Nikon’s latest Z-mount mirrorless is now available to the masses. Designed as an ‘entry-level’ full-frame camera, the Z5 II replaces the long-in-the-tooth Z5 and will become Nikon’s cheapest full-frame mirrorless, once stocks of the old Z5 run dry. But while the older Z5 was noticeably inferior to cameras higher up the range at the time of its launch, the same simply can’t be said for the Z5 II. Which begs the question: why would you buy anything else?
There’s no debate that the Z5 II is streets ahead of the Z5 it replaces, as I explored in my Nikon Z5 II vs Z5 comparison. But where things get murkier is that the new camera is really not much of a step down from the Nikon Z6 III, yet costs around $800 / £900 / AU$1,400 less to buy at the current street price. That’s a lot more to pay for a Z6 III for the minimal improvement in performance that the vast majority of photographers will never notice.
The only real difference between the two cameras is that Z6 III has a partially stacked sensor, and the faster readout this is capable of enables it to offer double the maximum shooting rate (60fps), double the fastest shutter speed (1/16,000 sec), and double the video throughput (4K 120p, Full-HD 240p) of the Z5 II. That might sound twice as good, but in all honesty, the Z5 II’s 30fps, 1/8000 sec and 4K 60p / Full-HD 120p video credentials are more than enough for anyone, thank you very much.
As I said in my Nikon Z5 II review, it’s not the best full-frame mirrorless camera that Nikon makes, but it is far and away the best value one. So my fear is that Nikon has killed the demand for the Z6 III overnight, and anyone who was in the market for one is going to seriously think again.
Then again, when demand falls, so does the cost, so perhaps it won't be long before we see the Z6 III at ridiculously tempting prices?
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