Nikon Introduces Z50 Mirrorless DX Body and Kit lenses

Since most of the news have already been leaked thru some Japanese site via rumor sites, this official announcement feels anticlimactic.

The Z50 is Nikon's first mirrorless body with a DX (APS-C) sensor, and it keeps the FX Z mount. Without a lens, the sensor does look small behind its huge mount. The Z50 is the first Z body with a pop-up flash and uses one SD memory card, and it has no IBIS. Its rear LCD can be flipped to the bottom to fast forward for selfies.

The Z50 seems to be a decent consumer body at a level similar to the D7500 DSLR. The initial two kit zooms are kind of slow such that IMO they are very much consumer grade with a slow f6.3 maximum aperture on their long ends.

• 16-50mm/f3.5-6.3 VR
  
• 50-250mm/f4.5-6.3 VR
  

You can use the FTZ adapter to mount FX or DX F-mount lenses onto the Z50.

• Z50 body only: US$859.95
  
• Z50 with 16-50mm/f3.5-6.3 kit lens: $999.95
  
• Z50 with both kit lenses: $1349.95
  

New Product Images: Copyright Nikon Inc.

So can we expect at least two more DX bodies - one entry-level at around $500 and one top-level (with IBIS, XQD/CFx) for around $1400? Nikon closely following Sony again (currently a6100, a6400, a6600)?

New, smaller(?), lower-capacity battery - why oh why?

I am glad Nikon has announced a mirrorless DX body; however the price(in US $) seems high to me. I have to admit I have not done any serious price comparisons.

AS an aside, my wife and I just got back (Oct 9th) from a Rhine river cruise trip to Europe with about 160 people on board. I believe I was the only one shooting pictures with a FX body (my D 800e) . There were about five others who were using Nikon DX DSLRs. And about five with Sony mirrorless cameras.There were about another five with Nikon Coolpix or Canon equivalent bodies with fixed zoom lenses. Many others were using just their cell phones.

Joe

New, smaller(?), lower-capacity battery - why oh why?

Agree, I do not understand this apparent obsession with "compact" size camera, which then limits them to a smaller battery.

In my experience, mirrorless battery run time is based on camera ON time, not number of shots.

So a power hungry mirrorless camera would suck power in hours, vs days with a dSLR. So a mirrorless camera should have a LARGER battery, not a smaller one.

Until the customers start really COMPLAINING, a bigger battery (in a bigger camera) isn't coming.

I think Sony had that same issue and solution, but I know very little about Sony

True - with their A9/A9II, A7III and A7RIII they introduced a larger capacity battery - which now also serves in the APS-C A6600 (all other A6xxx bodies still use the older, smaller-capacity battery).

I am glad Nikon has announced a mirrorless DX body; however the price(in US $) seems high to me. I have to admit I have not done any serious price comparisons.

 

AS an aside, my wife and I just got back (Oct 9th) from a Rhine river cruise trip to Europe with about 160 people on board. I believe I was the only one shooting pictures with a FX body (my D 800e) . There were about five others who were using Nikon DX DSLRs. And about five with Sony mirrorless cameras.There were about another five with Nikon Coolpix or Canon equivalent bodies with fixed zoom lenses. Many others were using just their cell phones.

 

Joe

If you think the price is high then you shouldn't be glad as they didn't make for you.

flat top Z50

Probably speculative renderings of what the camera might look like posted on some of the numerous rumor sites. Kinda glad Nikon didn't copy the Sony APS-C body-style.

I don’t know if there’s room in the market for this. Sony, Fuji and M4/3 already have a lot invested in crop sensor mirrorless. For the casual shooter there are cheaper options. For the enthusiast the other systems have many more options and particularly lenses.

But it’s good that they went the Sony route with FX and DX in one system instead of being stuck with two mounts like Canon.

I don’t know if there’s room in the market for this. Sony, Fuji and M4/3 already have a lot invested in crop sensor mirrorless. For the casual shooter there are cheaper options. For the enthusiast the other systems have many more options and particularly lenses.

 

But it’s good that they went the Sony route with FX and DX in one system instead of being stuck with two mounts like Canon.

I think this was anticipating the switch from dSLR to mirrorless at some point.

So this would be the DX mirrorless replacement for the dSLR.

