Nikon’s Z5 II is the most affordable full-frame digital camera but with inner RAW video

After years of lagging behind rivals relating to video seize (after which abruptly buying cinema digital camera producer RED), Nikon is pushing new boundaries in that space. Its newest salvo is the $1,699 24-megapixel full-frame Z5 II, maybe the most affordable mirrorless digital camera up to now to assist inner RAW video. It additionally provides improved autofocus with new AI powers, cleaner photographs and enhanced picture stabilization.

The Z5 II is a wholesale remake of the original Z5 and that begins with video. Whereas nonetheless restricted to 4K 30 fps and cropped 4K 60 fps, it could actually now seize these codecs internally utilizing the corporate’s 12-bit N-RAW format with N-log, together with 10-bit H.265 and 8-bit H.264. Apparently, it’ll report in N-RAW to SDXC UHS-II playing cards, for the reason that digital camera lacks high-speed CFexpress slots. That seemingly means you will want to purchase very quick (and expensive) playing cards and that the N-RAW video shall be extremely compressed. Nonetheless, it is a function accessible on no different digital camera on this worth vary.

Nikon can be promising much-improved autofocus bolstered by a brand new image-processing engine and tech borrowed from its high-end Z9 and Z8 fashions. The Z5 II can now lock onto topics extra rapidly, significantly human eyes, faces and our bodies, and works in decrease gentle all the way down to -10 EV, in comparison with -3 EV earlier than. In the meantime, the AI system can detect as much as 9 topic varieties starting from animals (together with a Hen Detection mode) to bicycles. When working in Auto-Space AF, these topics might be detected, targeted on, and tracked mechanically.

Native ISOs have been boosted to 100-64000 (50-204,800 in expanded modes), up from a most 51,200 earlier than. That ought to enhance noise ranges throughout the ISO ranges, the corporate stated. Nonetheless, decision continues to be restricted to 24 megapixels.

In-body stabilization has been boosted to 7.5 stops with supported lenses, means up from 5 stops on the Z5. That is paired with digital stabilization designed to maintain handheld video regular.

The Z5 II’s viewfinder nonetheless provides a good 3.69-million dots of decision, however brightness has been boosted to three,000 nits with 13 ranges of brightness management. And it now comes with a 1.7-million-dot vari-angle show that is an enormous enchancment from the earlier mannequin’s tilt-only display screen. The physique now has a deeper grip to enhance dealing with and comes with a one-touch Image Management button for previewing and switching between coloration profiles in actual time, matching a current pattern began by Fujifilm’s X100 VI.

Different options together with twin SD UHS-II card slots, 3.5mm headphone and mic jacks, digital camera to cloud connectivity by way of Nikon’s Imaging Cloud and a brand new weather-proof construct “on par with the Z6 III,” based on Nikon.

The Z5 II seems to be to be a formidable hybrid full-frame digital camera for the cash and rivals Sony and Canon do not actually have something in the identical worth vary that may match it. Nonetheless, it additionally comes at a worth $300 increased than the Z5 was at launch. Nonetheless, it might tempt filmmakers and others away from equally priced crop sensor cameras from the likes of Fujifilm and Sony. The Z5 II is now on pre-order for $1,699 (physique solely) or $1,999 with a 24-50mm f/4-6.3 kit lens.