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Nikon D50 vs Nikon Z50II

Every spec side by side, from each maker's published figures.

Better figure, where one is clearly better

NikonD50NikonZ50II
Overview
Released2005November 2024
Image and sensor
Camera typeDSLRMirrorless
Sensor formatAPS-CAPS-C
Sensor typeCCDCMOS
Sensor dimensions23.7 × 15.6 mm23.5 × 15.7 mm
Effective resolution6.1 MP20.9 MP
Largest image3008 × 20005568 × 3712
RAW recordingYesYes
Standard ISO range200–1600100–51200
Sensor detailNikon DX CCD with 6.1 million effective and 6.24 million total pixels; approximately 1.5× lens focal-length equivalent; Image Dust Off reference data for optional Nikon Capture correction21.51 million total pixels; Japanese exact specification gives 20.88 million effective, rounded to 20.9 on Nikon UK. Image-dust-off reference data requires NX Studio.
Image formatsCompressed 12-bit NEF RAW, JPEG and simultaneous RAW plus Basic JPEG; maximum 3008 × 2000 pixels; Image Optimisation settings14-bit NEF RAW with lossless or high-efficiency compression; JPEG and HEIF; RAW plus JPEG or HEIF
ISO detailISO 200–1600 in whole stopsStandard still-image ISO 100–51200, expandable to equivalent ISO 204800; HLG starts at ISO 400. Movie ISO 100–25600, with N-Log-specific limits.
Image processor–EXPEED 7
Lens and shooting
Lens mountNikon F mountNikon Z mount
StabilisationOptical lens stabilisationOptical lens stabilisation
Maximum continuous burst2.5 fps30 fps
Lens detailBody autofocus motor supports compatible AF NIKKOR lenses, including type G and D; AF-S lenses also supported. Other AF NIKKOR lenses lose 3D matrix metering; non-CPU lenses require manual exposure without metering; IX and F3AF lenses unsupported; E-type lenses incompatible according to current Nikon USA specificationNIKKOR Z FX and DX lenses; FX lenses have a DX field-of-view crop. F-mount NIKKOR lenses require an adapter and retain model-dependent restrictions.
AutofocusMulti-CAM 900 phase-detection module; five selectable focus areas; -1 to +19 EV at ISO 100 equivalent, 20°C; AF-S/AF-C/AF-A and manual focus, single-area, dynamic-area and closest-subject-priority modes; AF-assist illuminator. Current US page lists Face-Priority AF, absent from the original manual specification; no face-detection capability inferredHybrid phase/contrast detection; 209 single-point or 231 auto-area positions, nine subject types, 3D tracking and AF-A. Nikon's −9 EV sensitivity uses AF-S, ISO 100, an f/1.2 lens and 20°C.
ShutterCombined mechanical and CCD electronic shutter; 1/4000 to 30 seconds in half or one-third stops, Bulb and remote long exposures; flash synchronisation up to 1/500 secondMechanical, electronic front-curtain and electronic; 1/4000 to 30 seconds plus Bulb/Time, extendable to 900 seconds in manual mode. Flash sync up to 1/250 second with reduced guide number above 1/200; Auto FP supported.
Burst detailApproximately 2.5 fps; US launch specifies up to 137 Normal Large JPEG frames on SanDisk UltraII 256 MB SD card. Original manual buffer table separately lists four RAW or nine Fine Large JPEG frames with long-exposure noise reduction off; card-dependent sustained shooting differs from buffer capacityExtended continuous shooting approximately 11 fps, or 15 fps silent; ordinary high approximately 5.6 fps, rising to 9.7 fps silent without RAW. C15/C30 high-speed capture with pre-release capture reaches 30 fps for JPEGs, not RAW.
Stabilisation detailOptical VR depends on the attached lens; no sensor-shift stabilisation. Pictured original AF-S DX 18–55 mm ED kit lens has no VRNo sensor-shift stabilisation; optical stabilisation depends on a VR lens. Electronic video VR adds a crop.
FlashBuilt-in pop-up i-TTL flash; original manual guide number approximately 15 m at ISO 200 (17 manual) or 11 m at ISO 100 (12 manual); accessory shoeManual pop-up flash, guide number approximately 7 at ISO 100 in metres; i-TTL and ISO 518 accessory shoe
