Nikon Z50 II Launched

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Mirrorless D-500 it is. Same sensor, 200 frame buffer,11fps in mechanical shutter that sounds like a machine gun but screens, controls, AF and subject ID like the Z-9 (but slower sensor readout). Add a 600pf for 900mm ff equ. decent bird camera.

I am not tempted today but if it was available back when I decided to upgrade from my D-500, I would have simply slapped my 500pf on one and been done with it.

Tom
 
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Tom Reynolds said:
Mirrorless D-500 it is. Same sensor, 200 frame buffer,11fps in mechanical shutter that sounds like a machine gun but screens, controls, AF and subject ID like the Z-9 (but slower sensor readout). Add a 600pf for 900mm ff equ. decent bird camera.

I am not tempted today but if it was available back when I decided to upgrade from my D-500, I would have simply slapped my 500pf on one and been done with it.

Tom
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Yep, was my exact thoughts as well. I might grab one for my wife to compliment or replace her D500. Thanx to OP for sharing the links.
 
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beano said:
Yep, was my exact thoughts as well. I might grab one for my wife to compliment or replace her D500. Thanx to OP for sharing the links.
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At $1000 it is worth the upgrade just for subject ID and the EVF. The big problem for me with the D-500/500pf is that I wasn't good enough to use SP AF and focus on the bird's eye. I had to use GRP AF. The focus was usually on the near wing.

Tom
 
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For me it is a big disappointment, that no IBIS is included.. when smaller compact cameras like the X100 or Lumix GX9 have it..
I will not be upgrading.. In fact, I was about to purchase the Nikon 70-180 mm (lacking VR) in hope that the Z50 II gets IBIS.. now I will wait / hope that Tamron will release their G2 version that has VC to use it on my existing Z50.

Having said that, Bravo Nikon for offering the same AF and Subject tracking as the big guns, and pre-capture.
 
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No IBIS, focus stacking, or battery grip - and I would have been overjoyed with only 1 of these features. It is not yet the D500 replacement or R7/A6700 rival that I wanted, but I might seek it out on the second hand market.
 
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The combination of pre release capture with Z9 AF technology is going to get close to D500 performance
See the AF and PreCapture sections by Ricci Chera

However, as he says, this camera is not quite the Z90. It ideally needs a partially stacked sensor to avoid rolling shutter effects and minimize EVF blackout
All considered, it will be most interesting to test a light telephoto on a Z50 II eg 400 f4.5S or 500 PF. And the 28-400 Z should sell well, bundled with the Z50 II - ideal light affordable combination for safari, many birds and indeed travel
 
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Yet another important improvement is the improved Customization menu of the Z50 II see about 13:40

Finally, going on for 6 years since the first entry and enthusiast Z cameras launched, the Z6 III and now Z50 II allow setups with an alternative AF mode for a HandOff using Focus Persistence or AF Override (detailed in several threads)

Master Nikon AF Handoffs on Z8, Z9, and Z6iii

In this video, we’re diving deep into AF Handoffs with the Nikon Z8, Z9, and Z6iii—and this concept will likely apply to future Nikon mirrorless models too. There's a ton of confusion out there between normal AF overrides and AF overrides that include a handoff and this video will clear the...
bcgforums.com bcgforums.com

Handing Off

I just bought Steve's Wildlife setup guide for the Z6iii. Excellent and thorough as always. It did raise a question for me though and I'm curious whether anyone else thinks same way. Handing Off. In his guide Steve writes: "Most wildlife shooters start with something like Wide AF with...
bcgforums.com bcgforums.com
 
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RogP said:
I've reordered one from Grays of Westminster! Lack of IBIS is shame but somehow we all managed with the D300 &c. Will be good to be travelling with less weight to carry.
All the best Roger
Click to expand...

I loved my D300! Used to work under 10 mins walk from Grays. Bought my D700, 14-24 f2.8 and 24-70 f2.8 there as my retirement present to myself when I retired.
 
