At the time I made this video you could pick up the FTZ for 46 at most retailers if you bundled it with a Z series camera. Unfortunately, that no longer seems to be the case. I still think the FTZ adaptor is a good purchase even at the full retail price of $249. I do think that Nikon should just include the FTZ for free with all Z series cameras. That said, get the FTZ at whatever price you can find it. You won't be sorry in my opinion.
I just bought the Z50 with the 2 lens kit and FTZ. The 55-250 lens is backordered so I bought an AF-S Nikkor 50-300 DX to use with the FTZ adapter and it's flawless. Definitely spring for the FTZ if you get a Z series camera. You can find them much cheaper than new reconditioned or open box.
Purchased my Z 50 yesterday with the 2 lens kit. Nikon must have heard you Phil, because the FTZ is included at no cost for the Z series cameras until August 5th up here in Canada. I'm sure they're doing the same in your area. Thrilled to bits with this little camera. Can't wait to take it on holidays and out and about on my e-bike!
I have the z 50 with kit lens, but don't think for one second that its a slouch you will be so very wrong lol. I also have Voigtlander 40mm and 58mm that i adapt to this camera. But I bought the new Z 24-70mm |f 2.8S and shot a wedding with it. Due to Covid19 the Z 24-70 |2.8 S (36-105mm) full frame equivalent performed flawlessly on the z50! Daylight photography with the z 50 has some special sauce when it comes to balancing daylight. The images are sharp af! But then I saw the low light photos and was gobsmacked. I know the Z 6 is a sweet camera but this z 50 for its price is a stellar little camera that punches above its weight. I have yet seen any images from z6 or z7 that really warrant me purchasing full frame at this moment. I will continue to build the Z Holy Trinity around this little camera. Next up will be the Z 14-24mm |f2.8s. Viva la Nikon!
I really enjoy your channel Phil! A year ago I bought my Nikon Z50 with the 2 lens kit! I don't want to be too much of a fan boy, but I love my Z50! It's compact, light, and a perfect travel camera for me! I shoot RAW, but it automatically loads small jpegs on my phone using SnapBridge for immediate use on social media. My phone can also add GPS info to the file in the camera. I have a collection of Nikon F lenses including the DX 35mm f/1.8G f-mount prime lens, I can use on the Z50 using the FTZ adapter. It has a smallish battery, but I can charge it in the field using an external battery pack.
Big help for me. Been looking at this camera for several weeks trying to decide if it would fit the bill as a high quality budget “do everything well” unit. Some call it’s landscape performance just so-so but you really made it shine in your waterfall video. Others sneered at the idea of using a non Z mount lens. Sure the Z mount is probably a higher quality lens but you show here that the average shooter can get excellent images with an F mount lens like this, and not have to spend a small fortune to do so. Thank you so much for your helpful tips and for generously sharing your knowledge
My starting kit was Z50 + Nikon Z 16-50 3.5-6.3 + FTZ + Nikon F 70-300 4.5-5.6 VR AF-S. I know that 70-300 is for FF. But i think that lenses are more important and later can be used on FF body easily. FTZ is a great way to wide choice of lenses from Nikon, Tamron, Sigma, Tokina. Must have.
I've been using that 35mm for 10 years since I got my first DSLR. Fantastic portrait lens with nice bokeh, Really thin focal plane which makes close up subjects a (fun) challenge. Works great with my Nikon Z FC.
Phil I enjoy watching your vidio's and am the owner of the z50 two lens kit. This vidio prompted me to purchase the 35mm DX lens and it arrived today .All I can say is thank you, tack sharp and very light. My D4s and D850 have been sitting in their cases since I got the z50,what a little gem. Thanks again for the recommendation.
I agree 100% with your lens recommendation. The 16-50 lens is great to walk around with but not as sharp for long distance scenery shots. The 35mm G lens is short enough not to create a shadow when using the pop up flash. My 18-55 F mount lens does create a shadow when the pop up flash is used.
