Mighty Nikon has announced its very first DX (APS-C) mirrorless camera. The new Nikon Z50 is a simpler, smaller, lighter, handier variant of the company's full-frame Z6 and Z7 mirrorless models.
As you can see from the picture above, the throat diameter—generously sized for full-frame—is proportionately large for the smaller sensor. That's not necessarily a problem from a lens design perspective, though, and at least Nikon's APS-C and FF mirrorless cameras will share the same lensmount, in contrast to Canon's R (FF) and M (APS-C) camera lines.
The smaller Nikon mirrorless interchangeable-lens camera (MILC) system, called Z DX in keeping with Nikon's longtime nomenclature for crop-sensor products, might turn out to be strongly biased toward consumer zooms in terms of dedicated lenses for the format. Two new such lenses were announced with the Z50—a compact 16–50mm (24–75mm-e) ƒ/3.5–6.3 VR standard zoom, and a 50–250mm (75–375mm-e) ƒ/4.5–6.3 VR telephoto zoom.
Hunka hunka
This is merely speculative and might turn out to be wrong, but, historically, Nikon's interest in producing dedicated format-specific lenses for APS-C has been about zero, at least since it abandoned its early fealty to the crop sensor and went with FF. Sort of the opposite of Fuji in that respect. So you might need to be happy with the "lenses as an afterthought" school of thought to be happy and at home here...
...Unless you want to buy something like, oh, I don't know, the just-announced four-and-a-half pound, eight-thousand-dollar Z 58mm ƒ0.95 NOCT and use it as a 87mm-angle-of-view equivalent on your new Z50. Then again, a whole lot of "camera consumers" just buy a body with a two-zoom kit and never think about lenses again, so, hey, could work.
Don't worry about how you'll carry your new NOCT
—it comes with its own case
Note that a life-sized block diagram of the lens elements is impressed in the foam of the case! This one's mainly for the collectors, "in case" (no pun intended) you're in any doubt about the target market.
The Z50's 20-MP sensor appears to be the same as the one in the D500, which gets high marks from users. Seems a perfect fit.
Each of us would have to handle one to be sure, but it looks like Nikon hasn't made this camera too small. I'm all for the Goldilocks principle when it comes to hand-fit; I'd rather have a nice built-in grip already there than have to add one like I did with my Fuji X-T1.
The prices will be ~$860 for the body, ~$1k for the body and the normal zoom, and ~$1,350 for the body and both lenses. Looks reasonable from here. Available for preorder; ships November 27th.
When you're ahead, don't give your competitors time to catch up
If you can tolerate a little meta-rumination, the biggest problem with Z DX might be "the Model T trap." Henry Ford honestly believed the Model T was the perfect car for Americans for perpetuity, so when it reached the end of its remarkable product run and sales slowed to a trickle, Ford not only had nothing ready to replace it, but Henry still believed no replacement was necessary. His beleaguered son, the much (and unfairly) maligned Edsel, beat his brains against the wall trying to get his cantankerous Dad to budge and allow him to bring the Model A to market; in the meantime, Ford Motor Company basically had no mainstream car to sell...for six years. That lapse was critical to Chevrolet, which used the opportunity to step into the breach. Had Ford worked vigorously to maintain its huge advantage, Chevy might be about as well known today as Handley Motorcars or LaSalle. Anyway, I don't know offhand how many years Sony and Fuji have been selling crop-sensor MILCs, but it's been a while now (I'd be interested to see a head-to-head with this and the similar but less-than-half-as-expensive Sony A6000, which now goes for $389[!]). Nikon might be too late to this game.
Still might be a swell camera, though. Nikons are almost always nice, even the ones that don't sell too well. I'll look forward to real-world reviews.
Mike
(for my friend Jerry L.)
Original contents copyright 2019 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved. Links in this post may be to our affiliates; sales through affiliate links may benefit this site.
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Besides the mighty Noct and the nimble Z50, do not forget that 'compact' 28 and 40 mm lenses have been added to the Z system roadmap ;-)
Posted by: Rodolfo Canet Castelló | Friday, 11 October 2019 at 03:23 PM
Just a little correction, that 58mm focal length on 1.5× APS-C crop is actually equivalent to ~85mm-e-ish FoV - just about right for portraiture!
Russian Helios 44-series 58mm ƒ/2 lenses are loved on APS-C for the same reason. And swirly bokeh. And the price. And availability. Well, mostly because of the price.
[Thanks for the correction Neven--fixed now. --Mike]
Posted by: Neven Falica | Friday, 11 October 2019 at 03:53 PM
I have been a Nikon crop sensor user for over a decade and feel no need to pony up for a full frame anything.
That said I really wish Nikon did a better job on DX lenses. The ones they make are excellent but the line is thin. I had to go third party for a wide angle zoom I liked. If anyone is curious it was an 11-16 2.8 Tokina which is a killer and dirt cheap.
I hope they make something like it for the Z50.
Posted by: Mike Plews | Friday, 11 October 2019 at 04:33 PM
28mm and 40mm pancake lenses are in the pipeline for Z cameras. They're FX, but could be used on either DX or FX Z cameras.
