The Z5II’s 24MP BSI CMOS sensor and Expeed 7 image processors are new to the line, replacing the basic CMOS and Expeed 6 chips from the original, but not new to Nikon cameras. The Z f uses the same sensor and processor combination for the same outstanding picture quality. The Z5II supports 14-bit Raw, 10-bit HEIF, and 8-bit JPG image formats with a native ISO 100-64000 sensitivity range and goes from ISO 50-204800 in the extended range.
Nikkor Z 28-75mm F2.8, 60mm, f/2.8, 1/800-second, ISO 100 (Credit: Jim Fisher)
You’ll enjoy better picture quality in the standard ISO range. Images show the lowest noise and capture the widest dynamic range from ISO 100-1600, and start to show some signs of noise at ISO 3200, but still look good up through ISO 25600. Fine detail takes a visible hit at ISO 51200 and above, with JPGs showing blur from in-camera noise reduction, and Raw images showing rough grain.
The sensor is mounted on a 5-axis stabilizer that prioritizes stabilization around the point of autofocus, something that Nikon says improves its performance versus systems that calculate stabilization for the center. It’s difficult to say how much better it performs for off-center subjects, but I am able to get handheld photos with no visible blur at 1/2-second consistently and at 1-second with about a 50% success rate at the 70mm focal length.
Nikkor Z 70-180mm F2.8, 180mm, f/2.8, 1/2,500-second, ISO 100 (Credit: Jim Fisher)
The Z5II also uses its in-body image stabilization (IBIS) system for a multi-shot sampling mode that shifts the chip slightly to sample color and light at every photo site, avoiding the interpolation that’s required with single exposures. This allows for truer color and detail than single exposures, and ups resolution to 96MP, but comes with a couple of caveats. You’ll need to use a tripod and find a static scene for the best results, and the images must be combined together with Nikon’s NX Studio desktop software. The Z5II isn’t the only camera that does this; the Lumix S5 II also supports 96MP multi-shot, but makes it more convenient to use with in-camera processing. The Z5II is a better camera overall, but if you put a priority on landscape or architectural scenes and anticipate using the feature a lot, the S5 II is worth considering.
Nikkor Z 70-180mm F2.8, 155mm, f/2.8, 1/160-second, ISO 250 (Credit: Jim Fisher)
The Z5II includes the typical array of color profiles (landscape, monochrome, portrait, standard, vivid, and the like), and like others in the industry, it includes more stylized profiles for photographers who want a filtered look right out of the camera. Some of my favorites include Deep Tone, Denim, Monochrome, and Pop. The Z5II includes in-camera Raw processing too, so you can play around with different looks after you’ve captured an image, right in the camera. To access the feature, press the i button when reviewing images and choose Retouch from the menu options.
