Page 64 - Australian Photography Dec 2020

✔
8.4
HANDLING ★ ★ ★ ★
A well balanced body is complemented by smaller and lighter glass to deliver a great all-round handling package. Menus are easy to navigate and instantly familiar to Nikon shooters.
FEATURES ★ ★ ★ ★
There’s no mistaking that Z 5 users get a whole lot of bang for their buck. The AF system lacks the bells and whistles of the flagship Z 7, but you’re saving
a chunk of cash, too.
AUTOFOCUS ★ ★ ★ ★
Performance is solid, although it would be great if it offered a slightly faster drive speed.
IMAGE QUALITY ★ ★ ★ ★
The Nikon Z 5’s impressive image quality is perhaps its best calling card and is certainly suitable for use by professional photographers.
VALUE FOR MONEY★★★★★
Z 6 owners may be wishing they held on for the Z 5 as it clearly offers better value for money
– it really is a cost-effective way to step up to full-frame photography.
FINAL WORD
The Z 5 is as much of a curveball as you’re arguably likely to see from Nikon. Combining most of the best bits from the Z 6/Z 7 cameras, the Z 5 serves as
a perfect starting point for photographers wishing to move to full-frame photography. With the added video specifications, the Z 5 is an all-rounder that won’t break the bank.
RESULTS
SPECS
Sensor
Max file size
Lens
Shutter speed
Viewfinder
LCD
Flash
Movie mode
External Microphone jack
Card formats
Weight
Price
More info
24.3-megapixels
(35.9 mm x 23.9 mm) CMOS
6016 x 4016 pixels
Z-Mount full-frame
1/8000-30 seconds/Bulb
3690k-dot electronic viewfinder
.2-inch 1,040,000 dots touch-sensitive tilting LCD
Hotshoe
4K up to 30p, Full HD to 60p
Yes
Dual SD
590g
$2099 RPP
nikon.com.au
TESTED: NIKON Z 5
SCORE
RIGHT: For a supposedly entry level camera, the
Z 5 delivers image quality that punches above its weight. RAW files capture vast tonal information, enabling photographers to reveal shadows and rescue highlights from high-contrast lighting scenes such as this sunset. Nikon Z 5, 35mm f/1.8 lens. 1/30s @ f16, ISO 100.
The good news continued when I re- turned home and analysed the results on the computer because the image quality from the Z 5 is seriously impressive and on par with out-and-out professional cameras rather than (so-called) entry level models. Images were sharp, had great colour ren- dition and retained an impressive amount of detail. In fact, when editing RAW files from the Z 5, I was surprised with just how much tonal data was present so Highlights could be rescued and detail could be re- vealed in Shadows when I had got the ex- posure a little wrong. I tested the Z 5 with the 24-50mm kit lens, 35mm prime and 70-200mmf/2.8SVRzoomandgotgreat results with all lenses – although I pre- ferred using the more traditional 35mm and 7-20mm over the 24-50mm kit lens which features a twisting lock feature, which is great for cutting down weight and size, but it’s a bit faffy to use in the field.
VERDICT
There is no doubt the Nikon is one of the best value cameras on the market and certainly succeeds in bring- ing something new and fresh to the full- frame mirrorless market.
As long as you don’t need the huge reso- lution of the Z 7, Nikon photographers looking to slide over from DSLRs to mir- rorless will find plenty to love with the Z 5, but the maximum burst rate may mean the Z 6 is a better option for sports and wildlife shooters. Speed issues aside, the Z 5 is close to the perfect all-rounder thanks to its ease-of-use, excellent build quality and impressive image quality results. ❂
COPING WITH COMPROMISES
So are there any negative points about the Z 5? Well, yes, but given the price point this camera sells at, I think the best term is “compromises” rather than negatives. The main issue is based around the burst rate speed, as while the Z 6 a rapid 12 frames per second and the flagship Z 7 follows behind with up to nine frames per second, the Z 5 only serves up 4.5 frames per second. Does this make a difference in the field? Yes, especially if you are a professional sports or wildlife photographer. Does it stop you from getting great images? No,
| 64 | DECEMBER 2020 | AUSTRALIANPHOTOGRAPHY.COM
you just have to be a lot more consid- ered with your timing. As you’d expect, the video features on the Z 5 are a little more streamlined, too.
While it’s impressive, the Z 5 can cap- ture 4K video up to 30p in MP4 or MOV file formats and features jacks for head- phones and an external microphone so enhanced audio can be captured and monitored. The Z 5 does miss Nikon’s N-Log colour profile technology. Also, the Z 5 can shoot up to 60p in Full HD so it misses out on the ability to shoot slow motion Full HD. The tilting design of the LCD means this is a camera for making simpler movies or shooting B-roll – certainly not a Vlogging cam- era. One area the Z 5 strikes back over its stablemates is battery life; it can offer 390 shots on a single charge compared to the Z 7 (330 shots) and the Z 6 (310).