Customer Ratings & Reviews

I'm going to preface this by saying I'm reviewing this camera as one for photography, not videography as almost every review only talks about the video capabilities and not the photo capabilities. I am a beginner photographer, so I don't have much experience but I will give the most accurate review I can. What I like: 1. Autofocus. The autofocus is snappy, accurate, the eye tracking works well, very little focus hunting/breathing and a good depth of field with the kit lens. 2. UI, as someone new to cameras the UI was very intuitive and did not take that much getting used to which I appreciate. 3. Size and weight, this this is seriously small and light and very easy to carry around. Carried it around the city for a few hours using the neck strap and was very comfortable the whole time. 4. Picture quality, obviously its a camera and takes good pictures with very good color accuracy, sharpness, dynamic range, and depth of field. Much better than a smartphone camera in most instances, good in low light, good stabilization allowing slower shutter speeds to be used as well. 5. The screen, since there is no EVF you're gonna be using the screen the whole time. It's a good size, sharp, clear, color accurate, and can get very bright (10 different brightness levels.) Did not have any issues at night or in direct sunlight at the default brightness, thought you can change it to your liking. It's also touchscreen, which works very well and you can use it to autofocus or even take photos which is very convenient. Flips out with a good range of motion, too, for those hard to take shots. 6. Video/mic quality, I took a few test videos and autofocus in auto mode worked very well always keeping me in frame and properly exposed. Built in mic sounds very clear and very crisp. 7. USB-C charging, plug this into any usb-c PD charger and you're good to go. I have a MacBook and use the same charger for both which is especially convenient. Also supports data over USB-C for offloading files, and I believe the cable that comes with it (C-A) will support data transfer, however I use an SD card reader which also works just fine 8. Very nice tactile buttons and scroll wheels, changing aperture and shutter speed have their own wheels and ISO is changed by pressing a button and moving the shutter speed control wheel, which is very nice and convenient for fast shooting. What I don't like 1. No EVF, which as a new photographer I haven't used in the past and I also wear glasses which makes it harder to use however having the option is always nice. I've only missed it twice, where the sun hit the screen at such an angle that the shot was very hard to see. 2. The RAW codec used is not compatible in the native Finder app on my Mac (2020, M1) as of the time of this review (8/21/22) which means you can't preview RAW photos. The only way to view them is using a 3rd party app (Nikon's NX Studio works fine) and viewing them there or exporting them as JPEG from that same app. I think this can be fixed in the future but for now I will be shooting in JPEG. 3. No battery percent? This is a nitpick but not having battery percent and only having the three bars is very imprecise and annoying as I never know exactly how much charge I have. I really hope this is fixed with software but not holding my breath. 4. Another nitpick, but it can be mildly frustrating not being able to take photos without manually extending the lens first. Because it can fold down so small and flush, I don't mind too much but would be nice if it was automatic. And that's about it! For a first camera, I am very happy with it and it performs very well. I have camera samples attached and it takes some great pictures. I bought the Nikon Z 50-250 f4-6.3 lens to use for telephoto and that one works like a dream with this camera, nice and sharp and able to maintain sharpness even when cropping thanks to the 20mp sensor. TL;DR If not having a viewfinder doesn't bother you and you're looking for a good low-middle end camera don't discount this one just because it's more made for video. It takes fantastic photos and is easy, comfortable, and fun to use!

I got this camera for photography and vlogging!! I love it so much!! It can overheat when filming 4K for around longer than 20 minutes, but maybe that's especially because I live in south Texas. The onboard mic picks up noise, but it is sufficient for vlogging if you speak clearly. The kit lens is amazing for this low price. I recommend leaving Vibration Reduction from the lens ON, but electronic vibration reduction is turned off on my camera because it looks odd. The camera does not have built in VR, but the lens it comes with does. I have my picture profile settings set to standard and not auto. Picture profile settings are different than your camera's exposure settings. Get a fast SD card. I recommend a 256GB high speed Sandisk. Doesn't have to be the fastest, but get a good one. I charge this camera using the Apple 20W wall charger paired with the Apple USB to USB charging wire. The camera's battery charges inside the camera, which i think is great! However the included USB A to USB C charging wire is insufficient and does not come with a wall adapter. This camera is a 10 out of 10 and for me beats anything at it's price range! Flippy screen is convenient and video quality is excellent. A game changer for me!

