Nikon Z30 - do we need a viewfinder? Review and a street test in Prague

Nikon Z30 is a rather specific camera for vloggers - it has no viewfinder. But does it still make sense to use it primarily for taking photos? Here is my video review from the perspective of photographers. You can find test unedited photos in my article (in Czech only): www.fotoguru.c...
The Czech version of the video: • Nikon Z30 - má smysl f...

[@stefanrogers2436]

I just bought one in New York and took pictures for 3 days. Not only did I not miss the viewfinder, I felt using the screen helped me frame and take much better pictures. It's an incredible camera.

[@jan-rybar]

Good to hear you like the camera! Jan

[@amhtxc2960]

I am using it as the secondary camera, for small backpack situations (mountain biking, hiking, travelling light...) and I am superimpressed by the quality and the low-light capabilities. Pair ir with the 40mm f2 affordable and small lens and you got yourself a killer kit.

[@SA-dk5zx]

I got it couple of weeks ago (250mm kit) here in New Delhi, India and loving it. I use it as family and travel camera, upgraded from a point & shoot and phone, I never used EVF before, so I dont miss it : ) more over there are options to increase display brightness, which I have added in custom menu (sort of shortcut), also I tilt the screen for better viewing angles in harsh light.

[@jan-rybar]

Hi S A and thanks for the comment! And yes, if you never used the EVF, you will love the camera! Greetings to New Delhi, I have been there couple of times (years ago), hope to come back sooner or later... Jan

[@HOTSHOTGAMING-eb3ds]

Bro what's price in India with dual kit lens ?

[@SA-dk5zx]

@@HOTSHOTGAMING-eb3ds I got dual kit lenses for 78k, including bag, memory card and an extra battery.

[@anirbandutta6913]

​@@SA-dk5zxsame here.. reliance digital rocks!

[@PradeepKumar-tq4ev]

​@@SA-dk5zxpls ans are the extra 50- 250mm lens worth buying or not.

[@stphotogfrank]

You can adjust the brightness of the display from -5 to +5, until now I haven't had the need to turn it up to the maximum of +5 in bright sunlight, I simply set it to +4

[@85chuckanut]

I took this camera to Rome with an 18-140mm f/3.5-6.3 Nikkor. It was amazing. I got absolutely stunning shots and the camera was small and light weight. I hardly even felt it carrying it around and didn't miss the EVF at all. Perfect travel camera.

[@BotGamer-nc8vf]

Is this lens good for vlogging or 16mm-50mm kit lens is good ?

[@PradeepKumar-tq4ev]

​@@BotGamer-nc8vfkit lens are good in vlogging outdoors but u need stable hands and ON the stabilisation in settings and it may crop the frame slightly upon activating stabilistion. Check vids of this camera for vlogging r how much does it crop upon keeping ON stabilisation

[@NCSTalkid]

This camera best use as backup secondary ultra portable z mount. I plan on getting z6 mk3 later when release and i planned to get z30 also

[@g10col92]

A few years ago if a camera had no view finder it was not for me. However after using my camera phone so often I think I could get used to it and it is no longer a deal breaker.

[@jan-rybar]

Thank you for the interesting point! Jan

[@camillionaire6621]

I just ordered my Z30, and it’ll be here tomorrow I can’t wait to try the world of photography with such this exquisite and dynamic camera.

[@kaldays]

Is it good?

[@camillionaire6621]

@@kaldays This camera is pretty good. W/ The starter lens which is the 16-50mm wide-angle zoom lens. Takes amazing Photography, & Videography for zoomed in & up-close shots. I’m investing into a better lens so I can get long shots from afar

[@PradeepKumar-tq4ev]

​@@camillionaire6621pls say, are the kit lens sharp and how do kit lens perform in indoors if provided a good light setup. and any heating issues while recording in 4k. Thanks

[@akshaipashok1471]

Bro iam focusing on whild life and landscape photography and videography for that purpose nikon z30 is the best or any other one is good. My budget is 60k ?

[@Tokohchord]

What the picture profile do u use for this video ?

[@cryptobyt2403]

No you dont. But nikon should add second screen like fuji xpro3

[@pedro777]

Hi, Because you were talking about the ZFC, I couldn't tell if the photos of the dog at the beginning where you zoomed into the eye were on the ZFC or Z30? Can you please let me know? Thanks!

