Why Nikon should make a Z90 or D500 Z replacement

Mirrorless cameras by now have proven to be as capable as DSLRs and have even surpassed them in most ways too. However, with Nikon, there is currently only one mirrorless camera that is suitable for fast action like birds and demanding wildlife: the Nikon Z9. With Nikon DSLRs, we have the D500, which is far cheaper than the Z9. Therefore, Nikon should make a Z90, or D500 replacement.

Why should Nikon do this? There are quite a few reasons.

#1: The Z9 is very expensive

Actually, the Z9 is a lot of camera for the money, so I’d consider it a fairly good “deal”. However, its absolute price of $5500USD makes it far too expensive for most people. Plenty of wildlife photographers would be better served with an Z APS-C camera that is at least as capable as the D500. It does not even have to have all the AF capabilities of the Z9, just 80-90% of them.

#2: The Z9 is a heavy brick

Even if I had the Z9, I probably would not want to shoot with it much because it is a heavy brick at 1340g. Now consider the Nikon 800mm f/6.3. This is a phase-fresnel lens that is suppose to be a lighter alternative to the traditional 600mm f/4. However, the Nikon Z9 + 800mm f/6.3 is almost exactly the same weight as the Sony A1 + 600mm f/4 (which is only 50g heavier).

Although some people like the heft, a gripless Z90 would be so much more comfortable for most people.

#3: Most wildlife photographers crop to ASP-C levels with birds

Chances are, Nikon’s most popular wildlife lens will end up being the Nikon 200-600, yet to be released. With such a lens, most people will be cropping to APS-C levels if they are shooting birds. Sure, it doesn’t happen all the time, but that means most people will not even take advantage of the full-frame sensor most of the time, so a Z90 makes much more sense.

#4: Other companies are doing it

Three other companies already have smaller-sensor action cameras. Canon proved that people are interested with the R7 at $1500, Fuji did it with their X-H2S at $2500, and OM SYSTEM did it with the OM1 at $2200. All of these cameras are so much easier on the wallet than the Z9, and would be much more suitable for most wildlife photographers.

I do realize full-frame has some serious advantages, but most photographers and most situations will not benefit much from them, so we need a Nikon camera that will fill this gap.

Nikon also has some unique lenses like the 500PF or 400 f/4.5, which would be amazing on a crop-sensor camera like a Z90. Thus, it would be much nicer to stay with Nikon and use these amazing lenses rather than go to one of the other companies which lack these.

#5: Future full-frame Z action cameras will still be too expensive

Chances are, Nikon’s Z9 AF will trickle down into other full-frame cameras. Maybe the Z6III and Z7III will be closer to the R6 and R5 respectively, which are Canon cameras that destroy the current Z6II an Z7II. However for wildlife, the Z6’s resolution is just too low. However, even if the Z7III has enough AF power, it will be too expensive. The current Z7II is $3000USD, whereas as a Z90 would likely be $2000, which is still much more friendly for budget-conscious shooters.

Conclusion

Nikon needs a Z90. Not only would it be an amazing success for Nikon, but it would allow a lot of shooters to get into wildlife who would never want to spend over five grand on a Z9. Of course, wildlife enthusiasts do have other options, but that means either sticking with the F-mount D500 (which I am doing), or move to another brand. If Nikon made a Z90, moving to another brand would not be necessary for anyone who wants an crop sensor AF beast.