Now officially announced, my only wish for the Z5 II was redundant video recording since it has identical UHS-II slots and are fast enough (also thanks to Expeed7) to shoot NRAW. This is a gripe people have had a long time with Nikon and is quite important, especially since they're pushing so hard into video. I know no camera that I know of can shoot redundant RAW video to both slots, that's not the issue, but at least H.265 should be an option. I know most pro's who shoot video get redundant recording via Atomos external recorder. Otherwise, its a good little do-it-all camera.
It will likely be the ZF sensor, not the Z6ii sensor for several reasons.
I expect this to be functionally a ZF in a Z5 body with a middling EVF and single card slot. The question now is...will it have a tilty or flippy screen? I can see some who are interested in the ZF but hate the flippy going this way instead.
They have to get the cost below the ZF to compete in this segment.
RoamingScott wrote:
It will likely be the ZF sensor, not the Z6ii sensor for several reasons.
ZF isn't using the IMX 410? Also I doubt Nikon will take a step back and go one card slot, it’ll be 2x UHS-II slots perhaps, doubt CF Express. You can still get 10-bit NLOG on UHS-II cards.
I have a Z5 and as far as IQ goes, it is as good as I will ever need. I don't even use the video feature so I don't care if it needs improved but given the influence of RED these days, it probably will be improved. FPS needs to be bumped up to say 11 fps and the auto focus should be at the Z6 iii level. (jmho)
Driften wrote:
If it's a Zf in a Z5 body with tilt screen I would trade in my Zf for one. I like the Zf, but prefer the modern styling.
I've thought about this. I don't need my ZF to be Z6iii level, so on one hand, if the Z5ii has a good grip, the newer button layout, and a few other items, a switch would make sense purely for stills (especially if it has the Z8/Z9 rear screen).
That said, my ZF is now indispensible for video purposes...picking up a Z5ii to ADD to the kit would be the play for me, which sounds insane If it has the flippy screen, I have a real choice to make.
I doubt the Z5ii would inspire the same feeling when holding it, as the Z5 is largely more plasticy.
LostLensCap wrote:
Current Z5 has IBIS so this would be a step backwards.
Oh heck, I had that in my memory wrong. I stand corrected. I started at the original Z6 and moved up from there, so never really looked too closely at the Z5. I think I always assumed that was how they made the Z5 smaller.
Maybe the Z5 to Z5II upgrade will be aligned more with the Z50 to Z50II, mostly processor, AF, video features, and the picture profile button thing.
Z50II and Z6III both got a little bigger, so I wouldn’t be surprised if that happened here as well.
My expectation is a Zf in a Z5 body, possibly with the Z6iii EVF and the dual-axis screen.
What I'd really like is for it to lose some size, be more like a Z50II upscaled just enough for IBIS, an FX sensor and the Z5's EVF. Nikon is sorely lacking a compact body to compete with the R8, A7c series or S9, two of which come right in between the current Z5 and the Zf in pricing with the R8 being the direct competitor (and that sets up a direct set of tradeoffs, R8 for 40fps as a gimmick, Z5ii with IBIS)
I wonder if Nikon will have it sit higher than the Z6 II since the Z6 II is still in production. In this case, the Z5 II would be pretty handicapped. We know the at least the Z5 II will have:
24mp sensor
2 card slot
IBIS
But, with the Expeed7 and what we're seeing from Nikon lately, even on the Z50 II, the specs could be:
24.5mp BSI (IMX410) or current 24.2mp FSI sensor
10-Bit 4:2:0 NLOG
Expeed7 with all latest AG algos
Assuming Nikon keeps the Z6 II in mind, than we may see the same 2-card SD card slot, limited subject detection, 4K crop? It doesn't really make sense either where they would limit the Z5 II, especially that it'll come in cheaper than the Z6 II. But if Nikon is going to end the Z6 II production, perhaps we'll see a worthy "Z6 II replacement" in the Z5 II, which would feature what most here have said, a Zf in a smaller body and again no top LCD of any kind. Pricing wise, curious where compares to the body only Zf. $1496.95?
I would think phasing out Z6ii production is something Nikon is eager to do, given how deep they are discounting it on the regular. I'm sure it's making them a bit of profit, but it's old tech/parts and consolidating to the current gen would be great for them.
$1500 would track with inflation, but Nikon could really use a Canon RP type camera, the $1000 entry camera. A large chunk of that market would buy at $1000 but scoff at $1500.
All this is to say, Nikon's current lineup is a mess
I don't think there's a chance in hell it gets the Z6iii EVF, either, it'll get the ZF's.
Good discussion here. I think it will keep the same Z5 sensor (from the D750 days, if not older), and add the new processor, revised button layout, flippy screen, and updated focussing abilities. That’s it.
Probably a Zf in a Z6III body. I would make more sense for Nikon to commonalize parts are much as possible. The differentiation with the Z6III coming from the partially stacked sensor and superior EVF with impacts on AF performance and video specs.
Probably also the last body to be based on the Expeed 7.
RoamingScott wrote:
It will likely be the ZF sensor, not the Z6ii sensor for several reasons.
I expect this to be functionally a ZF in a Z5 body with a middling EVF and single card slot. The question now is...will it have a tilty or flippy screen? I can see some who are interested in the ZF but hate the flippy going this way instead.
They have to get the cost below the ZF to compete in this segment.
The current Z5 has 2 SD cards slots so it's not likely they would bin one of them and it also has a tilt screen, they would likely keep it or improve to a flip out screen for vloggers.
