Nikon Z30 vs Z50 II

The Nikon Z30 and the Nikon Z50 II are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in June 2022 and November 2024. Both the Z30 and the Z50 II are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 20.7 megapixels.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Nikon Z30		Nikon Z50 II
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Nikon Z mount lenses		Nikon Z mount lenses
20.7 MP – APS-C sensor		20.7 MP – APS-C sensor
4K/30p Video		4K/60p Video
ISO 100-51,200 (100 - 204,800)		ISO 100-51,200 (100 - 204,800)
No viewfinder, LCD framing		Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.2" LCD – 1040k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Swivel touchscreen
11 shutter flaps per second		11 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
330 shots per battery charge		250 shots per battery charge
128 x 74 x 60 mm, 405 g		127 x 97 x 67 mm, 550 g

Check Z30 price at
amazon.com
Check Z50 II price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon Z30 and the Nikon Z50 II? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Nikon Z30 and the Nikon Z50 II is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Nikon Z50 II is notably larger (30 percent) than the Nikon Z30. Moreover, the Z50 II is substantially heavier (36 percent) than the Z30. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Nikon Z30	128 mm	74 mm	60 mm	405 g	330	Y	Jun 2022	EUR 799	amazon.com
2.		Nikon Z50 II	127 mm	97 mm	67 mm	550 g	250	Y	Nov 2024	EUR 999	amazon.com
3.		Canon R50	116 mm	86 mm	69 mm	375 g	230	n	Feb 2023	EUR 829	amazon.com
4.		Fujifilm X-T200	121 mm	84 mm	55 mm	370 g	270	n	Jan 2020	EUR 749	ebay.com
5.		Nikon 1 V3	111 mm	65 mm	33 mm	381 g	310	n	Mar 2014	EUR 749	ebay.com
6.		Nikon D6	160 mm	163 mm	92 mm	1270 g	3580	Y	Feb 2020	EUR 7 299	amazon.com
7.		Nikon D5200	129 mm	98 mm	78 mm	555 g	500	n	Nov 2012	EUR 809	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D5300	125 mm	98 mm	76 mm	480 g	600	n	Oct 2013	EUR 749	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D5500	124 mm	97 mm	70 mm	470 g	820	n	Jan 2015	EUR 799	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D5600	124 mm	97 mm	70 mm	465 g	970	n	Nov 2016	EUR 819	ebay.com
11.		Nikon Z50	127 mm	94 mm	60 mm	450 g	320	Y	Oct 2019	EUR 799	amazon.com
12.		Nikon Z fc	135 mm	94 mm	44 mm	445 g	300	n	Jun 2021	EUR 999	amazon.com
13.		Sony ZV-E10	115 mm	64 mm	45 mm	343 g	440	n	Jul 2021	EUR 749	amazon.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The Z30 was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 22 percent) than the Z50 II, which makes it more attractive for photographers on a tight budget. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.5. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Technology-wise, the Z50 II uses a more advanced image processing engine (EXPEED 7) than the Z30 (EXPEED 6), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

The two cameras under review do not only share the same sensor size, but also offer an identical resolution of 20.7 megapixels. This similarity in sensor specs implies that both the Z30 and the Z50 II have the same pixel density, as well as the same pixel size. It should, however, be noted that the Z50 II is much more recent (by 2 years and 4 months) than the Z30, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that neither of the two cameras has an anti-alias filter installed, so they are able to capture all the detail the sensor resolves.