[@jan-rybar]

Hi Pedro and sorry for the confusion, all shots in the review are from Z30... Best, Jan

[@r1berto1]

Yes it is a great camera. Light, handy and easy to use. Great for indoor images and a low light monster. But there are times, specially when shooting outside in sunny days, you'll really miss the the viewfinder. That screen can't compete with the South Florida sun.

[@jan-rybar]

Yes, exactly... JR

[@damasovi_travels1244]

ahoj od Mexika!! super great video!, really enjoy the images from PRague and the camera! Thanks for the video, new subscriber

[@jan-rybar]

Hi and thanks! Jan

[@TrangNguyen-cs6wv]

thank you for detailed review and lovely images. hope that one day I could travel to Prague. i've read bad critics on the battery life. could you share your experience on that? also, how do you find the kit lens. currently i'm using an old canon 50d with the 18-55mm kit lens, and that lenses is horrible with purple fringing in high comtrast image. i really hope this new nikon kit lens do a better job. my logic is that i don't need sallow depth of field, i just need good image quality (even in low light or demanding contrasty scences). i really hope the new nikon apsc sensor pairs with a decent enough lens could be what i need. i would appreciate all sharing and advice. thank you!

[@jan-rybar]

Hi Trang and thanks for the comment! Battery life seemed sort of "normal" to me, nothing extreme, but of course: if you are used to your old Canon (which probably could work for days), you must know mirrorless cameras just generally take much more energy, so spare batteries are more or less needed... Kit lens - of course, you cannot expect miracles, but generally, the results are not bad, so I would probably risk it... Good luck! Jan

[@twoblink]

My dog looks like your dog!

[@SuperCern]

Very nice presentation! I debating between this and Sony A6400 for photos and videos. Which one would you recommend?

[@jan-rybar]

Thank you! Well, I would personally go for the Sony A6400, because I just really love viewfinders... Yes, we can live without them, the camera indeed makes sense, but still, it would just miss VF too often... Jan

[@MaybeTiberius]

i could quite literally cry a little towards this camera. cameras became so advanced these days that people who seriously still ramble about all the tech too much are really quite bizarre. i mean... put something like 16 years old nikon d90 into the hands of a good photographer and they still create beautiful photos with it. and even entry level cameras like the z30 are so ahead compared to a d90. me myself, i am so used to how cameras and their sensors and tech worked in the dslr era, that most of what the new cameras offer feels like science fiction to me. that said, i highly doubt that a z30 would limit anyones creativity. and thats where nikon makes me incredibly sad. i absolutely love rangefinder designs in the way of sony a6000 or lumix gx8 style. but i love nikon ergonomics and how they feel. I can not wrap my head around why on earth nikon decided to use NO rangefinder at all. quite literally all i want is a nice compact and affordable rangefinder style camera from nikon. make the z30 like half a cm wider and put a rangerfinder onto the left side and it would be the perfect camera for me to buy. but no rangefinder at all? nope i am sorry, not buying it... and this comes from someone who prefers using the screen, since i wear glasses. but there are a lot of situations, where you are outside and for example the sun is shining straight down on you and you can see very little on whats going on on the screen and for those situations you need some sort of viewfinder as a backup plan at least.

[@falconxvid]

interesting comments, don't want to sound rude here but EVF are for old school photograph, it came from DLSR which has optics in it now it is just useless, there is training course nowadays on how to get rid of this EVF insanity

[@MaybeTiberius]

@@falconxvid you are aware that you sound dumb and you also sound like you have no clue what you re talking about right? EVFs is a new development, that exists only on newer bodies. it has zero to do with dslrs since dslrs use an OVF wich is a completely different thing, and ovfs also did not came from dslrs but exists since the very first cameras in existance. and no it is not useless. how are you supposed to take a photo outside in bright sun lighting with light reflecting of a screen so you cant even evaluate your exposure? a VF blocks out any external bouncing light so you can get a clear view, its the same why you use blackout covers on professional displays to block out reflections and alike. sry bro but you have no clue what you re even taking about and i cant really take you serious

[@atsshorts3470]

Sir this in BSI sensor ..