Exposure controlsP/S/A/M, Auto and six scene modes; 420-segment RGB matrix, centre-weighted and spot metering; ±5 EV compensation in half or one-third stops; exposure/flash and white-balance bracketingAuto, P/S/A/M and scene modes; ±5 EV still-image or ±3 EV movie compensation
Screen and viewfinder
ViewfinderOpticalElectronic
Screen size2″3.2″
Screen dots130,0001,040,000
TouchscreenNoYes
Tilting screenNoYes
Display detailFixed 2-inch low-temperature-polysilicon TFT with 130000 dots; top status LCD; contextual help and playback magnification; dots count subpixelsVari-angle TFT, approximately 100% coverage and 170° viewing angle; dots count subpixels
Viewfinder detailPentamirror; approximately 95% coverage and 0.75× magnification; original manual specifies 18 mm eyepoint, conflicting with 8 mm on current US page0.39-inch XGA OLED, approximately 2.36 million dots, 100% coverage, 1.02× magnification and 19.5 mm eyepoint; maker maximum brightness claim 1000 cd/m²
Connections and design
Wi-Fi–Yes
Bluetooth–Yes
Battery life (maker's claim)400 photographs250 photographs
Body weight540 g495 g
Release detailNikon USA original announcement dated 20 April 2005 states June US availability as a prospective schedule; actual first-sale month is unconfirmed, so year precision is retainedAnnounced in November 2024; Nikon US states availability in late November 2024. Month precision is retained because an exact first UK retail day is unconfirmed.
Recording mediaOne Secure Digital card slot; no SDHC compatibility inferredSingle SD/SDHC/SDXC slot supporting UHS-II, in the battery compartment
PortsUSB 2.0 Hi-Speed, NTSC/PAL video output and DC input; optional ML-L3 infrared remoteUSB-C SuperSpeed USB; Micro HDMI Type D; 3.5 mm microphone input and headphone output, the latter also supports MC-DC3 remote release
Wireless connections–Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac and Bluetooth 5.0; SnapBridge and Nikon Imaging Cloud
Battery life detailEN-EL3 lithium-ion battery; main 400 shots is original manual single-frame test with 18–55 mm ED lens, Normal Large JPEG and flash every other exposure, not labelled CIPA. Separate 2000-shot continuous test uses Basic Medium JPEG and limited monitor use; the launch announcement promotes that continuous figureEN-EL25a; CIPA approximately 250 monitor shots with power saving enabled or 230 without; EVF 240 with power saving or 220 without. Tested with NIKKOR Z DX 16–50mm f/3.5–6.3 VR; movie battery-life claim 55 minutes. EN-EL25 compatibility gives shorter battery life; Photography Blog's 300-shot EN-EL25 narrative is not the current maker claim.
ChargingExternal MH-18a quick charger; optional EH-5 mains adapterUSB charging and power with compatible equipment; optional EH-8P adapter
DimensionsApproximately 133 × 102 × 76 mmApproximately 127 × 96.8 × 66.5 mm
Weight detailApproximately 540 g excluding battery, memory card and body capApproximately 495 g body only or 550 g including battery/card, excluding body cap
In the box–EN-EL25a battery, AN-DC29 strap, USB-C cable and BF-N1 body cap
ColoursBlack or silver–
Video
Highest video resolution–3840 × 2160 at 60 fps
Video detailNo movie recording or live-view composition; NTSC/PAL output is for playback, despite the current US page labelling it Movie File FormatUHD 3840 × 2160 up to 60p, with additional crop at 50/60p; full-width DX UHD up to 30p is oversampled from 5.6K. Full HD up to 120p; H.265 8/10-bit and H.264, N-Log and HLG, waveform, timecode, tally lamp, Product Review mode and Full HD Hi-Res Zoom. Maker recording limit 125 minutes, subject to conditions; no internal RAW video listed.
Audio–Built-in stereo microphones; PCM 48 kHz/24-bit for MOV or AAC 48 kHz/16-bit for MP4; external microphone and headphone monitoring

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