example on the D750, Menu Controls but not in f5 but in f6, the feature exists but not always at the same place into the menu (depending of the model of course). Cheers.
@@MrToonfish That's so awesome, I really appreciate your valuable advice. To be honest, I went past this setting many times, I've seen it on DSLRs (as you mentioned). But I didn't know what it meant, so i never changed it :)
Anyway, I've learnt so much from making the video and from the supportive comments, thank you everyone!
This video has answered all my concern. Grateful. Awesome work. Keep it up
Thank you Kirlon! :)
Excellent and informative review.almost covered everything
Thank you Faisal, I tried my best :)
Great review, lots of info that really helps those that are interested in this camera, hoping to learn more about the high speed video and also how useful and easy to use is the time-lapse feature.
Thank you! :)
I bought this camera + kit as soon as it was released. Just a gut response really. But were my guts correct? You bet. Best value for money in recent years. Never been a Nikon user before for that matter.
Thank you for an excellent review.
Fergus, I'm happy to hear this, I feel exactly the same! Gut feelings are always right :)
''just fine'' I think that is pretty darn amazing.
At Min 4:14 you say you have to keep ISO button pressed and rotate the dial to change the ISO. You can change this setting at f5 in the custom settings menu to press the ISO button once and then change the ISO.
Yes, thank you for pointing that out!
Somebody else commented the same a year ago, and that was a big revelation to me :) But judging by others' reaction, to many other people as well ;)
Anyways, thanks!
Very comprehensive video while keeping it well understood by non professionals! Nice work, and thanks for your efforts!
Thank you very much!
Great review. I've been shooting weddings and landscapes with a Pentax K3 for quite a few years now, and it has worked great (I still feel that old camera has features that many modern cameras are just catching up to). However, it is getting old. I've been looking at a z50 for about a month, and your review has confirmed that it would serve me well. Thanks to your concise and in-depth review I've subscribed and have started saving for the Z50. Thank you again.
Though I haven't tested it at a wedding, I think the Nikon Z50 would hold up well. The only downside yet is there are no fast Z lenses like a 17-50 f/2.8, so you would have to use adapted glasses
@@miklosmayerphoto That's what I've seen too. Honestly, everything I've seen shows that adapted glass works great on the system, so I'm not seeing that as being an issue. Looking forward to more videos, keep up the good work.
A good one for sure. How would you say the low light iso performance is compared to a D750 or a sony equivalent, like the 6400 or 6600?
Thanks!
Good question - I recommend you check out the reviews on DPReview.com, they have an interactive tool for comparing high-ISO or dynamic range between different cameras in standardised environment, that's the best test out there.
www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikon-z50-review/5
Excellent review! I liked AF tests and the night photos showing the dynamic range and high ISO capability. I shoot a lot of indoor available light shoots with people and animals so high ISO behavior is important to me. I have a Z-50 and was pleasantly surprised with the quality of kit lens and the high ISO results. Also, the focus on ergonomics and operation is much appreciated as often they are ignored in favor of drooling over the specs. I will using the camera so I have to been to handle it comfortably.
I think this is an excellent mirrorless for serious amateurs who are on a bit of a budget. Plus Nikon is using the Z mount on all their mirrorless so other Z-mount lens can be used.
Thank you Jay! That's exactly why I bought this camera and not the Fuji / Sony counterparts. They may have a tad bit better performance, but I just hate holding them in my hands - which is a pretty big deal :)
Got mine in December 2019 and currently learning to use it; your video has been very helpful. I also have two DSLRs, one crop and one full frame.
Thank you Josua, let me know if you have any questions about the Z50!
Would like a review of it being used with the FTZ adapter with DX and FX lenses. I have the Nikon DX 35mm F1.8, FX 28 mm F1.8 and FX 85mm F1.8 and the Tamron 45mm F1.8 and am thinking of getting the Z50 for when I want a travel camera to take the place .of my full frame Nikon Dslrs. Good channel..thanks. 🙂
Thank you Gordon. The thing is, I don't have any Nikon FX or DX glass, as I've been a Canon shooter for 10 years. But I'm also quite interested how the "old" lenses work together with the FTZ adapter! I'm hoping that Nikon Hungary will give me some lenses and the adapter to test. If this happens, I'm definitely going to make a video on that
I think the dogs test is perfect, more people should do it. Many people would buy this camera to take photos of their kids doing sports like MTB riding, skiing, skating, football etc. Great work, love the video!
