Nikon Z50

Overview

The Z50 is a good debut for Nikon’s Z mount APS-C mirrorless system. Unfortunately, it’s entering a very competitive market and faces some strong competition, particularly Fujifilm’s X-T30. While it handles great, the Z50 trails rivals in autofocus, shooting speeds, video and particularly image quality. However, it doesn’t have any fatal flaws and it’s a good choice for folks who want a camera that’s easy to handle, particularly if they already have Nikon lenses.

-- As reviewed by Engadget

TechSpot Metascore

Based on 11 expert reviews

Excellent:

6
Good:

4
Average:

1
Bad:

0

9.4

User Score

Based on 551 reviews
as rated by users

TechSpot is supported by its audience. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more.

Last revision on July 12, 2023

Reviewers Liked

Compact size and handling
4K video-11fps continuous shooting
Super-slim 'pancake' kit lens

Reviewers Didn't Like

Single UHS I SD card slot
300-shot battery life
Awkward flip-under selfie screen

Competitors and Related Products

Our editors hand-pick these products using a variety of criteria: they might be direct competitors targeting the same market segment, or they could be devices that are similar in size, performance, or feature sets.

Expert reviews and ratings

By Photo Review Australia on March 13, 2020 89

SPECSImage sensor: 23.5 x 15.7 mm CMOS sensor with 21.25 million photosites (20.9 megapixels effective)Image processor: EXPEED 6A/D processing: 12- or 14-bitLens mount: Nikon Z mountFocal length crop factor: 1.5xImage formats: Stills: JPEG (1:4, 1:8...

By PCMag IN on February 14, 2020 70

Bottom LineThe Nikon Z 50 is a good mirrorless camera with a lot of appeal to photographers already invested in the system, but isn't quite as capable as its...

By Digital Photography School on January 28, 2020 90

If you are on the market for a beginner-friendly mirrorless camera, you have a LOT of options out there. As of January 2020, the Nikon Z50 is the newest of them all, and it offers many of the same features you'll find on other similar cameras.While it...

By Stuff on January 06, 2020 100

The Z50 might look just fine on paper, but it is mightier in the hand. It borrows some of the best features from the Z6 without both the physical and financial heft. Many might see this as the perfect travel camera, especially with the addition of the...

By T3 Magazine on December 28, 2019 80

Available at a great price and with lots to like - including build quality, handling, a very usable screen and viewfinder - the Z50 might be the new kid on the APS-C mirrorless block, but it's easily one of the best out there.Reasons to buy+Great...

By Engadget on December 18, 2019 80

Nikon Z50 aps-c mirrorless cameraSteve Dent/EngadgetThe Z50 is a good, but not exceptional, debut for Nikon's Z mount APS-C mirrorless system. It has great handling, good shooting speeds and autofocus, nice image quality and solid video performance for...

By ePHOTOzine on December 04, 2019 80

Performance Nikon is introducing the new Nikon Z50 and with it a new range of APS-C sensor mirrorless cameras and lenses, with Nikon proclaiming the Z50 as a new "era" for Nikon. Using the same Z-mount as the Nikon Z6 and Z7, the system can use...

By digitalcameraworld.com on November 26, 2019 100

The Nikon Z 50 is not just a scaled down version of the Nikon Z 6 and Z 7. Nikon has done a remarkable job of giving such a small camera such a solid one-handed grip, but quite apart from the size of the camera, we were impressed by the 16-50mm pancake...

By Amateur Photographer on October 10, 2019 100

Rather than rushing into the mirrorless market, Nikon has stuck to its strategy of releasing a pair of full-frame mirrorless cameras and building up a selection of full-frame Z mount lenses before turning its focus towards APS-C. Nikon has been quite...

By techgoondu.com on February 05, 2020

The Z50 is Nikon's latest effort at winning over users in the mirrorless camera market, after the now-defunct N1 and the groundbreaking Z6 and Z7 from last year.It is aimed at folks who baulk at the price of the Z6 and Z7, which was launched at...

By TheStraitsTimes on January 28, 2020

Japanese imaging giant Nikon launched the full-frame Z6 and Z7 mirrorless cameras in late 2018, but their hefty price tags - from $3,300 to more than $5,000 - meant not many could afford them.There is now a more affordable Z series: the Z50. Its price...

By Tom's Guide on January 22, 2020

Entry-level DSLRs may be more affordable than most mirrorless cameras, but with the popularity of mirrorless continuing to grow, you've likely at least thought about going mirrorless. And whether or not you already have Nikon lenses, the Nikon Z 50...

By Digital Photography Review on December 18, 2019

We found a lot to like about the Z50 but it has some very capable rivals in better-established systems.Read moreSample GalleriesWe've been shooting with the Z50 for a while and have plenty of real-world shots to show you how the camera performs.View...

By Digital Photography School on December 14, 2019

This is Nikon's first APS-C mirrorless camera, and it looks to have some interesting features. The good news about this camera is it is a Z-mount camera, meaning lenses for the Z6 and Z7 cameras will also fit this lens. Moreover, with one adapter, all...

Load More Reviews…

Nikon Z50

Overview

Pros & Cons

Reviews

Similar To

Price: $896

TechSpot Metascore

User Score

Reviewers Liked

Reviewers Didn't Like

Competitors and Related Products

Sony ZV-1

Canon EOS 90D

Sony Cybershot RX100 Mark VII

Canon PowerShot G5 X Mark 2

Fujifilm X-T30

Expert reviews and ratings