You are spot on with everything that you said Phil..I have that exact same set up along with my D7100 and a few other lenses, but heard about the 35mm from Ken Wheeler ( Angry Photographer ), who surprisingly said that the inexpensive 35mm was a must buy..he , once again was correct..thanks for the vid and the good advice to anyone who doesn't have this little gem
Totally agree. After purchasing my D5500 with a great 18-140mm kit zoom, a 35mm 1.8 was the only other DX lens ever purchased. And in the right place at the right time, it's a great lens. Great for low-light scenes, and the bokeh is great!
Hi Phil I enjoyed your video and I wished I had seen it before I purchased my Z50. A year ago when I bought my Z50 I only bought the 16-50 kit lens. My thinking at the time was since I had a Tamron 18-400, Nikon 18-200 and a 70-300 I wouldnt need it. But then I started reading where the Z lenses (even the kit lenses) are made specifically for the Z cameras and is good to have (maybe a sales gimmick) I started looking for the Z50-250 lens and if you can find them to purchase separately its about $200 more than if you buy it in a kit. It sells separately for almost $400. When I bought my Z50 Nikon at the time took $75 off the adapter and I had to pay $175. Nikon gave the adapter free with the Z6 and Z7. I think Nikon messed up they should have provided the adapter with the Z50 (loss leader) as more people might have switched to mirrorless. Best wishes Duane
I really wish they would throw in the FTZ for free with all Z-mount cameras. The $46 deal on the FTZ is not bad, but a lot of people don’t realize how important the FTZ is and then they find out later and have to spend $250 to get one. Thanks for watching the video, much appreciated!
Hit the nail on the head. F-mount lenses for the Z50 are perfect. My 50mm F1.4 was great with my Z50 and being cropped it made the corners less spherical and less coma.
The 35mm f1.8 DX is one of my favorite lenses and i don’t even have a DX model as of right now. It was last used with a D5500 for a lying around, pick up for anything at the moment setup which was with me all the time. Many of my fav shots of my pets were taken that setup and even though I have since given the 5500 to my niece, I still have the lens. At some point I can see using the Z50 with it for the same use and I bet the quality of the images will be even better.
While I like the recommendation due to its price and practicality, I would personally advise any APS-C serious shooters to get a used full-frame lens instead for a few more bucks if needed just for future proofing in case you will ever decide to move to a full frame body later on. And here I am emphasizing the word "SERIOUS", meaning, if you think you might want to upgrade later for any reason to a full frame as it will give you better prospects. Furthermore, if you get a lens that performs well in the center (cheaper lenses tend to be soft in the center at lower apertures in general), when using it on an APS-C body, you benefit from getting most of your frame in that sharp center sweet spot, and skip some of the undesirable effects of lens effects/distortion in the corners (ghosting/flare, color fringing/chromatic aberration, blur, barrel distortion, pincushion distortion, vignetting...etc.). Otherwise, if you know you are not going there, then honestly you save tons of cash by buying APS-C specific glass and you get very good results anyway.
Funny, I just bought the kit with 16-50 & 50-250. Already have the 35mm 1.8D and I'm buying a used FTZ II for $150. There were no deals to get the FTZ for cheap when I bought the kit, where I live. This was my plan immediately when I was shopping for a Z mount camera. To use the 35mm 1.8D right away. It's a great lens and a no brainer for the price.
Well done... after 6 years searching i didn't find any camera as good as Z50,,maybe someone not agree with me..,but i think the pic profile &dinamic range& amazing colors you can get from this camera or any Nikon Z cameras can't you get it from anywhere else... absolutely ammmmaizing
Just ordered the 2 lens kit refurbished from Nikon. Picked up the Z 40 f2 on sale so I wouldn't have to have the adapter plus the dx lens. Good video. Thanks!
Great video Phil! I was going to do some night time outdoor Christmas lights photography with the Z50. I have both the 35 and 50mm 1.8G lenses. I’m going to give them both a whirl with the Z50 and see how they do.
Bought my Z50 with kit lenses and FTZ adapter as a pre order. If you don’t mind a grey import you can pick that set up for a lot less. I shoot mainly sports and although I have bigger more expensive lenses I find they are still sharp...and so light makes a great holiday camera or when you don’t want to carry much kit.
