Nikon Z5, a powerful entry-level mirrorless camera

YUEN SIU LUN
4 min readJul 22, 2020

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Lighter body with more features

Nikon has announced the Z5, an entry-level full-frame camera that uses the Z-mount. The Z5 has a lot of common features with the Z6, including its in-body image stabiliser, autofocus system, and a lot of design details.

The Z5 has a 24MP FX-format CMOS sensor — not the BSI variant used in the Z6 — but features the same Expeed 6 processor. The Z5 has in-body image stabilization that can reduce shake by up to 5 stops (CIPA Standard).

While the Z6 features use magnesium-alloy, the Z5 employs polycarbonate for its rear and base plates, it remains sealed against dust and moisture, to the same level as the higher-end models. The top plate has been simplified, with a traditional mode dial in place of the Z6/7’s status screen. The Z5 is the same size and exact weight as the Z6, at 675 grams

Refine Control layout of Z5

The new Z5 features a more pixels OLED viewfinder (3.69 million) dots as well as a tilting 3.2" touchscreen.

Unlike the Z6/7 it offers dual SD card slots that support UHS-II speeds. It uses a new EN-EL15C battery, which offers 470 shots per charge using the LCD and 390 shots with the viewfinder. The camera is backward compatible with other EN-EL15 batteries: just expect fewer shots per charge. The Z5 can use the same MB-N10 battery grip as the Z6 and Z7. The camera supports USB Power Delivery for charging and powering the camera during operation.

Video is less of a focus on the Z5. It can capture 4K/30p video, though there’s a 1.7x crop to contend with. Video recorded at 1080 uses the full width of the sensor. Nikon did not include any high speed video modes on the Z5. The camera has both headphone and mic sockets.

  • Incredible Image Quality: Featuring a powerful FX-format 24.3-megapixel CMOS sensor, the Z 5 is the gateway to the benefits of full-frame, helping creators to capture intensely detailed images, ultra-shallow depth of field and clean low-light shots with unrivaled consistency. From portraits that flatter, nighttime landscapes that astound and street shots that impress, the gorgeous tones, faithful colors, minimal noise, and revered Nikon color science all play a part to help users capture images that are true to their vision.
  • High Speed Performance and Processing: Engineered with the EXPEED 6, Nikon’s fastest image processor to date, the Z 5 is a dependable, high-performance tool designed for content creation. EXPEED 6 allows for a boost in processing power and energy efficiency while rendering subtle textures and small details with amazing results.
  • Stellar Low-Light Performance: With an ISO range up to 51,200 (expandable to 102,400), the camera effectively reduces noise, maintaining both high sensitivity and resolution to excel in low-light situations, making it ideal for shooting everything from low-light events to an all-nighter under the Milky Way.
  • Capture with Speed: With shutter speeds up to 1/8000, the Z 5 can capture fast-moving subjects with clarity including fast-action sports and wildlife. This higher maximum shutter speed enables photographers to better tame even the brightest mid-day light to unleash the potential of fast-aperture NIKKOR glass. When the moment strikes, the camera can also capture full resolution bursts at 4.5 fps with full AF/AE.
  • Silent and Smooth: The combination of the camera’s silent photography mode and In-Body 5-Axis VR stabilization provides quiet, stable shooting to document sensitive moments without distractions.
  • Vast Lens Selection: Whether shooting glamorous portraits from a studio on the sidewalk, long-distance wildlife, epic wide landscapes in the field or street photography, the growing lineup of NIKKOR Z lenses provides Z 5 users the versatility to capture incredible shots with sharpness across the frame and superior light gathering in any situation. For even more flexibility, the vast array of traditional F-mount NIKKOR lenses can be used via the Mount Adapter FTZ to enhance images with a unique focal length or beautiful bokeh, while gaining the benefits of in-body stabilization.
  • Dual UHS-II SD Card Slots: Equipped with two UHS-II card slots for overflow, backup or separating RAW and JPEG photos, the Z 5 enables photographers to shoot with extreme confidence when using widely available consumer SD cards.

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