Thom Hogan

The C in the just announced Nikon Z5IIC apparently stands for casual, but it could also stand for creators or compact, if you’d like. Nikon also specifically calls out “user-friendly features for first-time mirrorless camera users.” In my talks with Nikon prior to the announcement, they emphasized that this new model is mostly targeting the new-to-Nikon full frame user, particularly younger users looking for a low-cost full frame camera they can grow into.

We now see the reason why Nikon never promoted the ZR as a still camera, though the ZR is a highly capable one: it would have made the Z5IIC launch marketing more difficult, despite the price differential. Nikon does want you to use the Z5IIC as a still camera, but fundamentally, it’s difficult to distinguish it from the ZR in that respect as both don’t have a viewfinder and rely upon the Rear LCD when taking still images. Which is why Nikon is putting the emphasis on the approachable design aspect of the new camera. Things Nikon cites for that include the inclusion of Scene Modes, the direct access to Imaging Recipes (Picture Controls), and all the automated features. I’ll point out, though, in my pre-release use of the Z5IIC I couldn’t find any of the more advanced features from the Z5II were left out, though. The Z5IIC is absolutely an entry-level camera that a user can grow into.

The odd autofocus addition in the Z5IIC that every photo site in the world will likely mention is Nikon's new form of subject detection. For Fish. Yes, those things that are underwater. Personally, I would have preferred Elephant. Or Cow. Or, given the number of them that seem to now occupy my backyard: Rabbit. Another curiosity is this: “fish can be detected only when Fish is selected for subject detection.” Okay then, you really have to be into fish to like this feature. Much more useful is that the Z5IIC didn’t leave out AF-ON+AF-area mode or Product review mode or Link VR to focus point, all very advanced focus options that have continually migrated down in the lineup.

Yes, I asked Nikon if they were going to mention the Nikonos connection with the new fish detection. Apparently not. But you can see very easily how a small Ikelite-type underwater housing surrounding this new camera would be an immediate must-have among the diving crowd. And speaking of water, the Z5IIC is indeed dust- and weather-resistant in build. Overlap, sealing, gaskets, check.

One final thing: the Z5IIC is so like a Z5II that it has the Type D HDMI connector and both a mic and headphone jack. It supports the MC-DC3 wired remote release or the ML-L7 bluetooth remote one. Basically, if the Z5II supports it, the Z5IIC supports it, as well. Well, maybe not the rubber eyecup...

The Z5IIC lists for US$1399 body only, or US$1699 with the 24-50mm f/4-6.3 kit lens. You can get all black, or a panda style (top silver, main body black, shown at the top of this article). My preference was the panda version, which replaces the “block of black” effect with a more legacy type look. The two body options are exactly the same other than the silver versus black top plate and top controls, plus silver Front Command dial. The crazy thing is that I tested the Z5IIC with a 26mm f/2.8 prior to release in Grand Central Station in New York City and no one noticed; even the others with mirrorless cameras wandering around taking photographs paid no attention to me or caught that I was using something not yet announced. Put another way, the Z5IIC looks like a camera you expect to see. People probably thought I was using a Fujifilm or something similar. 

Essentially, Nikon has created a Panasonic S9 competitor. Given that the S9 sells for US$1499 (currently being discounted to US$1299), Nikon is starting out quite competitive here. I’m told that they originally were going to list it for a bit more, but once again decided to make their camera look discounted against direct competition. That’s been true from the original Z6/Z7 through to the Z9, and now again with the Z5IIC. Nikon’s cameras are price competitive no matter what class they’re in.

The big issue for Nikon, particularly their marketing team, is that when a bit of information about the camera first leaked, there was a loud contingent immediately complaining that there was nothing new, interesting, or innovative about the Z5IIC (they were guessing, but close to correct). The Z5IIC fills a slot at the bottom of the full frame lineup where there isn’t a lot of action going on, even with competitors; it doesn’t match up to the also compact A7CII, which has a rangefinder EVF (though it lists for US$2499, a much higher price point, higher even than the Nikon ZR).