This camera stands out as a versatile, user-friendly camera that doesn't compromise on quality. If you're a beginner or a seasoned photographer, this camera adapts to your needs, delivering stunning results across various photography styles. It's a solid investment for anyone looking to capture the world through a lens of superior quality.

Lightweight, compact, flip screen, perfect for video blogger or someone who wants a crystal clear webcam for their streaming. Can work with other z lens perfectly, even with AFS lenses (with FTZII).

Was looking for a Canon G7X alternative and this camera is pretty good! I like the quality and the size of it. However, the one downside is that is does not come with flash. That is the only reason I rate it four stars. I do not think the price should be lower because of the fact it does not come with a flash. I have tried to find attachable flashes I can use with it, but have not found any success yet. Because of this, the quality of photos in the dark is not that great because of the difficulty to pick up light. That is the only bummer about this camera. Other than that, I am pretty satisfied. I use it for video and photos and I enjoy how smooth the quality is.

I really love this little camera! It’s a perfect balance between taking photos with a smart phone and a more advanced camera. I got it mostly so I wouldn’t have to bring my Z5 on trips, and I’ve been enjoying it so far. One thing I do wish it had is a viewfinder. Here are some photos I’ve taken with it.

Bought this camera as a travel camera and backup to my Z6II when I don't want to carry it around. Paired it with the FTZ adapter so I could use my other Nikon DX lenses. The photo and video quality is outstanding. I don't use it for streaming or recording long videos, so I can't speak to the issues others may be having with recording time (though the max record times are clearly stated in the manual). Highly recommend as a lightweight camera to carry around with you when you don't want to carry something heavier, or as a backup to an existing Nikon Z camera setup.

Great little mirrorless camera. Got it mainly for Vlogging and my AZ4Runner youtube channel, but this little camera does so much more. I was already vested with nikon so the layout and feel is the same as my other D series cameras.

Very nice camera I really enjoy all the features and it is really great for a beginner. Definitely user a friendly.

I used this camera for a vacation video and it was awesome! The quality is so nice and I would 100% buy again if I needed to. The battery life isn’t the longest but can last for around 4 hours which was enough for when the exciting things were happening!

Excelent for beginners, nice photos and great quality videos

Cool camera. Been capturing some quality images and learning what this camera is capable of. It has tons of options on the menu and I'll be learning allot about how digital cameras work. If you want to get macro shots your gonna need a dedicated lense like the Laowa 65mm which mounts great on this Nikon z30. Looking forward to all the experiences this camera will call me on.

Light weight camera! I also got the telescope lense and default lense. Love this camera so far.

Got this camera from my husband and i absolutely love it! I take it everywhere with me and recently got good pictures from my nephews first t ball game and my baby shower!

Absolutely love this camera . Highly recommend has super clear pictures

Great cam. This is my first cam. I used it for fun, street photography and guitar covers.

I am an amateur photographer, I am not a vlogger so this review is based more on the photography end. Even though this camera is intended more for video use instead of using cellphones I found it takes very good pictures. The camera is fairly lightweight and has a nice solid grip to hold onto. The touchscreen is nice because you can enlarge and view your pictures and also just press the screen to take a picture or a video. It shoots very well in low light, see images below. There are a lot of built in settings & you can customize your own & save them. You can set, shutter speed, iso, & aperture. There is an info button & question mark in the settings menu for help. The included video when you register your camera was very helpful, it’s good for 5 yrs. so I’ve referred to it a few times already. The screen closes when not in use which protects it & it flips for selfies. It will not flip if external mic is connected. A sturdy neck strap, battery & 16-50 lens are included. Many extra lenses can be purchased separately. I found all the controls to be right there & easy to use, only problem I had was there’s a photo/video switch & I didn’t switch it so it didn’t record. You can download your pics via Bluetooth or wifi but it’s done through the setup menu & you have to find it, connects easily once done but I have other cameras that have the wifi button on the outside & it’s much easier. I highly recommend the content creator kit, it comes with a remote which you also have to connect through a camera and a tripod which can be handheld or sets on a table and the remote fits magnetically right in it. Also comes with an external microphone, which sounds good, and slides right into the external flash on the top of the camera. People complain that the camera overheats, I didn’t record for that long but noticed that it was getting a little bit warm. I felt that the video looked a little blurry to me, but it could’ve been something that I did and not the camera . Now for the things I wasn’t too crazy about, and the reason for the four stars, there is no built-in or pop-up flash, no viewfinder, no battery charger, and the battery and charger are not sold on Best Buy. This is my first Nikon camera and other than those three things I did enjoy using it and can’t wait to take some more shots and see all this camera has to offer.

