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The Nikon Z50 and your complete DX Z-mount household has aged like a advantageous Chianti.
I’ve lengthy been on the hunt for the right take-anywhere digital digital camera, one thing I can use for a mixture of avenue, dwell music and informal portrait pictures. To match my life-style, this digital camera is ideally light-weight but tough-built and excels at capturing in all lighting circumstances, each when it comes to picture high quality and autofocus. Different nice-to-haves embrace a touchscreen, a viewfinder and a good choice of quick, compact primes, assuming it’s an ILC, or a quick built-in prime if it is not.
Through the years, many digital camera fashions have come near becoming the invoice, at the least, for a short time. My journey began in 2012 with a Sony NEX-6 paired with an optically meh 20mm f/2.8 lens. I quickly traded that for a Fujifilm X100T, which was swapped out for a Leica M6 and Rokkor 40mm f/2 combo. This finally led to a used Ricoh GR II, then a Fujifilm X100F, adopted by an X-E4 and 23mm f/2 pairing.
And now, after eleven years of flipping, flopping and flipping some extra, I lastly really feel happy with my digital setup of selection: the Nikon Z50 and a Z DX 24mm f/1.7 lens. Although this will appear to be an odd selection, given the Z50 is a four-year-old digital camera and there are many contemporary, new mirrorless our bodies out there, I guarantee you it is not.
The Z50 largely delivers in all lighting circumstances. Processed in Adobe Digital camera Uncooked.
Nikon Z DX 24mm f/1.7 | ISO 18000 | 1/500 sec | f/1.7Photo: Dan Bracaglia
4 quick, reasonably priced primes to select from
When the Z50 first launched within the fall of 2019, lots of photographers and kit reviewers panned it. Not as a result of the digital camera was missing in functionality, per se, however as a result of the system was missing in lenses (and to some extent, in ‘wow issue’), except for dear full-frame choices and gradual equipment zooms.
However that is, fortunately, now not the case. Sigma introduced in February 2023 on the CP+ present that it could be bringing its highly-acclaimed DC DN collection of f/1.4 Modern lenses to Z-mount, together with a 16mm, 30mm and 56mm possibility.
On the time, representatives from Sigma additionally indicated an openmindedness to future Z-mount lens releases, (even perhaps for full-frame fashions). And given the actual fact Sigma already makes a 23mm f/1.4 in addition to an 18-50mm f/2.8 for a number of different crop-sensor mirrorless techniques, we could nicely see Z-mount variations of these lenses sooner or later too.
Sigma introduced that its well-regarded trio of reasonably priced f/1.4 primes can be coming to Z-mount in February 2023. Three months later, Nikon introduced its personal budget-friendly 24mm f/1.7 lens.
Optically, the 16mm, 30mm and 56mm trio are improbable, with the 56mm being an actual DPReview favourite. They’re additionally extraordinarily nicely constructed – with metallic mounts and weather-sealing – and fairly compact, although a tad on the heavy aspect.
With the revealing of those three extra items of glass, I all of the sudden took an curiosity within the Nikon Z50. After which, three months later, Nikon sweetened the cope with the launch of its personal DX 24mm f/1.7. Lighter, extra compact and reasonably priced than the Sigma’s, the 24mm is constructed solely of plastic, mount included, and fewer optically pristine. However that is type of the purpose. It isn’t fairly a pancake lens but it surely’s additionally not an entire lot bigger than one. It additionally handles fairly nicely because of a large focus ring and durable building. And given the value, $275, I am impressed with its output. However you be the choose.
By the way in which, none of those lenses price greater than $500, which is notably, in regards to the worth of a lightly-used Z50 on the secondhand market.
The 16mm is the biggest of Sigma’s f/1.4 primes for Z-mount. Out of digital camera JPEG.
Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN | ISO 100 | 1/2500 sec | f/4Photo: Dan Bracaglia
A succesful APS-C digital camera at a cut price worth
On the topic, I paid $525 for a minty one with fewer than 1800 shutter actuations. Add in one other ∼$300 for the 24mm (together with tax), together with an additional battery, a contemporary SD card and a good filter, and we’re taking a look at slightly below $1000 for a totally geared up, on a regular basis digital camera. That’s not too shabby.
One factor to notice, whereas I’m particularly honing in on the Z50 for this text, most of those factors additionally stand true for Nikon’s different two present DX Z-mount cameras, the Z30 and Z fc. All of them use some variation of the identical 20.9MP APS-C CMOS sensor, which, regardless of being a tad lengthy within the tooth, can nonetheless take a fairly image.
Nikon’s underappreciated Z fc is a superbly competent digital camera, particularly now that there are extra lenses out there for the DX-format sensor. Nonetheless, you possibly can count on to pay a premium for one in comparison with the Z50.
In actual fact, not everybody needs or wants 26 megapixels of decision from an APS-C digital camera, not to mention, 33 or 40 – heck, I used to be completely proud of 16. And one benefit the Z50 has over a lot of its higher-resolution friends is a barely cleaner noise profile, significantly at very excessive ISOs. This does come on the expense of some element seize, however c’est la vie.
