Can I Safely Uninstall Z Camera?

Nikon Z l Review: The Instagrammer's mirrorless photographic camera

MSRP $859.00

"The Z l lets you trim video in-camera and share it wirelessly to your phone, making it perfect for the influencer on the get."

Pros

• Atmospheric condition-sealed, ergonomic blueprint
• Excellent image quality
• 11 fps burst speed
• Wireless video transfers

Cons

• Autofocus struggles in low light
• Few native DX lenses at launch

There are cameras for photographers, then there are cameras for pre-photographers. The Nikon Z fifty, Nikon'southward smallest DX photographic camera yet and first APS-C mirrorless camera, falls largely into the second category. Marketed towards Instagram users prepare to upgrade from a smartphone, the Z l incorporates in-photographic camera video editing and wireless video transfer while keeping to a design that channels an entry-level DSLR.

Merely the Z 50 besides launches with a built-in audience — casual Nikonographers with a stash of F-mountain lenses that tin be hands adapted to the mirrorless Z mount. Lacking the in-body stabilization of the full-frame Z half-dozen and Z 7, the Z 50 makes upward for its shorter feature list with a lightweight, 14-ounce torso and a tiny kit lens.

Later on the failed Nikon 1 serial, it'southward expert to run across Nikon putting some real endeavour into a mirrorless camera that targets casual photographers. Information technology'due south not perfect, just the Z 50 does a lot right.

Design: A mix of erstwhile and new

The Z fifty ditches some of the loftier-end features of the Z half-dozen and Z vii, like in-body image stabilization, in order to shave off a few millimeters. Sitting at merely iii.seven inches tall, the it is unsurprisingly Nikon'due south smallest crop-sensor interchangeable lens camera, beating out even the diminutive D3500 DSLR.

However, Nikon tin't make the aforementioned claims well-nigh weight. At fourteen ounces, the Z 50 is about 6 ounces lighter than its full-frame counterparts. But thanks to the magnesium alloy, weather-sealed exterior, it is heavier than the upkeep D3500, if only by about an ounce. Nosotros'll have that extra ounce in exchange for the superior construction, rather than the plasticky feel of a cheap DSLR.

The xvi-50mm kit lens is just as impressively small, measuring one.26 inches long and weighing less than v ounces. While incredibly easy carry with you, the pocket-sized size makes it possible to grab the wrong control ring. It also leaves no room for a focus scale or a AF/MF switch. Instead, transmission focus must exist toggled from the camera's quick bill of fare. Given the Z 50'due south target demographic we don't doubtable many customers will heed this actress step equally they'll be happy to get out the camera in autofocus.

While smaller cameras often make severe sacrifices to ergonomics, the Z 50 manages to striking a happy medium. The grip is a nice size, wide plenty to grasp comfortably for long-term employ. Because of the shorter body, one's fingers don't wrap around the controls quite as perfectly as a DSLR, requiring the camera to sit a footling higher in the palm in guild to comfortably admission the acme controls. Merely, for such a modest photographic camera, information technology is decently comfortable to concur.

The controls are uncomplicated plenty to non overwhelm new photographers, only still leave some room to abound into. At that place's both a pop-upwards wink and a hot shoe, equally well as microphone, USB, and HDMI ports — and, of form, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

Different the Z vi and Z vii, there's no secondary screen on the top plate, leaving more room for the mode dial, dual control wheels, and shortcuts for ISO, exposure compensation, and video. While the tape push works to start shooting video in whatever mode, a pocket-size switch swaps between a still and video mode — this allows photographers to use one set of settings for stills and 1 for video, easily switching between the two.

At the front, two function buttons offering customizable shortcuts. The back continues the minimalist scheme with a few menu controls and playback options including three buttons built into the LCD screen. A autofocus joystick, unfortunately, is missing from the design.

The 3.2-inch LCD screen uses a hinge-fashion tilt, which yet allows the screen to flip all the mode forward, but at the bottom of the camera rather than out to the side. While the blueprint is sturdy and works well for handheld selfies, this means the screen would exist blocked when using a tripod, a potential consequence for vloggers and YouTubers. With the screen forward, the photographic camera automatically enters a selfie way and locks many of the camera's controls to prevent accidental bumps.

The Z fifty may be the first in the new DX mirrorless series, but the camera feels like a true Nikon.

Like the LCD, the 2.36-one thousand thousand-dot viewfinder is clear and accurate. While not equally exceptional as the higher-res viewfinder on the Z 6 and seven, it is good for this class of camera. The downside — like most, but non all electronic viewfinders — is that information technology blacks out equally a photo is taken, making following activeness a chip more difficult.

The Z 50 may be the beginning in a new DX mirrorless serial, but the camera feels like a true Nikon. While we miss the joystick and taller grip of the Z half-dozen, Nikon managed to use the real estate on the Z 50 wisely, creating a camera that's both like shooting fish in a barrel to apply and flexible.

Snappy, but imperfect performance

The 1 series — the mirrorless arrangement that Nikon would rather you forget — had many issues, merely information technology was noted for its snappy functioning. The Z 50 follows a similar vein, although it's certainly non every bit fast equally professional person sports-oriented cameras like the Sony A9.

The xi-frames-per-second burst speed is quick and handles RAW files well. (That maximum speed isn't uniform with flash, though.) The buffer fills upwardly afterward iii seconds of RAW photos and needs roughly fifteen seconds to recover completely. For JEPGs, the camera volition shoot for viii seconds directly, and recovers in only 4; the low-speed setting keeps the Z 50 clipping along at a steady pace for much longer.

But, like Nikon's full-frame mirrorless cameras, the Z fifty autofocus stumbles a bit. In good lighting, the camera performs as expected, focusing rapidly and missing simply a scattering of images in continuous style.

