Nikon Z5 - Budget Full Frame On Steroids

Nikon announced today a new entry-level mirrorless full-frame camera that will site below the current Z6/Z7 cameras but has many of the features of the Z6 plus some important updates at a much more affordable price tag. The company also announced a new FF kit lens ( Nikkor Z 24-50mm F4-6.3), two new extenders for Z mount and the availability of the long-awaited Nikkor Z 70-200mm F2.8 VR S. On top of all of those the company has also committed to releasing a web-cam app that will allow users to connect Z cameras and other specific Nikon F mount cameras as webcams on their computers (see more info here).

The new Z5 is almost identical to the Z6 but with the following changes:

It has a new 24-megapixel FF sensor (with no BSI technology like the one on the Z6, we will have to wait and see how it affects the sensitivity of the camera).
The body is very similar but with no top screen and with the more traditional dial.
The Z5 has dual UHS II SD card slots (the Z6/Z7 had only one).
The video on the Z5 is limited to 4K 30p (with 1.7x crop unlike the uncropped Z6) and 1080p 60p (unlike the 1080p 120p of the Z6). It does have the same focus peaking & zebras and mic and headphone jacks of the Z6 (we are not sure about external RAW that the Z6 has).
USB-C power and charge with no limitation and support for exiting Z camera grip.
Price: Nikon Z5 Body-only – $1,400 (kits include Nikon Z5 & NIKKOR Z 24-50mm f/4-6.3 – $1700, Nikon Z5 & NIKKOR Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR lens – $2,200).

The all-new Nikkor Z 24-50mm F4-6.3 lens will be the new kit lens for the Z5. It is a small (less than 5cm / 2″ long when closed) with a dust/water-resistant body and will cost on its own around $400 in August 2020.

Nikon also announced two new extenders that we are guessing are the first step for Nikon’s upcoming telephoto line of Z mount lenses (see the Nikon roadmap below). The first is the TC-1.4x (which as you might have guessed is a 1.4x teleconverter) and the TC-2.0x (a 2x teleconverter). Both are also dust/water-resistant with advanced coatings, f/11 AF support and will cost $550 and $600 accordingly.

The new Nikon Z teleconverter with the upcoming 70-200mm lens

Nikon also promised that the Nikkor Z 70-200mm F2.8 VR S lens that was announced last year will be available very soon (it sells for $2600).

Finally, we have Nikon’s Z lens roadmap which is going to be pretty interesting as you can see with two upcoming telephoto zoom lenses.

Nikon’s upcoming Z lens roadmap

Update: Tony Northrop on the Nikon Z5

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Iddo Genuth

Iddo Genuth is the founder and chief editor of LensVid.com. He has been a technology reporter working for international publications since the late 1990's and covering photography since 2009. Iddo is also a co-founder of a production company specializing in commercial food and product visual content.