One typical premature response I’ve seen in fora and comments is “I didn’t ask for this camera.” Well, no, if you’re reading this site, you probably didn’t. (You might still want it; read on.) However, you also haven’t bought most of the other 10 cameras Nikon has on offer right now, either. I dismiss this type of crude dismissal—because that’s the intent behind such statements—because Nikon, like all companies, has more than one customer they need to satisfy. My only guestion is whether Nikon marketing can get the message about the Z5IIC to the customer that would most respond to it. My gut feeling is no. Nikon isn’t great at marketing in the first place, and the most likely customer isn’t one that Nikon interacts with much, at all. While we have the Big Yellow Land Cruiser hitting five US locales at the moment trying to find said customer, that’s not going to scare up enough new users, methinks. 

Now, as to why you might want a Z5IIC: stick a 26mm f/2.8 lens on the front and it’s a compact, full frame camera that fits very nicely into my vest pocket. That’s exactly how I was using it in New York City: stuffing it into my pocket while walking about, pulling it out to take pictures. The reason why you use the 26mm with the Z5IIC is that the lens doesn’t stick out past the hand grip (yes, the camera has a real hand grip) so the whole package becomes pretty much a small rectangular block with nothing sticking out, and slides in and out of a large pocket very nicely. I’m likely to have much more to say about this in my upcoming review.

All that said, it seems to me that Nikon designers might have missed a turn (or are behind by a beat). The real pent-up still camera demand that Nikon is not filling at the moment is for a Z9-generation 45mp entry camera, not another Z9-generation 24mp one. Consider for a moment if Nikon had simply stuck the 45mp image sensor from the Z7II into the Z5IIC instead: suddenly, you’d have a high pixel-count camera that no other high pixel count camera comes close to in price. The current Z7/Z7II crowd is less interested in viewfinder upgrades than they are in getting the Z9-generation goodies, particularly autofocus. I suspect that for what most of the Z7/Z7II use their cameras for, a US$1999 Z7IIIC would have been a better seller than Nikon is going to get from the Z5IIC. I’m happy with the 24mp we got, but do think the 45mp sensor would have made me happier (without changing any other aspect of the camera). 

While the Z5II has sold quite well, it’s not a primary mover in Nikon’s lineup. Most stores report to me that their top four Nikon sellers are Z50II, Z6III, ZR, and Z8. Thus, sticking a Z5IIC in with the Z5II isn’t likely to move a lot of extra boxes unless Nikon can drum up those new, young customers looking for their first full frame camera. On the other hand, launching an entry level full frame camera into the holiday season should manage to sell a fair number of product early on, as the price is quite giftable (both to others or oneself). Note what I wrote: with the 26mm f/2.8, the Z5IIC is Nikon’s new compact, full frame camera. No, it won’t fit in a shirt pocket, but the size works for vest and jacket pockets, or pretty much any small pouch or sling you would want to carry. 

My early verdict: the Z5IIC is going to be a sleeper hit. Sleeper because Nikon’s marketing won’t get the right messages to the right folk efficiently and customers will have to self discover it. Hit because this is a really good price for what is a darned good camera. What would I miss from using a Z6III or Z8? Weight. Viewfinder. Uh…Bueller? 

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Some Q&A

Have you tried it? Yes, I had an afternoon excursion with the Z5IIC in New York City. As I noted above, the panda version is quite attractive looking. A hint of legacy in a modern body.

Is the Z5IIC a Sony A7CII competitor? Not in my estimation. There are both price and performance differences that put the Sony camera into a higher class. The camera the Z5IIC most seems in competition to is the Panasonic S9.

