Up until now, Nikon has stayed out of the mirrorless APS-C (crop-sensor) camera space. They’ve let Sony and Fujifilm take the lead with their respective a6000 and X-T lineups. Even Canon, which stands at the back of the mirrorless pack, has produced its ‘M’ series.
But things are changing in the digital camera world, especially as DSLRs lose ground to mirrorless systems and DSLR lineups get shelved. Nikon, a (relatively) small company surrounded by big players, has pushed innovation, bringing out the full-frame Z6 and Z7 last fall. The Z7 immediately made waves in the mirrorless camera world with its 45.7-megapixel sensor and impressive low light performance.
And now Nikon is trying to do it again.
Recent rumors indicate that Nikon will soon be entering into the APS-C mirrorless world with the Nikon Z50, a mirrorless body with a 20-megapixel sensor.
Other reported specs include a 3-inch LCD, an 11 frame-per-second continuous shooting speed, and an electronic viewfinder.
For Nikon DSLR photographers who have been thinking about moving to mirrorless, this will come as a welcome surprise, especially if you’ve been put off by the high price of the Nikon Z6 and Z7. This new camera is aimed at the enthusiast crowd, with its electronic viewfinder and 11 fps continuous shooting speed putting it a cut above entry-level bodies.
The 20-megapixel sensor is a step down in resolution from competing Canon, Fujifilm, and Sony models, but the camera could impress in terms of autofocus and action shooting, possibilities that are hinted at with the 11 fps continuous shooting speed.
The Nikon Z50 should also give you access to the Nikkor Z lenses. The lineup is currently very heavy on wide and standard lenses, but that’s bound to change as Nikon dedicates more and more resources to its mirrorless engineering. And the Z50 rumors come alongside talk of two new Nikon Z lenses: the Z-Nikkor 16-55mm f/3.5-6.3 DX lens and the Z-Nikkor 50-250mm f/4.5-6.3 DX lens.
(Note the ‘DX’ label: Neither of these lenses can be used on full-frame mirrorless bodies.)
These are kit lenses, through and through, and it remains to be seen how they perform. But I have high hopes for Nikon’s mirrorless lineup, especially as it begins to round itself out.
Now it’s your turn:
What do you think about the Nikon Z50? Is it something you’d be interested in? Or were you hoping to see a Z6/Z7 upgrade? Share your thoughts in the comments!