Posted by: SteveW | Friday, 11 October 2019 at 05:45 PM
"ships November 27th" - 7th of November here in the UK.
Unfortunately not with IBIS, but I do like that sensor, and this mainly DSLR user is looking forward to all those EVF benefits that mirrorless cameras bring. Just hoping the Z50 has the same manual focusing aids (peaking etc.) that the Z6 and Z7 have, as that's not been mentioned anywhere I've seen so far.
In the UK, some suppliers are effectively giving the FTZ lens mount adapter free with pre-orders, and that's what I've chosen. Not the kit lenses.
Some primes? Hopefully third-party manufacturers will offer us something more than they (or Nikon) did for F-mount. The 16mm/30mm/56mm trio from Sigma would be appreciated.
Posted by: Dave Stewart | Friday, 11 October 2019 at 05:47 PM
A Ford T story...
In the 1970s I read about someone in Australia having an unused Ford T!
People offered any amount of money to buy it, but he refused.
He explained that he had originally bought two as they were so good, and the first one was now beyond repair.
He had used it as his tractor on his farm and he would now start with nr. 2 - there was no better tractor on the market, he said.
Posted by: Kristian Wannebo | Friday, 11 October 2019 at 05:47 PM
I have Nikon D and Z systems, so I'm not a Nikon skeptic, but I find it curious that the Z50 is a 20.9mp camera, when most other APS-C cameras have 24mp+ sensors. Since I also shoot with Panasonic GX8s, I've found that 20-ish sensors are often quite good, and Nikon's might be even better since there is more real estate to spread the pixels around (better low light, maybe?) Still, it's odd.
I can tell you, the Z lenses are bricks. I'm not seeing much weight advantage with my Z6 and the 50mm over the D system, and I think they may be a little over-spec'ed for the Z50. Like you suggest, this is probably intended as a consumer model meant to be used with kit zooms.
As for the Noct, a poster on Luminous Landscape, who I believe lives in Japan, says the lens will retail for the equivalent of $11,000 in Japan. All for a little Bokeh? I can tell you, I have two 0.95 lenses for my Panasonics, and have found not much use for them. I guess there might be people who need to keep an eye in focus but the nose not, but...$8000?
Posted by: John Camp | Friday, 11 October 2019 at 05:51 PM
If I was still a Nikon shooter I would order this camera right now but since Nikon never made any wide primes for it's APS-C cameras and they will probably NEVER will for their mirrorless cameras as well so who cares?
Posted by: John Krill | Friday, 11 October 2019 at 06:17 PM
I get the impression that this might be a comfortable camera to use: grip looks about right size, the basic controls are at the fingertips and Nikon can make ergonomic cameras when they want.
That said, what's with the looks of this camera? Someone should design it a bit, this camera looks downright fugly.
Posted by: Oskar Ojala | Friday, 11 October 2019 at 07:44 PM
This camera makes me glad I went to Fuji- there’s nothing in this camera that makes me interested, which, fair, as it’s aimed downmarket of where I would be looking. Still- this seems to be a first generation camera in a third generation market.
Posted by: Robert Landrigan | Friday, 11 October 2019 at 08:41 PM
I think Edsel was held in high regard by everyone except maybe his father. He pretty much saved the company and fortunately was running the company during WWII rather than his father ( political rant deleted ) His son Henry II named his son after Edsel and unfortunately named that car after him too. Edsel would be better remembered as the force behind thr Lincoln brand and in particular the Lincoln Continental. Too bad his name became a joke because he was a pretty good guy.
Posted by: hugh crawford | Friday, 11 October 2019 at 09:00 PM
Nikon is not late to the crop-sensor mirrorless game. They were there in 2011 when they introduced the Nikon 1 V1 and J1. Unfortunately, Nikon could never figure out what to do with that system, and let it languish and, eventually, die. It had potential that was never realized.
I consider the Z50 to be the successor to the Nikon 1 "V" cameras, except that it has a bigger sensor and lens mount. I think its immediate purpose is to encourage Nikon owners like me to buy Nikon mirrorless products rather than similarly-priced and spec'ed products from Sony, Canon, Fujifilm, Olympus, and Panasonic. I have come close to buying either Olympus or Panasonic m4/3s cameras in the past, but was unhappy with one or more aspects of those cameras. The Z50 gives me more of a reason to ignore other brands. It's too bad the Z50 doesn't have IBIS. It would make buying that camera a true "no brainer" for me.
Posted by: Craig Yuill | Saturday, 12 October 2019 at 12:56 PM
Yes, it does look rather like the Nikon-1 V2 on steroids.
However, I actually have a V2 (and several lenses) and am quite happy with it, so that should save me a few quid.
Unless I can find a low-mileage, good condition V2 body for back-up...
Posted by: Steve Higgins | Monday, 14 October 2019 at 07:12 AM
This story about Henry, Edsel and Chevrolet was new to me, and very interesting. It may well be that Edsel was underestimated …
Posted by: Anton Wilhelm Stolzing | Tuesday, 15 October 2019 at 07:32 AM