Nikon Z50II vs Zfc: does tech beat style?

Introduction

Nikon has talked about targeting ‘creators’ with each of the four APS-C Z-mount cameras it’s launched so far, but has generally made sure the results are solidly photographer-friendly, too.

Its Z50 and Zfc models were differentiated primarily by the Zfc having a fully articulated rear screen, along with throwback styling and controls, which meant that the decision between the two was primarily a question of style. The Z50’s built-in flash was the other key feature to set them apart.

With the launch of the Z50II, even the difference in rear screen movement has been eliminated, which might make the choice seem even harder. But the Z50II is based on a newer generation of technology than the Zfc, so we thought we’d take a look at what that means, so you can work out how much it matters for your needs.

Specs

Both the Zfc and Z50II are based around the same 21MP CMOS sensor, first introduced in 2016’s D500 DSLR. We’ve seen 26 and 40MP APS-C sensors arrive in the intervening years but although these can capture more detail, they don’t generally do any better in terms of tonal quality, noise and dynamic range, so we’re not overly concerned about its age.

The main respect in which the two cameras differ is in terms of processor. The Z50II is built around the newer, more powerful Expeed 7 processor, helping it deliver a level of capability and performance the Zfc simply can’t match.

Features

The newer, more powerful processor gives the Z50II much improved autofocus (which we’ll look at later in this slideshow) as well as enabling faster shooting and much more flexible video.

In stills mode the Z50II can capture 15 or 30fps bursts of JPEGs with full autofocus, making it much better for capturing action than the Zfc, which topped-out at 11fps in JPEG (9fps in Raw). Also on the Z50II’s side is its pre-burst capture mode that starts buffering images when you half-press the shutter, letting you record up to one second of action from before you fully press the button.

The Z50II can also capture 10-bit video, which expands your output options, and 4K/60p from a 1.52x crop region of the sensor. We’ll look into the implications of this later.

The cost of the new processor is a precipitous drop in battery life. The Z50II is rated as delivering around 38% fewer shots per charge than the Zfc, using the same battery. This is a slightly unfair comparison, given the Z50II has a flash and the Zfc doesn’t, but it’s still rated to give at least 25% fewer shots per charge than the original Z50.

Handling

Beyond the difference in capabilities, the two cameras also differ in terms of controls and handling. The Zfc has dedicated dials for shutter speed, aperture and ISO, along with a P/A/S/M switch. It also has two command dials, so can be used in the same way as the Z50II, if you prefer. We found the Zfc’s dedicated controls to be somewhat quirkily implemented – you’ll often end up using the command dials to fine-tune the settings and the Auto ISO implementation is downright peculiar – but it looks distinctive and attractive in a way it’s hard to argue the Z50II does.

The Z50II has an updated viewinder that, while it shares the same resolution and magnification as the Zfc (and its own predecessor), has a new OLED panel that can reach a peak brightness twice as high as the older cameras. This means there should be a less jarring transition when you start and stop using the viewfinder in bright conditions.

Autofocus

Autofocus is another area in which the Z50II benefits from a newer processor and five years more development.

The most obvious difference is that the Z50II has been trained to recognize nine different subject types (up from three) and gains an ‘Auto’ subject mode that prompts the camera to check for all the different subjects it can identify. This risks slowing the AF down a fraction in the very fastest-moving circumstances, at which point you can select the type of subject you’re trying to capture, but for the most part, you can just leave it set to Auto and know the camera will use its full capabilities when needed.

But perhaps a bigger deal for day-to-day photography is the return of 3D Tracking, which mimics Nikon’s quick and easy-to-use tracking system from the DSLR era. This helps bring the Z50II up to the standards of the latest Canon and Sony cameras in terms of speed and ease of use, whereas the Zfc’s tracking was a little slower and more fiddly to use. The Z50II’s tracking is generally less prone to drifting off its subject than with the Zfc.

All this makes the Z50II a quicker and easier to use camera in a wide range of photographic situations.

Image quality

Given they’re based around the same 21MP CMOS sensor, we’re not surprised not to have seen any obvious differences in image quality between the two cameras. This is no bad thing, as it’s a chip that does a good job of balancing the demands of stills and video, even if it does fall a little behind some of the newer Fujifilm and Canon models in terms of detail capture.

However, while the image quality is directly comparable, the Z50II gains a button giving you direct access to the camera’s Picture Control color modes and lets you download alternative color recipes from Nikon’s cloud service. This should prompt much more experimentation with color modes than you’re likely to remember to with the Zfc.

Finally, the Z50II can output 10-bit HEIF files conforming to the HLG standard, allowing you to take advantage of the greater capabilities of modern high dynamic range displays.

Neither camera would be our first choice for, say, landscape photography or situations that really benefit from additional detail capture, but they’re both very capable for most requirements.

Video

The Z50II ends up being a significantly more capable video camera than the Zfc, despite them being based around the same sensor and both being aimed at a stills and video creator audience.

The Z50II gains the ability to capture 10-bit video. This allows it to shoot N-Log video that tries to maintain as much of the camera’s captured data, to boost creative flexibility for color grading the footage. It also lets the camera capture Hybrid Log Gamma (HLG) video which is designed to take advantage of the wider range of colors and brightness that high dynamic range displays can offer.

It also gains a waveforms display that is especially useful for setting exposure when shooting Log footage. But the thing that’s likely to have the biggest impact for the largest number of video shooters is that the Z50II has a headphone socket for monitoring audio (whether setting levels before recording or listening for distractions during recording), which the Zfc lacks.

Perhaps the most critical difference, though, is that the Z50II’s video autofocus is much more reliable.

Lenses

In this article we’ve assumed you’re interesting in buying into the APS-C line of Nikon’s Z mount. Obviously there’s no difference between the Z50II and Zfc in terms of available lenses, but it’s still worth looking at what’s available.

Now that Nikon has allowed Sigma to introduce some additional primes and Viltrox has just gone ahead and made some anyway, the baby Nikons are a much more interesting prospect than they were a few years ago. In terms of zooms you’re currently stuck with Nikon’s rather pedestrian variable aperture options, but there are plenty of primes to pick from.

Other companies offer more own-brand APS-C lens lineups and higher-end models with higher res and image stabilization that Nikon lacks, but we’re no longer in the position of Nikon making nice-enough bodies with very limited lens choices.

Conclusion

The decision between the original Z50 and the Zfc primarily came down to a question of how much importance you gave to the style and traditional controls of the Zfc, vs the value of the built-in flash offered by the Z50.

The Z50II makes enough of a leap forward, in terms of speed, autofocus sophistication and video that most people will be better served by the new camera, rather than the Zfc. You have to be really attracted by the styling (and unwilling to wait to see if there’s going to be a ZfcII) to opt for the smaller, more retro model, at this point.