Nikon has announced the Z5IIC: a full-frame mirrorless camera with a 24.5-megapixel sensor, image stabilization and a body without an electronic viewfinder. You compose your shots on the vari-angle screen at the back. The first information from Nikon Asia and B&H makes its focus clear: a camera for everyday use, with fewer settings to adjust.
Everything through the screen
The most obvious difference from the Z5II is at the top. There is no viewfinder or the housing that goes with it. This gives the Z5IIC a flatter profile and means it takes up less room in your bag.
If you are used to taking photos with a phone, composing on a screen will feel familiar. The vari-angle 3.2-inch touchscreen also helps with low angles, self-portraits and video. You can tap to tell the camera where to focus.
Going without a viewfinder is still a clear choice. A screen can be harder to read in bright sunlight. And if you like holding the camera to your eye, you will miss that way of working here.
Full-frame on the go
Inside are a 24.5-megapixel full-frame BSI sensor and the EXPEED 7 processor. In-body image stabilization compensates for small camera movements. Nikon quotes up to 7.5 stops at the center of the frame, measured under specific test conditions.
That can help when photographing an interior or a cityscape at dusk: using a slower shutter speed means you do not have to raise the ISO quite so quickly. A moving person still needs a short exposure. Stabilization does not keep your subject still.
That combination of full-frame and stabilization also plays an important role in the Canon EOS R8 Mark II. With the Nikon, it comes with a clear commitment to composing on the screen.
The Z5IIC has one SD card slot with UHS-II support. This means you cannot make a simultaneous backup on a second card.
Fewer settings to handle yourself
Nikon equips the camera with fifteen scene modes, including portrait, pets, food and night landscape. You choose the situation and the camera adjusts various settings to suit.
Autofocus takes on some of the work too. The system recognizes ten types of subjects, including people, animals, birds and vehicles. A dedicated fish detection mode is new for Nikon.
For unexpected action, there is pre-release capture. In the appropriate mode, the camera can shoot at up to 30 JPEG images per second and save images from up to one second before you fully press the shutter button. You do need to have the camera pointed at your subject and keep the shutter button half-pressed.
Choose your colors before shooting
A dedicated Picture Control button gives you access to settings for color and mood. Imaging Recipes from Nikon and other image makers can also be downloaded through Nikon Imaging Cloud.
This lets you choose a particular look before taking the shot. Fujifilm users will recognize a similar approach with film recipes, which can be managed and transferred using tools such as the Huginn app. Nikon uses its own platform for this.
Video too
The Z5IIC records in 4K at up to 60 frames per second. At that highest frame rate, the camera uses a DX crop of the sensor, narrowing the angle of view. Full HD is available at up to 120 frames per second.
There is also N-Log and internal N-RAW recording for those who want more scope in post-production. A recording light on the front shows when the camera is filming. For product videos, a dedicated mode focuses on an object you hold close to the camera.
Price and availability
The Nikon Z5IIC will be available in black and silver, as a body only or in a kit with the NIKKOR Z 24–50mm f/4–6.3. The announced US body price is around $1,400, excluding local sales tax. Deliveries there are expected to begin in mid-October. The recommended retail price and release date for the Netherlands have not yet been confirmed.
The main trade-off is already clear. If you enjoy composing on a screen, the flatter design may appeal. If you rely heavily on a viewfinder, you are giving up something you use for almost every shot.
