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If the latest news from Nikon rumors is correct we should be getting the Nikon Z5 II announcement next week, April 2nd 2025. This version two of the long awaited Nikon Z5 full frame camera will be a great addition to the Nikon lineup, which in its full frame entry level bracket is lacking a refreshment.
The anonymous source said that it is going to be a “mini Nikon Z6 III” which is leaves a lot to imagination and speculation as there haven’t been any leaks of images or technical specifications.
A MINI NIKON Z6 III
The Nikon Z6 III is a beast of a camera, very capable and incredibly versatile – what specs the Z5 II could inherit from its big brother is, for now, pure speculation. A rumor site published the following list of technical specifications, without referring the source:
Sensor 24.5MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS Sensor
Processor Expeed 7 Image Processor
Video Recording 4K UHD 30p / Full HD 120p, 1.5x 60p with crop
Autofocus 273-Point Hybrid AF with Eye and Animal Detection
Image Stabilization 5-Axis In-Body Image Stabilization
Viewfinder Bright 3.69M-Dot OLED Electronic Viewfinder
Display 3.2″ Tilting Touchscreen LCD
Memory Card Slots Dual UHS-II SD Card Slots
We can expect some of the features of the Z5 to be passed down to the second iteration such as the dual UHS-II SD card slots, 5-axis IBIS and the EN-EL15c rechargeable Li-ion battery. It will probably also have the same 24.3 MP sensor – I would love to see it upgraded to the 24.5MP BSI CMOS sensor found on the Zf, but Nikon did put the 8-year-old 20.9 sensor in the Z50 II, so they could repeat it with the Z5 II. The 24.5MP BSI CMOS sensor would mean that it could have oversampled 4K from 6K high quality video.
Like the Nikon Z50 II, the Z5 II will probably have the Expeed 7 Image Processor with the 273-Point Hybrid Eye-Detection AF and Animal-Detection AF with the latest subject detection options. It will also have the picture control button with the 31-built in color presets – easy to access color presets is a trend that is taking over most of the new cameras and is something that we will probably be seeing more in the future. It should also have all the ports found on the Z50 II mic, headphone jack, micro-HDMI and USBc.
Regarding the build, weight and dimensions of the camera body, it will probably be very similar to the Z5 (590 g, 134 x 100.5 x 69.5 mm), maybe a slightly bigger grip, with the addition of a tally lamp in front of the camera and more buttons on the rear, like we have on the Nikon Z50 II. The stills/video switch will probably be in the same place as on the Z50 II and I do hope they keep the joystick, which is missing on the Nikon Z50 II.
WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE ON THE Z5 II
I would like to see the 2.1 MD monitor from the Zf instead of the old 1.04 MD, but Nikon might cheap out to keep the price down. If the sensor rumor is true then we should have oversampled 4k from 6k – that would defiantly be a welcome addition – but I would really wish it had 6k 30p, even a light version. While I don’t think this will be the case, it would be a great addition and be able to compete with the Lumix S9, that offers 6k open gate recording.
Another issue that I would like to see fixed is the 4k 60p 1.5 x crop – while being present in the majority of APSC camera brands, it should be without a crop on a full frame sensor. Both the Canon R8 and the Lumix S9 have 4k 60p without crop, Nikon Z5 II’s main competitors, so this is a major drawback for Nikon.
Regarding the rumored pricing, it should be around $1,500, which is in the more or less similar to the Canon R8 and Lumix S9 (although bot cameras were recently on sale, the R8 was as low as $999). Despite the potential higher pricing, the Nikon Z5 II would have some upgrades compared to the competition:
- Compared to the Canon R8 it would have IBIS, a better battery, dual card slots and easier to edit LOG files.
- Compared to the Lumix S9 it would have a mechanical shutter, EVF, a tally lamp, headphone jack, actual grip, more dials/buttons, and dual card slots.
The dual UHS-II SD card slots is a huge bonus, especially for photographers or anyone that wants that option redundancy – it often is a crucial factor in selecting your next camera especially if you are doing work that needs backup.
All in all, the Nikon Z5 II will be a very interesting camera and if it doesn’t have any major flaws, it might become the go to introductory full fame camera for many aspiring photographers/videographers. Now we just have to be patient and see what the first-impression reviews will be like and hope that Nikon doesn’t pull a Canon cripple hammer.
