Comments on: The Nikon Z5 is the Best Value Full Frame Mirror-less Camera Available Today

By: Stuart McCloud

Stuart McCloud — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 12:53:32 +0000

When you factor everything in, including the price, the Nikon wins hands down.

By: Rob Blue

Rob Blue — Thu, 05 Jan 2023 18:48:34 +0000

Looking at it from a budget minded shooter’s perspective, the Z5 brings a lot to the table if you’re already a Nikon shooter with a stable of full-frame G series glass, the Z5 and a FTZ adapter will get you a long way. You can use AF-D glass on the FTZ adapter, minus autofocus, of course.

The Z5 becomes a lot less attractive once you start buying native mount glass for it. While two of Nikon’s Z-mount primes beat Canon on price (Z 40mm vs RF 35mm and Z 24mm vs RF 24mm), they lack the close focus capability of their Canon counterparts.

What’s interesting to note in the strategies of the two companies is that Nikon stuck with the traditional separate FX/DX focal lengths and designs, where Canon is taking a more hybrid approach. Take any Canon RF mount lens (except for some L glass), multiply the focal length by 1.6 and interestingly enough, you have FX wide zooms that are standard normal on DX, and the primes, FX 35mm/DX 50mm, FX 16mm/DX 24mm, etc., etc.

Nikon’s decision to open the Z-Mount to third party lens makers is laudable though. Once Sigma and Tamron produce a larger selection of Z mount lenses, the entry cost should come down considerably. Much hay has been made of Canon’s decision to close the RF mount to third parties, but shorter memories seem to forget that Sony did the same thing in the early days of the E-mount. Besides, at the consumer end, RF mount glass is an incredible bargain, so really, how much could third parties undercut Canon on price.

All this to say, if you’re a new shooter on a budget and you’re not already invested in a system, the Z5 may not be the best bargain.
At the time of this comment, B&H is currently selling the Z5/24-50mm kit for $1596. The Canon RP/24-105mm kit is $1299. At this point, its a value judgement. Like you said, both are good cameras so its a question of whether or not the Nikon is $300 better.

By: Eric

Eric — Wed, 04 Jan 2023 22:38:38 +0000

Using your B&H link to the camera is showing $1400 not 996, although it’s on sale for $1300

By: Lee

Lee — Wed, 04 Jan 2023 16:46:38 +0000

In reply to Pekka Buttler. As someone who has legacy Nikon glass, AF-D, and more modern AF-S lenses, I'd buy the Z5 so I could use all of them along with the newest Z-mount native lenses. Though, with the cost of the full-frame Z-mount lenses, I'd probably only spend enough to buy one of them. Not sure which one though.

By: Lee

Lee — Tue, 03 Jan 2023 22:39:39 +0000

I have to agree with your assessment that the Z5 is the best value entry level, FULL FRAME, mirrorless digital camera. I think it’s interesting the ways that Nikon handicaps the Z5 to keep it from eating the lunch of its pricier Z6 and Z7 siblings. Things like using SD cards instead of CF Express (though this may be considered a benefit for some), for example. Another example is keeping the burst rate shooting at a paltry 4.5 FPS to keep the pro sports/action/wildlife shooters away. By not allowing any 4K60 video and by requiring a 1.7x crop for 4K video, you’re making the camera less attractive to many professional content creators. But the IBIS, the high res EVF, and user experience make the Z5 really hit the sweet spot for the hobbyist photographer who doesn’t give a shit about video and isn’t shooting sports/action/wildlife all the time.

By: Chris

Chris — Mon, 02 Jan 2023 19:42:21 +0000

At this price point, Nikon’s Z5 can do for the Z mount what the Nikon EM achieved for the F mount. It costs about the same in real terms as the EM did in the early 1980’s and it brings a load more people into the Z mount ecosystem – whether buying Nikon’s own or third party Z lenses.

As others have pointed out, getting into the Z mount opens up more possibilities for adapting legacy glass than any of the other mirrorless mounts, so the Z5 should be an ideal mirrorless starting point for anyone with a disparate collection of old lenses.