Cheap mirrorless cameras are typically plasticky and slow. Cameras like the Nikon Z50 II are an exception

(Image credit: Hillary K Grigonis / Future)

As someone who has spent more than a decade reviewing cameras, I know what it feels like to hold an expensive medium format camera and what it feels like to hold an entry-level camera. But, some cameras have a build and performance that seems to contradict the price point – and I think the Nikon Z50 II is one of those rare cameras.

The Nikon Z50 II retails for 909.95 / £849 / AU$1499.95 body only. Mirrorless cameras under $1,000 tend to have lower-end specifications than pricier cameras. And, no, the Nikon Z50 II isn’t going out outdo a camera like the Z6 III or the Z7 II. But every time I pick up the Z50 II, I’m reminded that the camera sits in a sweet spot between price and features.

Many budget mirrorless cameras skip out on the weather-sealing. The Z50 II doesn’t, with seals designed to help the camera survive a light rain. It's not as well-sealed as Nikon's high-end options, but many budget cameras skip out on sealing altogether. Beyond adding more protection against rain and dust, weather-sealed cameras tend to feel less plasticky in the hands.

Man taking selfie with Nikon Z50 II — (Image credit: Future)

The Z50 II, in fact, still has a magnesium alloy chassis. Yes, Nikon’s high-end cameras do feel a bit better, and there are some plastic pieces, but the Nikon Z50 II doesn’t feel like a cheap camera in my hands either.

As someone who learned photography on a Nikon DSLR, I’m insanely jealous of the Z50 II’s performance. I learned on a cheap DSLR with a 3 fps burst speed. The Nikon Z50 II affords beginners a 30fps burst without a loss in resolution for JPEGs and up to 11 fps when shooting RAW files.

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Two tree swallows swoop at each other in midair against a blue sky — Captured with the Nikon Z50 II(Image credit: Hillary K. Grigonis / Future)

Specs don’t tell the entire story when it comes to performance. But when I tried the Z50 II out at wildlife photography, I was baffled when the camera managed to capture a shot of sparrows mid-flight without any pre-planning. The autofocus, mixed with the subject detection, again makes the Nikon Z50 II feel like more than a cheap beginner camera.

Autofocus in the dark is also surprisingly good for a budget camera. The Z50 II took a second to lock on, but was able to autofocus in an extremely dark storage closet.

I learned photography on a Nikon DSLR – and every time I work with the Nikon Z50 II I’m blown away by how far even inexpensive cameras have come. Yes, there are some features that place the Z50 II in a category best for beginners and hobbyists, like a lack of image stabilization and a maximum shutter speed of 1/4000.

The Nikon Z30 is the brand's cheapest mirrorless model, but stepping up the price a bit adds quite a bit of performance by opting for the Z50 II instead. (Although, I was also impressed that the Z30 didn't feel plasticky either.)

The Nikon Z50 II isn’t alone in that many budget mirrorless cameras offer far more features than the affordable DSLRs of a decade ago. The Canon EOS R10, Sony a6400, and OM System E-M10 Mark IV, for example, all have a lot to offer for the price point. But the Z50 II’s weather-sealing and 30 fps bursts are difficult to find among cameras that don’t breach the four-figure price point. If I had to start over as a beginner photographer, the Nikon Z50 II would be on my short list of cameras to consider.

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