I found the Nikon Z50 for under $500 – maybe there’s life in the old APS-C mirrorless yet…

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I thought the Nikon Z50 II had finished its predecessor off, but with prices this cheap on the secondhand market, I think it’s still worth it for stills photographers on a budget

Nikon Z50
Have secondhand prices breathed new life into the aging Nikon Z50? (Image credit: Digital Camera World)

I was over the moon when the ‘Big N’ launched the Nikon Z50 II at the tail end of last year. To say that the original Nikon Z50 – released way back in 2019 – was getting a little long in the tooth was an understatement. It didn’t have the specs to compete against other APS-C cameras in its class, like the Canon EOS R10 or Fujifilm X-T30 II, and while the Nikon Z fc shares the Z50’s innards, the latter simply couldn’t compete with the former’s gorgeous looks that still make it a viable purchase today.

And with the Nikon Z50 II improving upon its predecessor with its pro-level AF performance, EXPEED 7 processor, and 4K 60p video, I was certain that there was no looking back. Until today. I was surprised to find ‘Excellent’ graded examples of the Nikon Z50 listed on MPB for under $500 / £400. That’s not far off half the price of the Nikon Z50 II’s RRP of $909.95 / £849.

I’ve long said I want Nikon to release a mirrorless successor to the Nikon D3500 – à la Canon EOS R100 – and if you’re picking up your first interchangeable-lens camera, you could do a lot worse than a secondhand Nikon Z50 for $500. Sure, 4K 30p, a tilting screen, and no headphone port mean it’s not a great camera for anyone looking to take video seriously. But as a photographer, I sure wish my first interchangeable lens camera had 11-fps burst speeds, a half-decent AF system, and access to that supremely sharp range of Z-mount lenses.

I’m not suggesting that anyone with the cash to splash should plump for the Nikon Z50 over the Nikon Z50 II, but if you’re looking for the best camera for beginners and don’t mind going down the secondhand route, you could do a lot worse than the ol’ Nikon Z50.

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Interested in picking up one of the best cheap cameras? I reckon that used camera lenses are a great buy for photographers on a budget. Also, find out why the Nikon Df is the DSLR I'd buy today.

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Mike Harris
Mike Harris
How To Editor

Mike is Digital Camera World's How To Editor. He has over a decade of experience, writing for some of the biggest specialist publications including Digital Camera, Digital Photographer and PhotoPlus: The Canon Magazine. Prior to DCW, Mike was Deputy Editor of N-Photo: The Nikon Magazine and Production Editor at Wex Photo Video, where he sharpened his skills in both the stills and videography spheres. While he's an avid motorsport photographer, his skills extend to every genre of photography – making him one of Digital Camera World's top tutors for techniques on cameras, lenses, tripods, filters and other imaging equipment – as well as sharing his expertise on shooting everything from portraits and landscapes to abstracts and architecture to wildlife and, yes, fast things going around race tracks...

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