Pros Has tally light Lens stores compact Light for feature set Has camera control app Designed to work as a webcam Good grip for secure hold Has photo and video modes Easy to use by just leaving on auto Allows you to learn features on your time Screen flips to show from front Allows saving custom profiles Has both touch and conventional controls Creates shallow depth of field naturally Low light photos are very low in noise Large selection of lenses with adapters Integrated stereo mics with noise reduction Can record video for over 2 hours Cons Short battery life No headphone audio jack Limited number of native lenses No viewfinder for conventional shooting Autofocus noises sometimes recorded video Can only record around 30 minutes of 4K before thermal shutdown Design and Features The Z30 is Nikon’s latest offering targeting vloggers looking to transition to the next step beyond smartphone and webcam video. For starters, there is no viewfinder. This task is handled by the integrated touchscreen. The touchscreen can be viewed from the back of the camera or flipped around and viewed from the front. It can also be flipped to face the camera to store the screen and protect it from damage. With the touchscreen, you have the option to control and configure the camera via touch or conventional buttons. While most buttons are like other cameras there are some notable differences. Since the Z30 was intended to be both a still and video camera it has two separate “shutter” buttons. The main one up front on the top of the grip is set by default to take still photos and them behind that is a smaller button which activates video. Just above the screen is a toggle switch that changes the camera from photo to video mode. This changes the presets for what is displayed on screen and how buttons operate, including the mode dial up top. The mode dial has the standard options such as Auto, Program, Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority, and Manual modes but then adds three more options labeled U1, U2, and U3 which store your own custom settings. On top are stereo mics which offer some built in wind cancellation. A windsock is available as an option to further reduce wind noise. External connections include an HMDI port, USB-C port, and Mic port. The mic port can be used to add a shotgun mic for further noise cancellation but unfortunately there is no headphone jack to monitor the audio. The USB-C port is used for charging but also has video capability. The battery bay also houses the SD card slot and has a special access door to install a dummy battery while keeping the main door closed. This is handy if you choose the route of connecting via HDMI and a capture card as you don’t have to have the battery door hanging open. Usage and Performance Nikon seems to have put a fair bit of effort into making the Z30 a bridge device for those who want to upgrade from phone or webcam video to something more but aren’t ready for the complexities of higher end DSLRs. The removal of the viewfinder and addition of the touchscreen allows those more comfortable with touchscreens to feel at home. Auto modes are quite good to get started. You won’t utilize the camera to the fullest, but over time you can learn how to adjust more settings and further dial in the camera to your preferences. To help you learn the functions the Z30 has built in explanations for different features. There is a button to the right of the screen with a question mark. You can press that to get an explanation of what a particular setting changes. If you want to use the Z30 as a streaming camera you have a simple option that doesn’t even require extra hardware like a capture card. You just install Nikon Webcam utility and plug the camera in via USB-C. You just need to change USB-C power delivery option and that’s it. The camera will show us just like any other webcam. If you want more control, you can get a dummy battery and use the HDMI port and connect it to a capture card. The HDMI