Thank you!
What's also great in the dog test, is you don't need their approval, and they never complain about their hair :)
It does not have a port for intervalometer. This is a must for night photography and long exposures. You can set the time, but you have to press the button which will add noise. The manual says you need an optional Bluetooth remote
That's true, and I found that out only after I made the review. Luckily it has a pretty good built-in timelapse program function, so I use that whenever I need more than 9 shots.
In my opinion you have made an excellent presentation of the product. I am just waiting for a new Nikon Z50 to arrive home and now, I am more convinced that I made a good decission, although the best opincion will come after the real test. Thanks for the good job.
Thank you Jose, have fun with your new camera! :)
Very thorough review. Thankyou for taking the time to do it.
You're very welcome ;)
Amazing review! I really liked the shot tests in Budapest, I love your city!
Thank you, glad you liked it! I love Budapest too!
If you ever come to Budapest, make sure to take my photo tour ;)
The Nikon Z50 is an outstanding very capable mirrorless camera. I came from a D7500 and I am pretty satisfied. Thanks for this video.
You're welcome!
I just got mine last night!!!! Yayyyy!!!! Its gorgeous! Great review!
Have fun shooting with it! :))) And thanks! :)
Thanks for all of the sample photos. Great detailed review with evidence of what you were saying.
Glad you enjoyed it Jim! I'm an engineer guy, so I like to say things based on facts :)
Great and useful review! Waiting for the tips and ticks of Z50 in the creation of timelapse movie as you mention in this video
Thanks Jeffrey, will do! Until then, you can check out my timelapse video making guide video: ruclips.net/video/XaCqQToqaUo/видео.html
In Europe we also use metric units. :) Great review Miklós!
I'm also in Europe (Hungary). And thank you! :)
I was thinking about buying the Z50 myself, this really got it covered and his has some nice feautures, it will also be a nice upgrade from the Nikon D3400, especially if I want to continue the Z line.
Fabrice, exactly, it will definitely be a good choice! As other commenters have also said they were really happy with the Z50. It will be a huge leap from the D3400 in terms of functionality and size (an autofocus performance).
Also, if you already have Nikon glass, you can easily adapt them with the FTZ adapter - I spoke to many Nikon shooters, and none of them had issues with adapted glass.
@@miklosmayerphoto finally bought it! Gonna put it to the test on friday at the zoo. I wonder how the pictures will be.
Best comprehensive z50 review in my opinion. Well done 👍
Thank you! :)
I've watched a lot of reviews on this camera specifically and by far this is the best review! Great job, keep it up. Subbed :)
Awesome, thank you! 😀😎
Hello Miklos. I really enjoyed your very detailed review, just like everyone else here! and I wonder if you might be prepared to advise me further please?
I am approaching 74 years old and have been using (and enjoying) my D300 since it was new. I use a separate mini-DV video camera for video which is ageing now and I am disappointed when I make a video for the family with my lovely still shots from the Nikon combined with footage from my Sony camcorder. I feel that the video is showing its age in terms of quality, combined with the limitations of the smaller sensor.
I am therefore looking for a new camera which will combine stills with video well, and, hopefully, equalise the quality too. I think I saw that tonight, demonstrated here, in all its glory in your video.
I'm not a big fan of using a screen to compose and much prefer to use a viewfinder, I think it's because I am a photographer at heart and like the camera up to my eye, which I can hold steadier there. I assume therefore that I need to go mirrorless to be able to use the viewfinder and not "live view" on a screen and the Z50 seems to fit the bill.
With my D300 I also own a selection of DX VR lenses which I'd like to be able to use with my new purchase. I have done quite a bit of digging around to see various options and finally came across your marvellous channel tonight. It is just what I have been looking for I think!
After that looooong explanation, which I hope you'll forgive, I wonder if you see any inconsistencies in my thoughts before I take the plunge and buy the Z50? I also looked at a couple of models in the Dxxxx range before I discovered that I think I need mirrorless to enable me to use the viewfinder.