Nikon would not want to just give up the DX/APS-C market to Canon, Sony and Fuji.

Ha ha.

There was someone on another forum bitching about not using a smaller mount, for a smaller lens.

There are two options

#1 - common DX/FX mount

#2 - separate DX and FX mounts.

And no matter which option the mfg chooses, someone will bitch that they should have chosen the other option.

So a mirrorless camera should have a LARGER battery, not a smaller one

Up to a point, I'd prefer to have a camera that is small and for me to carry one or two spares than have a bigger heavy camera that can shoot for 2 days straight.

However, as the capacity increases by battery volume, it doesn't take a very big linear battery dimensional change to make a big difference.

The batteries in phones and tablets are effectively naked with only minimal coverings whilst the thick plastic casings on camera batteries are pretty massive by comparison.

Interestingly no-one seems to have ditched the easily swapable battery with an 'in-camera-only' chargable cell. Think of the extra capacity you'd get by ditching the battery case!

Equally AFAIK, no-one makes a phone or tablet with a swapable battery..

Go figure!

There are some phones where the user can remove and replace the battery. They used to be standard. rather than the exception.

The manufacturer of separate full frame and smaller sensored cameras does not necessarily need to make two complete separate systems, since most small sensor camera users just buy one or two lenses. For example the EOS M system is reasonably popular as it is a nicely designed, small camera but it has only a few native lenses available for its mount.

There are some phones where the user can remove and replace the battery

I think I wasn't quite specific enough...:confused:

I meant for everyday charging etc and indeed those memovable/replacables were pretty thinly packaged.

Thin Smart phones seemed to kill them off.

I suppose I was thinking more of the carry-with-you spare like having 2 EnEl15s in your top pocket....just in case.

DPReview has an image showing the Z50 and Z6 side by side:

https://www.dpreview.com/files/p/articles/4178727265/IMG_7523.jpeg

Nikon explained to me that since the Z50 is so much smaller, they just cannot fit the EN-EL15(b) inside.

The thing is that I consider the Z6 (Z7 is exactly the same size) a bit too small. I haven't seen a Z50 yet, but I am sure I'll find it way too small for my preference. The Z50 uses one SD card (UHS-1 compatible). That is expected for a small consumer mirrorless, but I don't like the one SD arrangement. I have a few DSLRs that have an SD slot, but I don't own any with just one SD slot.

DPReview has an image showing the Z50 and Z6 side by side:

https://www.dpreview.com/files/p/articles/4178727265/IMG_7523.jpeg

 

Nikon explained to me that since the Z50 is so much smaller, they just cannot fit the EN-EL15(b) inside.

 

The thing is that I consider the Z6 (Z7 is exactly the same size) a bit too small. I haven't seen a Z50 yet, but I am sure I'll find it way too small for my preference. The Z50 uses one SD card (UHS-1 compatible). That is expected for a small consumer mirrorless, but I don't like the one SD arrangement. I have a few DSLRs that have an SD slot, but I don't own any with just one SD slot.

As I read the specs so far the Z50 is far from what I would ever want however if it's small enough and Nikon make a fixed lens of say 30mm that the camera can fit in my pocket I would seriously consider it.

As I read the specs so far the Z50 is far from what I would ever want however if it's small enough and Nikon make a fixed lens of say 30mm that the camera can fit in my pocket I would seriously consider it.

Nikon has two "compact prime lenses" on their roadmap up to 2021: a 28mm and a 40mm. No maximum apertures are specified at this point, but I assume those will be f2.8 or perhaps f2 "pancake" lenses. That maybe exactly what BeBu wants.

Nikon Z-Mount Lens Roadmap

We'll see what happens, but my concern is that "pancake" lenses are not telecentric and we may see pretty serious chromatic aberration and other optical issues, compared to modern, high-end lenses. Those two lenses are not designated as the higher-end S lenses.

Nikon has two "compact prime lenses" on their roadmap up to 2021: a 28mm and a 40mm

Well yes, with a coverage/capture equivalence of 32mm and 60mm respectively on the Z50. Not exactly common walk around focal lengths. Not wide enough or long enough. Daft.

Seems the DX lens woes have just carried straight on from F > Z mount.