output is clean so no worries about camera settings overlaying on your video. By default, the focus mode is auto area people. The camera determines the area that it thinks you want in focus and looks for people in that area to focus on. This is helpful but it does mean if you want to show something you must block your face or change the focus mode to something other than people. It would have been nice to see Nikon offer a mode where it focusses on people unless something is in the foreground and then focuses on that. Beyond streaming, the Z30 is a capable shooter with the included kit lens. The lens collapses into a storage position making the overall package smaller and easier to carry. The included lens does best for macro, portraits, and vlogging. If you are vlogging solo and have shorter arms you may find the included lens harder to get that super blurry backgrounds without your face filling the whole frame. In any other situation it’s very easy to get the natural bokeh. If you can’t afford a shotgun mic the integrated stereo mics do a respectable job of picking up speech. There is a software-based wind noise filter which does a decent job until you can afford to upgrade or if you need to stay more low profile. If you want to see your audio levels, you will want to turn off self-portrait mode as the audio levels will go away the moment you flip the screen around with the mode enabled. Autofocus eye tracking comes in handy for both photos and videos. From a distance it will focus on what it recognizes as a person or animal, depending on what you set. As the person or animal gets close enough it will put a box over the eye it has found. You can also choose which eye to track for focus. If you move out of the frame for a second and come back it will find the same eye and lock the focus again. Video resolution maxes out at 4K 30 fps which at first might seem like nothing big but unlike smartphone video which looks good but has contrast and sharpness set very high to hide the limitations the Z30 doesn’t need to do this. The large sensor on Z30 means you get a naturally sharp image and accurate colors that is hard to describe but easy to see next to smartphone photos or videos. Where this really comes in handy is in low light. Pictures and videos stay naturally sharp and clear with very little noise even in low light. Combine this with a blurry background that isn’t generated by software but naturally by the lens and you get video and pictures that look more professional. One small caveat is cameras at this level still can’t handle recording 4K video for long periods without overheating. If you have a way to provide power, the Z30 can record video for over 2 hours at 1080P. Switch that to 4K and the camera will start to thermal shutdown somewhere just past 30 minutes depending on conditions. In most cases 30 minutes should be enough but it is worth noting. If you are using the Z30 as a streaming camera there is no specific time limit. With no recording being done on camera it stays much cooler and should run for hours on a stream assuming you have no other heat issues near it. However, there have been some reports of thermal shutdown when streaming via USB-C so for extended streams it might still need the traditional dummy battery and capture card. If you do longer streams and are concerned it might be good to wait for the community to do more testing. Final Thoughts There is so much more that could be covered about the Z30. Minor quirks notwithstanding, Nikon has created a very capable camera for streamers looking to up the quality of their content without jumping into the high-end equipment. If you are a vlogger, streamer, photographer, or even hobbyist looking for a way to start working their way into DSLR cameras the Nikon Z30 is a solid contender. The combination of features to help you transition to professional equipment and versatility, the Z30 is a compelling bridge camera to start you on your way to better photo and videography.

