Stuff - UK (2020-02)

DAY 01

TWO WEEKS WITH THE NIKON Z50

£849 (body only) / stuff.tv/NikonZ50

A lightweight and affordable APS-C version of Nikon’s Z-series mirrorless monsters

might be all the camera you really need... Natalya Paul spends a fortnight finding out

The Z50 is Nikon’s first camera
with an APS-C sensor, and it
arrives with the aim of creating
some fresh noise in a crowded
system camera scene. To slightly
confuse matters, Nikon calls
this ‘DX format’, but the idea
is simple: to build on the success
of its mirrorless Z6 and Z7 models
by offering a compact alternative
for beginners.
It’s done this by cherry-picking
the best features from its older

siblings and shoehorning them

into a slimmer shell. That means

the relatively tiny body of this

20.9MP shooter gets Nikon’s

largest Z-mount and is joined

by an Expeed 6 processor, which

allows 4K video as well as an

impressive native ISO range of

100 to 51200. Fortunate enough

to own or have access to any Z6

or Z7 kit? You get to use all of the

existing lenses, before feasting on

two entirely new ones designed

for the DX format: a 16-50mm

pancake and a 50-250mm

telephoto. And Nikon says

it’s planning to announce more

throughout the year.

The Z6 and Z7 might be overkill

for the burgeoning enthusiast,

and that’s where the Z50 comes

in: it’s a proper camera in miniature.

At a fraction of the price of its

pro counterparts, it promises

a trusty Nikon ergonomic

design and impressive image

quality, albeit with a compromise

in resolution.

The all-plastic body weighs

450g with the battery in place.

That’s a pigeon’s tail-feather

compared to those pro-level Z

cameras, and the dimensions are

noticeably more dinky, making

it easy to use one-handed. It fits

into a bag with the pancake lens

fixed, but you’ll have no trouble

wearing it around your neck all

day anyway.

There’s a 0.39in, 2360k-dot

EVF and a 3.2in tilting touchscreen

that you can even tap to take pics.

The zoom display functions are

also included on the touchscreen.

Layout is much the same as

the Z6 and Z7, but it doesn’t feel

crowded in this smaller format

and everything can be operated

with a thumb.

Nuff zed

At a fraction of the price of its pro

counterparts, the Z50 promises trusty

Nikon ergonomics and image quality

Nikon’s two new

lenses make for

an ace starter kit

before you move to

more ‘pro’ options.