Great advice Phil the DX 35mm would be awesome. Yes absolutely buy the lenses with the Z50, much cheaper that way AND getting the FTZ what a great bargain. I'm so impressed by the video and the images out of the Z50 that you get. Thanks for sharing the video Phil 👍🙏
@@PhilThach I'd be there Phil, but I think you mentioned before it'd be nice to have a wider faster aperture dedicated vlogging Z lens like a 10-18mm for it.
I bought the Z50, but only with the 16-50 lens since the dual kit was much more expensive here in Australia and just outside of my budget. The alternative was an a6000, which is now discontinued (and consequently more expensive), which for the price, wasn't the best value for money. At the very least, I got a new camera with newer software and a free f to z adapter that will allow me to expand my lens collection and learn more without spending thousands.
@@PhilThach I'm still kicking myself a bit over it but the z50 is a nice little camera! P.s. Unsure about the USA but Nikon AU currently has a promotion where, if you buy a z camera from an authorised reseller you get one free accessory (one of them being the f to z adapter). z6/7 buyers get the option of choosing between a multi battery power pack and the adapter. mynikonlife.com.au/bonus
Good recommendation...I have the 35mm and the 50mm and they are both razor sharp..I was skeptical at first because of the price but I was proven wrong..I can't say anything really about reliability since the 200-500mm is glued to my camera most of the time but I have used both several times for family get together's, landscape and some astrophotography and they have both been subjected to the damp night air and I think I have had them both for 4 years maybe 5 and they have given me zero trouble...The 50mm on a dx body makes a decent portait lens since your only 10mm away from the preferred ( im told 85mm ) and it can produce some bokehfied (TM Phil Thach Photography ) images :)
I should have made this video about the first two lenses to buy and included the 50 mm F1.8 G because you are exactly right, it works great with this camera and is a brilliantly inexpensive and functional portrait lens. 🍻
@@PhilThach they are definitely the best 2 lenses I own for the money except maybe the 100mm Tokina f2.8...Like I say, I use them maybe 3 to 5 times a year so im sure im not getting the most out of them but they do great when I need them...An f1.8 for $200 that works great is hard to pass up...
@@ShantanuMonga I'm pretty sure there is autofocus noise but I use off-camera mics so it's not an issue for me. Face detect autofocus works flawlessly for video with this lens. I use it quite often when in non-vlogging situations. For vlogging, this lens is not wide enough.
The Z50 does struggle a little bit in low light, especially if you were trying to use I detect auto focus, trying single point auto focus, that’s where I have my best results.
I have bought zoom 18-140, and I think my choice is better. I bought my camera and lens from B&H as a bundle, and they sold me the lens with $200 discount. And the last thing I'm going to is to buy adapter and older F mount lenses.
Thank for the reply bud. I’ve got the z50 with the twin lens kit. Looking at the new 24mm f1.8 or the 40mm f2 lense. Largely for portrait and cocktail photography. Any advice on either?
Thanks Phil....great comments... I wish lenses were that cheap in Australia... Will Heather be taking any more pics with her D7100 as I own one & enjoy her photos... Thanks again...
She still uses my D7100 if we do birds in flight, but now that she has spent her own money on the Z 50 I would say she will be using it more than anything else.
Great video! I’m taking notes. I want to buy my first camera beyond a point and shoot. I have iPhone 12 Pro Max, but I’m going to Alaska in 2023 to see bears at brooks falls. I have a year and a half to learn. I’ve narrowed it to the Nikon z50 and the canon m50 mark ii. I like that the z50 is weather sealed but somethings about the canon m50 seem easier for a beginner. How easy is the z50 for a total newbie? And for wildlife at beginner level any thoughts? Also I was thinking mirrorless because of travel and I have arthritis in my hands. Thanks for any input, such a hard decision!
I found the Z 50 to be easy to operate, if you do buy one I highly recommend you watch my video entitled how to make sharp pictures with the Nikon Z 50. It is very helpful to people who are new to the system.
