The Nikon Z5ii was announced recently. I haven't actually used this new camera myself, so keep that in mind. This is going to be mostly me looking at the specs and comparing it to the original Nikon Z5, which I've been using for a few years now.
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| The original Nikon Z5 camera. |
Overall, the original Z5 isn't a bad camera. I've gotten it to a point where it works how I want it to and it's reliable for what I do.
My main use case is often anime and comic conventions, going there and taking photos of people in cosplay. I usually use the 40mm f/2 lens on the Z5, and it works well for that.
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| First-person view using the Nikon Z5 at an anime convention. |
Nikon Z5ii vs Z5: The Spec Sheet Comparison
Nikon has a handy comparison section on their Z5ii page, so let's break down some key differences based on that and my experience with the original.
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| Nikon's website comparing the Z5ii and the original Z5 specifications. |
First up, the sensor. The Z5ii gets a backside-illuminated (BSI) CMOS sensor compared to the standard CMOS sensor in the original Z5. This should offer some benefits, likely in low light and readout speed. The Z5ii sensor not the fastest out there, but it's definitely an improvement for original Z5 users. Paired with that is the newer processing system, there are a lot of genuine benefits.
Video is also a significant upgrade. The Z5ii can do 4K/30p using the full frame width, and 4K/60p with a crop. With the original Z5, I definitely noticed the heavy 1.7x crop when shooting 4K/30p. That difference in crop factor gives you an idea about the rolling shutter performance improvement; they had to crop the original Z5 heavily to make 4K work.
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| Nikon comparison chart highlighting maximum video resolution and Video File Types. |
Another video point, both positive and negative in my view, is the recording limit. The Z5ii allows up to 125 minutes per clip, which is a big jump from the Z5's roughly 30-minute limit. That's an improvement, but why is there a limit at all? If someone wants to use this for a long podcast recording or similar, they'll still hit that wall, which isn't ideal.
A nice plus for video users is the UVC/UAC compliance via the USB port on the Z5ii. This means you should be able to easily connect it to a computer and use it as a webcam without extra drivers or hardware. Assuming it works well, that's a great improvement over the Z5.
Autofocus is likely the biggest improvement area. Again, I haven't tested it, but Nikon's AF has clearly evolved since the original Z5. The Z5ii gets these newer AF improvements, including AI-powered autofocus, 299 focus points (in auto-area AF), and 3D-tracking with subject detection. It should be a clear upgrade for Z5 users.
Photography speed gets a boost too. The Z5ii is listed at 14 frames per second shooting RAW, compared to just 4.5 fps on the original Z5.
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| Nikon comparison chart showing Low-Light AF Detection and Continuous Shooting speeds. |
Image Stabilization and Handling Quirks
Both cameras feature 5-axis in-body image stabilization (IBIS), or VR as Nikon calls it. However, the Z5ii improves on this with "Focus Point VR" offering up to 6.0 stops of compensation, prioritizing stabilization around the active focus point. The standard IBIS is rated up to 7.5 stops.
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| Nikon comparison chart detailing Image Stabilization capabilities. |
This is interesting because I've possibly noticed quirks with the original Z5's stabilization, especially with subjects near the edge of the frame. I've worked around it by using face detect focus mode, setting a minimum shutter speed of 1/200s (which feels high but helps), and using aperture priority. That setup gets me good results at conventions. Pure speculation on my part.
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| Nikon's promotional video demonstrating Nikon's focus-point vibration reduction. |
Physical Design and Controls
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| Nikon Z5ii camera body front view without lens attached. |
Visually, the Z5ii looks very similar to the original Z series cameras like the Z5, Z6, and Z7.
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| Nikon Z5ii camera body rear view. |
The most obvious change on the back is the move to a fully articulating screen, compared to the tilt-only screen on the Z5. This is a downgrade in my opinion for landscape photography, but better for video, vlogging, and vertical portrait style photography. Also, the 'i' button has also been moved slightly.
