There are cameras for photographers, and then there are cameras for pre-photographers. The Nikon Z 50, Nikon’s smallest DX camera yet and first APS-C mirrorless camera, falls largely into the second category. Marketed towards Instagram users ready to upgrade from a smartphone, the Z 50 incorporates in-camera video editing and wireless video transfer while keeping to a design that channels an entry-level DSLR. But the Z 50 also launches with a built-in audience — casual Nikonographers with a stash of F-mount lenses that can be easily adapted to the mirrorless Z mount. Lacking the in-body stabilization of the full-frame Z 6 and Z 7, the Z 50 makes up for its shorter feature list with a lightweight, 14-ounce body and a tiny kit lens. After the failed Nikon 1 series, it’s good to see Nikon putting some real effort into a mirrorless camera that targets casual photographers. It’s not perfect, but the Z 50 does a lot right. The Z 50 ditches some of the high-end features of the Z 6 and Z 7, li...

Weather-sealed, ergonomic design; Excellent image quality; 11 fps burst speed; Wireless video transfers;

Autofocus struggles in low light; Few native DX lenses at launch;

The new Nikon Z50 mirrorless camera is the smallest interchangeable-lens DX-format camera Nikon offers, and as you can probably tell, I liked it a lot. It’s small and rugged with surprisingly high build quality for the price, and its thin, sleek design is very attractive.

The Z50 might look just fine on paper, but it is mightier in the hand. It borrows some of the best features from the Z6 without both the physical and financial heft. Many might see this as the perfect travel camera, especially with the addition of the super slim pancake lens, which makes the whole package an absolute joy to use and so light too, making this a camera to take everywhere. No longer will you bore your holiday chums with the dreary quagmire of the ‘Do-I-Don't I-take-my-camera-today?’ debate. But it’s also so much more than this. It could be your first ‘proper’ camera and with the lenses on offer it’s only going to get better as your photography skills do too. Testament to Nikon’s great optics, the two new lenses are an immense starter kit, and for its first foray into the APS-C market, it’s quite impressive.

Excellent handling ; Good dynamic range; Decent value;

Not particularly high resolution;

Excellent handling ; Good dynamic range; Decent value;

Not particularly high resolution;

Nikon shows why not everyone needs a professional camera with the successful Nikon Z50.

Very good picture and video quality (4K), complete ergonomics, compact and light, fast autofocus and good shooting pace.

Lacks image stabilizer, imprecise tracking focus, multiple touch focus, moderate brightness on the kit zoom.

Looking to delve into the mirrorless camera market? Check out this Nikon Z50 review to see how it performs and...

In as many ways as we can quantify, the Nikon Z50 is an incredible camera. Its drawbacks lie in the areas that are more difficult to measure, such as the overall value when considering the whole system investment, including available native lenses.

Incredible Photo & Video Image Quality, Impressive Durability, Familiar & Intuitive Ergonomics, Compact & Lightweight

Autofocus is better than Nikon DX DSLRs, but behind some competing mirrorless options, Battery life & in-camera charging leaves something to be desired, Native DX Z-mount lens selection is limited

With the Z 50 ($859.95), Nikon is putting the mirrorless technology developed for pricier full-frame bodies into a more portable—and more affordable—camera, built around the DX (APS-C) sensor format. It drops some features, notably in-body stabilization, but still offers an outstanding viewfinder, wide autofocus coverage, and 4K recording. Its autofocus system isn't quite as advanced as similar cameras from Fujifilm and Sony, though, and there are fewer dedicated mirrorless lenses available for the Z 50, so it's more appealing to photographers already invested in Nikon equipment, or family photographers who don't need loads of lenses. Nikon's First DX Mirrorless The Z 50 matches the looks of its full-frame siblings, with a prominent EVF hump on the top and Nikon's iconic red stripe on the handgrip. But, despite sharing the same wide-diameter lens mount, it's smaller all around. It comes in at 3.7 by 5.0 by 2.4 inches (HWD) and 13.9 ounces—the full-frame Z 6 is 4.0 by 5.3 by 2.7 i...

The Nikon Z 50 is a good mirrorless camera with a lot of appeal to photographers already invested in the system, but isn't quite as capable as its rivals.

Light and compact; Big, crisp EVF; Speedy response; 11fps continuous drive; Strong 4K video quality; Built-in flash; Compatible with Nikon SLR lenses via adapter

Few native lenses; Subject tracking not as good as competitors; Touch features could be more robust; Lowest resolution in class; Selfie screen design is a little awkward

The Z50 is a nice little camera that is fun to use and surprisingly capable. Its control layout will be familiar to photographers who already use Nikon DSLRs.

The Z50 is reasonably priced and doesn’t disappoint. We were super impressed by the autofocus system; it performed very well. We would have liked it to have more dynamic range, but for the price it is acceptable. Its low light performance is fine, though a bit below most mirrorless cameras.