Verdict
The Nikon Z30 is a great small vlogging camera for capturing solar day - to - day 4 super C video . The controls and touch interface are well-fixed to get your head around and the standardized electron lens mountain offers great versatility , but it has a lot of competition .
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
In 2022 , Nikon introduced the Z30 , a small and lightweight mirrorless photographic camera build for vlogging .
On paper , the Z30 includes all the fundamentals you ’d expect from a vlogging camera , include a vari - angle monitor , unsubdivided controls and 4 K UHD picture support . It even has an similar lens riding horse over the fixed lens available with some more entry - level vlogging cameras .
But , how does the Nikon Z30 perform in the veridical humans ?
Design
The Z30 is smallest and most lightweight camera in the mirrorless Nikon Z serial at 128 x 73.5 x 59.5 millimetre and 405 g with the battery and memory card included .
That ’s slightly larger and enceinte than the three Sony ZV television camera , but importantly smaller and less than half the weighting of another of ourbest vlogging cameras , thePanasonic Lumix GH6 .
Like the Panasonic and theSony ZV - E10 , the Nikon Z30 comes with an exchangeable lens setting , allowing you to swap out the DX 16 - 50 millimetre kit electron lens ( if you opt for the combo ) with any Nikkor Z electron lens . you could also pair the camera with Nikon ’s DSLR F - mount lenses provided you buy the optional Mount Adapter FTZ II along with it .
An similar lense mount also calls for a lumpy grip to put up braggy lenses and I found that the Z30 ’s grip was deep enough to offer a satisfying hold of the camera .
Combined with its lightweight build , the Z30 is easy to persuade around in one hand and at no full point did I worry about it slipping out of my hand .
The Nikon Z30 has a 3 - inch vari - slant monitor . I found the LCD display to be bright and precipitous enough to volunteer a detailed trailer of my images and the touchscreen was antiphonal when tapped . Meanwhile , the vari - angle hinge mean you’re able to turn the varan to present yourself when vlogging .
As far as forcible controls go , the Z30 has a good routine of push button without appear cluttered . You ’ve got the basics , like the arrow key , menu , modes dial and shutter release , as well as a couple of customisable Fn button , ISO and photograph controls and a stumpy red book clit , among others .
When it comes to ports , there are USB - C , HDMI and mic stimulus . However , the television camera miss a headphone laborer to well monitor sound .
The Nikon Z30 sustain SD , SDHC and SDXC memory cards and there ’s a hot shoe on top of the television camera for accessory .
Features
Given that the Z30 is designed for vlogging , Nikon has mob the photographic camera with some utile television features .
That includes a hybrid phase spying and dividing line detection autofocus scheme with 209 focus points and Full - time AF .
Full - time AF allow you to put away the focus onto your field of study as you take . This means you wo n’t need to vex about unceasingly refocusing while walking down interfering streets or filming your own human face out and about . I found that the AF did a good job of promptly latching on and staying where I wanted it , though it did sometimes fight to focus on items put too cheeseparing to the television camera .
Meanwhile , Eye - Detection AF and Animal - Detection AF essay out multitude , cats and dogs to ensure their eyes are keep precipitous . The capable detection is n’t as forward-looking as that on a higher - end intercrossed camera like theFujifilm X - H2S , which can track modes of transferral , like cars , woodworking plane and trains , as well as man and animate being , but it should be sufficient for twenty-four hours - to - daylight vlogging .
If you ’re looking to give your photos and video a specific feeling , there are 20 originative Picture Control filter to choose from . These are a bit like Fujifilm ’s Film Simulation filters and make it easy to get a uniform , stylized seem right in - photographic camera .
Nikon has in spades pretermit a few tricks when it comes to vlogging lineament . For example , Sony ’s ZV - E10,ZV-1andZV-1Foffer features like Product Showcase , which makes adjusting the focus more unlined when you hold an item in front of the camera and take it off . I found the Z30 to be quite good at focalise on items put in front of the lens , but the camera was sluggish to refocus when those items were taken aside .
