Darin Marcus
Well-known member
I am not sure how much interest there is on GetDPI about the Z50, but just in case, here is a thread for it
I wasn't planning to buy it initially, but I got bored waiting for the Z 70-200mm f/2.8 S...
Moreover, I had a small camera bag and a 46mm B+W Redhancer filter left from my Olympus E-PL1 days, and the Z50 + the Z DX 16-55mm were a perfect fit. I really wanted to put that filter to use again...
Long story short, the Z50 + the 16-50mm is the competent compact camera I've been waiting for. The grip is excellent for my hand, and since the rest of the body and the kit lens are so small, the grip feels even more reassuring in my hand. So much so, that I put back the neck strap which comes with the camera in the box, and I am using instead a thin wrist strap designed for compact P&S cameras with full confidence. The camera seems to be as compact as it could possible be, given the Z mount and the size of the battery - one thing I've never seen in any of my other cameras is that the SD card is so close to the battery that its slot is partially open towards the battery (there is no wall at the top), so putting the card in and taking it out requires a bit more care.
The small body has the disadvantage that the buttons are crammed in the available space, and some are in positions where my fingers do not find them instinctively, like on the Z6 (for example, the ISO and Exposure Compensation buttons). Also, at the beginning I had a small issue with the touch buttons on the right side of the LCD - in portrait orientation, when I tried to reach the multi selector with my thumb to change the focus point (after using the AF-ON button to focus), I kept touching the zoom in button, which completely broke my workflow. I am more careful now with the movement, and the issue seldom occurs.
The kit lens is very small, and requires unlocking before use (just like the Z 24-70mm f/4 S), but there are consequences for that beyond the f/6.3 max aperture at 50mm... I discovered that I cannot use the mechanical shutter with it, and sure enough, the camera manual states that the mechanical shutter may not be available with certain lenses. If I am not mistaken, even when used on the Z7/Z6 after the 2.10 firmware update, this lens disables the mechanical shutter. The distortion correction cannot be turned off in camera and in some of the RAW processing software (for example ViewNX-i and Capture NX-D), just like with the Z 24-70mm f/4 S. Other that that it is a very sharp and nice lens, even though it is not an S.
The image quality is very good, probably at least as good as the D500 (which I've never used). The AF speed is good enough for my needs - but does not seem better that the Z6 (in my usage).
I will add more comments as I use the camera.
I wasn't planning to buy it initially, but I got bored waiting for the Z 70-200mm f/2.8 S...
Moreover, I had a small camera bag and a 46mm B+W Redhancer filter left from my Olympus E-PL1 days, and the Z50 + the Z DX 16-55mm were a perfect fit. I really wanted to put that filter to use again...
Long story short, the Z50 + the 16-50mm is the competent compact camera I've been waiting for. The grip is excellent for my hand, and since the rest of the body and the kit lens are so small, the grip feels even more reassuring in my hand. So much so, that I put back the neck strap which comes with the camera in the box, and I am using instead a thin wrist strap designed for compact P&S cameras with full confidence. The camera seems to be as compact as it could possible be, given the Z mount and the size of the battery - one thing I've never seen in any of my other cameras is that the SD card is so close to the battery that its slot is partially open towards the battery (there is no wall at the top), so putting the card in and taking it out requires a bit more care.
The small body has the disadvantage that the buttons are crammed in the available space, and some are in positions where my fingers do not find them instinctively, like on the Z6 (for example, the ISO and Exposure Compensation buttons). Also, at the beginning I had a small issue with the touch buttons on the right side of the LCD - in portrait orientation, when I tried to reach the multi selector with my thumb to change the focus point (after using the AF-ON button to focus), I kept touching the zoom in button, which completely broke my workflow. I am more careful now with the movement, and the issue seldom occurs.
The kit lens is very small, and requires unlocking before use (just like the Z 24-70mm f/4 S), but there are consequences for that beyond the f/6.3 max aperture at 50mm... I discovered that I cannot use the mechanical shutter with it, and sure enough, the camera manual states that the mechanical shutter may not be available with certain lenses. If I am not mistaken, even when used on the Z7/Z6 after the 2.10 firmware update, this lens disables the mechanical shutter. The distortion correction cannot be turned off in camera and in some of the RAW processing software (for example ViewNX-i and Capture NX-D), just like with the Z 24-70mm f/4 S. Other that that it is a very sharp and nice lens, even though it is not an S.
The image quality is very good, probably at least as good as the D500 (which I've never used). The AF speed is good enough for my needs - but does not seem better that the Z6 (in my usage).
I will add more comments as I use the camera.