Nice video and recommendation. I just wonder whether the 50 mm 1.8 would be a better choice because it’s more versatile and you can stand back a little farther to take your shot. That said, do you think the 50 mm is every bit as sharp as the 35?
The 50 mm F 1.8 G is a great lens to use with the FTZ & Z50, I agree. I think the 50 would probably be better for portraits and the 35 would be better all around. The 50 is every bit as sharp as the 35. The 50 is designed for full frame so you can also use it if you decide to upgrade to a full frame camera, the 35 is designed for DX or APSC cameras like the Z50.
Thanks Phil-I think of myself as a step or two above “Enthusiast” level, but the Z50 is amazing, and I’m having a lot of fun. It might remain my one-and-only, but I have pretensions about getting a full frame someday. So I think the 50 serves my needs better if that ever happens.
I got the Z50 with the two lens kit (and without the ftz adapter) back in May and have been looking to get a new lens before the end of this year. While I like both the lenses the biggest thing I've been looking for is more reach when shooting wildlife and birds, but I may wait and see what price the Z mount 100-400mm and 200-600mm lenses come in at whenever they're announced, and then decide between them or the Nikkor F mount 200-500mm or a third party 150-600mm. More realistically I'll probably be looking at getting a "do everything" superzoom with the ftz first, like the Nikkor 28-300mm or the Tamron 18-400mm. Then something like this, or some other lens with a faster aperture later on.
I am thinking about a Z50 and an FTZ adaptor. After watching some of your videos I am thinking that the Z50 and the Tamron 18-400 would be a really good all round choice
At the time that I made this video you could get an FTZ adapter for $46 US if you purchased it at the time of you bought your Z50. I think they should give you one for free when you purchase any Z series camera.
I wonder could you do a video on using the Z fc. How you have it set up. I mainly use it for taking pictures of cows ? What would be my best auto focus setting for moving animals. Andrew
You can watch my "Nikon Z50 • Focus Settings I use for SHARP Pictures!" video. The Z50 is basically the same as the Z fc and this video will show you the techniques and settings I use for sharp photos.
They were $46.95 when bundled with a new Z camera for a while here in the US. I don't think that is the case currently. Still, an FTZ and DX 35 f/1.8G is still cheaper than a Z 35 1.8.
@@PhilThach I'm trying to take clearer pictures of some deep space objects that appear blurry when I use my slow 50-250 lens and without having to get a star tracker
I have two issues!, I’m preparing for my Z50 but it doesn’t the commander mode for speedlights and I’ll like use it with flashes. Other issue, (like fuji) I’ll like use it with the Z 23 mm 1.8 S for it speed, I already have waiting 50 mm 1.4 G getting closer to 85mm although is a little slowly and any Z hasn’t a F1.4. And...70-200 Z 2.8, here suppose all we can dream!!. And As it should be...my 35mm 1.8 DX G is waiting too.
I have used my Z50 with off camera flash without any problems. I use a Hahmel 600RT flash with the Viper transmitter mounted on the camera.It works perfectly in either manual or TTL mode. I have the FTZ adaptor and it works brilliantly with my 35 mm F/1.8 and Sigma 10-20 mm F/3.5 although for the latter I had to have the firmware updated.
How well does the older F mount lens from a D3300 work on the Z50? I find the 18-55mm AF-S Nikkor lens from my D3300 to be razor sharp. Would this work well on a Z50?
Should work well on a Z 50 with the FTZ adapter. Still I highly recommend getting both z50 kit lenses, both the 16-50 and 50-250 are outstanding and inexpensive when purchased as a kit with the Z50.
It does good, I used it in the same situations that I use my canon 50 mm 1.8 at Disney World on my trip before my most recent one where I carried my Z50.
Hi Phil..! I just bought the Nikon Z50 and I wanted to know if there are any prime lens that I can buy with the Z mount without using the FTZ adapter. If not I wanted to know does the FTZ adapter distort the quality of the image compared to using the lens directly on the mount?
yes, there are many native Nikon Z prime lenses that you can use without the FTZ. Also, there is a company called "Viltrox" that makes 3 prime lenses with autofocus for Nikon Z DX cameras like the Z50 and Z fc. I have a quick review of their 23mm f/1.4 coming out Monday morning. The FTZ does not distort images at all. There are no lenses in the FTZ. All it does is allow F mount lenses to work on Nikons new Z mount.