I shall be looking at all your video's now I've been lucky enough to find you. (Subscribed: Tick) Thank you for all the knowledge, time and effort your channel takes to produce.
With Kind regards, Roy from England.
Roy, thank you so much for your positive comment - I do appreciate you taking the time to explain the situation you're in. So much easier to help this way!
I definitely recommend the Nikon Z50 for you - it will give you very good quality video plus high quality images.
If you have DX lenses already, make sure to buy the FTZ adapter as well, and you're good to go!
I also find it easier to compose through the viewfinder, and the Nikon Z50 has a good one.
You'll love how you can take photos / record videos with the same camera, and also the AF system will be such a big jump compared to the D300.
If this helps: I bought my Nikon Z50 in November, 2019, and have been using that for photography and for recording videos with that for RUclips. And everybody I showed the camera in real life started to fall for it.
I hope this helped Roy - if there's anything you'd ask, just go for it! :)
Cheers from Hungary!
@@miklosmayerphoto Brilliant! Thank you so much for your take on things and your encouraging words. And thank you so much for your time and rapid response.
I was aware of the f-z adaptor and was looking around to find info on which of the functions of my f-mount VR lenses would be enabled via the adaptor. I might be acting a bit stupid because, looking at all the contacts on the adaptor, why would it not permit ALL of the functions, as if the f-mount lenses were attached to a DX camera? Silly me...thinking too deeply again!
I also looked at the D7500 which was my first choice because of the articulating screen, until my learning curve taught me I would only be able to use live view. I don't mind doing that when on a tripod doing night shots (like your beautiful ones) but I would never buy a camera without optical or EVF. I find a screen impossible in daylight. So the Z50 body only with adaptor it is!
Once again, thank you very much for your input and reassurance and wishing you and your channel much well-deserved success. You're a breath of fresh air! Kind regards. Roy.
I'm an amateur photographer. I just upgraded from an old Nikon D40x to the Z50. I had no complaints with the D40, but 10 Mpixel is a bit low these days. I was going to get the D7500, but for the same price, why not get the added features of the Z50. Right? I have been using it for a few weeks now, and I definitely have some gripes. The low light performance is actually significantly worse than the D40. I guess this is due to the higher res sensor, although I don't remember this ever being an issue with the D7500 which uses the same sensor. I also compared autofocus performance. While the D40 is very slightly slower, it's much more reliable. Especially in low light. With the Z50, at any ISO higher than about 4000, the AF hunts back and forth like crazy. It just can't get a lock. That is, the AF will lock but the image will be entirely blurry. The D40 reliably can be used up to its max ISO of 6400 The other thing is that the Z DX kit lenses feel much cheaper. The 50-200 lens rattles as you move it, and both lenses are flexible and feel like squeaky, cheap plastic. The old F mount kit lenses that I've used felt rock solid. I suspect they are much cheaper lenses, and they apply AI or digital correction.
Have you tried the newest firmware on the Z50? I found that improved AF accuracy a lot!
My 50-250 mm lens doesn't rattle at all - but don't forget that the image stabilizer in the lens is a moving part, that can make sounds.
@@miklosmayerphoto Updating the firmware is a good idea. I didn't think to do that. Both the Z mount and the F mount lenses that I use have the stabilizer, though.
Thanks for the excellent review.
I'm researching mirror-less cameras that would make a great entry point around a $1,000 {USD} budget when considering body+kit lens. This really helped out compared to other videos covering the z 50.
Thank you! Well, the Z50 is pretty good in this category. The other contender would be the Fuji X-T30, but I think with 2 kit lenses, the Fuji gets a tad bit more expensive.
I was quite debating between the two cameras, but I don't like the ergonomics of the Fuji and also don't like the fact that Fuji does not open their RAW profile. However, the Fuji kit lenses have very good reputation, and probably sharper than the Nikon kit lenses.
Very good video. The Z50 has become one of my favorite cameras.
