The Nikon Z50 II might look like a boring camera among the retro contingent, but it’s a diamond in the rough

Man looking at Nikon Z50 II rear screen — The Nikon Z50 II packs some decent specs and is a decent price (Image credit: Future)

So, the Nikon Z50 II is trending – and I can’t help but wonder if it’s got anything to do with the raft of rumors regarding a Nikon Z70. After all, the hypothetical Z70 is supposed to be a top-tier high-resolution APS-C camera that would put it ahead of the Nikon Z50 II. An APS-C flagship, if you will.

And yet, the Nikon Z50 II is certainly no slouch. In a world where attractive-looking retro cameras rule the roost, it’s an option that’s easy to overlook. But what I love about the Nikon Z50 II is that it’s a very capable camera for the price.

Man holding Nikon Z50 II — The Nikon Z50 II is small, but has a serious mirrorless form factor with a nice deep grip (Image credit: Future)

Right now you can pick it up body-only at B&H Photo for $956.95 and £839 at Wex Photo Video. In 2026, any camera below $1,000 / £1,000 is a decent deal and occupies the lower end of the market.

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That’s not to say that the Nikon Z50 II is a beginner camera. It occupies that next step up, sitting alongside cameras such as the OM System OM-5 Mark II, Canon EOS R10 and Sony A6700.

What you get for your money is an 20.9MP APS-C sensor, Nikon’s latest image processor, an OLED EVF, up to 30fps burst shooting (JPEG only) and 4K 60p (cropped).

But what I love most like about this little camera is that it grants you access to Nikon’s superb selection of Z-mount lenses. And with the help of the Nikon FTZ Adapter II, you can even adapt older Nikon DSLR lenses, most of which you can find for some very good prices nowadays.

Photographer James Artaius using the OM System OM-5 Mark II — The OM System OM-5 Mark II is another good alternative in this price range (Image credit: James Artaius)

Don’t be fearful of that 20.9MP sensor, either. While it’s true that most cameras feature a minimum of 24MP, all Nikon’s Z-Series APS-C cameras turn out lovely RAW images and JPEGs. And, unless you intend to crop heavily or make huge physical prints, 20.9MP is enough for most photographers.

Plus, you’ll have smaller image files to deal with in post – and since memory comes at a serious premium nowadays, that’s a good thing.

So, the Nikon Z50 II might not be a retro-chic camera like the Fujifilm X-T30 III or have all of the computational bells and whistles of the OM System OM-5 Mark II, but it’s great value for money, gives you access to Nikon’s Z mount and packs some decent specs to boot.

Check out the best Nikon cameras and the latest camera news. Plus, the Nikon ZR firmware update could be just weeks away, according to YouTube leak.

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Mike studied photography at college, honing his Adobe Photoshop skills and learning to work in the studio and darkroom. After a few years writing for various publications, he headed to the ‘Big Smoke’ to work on Wex Photo Video’s award-winning content team, before transitioning back to print as Technique Editor (later Deputy Editor) on N-Photo: The Nikon Magazine.

With bylines in Digital Camera, PhotoPlus: The Canon Magazine, Practical Photography, Digital Photographer, iMore, and TechRadar, he’s a fountain of photography and consumer tech knowledge, making him a top tutor for techniques on cameras, lenses, tripods, filters, and more. His expertise extends to everything from portraits and landscapes to abstracts and architecture to wildlife and, yes, fast things going around race tracks...