Camera comparison
Nikon Z fc vs Z50II: what actually changes
Ready to shoot, with battery and card, the Nikon Z50II weighs 550 g, 105 g more than the Z fc (445 g).
The Z fc and the Z50II take the same 140 Nikon Z lenses; they differ in weight, handling, card slots, battery, video, speed, headphone socket and flash. Each difference below, with the two drawn to one scale, from Nikon's published specifications.
What changes
- Weight: the Z50II weighs 105 g more (550 g against 445 g with battery and card).
- Handling: the Z fc has 2 control dials plus shutter-speed, ISO and exposure-compensation dials, no joystick; the Z50II has 2 control dials, no joystick.
- Cards: one UHS-I slot on the Z fc, one UHS-II slot on the Z50II.
- Batteries: the Z fc comes with the EN-EL25 and the Z50II with the EN-EL25a, but the Z fc also takes the EN-EL25a once it has firmware C 1.50 or later, and the Z50II also takes the EN-EL25, with fewer shots per charge than the EN-EL25a, by Nikon's own lists.
- Video: on the Z fc, 4K up to 30p from the full width; on the Z50II, 4K up to 60p (cropped 1.5x at 60p); 4K 30p from the full width.
The same on both
- Same Nikon Z mount: every one of the 140 lenses fits both.
- Neither has in-body stabilisation; stabilised lenses matter on both.
- Same resolution: 20.9 MP.
134.5 × 93.5 mmZ50II
127 × 96.8 mmAA
batteryBank card
85.6 × 54 mm
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Side by side
Showing the rows that differ.
| Camera | Nikon Z fc | Nikon Z50II |
|---|---|---|
| Lens mountSame | Nikon Z | Nikon Z |
| SensorSame | APS-C 23.5 × 15.7 mm, 20.9 MP | APS-C 23.5 × 15.7 mm, 20.9 MP |
| In-body stabilisationSame | No | No |
| ViewfinderSame | 2.36M-dot electronic | 2.36M-dot electronic |
| Rear screen | 3" vari-angle, touch | 3.2" vari-angle, touch |
| Dials and joystick | 2 control dials plus shutter-speed, ISO and exposure-compensation dials, no joystick | 2 control dials, no joystick |
| Fastest burst | 11 fps mechanical shutter | 11 fps mechanical shutter · 30 fps electronic shutter |
| Video | 4K up to 30p from the full width | 4K up to 60p (cropped 1.5x at 60p); 4K 30p from the full width |
| Memory cards | 1 slot, SD, UHS-I | 1 slot, SD, UHS-II |
| Battery | EN-EL25 (53 g), about 360 shots | EN-EL25a (54 g), about 230 shots |
| Charges over USBSame | Yes, USB-C | Yes, USB-C |
| Microphone socketSame | Yes | Yes |
| Headphones | No | Yes, a socket |
| Built-in flash | No | Yes |
| Weather sealing | No | Not stated |
| Size (W × H × D) | 134.5 × 93.5 × 43.5 mm | 127 × 96.8 × 66.5 mm |
| Weight with battery and card | 445 g | 550 g |
| Announced | 2021 | 2024 |
| Lenses that fit | 140 | 140 |
| Where to buy | Check price on AmazonNikon product page | Check price on AmazonNikon product page |
How big each one is
The Z50II is 7.5 mm narrower, 3.3 mm taller and 23 mm deeper than the Z fc (127 − 134.5 = −7.5 mm wide).
134.5 × 43.5 mmZ50II
127 × 66.5 mm
Choose by what matters to you
- The Z fc if you change settings with dials rather than menus, or weight matters most, or you want more shots per charge.
- The Z50II if you shoot action in bursts, or you record video with sound.
The lenses each one takes
Both take the same 140 lenses on the Nikon Z mount, so a lens bought for one moves to the other. The Z fc is usually sold with the Nikon NIKKOR Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR.
Z fc: first picks
- Everyday and travel: Nikon NIKKOR Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR 24–75 mm equiv.
- People and portraits: Meike 55mm F1.4 83 mm equiv.
- Wide scenes and rooms: Nikon NIKKOR Z DX 12-28mm f/3.5-5.6 PZ VR 18–42 mm equiv.
Z50II: first picks
- Everyday and travel: Nikon NIKKOR Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR 24–75 mm equiv.
- People and portraits: Meike 55mm F1.4 83 mm equiv.
- Wide scenes and rooms: Nikon NIKKOR Z DX 12-28mm f/3.5-5.6 PZ VR 18–42 mm equiv.
If you already have one of them
Pick the camera you have and tick your lenses. The answer says what moves to the other camera, what the kit then weighs and what you would buy.
An example: the Z fc with its kit lens. Pick your camera and tick your lenses to change it.
Moving from the Z fc to the Z50II
What you would buy
Questions
Which is lighter, the Z fc or the Z50II?
The Z fc: 445 g against 550 g, each with battery and card, by the makers' figures.
Do Z fc lenses fit the Z50II?
Yes. Both use the Nikon Z mount.
Do the Z fc and Z50II use the same battery?
Not the same model, but a spare can be shared: the Z fc comes with the EN-EL25 and the Z50II with the EN-EL25a, but the Z fc also takes the EN-EL25a once it has firmware C 1.50 or later, and the Z50II also takes the EN-EL25, with fewer shots per charge than the EN-EL25a, by Nikon's own lists.
Facts from the makers' specification pages. How we check