New Nikon Z5 IIC: Full-Frame Camera Without a Viewfinder, Starting at $1,399

Nikon has officially pulled back the curtain on the Z5 IIc, a full-frame mirrorless camera that strips the electronic viewfinder from the Z5 II formula and replaces it with a more portable body. It’s aimed squarely at travel shooters, hybrid creators, and anyone who’d rather look at the world through a screen than peer through an eyepiece. It’s Nikon’s clearest answer yet to Sony’s A7C line. And since it’s finally officially released, let’s see what it brings to the table.

The core hardware here is nearly identical to the Z5 II: the same 24.5MP full-frame BSI CMOS sensor paired with the EXPEED 7 processor. It offers up to 30 fps continuous shooting at full resolution, a native ISO range of 100–64000 (expandable to 204800), and subject-tracking AF across ten categories including people, animals, birds, vehicles, and a new aquatic life mode.

Pre-Release Capture is also on board. It lets the camera buffer up to a second of frames before you even fully press the shutter, which is useful for anyone photographing fast or unpredictable subjects. What I like about this package is that Nikon hasn’t watered anything down to justify the smaller body. The sensor-shift 5-axis IBIS still offers up to five stops of compensation on its own, and up to 7.5 stops with compatible lenses.

On the video side, the Nikon Z5 IIC records UHD 4K up to 60 fps and Full HD up to 120 fps. For more serious workflows, it offers 12-bit N-RAW up to 4032 × 2268 and 10-bit H.265 N-Log with free RED LUTs. A two-hour recording limit, USB-C streaming compatibility, and Product Review mode round things out nicely. For a camera positioned as a daily carry, this is a lot of video capability to fit into one relatively slim package.

The flat-top design is the defining visual feature here. Nikon has added some touches beyond just removing the hump. For instance, there’s the Warm Display Colors mode, which switches the info overlay to red for night shooting. The Starlight View mode helps you compose in near-complete darkness for astrophotography, and a front-facing recording indicator light tells your subject when rolling is in progress.

There’s no viewfinder, so the 3.2-inch vari-angle touchscreen at 1,040,000 dots is your primary viewfinding tool. I find it interesting that this might be a dealbreaker in two ways. For folks like me, the lack of a viewfinder is a dealbreaker, making me not buy the camera. I just prefer shooting through a viewfinder and I wouldn’t get rid of it. On the other hand, if compatibility is your thing and you shoot screen-first, this is a welcome change.

The spec that is a minus for, I think, most of us, is the single SD card slot. It’s not unusual for this camera category, but it’s a limitation if you’re thinking about using the Nikon Z IIC professionally or semi-professionally.

