The Nikon Z5II is the Japanese camera manufacturer’s latest entry-level full frame camera, aimed at Z5 users looking to upgrade their kit as well as Z6II users who haven’t already been swayed by the Nikon Z6III.
The Nikon Z5II is a substantial leap forward for the Z5 series both in terms of hardware and features, with the latter having launched almost five years ago now.
So, what has changed at Nikon since 2020? Keep reading to discover all the important differences between the Z5 and the brand-new Z5II.
The Nikon Z5II has a vari-angle monitor
In terms of design, the Nikon Z5II looks quite similar to the original Nikon Z5. However, there are a handful of physical changes to note.
Firstly, the Nikon Z5II has a 3.2-inch vari-angle monitor with a 2100K-dot resolution. This means the screen is sharper and more versatile, flipping out and rotating at more angles. The Nikon Z5, comparatively, had a 3.2-inch 1040k-dot tilting monitor.
The electronic viewfinder is also brighter at 3000 nits, compared to the 1000-nit EVF on the Z5. This should make the camera easier to use in bright conditions.
Other design updates include a deeper grip to support longer lenses, a tweaked control layout for easier one-handed use and Touch-Fn support, meaning you can now interact with the display by rolling your thumb to adjust settings while peering through the viewfinder.
The Nikon Z5II includes nine subject detection modes
The Nikon Z5II has also been upgraded with new subject detection modes. There are now nine options in total, including people, birds, dogs, cats, cars, motorcycles, bicycles, trains and airplanes. These are the same modes found on the flagship Z9, along with the Z8 and Z6III.
The Nikon Z5 only offered subject detection for two subjects – people and dogs.
The Z5II is also up to 68% faster at focussing than the Z5 thanks to the combination of the 24.5-megapixel full-frame sensor and the latest Expeed 7 image processor. This combination also delivers improved AF in very low light, along with added support for 3D tracking.
The Nikon Z5II features a new Picture Control button
The Nikon Z5II has inherited the Picture Control button from the Z50II, allowing users to quickly access Imaging Recipes downloaded from the Nikon Imaging Cloud and preview them live while shooting.
These are styles and presets created by other photographers and shared on the Imaging Cloud, though anyone can create their own in Nikon’s NX Studio software.
Other perks to Nikon Imaging Cloud compatibility are easier firmware updates and the ability to automatically sync images to the Cloud when connected to Wi-Fi. These images are stored at no cost for 30 days, giving users a month to download their pics or transfer them over to another cloud service before they’re automatically erased.
The Nikon Z5II is packed with video features
Finally, the Nikon Z5II offers significantly better video performance than its predecessor.
Where the Z5 treated video a bit more like an afterthought, offering 4K recording at 30p but primarily focussed on stills shooting, the Z5II now supports 4K video at up to 60p cropped. The camera is also capable of recording in the N-RAW format internally using a UHS-II SD card. This means there’s no need to use an external recorder.
N-Log, HLG and SDR are all supported, as is Electronic VR to improve image stabilisation, though there’s no IBIS on this camera.
Additionally, there’s a new Product Review Mode that allows vloggers to quickly move the focus between their face and the items they hold, as well as High-Res Zoom with any lens. The latter makes use of the camera’s 4K capabilities when applying zoom effects for Full HD results with no loss of quality as you would expect from traditional digital zoom.
Early verdict
The Nikon Z5II offers a large number of improvements over the original Z5, making it an easy upgrade for those wanting a full-frame camera at a lower price point than Nikon’s flagship models.
However, you’ll want to wait for our full review of the Z5II to hear our final verdict on how these two cameras compare.