Looking to purchase a Z50. If I already own the Nikkor AF-S VR 70-300mm, f4.5-5.6, would you still recommend getting the 50-250 Z mount lens? I realize that I'd be missing 51-69mm. Otherwise I don't see why I'd need it. Thoughts?
That’s an interesting question, I really like the 50 to 250 because it is so small and light, and if you buy it as a kit it doesn’t add much money. If it was me I would spend the extra money and get the 50 to 250 but I can certainly understand why you wouldn’t with the 70-300 in your bag.
That is a really great question and the reason I reach for the Z 50 a lot of times is it’s incredibly light weight. if I’m going out to do landscape photography, I can usually carry just the Z 50 and the two kit lenses. That entire rig weighs almost nothing and gives me 24 to 375 full frame equivalent lenses. Plus, if I’m going on a really long hike, I can also use the Z 50 as the video camera. The D 500 is better for wildlife and the Z6 is better for portraits but for landscape photography the Z50 can hang right with both of them while weighing much less. 📷🤓👍🏻
@@PhilThach I shoot a D750 most of the time for people and landscapes, but really would like more reach for birds/sports. Would you think a Z50 would be able to hang for occasional bird shots or do I just need to eat it and get a D500?
Do you find yourself still using both the 35mm and the kit 16-50mm? A used 35mm is on sale near me recently but I fear that the 2 lens might overlap too much in their usage. Additionally, how good is it for astrophotography?
Hello,id like to ask your opinion,should i buy a z50,or a D7500 For wildlife photography, I Have the sigma 150-600 sports,and 100-400 mm Tamron G2, and i have also the Z6 with FTZ adapter,but i really miss the extra reach of an APS-C (my z6 autofocusing with the adapted lenses is a litle bit slover that with d7200.So i-m a bit confused if i should get a teleconverter,or the D7500,or the Z50 (sincerly im a bit afraid that the z50 will slow even more the autofous (than the z6 ) ,on F lenses...SO please give me an advice . Thank you.
It’s good that you have a Z6 so you can test and see if those third-party lenses work with the FTZ adapter. I think if your entire goal of this purchase is a wildlife camera then you should get a DSLR instead of a mirrorless camera. And if it was me, I would get a D500. It’s one of the best wildlife cameras ever made and right now they are on sale. It does still cost $500 more than a D7500 though. I don’t think you would go wrong with a D7500 but if you can swing the extra 500 bucks I think the D 500 is worth it.
@@PhilThach Yes,my main goal is to use it for wildlife,and my second goal is to take it with me everywhere ,and ,to spare my z6 :) ,sadly the price difference is to much for me to go with the d500 .:( .Thank you very much for your advice,I appreciate it.
Well, I have never used it but if it’s anywhere near as good as the two kit lenses for the Z 50, then it’s going to be really good. In fact I wish they would make that available as a kit lens for the Z6II.
I hear that if you adapt f lens to z mount It's not really sharp Can you do a video that you adapt f lens to z mount and test the sharpness Btw what lens should you recommend? Nikon 35mm 1.8g Or Sigma 17-50 f2.8
Nikon F mount lenses adapted to Z are every bit as sharp as they are on F mount. On the other hand I can’t promise the same thing for third-party lenses so I would definitely recommend the 35 1.8 G.
I think for portraits the 50 mm is your best bet and for street photography the 35 is the better choice. If you have the 16 to 50, take it out for a couple of street photography sessions. Then look at the photos that you make and see what focal length you use the most.
I’m not sure if Best Buy supports that or not, but if you buy from an online retailer like B&H or Adorama or Bedford‘s, you can almost always bundle an FTZ for an extra $46.95.