[@paulcoles5381]

Good info here Jan thanks. Your pictures of Prague brought back happy memories of our trip there just before Christmas one year. Great city and lovely people. You have convince me to get the 16-50mm when I buy my Z30.

[@parnilsson322]

Nice video, Thank you very much

[@jan-rybar]

Thank you, Pär! Jan

[@axelmokoagow2591]

thx for the information in this video 👍🏻

[@andrei.bogdan]

Mine just took water to the hinge and the backlight is toast. Trust me, you need a viewfinder.

[@dron8776]

Hello. I have a question. how to unlock the Z30 when I disconnect the lens and attach it via the Baader Wide-T-Ring Nikon Z Adapter. How to unlock it so that I can take a photo through the Celestron Ultima 80 telescope.

[@aalfonso4706]

Im thinking about getting this, would my lenses for my D5000 work on this camera?

[@igg5589]

About screen complaining in sunshine. If it would be really an issue, nobody would take photos with phones during the daytime. But...

[@jan-rybar]

well, yes, you are right - but it is simply so useful to have a viewfinder on a "proper" camera...

[@willgreig8912]

How does the screen stand up in bright sunlight, thanks

[@joeldiaz141]

viewfinders are overrated anywayz

[@jan-rybar]

Well, they can be really useful...

[@aleenashahid8860]

i have this one camera, but I'm not liking this at all.

[@vj_great551]

Are there any cheap lowlight lenses for z30

[@calebclayton730]

Have a look at the f1.4 Viltrox z mount lenses

[@stphotogfrank]

Nikkor Z DX 24MM F/1.7

[@vj_great551]

😊

[@ciudadanosdelcosmos]

Hi,,for street photography (beginner here) , i saw specs, but wich do you recommend for your own experience ? this or Lumix gx9 ? thanks

[@Truth_seeker-bl5mi]

Nikon for better low light street photography

[@oscarramonredondo]

I bought one and the quality si so sharp almost the same as they z50. even there is no eye piece still one of the best and it is good for video very excellent

[@jan-rybar]

Thank you for the comment! Jan

[@PAULLISA7572]

What about moving thing loke trains or buses

[@patrick.771]

Did you edit the photos in Capture One since the green tone looks a bit darker than what I’m used to from my Z6?

[@jan-rybar]

Hi, no, I did not edit any photos from the review, all these shots are JPGs directly from the camera...

[@egedngl]

Hi from turkiye brother i want to buy mirrorless camera and i looking for z50 and z30 but my budget is ok fot z30 cant buy z50 now. İ want to be street photographer and have budget for z30 its enough for street photography?

[@larry123467]

yes, definitely

[@jan-rybar]

Hi Ege! It really depends on whom you ask... So yes, you can use it for great street photos, but you have to be ready for the simple fact that you will not see much on the sunny days... You can find cheaper cameras with a viewfinder: like Canon M50 mark ii (which, on the other hand, has no future, since there will be no new M lenses)... Good luck! Jan

[@egedngl]

@@jan-rybar i prefer a new model camera so i buy it today happy with that thx for ur comment Jan.

[@jan-rybar]

@@egedngl Hi Ege and yes, you will like the camera! Best from Prague, Czech Republic... Jan

[@booshipvideo5513]

@@jan-rybar did you set the screen to the brightest?

[@asadfarraj]

Are there many differences between the Z50 and Z30 in terms of just pictures? Especially in landscape photography, where autofocus is not much of a contributor. I am considering one between this and the Z50, for landscape and astrophotography. Thanks.

[@jan-rybar]

Hi Asad, frankly, it is very hard to compare, I was testing Z50 some time ago. What I really liked, was Nikon Z fc, which is newer... And I really liked it, so you might consider it as well... Jan

[@dimakor5914]

Sony ZV-e10 has much better video stabilization due to Catalyst software, but Nikon has compact and cheap normal lens 40 mm f2. And all compact sony primes are stupid 11 or 16 mm. Tough choice.

[@jan-rybar]

Hi Dima, good point with the lenses... I personally like 28 mm (full frame), so 16 mm prime sounds good to me, but for many situations, you need something "longer", that is true... Best, Jan

[@dimakor5914]

@@jan-rybar I mentioned that people who doing mostly video prefer wide angle lenses. As for photography, 50 mm is still the king. Also, Sony has s-logs settings, which compress dynamic range to video container and must have for video production. Not sure if Nikon Z30 has it.

