Which Nikon Mirrorless Camera should you buy? $650-$5500

Tony & Chelsea Northrup help you decide which Nikon mirrorless Z-mount camera you should buy, with prices ranging from $650 to $5500. They cover key differences including viewfinders, screen types (whether they flip or tilt), sensor size, video capabilities, autofocus accuracy and speed, frames per second, GPS and Ethernet. The genres of photography discussed are travel, portraits, sports, and wildlife photography.

0:00 Introduction
0:56 APS-C vs Full Frame
1:17 Nikon Z30
1:37 Do you need a viewfinder?
2:09 Nikon Z50
2:33 Nikon Z fc
3:10 Nikon DX camera summary
3:30 Nikon Z5
3:48 Do you need 2 card slots?
4:24 Nikon Z5 dynamic range
4:51 Nikon Z6 II & Z7 II
6:50 Adorama Promo
7:39 Nikon Z8 & Z9 (sports & wildlife)
12:38 Nikon 24-70 f/2.8 S
13:08 Adorama Promo

[jasonr]

I have a Nikon Z8, Z7II, and a Nikon Z30. I use the Z30 on a gimbal and can carry it all day if I need to. The video on the Z30 is amazing, and it's my go to for most of my video needs. I can't stress how good the video is on the Z30, and it being light is a super important feature to have. Not having a viewfinder is not an issue if you plan on using the camera mostly for video, and having a LCD display that pops out to the side while using it on a gimbal is incredibly important. The video on the Z8 is great, but it provides far more options that are mostly nit needed unless you are doing serious work with extensive color grading. In most cases I can't tell the difference between the Z8 and Z30, when recording in 4k 30p video; and not in terms of dynamic range, but in terms of clarity and picture quality.

[captureitphotography]

For those who can't afford the 24-70 f2.8 (which is a fantastic lens), and/or are just getting going, and/or want a great all purpose lens, I can't say enough good things about the 24-120 f4. Yes, you lose a stop of light, but the image quality is stellar throughout the entire range. I've used it travelling and shot professionally with it, and it's usually glued to one of my cameras.
Great walkthrough, guys!

[truthseeker]

Nikon needs to bring new apsc cameras with the autofocus of the z8/z9.

[craigcarlson]

For those considering the apsc options, as a Z50 owner, the zfc models have two features i wish i had. Chelsea and Tony mentioned the flip out screen -It is VERY nice to have for photos taken in the vertical aspect. Second, the zfc models provide real buttons for the functions which on my Z50 have only vague spots on the lcd screen that are hard to find with your fingers and which you sometimes bump when you didn’t mean to. And its easy and inexpensive to add an aftermarket hand grip to the zfc.

[jakob]

I’ve recently baught the Z5 with the ftz adapter plus the Nikon F 24-70 2.8 (non VR). The AF performance is absolutely enough for what I need, and with the lens the quality I get is really impressive.

[duncanwallace]

I just got a peak-design slide strap for my Z9 and when you attached one end to the tripod screw on the body, it hangs very comfortably at your side, even with the 100-400 lens attached. It barely moves when you walk and really makes hiking with the Z9 a lot more comfortable.

[TonyAndChelsea]

WHOOPS: The Z8 & Z9 max at 120 FPS, not 180.

[typhoon-]

This is a useful video. I don't watch the "Nikon vs Canon vs Sony" videos because for the vast majority of us, we are bought into 1 system. I can't afford a range of bodies and lenses from multiple manufacturers. So once Ive invested in my system (Nikon in my case), its utterly pointless comparing to another manufacturer. So this sort of thing makes much more real world sense.

[FallGuy]

Thank you for the buyer’s remorse, I just bought the Z 7II, now I want the Z8.

[jamesmlodynia]

One thing that I learned from many years of digital photography is that sensor size is only one factor to consider when buying a new camera, l have cameras from Panasonic, Olympus, Fujifilm, Pentax and Nikon, they range from full frame to APSC and Micro 4/3. If you plan on getting serious about your photography i recommend starting with a mid grade camera and choose your lens carefully. If you are on a budget, look at the used market and buy from a camera store that grades the equipment, i have used B&H PHOTO and ADORAMA for my camera purchase. Many of the cameras that I have were purchased new but near the end of their production or after they had been on the market for a while. You don't need a full frame camera to start in paid photography or just using your camera from photographing events, the last wedding i attended i used a Fujifilm XT5 with a variety of Fujifilm and Viltrox lens and it worked great.

[HR-wdcw]

For all around use, if you aren't printing, the Z6 series (either one) is the best value. It may not hav the fastest AF but it does have many other good features and is very good for video too (4k). For those that need the most get the Z9, for those that need "almost" the most, but don't want to spend $5500, get the Z8 (very close). And for those who want something under $1000 get the Z50.

[johnforbes]

Nice overview of the Nikon lineup. Having owned the Z6ii and Z7ii and now owning the Z8 and Z9, the only thing that I would differ on is if I only owned one Nikon Z lens, it would be the Z 24-120 f4 S which is a great hiking, travel and capture the moment lens. I get your preferring the low light capability of the Z 24-70mm f2.8. but for indoor sports I've been able to count on the Z 70-200mm f2.8 and Z 105mm f2.8 Macro (I often shoot with two camera bodies sporting different focal lengths.). I prefer not to use the 24-120mm f4 for indoor sports as it often necessitates pushing the ISO higher than I'd prefer. For outdoors sports the 24-120mm f4 on the Z8 while the Z9 having the 70-200mm f2.8 attached works to cover most of the shots that I encounter. I get that the Z 24-70mm f2.8 S is a great lens, and I'll probably hope to find a slightly used one to add to arsenal one of these days, but for now I've used my spare cash to pre-order the Z180-600mm.

[jaimeduncan]

They did an excellent overview. There are a couple of key points missing : 1. The high iso quality of the Z6 II is insane. Maybe not as crazy as the d780 but close. If you do a lot of street at night you are going to love it. Street at night is slow the AF will be more than enough, and steer often call for single point composition. The other point is adapted lenses, the Z8 and the z9 will focus with your old Ninkkors often equal or better than the D850, yes they are that good. The other cameras in the list are not even close. They are not as good as native, but you can keep your 70-200 E and buy the Z8 instead of the z6 II

[bobbullethalf]

Good review, but I must admit that I am partial to the Z6II, it has served me well with action shots paired with my 100-400 Nikon Z lens. I can get close enough without cropping.

[-grey]

The Z30 is for me. I'm sad they did the swivel out screen rather than the flip up. I can mount a mic elsewhere if I have to, but the swivel out process is not only longer but draws more attention, so I miss shots of my kids and pets whne they come over to inspect the toy I'm playing with.

[serhiirudenko]

Idunno, thinking to get a used D750 as an upgrade over my old and trusty D5100. For using with old manual lenses, mostly.
These new fancy mirrorless cameras are way too expensive at this time.

[Nick-]

Thanks for the review - The Z8 is the best and most programmable camera I have ever used (graduating from the superb Z6ii). The Z9 is a brick and ruled out because of. I am desperate for GPS in the Z8 though !

[JohnCBurzynski]

Pretty good products for a camera company that you pretty much declared going out of business a few years back. Fair review, I shoot the z62 and love it.

[amarettodisaronno]

My D7000 is still my "go to" to this day !!! ☝️👍👌
To each his - her own !!!

[shawnvine]

Very interesting. I appreciate the discussion of the features on each. I own the ZFC and like it a lot. The Z6 II does sound like a possible upgrade to join the full frame crowd. Maybe for Christmas. Thanks, guys.