With the Z5 at US$1000 through the end of today, I see a lot of folk pondering whether to get a Z5 or a Z50 (which is US$860). The answer is a little tricky.
- The Z50's advantage is smaller size and weight (particularly with the kit lens) without really giving up much in the way of features, plus a built-in flash.
- The Z5's advantage is sensor-VR, larger FX frame size, and better battery life.
Nikon really wants you to go FX. It's where their lens energy is, and then they get you in a clear upgrade path (e.g. Z5->Z6->Z7->Z9).
- The Z50's primary disadvantages are: no sensor-VR, smaller DX sensor, poor battery life, no USB PD charging, and limited lens set.
- The Z5's primary disadvantages are: poor low-light/low-contrast AF, slowish frame rate (4.5 fps), and arguably the worst video in the Z's (1.7x crop for 4K).
But I'd suggest that you make your decision primarily on lenses. Which lens(es) are you going to put on the body? The Z50 two lens set is unmatched by any other APS-C (DX) choice when it comes to price/performance, and nets you 24-375mm equivalency in two lenses. For casual use and travel photography, it's tough to beat the Z50 (though you'll need to carry extra batteries).
The Z5 starts to get more costly as you contemplate what lens(es) to put on it. To get close to the level of flexibility that the Z50 two-lens kit provides, you need to pair the Z5 with the 24-200mm f/4-6.3 lens, and that pushes you out to US$1800 (until the end of today, when the price may change). While I like the 24-50mm f/4-6.3 compact zoom and it is very affordable, that's a really limited focal range, so be sure that's okay.
So, to me, the comparison really is the Z5 with the 24-200mm at US$1800 (today) versus the Z50 with the two lens kit at US$1200 (today). Either is a good choice to get into the Z System.
