The Nikon Z50 II is a compact, DX-format, Z-mount mirrorless camera with a feature set optimized for streamers, vloggers, and influencers. It boasts some significant upgrades over the prior Z50. Key features include:
20.9MP CMOS sensor and EXPEED 7 processor
UHD 4K up to 60p, 10-bit 4:2:2
Improved AF borrowed from Z9 with 3D tracking
Dedicated Picture Control button with color presets
Compact Camera for Creators. Taking a page from Fuji, Nikon has introduced a dedicated Picture Control button on the Z50 II that gives you access to 31 presets. Another boon to creators, streamers, and influencers is UAC/UAV compliance for easy plug-and-play live streaming.
Key Video Improvements. The Z50 II improves on its predecessor with 4K60p recording, a much larger 2-hour recording time limit, and video self-timer feature, built-in electronic Vibration Reduction, and automatic compiling of a 4K video from time lapses. A headphone jack has also been added and the LCD screen can flip 180º for front-facing captures.
Advanced Autofocus Technology. Inheriting the AF algorithms from the Z9, the Z50 II offers a robust Subject Detection setting for 9 different subjects, from airplanes to animals and more. This system has been tuned for improved accuracy in the Z50 II, particularly for eye-detection and wide-area AF. This camera also has a Pre-Release Capture setting that records a burst of frames just prior to releasing the shutter so that you don’t miss a single moment. Additionally, the overall buffer is greatly improved in the Z50 II compared to the Z50 (200 frames vs. 35 frames at 11 fps).
Lenses to Use with the Z50 II. This is a DX-format (crop-frame) sensor camera and it will pair with both full frame and crop-frame Z-mount lenses. It has a 1.5x crop factor (with some additional cropping in certain video modes). This means that a lens such as the Nikon Z 17-28mm f/2.8 will have an equivalent focal range of 25.5-42mm. With this in mind, popular lenses for compact hybrid cameras like the Z50 II include the Nikon Z 14-30mm f/4 S, which offers a stepping motor for silent AF performance, and the Nikon Z 40mm f/2, which is also equipped with a stepping motor and is extremely portable at under half a pound and less than 2 inches long.
