The Nikon Z50 II is an excellent compact mirrorless – but you may want to consider this full frame camera instead

The Nikon Z50 II crams some of the brand’s best technology into a smaller, more portable body – making it one of the top choices for beginners on a budget. But while the Nikon Z50 II is a stellar option, a price drop on an older camera means that Nikon fans can pick up a full-frame camera for not much more cash: the Nikon Z5.

The Z5 is technically a more hi-tech camera than the Z50 II. In Nikon’s naming scheme, those single-digit cameras are more advanced full framers while the double-digit cameras are more compact with an APS-C sensor.

That makes the Z5 the more advanced and more expensive camera, typically costing $500 more than the Z50 II. But that’s the typical price: a price drop on the Nikon Z5 means that the two cameras are now about the same price. That’s right, a more full frame camera now costs almost the same as the budget-minded Nikon Z50 II.

The Nikon Z50 II is an APS-C or crop sensor camera, while the Nikon Z5 is a full-frame shooter. What that means, for the beginners that these cameras are targeted towards, is that the Z5 has the larger sensor. A larger sensor is going to capture much better images in low light, plus it also makes it easier to create that real background blur.

But the sensor size isn’t the only thing the Nikon Z5 has going for it. The higher-end camera also has built-in stabilization where the Z50 II doesn’t. That stabilization system is going to help reduce the blur caused by shaky hands.

I’d like to say that the Z5 is the easy choice and that every photographer should choose it over the Z50 II – but that’s not necessarily the case. The Nikon Z5 offers the better image quality with the larger sensor. However, the Z5 is an entry-level full frame camera where the Z50 II is still beginner-oriented but an upgrade over the Nikon Z30.

The Z50 II was also announced at the end of 2024, while the Z5 launched in 2020. Those factors means that, while the Z5 has the better image quality, the Z50 II has some advantages in other areas.

For starters, the smaller sensor inside the Z50 II means a more portable camera. The Z50 II is smaller and about 177g / 6.2 ounces lighter. The smaller sensor also means that lenses that crop in closer; a perk for genres that require telephoto lenses, like sports and wildlife.

The other big advantage of the Nikon Z50 II? It’s a far faster camera, capable of taking 11 pictures per second where the Z5 can only take 4.5 images a second. The Z50 II, as the more recent camera, also has some of Nikon’s latest autofocus technology.

In short, buy the Nikon Z5 if you want better pictures, don’t photograph a lot of action, and don’t mind a slightly larger, heavier camera. Buy the Nikon Z50 II if you need a quick-shooter for cheap, or if you travel a lot and a small size is really important.

So how different are the two cameras in price, with the current sales? In the US, the Nikon Z50 II is currently selling for $906.95 at Adorama for the body only. The Z5 is just $90 more, currently selling for $996.95.

In the UK, the Nikon Z50 II is £849 body only, while the Z5 is £80 more at £929. Typically, the Nikon Z5 is more expensive by around $500 / £400, but the sale price pushes the cameras to nearly the same price.

The price difference becomes a bit wider if you want a kit lens rather than buying optics separately. The Nikon Z5 with a 24-50mm kit lens is currently $1,297 / £1,259, while the Nikon Z50 II with a 16-50mm lens is $1,047 / £999.

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Before you decide, you may want to look at the best cameras for beginners, the best full frame cameras, or the best Nikon cameras. Or, choose one of the best Nikon lenses to go with it.