Dynamic vary can also be improbable, up there with the perfect APS-C fashions in the marketplace, together with the Sony a6700 and Fujifilm X-T5, and higher than the EOS R7. And although I principally shoot Uncooked, Nikon’s JPEG output can also be fairly good.
Glorious construct high quality & ergonomics
The digital camera can also be remarkably well-built for a beginner-oriented physique. Every of my earlier companion cameras required various levels of ‘babying’ – apart from my movie Leica – some greater than others (I’m taking a look at you, Ricoh GR II). However that’s not the case anymore; not often anymore do I awake in a panic and rush over to my gear bag within the morning to make sure my digital camera survived the prior evening’s festivities. Y’all try this too, proper?
The Nikon Z50’s 20.9MP Uncooked recordsdata are a lot malleable. Processed in Adobe Digital camera Uncooked.
Sigma 56mm f/1.4 DC DN | ISO 100 | 1/4000 sec | f/2.8Photo: Dan Bracaglia
Which means with the Z50, not like my Fujifilm X-E4, I don’t fear about mud entering into the EVF, moisture into the cracks, or grime into the nooks and crannies (see additionally: each X100 I’ve ever owned). I merely blast the digital camera with the occasional gust of canned air and name it good to go.
I’m additionally fairly keen on the Z50’s ergonomics. Regardless of its diminutive footprint, the digital camera sports activities a snug and sizable grip with nearly all of controls accessible through your capturing hand. Different cameras at this worth could skimp out on twin entrance and rear management dials and/or customizable buttons, however that’s not the case right here. I’ve additionally received mine arrange in order that I can shortly bounce between my most popular autofocus and metering settings.
Good (sufficient) AF
My greatest hesitation in buying a Z50 was the prospect of an unreliable autofocus system. That concern proved to be false. Processed in Adobe Digital camera Uncooked.
Sigma 56mm f/1.4 DC DN | ISO 100 | 1/2500 sec | f/2.8Photo: Dan Bracaglia
Having simply come off reviewing a number of main APS-C mirrorless fashions, I can say with out hesitation that Sony does autofocus greatest, with Canon in second place, and Nikon in a detailed third – Fujifilm is a distant fourth.
This will likely not appear to be a glowing endorsement of the Z50’s AF capabilities however it’s. Sony and Canon have lengthy led the cost, in that order, with regards to mirrorless digital camera autofocus reliability. Nonetheless, Nikon has accomplished an amazing job taking part in catch-up lately. And people who have had the pleasure of capturing with the flagship Z9, or actually any Z-mount digital camera operating the newest firmware, know precisely what I imply.
The Z50 clearly isn’t the Z9 however I’ve discovered the previous greater than succesful sufficient at nailing focus after I want it to, together with in difficult lighting circumstances. I are likely to depend on subject-tracking AF to lock the main target earlier than compositing, and the Z50 (operating present firmware) not often lets me down. However this wasn’t all the time the case. At launch, the Z50’s AF efficiency was lower than spectacular…
Due to continued firmware help from Nikon, the Z50 has come a good distance.
Processed in Adobe Digital camera Uncooked.
Nikon Z DX 24mm f/1.7 | ISO 100 | 1/400 sec | f/1.7Photo: Dan Bracaglia
Continued firmware help
It’s not possible to speak about Nikon’s improved mirrorless autofocus efficiency with out additionally acknowledging Nikon’s dedication to firmware help. When Z-mount first rolled out, AF efficiency left quite a bit to be desired, each when it comes to usability and reliability – this goes for the unique Z7, Z6 and Z50. And plenty of people made their frustrations identified.
Thankfully, Nikon took the suggestions critically, making vital operational and algorithmic adjustments to handle complaints. These software program tweaks proceed to roll out – the newest Z50 firmware replace landed simply two months in the past – holding the Z-mount aggressive with different mirrorless choices.
Each from an environmentally-conscious standpoint and a piggy bank-related one, I’m an enormous fan of tech manufacturers fixing issues with software program reasonably than pushing out new {hardware}. And all indicators level to this strategy persevering with from main producers, together with Nikon.
The wrap & trying ahead
It is prime time for one more have a look at Nikon crop-sensor Z-mount, child.
Finally, nice cameras – even four-year-old fashions – require nice lenses, and when manufacturers like Nikon and Sigma cooperate, all people wins.
Previous to 2023, I considered the Nikon Z50 as nothing greater than an entry-level Costco equipment digital camera, stocked between crates of growing older Canon Rebels and Sony a6000s. However 4 quick, reasonably priced primes modified that notion. This means that, at the least to me, probably the most thrilling {hardware} developments in 2023 are occurring on the lens aspect reasonably than the digital camera aspect.
In fact, with all this entry to nice glass, I am unable to assist however ponder what I’d need in my subsequent companion digital camera. An AF joystick, in-body picture stabilization, and higher battery life all sound darn good. However I’m pondering the Z50 could preserve me happy for at the least one other couple of years. In addition to, I’m trying ahead to spending some high quality time particularly with the Sigma 56mm.
Do you shoot with a DX Z-mount physique, and in that case, what are your ideas? What enhancements would you prefer to see in future DX Z-mount our bodies? And what lenses would you prefer to see developed subsequent? Tell us within the feedback beneath!
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