Flagship autofocus and full-frame quality, at an entry price

Nikon Z5 II

The full-frame value that punches up. The Z5 II borrows the autofocus and processor from Nikon's $4,000 flagships, adds in-body stabilization, and stays under $1,700. It's not small and 24MP limits big crops, but as one do-everything body it's the easy call.

The camera that quietly hands you flagship guts for entry-level money. The Z5 II uses the same EXPEED 7 processor and subject-detection autofocus as Nikon's $4,000 Z8 and Z9, so it locks onto faces, eyes, and moving kids the way far pricier cameras do, and adds in-body stabilization, dual card slots, and genuinely capable 4K video. The trade-off is size, there's no small full-frame Nikon, so with a lens it's a real handful, and 24MP caps heavy cropping. But under $1,700 for a body that shoots family, travel, portraits, and video this well, it's the value standout.

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Last reviewed Jun 6, 2026

What we like

• ✓Full-frame image quality
• ✓Strong value for enthusiasts
• ✓Good lens ecosystem

Trade-offs

• −Not a compact travel camera - sizeable with a lens attached
• −24MP limits heavy cropping for some photographers
• −4K60 comes with a 1.5x crop
• −Rolling shutter on e-shutter; N-RAW needs fast, large cards