Video logging is the in thing nowadays when it comes to cameras. And quite obviously cell phones at the front of this new trend. As such camera manufacturers are well aware of this trend and as to remain competitive, these companies have been offering “video logging” cameras in recent years. Nikon some reason has not joined in the fray until now. So here comes the Nikon Z 30 APS-C video logging camera. The Nikon Z 30 can be viewed as the little brother of the existing Nikon Z 50. It has similar specs compared to the Z 50 which includes the sensor, form factor and build quality and even the battery. There are notable differences though which I’ll explain below. First is the absence of an electronic view finder and a built-in flash. Now some people especially those who are more into stills photography who may consider the lack of an electronic view finder is a dealbreaker, the absence of a view finder makes perfect sense. It seems the Z 30 is marketed to beginner or a bit advanced video loggers and videographers coming from cell phones, hence a viewfinder will not be a dealbreaker for them. Also, the removal of the viewfinder and the built-in flash makes the costs lower which also makes sense, since these are beginner users making a lower price point appealing to them. Second, the 30-minute limit in video recording has been increased to roughly two hours which puts the Z 30 in the realm of camcorders. Do note that in certain countries (especially those in Europe) have limits on video recording capabilities. But there are reports that the Z 30 has tendency to overheat or to put it gently warm up after extended use. So far in my limited test on the video capabilities, I have not encountered any warmups. Lastly, since this is now more of a “video camera with stills capabilities” rather than a “stills camera with video capabilities”, Nikon has decided to include a USB-C port that can power (and charge) the camera so that it can fully function not only as a video camera but as a web cam also. Another thing to note is the auto-focusing capabilities of the Z 30. Since video loggers are presumed to wok mostly alone, the tracking capabilities of the Z 30 is top notch. It uses eyes tracking to auto-focus on moving objects and it also has good auto-focusing on subjects such as products or items being displayed for close up. In this regard the Z 30 passes as a “video logging” camera. The primary common thing of the Z 30 as compared to the Z 50 and also the retro-style Zfc is the image quality. This is a no brainer since all three crop sensor cameras share the same sensor. One thing of note that that even though this is an APS-C camera, performance in low light is very good. In addition, the included kit lens (which all three cameras share) has good image quality for a kit lens. In fact, background blur is more pronounced that the included kit lens is entering APS-C baes f2.8 territory (I may be saying too much but the kit lens is actually good.) Unfortunately, Nikon AFAIK only offers three APS-C Z mount lenses while the rest are full frame. And though you can use full frame lenses on the APS-C Z mount cameras, they are quite expensive. But then again Nikon may be presuming that newbies may be satisfied with the kit lens only. Moreover, I understand Nikon has a lens roadmap for the Z series out on the internet. Handling of the Nikon Z 30 is also superb. It is fairly small enough but has a grip which makes it like holing a compact DSLR. The body is light enough and even though the feel is a bit plasticky, holding the Z 30 is perfectly fine. I understand that the body of the Z 30 is weather sealed too. But I cannot determine if the included kit lens is also weather sealed too. And though in my opinion most video loggers will not be needing a weather sealed body and not having a weather sealed lens is self-defeating, having a weather sealed body is always a welcome addition. One thing I don’t like about the Z 30 is the lack of a stand-alone charger. Charging via USB-C takes long at around seven hours. A trick here is to use a power direct charger whether it’s a plug-in or a PD battery pack. A stand-alone charger is also for purchase. But unfortunately, it seems cameras like cell phones no longer include chargers. (I understand that Nikon sells different creators’ accessory kits in the region, but the one described above is the one available in the United States.) Finally, to add to the video logging experience, a dedicated creators’ accessory kit is available to complement the Z 30. This includes the Nikon BT remote, a tripod and remote holder, and a Rode Video Mic with wind screen. A small wind screen which you attached to the hotshot is also available for purchase. But personally, Nikon should have also included it in the box. Overall, the Nikon Z 30 is a video logging camera also which is also good for stills too. It is sold at a reasonable price point aimed as video loggers who are considering upgrading their gear in the near future.