Nikon Z5 IIC Specs

Specification	Details
Lens Mount	Nikon Z
Sensor Resolution	Effective: 24.5 Megapixel (6048 x 4032) / Actual: 25.28 Megapixel
Image Sensor	35.9 x 23.9 mm (Full-Frame) CMOS
Sensor Crop (35mm Equivalent)	Crop Factor: 1x (*Additional Crop Occurs in Select Video Modes)
Image Stabilization	Sensor-Shift, 5-Axis
Capture Type	Stills & Video
Shutter Type	Mechanical Focal Plane Shutter and Electronic Rolling Shutter
Shutter Speed	1/8000 to 30 Second
Bulb/Time Mode	Bulb & Time Mode
ISO Sensitivity	Photo – Native in Auto Mode: 100 to 64,000 (50 to 204,800 Extended) / Video – *Native: 100 to 51,200 (100 to 204,800 Extended) (*Base ISO Is Dependent on Selected Color Space)
Metering Method	Center-Weighted Average, Highlight Weighted, Matrix, Spot
Exposure Modes	Aperture Priority, Auto, Manual, Program, Shutter Priority
Exposure Compensation	-5 to +5 EV (1/3, 1/2 EV Steps)
Metering Range	-4 to 17 EV
White Balance	Presets: Auto, Cloudy, Color Temperature, Direct Sunlight, Flash, Fluorescent, Incandescent, Preset Manual, Shade
Continuous Shooting	Up to 30 fps at Maximum Resolution
Interval Recording	Yes
Self-Timer	2/5/10/20-Second Delay
Aspect Ratio	1:1, 3:2, 16:9
Image File Format	HEIF, JPEG, Raw
Bit Depth	14-Bit
Internal Recording	N-RAW 12-Bit: 4032 x 2268 at 23.98/25/29.97 fps (340 to 420 Mb/s); 3984 x 2240 at 23.98/25/29.97 fps (330 to 410 Mb/s)* / H.265 Long GOP/MOV 8/10-Bit: 3840 x 2160 at 23.98/25/29.97/50/59.94 fps (150 to 190 Mb/s); 1920 x 1080p at 23.98/25/29.97/50/59.94/100/120 fps (40 to 190 Mb/s) / H.264 Long GOP/MP4 8-Bit: 1920 x 1080p at 23.98/25/29.97/50/59.94 fps (30 to 50 Mb/s) (*Sensor Crops During Recording)
Video Output	4:2:2 8/10-Bit: 3840 x 2160 at 23.98/25/29.97/50/59.94 fps; 1920 x 1080 at 23.98/25/29.97/50/59.94/100/120 fps
Fast-/Slow-Motion Support	No
Recording Limit	2-Hour 5-Minute Maximum
IP Streaming	No
Built-In Microphone	Stereo
Audio Recording	MOV, Raw: 24-Bit 48 kHz AAC Audio / MP4: 16-Bit 48 kHz LPCM Audio
Memory Card Slot	Single Slot: SD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-II)
Internal Storage	No
Video I/O	1x Micro-HDMI Output
Audio I/O	1x 1/8″ / 3.5 mm TRS Stereo Headphone Output; 1x 1/8″ / 3.5 mm TRS Stereo Microphone Input
Power I/O	1x USB-C Input
Other I/O	1x 1/8″ / 3.5 mm Remote Input; 1x USB-C 3.0 / 3.1/3.2 Gen 1 Data Output (Shared with Power Input)
Wireless	Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) / Bluetooth 5.0
Mobile App Compatible	Yes: Android & iOS (SnapBridge) – Access Stored Files, Firmware Update, Remote Control
Global Positioning	GPS (*Via Connected Smartphone)
Display Type	Articulating 3.2″ Touchscreen LCD
Resolution	1,040,000 Dot
Focus Type	Auto and Manual Focus
Focus Mode	Continuous-Servo AF, Full-Time Servo, Manual Focus, Single-Servo AF
Autofocus Points	Contrast Detection, Phase Detection: 273
Autofocus Sensitivity	-10 to +19 EV
Built-In Flash/Light	No
Flash Modes	First-Curtain Sync, Off, Rear Curtain Sync/Red-Eye Reduction, Rear Sync, Red-Eye Reduction, Slow Sync, Slow Sync/Red-Eye Reduction
Maximum Sync Speed	1/200 Second
Flash Compensation	-3 to +1 EV (1/3, 1/2 EV Steps)
Dedicated Flash System	TTL
Shoe Mount	1x Hot Shoe
Non-Shoe Flash Connection	No
Battery	1x EN-EL15c Rechargeable Lithium-Ion (Included)
Tripod Mount	1x 1/4″-20 Female
Operating Conditions	32 to 104°F / 0 to 40°C up to 85% Humidity
Dimensions (W x H x D)	5.3 x 3.2 x 2.8″ / 134 x 80.7 x 72 mm
Weight	1 lb / 620 g (Body Only)

Pricing And Availability

The Nikon Z5 IIC is priced at $1,396.95 for body only, and $1,696.95 as a kit with a 24-50mm f/4-6.3 lens. It’s available in Black and Silver, and I have to admit I slightly prefer the silver version. You can preorder it now, and it should start shipping on October 15.

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