...and good spot Shun about the 'missing' aperture details!

Seems the DX lens woes have just carried straight on from F > Z mount.

 

...and good spot Shun about the 'missing' aperture details!

Regardless of whether it is DSLR or mirrorless, for Nikon, FX is the pro and prosumer format. DX is mostly for consumers, except that the D500 is for sports, action, and wildlife. I almost never put any lens shorter than 300mm on my D500 and no DX lens.

If one would like an extensive DX/APS-C system, I would go to Fuji, which does not produce FX mirrorless so that their entire focus is APS-C.

Otherwise, I think Canon and Sony will be doing the same thing as Nikon.

We may see some superzooms such as 18-300mm DX and a couple more DX lenses, such as 10-24mm and maybe a 35mm/f1.8. But essentially DX will be sold at Best Buy and Costco in the US and similar stores. Nikon will package a mid zoom and a tele zoom and the customer will buy the whole set all at once, such that the likes of Sigma and Tamron will have no chance to sell them a 70-300 equivalent later on.

As far as missing apertures in the road map, we can make an educated guess for most. The macros will likely be f2.8. The pancakes will also be f2.8 or perhaps f2. The 100-400 will like be f4.5-5.6 and the 200-600 will probably be f4.5-6.3. Any 600mm/f5.6 will require a 107mm front element; that is probably too big for Nikon. The Sigma, Tamron, and Sony zooms with a 600mm long end are all f6.3 @ 600mm.

Up to a point, I'd prefer to have a camera that is small and for me to carry one or two spares than have a bigger heavy camera that can shoot for 2 days straight.

 

However, as the capacity increases by battery volume, it doesn't take a very big linear battery dimensional change to make a big difference.

 

The batteries in phones and tablets are effectively naked with only minimal coverings whilst the thick plastic casings on camera batteries are pretty massive by comparison.

 

Interestingly no-one seems to have ditched the easily swapable battery with an 'in-camera-only' chargable cell. Think of the extra capacity you'd get by ditching the battery case!

 

Equally AFAIK, no-one makes a phone or tablet with a swapable battery..

 

Go figure!

OK, not expecting 2 days of shooting, but certainly not only 2-1/2 hours.

That is the continuous run time of my Olympus EM1-mk1 with the 12-100, with Sync-IS on.

This means on vacation that I would need 5 to 6 batteries to get me through a day. :eek: Then think of the logistics of charging those 5-6 batteries at the end of the day.

Even with a 4 hour run time (with a different lens), I consistently went through 3 batteries by about 7pm, and I was practically on Empty on battery #3. I got a 4th battery for the next trip, to give me more breathing room at the end of the day, to go into the 4th battery.

With phones and tablets, compact size trumped user replaceable batteries.

While I may get more run time, with an integrated battery, what happens when the battery goes "empty?"

Saw that once, when someone's phone battery ran out in the middle of a vacation day trip. If they did not have a power brick, which they probably did not have, they were SOL, no more taking pictures that day.

Its rear LCD can be flipped to the bottom to face forward for selfies.

Oh dear!

Is that really the market Nikon is aiming this camera at?

Oh dear!

Is that really the market Nikon is aiming this camera at?

Err, unless I'm missing something, you've got to have very long arms to take a selfie with this. There are no lenses wide enough yet for anything other than a full-on single face shot.

I've yet to see a selfie stick ready for this weight at arms length for long... anyway you can't use the tripod socket etc 'cos it will be infront of the screen.

... anyway you can't use the tripod socket etc 'cos it will be infront of the screen.

Good point.

I hadn't thought of that.

Seems like a totally useless 'feature' then.

The only arrangement that works forwards, backwards, up and down is to have a sideways flipping screen that rotates more than180 degrees. Nikon fitted a screen like this on their ancient CP8800 bridge camera; a camera that was crippled by its extremely slow processor.

After that, they seem to have entirely forgotten about flippin' screens. To the point that they seemingly can't design a sensible arrangement these days.

If you think the price is high then you shouldn't be glad as they didn't make for you

It's difficult to imagine who they did make it for.

seemingly can't design a sensible arrangement these days

I gotta say the screen on my D5300 is pretty versatile with fold out and twist.

It's ability to fold screen innermost is good for protection too.