Nikon Z5 II announced – the new entry level full frame go-to-camera

All rumors were correct and Nikon did announce today the new Z5 II, it’s most modern full frame “entry” level camera. Besides the announcement date, the leaked specs were also correct and we are getting a ZF in a Z5 body with the new processor. At a price of $1.699 (body only) it is not the cheapest entry level FF camera, but it offers many premium features that make it a very enticing proposition.

The Nikon Z5 II is nearly identical to the Z5

Nikon Z5 II confirmed specs

As mentioned in my previous article the Z5 II has a 24.5MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS Sensor with the Expeed 7 Image Processor, 3.69M-Dot OLED Electronic Viewfinder, 2.1M dots fully articulated rear screen, 7.5 stops IBIS and Dual UHS-II SD Card Slots. It can shoot Raw still up to 11 fps and can do uncropped 24/30p 4k video recording (4k 60p with a 1,5 x crop) Full specs can be found here.

What I like in the Nikon Z5 II

I watched all the first look videos published this day, from the usual suspects, and while there weren’t any major surprises, due to the reliable rumors and the same processor as the recently released Z50 II, I did enjoy finally seeing it in action. I liked the ergonomics, viewfinder, button layout and evf – they all look very good. I prefer this Z5 type of layout compared to the more vintage ZF. The weather sealing is a nice bonus, the IBIS seems OK but not stellar – more vlogging tests will be needed – and the battery provides a reasonable output. The low light capabilities in stills / video are surprisingly good along with the autofocus capabilities and options, which are identical to the ones in the Z50 II.

The Z5 II has many buttons on the rear that can be custom programmed

And what could be better

I was disappointed in the overly publicized 12-bit N-RAW video, which is line skipped and worse in quality than 4k 10-bit H.265. In my opinion it is a missed opportunity not being able to actually have 6 or 5.7 K 30/24p like the Lumix S5 II/S9 and the XM-5/XS-20 Fuji APSC cameras have.

The lack of a digital horse shoe is a strange omission from Nikon in 2025 along with the inability of dual card redundant video recording. The 1.5x crop in 4k 60p mode is also annoying and the position of all the ports on the side of the flip out screen will be distracting for self-filming.

All the ports (mic, headphone, mHDMI, USB-C) are on the same side as the articulating screen.

How does it compare to the competition?

As a sub $2000 FF camera it really doesn’t have much competition, the closest in specs is the Panasonic Lumix DC-S5II, while both Canon and Sony have older, less capable models. The S5 II has some advantages over the Z5 II, particularly for video – it has class leading IBIS, it can do 6K 30p, has a full HDMI port, and can backup record video on 2 cards. The Z5 II on the other hand has better still specs, better autofocus with more options, and a better rear monitor.

Both have a 1.5x crop in 4k 60/50p, which is a major downside of these cameras for many videographers. The older Canon R8 can do 4k 60p with no crop and is much lighter than the Z5 II or S5 II, but it does lack in other areas – it has no IBIS, only 1 card slot, worse battery life, view finder and rear screen.

The Z5 II has a 2.1 M dot fully articulating touch screen

Sony’s direct competitor would be the 2018 A7 III, which is hardly comparable do to its age (apart from the amazing battery life). This leaves Nikon in a very good spot as the go to entry level full frame camera.

Sony and Canon really have to step up their game in this entry level FF consumer bracket. A version 2 of the Canon R8 would be very welcome, but rumors of upcoming FF Canon cameras don’t include an entry level; the next FF camera will likely be the R6 Mark III, which is in a higher category/price range. Similarly, Sony doesn’t seem to have any entry level FF cameras in the 2025 pipeline.

Conclusions

As an entry level full frame camera under $2000 it is a great option, particularly for photography focused shooters, as it has very similar capabilities to higher end models. While it is a hybrid camera, its video capabilities could be better and the Lumix S5 II might be a better option (especially if you find a cheap second hand one).

The Nikon Z5 II should start shipping at the end of this month and I think it might Nikon’s best seller for 2025.

Below are some of the first look reviews posted on YouTube: