When I purchased my first “serious” digital camera, I spent what appeared like days researching earlier than deciding on an entry-level Nikon DSLR. I’m nonetheless enamoured sufficient with the 2007 D40X that it decorates a shelf in my workplace. But, I’ve a confession: I’m insanely jealous of contemporary entry-level cameras just like the Nikon Z50 II.
I realized images on a ten.2MP DSLR with a most burst velocity of three fps, together with photographing native sports activities groups working for a small city newspaper. Learning sports activities images on a 3 fps digital camera was a lesson in endurance, to say the least.
Fast ahead practically twenty years – and Nikon’s entry-level lineup appears to be like fairly a bit completely different. For starters, the Nikon Z50 II has a 11 fps mechanical shutter and a 30 fps electronic shutter.
But, there’s more to the differences in learning on a mirrorless compared to learning on a DSLR beyond just the speed. Subject detection autofocus means far less floundering around trying to get the autofocus point on the right spot before the moment is over – and a much higher percentage of sharp shots.
Subject detection and electronic viewfinders are now the norm for entry-level cameras. (Although there are, of course, cameras like the Nikon Z30 that have no viewfinder at all.) But the Z50 II’s low-light autofocus rated down to -19 EV is not the norm for beginner cameras. I can’t help but think of how much easier shooting Friday night football underneath stadium lights would have been with the Z50 II over the D40X.
Now, I earn a living testing out cameras from high-end models to budget options. Certainly, the pro models have a significant advantage over budget models. But today’s budget models are far more suitable for more challenging genres like sports and wildlife than the cameras of a decade ago. When I tried the Nikon Z50 II – alongside two other entry-level models – I captured a shot of birds in flight that my old entry-level DSLR never would have been capable of catching in focus.
If I could change one thing about the Nikon Z50 II, I would add in-body stabilization. Blurred shots are a common newbie problem, and while stabilization doesn’t solve all blur, it’s a big help.
I fell in love with photography on a cheap Nikon DSLR. I’m no longer a novice photographer – but I have to admit I’m jealous of all the tools beginners have access to on modern cameras, even at an entry-level price.
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