Author Topic: Z5, an entry level full frame body on its way  (Read 6704 times)

Akira

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Z5, an entry level full frame body on its way
« on: July 21, 2020, 06:37:19 »
According to dpreview.com:

https://www.dpreview.com/news/6057317091/nikon-z5-is-an-entry-level-full-frame-camera-that-doesn-t-cut-corners

Even though it is an entry model, it offers dual SD UHS-II card slots!  Wow!
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Netr

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PeterN

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Re: Z5, an entry level full frame body on its way
« Reply #2 on: July 21, 2020, 07:20:54 »
Thanks for sharing the links, Akira and Netr.
This camera really intrigues me. I am not sure why they call it an entry model. The double card slot may lure the better-safe-than-sorry wedding and event photographers to the Z-campagne and it shares the sensor and processor With the Z6 (I wonder if it also has the same glass stack). Perhaps calling it an entry model is a marketing invention to make the camera cheaper and attract more customers.
I wonder how the user of this camera can check exposure settings with this camera. There is no top lcd.
Anyway, interesting development!
Peter

Birna Rørslett

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Re: Z5, an entry level full frame body on its way
« Reply #3 on: July 21, 2020, 09:20:24 »
The Z5 hasn't the BSI sensor of the Z6 so this isn't equal. Also, top framing rate is lower 4.5 vs 12 fps. Otherwise it has the same control layout as the Z50, using touch controls for functions which require buttons on the other Z's.

It is conceived to be used by the MB-N10 grip. Video and the use of the camera as a web cam are other areas of use.

The new 24-50 kit zoom is compact, but I never have been fan of the pull-out-to-activate design.


chambeshi

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Re: Z5, an entry level full frame body on its way
« Reply #4 on: July 21, 2020, 10:13:02 »
With this compact Z5 Nikon seems to widening the FX niche, thanks to highly affordable FX camera thanks to the form factor of the lighter and more compact MILC. It follows the market for APC/DX systems is now being squeezed even tighter from the top (FX) as well as bottom (phone cameras). The Z5 is a serious product, built around a Z6 sensor with EXPEED6; it meets top industry standards for excellent IQ in lowlight. This is judging from photonstophotos lab testing and my shooting the D780.

Arguably, for many travellers and enthusiasts it's mainly lower price US$860 to justify a Z50 over the $1400 Z5. Z5 prices will drop, and be interesting when it will get to sub $1000. Specifically the Z50 weighs 480g @ 126.5 x 93.5mm compared to the 675g Z5 @ 134 x 100.5mm (almost identical to the Z6/7).  Together with their official blurb claiming the most compact, lightest FZ zoom, Nikon is matching other compact lighter options for MILC but importantly this is the Z mount fronting the FX sensor. Hopefully we will see the pancake Z primes soon.

links to Nikon's press release, including the updated Z-Nikkor roadmap: - scroll down https://www.nikon.co.jp/news/2020/0721_nikkor-z_02.htm

https://www.nikon.co.jp/news/2020/0721_z5_01.htm

"The "NIKKOR Z 24-50mm f/4-6.3" is a standard zoom lens that achieves compactness and light weight while maintaining the high optical performance of the NIKKOR Z lens. With a buttonless collapsible body, we have achieved the thinnest *1 about 51mm *2 and the lightest *1 about 195g in a zoom lens compatible with full size format for mirrorless cameras . We have achieved both high portability and high descriptive power. ..."
https://www.nikon.co.jp/news/2020/0721_nikkor-z_02.htm

Ilkka Nissilä

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Re: Z5, an entry level full frame body on its way
« Reply #5 on: July 21, 2020, 10:54:58 »
With this compact Z5 Nikon seems to widening the FX niche, thanks to highly affordable FX camera thanks to the form factor of the lighter and more compact MILC. It follows the market for APC/DX systems is now being squeezed even tighter from the top (FX) as well as bottom (phone cameras). The Z5 is a serious product, built around a Z6 sensor with EXPEED6; it meets top industry standards for excellent IQ in lowlight. This is judging from photonstophotos lab testing and my shooting the D780.

