I keep hearing bits and pieces about what would seem to be a Z5 II in vlogging body (ala what the Z30 is to the Z50). A slightly tweaked Z5 image sensor (to provide full frame 4K video), articulating LCD, no EVF, a few other recent improvements we’ve seen in other models, all in a very small full frame body.
I don’t have any issue with Nikon producing a Z30 and Z3 camera body pair. What I have an issue with is that Nikon is lacking the necessary wide angle zooms for either of them. The 12-24mm DX PZ still hasn’t appeared (and I’m not sure I want a power zoom, plus 12mm isn’t as wide as I’d like), and what lens would you even put on an FX Z3 vlogging camera? (Some suggest a 14-30mm f/4, but that’s a little big. If you’re handholding for vlogging, you don’t want a lens shade seemingly in your face.)
Yes, the just-announced 26mm f/2.8 with a Z3 would create a really small, pocketable combo, but it just wouldn’t be wide enough. Likewise, the 24-50mm f/4-6.3 is not wide enough and it’s too slow in aperture to be competitive.
Which just means that the Z3/Z30 crowd would be buying Megadop adapters and using a small FE prime on the Z3 or the 11mm f/1.8E on a Z30. Doh!
I’ve written it before, I’ll write it again:
- Nikon doesn’t have the wide angle lens support it needs on the Z-mount yet, particularly for DX, but even FX is missing some lenses.
- Despite Nikon’s super emphasis on removing focus breathing on lenses for video, they’re not designing video lenses. Nikon seems confused by what the vlogger/videographer crowd really wants in lenses.
