Home / Compare / Nikon Z 50 vs Z5
Nikon Z 50 vs Z5
Two Nikon Z-mount bodies with the same EXPEED 6 engine and a 3.2-inch tilting touchscreen: the 2019 DX-format Z 50 and the 2020 full-frame Z5. The Z 50 is the small, fast one: about 450 g, about 11 fps, 4K from the full sensor width and a pop-up flash. The Z5 is the full-frame one: 24.3MP FX, 5-axis in-body VR, a 3.69M-dot finder, two UHS-II card slots and a weather-sealed magnesium body.
Side-by-side specs
| Nikon Z 50 | Nikon Z5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Sensor | 20.9MP DX-format CMOS (23.5 × 15.7 mm) | 24.3MP FX-format CMOS (35.9 × 23.9 mm) |
| Processor | EXPEED 6 | Same |
| ISO | 100–51200; expandable to ISO 204800 equivalent | 100–51200; Lo 50, Hi 102400 equivalent |
| Autofocus | 209 points; Eye-Detection AF; −4 EV with low-light AF | 273 points; Eye- and Animal-Detection AF; −3 EV with low-light AF |
| Stabilization | None in body; electronic VR for movies | 5-axis in-camera VR, 5.0 stops (CIPA) |
| Bursts | About 11 fps (high-speed, extended) | Up to 4.5 fps |
| Viewfinder | 0.39-inch OLED, about 2,360k dots, about 1.02x | 0.5-inch OLED, about 3,690k dots, 0.8x |
| Screen | 3.2-inch tilting touchscreen, about 1,040k dots; flips down 180° | 3.2-inch tilting touchscreen, about 1,040k dots |
| 4K video | 4K UHD at 30/25/24p from the full sensor width | 4K UHD up to 30p, cropped about 1.7x |
| Full HD | Up to 120p | Up to 60p |
| Card slots | One SD (UHS-I) | Two SD (UHS-II) |
| Built-in flash | Pop-up | None listed |
| Weather sealing | Not listed in our Z 50 sources | Weather-sealed magnesium alloy |
| Battery (CIPA, viewfinder) | EN-EL25; about 280 shots | EN-EL15c; about 390 shots; USB power delivery |
| Weight (with battery and card) | About 450 g | About 675 g |
| Size | About 126.5 × 93.5 × 60 mm | 134 × 100.5 × 69.5 mm |
| Launch price | Oct 10, 2019; $859.95 body-only (US) | Jul 21, 2020; $1,399.95 body-only (US) |
Z 50 specs from Nikon's Z 50 specifications and online manual and Nikon Inc.'s October 10, 2019 release, as cited in our Z 50 review; Z5 specs from Nikon's Z 5 specifications and online manual (battery: Battery Endurance, EN-EL15c) and Nikon Inc.'s July 21, 2020 release, as cited in our Z5 review and Z5 vs Z6 comparison. US launch prices from Nikon Inc. Battery figures are CIPA, viewfinder. ✓ = advantage; blank = tie or not directly comparable.
Sample photos
Four photos taken with the Nikon Z50 and four with the Nikon Z5, shared on Wikimedia Commons under open licenses.
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Who should buy which
Buy the Z 50 if…
- You want the smaller, lighter body: about 450 g vs about 675 g with battery and card.
- You shoot action or video: about 11 fps, 4K from the full sensor width and Full HD up to 120p.
- You want a pop-up flash and a screen that flips down 180° for selfies and vlogging.
Buy the Z5 if…
- You want full frame: a 24.3MP FX sensor and the full-frame Z lens line at its native angle of view.
- You want in-body VR (5.0 stops, CIPA) for stills and video with any lens.
- You shoot events and want two UHS-II card slots, a 3.69M-dot finder, a weather-sealed body and more shots per charge.
Both use EXPEED 6 and the same 3.2-inch screen, so the choice is a small, fast DX body against full frame with in-body VR, two card slots and a 3.69M-dot finder. The Z 50 has since been followed by the Z50II; the Z5 is still in Nikon's lineup next to the Z5II. Finder magnifications are Nikon's own figures for a DX and an FX body and aren't directly comparable. See our full Z 50 and Z5 reviews, or all comparisons.
Where to buy
Nikon Z 50
Nikon Z 50: Launched at $859.95 in 2019 (Nikon Inc.'s US launch price, October 2019).
Check priceRead the full Nikon Z 50 review
Nikon Z5
Nikon Z5: Launched at $1,399.95 in 2020 (Nikon Inc.'s US launch price, July 21, 2020).
Check priceRead the full Nikon Z5 review
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