Nikon Takes a New Approach With Vlog-Style Z 30

pcmag.com:

Nikon and photography are pretty much synonymous, as anyone who's sung along to "Kodachrome" is sure to know. So it's definitely news that the company's latest, the Z 30 mirrorless, is a video-first hybrid, not a stills-biased photo camera.

It's a departure in approach from the stalwart giant of the industry, though we'll note Nikon put great video features into its cameras even in the DSLR era, and dipped its toes into the action cam space with its failed KeyMission series.

But the change in form factor is striking. The Z 30 cuts out the electronic viewfinder that's been included in every other Z-mount body to date. It uses the space to add a stereo microphone, and opts for a flip-out display as a monitor and viewfinder. The video-first body style is a first for a Nikon consumer camera.

From a technical perspective, the Z 30 isn't too much different from the other APS-C (DX in Nikonspeak) sensor cameras, the Z 50 and Z fc. It uses a 20MP sensor, includes a mechanical focal plane shutter for photography (with a fully electronic shutter option) and supports 11fps continuous drive. Like the others, Nikon omits weather protection—that feature is currently restricted to its full-frame line.

For video, the Z 30 rolls 4K UHD footage at up to 30fps; you'll need to drop down to 1080p if you prefer the 60fps look, or want to push to 120fps for slow-motion. The camera relies on in-lens and electronic stabilization; the latter introduces a bit of a crop, so you may want to look for a wide-angle lens. As of now the DX 16-50mm is the widest made-for-APS lens for the system, but there is a DX 12-28mm on the Z lens development roadmap.

The faceplate includes a red tally lamp, a useful tool to let you know the camera is recording when