This is my first time owning a Nikon product ever, my preference and loyalty (perhaps the latter not anymore) were for a competing brand. I decided to give it a try since I hadn’t experienced with mirrorless devices before. Although it appears that the Nikon Z30 is advertised mainly as a 4K video recording device for creators/vloggers/streamers, this device is more than that, besides shooting high quality videos, I can take awesome pictures with its NIKKOR DX 16-50mm lens (the package came with this lens.) I can also attach other DX mirrorless lenses and, although I haven’t tried, it looks like through the Mount Adapter FTZ other F-mount series lenses can be attached as well. So, lots of options in terms of lenses. I am even in the process of acquiring a NIKKOR Z DX 50-200mm VR lens (available again at BestBuy, it was out of stock a few days ago), so it can become a more complete camera. There are plenty of settings to “customize” your experience but so far, from only a few days of use, the default “Auto” settings for video and photo are all you need to take great quality videos and pictures in bright and low light settings (brightness, eye tracking and focus are adjusted just fine.) Bottom line, there could be potentially several enhancements to it, but as an entry level device in the Nikon Mirrorless Cameras lineup, the Nikon Z30 is a perfect camera when you are on the go and need to record videos and takes photo that look professional. - Pros: 4K video resolution, autofocus, clear/quality video/photo, not bulky, remote control. - Cons: none so far. >> Video As already noted, the Nikon Z30 is designed mainly for video, but it doesn’t come in the shape/form of a video recording device, its form factor is more of a regular DSLR. As a result, it is not easy to hold it for long periods of time with one hand when filming yourself. So that is where the Tripod Grip in the Creator’s Accessory kit comes in handy. The tripod Grip allows you to get a good grip on the Z30 not only for shooting videos but also for photography. When you add the remote control to the equation, then it becomes a lot easier to do recordings of yourself and other objectives. It is no surprise that the lens that come with this kit are NIKKOR 16-50mm VR, it allows to record yourself while doing your vlogging, so that it is why perhaps you don’t care that much if the zooming capabilities are not that great (you need to manually adjust the zoom.) When recording yourself and having the touch-enabled monitor screen flipped to the front direction (of course it has to be flipped otherwise you don’t see a thing of what is being recorded), you can choose to focus the lens on different areas by tapping on the touch screen, that’s it. And using the remote, the only option available is to record. So, a little limited in that sense, but with the Auto mode capabilities of this device, I think you don’t need much more for most situations. At 4K with 30p max, I think it fits most of my needs, video is very detailed and looks smooth overall. I am not a video expert per se, but I always figured that having higher fps was always a plus, but after doing some research it looks like 30p is the standard overall for other 4K video devices. I can tell the difference between 4K and regular HD, and although you can choose to have more frames with HD, at 4K, tied with the autofocus and low light support, great and detailed video can be accomplished. One other aspect to highlight on this device is the eye tracking feature. If you are recording while walking for example, changing the focus from you to other objects and then coming back to you, it can detect and track your eyes appropriately. I wear glasses and this device it can pick my eyes moving, so it is for sure a superior device in this aspect. That being said, I was shooting indoors and there was a box behind me with a picture of a person, the camera started tracking the eyes on it! Well, I guess there is some setting to prevent such things from happening. >> Photo This is my first experience with the NIKKOR VR lens, and I am gladly surprised, stabilization is awesome. Sometimes with my shaky hands, photos wouldn’t come as great, but with stabilization and fast autofocus, pictures come out crips and clear. Photos of close objects depict a nice blurry background with enough detail that the overall picture looks enhanced. In addition, in low light scenarios, the capture image has enough detail that it needs little editing (if you are one person that likes editing pictures.) I am planning on using this as my primary photo device when doing reviews. Let me emphasize two of the features I love in Auto mode, the brightness and focus adjustment. It is just great when shooting outdoors, for example. I can focus on different objects with different levels of light and the Nikon Z30 is able to adjust very fast. Sometimes I need to take continuous pictures of something moving among different bright and shaded areas, and with this device, I don’t need to worry too much, as I just move the camera and shoot and, so far, I’ve found the camera almost instantly adjusts as pictures have come out very clear. >> Creator’s Accessory Kit I already talked about the components in the Creator’s Accessory kit, but they deserve special highlighting. Having the tripod grip, the remote and the mic, is highly recommended. At the very least, the tripod is a must, it makes it easy to hold the camera while filming, and even while taking pictures; otherwise, the way the camera has to be held when filming without the tripod grip is not comfortable, and in fact it is almost undoable if you are filming yourself (defeats its purpose as a vlogger tool.) The remote is extremely useful as well, and although it takes some practice to get used to it (sometimes I don’t seem to get it easily connected to the camera,) I find using it to even take pictures while pointing at some object. The mic could be optional but still is required if you are outdoors filming yourself logging your endeavors and want extra audio clarity. In my case, right now, I am fixing my wooden fence, and I am using this device to document the whole process and publish it as a tutorial at some point (hopefully.) Summarizing, invest in the Creator’s package for the Z30, you won’t regret it. >> Other thoughts It is advertised that fully charged, the battery last for a few hundred shots and can record over an hour of video. However, I haven’t gotten close to those numbers. Charging the battery doesn’t take long, though, just take into consideration what is mentioned in the Owner’s manual regarding charging the battery, so you don’t feel like something is wrong and the battery is dead. The ML 7 remote control is very useful; however, when you flip the LCD screen monitor to the front to record yourself, the only two options available are record or take a shoot (depending on whether you set the device to video or photo mode.) When the camera is in video mode, there is no way to take a picture or snapshot while in the middle of filming or even when not filming at all, which is a bummer. Sometimes you are filming, but also want to take a quick picture and continue filming. To accomplish that you need to pause, change from video to photo, take the picture, change back from photo to video, and continue. The ML 7 remote control has more options to control the camera when using it without flipping it to the front. You can select the focus point, zoom-in/out, and take pictures. These options disappear when the monitor screen is flipped in the front direction.