Why wouldn’t I buy the ZR instead? You might. The ZR is at a much higher price point with more features and performance, particularly on the video side. I happen to like the ZR, as do a few others, even as a still camera. That big bright screen on the back makes it one of the most usable held-in-front-of-you cameras I’ve seen. On the other hand, the ZR is not easily grippable. The Z5IIC? Not quite as compelling on the Rear LCD front, but it’s also far lower cost and handles just like a Z5II, which is as much camera as most people need.

Is the Z5IIC’s Rear LCD too dim? Nikon wouldn’t disclose the nit value of the screen, but it seems to be about where the rest of the line other than the ZR fall. I just stepped the Monitor brightness up a step or two and was perfectly comfortable in bright daylight. Indoors that wasn’t necessary. 

What did Nikon leave off? Since this is a Z5II just with a C at the end and nothing up center top, some think that Nikon might have skimped on other features to get to the lower price point. They did, but not nearly as much as you’d think. The two basic differences other than no viewfinder are that the Z5II has two SD (UHS-II) card slots and the Z5IIC one; the Z5II has a 2m dot Rear LCD while the Z5IIC uses a 1m dot one; the Z5II has a thumb stick, the Z5IIC doesn’t; the back button is labeled AF-ON on the Z5II, but AE-L/AF-L on the Z5IIC. That’s about it for simplifications. Meanwhile, Nikon added Scene modes to the Z5IIC, which are always popular with new camera users, while keeping a ton of sophisticated things such as raw video, pixel-shift photography, pre-release capture, and virtually all of the other Z9-generation goodness. You’ll find the recently-added Film grain function and Product review focus modes, too.

Which image sensor does the Z5IIC use? The Z5II one as far as I can tell. I don’t see any spec change or Nikon marketing point that would suggest otherwise. The images I took look pretty much the same as I’d expect with the Z5II (see below). Using the same sensor means 30 fps raw video is best case (and line skipped, I believe), though most will want to use FullHD (120 fps) or 4K (60 fps) in 10-bit H.265, as those are quite good on a Z5II. N-Log and HLG are both still there in the Z5IIC.

So just how much smaller is it than the original Z5II? Specifically, 0.8” (20mm) less tall, otherwise dimensionally the same. However it also moves in and out of cases more easily without the hump. In terms of weight, the C version loses 2.8 ounces (80g). The Z30 remains the smallest and lightest no viewfinder camera in the lineup, but it also uses a smaller battery and doesn’t have a sensor VR mechanism. 

What happened to the Z30II? I’m not completely sure, but I think it has to do with where Nikon wants to get new, young creators entering into the lineup (e.g. FX, not DX, and at a higher price point). Personally, I think a Z30II with the Z9-generation goodies would make for one heck of bottom feeder camera. With the 12-28mm PZ and 16-50mm kit lens, it would make for a svelte little kit that has quite a bit of image/video cred. I suspect, however, that Nikon’s caught up in a parts crunch. Where it puts EXPEED7 chips and how many 20mp DX image sensors it has available as they get close to a sensor upgrade probably has the bean counters pushing beans into what they think are the best piles at the moment. The Z50II would be the best place to put whatever 20mp sensors they can get (or still have). 

Will there be a 26mm bundle option? In the US, Nikon announced that there will be a “soft bundle” option available through various retailers. Ditto for the 40mm f/2. What I believe they mean by that is that if you purchase the Z5IIC with one of those two lenses simultaneously, there will be a small discount from what the price of the two items would be if bought separately. 

Can the Z5IIC be used for streaming? Absolutely. UAC/UVC support is built in, as has been the case with the full Z9-generation. Again, I couldn’t find any feature that Nikon was leaving off the Z5II other than the extra card slot and EVF.

How’s the image sensor? Again, it’s the Z5II image sensor, well proven in the field and capable of holding a pretty wide dynamic range (I can bring out more in the deep shadows and even a bit more in the highlights in this image taken down in the train tunnels, but I kind of like it like this, as it captures the feel better):

Will you write a book for the Z5IIC? Almost certainly, as it will be easy enough to use the Z5II Complete Guide as the base, adding in a couple of new features while removing or changing a few others.