[@oliverinmga]

Thanks for the video its been hard to find videos that don't just show this camera's vlogging features. I've been thinking of picking this up as a second camera (to my z 6II) and one my gf could use. I already have a lot of z glass. I think this would pair well with the compact 28mm and 40mm which I already own. Thanks again.

[@jan-rybar]

Hi Oliver and thanks for the comment! It definitely makes sense to use in as you describe, just, perhaps, you can consider Z fc, in my country, the price difference is not that big (could be bigger in another parts of the world), and having a EVF could be useful even for the "second body" scenario... Best, Jan

[@alexarvai4915]

Hi Oliver. Yeah where i found some info from this camera, its called vlogger camera. And first time when i search new model founded this Nikon Z30. But when i read its vlogger camera i don't really want. But the price talking. I want to change from Nikon D5300 to this. I really don't know its good for me or not.

[@alexarvai4915]

Thank for the video. I want to change from SLR camera to MILC. I have all time Nikon machines, and i don't want change to other brand. But i am just a hobby photographer, not professional. I like shoot photos at night, at the city, or where is not too much light. And i usually make this from hand. I am not using tripod always. I know this piece of the photography it matters a lot the lens. I want to buy low value F (aperture) lens like 1.8, 2.8 and use with 10.000-30.000 between ISO value. What are you say? The pictures with lens with 2.8 F aperture value at low light and 10.000 between 30.000 iso value is usuable or not? And naturally RAW pics what i wanna shoot. Thanks a lot one more time for your video, and for your reply and greetings from Budapest. Alex

[@jan-rybar]

Hi Alex and greeting to Budapest, I was in Pécs a couple of weeks ago (amazing!)... Anyway, I believe that if you use lenses with 1.8 or 2.8, you should not need that high ISO levels... Typically, when I shoot in night, in a city, for example, something up to 6400 could be enough... 10 000 should be more or less OK for this camera, for the higher levels, it really depends on what you find acceptable... Best, Jan

[@alexarvai4915]

​@@jan-rybar Thank you so much for your answer! I am thinking on this machine. It's a small world, and I was born in Pécs. Thank you again, best regards.

[@HOTSHOTGAMING-eb3ds]

I have a question sir .... Z50 and A6400 are 3 4 years old model.... If i buy new in 2023 will i get repair service of these 2 since they are released in 2019 ??????

[@jan-rybar]

Hi, it depends on laws in your country, but generally speaking, the guarantee always starts from the day of purchase, so it should be OK... Jan

[@HOTSHOTGAMING-eb3ds]

@@jan-rybar oh .... What about spare parts of camera in 2023 and 2024 if camera was released in 2019 ?? I mean like do companies still make inside parts of cameras which was released 5 years ago ?

[@Aki-f5v]

Why not a Z50 ?. Its almost the same size but with a viewfinder.

[@jan-rybar]

Sure, nothing against Z50, but for some people, this camera is a tempting option... Jan

[@piotrpedzich4437]

Z30 is smaller and cheaper

[@Budfrog23]

My main camera is a D500 and this is only my shortlist for a travel/take anywhere camera - just deciding if I can work without an EVF. Thanks for the Vid.

[@jan-rybar]

Thanks Simon! Well, yes, I believe it is very individual decision, for me personally, is still need EVF... But in a couple of years, who knows... Best, Jan

[@Budfrog23]

@@jan-rybar People seem to get on well with the Ricoh GR range which also has no EVF. I want something that I can leave in the car or carry discretely...... the Z30 is well priced.

[@george-robinson]

Nikon ZFC is your Happy medium.

[@Budfrog23]

@@george-robinson I bought the Z30 at Christmas and I'm enjoying it. The ZFC is a great camera but just slightly larger than I wanted - the Z30 fits into a man bag which is what I wanted. Image quality is very good and so far the lack of an EVR hasn't been an issue.

[@markshirley01]

The stabilisation really lets it down

[@jan-rybar]

Hi Mark, well, I personally do not think a super effective stabilisation is essential in this type of camera (absence of the viewfinder is more important for me), but sure, others can view it differently... Best, Jan

[@markshirley01]

@@jan-rybar yes - Ive heard its hard to use outdoors.

[@sabu5727]

Good ❤️