Upon its release in 2025, the Nikon Z5 II ($1,849) immediately became one of PetaPixel’s recommendations for an entry-level full-frame camera. It’s surprisingly well-rounded and capable, which led to a price increase over the original Z5. Now we have the Z5 IIC ($1,399), a smaller, more affordable version of the Z5 II with nice looks but one glaring omission: no electronic viewfinder. What makes the Z5 IIC particularly impressive at this price is the very reliable video autofocus and the effective IBIS system. Pros Excellent image quality Solid autofocus with 3D tracking Comprehensive video features Effective IBIS Cons No EVF for composition and stability Noticeably low resolution LCD compared to Z5 II Lack of professional controls Is that something photographers will really miss? To find out, I photographed the Z5 IIC extensively on the streets of San Francisco and in the magnificent landscapes of Yosemite. The Z5 IIC is a departure from what Nikon has done before. Nikon Z5 IIC review: How it feels The Z5 IIC immediately differentiates itself from its bigger brother, the Z5 II, with a flat top plate that’s particularly striking on the silver model. Of course, this is due to the removal of the electronic viewfinder. However, this change also helps make the Z5 IIC considerably lighter than the Z5 II. The Z5 IIC weighs 22 ounces (620 grams) compared to the Z5 II, which weighs 24.7 ounces (700 grams). Fortunately, the large grip and many custom buttons remain, making the Z5 IIC much more comfortable to use than many similar cameras like the Panasonic S9. The top plate has an elegant metal design. The large grip is comfortable, even with larger lenses. You can set a custom button to be activated, for example if you want to change the layout. The main ergonomic change is the removal of a joystick for AF point selection and the lack of a dedicated AF-ON button. I found that the missing AF-ON button is not a problem, as there is a very well-placed focus/exposure lock button that is easily reprogrammed. I found the lack of an AF joystick frustrating at times, but the combination of 3D tracking and the ability to re-center the AF point by pressing the “OK” button meant this was something I quickly adapted to. This camera uses the venerable Nikon EN-EL15C battery, which is used in most of Nikon’s full-frame mirrorless cameras. It offers a respectable 350 CIPA-rated shot life, although I was able to get more than double that from a single charge in real-world use. For storage, only one UHS-II SD card slot is available, compared to two on the Z5 II. If you rely on redundant media for professional work, this will obviously be a problem, but it’s pretty typical for this class of camera. You’ll find a single slot for UHS-II cards. Alright, let’s talk about EVF removal. This is something I really rely on when I shoot, not only to capture images, but also to check them afterwards. On the Z5 IIC, those tasks are limited to the 3.2-inch fully articulating LCD screen. Unfortunately, Nikon not only removed the EVF on this model, but also significantly reduced the resolution of the LCD screen, dropping it from 2.1 million to 1.04 million dots. This was noticeable when casually shooting and made manual focusing and image verification a more difficult process than I expected or wanted. That said, while we don’t have a nit rating for this screen, it was bright enough, even during sunny days in Yosemite. You won’t find an AF joystick or a dedicated AF/ON button. One thing that hasn’t been scaled back is the excellent in-body image stabilization system (IBIS), which is capable of up to 7.5 stops in the center and 7 stops at the edges. On a glorious but very dark sunset, I had given up on getting a usable handheld image, but was surprised to find several sharp images taken at over 200mm with shutter speeds of 1/4 to 1/8 second. At slow shutter speeds, the IBIS proved reliable. You’ll find a microphone and headphone jack on the Z5 IIC. The excellent autofocus system with subject detection and 3D tracking is also retained from the Z5 II. I found 3D tracking to be very sticky while photographing people on the street, and the few animals I saw in Yosemite were detected quickly even with the Z5 IIC in automatic subject detection mode. It also has a new fish detection mode that is only found on this model. While it may not jump out at fish swimming downstream, I could see it being very useful when photographing aquariums. Autofocus is reliable and fast for almost any type of situation. All of Nikon’s great subject detection modes are available on the Z5 IIC. In fact, there’s a new fish-finding autofocus mode if you ever thought you needed one. As for burst shooting, the Z5 IIC has a fast maximum mechanical shutter burst of 14 frames per second when shooting JPEGs, 11 frames per second when shooting RAW with a mechanical shutter, and up to 30 frames per second with the electronic shutter. It’s worth noting that this is not a terribly fast reading sensor, so you may encounter shutter artifacts when using the electronic shutter. The Z5 IIC is a surprisingly capable camera, lacking only an EVF for composing. For new photographers who may be intimidated by all the manual controls on offer, the Z5 IIC is Nikon’s first full-frame camera to offer scene modes, auto modes for specific types of shots like landscape and portrait. Nikon Z5 IIC review: How it shoots This new camera model uses a sensor that I’ve started referring to as “that 24-megapixel sensor” as it’s been used in a variety of full-frame models from Sony, Panasonic, Leica, Sigma