Thank you! Same for me ;)
Well done video. I'm thinking of picking one up for times we don't feel like carrying our dslrs, also to get a taste of mirrorless. Seems like people really like this camera, you don't hear too many reviewers saying anything too bad about it.. Cheers
I think the Z50 is a very good first mirrorless camera - it will make you like this category :)
Excellent video, it has helped me a lot to decide! I'll definitely get the Z50 instead of the Z6. Many thanks!!
José, you might also want to check out the full-frame Z5. I'm in the process of putting out a review of it.
Compared to the Z50, it's a more professional body with image stabilised sensor, dual SD card slots, but with less video specs. Overall, I really liked it, and go for that if my goal is professional work.
However, the I still love the Z50 because of its small size, and I just love the 50-250 kit lens with it.
@@miklosmayerphoto Many thanks for your comment, Miklós! As I am not going to use it professionally, I think the Z50 makes more sense. But, if I had the chance, I'll give the Z5 a try. Definitely, it has some stunning specs...
Hi Miklos , that was a great review. I want to get this camera but I am worried about lack of lens and unclear future road map of Nikon for APSC.
Yes, that's a big drawback for the Z50, and unfortunately Nikon will not release dedicated APS-C lenses. There's only one in the lineup, a 18-140 mm, but it's not yet announced.
However, if you just use the Z50 with the two kit lenses, that's a really good travel camera. Or you can buy the FTZ adapter and use older lenses on it. Or just invest in full frame Z lenses (which are really good btw).
@@miklosmayerphoto Thanks, Miklos.
The Z50 is a great value for the money - plan on getting one - it is a small fun camera perfect for travel. Wish Nikon did put IBIS into the camera that would have been great to use with non-VR lenses (such as 500mm Cat lenses). Wish they made the screen flip out to the left instead of flip down which is a minus if you want to mount on a tripod for vlogging! Great review btw very concise and objective. What I am really waiting for from Nikon is the mirrorless D500 - the Z50 is similar in some ways but needs - deeper buffer, faster AF, 2 card slots - basically the same or better performance as the D500 but with a mirrorless Z mount form factor.
Hi Chris, you're right, the IBIS and the flip-out screen are two features everybody craves for... I'm not sure though Nikon will put IBIS into their crop mirrorless line, the space is quite limited there for the IBIS mechanism.
Rumours say there'll be a Z30, but we haven't heard about more advanced crop sensor camera from Nikon yet.
Yes, the Nikon z50 is a good move for Nikon. I just bought one. I received it yesterday. So far I like the camera. I like that it’s small and easy to carry around. I like the fact that it uses normal memory cards and not the weird expensive ones the z6 and z7 use. I like all the new features too, like face detection. This is my first mirrorless camera. I am a Nikon user, so I chose Nikon and not Canon or any of the others. Sony is too complicated, so I would never buy Sony. I can’t wait to get out and really enjoy the camera. Since I only received it yesterday I have only had a chance to take pictures around my yard.
Michele, I think you made a good purchase, have fun using the camera. If you have any questions about it, ask it as a comment here, and we'll help. Cheers from Hungary!
I wonder if you actually set the AF mode to Sport or did you use the regular AF mode.
Amazing review, detailed and very accurate. I owned the Z 50 for a little and can say this review is spot on among all reviews of the Z 50 compared to any you'll see out there. This and Ken Rockwell review are #1
Thank you so much, you really made my day with that comment :)
I don't think that the AF has a dedicated Sport mode... But the image stabilizer has a Normal and a Sport mode.
As for AF, you can set Focus priority or Release priority.
You used to own it so why did you get rid of it
Best review so far, thank you for answer al my questions. 👍🏻 You have a new subscriber.
Glad to hear that, and thanks for the sub, Dennis!
Thank You for this review. You,ve just made a good job as always! But where are the RAW files, that you have mentioned?
Thank you for raising my attention to this - the link was indeed missing.
Anyways, here it is now: bit.ly/nikonz50download
The best review of a photo camera I've ever seen. Thanx! And, YES, Nikon again made an excellent "entry level" camera. On a side-note: I didn't know about the difference in mounts between the two line-ups of canon mirror-less cameras, though I am not surprised - one more own goal made by extremely conceited management of this company.
Thank you!
Well, now Canon is also unifying their mounts: their APS-C and full frame bodies will have the same RF mount.