The Nikon Z30 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 51200, which can be extended to ISO 100-204800. The Nikon Z50 II offers exactly the same ISO settings.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Nikon Z30	APS-C	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	24.3	13.9	2230	86
2.		Nikon Z50 II	APS-C	20.7	5568	3712	4K/60p	24.3	14.1	2467	86
3.		Canon R50	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.1	13.9	2168	84
4.		Fujifilm X-T200	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.1	13.6	1991	84
5.		Nikon 1 V3	1-inch	18.2	5232	3488	1080/60p	20.8	10.7	384	52
6.		Nikon D6	Full Frame	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	25.3	14.3	2886	95
7.		Nikon D5200	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60i	24.2	13.9	1284	84
8.		Nikon D5300	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.0	13.9	1338	83
9.		Nikon D5500	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	14.0	1438	84
10.		Nikon D5600	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	14.0	1306	84
11.		Nikon Z50	APS-C	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	24.1	13.6	1963	84
12.		Nikon Z fc	APS-C	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	24.2	13.8	2131	85
13.		Sony ZV-E10	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.2	13.8	2134	85
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the Z50 II provides a faster frame rate than the Z30. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/60p, while the Z30 is limited to 4K/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the Z50 II has an electronic viewfinder (2360k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the Z30 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Nikon Z30 and Nikon Z50 II along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Nikon Z30	none	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
2.		Nikon Z50 II	2360	n	3.2 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
3.		Canon R50	2360	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	n
4.		Fujifilm X-T200	2360	n	3.5 / 2780	swivel	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
5.		Nikon 1 V3	optional	n	3.0 / 1037	tilting	Y	1/4000s	60.0/s	Y	n
6.		Nikon D6	optical	Y	3.2 / 2359	fixed	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	n
7.		Nikon D5200	optical	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
8.		Nikon D5300	optical	n	3.2 / 1037	swivel	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
9.		Nikon D5500	optical	n	3.2 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
10.		Nikon D5600	optical	n	3.2 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
11.		Nikon Z50	2360	n	3.2 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
12.		Nikon Z fc	2360	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	n
13.		Sony ZV-E10	none	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, both cameras under consideration feature an electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Nikon Z30 and the Nikon Z50 II both have an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the Z30 and the Z50 II write their files to SDXC cards. The Z50 II supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the Z30 can use UHS-I cards (up to 104 MB/s).

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Nikon Z30 and Nikon Z50 II and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Nikon Z30	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
2.		Nikon Z50 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.0	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon R50	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
4.		Fujifilm X-T200	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
5.		Nikon 1 V3	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
6.		Nikon D6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.1	Y	-	Y
7.		Nikon D5200	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Nikon D5300	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
9.		Nikon D5500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
10.		Nikon D5600	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
11.		Nikon Z50	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
12.		Nikon Z fc	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
13.		Sony ZV-E10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	Y	Y

It is notable that the Z50 II has a headphone jack, which makes it possible to attach external headphones and monitor the quality of sound during the recording process. The Z30 lacks such a headphone port.

Both the Z30 and the Z50 II are recent models that are part of the current product line-up. The Z50 II replaced the earlier Nikon Z50, while the Z30 does not have a direct predecessor. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official Nikon website.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is there a clear favorite between the Nikon Z30 and the Nikon Z50 II? Which camera is better? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Arguments in favor of the Nikon Z30:

• More compact: Is smaller (128x74mm vs 127x97mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 145g or 26 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (330 versus 250) on a single battery charge.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced segment (22 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in June 2022).

Advantages of the Nikon Z50 II:

• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (EXPEED 7 vs EXPEED 6).
• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (4K/60p versus 4K/30p).
• Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
• Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
• Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
• More modern: Reflects 2 years and 4 months of technical progress since the Z30 launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the Z50 II emerges as the winner of the match-up (7 : 5 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. A professional sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Nikon Z30 and the Nikon Z50 II place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the Z30 and the Z50 II in practical situations. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Nikon Z30	4/5	..	4/5	86/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2022	EUR 799	amazon.com
2.		Nikon Z50 II	..	..	..	88/100	..	..	Nov 2024	EUR 999	amazon.com
3.		Canon R50	4/5	+ +	4.5/5	84/100	..	4.5/5	Feb 2023	EUR 829	amazon.com
4.		Fujifilm X-T200	3.5/5	..	4/5	82/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2020	EUR 749	ebay.com
5.		Nikon 1 V3	3/5	..	..	76/100	4.5/5	4/5	Mar 2014	EUR 749	ebay.com
6.		Nikon D6	..	..	4/5	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2020	EUR 7 299	amazon.com
7.		Nikon D5200	4/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Nov 2012	EUR 809	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D5300	4/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2013	EUR 749	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D5500	5/5	+	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2015	EUR 799	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D5600	4/5	..	4/5	79/100	4.5/5	4/5	Nov 2016	EUR 819	ebay.com
11.		Nikon Z50	5/5	..	5/5	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2019	EUR 799	amazon.com
12.		Nikon Z fc	4/5	..	4.5/5	86/100	5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2021	EUR 999	amazon.com
13.		Sony ZV-E10	4/5	..	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2021	EUR 749	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

Check Z30 price at
amazon.com
Check Z50 II price at
amazon.com

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

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Check Z30 price at
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Check Z50 II price at
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