and Nikon over the last eight years. This is the same sensor found in the Z5 II, but it doesn’t disappoint, combining solid low-light performance with excellent dynamic range. Importantly, for landscape photography, there is a lot of information in the shadows at base ISO (100), allowing usable results in very high contrast scenes. This sensor may not be exciting, but it is very capable and a clear step up from what Nikon’s APS-C cameras can offer. We have the return of a fairly ubiquitous 24-megapixel sensor. There’s plenty of dynamic range available, even if shadows appear dark. I had no problems enhancing shadows and noise remains manageable. JPEG quality is excellent, as always, for Nikon, with several nice built-in picture controls, including the lovely “Rich Tone Monochrome” and “Rich Tone Portrait” profiles. You can access them easily with a dedicated button on the top of the camera. You can also customize and share Picture Controls using Nikon’s mobile and desktop software. If you want a great landscape camera in a smaller size, look no further. Nikon Z5 IIC Review: Video Performance The Z5 IIC inherits all of the video capabilities of the Z5 II, making it a very capable cinematic tool. Full-width upsampled 4K can be captured up to 30p and the image is very detailed and clean in low light conditions. Going to faster 4K frame rates up to 60p results in APS-C cropping and the expected quality drop. You can use standard picture controls for video or record in Nikon’s N-Log profile for expanded dynamic range and flexibility in post-production. RAW recording modes and 10-bit recording are present. Surprisingly, the Z5 IIC, like its older brother, can record RAW video to an SD card in the N-RAW profile. This allows greater flexibility in adjusting white balance, noise reduction and tinting in post-production, but the sampling method used significantly degrades sharpness and increases noise. I don’t think it’s worth the extra storage and post-production workflow for most people. RAW is available but the detail and amount of noise present is disappointing. What makes the Z5 IIC particularly impressive at this price is its reliable video autofocus and effective IBIS. Together, these features make the Z5 IIC very capable in run-and-gun situations where manual focusing is not possible and camera support is not available. The 4K quality is excellent and should prove useful to videographers. I was also excited to see that Nikon includes all of its professional support tools in video mode. Highly detailed histograms, waveforms, peaks and spikes for focusing are available and will make professional shooters feel at home, despite the Z5 IIC’s low price. I also need to quickly thank Nikon for including an indicator lamp that shows when the camera is recording on the front of the camera. Here at PetaPixel we love tally lamps, and every new camera that has one is cause for celebration! Nikon Z5 IIC Review: Should This Camera Exist? This was the main question I was hoping to answer with this review: did we need this? In my experience, a viewfinder is essential to the photography experience, and a camera without one is immediately less attractive. My experience with the Z5 IIC was, in many ways, as frustrating as I feared, trying to obscure the LCD screen in bright light and constantly looking at what I hoped was a viewfinder. The fact that the LCD screen was also downgraded despite being your only means of viewing your work was also frustrating, as I found myself constantly zooming in on images to confirm they were sharp. For me, the extra $450 for a Z5 II is completely justified. However, many photographers and videographers never use an EVF, and for them, the Z5 IIC offers exceptional value. The success of the Fujifilm X-M5 and Panasonic S9 shows that there is a market for smaller cameras with just an LCD panel. If you’re one of those users who avoids an EVF, the price difference between it and the Z5 II is enough to buy a more premium standard lens or a solid prime lens. The Z5 II’s other degradations are fairly minor and easy to fix. Many thanks to Jason Vong for helping us on our shoot. I still don’t enjoy using a mirrorless camera without an EVF, but if the cost savings means more photographers and videographers can enjoy the benefits of a full-frame camera, who am I to complain? Are there alternatives? If you’re already a Nikon user, there are options above and below the Z5 IIC. The APS-C Nikon Z50 II ($999) has an EVF and excellent handling. However, the combination of IBIS and a full-frame sensor means that the Z5 IIC will consistently deliver superior image quality, especially in low-light conditions. The much-mentioned Z5 II ($1,849) is priced significantly higher, but offers a more refined shooting experience that will justify the premium for many. Outside of Nikon, Panasonic offers a similar option in the compact and stylish S9 ($1,499), but Nikon’s mechanical shutter and flash sync make it more attractive to many photographers. Canon and Sony don’t offer new products to compete with the Z5 IIC, but you can find the older Canon R8 and Sony a7 III for a similar price. Both have EVF, but if you only shoot with LCD, I think the Nikon offers a more refined experience. Should you buy it? Maybe. If you never use an EVF, this is a solid discount from the Z5 II. But even after several days shooting in beautiful locations, I still never warmed to the Z5 IIC. Affiliate Disclosure PetaPixel articles may include affiliate links; We may earn a commission if you purchase through one.