@@miklosmayerphoto Good news for Canon-ers.
Best review of this camera I've seen
Thank you Akash :)
Your presentation is way much better than T&C Northrup. Well done
And I'm just myself! :) Thanks for that, it made me laugh!
Very interesting review. You covered most of what I was looking for.
That's awesome to hear, thanks! :) Basically I tested the camera for myself and made a video of it as a side product
Awesome Video - Thank you!! I was looking at possibly moving into the camera from an older Nikon DX but was worried about the ability to video.
Glad it was helpful! The video specs of this camera is really good, so you shouldn't really worry about that. The only con could be the lack of articulating screen - you can't see yourself while filming on a tripod.
@@miklosmayerphoto There is a new gadget called the SmallRig Vlogging Mounting Plate that is designed to fix this. It comes in the vlogger kit donsphoto.com/shop/brands/nikon/nikon-z-50-creators-kit/d9746dc0-76a3-0138-96e8-00163ecd2826?variation=2715976
Great video. Seems that this camera is perfect for someone who wants to start vlogging, take pictures, travels, hikes etc and he doesn't need kilograms of equipment in the back.
The price seems to be very good and I think if we compare this tiny camera with others double as price, is not half of the quality.
I have a question - for video recording, let's say in 1080p, with the kit lens, has this camera any settings, or preset (or something like that) that allows you to use the movie (upload on youtube for example after some collages) without passing by "hard-preprocesing" like: colors rendering, colors modifications of the whole movie? I mean the daylight video just out of the camera seems ok, natural in colors, luminosity, clarity... is good enough? (I know that this 'good enough' is relative) with I mean with a minimal post the video could be usefull immediately?
Thx
Thank you! There are quite many different picture profiles in video mode as well, and you can customize them pretty well. Like brightness, sharpness (3 parameters within that), contrast, WB adjust, and saturation.
Plus you can apply Active D-lighting to video, too, so with some experimenting you can easily create setting in video that is ready to upload without editing.
you are the Rami Malek of Photography !! Great video, thank you so much !
Haha, no one ever compared me to him...😁 But thank you!
Been a long time Nikon shooter and have the z6,7 and z50. I think the z series cameras are amazing and the Z50 is awesome for travel. The Z50 takes amazing images and the kit lenses are awesome.
I think the same Steven - although people give a lot of crap to Nikon, but I think their direction is pretty good! I don't need f/1.2 lenses, the f/1.8 lenses are great compromise for aperture and size. Also the unified mount is a good idea.
Good video. The one area that is not covered enough about the Z50 is the video in low-light... it is really, really awful. I've had it now for about a year and I'm super disappointed. Gonna grab me the Sony A7SIII.
At the end of my video there are quite many night videos of Budapest. The Z50's video is exactly as good as other APS-C cameras at this price range.
Of course, a 3x more expensive and dedicated full-frame video camera (Sony A7S III) will have better quality.
Thank you for your response. I am going to try to get better with what I have. Thank you
Will a f/1.8 50mm lens do better in low light? I just have the kit 18-50mm f3.5 to 5. Thanks
I will say that I’ve tried the Canon M50, returned, Canon R, sold, and was not a fan of them at all. I recently bought the Z50 and I will tell you, Nikon just does it right. It is missing some things, but overall its a great buy. I thought I would never use the 16-50 and only use the 24-70, or 16-80, but the kit lens is great out of the box. Low light performance is awesome for a kit lens.
I absolutely agree with you! You mention you have the 24-70 and 16-80 lenses, so I guess you also have an FTZ adapter. Many of us are quite interested how the "old' Nikon FX and DX glasses work with the FTZ. Is the focusing as fast and accurate as with native glasses? If you could give some insights, that would be great, thank you!
Excellent and thorough review. Probably the best review I’ve watched. I think the Z50 is an excellent camera at its price point and it’s use of the z lens mount is very intelligent engineering strategy by Nikon. I will be buying it as a backup camera for my Z6 and a more portable pocket camera. I shoot hybrid nature and love the Z system. The colors, dynamic range and low light performance are best in class. I was surprised about the results of the electronic image stabilization when shooting video...any more thoughts on that ?