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I am weighing up getting this as an 'interim' solution for me while I save beans for a Z9.

I recently ploughed my money into the Z 600 TC, but bought a VGC used Z6 to tide me over. Would be very interested as to the pros/cons of buying the Z50II, bearing in mind it may be many months or a year until the possibility of a Z9.

It all looks pretty good to me, I only miss around 3mp from the Z6 24mp, 11fps is more than i get currently in mechanical shutter with Z6. Noise will be interesting, Grays video mentioned the noise performance on this new body is supposed to be better, low light capabilities on the Z6 are very good. Be nice to have quiet shooting. Will the noise from MS be an issue for wildlife, seems OK with the Z6 in most scenarios.

What have I missed?

Thanks
 
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I see no BBAF button. I wonder if it can be programmed into the DISP Button? Thom Hogan seems to imply it but doesn’t actually say it’s possible.
 
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I did some testing with my Zf and Z8 (and the z5/d750) using a DJI spark (size of a pigeon) on a repeatable flight plan that would fly strait at me and at angles head on . It’s an automated gps plan so I can repeat it to test AF-C on different models.

I found interestingly that the Zf hit rate in 3D track was 84% in mechanical but 94% in silent. It’s like the shutter interferes with the data provided to the AF system. This was repeatable. The Z8 hit at 98% in focus over 933 shots in the run so it was clearly ahead. The EVF is a major factor as well with the Zf suffering from some blackout/stutter although it’s nothing like the Z5 which is almost unusable to track a moving target with the slideshow in the EVF at 4.5fps. That camera hit 72%. The D-750 hit was 95% in 3D track and the easiest to follow the target with the OVF. But only 190 shots in the sequence due to poor buffer. The Zf had @570 also with a great buffer, the Z5 @200 because its buffer is much better than D750.


The drone was moving at 22mph.

I’d be curious how this z50ii would do. Probably similar to the Zf would be my guess.

If any of you have a DJI spark or mini series the litchi app allows you to build flight plans that are autonomous so you can run a repeatable test scenario to compare the autofocus performance.


I also used a Pentax k-3 I had and a rented K-3iii. The K-3 was only @50% and the K-3iii hit at about 75% over a bunch of tries. Both have terrible buffer limits for raw files.
 
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DougC said:
I see no BBAF button. I wonder if it can be programmed into the DISP Button? Thom Hogan seems to imply it but doesn’t actually say it’s possible.
Click to expand...

The Z50 II has more control buttons, where it matters on rear panel right. Looking at these product photos, it might be possible to reprogram these, including the AFE/AFL, Display and Picture Control button to AF modes.
Like the Z50, there's also a pair of front Fn buttons

photographylife.com

Nikon Z50 II Announced: Autofocus and Video Improvements

Nikon just announced their follow-up to the original Nikon Z50 of 2019, the Nikon Z50 II. What's changed in the last five years? While the camera's 20 megapixel DX sensor is the same, we've seen big improvements in other areas, especially autofocus. Here's what you need to know about the Z50 II!
photographylife.com photographylife.com
 
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Are the C15 and C30 ES modes jpeg only? Reads that way in the DPR article.
I guess with a slow scanning sensor, the MS at 11FPS is really how this camera should be viewed when it comes to action photography.
Rolling shutter and EVF slideshow would probably be too much to overcome in the faster ES modes even if they were RAW. Precapture is for sure jpeg only in the 15 and 30FPS modes.
 
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DBalaur said:
No IBIS, focus stacking, or battery grip - and I would have been overjoyed with only 1 of these features. It is not yet the D500 replacement or R7/A6700 rival that I wanted, but I might seek it out on the second hand market.
Click to expand...
The Nikon website lists in "other options for stills" focus shift photography. Which I guess is the same as other Nikon in that you have to use 3rd party software to stack.
I agree a battery grip would have made in more "D500 like".
 
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