The Nikon Z5IIC has officially arrived, and if Nikon’s new compact full-frame mirrorless camera has already caught your attention, the good news is that pre-orders are now open on both sides of the Atlantic. In the US, you can pre-order the Nikon Z5 IIC at Adorama or B&H for $1,396.95, while photographers in the UK can secure one at Wex for £1,349.
US Retailers
UK Retailers
And I think Nikon might have something rather interesting on its hands here. The Z5 IIC takes much of what makes the Nikon Z5 II such an appealing full-frame camera and squeezes it into a smaller, flatter body designed to be carried around every day. The biggest change is the absence of a traditional electronic viewfinder, giving the camera a low-profile design that feels much closer in concept to cameras such as the Sony A7C series, or even Nikon’s own Z30 – only this time with a full-frame sensor at its heart.
Inside is a 24.5MP full-frame BSI sensor, backed up by Nikon’s latest autofocus capabilities and as much as 7.5 stops of in-body image stabilization. That combination should make the Z5 IIC a particularly attractive option for travel, street, documentary and everyday photographers who want full-frame image quality without carrying around one of Nikon’s larger Z-series bodies. Subject tracking is also a major part of the package, making this far more than simply a stripped-back Z5 II.
Video hasn’t been treated as an afterthought either. Nikon has included internal N-RAW recording, giving filmmakers considerably more flexibility when it comes to editing and grading their footage, while a front-facing recording indicator makes it easier to see when the camera is actually rolling. There is also 4K 60p recording available, albeit with a crop, alongside Full HD recording at up to 120p for slow-motion footage.
The Z5 IIC also supports Nikon Imaging Cloud, opening up downloadable Imaging Recipes that can give JPEG shooters different looks straight out of the camera, alongside automatic image transfers and firmware updates. For photographers who increasingly want to shoot, edit and share without spending an evening sitting in front of a computer, that could be one of the Z5 IIC’s more useful everyday features. SnapBridge support is also included for quickly moving images across to a smartphone or tablet.
For me, however, it is the combination of price, size and full-frame performance that makes the Nikon Z5 IIC particularly compelling. There are going to be photographers who simply cannot live without an electronic viewfinder, but for anyone happy composing from the rear screen, Nikon has effectively produced a more discreet route into its full-frame Z system without throwing away the image quality, stabilization or autofocus technology that makes the Z5 II so capable. At $1,396.95 in the US and £1,349 in the UK, this could prove to be a very tempting everyday full-frame camera.
