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You’re probably wondering why all these camera reviews sound the same. Well, quite frankly, we’re wondering why all these cameras are the same! For as good as the Nikon Z5 is, it should’ve been released years ago. This is what the Nikon Z6 should have been. And the Nikon Z6 II should’ve gotten some insane boosts. In some ways, Nikon is still the company we’ve known for over a decade. They’re still pretty much the best at high ISO output in some ways. Additionally, their cameras can still take good pictures. There’s also the really fun Nikon color profiles that irritatingly can’t be applied to your RAW files. Make no mistake, the Nikon Z5 is a good camera. In fact, it’s my favorite that Nikon has made in a long time. But Nikon isn’t innovating. They’re struggling to keep up, and there’s nothing that’s compelling us to buy from them unless you’re probably a YouTuber. Ultimately, it’s mostly the same internals as everything else with a better exterior.

Editor’s Note: Update as of February 2022, these updates are in bold.

Editor’s Note: We just talked to Nikon and have to issue an apology on our error. Lots of Nikon cameras do not have a textured ISO button. However, we’ve tested lots that do. I’ll rephrase this to say that little things like that really do count. Or having the illuminated buttons totally count. Further, in regards to weather sealing, everything should have an IP rating these days. It’s critical to the future of our industry.

Table of Contents

Pros and Cons

Pros

Cons

Gear Used

Tech Specs

Ergonomics

Build Quality

Ease of Use

Autofocus

Image Quality

JPEG Output

RAW File Versatility

High ISO Output

Extra Image Samples

Conclusions

Likes

Dislikes

Pros and Cons

Pros

Dual card slots

The Single most reliable Nikon mirrorless camera I’ve used in terms of autofocus, battery life, and performance

Weather sealing

This is what the Nikon z6 should’ve been at the start

Beautiful image quality

I like the shutter sound

Charges while shooting video if hooked up via USB C

This is a finally proper camera for a working photographer

AF-F mode tracks beautifully in the video modes.

I’ve never played with the various more lively color modes. They’re very fun and great for webcam use!

A fantastic webcam. This and the Panasonic S1 have arguably been the best at tracking my face.

I really wish that Nikon pushed their creative presets a lot more. Their Sunday preset is so gorgeous.

It’s only around $1,400 at the Nikon Store on Amazon.

Cons

No-textured ISO button to look for in the dark. Really Nikon? When we pressed them on this, they didn’t answer us. Which makes us believe that they think our question isn’t important. We finally got an answer and were able to clarify that no Nikon cameras have the textured ISO button.

Why can’t their creative presets be applied to the RAW files in Capture One?

No buttons that light up in the dark

4K video mode crops the image when using it as a webcam

I miss the top LCD screen of the higher end camera models

Gear Used

We tested the Nikon Z5 with the 24-70mm f2.8 and the 35mm f1.8.

Tech Specs

Here’s a summary of the essential specs from the LensRentals listing. If you’re interested, rent it before you buy it.

24.3 Megapixel Backside illuminated full-frame sensor

Hybrid image autofocus; five-axis vibration reduction

ISO 100 – 51200

Weather sealing

4K UHD video with a crop

14-bit RAW depth

4.5 fps shooting

1/200th flash sync speed

1,040,000 Dot LCD screen

1.3 lbs.

Bluetooth and Wi-Fi

Ergonomics

The Nikon Z5 continues Nikon’s DSLR-feeling mirrorless camera trend. When you look at it, this camera seems pretty serious. But instead, it’s not one of Nikon’s most serious offerings. It’s eventually going to be targeted at the mid-tier when Nikon’s highest level cameras come out.

On the front of the camera, you’ve got a few controls. There’s the lens release. But there are also two customizable buttons. These buttons affect autofocus an...