Why isn’t the Z5IIC in the cameras shown in the yellow bar at the top of the site? The ZR isn’t, either. We’re starting to get camera overload, so I’m contemplating how to suggest the entire lineup without making a bunch of tiny little cameras, particularly on mobile devices looking at the site. I think things work fine as it is right now for the time being.

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Update: I’ve made a few word changes and one typo correction since the midnight post at Nikon’s official release time. However in just the few hours that have transpired since, I’ve gotten a lot of feedback and seen a lot of fora activity on the new camera, and frankly, I’m a bit shocked at how much and how many people who the camera probably wasn’t intended for seem to want to condemn it out of hand. Had the exact same camera with exactly the same specifications and performance been introduced four years ago, I’d bet that the commentary would have been exactly the opposite from the peanut gallery. 

Let me tackle a few of the most common complaints I’m seeing:

• Weight (it’s too heavy). Too many people get this wrong. If you want lighter and even smaller, get a Z30. But having wandered around with both cameras and an appropriate lens in my (big) pocket, I’m not fatigued by one and not the other, and my arms don’t ache by holding the heavier one. I have a couple of friends who have wrist issues and can’t hold a lot of weight for long, and both are using heavier cameras than the Z5IIC. Also, some heft actually helps with the hold-camera-in-front-of-you style of photography. I find that I’m having to set higher shutter speeds on my very light Ricoh GRIV than I do on my much heavier ZR, for instance. That’s not due to VR, it’s due to positional stability. Further, the Z5IIC has the full hand grip, which a lot of the lighter cameras have to give up to save weight. My sense is the Z5IIC is an appropriate weight. Not particularly light, but not too heavy to use for casual photography, as Nikon suggests it was designed for. And for the record, the Fujifilm X100VI, the so-called viral compact camera, is only 100g lighter, not as flexible, more money, out of stock, and doesn’t focus as well. 
• It’s not really a good camera for beginners. This argument seems to center around some notion that it doesn’t have a viewfinder, and that dedicated cameras, even entry ones, have viewfinders. I’ll have more to say about composing images shortly, but I’ve worked with beginners and new-to-dedicated-camera users a fair amount. Having a viewfinder actually adds a complication for them, as once the camera is up to the eye, they can’t see the controls they have available. It’s actually only once you’ve mastered a UI that putting your eye to a viewfinder and concentrating (almost) solely on composition becomes useful. 
• The display isn’t bright enough. That was my biggest concern when I first was given information about the Z5IIC before it was announced, and the reason why I asked to spend an afternoon with it before the launch. I needed to confirm that you could indeed reliably compose with the camera, even in bright light. Sure, in the brightest daylight I had to bump the brightness up a notch from the default, but the Z5IIC has the bigger EN-EL15C battery in it, so I’m not overly concerned about that. Indoors and in shade it was fine at normal brightness.      s

What I see is a lot of people trying to defend biased positions (either brand-centric, or spec-snobby). There doesn’t seem to be a lot of rationality or pragmatism in their posts. Coupled with the fact that there haven’t been very many new cameras to discuss this year, pretty much every launch recently has generated a lot of not for me-ism.

Finally, I should point this out: AI is pattern matching. When new things come out and the majority of posts about it are forum discussions and comments on articles, AI will scrape those discussions and repeat it when you ask things such as “is the Nikon Z5IIC a good camera?” I typed that exact question into my chatbot this morning and then watched its thinking:

     …Research camera guidance for a Nikon Z5IIC question  …Searched the web  …Fetched: Nikon Z5IIC announced: $1399, no viewfinder [from redsharknews.com]! …Planning a brief overview  …weighting the new viewfinder-free Nikon against its trade-offs

The result was as you might expect: good for casual photos and travel but with caveats. The AI engine specifically said to consider the Z5II instead, which indicates that it had already managed to detect that the patterns it saw were stacking up on the “it doesn’t have a viewfinder” posts.