Nikon is wasting no time expanding its full-frame mirrorless camera series, which it introduced last year with the launch of the Z6 and the Z7. The company has welcomed a new model to its lineup: the Z5, a budget alternative that should appeal to intermediate photographers seeking an upgrade to their crop sensor format.
The Z5 uses Nikon’s Z mount and sports a 24.3MP full-frame sensor, which supports a maximum resolution of 6,016 x 4,016 pixels. It also comes with 5-axis in-body stabilization and shoots 4K video — though only at 30 FPS (you will have to drop to 1080p for 60 FPS).
The best thing about the Z5 is its price. At $1,399, the new camera is $400 cheaper than the Z6 and $1,400 cheaper than the Z7.
That said, there are some compromises.
For one, you’ll have to settle for a 1.7x crop when shooting 4K video. There’s also no fully articulating screen (it only tilts up and down), which makes it a tough sell for photographers who also want to use the camera for vlogging. Another issue is speed: its burst mode supports only up to 4.5 FPS, so you probably won’t be buying this camera for sports photography.
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Still, there are some things the Z5 does better than its beefier siblings. Unlike the Z6 and the Z7, the new model comes with dual card slots — and they both support UHS-II, which should help with emptying up the stills buffer quickly.
Overall, the Z5 seems like a solid budget option if you’re in the market for full-frame cameras.
The Z5 is slated to drop in August at $1,399 body-only, but you can grab a version with a 24-50mm/F4-6.3 lens kit for $1,699. Those interested can check out the full spec list here.
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