Tim, thank you so much! Yes, the Z50 will be an ideal second camera, especially that you can share lenses with the Z6.
The part where I was testing the electronic stabilizer is the weakest part of the video - that is a very subjective test, and I didn't do more repetitions...
But since I hardly ever walk and record at the same time, I've never used it in half a year. I just use the optical stabilizer whenever shooting handheld.
Výborná recenzia a palec hore, zdravím zo Slovenska :)
Thanks ;)
Incredible review ! Well done :)
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks! :)
Thank you so much for such a detailed and wonderful review. I am a Nikon user.
Thank you, glad you enjoyed it :)
I’d just like to let you know that it was a year ago when I first watched this very well produced video review of the Z50, and now that I’m finally getting around to making a purchase I have come back to listen again to your comments and observations.
Right now I’m torned between this model and the Z5. I’ve used a aps-c DSLR for many years so the sensor size is not a concern. My focus now is mainly compactness and portability. They are both a lot smaller than my DSLR. if price is not in the decision process which would you consider a better choice?
Thanks and cheers from Vancouver🇨🇦😊
Philip, I'm happy to hear that you find my videos so useful! Have you seen my Nikon Z5 review too?
The thing I really loved in the Z5 was the IBIS - just worked great. And of course that it's full frame :)
But it's quite slow for events (4.5 fps versus the 11 fps of the Z50).
Also, I really like the 50-250 mm kit lens for the Z50.
If photography is your main goal, then probably I'd recommend the Z5 - but there's not much difference there.
Also, the Z50 has a smaller body, so some people may find it uncomfortably small.
@@miklosmayerphoto yes, ive just watched your Z5 video and I must say that as a long time Nikon user I’m accustomed to their design styling and have never been disappointed with whatever they produced so when the Z50 came out I almost bought it but hesitated to see if they introduce focus-shift in a firmware update. Thats why I asked for your opinion between these 2 great new models😄
@@psoon04286 I don't think the focus-stacking option will be put into the Nikon Z50... As far as I can see, Nikon puts this feature into only higher end models.
Fantastic review! Very informative and nice examples
Thank you so much! Greetings from Hungary ;)
Great overview, I visited Budapest recently and loved it!
I love Budapest too :)
Great review, just ordered one, cheers from the UK.
Have fun with it, and thanks! Cheers from Hungary!
Wow… excellent presentation and very useful information. Thanks for sharing. Cheers from Canada.
Glad you enjoyed it, cheers from Hungary! :)
Can you have seperate different AF speeds for photo and video - so when you switch from photo to video your AF settings are remembered
Yes, the AF settings are completely separated. You can adjust the AF speed and sensitivity in video separately.
The kit lenses of the Z50 are very very good. Christopher Frost just reviewed them ... recommend everyone - who is not sure if the lenses are good enough - to watch his tests.
Thank you Patrick - Christopher has an awesome channel, and I also watch his videos before buying :)
The 50-250 mm lens is really a favorite of mine!
Outstanding job and you explained the camera for novice and pro
Thank you, happy to hear that! :)
I have it with 18-140 Z lens. It is excellent!
Thanks for the feedback!
Finally a good review subbed .
Awesome, thank you!
Excellent review . What mirrorless entry level camera do you think I should get ? Nikon z50 , Nikon z5 or Canon ?
That really depends on your budget and needs... The Z5 is a pretty good one to start with, I have a review of that on my channel.
@@miklosmayerphoto
I am an amateur.
Great review..I got the z50 and I have not tried all the potentials .
Thanks Naomi! It's a great camera, you'll see that as you use it more and more :)
Fantastic review, do you think this would serve as a great backup, second camera to my Z6. I just concerned with no ibis. Also only two native DX lenses.
Somebody commented under my Nikon Z5 video, that since he has the Z50, he takes that camera everywhere, and his Z6 stays home :) So it makes a good spare camera for sure!
But if you're shooting on a wedding, than probably it's better to have a spare camera with the same sensor - so you can freely switch lenses back and fourth.
I also really wish the Z50 had IBIS, that would make it a killer camera!
Hi the EIS is mainly for hand held stationery shots it works well. How did you find the battery - I shoot 50 50 stills video (HD).
