Is the D50 II the new D500 ?

Pistnbroke

Not personally changed to Z because I dont see the point ..My D7200 and Tamron 100-400 give the best bird results I have ever had , The Z50 ll Interests me with the improved focus and pre shot function .I dont like the battery , 20 MP or 1 card senario and no charger .

photobunny

I think the Z8 or Z6III is more the D500. While it is full frame instead of crop, it hits all the same points as the D500 and now you have the 180-600 instead of 200-500 as the entry level bird lens. So you are only giving up a wee bit of reach.

The Z50ii looks capable, but you'd have to use it in mechanical shutter mode most of the time for action to avoid rolling shutter artefacts. A D500 successor should have a semi stacked or stacked sensor for a super fast readout to match the Z9 and Z8. With a bigger body, available grip, bigger batteries, joy stick, and shutterless design.

Not to say the Z50 II is a bad camera, it just isn't one I would replace a D500 with. The feature set of the D500 is arguably best matched by the Z8. With the Z6III not quite having the same build, ergonomics, and backlit buttons.

NSXTypeR

Personally I don't think so and I'm glad I got my D7500. In terms of pure FPS and specs it does somewhat match the D500 but I don't think it matches it on build quality. In capable hands I'm sure it's fine. Moreover, it's essentially the same sensor as the D500 and D7500 so it's not like I'm losing out much on image quality, which is excellent. I've never handled a Z50 but I wanted to use the same batteries my D7000 used as well as all my F-mount lenses. It was just easier for me to get a D7500 than to buy a brand new set of lenses. I'm a little sad that there wasn't an update to the D7500 like a possible D7800 with USB-C charging but I'm happy I got the last DX mid range DSLR. Honestly there's room for a higher range Z mount DX camera but who knows when Nikon would launch that.

Pistnbroke

like NSXT says easier to stick with what you got unless you got loads of $$$$

donaldejose

I think a Z D500 replacement would have the "pro" control layout of a Z8 or Z9 or at least the z6IIi body layout and Nikon would call it something like a Z90. But Nikon won't produce such a "DX pro level" body until it has a new higher megapixel stacked or semi-stacked sensor to put into such a body. Comparing any current body "stats" to those of the old D500 is false. Nikon won't produce a D500 replacement in Z body which has the same "stats" as the old D500. The target "stats" for a pro DX body will be the Z9 stats. So expect 30 or 35 mp at least. I don't think 24 will be enough. Nikon will have to give the birder significantly more megapixels per feather than they can get by shooting the Z9 or Z8 in DX mode for such a pro DX body to sell well. A new DX sensor is the key to even the possibility of a true D500 replacement. It also may be that Nikon thinks the market the D500 satisfied no longer exists.

mhedges

I doubt there will ever be a true D500 type camera in the Z system. Once you factor in the extra cost of making a new stacked sensor for what's really a pretty niche product it would cost almost as much as a Z8.

The thing that made it make sense in the DSLR world vs. just using a D850 in crop mode was the OVF - you would have a very small image when cropped. Mirrorless can just zoom in and you still get the same size. Also the sensor didn't have to be stacked so its cheaper and could be shared with lower end models.

Capt_Spaulding

As Donald mentioned, the Z8 in many respects IS a Z 500 baked into an F body. A “true” Z500 would be smaller and lighter than a Z8, but I have a hard time believing the return would justify the development cost and the necessary price to break even.

The EVF on mirrorless full frame MLCs pretty much sealed the hatch on a pro line mirrorless DX body. Of course, now that I’ve said that, Nikon will announce one in January.

KnockKnock

Someday Nikon DX should reach beyond 20MP. Maybe a compromise would be something like a new sensor (32MP?) placed inside a Z6iii body to give better EVF and IBIS. And that could then trickle down to a Z50III.

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