Nikon VOA040K001

The Nikon Z 5 is an entry-level full-frame mirrorless camera that delivers good image quality in a weather-sealed body. It's held back by slow burst shooting, no in-body stabilization, and dated autofocus. At the right price, it's a solid choice for stills photographers who don't need speed.

The Z 5's 24.3 MP sensor delivers solid image quality, especially at lower ISOs where the full-frame advantage really shows. You get clean files with good dynamic range, and the high ISO performance is respectable up to around 6400 before noise starts getting pushy. The 273-point hybrid AF system does fine for portraits and everyday shooting, and the Eye-Detection AF for people and Animal-Detection AF for cats and dogs work well enough in good light. But the burst speed is a weak spot. You're looking at 4.5 fps, which puts it in the bottom third of our database. If you're shooting kids running around or any kind of action, this camera will frustrate you. The 3690k-dot EVF is sharp but sits below average compared to what competitors offer now, and the tilting touchscreen is handy but not a fully articulating screen, which hurts for vlogging and awkward angle shots.

Stacked against the competition, the Z 5 shows its age. The Panasonic Lumix S5 II offers in-body stabilization, better video specs, and a faster burst rate for not much more money. The Canon EOS R6 Mark III blows it away in autofocus performance and burst speed, though it costs significantly more. The Sony a7R V is in a completely different league with its 61 MP sensor, but it's also double or triple the price. The Fujifilm X-H2S is an APS-C camera but delivers much faster shooting and better video, which matters if you shoot action or hybrid content. The OM System OM-1 is a Micro Four Thirds camera with incredible stabilization and speed, but you give up the full-frame sensor. For pure image quality per dollar, the Z 5 holds its own. For everything else, the newer cameras have moved on.

Pricing on the Z 5 kit is all over the place in Europe right now. We're seeing it listed anywhere from EUR 1,249 to EUR 1,769 across German, Spanish, French, and Italian retailers. That's a EUR 520 spread, which is wild. If you're in the UK, it's going for GBP 919. At the low end of that EUR range, the Z 5 is a genuinely good deal for a full-frame camera with a kit lens. At the high end, you're getting into territory where the Panasonic Lumix S5 II and Canon EOS R6 Mark III start looking a lot more tempting. Shop around and don't pay more than EUR 1,300 for this kit if you can help it.

The Nikon Z 5 with the NIKKOR Z 24-50mm f/4-6.3 kit lens is Nikon's entry-level full-frame mirrorless camera, and it's aimed squarely at photographers who want that big sensor look without selling a kidney. It packs a 24.3 MP full-frame CMOS sensor, the EXPEED 6 processor, and an ISO range of 100-51200 into a magnesium alloy body that weighs 870g with the lens attached. If you're searching for a full-frame mirrorless camera under 1500 EUR, this kit shows up a lot, and for good reason. It's the cheapest way into Nikon's Z mount system with a full-frame sensor.

Skip the Z 5 if you shoot sports, wildlife, or fast-moving kids. The 4.5 fps burst rate will leave you missing shots. Video shooters and vloggers should also look elsewhere, the lack of in-body stabilization and the fixed display make handheld video a chore. If you need modern autofocus that tracks subjects reliably in low light, the Canon EOS R6 Mark III or Sony a7R V are much better, though pricier. And if you want a camera that's genuinely fun to shoot fast with, the Fujifilm X-H2S or OM System OM-1 will serve you better.

Should you buy the Nikon Z 5? If you want a full-frame camera for landscape, portrait, and general photography, and you can find this kit at the lower end of its price range, yes. The image quality is genuinely good, the build is solid, and the Z mount has a growing lens lineup. But if you shoot any kind of action, need good video, or want modern autofocus performance, look elsewhere. The slow burst rate and lack of in-body stabilization are real limitations that will annoy you over time. This is a camera for patient photographers, not speed demons.