Testing the Nikon Z5II
Last month, I had the privilege of attending several events here in Houston, Texas hosted by Nikon where I got to play and test out Nikon’s Z5II camera.
Note: This blog may contain affiliate links, from which I do earn a very small commission which helps support my work.
Last month, I had the privilege of attending several events here in Houston, Texas hosted by Nikon where I got to play and test out Nikon’s Z5II camera. Over the course of two distinct events, I was able to take landscapes and architecture shots not to mention attend a workshop hosted by Photographer/Youtuber Danny Batista and snap a couple of portraits of Annabel. So I wanted to share my thoughts with you on the Z5II.
First things first, the Z5II is Nikon’s entry level full frame mirrorless camera. It has 24.5 Megapixel Back Side Illuminiated Sensor and Nikon’s Expeed 7 processor (the same as in its flagship Z9 camera). It has advanced subject detection Auto-Focus for 9 different subjects. The camera has a max frame rate of 14 frames per second in mechanical shutter mode (11 in Raw format) and up to 30 frames per second in electronic mode shooting in JPEG format. The camera has dual SD card slots so that you can shoot redundantly and has 7.5 stops of image stabilization.
Specs are one thing, but lets talk about how the camera actually felt and shot. The camera has a nice grip and fit comfortably in my hands. With the battery and two memory cards, the camera body weighs 1.5 pounds. Add in the heavier of the two different lenses I tested and the entire kit topped out at 2.7 pounds. I mention the weight because when you are out in the field, every ounce counts and this felt like a breeze.
As for the photos I made, I was very happy with the files that the Z5II produced. I found them to be well-balanced and very easy to color grade. And even shooting kit lenses, the image quality of the photos is evident. I shot everything handheld and everything was sharp. I underexposed a portrait by a couple of stops to test dynamic range and when I edited them in lightroom its like if they had been perfectly exposed. Ive attached edited Photo files for you to check out below.
As for the two Kit lenses i got to try: the Nikkor 24-50 F4-6.3 and the Nikkor 24-200 F4-6.3. They are what you can expect from a kit lens. Plastic construction, light weight, excellent for beginners, but obviously with the vari-aperture nature of the lens not the best at bokeh or low light. That said, I did find both lenses to be surprisingly sharp. All the photos, I took were taken on kit lenses. But if you can spare an extra $100 dollars, I would buy the body alone and then purchase the Nikkor 24-70 f4. With the constant f4, its just better glass, and better glass is always the way to go.
Finally, I did not test the video features of this camera. So I can not make any claims as to the video performance and results. But I know video is becoming more and more important to photographers, so let me give you the basics. The Z5II can shoot 10 bit H.265 video in 4k up to 60 FPS and in 1080p up to 120 FPS. Realistically, that is good enough for most content that is probably going to be viewed on a phone. Additionally, if you really want to go for it the Z5II allows you to record up to 24 FPS in 12-bit N-RAW video in resolutions up to 4032 × 2268, for those striking visuals.
If you are interested in purchasing the Nikon Z5II for yourself, please consider buying it from the embedded links. I get a very small commission from it, which helps to fund my work.
