The Nikon Z5 II could land soon – here's what to expect from Nikon's rumored entry-level full-frame camera

• Rumor suggests an announcement could come as soon as next week
• The Z5 II could be a 'mini Z6 III'
• No official word from Nikon yet

The Nikon Z5 is the company’s cheapest full-frame camera, but even fans would admit it’s grown a little long in the tooth. Now five years old, it remains a capable performer (and particularly tempting if you can generally pick it up at a big discount) but it’s definitely overdue an update.

It’s long been believed that Nikon will be unveiling a Nikon Z5 II this year. And the latest rumblings suggest the camera could be announced as soon as next week. Nikon Rumors has published a story claiming as much (although the timing doesn’t get more specific than ‘next week’), along with the interesting detail that their source describes the Z5 II as a ‘mini Z6 III’ – i.e. will come with some technology seen on the superb Z6 III, which launched in the summer of 2024.

Nikon Rumors doesn’t have any other details on what to expect from the Nikon Z5 II. But we can take a few educated guesses as to what upgrades might be present.

What shape might the Nikon Z5 II take?

Upgrades-wise, we expect a similar approach to how the crop-sensor Z50 II built on the Z50, which would mean no change in resolution. In the case of the Z5 II, that means another 24MP full-frame sensor and no major image quality improvements for stills-focused users.

That being said, the Z5 II could come with Nikon's latest Expeed 7 processor and autofocus system, as seen in the crop-sensor Z50 II. If that’s the case, users can expect much better all-round speed, subject detection autofocus, quicker burst shooting speeds and powerful video performance.

There could also be a Picture Control button for direct access to color profiles, together with app compatibility and the option to download Creator Recipes for different looks. So, overall, we’d expect to see some timely and meaningful improvements arrive with any Z5 II.

As for the price, we think a Z5 II would likely split the difference between the Z5 and Z6 III. Currently, the Z5 with 24-50mm lens is around $1,300 / £1,200 at leading retailers, while the Nikon Z6 III, the next model up in the firm’s full-frame line-up, is around $2,200 / £2,200 for the body only. That means the Z5 II could launch for something like $1,700 / £1,600 with a basic kit lens.

Whether the camera is even en route at all is all speculation for now. If rumors are true, though, we won’t have much longer to wait for Nikon to deliver the news officially. Stay tuned for more.

You might also like

• Nikon says its cameras will get a major video upgrade soon thanks to RED tech – Sony and Canon should be worried
• The best beginner mirrorless camera for 2025
• Camera rumors for 2025: the new gear we're expecting soon from Sony, DJI, Canon and more