The Z5 does not reportedly have the Z6's sensor; both are 24MP but the Z5 sensor is not BSI and the 4K video is with a 1.7x crop whereas the Z6 can do full sensor width resampled 4K without line skipping. For video the 1.7x crop means the kit zoom probably isn't wide enough for a lot of typical uses and a 14-30 or similar may need to be purchased.

However, the Z5 does appear to have a lot of features that are advanced in its class; dual card slots, high-quality EVF, and the ergonomics is consistent with the rest of the Z line with two command dials.

The DX Z50 has the advantage that its kit zoom goes to head-and-shoulders 50mm wheras when used on FX, 50mm framed to make a head-and-shoulders portrait would result in a perspective which would exaggerate the nose compared to the same framing made with classical portrait teles, however, as people are more used to using mobile phones for portraits, perhaps this is becoming more acceptable than it has been in the past. I think the Z50's wide-to-tele zoom is more generally usable than the Z5's wide angle to normal zoom and both are compact. Of course, if mounted on a Z5, the 24-50 may be able to produce the desired result of a head and shoulders portrait in a cropped image, but my guess is that most Z7 users would pick the 24-70/4 or f/2.8. The 24-50 seems to be a good choice for travel and landscape with size, weight and cost as constraints. The portability is achieved by reducing the aperture. I'm actually glad to see Nikon make this lens as otherwise it would seem that FX kit zooms are not really implementing the compactness potential of mirrorless cameras. Hopefully the image quality will be good.

chambeshi

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Re: Z5, an entry level full frame body on its way
« Reply #6 on: July 21, 2020, 11:51:41 »
24-50 FX MTF data from Nikon. Also note 3 aspheric and 2 ED elements

https://www.nikon-image.com/products/nikkor/zmount/nikkor_z_24-50mm_f4-63/spec.html#mtf

Birna Rørslett

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Re: Z5, an entry level full frame body on its way
« Reply #7 on: July 21, 2020, 12:27:24 »
Those curves hint at a very highly corrected optical design. Perhaps my aversion against collapsible lenses needs modification?

Nasos Kosmas

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Re: Z5, an entry level full frame body on its way
« Reply #8 on: July 21, 2020, 13:57:53 »
I thing we all have to rethink about these lenses
The image of a all metal lens is going to change for good
I recently checked 16-50 with Z50 shooting a friend  in portrait and I show no difference in IQ from f1.8 primes 35dx, 50G, only 85 G had slight difference.

Akira

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Re: Z5, an entry level full frame body on its way
« Reply #9 on: July 21, 2020, 14:29:28 »
Considering that D750 with the conventional, non-BSI sensor performed quite well at high ISO, Z5 of much newer generation should perform up to today's standard, although it may not match Z6 in this regard.
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richardHaw

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Re: Z5, an entry level full frame body on its way
« Reply #10 on: July 21, 2020, 17:09:19 »
i would have bought this instead of the Z6 :o :o :o

CS

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Re: Z5, an entry level full frame body on its way
« Reply #11 on: July 21, 2020, 18:18:00 »
I thing we all have to rethink about these lenses
The image of a all metal lens is going to change for good
I recently checked 16-50 with Z50 shooting a friend  in portrait and I show no difference in IQ from f1.8 primes 35dx, 50G, only 85 G had slight difference.

So you were basically just missing the  narrower DOF of the faster lenses?
Carl

CS

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Re: Z5, an entry level full frame body on its way
« Reply #12 on: July 21, 2020, 18:27:51 »
i would have bought this instead of the Z6 :o :o :o

Okay, and I saved my money by not buying either, which means that I have no Z to shoot! What this amounts to is that aggravation awaits no matter what you do........   ;)
Carl

ianwatson

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Re: Z5, an entry level full frame body on its way
« Reply #13 on: July 21, 2020, 21:00:32 »
This has me reconsidering my interest in a Fuji.

Lars Hansen

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Re: Z5, an entry level full frame body on its way
« Reply #14 on: July 21, 2020, 23:27:07 »
This has me reconsidering my interest in a Fuji.

Same here Ian - and I already have 2 Fuji's and 4 lenses..