In dim conditions, such as indoors or outside at night, the 209-bespeak autofocus struggles. It hunts for longer than usual, creating a delay in the shot, or sometimes never finding focus at all. That'southward non to say all the depression-calorie-free shots from the Z l are out-of-focus, simply the camera has a lower hit rate than a Nikon DSLR — and some competing mirrorless cameras — in the toughest conditions.

The autofocus tin't go on up with movement and had laughable bloopers, like choosing to focus on an inflatable snowman's face.

The Z 50's eye AF follows a similar good-but-not-great pattern. And so long every bit the subject is relatively still and close to the camera, it works fine (farther away, the camera locks on to faces). But the eye AF tin can't keep up with a lot of motility and had some laughable bloopers — like choosing to focus on an inflatable snowman's confront instead of the person slightly farther away.

Similarly, tracking autofocus worked dandy in some situations, but in others, the focus indicator box would drift away from the selected discipline.

While the autofocus may non be as robust every bit a Nikon DSLR, the Z l manages to do what a DSLR can't — shoot silently. The silent mode lives up to its name — there may be some slight noise from the autofocus motor, just that's it. However, without seeing viewfinder blackout, you can't tell if a photo was taken.

While most cameras have a scattering of in-camera editing options, the Z 50 also adds the option to trim and resave a video. That helps conserve fourth dimension and battery when using the new Snapbridge adequacy that allows for wireless transfer for videos. Like other contempo Nikons, setting upwards a wireless connection is simple and grants access to remote photography tools and remote transfers for existing photos, a big improvement from the clunky connections from simply a few years agone.

Paradigm quality

At commencement glance, Nikon appears to have stepped backwards for the Z l. Later all, it's but 20.nine megapixels, four less than even the $400 D3500. Almost companies seem to favor 24 megapixels for enthusiast models, while the new Catechism EOS M6 Marker II boasts 32.

Only megapixel count is a superficial and inaccurate way to mensurate image quality. Images from the Z 50 sensor are v,568 pixels broad, while images from a 24-megapixel photographic camera are six,000 pixels broad. That difference is good for moving upwardly another i.8 inches in print size, but few will really discover the divergence — peculiarly the Z 50'southward target customer of Instagram users.

Most will, nonetheless, detect the difference in image quality when information technology comes to noise. Generally, the more pixels you cram onto a sensor, the more susceptible that sensor is to noise. With fewer megapixels and a the new EXPEED 6 processor, the Z l handles high ISOs beautifully. With some adjustments to the RAW file, ISO 3,200 doesn't even look like a loftier ISO. Even without editing, noise at is nonetheless unobtrusive. Photographers can shoot confidently even at ISO 6,400, and pushing beyond that quality but steps downward from excellent to good.

At and under ISO 6,400, sharpness is excellent from the Z 50, a tendency that we've been seeing with all Nikon's Z cameras, thank you in part to the new lens mount. Swapping out the Z 50'south inexpensive kit lens for the pricier 24-70mm f/4 Z lens eked out a bit more sharpness, but at a level that'due south likely not noticeable in existent-world shooting.

Video quality follows much of the same pattern, with excellent sharpness and color. The autofocus looks shine, though it didn't e'er adjust equally fast equally we'd similar. 4K offers excellent item, while Total HD offers a wider range of frame rates.

While the trunk is not stabilized, the 16-50mm kit lens is. We were able to shoot sharp stills downwardly to 1/25 second, and handheld video wasn't nausea-enducing. At this fourth dimension, only 2 Z DX lenses are bachelor, the second existence a l-250mm f/4.5-vi.3, which is likewise stabilized. For whatever other focal lengths, you'll either need to bound for full-frame Z glass or conform Nikon DSLR lenses, neither of which will maintain the slim profile of the Z l.

Our Accept

The Nikon Z 50 is an impressive first for the first APS-C model in the Z series. It'due south a solid design, shoots excellent images, and offers generally fast performance. Elementary connectivity and in-camera video trimming help make it ideal for influencers that want to shoot and share without plugging into a reckoner. Autofocus lags backside some DSLRs and competing mirrorless cameras, yet, particularly when working with express calorie-free.

Starting at around $850, the Z fifty is also reasonably priced and compares favorably to other cameras in this grade.

Is there a amend alternative?

While the Z 50 is a strong little camera, the autofocus performance keeps it from dethroning favorites similar the Fujifilm X-T30 and Sony A6100. We adopt the design of the Nikon over the A6100, but Sony's autofocus system is a clear winner. The X-T30 also gets loftier marks for the autofocus arrangement, though the Z fifty may be more than ergonomic. The Z 50 is too the merely one in this grouping to be weather-sealed.

How long will it last?

This camera is well-built and feels sturdy in the easily. Short of any catastrophes, it should proceed shooting for several years. The Z 50 also shares lenses with the total-frame Z half-dozen and Z 7, leading to a clear upgrade path.

Should you buy it?

Aye, particularly if you take a stash of Nikon lenses. Concord off, however, if yous take a lot of photos indoors or in low light — while the Z 50'southward high ISO functioning is admirable, its autofocus can neglect in these situations.

Editors' Recommendations

• The Insta360 Sphere is a virtual invisibility cloak for drones
• Insta360 is most to reveal … exactly what?
• Best GoPro alternative action photographic camera deals for May 2022
• Watch DJI's video featuring Mini 3 Pro drone footage
• DJI Mini three Pro unboxing video drops only ahead of launch

Source: https://www.digitaltrends.com/digital-camera-reviews/nikon-z50-review/

Posted by: gerstnercappraid.blogspot.com

Share this post