To be honest, testing battery life is so hard, that I didn't do that... Well, definitely not a DSLR-like performance, and I don't have any reference to compare it to. But the size of the battery is also small, so I wasn't really surprised. What's for sure is that you have to have at least one spare battery :)
@@miklosmayerphoto thanks for the reply appreciated. Do you think my point about the EIS is right - I've seen a few hand held stationery clips and it does seem to help.
Thank you so much for your awesome review. This helps a lot.
You're very welcome! :)
Thank you so much! Wonderful real-life review!!!
Thanks for the kind words, you're very welcome Kelly :)
Thank you for you excellent review. With this camera, Nikon introduces a new battery which has not a dummy adapter to plug into a wall socket when you shoot inside. I read the battery charges over USB. But I would like to know if you can power the camera via USB while you operate it for long video shooting sessions.
Thank you Francois!
Good question there... I don't know if I can power the camera via USB... But I didn't even know I can charge it via USB :)
I just googled on it, and on Ken Rockwell's site, he says that the battery can only be charged via USB if the camera is turned OFF. Now that doesn't answer your question, but maybe helps in some way...
www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/mirrorless/z50-users-guide.htm#charge
Thanks for your reply. I have looked into the manual and found the charging procedure via USB. No mention there if you can power the camera via USB while operating the camera. It seems unlikely. I’d be grateful if someone owning a Z50 would give it a try and share with the community.
@@fxcormontagne Just tested it myself:
1. If camera is OFF, it's charging via USB
2. If camera is ON, not charging via USB
3. If I take the battery out, but leave it plugged to USB, I can't turn the camera ON.
Does this help?
Thanks! That’s exactly the test I was looking for. Not the outcome I dreamed of. But thank you for doing the test.
Great review and also informative 👍👍
Thank you :)
Thank you for a detail review of Z 50. I am willing to buy a camera for wildlife photography, specially for birding. Will Z50 be a good choice over D 7500 in this scenario? How the Nikkor 70-200 mm and 200-500 mm lenses will perform with FTZ adaptor in Z50? Is the focusing power of Z50 quite enough good for "bird or wild animal" tracking?
Thank you! I've just released a new video showing the "animal AF" performance of the Nikon Z50:
ruclips.net/video/dJfv3fOsEvU/видео.html
I think it's fast enough (11 fps), plus the AF is really good, so wildlife photography wouldn't be a problem.
All Nikon glasses work perfectly with the FTZ adapter, you won't feel any slowing down. Third party lenses may require firmware updates, but Nikon lenses will be fine!
@@miklosmayerphoto Thank you very much for your answer. I will must watch your "animal AF" video.
Tamron we need the 16-300mm Z mount Please !!!
I really doubt that we be an optically good lens...
Very good review, thank you! Downloaden some RAW files (also from other sources) to edit them in Capture One and couldn't believe how sharp and good the quality of the kit lens is.
Did you have the chance to test some Z primes on it? What would be the lowest shutter speed you can shoot handheld with a non-stabilized Z 50 mm or so (or 35mm)?
I really like this camera (haven't bought it yet) but I'm a bit disappointed with Nikon because they don't release any additional Z DX lenses. Wished they would give us a wide angle zoom and 2-3 compact lightweight F1.8-ish primes. Then the Z50 would be a winner.
You're right - Nikon really should have some dedicated Z DX glass... But looking at their current financial situation, I don't think it's going to happen.
I did not have a chance to test any Z prime lenses, though I would love to, especially the 85/1.8! I'm sure those lenses perform very well across the sensor, because of the crop factor.
About the longest shutter speed handheld: as the Z50 is really light, it is harder to hold still than a DSLR for example. So with a 35 mm lens, I would go 1/80 or faster. With 50 mm, I would go 1/100 or faster.
There's a video I made about tricks for having a stable handheld shot :
ruclips.net/video/Jpo0E1qcuv0/видео.html
@@miklosmayerphoto thank you!
Thank you and very informative. Looking forward to buying a used Z50!
Good choice! ;)
When adding a tripod plate, not allowing it to tilt downward is the same result as 90% of all tilting LCD screens on cameras today.
