Leaked Nikon Z5 specs suggest it could be a compelling Canon EOS RP rival
A cheaper version of the Nikon Z6 could be very popular
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
For all the recent hype around theCanon EOS R5andEOS R6, it’s the other end of the full-frame mirrorless camera market that’s about to get seriously spicy – particularly if some apparently leaked specs for theNikon Z5turn out to be correct.
The rumored Nikon Z5 is expected to be a more affordable version of theNikon Z6, which is currently top of our list of thebest camerasyou can buy. And nowNokishita, the usually reliable Japanese news site, has revealed some intriguing possible specs for what would be a compelling rival to theCanon EOS RP.
In many ways, the Nikon Z5 is likely to be closer to the Nikon Z6 than expected, with both cameras seemingly sharing the same 3.69-million dot electronic viewfinder, hybrid AF system with 273 focal points, weatherproofing and in-body image stabilization (IBIS).
In other respects, though, the possible specs show that the Nikon Z5 will indeed be a lower-powered version of Nikon’s current mirrorless star. The most notable one is a pretty slow 4.5fps burst shooting rate, compared to the Z6’s 12fps ceiling, which suggests it won’t be a camera for keen sports or wildlife shooters.
Elsewhere, you get a lower-res 3.2-inch rear touchscreen (1.1-million dots, instead of 2.1-million on the Z6) and the expected omission of a top LCD for quickly checking your settings. The Nikon Z5’s sensor is expected to be a 24.3MP full-frame affair, although it’s not clear whether this is the same as the Z6’s chip or an older one perhaps taken from Nikon’s previous cameras.
There are a lot of other details missing from the apparent specs leak too, including whether4Kvideo shooting will come with a crop and, of course, the Z5’s possible price. Given you can currently pick up a Nikon Z6 for around $1,800 / £1,500 / AU$2,700, it’s expected to cost a fair bit less than that.
If it can match the price of theCanonEOS RP, which is one of the best-value cameras around right now, it could be an exciting new option for those looking to upgrade to a full-frame camera. You can currently buy the EOS RP for around $999 / £1,220 / AU$1,900.
Get the best Black Friday deals direct to your inbox, plus news, reviews, and more.
Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable Black Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content.
Full-frame frugality
We’ve long been fans of the value offered by theCanon EOS RP, which we said was “arguably a much more compelling proposition for those looking to move to full-frame mirrorless shooting than the EOS R”.
And these potentially leaked specs for the Nikon Z5 suggest it could raise the bar for affordable full-frame cameras, with the inclusion of in-body image stabilization (IBIS), weatherproofing and (gasp) two card slots.
Naturally, the handbrake appears to have been left on in other areas, most notably burst shooting, but if the Z5 does indeed have the same autofocus system as the Z6, with eye detection and animal AF, it could be a fine stills-focused camera for those who want to jump aboard the Nikon Z system without paying the big bucks.
This proposition would be strengthened by the rumored arrival of a new Nikkor Z 24-50mm f/4-6.3, which would appear to be an ideal kit lens for the Nikon Z5. This is expected to be a small and light lens for general shooting that will come with a plastic construction, which would again make it more affordable than current options like theNikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 S.
It doesn’t look like we’ll have to wait long to find out the confirmed specs for the Nikon Z5 or Nikkor Z 24-50mm f/4-6.3 kit lens –Nikon Rumorsis confident that an announcement will take place on July 21. Until then, you can read our in-depth analysis of what to expect in ourNikon Z5 release date, news and featuresround-up.
Mark is TechRadar’s Senior news editor. Having worked in tech journalism for a ludicrous 17 years, Mark is now attempting to break the world record for the number of camera bags hoarded by one person. He was previously Cameras Editor at both TechRadar and Trusted Reviews, Acting editor on Stuff.tv, as well as Features editor and Reviews editor on Stuff magazine. As a freelancer, he’s contributed to titles including The Sunday Times, FourFourTwo and Arena. And in a former life, he also won The Daily Telegraph’s Young Sportswriter of the Year. But that was before he discovered the strange joys of getting up at 4am for a photo shoot in London’s Square Mile.
I used my DSLR for the first time in years since switching to mirrorless – here’s four things I learned
If DSLR cameras are dead, why are they still so popular? Here are 5 reasons
The real battle for generative AI in software