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| Nikon Z5ii camera body top view. |
On top, the Z5ii adds a dedicated Picture Control button near the shutter release. This gives quick access if you shoot JPEG and want to use Nikon's picture styles or the new "Imaging Recipes". I probably wouldn't use it much, but you can likely reassign its function. It's nice having an extra customizable button. For example, I might set it for focus zoom when using manual lenses.
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| Close-up of the Nikon Z5ii top dials and buttons. |
ISO control seems the same, which might frustrate some users if they are not familiar with Nikon. You typically press and hold the ISO button and use the command dials to change sensitivity or switch Auto ISO on/off. Some prefer a dedicated dial, but I'm used to Nikon's way. It's unlikely they'll change this via firmware, though it would be possible.
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| Nikon Z5 online manual showing the ISO button and how to adjust settings. |
The ports on the side have been rearranged. The mic and headphone jacks are still there, but they swapped positions, putting the mic input on top. This is actually good, as it should interfere less with the side-articulating screen.
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| Close-up view of the Nikon Z5ii side ports (Mic, Headphone, USB-C, Micro HDMI). |
However, the HDMI port changed from mini-HDMI on the Z5 to micro-HDMI on the Z5ii. Micro HDMI is generally less robust, so that's not ideal. They also removed the dedicated accessory terminal for shutter releases, but apparently, you can use specific remote cords via the headphone jack now.
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| Rear-side view of the Nikon Z5ii showing the dual SD card slots open. |
Like the original, the Z5ii features dual SD card slots, both supporting the faster UHS-II standard. This is my preferred card type. Often cheaper than CF-Express unless you need the absolute highest speeds. One continued frustration, however, is that Nikon still doesn't allow redundant video recording across both cards on any of their cameras, including this one. Why not?
Other Specs and What's Included
Looking deeper into the specs, the Z5ii uses the same EN-EL15c battery as the Z5 and other recent Z models, which is great for compatibility. The viewfinder resolution is similar (approx. 3.69M dots), but Nikon claims increased brightness on the Z5ii model. I never had issues with the Z5's viewfinder brightness, but maybe it helps some users.
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| Nikon Z5ii specifications page on the Nikon website. |
The camera comes with the body, battery, body cap, rubber eyecup, strap, and a USB cable.
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| Pop-up window showing "What's Included" with the Nikon Z5ii. |
No battery charger on the list. You'll need to charge the battery in-camera via USB or buy a separate charger. This is becoming common, but for a camera launching at $1700, it feels a bit stingy.
Price and Competitors
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| Nikon Z5ii product page showing the body-only price of $1,699.95. |
The Z5ii launches with an MSRP of $1,699.95 (body only). Comparing that to the original Z5's launch MSRP of $1,399.95, there's a clear $300 price increase, plus you lose the included charger that the Z5 had.
The main alternatives I see are the Panasonic Lumix S5ii, the Canon EOS R6 Mark II, and the Sony A7 III.
Personally, I'd lean towards considering the Z5ii and the S5ii. I wouldn't pay the new camera price for the older Sony or probably the Canon camera.
All four cameras have sensor-shift IS and 1/8000s mechanical shutters. They all use SD cards, though the Sony A7 III's second slot is only UHS-I.
For HDMI, the Panasonic S5ii uses a full-size port, while the Nikon Z5ii, Canon R6 II, and Sony A7 III use micro-HDMI.
The Sony also has the older tilt-only screen, whereas the others have fully articulating screens. For viewfinder fans, the Z5ii has the highest magnification (0.80x), while the A7 III has the lowest resolution.
Final Thoughts
Even with its quirks, the original Z5 has served me well enough. The Z5ii looks like a very nice, comprehensive upgrade addressing many of the Z5's weaker points, especially in autofocus performance and video.
However, you are paying more for those upgrades, and losing the charger in the box stings a bit at the $1700 price point. As a starter full-frame camera or an upgrade from the Z5, the Z5ii looks really good on paper.
What do you think of the Z5ii? Let me know in the comments on the related video. I hope this breakdown was helpful.