So the real solution to this problem is to purchase a FLAT PLATE which cost the same as a Tripod base plate. The flat plate doesn't block the LCD screen as much as the smallrig.
Nikon Straight Bracket is $10
SmallRig is $30 for the base plate and $70 for the full cage
You're right there - today's MILC cameras are so narrow, that nearly all "old" plates just fail when you attach them. Than you for the Smallrig tips - I'm considering buying those.
@@miklosmayerphoto Canon created one specifically for there vlogging camera where the camera was offset and the mic was center weighted atop the tripod.
I shoot my Olympus camera at 100mm (eqv. of 200 on full frame) at 1/4 seconds and get perfect sharpness in more than 70% of the shots :) That's waht I call stabilization. IBIS is the best way to go, especially for night photography, because it works on all lenses. I have the Z6, not Olympus level of IBIS, but good. They should have put it here. The camera is crippled by the lack of it. And I don't agree with the argument it's cheaper like that. I would gladly pay $100 more for such an useful feature, especially the ability to shoot the Z primes stabilized.
I agree with you that Nikon should have a more advanced version of the Z50 (IBIS + Log profiles for video) offered at a bit higher price point as well Just like there's a Sony A6100, A6400 and A6600. Nikon executives should really be more creative nowadays....
About stabilizing: in terms of effectiveness, it really comes down to size and center of gravity.
If there's a BIG tele lens on any camera (I mean literally big, in terms of weight), then stabilizing the lens itself will have better results, then stabilizing the sensor.
But with small lenses, where the center of gravity is closer in the body, stabilizing the sensor can be more effective.
Recently I saw a teardown of Nikon Z7, and it mentioned how little distances the IBIS moves - less than with the Sonys. Therefore the reviewer was quite surprised that the Nikon's IBIS did a better job.
kolarivision.com/nikon-z7-dissasembly-teardown/
Of course, when it comes to IBIS, Olympus is the king :)
really good review!!! kudos man.Have you had the chance to test it with the FTZ adapter and F mount native lenses?
Thanks! No, I didn't have the chance for that...
But it seems that all AF-S and AF-P Nikkor lenses work flawlessly with the FTZ adapter. There might be issues with third-party lenses like Tamron / Sigma, but in general they also tend to work.
Here's a great article from Ken Rockwell:
www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/mirrorless/lenses/ftz.htm
@@miklosmayerphoto thanks!!! I have already subscribed to your channel ......keep up your great job.
@@sergiootarola Thanks :)
Thank you for the great review! It's a shame that Nikon doesn't release more DX lenses for the Z50. There's a 18-140mm on the roadmap for 2021 but no wide angle lens and no prime lenses.
With the adapter the size-and-weight-advantage would be gone.
Thank you Patrick! Indeed, not much to see yet for the DX format. As I can see, every camera manufacturer (except Fuji/Olympus) focuses on full-frame first, everything gets optimized around that first.
Give them time. Sony does the same. In Sony apsc system you still have an average selection of native lenses. They also focus on FF.
@@andrzejjaniak6849 That's very true! One of their executives even admitted that they focus on FF first.
Awesome video. Covered everything in detail. Subbed !!
Awesome, thank you Vignesh!
I enjoy this tutorial. Please allow me to ask: How to get Z50 continues powered while in use (for video streaming)? Thank you.
For video streaming you need to connect the camera via USB and use Nikon's dedicated software. Mind you, for me the video is always lagging, like it's recording only every 3rd frame and I cannot make it work right...
I haven't checked if the camera is also being powered by the computer then, or it's running on its battery.
@@miklosmayerphoto I use Nikon webcam utility. It cannot display the video or picture at Camera app. But, I can use it at Zoom app.
Köszi a szinvonalas elemzésért. A gépet én jószerivel vloggingra használom. Az tapasztaltam, hogy alapbol nem igazan kezeli jol a kontrasztos beallitasokat. Mi a te tapasztalatod a "dynamic range" optimális beállításaról? Köszi.
Szia, köszi! Én mindig a Flat profilt használom videózáshoz, és vágáskor növelem a kontrasztot, ha szükséges. Valamint az Active D-lighting Magas értéken van.
A többi profillal nem vagyok kibékülve, ha videózok...