The Z30 also does n’t pop the question any combining weight to Sony ’s bokeh electric switch , which makes it possible to blur your background with the push of a button . you may get a soft background with the Z30 , but turning it on and off is n’t as seamless as one click .
When it come to connectivity choice , the Nikon Z30 support both Wi - Fi and Bluetooth . you’re able to pair the television camera with the SnapBridge app to transfer image and television to your phone wirelessly , which should make it loose for contentedness creators and vloggers to get their content from the camera up onto their social medium platform of choice .
As far as the battery run , Nikon take the Z30 is equal to of shooting 125 hour of video in FHD , but this number drops to 35 minutes when faced with 4K. I obtain the camera was able to last a full day taking it in and out of my bag as I seize footage around Central London .
Image and video quality
The Nikon Z30 direct vantage of the same 20.9 - megapixel epitome detector launch in theNikon Z fc . However , unlike its fellow Nikon , the Z30 is n’t designed in the main for snapping stills . That does n’t mean it ’s bad at taking photos , but I would n’t urge this tv camera if its master purpose will be photography and not video .
Images trance with the Nikon Z30 are keen and saturated with a secure amount of depth to them , but the results do n’t feel like a solid enough step up from ourbest camera phonesto justify pick one up for this purpose .
Both the 11fps burst mode and the zoom lineament feel limited , but I did like how bright and detailed selfies appear when rupture with the camera .
The photographic camera is equal to of producing punchy results in low brightness with an ISO range that extends from 100 to 51200 for still and 100 to 25600 for video recording . However , I would n’t advocate press it past 3200 as this is where I find racket began to prune up in my images .
For picture , the Nikon Z30 is open of charm 4 K video at 30p or 1080p at up to 120p , putting the photographic camera directly on equivalence with Sony ’s ZV serial publication in terms of lineament . There ’s also support for dull - motion capture in FHD .
I found video take with the Z30 to be detailed and vivacious as you’re able to see in the 4 K footage below .
unluckily , there ’s no in - body image stabilisation , but Nikon has include a vibration reduction place to help a bit with keeping footage steadfast . I did n’t recover the results to be super placid , but I did test the camera alongside DJI ’s newRS 3 Minigimbal and would emphatically urge this pairing if you want milkshake - devoid solvent .
in the end , there ’s the audio quality . The Nikon Z30 comes with a build - in stereophonic system mic which I found to be good , but there ’s also a larboard for an outside mic so if you require to boost the sound quality you have that choice .
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Should you buy it?
While the Z30 is n’t short of competitors , the camera is compact , beginner - favorable and capable of bring about some punchy 4 K video . It ’s also various with a good range of Nikon lenses supported .
While the Z30 does bring forth some courteous stills , I would n’t recommend it to anyone with no pursuit in television . This is a vlogging camera first .
Final Thoughts
If you ’re look for a full startervlogging photographic camera , the Nikon Z30 has a lot to care . The video quality is sharp and vivacious , the AF organisation is accurate and the aim is easy to slip into a purse .
The camera also has a simple set of buttons and tactual sensation port , earn it leisurely to transition from filming on your smartphone to using the mirrorless photographic camera . The ability to institutionalize footage direct to the mobile app to upload on social metier is very ready to hand in this regard .
deliberate the camera is very likewise price to Sony ’s ZV series , I would have liked to have seen more alone vlogging feature of speech along the line of Sony ’s bokeh switch and Product Showcase mode .
similarly , If you desire to crowd beyond 4 K , you may want to consider thePanasonic Lumix GH6 . This camera substantiate 5.7 K video at 60p as well asApple ProRes422 HQ , though the GH6 is definitely a enceinte investment at almost £ 2000 .
Trusted Score
How we test
We test every camera we review thoroughly . We use set tests to compare features properly and we habituate it as our main equipment over the review article period . We ’ll always distinguish you what we incur and we never , ever , accept money to refresh a product .
FAQs
No , the Z30 has an APS - C sensing element .
Yes , the Z30 can enamour 4K/30p or FHD/120p .
The Nikon Z30 supports uninterrupted shooting at up to 11fps .