Another often overlooked lens that is a bit more pricey but worth every penny is the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED VR ...It has a medium build quality but not Swamp Water Proof ( TM ) excellent image quality as well.. So its " Good Enough " 😂😂
Picked up a used version which has a chip in the filter thread for just over a hundred bucks, and it holds a filter just fine. It’s a great lens for a walkabout or landscape photography. In fact, I’ve hardly used the 24-70mm f2.8 G since acquiring this lens. It’s just too handy in size, weight and in quality too.
Yes, at the time I made this video you could pick up the FTZ for 46 at most retailers if you bundled it with a Z series camera. Unfortunately, that no longer seems to be the case.
I can't really think of one that I would recommend that has a modest price. I have often used my 70-200 f/2.8G VR II lens with DX cameras including my Z50 for sports photography but it is pretty expensive. The good thing about this 35mm lens, you can get your shutter speed up fast enough with its wide aperture that you might not even need VR.
That’s a good question, and the answer is, absolutely! Stabilization is not required for photography. Stabilization is more necessary on a slow lens like the two kit lenses where your shutter speed will often be lower, but this lens is a fast lens which often allows you to have really fast shutter speeds. I’m not sure if you saw the part of the video where I showed a panorama that I made from Epcot, but that was a multi shot stitched panorama and it was done handheld with that lens which has no stabilization on the Z 50 which has no ibis.
I have the z50 and want the 50mm 1.8 lenses to blur the back, but the z50 it’s so expensive , but the DSRL lens it’s half the price will I need an adapter? For my camera
It's an entirely different philosophy. The 16-50 is more versatile and is stabilized. The 16-50 is a great lens. This lens is much faster with its large f/1.8 aperture. This lens is better in low light and better for bokeh. I think it's a great idea to own both.
@@PhilThach thank you. I just purchased my first camera, a Nikon z50 for my childs sports (football)... What zoom lens would you recommend I use to get close ups of them while they are on the field playing. I'd like the get the best quality pics as i possibly could.
@@ryne1226 for the very best quality pics I would recommend a 70-200 f/2.8. You could get the very expensive Nikon Z version or you would probably have good luck with the Tamron G2 which I’m pretty sure works well with the FTZ adapter. Another budget idea would be to get an FTZ adapter and a used Nikon 70-200 f/2.8G VR ii. But definitely a 70-200 f/2.8 is the lens to get for sports on that camera.
That is correct, however, image stabilization is not required to make a photograph. People made wonderful photographs for years and years before in body image stabilization was a thing or vibration reduction was a thing. Stabilization is absolutely not necessary for great photography.
Bought one several years ago now. Had to have it but have never really used it. To be honest zooms are far more versatile. Have a 60mm D lens also which is equivalent to 90mm on APSC. Brilliant for portraits which I never really shoot 😂👍
I agree about zooms being more versatile. It's hard to find a good zoom with a 1.8 maximum aperture though. I'll admit that I use zooms more often than primes, but I still like using a fast prime from time to time. Thanks for watching!
Only buy fast lenses, like 2.8 or faster ! Otherwise you will regret it some day when you have to buy again a lens, this time a faster. So buy a faster right away and your done forever...
That is a great philosophy, especially if you only want to own one lens for a given focal length. I have many f/2.8 Zooms which are the very best for many types of photography, however, if I am taking a long hike to a waterfall, I prefer to carry f/4 zooms or even a kit lens because they are smaller and lighter and just as sharp when stopped down to f/8 or f/11 which are the apertures I'll be using for waterfall work. So I agree fast is best and can do it all but I still sometimes prefer slower lenses than f/2.8. Thanks for watching!
I agree about the FTZ and I like the idea of faster kit lenses but that would drive up the price which might hurt sales overall. As it stands those lenses are great optically. I love both of them for landscape photography where I often shoot at F/8 F/11 and F/16. I have an X-T3 and the 18-55 & 55-200 lenses and I do enjoy their wider apertures so I totally understand your point.
I would stick with first party a.k.a. Nikon lenses if possible because you are sure that they are compatible. I have used both my 500 mm F/4G and my 200-500 f/5.6E on my Z 50 with good results.
I believe there is some auto focus noise but it’s not a problem for me because I always use an external microphone. Face detect auto focus is very good with this lens in video on the Z 50 and FTZ.
