Nikon Z 5 Camera Review

This isn’t the most compact option, but it’s relatively portable for a full-frame camera. It's much less bulky than a DSLR camera like the Nikon D780, but it isn't as lightweight as comparable mirrorless models like the Canon EOS RP or most crop-sensor cameras.

The camera feels very well-built. Though it's mostly made of plastic, it does have a magnesium alloy frame inside, and it's a lot sturdier-feeling than comparable entry-level full-frames like the Canon EOS RP. It's even weather-sealed against dust and moisture, giving you a bit more peace of mind when taking your camera out on rainy days.

• Nikon Z 5 mirrorless camera body
• Nikkor Z 24-50mm f/4-6.3 lens
• Lens cap
• Sensor cap
• 1x Nikon EN-EL15C battery
• Shoulder strap
• Battery charger
• USB-C cable
• User manual

The Nikon Z 5 has excellent ergonomics, with plenty of space between the grip and the lens, though this can vary depending on how big your lens is. It handles very much like other Nikon mirrorless cameras, with a nearly identical body and handgrip to the Nikon Z 6. The controls are intuitive and well-placed. Overall, it feels great in the hand and will be suitable for users of all hand sizes.

The electronic viewfinder has a high resolution. Though 3.69 million-dot resolutions have become more common in mirrorless EVFs, it's still nice to see on an entry-level model like this, and it means you'll get a clear, sharp view of your subjects through the viewfinder.

The camera has a tilting screen with full touch capability. You can select focus points with it, use it as a touch shutter, or navigate the menu and quick menu. It doesn't get overly bright, making it a bit harder to see what's on the screen on really sunny days.

Nikon's user interface is super intuitive and well-organized. You can navigate the Nikon Z5's menu using either the physical controls or the touchscreen. There's a handy quick menu to access commonly used settings, and you can customize it to show your preferred settings. The menu also has a help function that gives you more information about certain settings, which you can access by tapping the '?' symbol in the bottom left corner of the screen or pressing the zoom-out button. However, it's only available for some settings.

Battery performance is excellent. It's CIPA-rated for 390 shots when shooting through the viewfinder and 470 shots when shooting through the screen. Of course, in the real world, that number will vary depending on how you use your camera, how long you keep it powered on, what kind of shooting you're doing, and more. But the CIPA rating is a good indicator of how it performs relative to other cameras, and the Z 5 definitely stands out among mirrorless options, outperforming the more powerful Nikon Z 6II. It's especially impressive for video recording, outlasting most mirrorless cameras we've tested.

Shooting speed is one of the areas in which the Nikon Z 5 falls short of pricier models, but this isn't surprising given its relatively affordable price point.

The buffer depth isn't too bad, though it falls short of a lot of higher-end cameras that can virtually shoot to infinity. However, considering you get up to 100 shots in both RAW and JPEG, it could be worse. And thankfully, if you do manage to fill it, there's a very short delay while it empties the buffer. Where the camera falls apart is its burst rate, which maxes out at a measly 5 fps. That's fine if you're just shooting your dog or your kids, but it's probably not going to cut it for birds in flight or fast-moving sports photography.

The Nikon Z 5 uses the same basic autofocus system as the Nikon Z 6, with on-sensor phase detection technology. It's pretty good overall. It has both face and eye detection, as well as animal detection, to detect different kinds of subjects. Its tracking feature isn't as consistent as newer, higher-end Nikons like the Nikon Z 6II, but it still performs reasonably well overall for those who prefer a more hands-off approach to autofocus. The AF tracking still falls considerably short of competitors like the Sony a7 III and the Canon EOS R6, though these both sit at higher price points. Its area mode options are also more limited.

It performs worse when using the general subject tracking feature, which tends to be a bit sluggish and sometimes loses its target.

If you don't use the tracking mode, on the other hand, the camera's AF proves to be quite good. It focuses quickly and smoothly when using the center focus point, with little trouble keeping up with moving subjects. That's great for scenarios with more predictable subjects.

Unlike the Canon EOS RP, the Nikon Z 5 includes built-in image stabilization, which works in tandem with NIKKOR Z lenses. It's not the best stabilization, however. You can get clear shots at reasonably slow shutter speeds, but it's not as effective as the Nikon Z 6II.

Dynamic range is excellent, especially at its base ISO. It does drop off more quickly in low light, when you typically have to bump up the ISO, compared to the Nikon Z 6II, but overall, it performs very well.

The Nikon Z5 has a high-resolution sensor that resolves fine details very well. That means you have more leeway to crop in without losing detail than you would with a smaller sensor or lower-resolution camera.

The sensor has excellent noise handling. It isn't the best for low light, but you can still get relatively clean RAW files even when you have to boost the ISO in harsh lighting conditions.

The camera does an excellent job of reducing noise in JPEG photos taken straight out of the camera. That's great news for the casual shooter who wants clean low-light shots or those who don't want to bother processing their own RAW files.

Unfortunately, this camera can only record 4k video with a severe 1.58x crop, significantly reducing your field of view.

The autofocus system is okay for 4k video. It only supports face detection in video mode; however, it does a great job of tracking moving subjects. It's a little more sluggish when you use the general subject tracking—that is, when you select the subject manually rather than letting the AI detect a face on its own. You can adjust AF speed and sensitivity as well, which is great.

4k video quality is good overall. It's mostly limited by the heavy crop, but videos are still reasonably sharp and detailed, even in low light. It has a bit of an edge over the competing Canon EOS RP in terms of sharpness and noise handling—just don't expect the same level of quality as cameras like the Nikon Z 6II that can shoot uncropped 4k.

Rolling shutter effect is really bad. There's heavy distortion in 4k, which can be especially distracting when panning the camera.

In 1080p, autofocus works quite well. The tracking feature does a great job of keeping moving human subjects in focus. The general subject tracking is also a lot better in this resolution.

1080p video quality is pretty good. Details are a little more muddled than on the Nikon Z 6, but it's a bit better than the Canon EOS RP and isn't bad overall. It even performs decently well in low light without overly noisy footage.

Thankfully, there's much less noticeable rolling shutter effect in 1080p, though there's still a bit of distortion when panning.

The SD card slots are conveniently placed on the side of the camera, making it easy to switch out cards even when the camera's on a tripod. The dual slots are great for those who want a backup.