Nikon Z5II Review: Fantastic Camera at a Budget Price
Other nice extras include solid battery life (rated at 330 shots, ideal for a full day of shooting in my testing), a joystick to control the autofocus point (something I sorely missed in the Zf), two SD card slots, and weather resistance. In short, a hell of a full-frame camera for less than $2,000.
Competition
Photography: Scott Gilbertson
Buying a camera isn’t just about buying a camera, it’s about buying a lens system, a special type of color science, and a potential upgrade path. All these things combined make the Nikon Z5 the best deal on the market. The Nikon lens system is fantastic, with everything from huge wildlife lenses (the Nikkor Z 180-600mm is a standout) to a surprisingly capable 40mm pancake. The Z5II’s image quality is excellent. I find Nikon’s JPEG noise reduction to be a bit strong, but the results are excellent when shooting RAW. There are obviously higher resolution sensors, and that’s part of what makes this a compelling purchase: invest in the Z5 now, spend more on lenses, and if you really feel you need more resolution and speed, the Z8 or Z9 are available.
On the Canon side, there’s the EOS R8, but it doesn’t have built-in image stabilization. Then there’s the Panasonic S9, which is a good camera if you can live without a viewfinder, but I find the Z5 II a better buy than both. Sony doesn’t have an entry-level full-frame camera, unless you count the A7 III, which, while completely obsolete compared to these others, is still for sale (not recommended).
There is frankly no real competition with the Z5II. If you’re looking for a good full-frame mirrorless camera that has almost all the features most people need, without paying for the ones you don’t need, this is the camera for you.
