Nikon Z5II Announcement and Opinions
The Nikon Z5II has just been officially announced, and camera shops in Japan will begin to accept preorders for the camera from 10 April.
The official press release and specifications of the camera can be viewed here:
As I had expected and anticipated, the Z5II is pretty much a Z5 body updated with Zf internals (plus some nice surprises here and there).
Here is a brief summary of the major changes of the Z5II over the Z5:
24.5MP BSI sensor, ISO 100-64000, similar to that of the Zf
Expeed 7 CPU
Faster and more sensitive AF - claimed to be 3 times faster than the Z5 and being able to focus in -10 EV situations
Subject detection modes similar to that of the other Expeed 7 bodies
7.5 stops of IBIS
Up to 14 FPS RAW with mechanical shutter
3.2-inch 2.1 million dots flip screen, similar to that used in the Zf
3.69 million dots EVF, with improved 3000 cd/m2 brightness (similar to that of the Z8/Z9)
Picture control button (similar to that in the Z50II)
Video improvements include 12-bit N-RAW, FX 4K30p from 6K oversampled video, 4K60p in crop (DX) mode, up to 125minutes of continuous video recording
Some of the features of the Z5 are kept with the Z5II, for better or worse, namely:
Dual SD card slots (but does seem like both are UHS-II capable)
No top LCD panel
No mode dial lock
I think this model is an essential and very important part of Nikon’s Z lineup. On one hand it would be the entry level Expeed 7 FX body, thus attracting new users to the ecosystem with a sleuth of features is a key point in securing these new purchases. On the other hand, for many users (like me) who do not need the high frame rates or video specs, this is essentially the perfect Z6II replacement (although I am a bit sad with the lack of top screen though).
So far on paper it is very much what I expected it to be, and am looking forward to testing it out in the showroom before making a decision to pre-order or not (because you know, the Z8 strap lug fiasco..)
Here are some things that I cannot confirm now, and am planning to check them out when I get to test the camera:
According to the specs sheet, the base length is identical to that of the Z5 (and Z6/Z7/Z6II/Z7II) - and it lists both the MB-N11 and MB-N14 as compatible accessories. Does this mean that the Z-GR1 is a perfect fit for it too? (P.S. it does not fit the Z6III perfectly due to a change in length of the base plate)
Is the set in Japan available in Japanese language only (like the Z50II) or does it have English menus too?
How customizable are the buttons? (Z50II level of customization or the slightly crippled Z6III level?)
Are both SD card slots able to write at full UHS-II speeds?
Weather sealing and weather resistance information [Update: Just checked the press material again and seems like it is properly weather sealed]
I am definitely stoked that for now this sounds like a perfect replacement for my Z6II workhorse (minus the top screen, yeah I know I sound like a broken record), especially so if the Z-GR1 is able to fit it perfectly.
And also I guess I need to reconsider my little APS-C plan too.