Nikon Z System Entry Ticket: Checking the Z5's Mileage

Nikon Z5 became the most affordable full-frame mirrorless camera in the Nikon Z system at the time of its release. An excellent 24.3-megapixel sensor, dual UHS-II card slots, optical image stabilization (IBIS) and renowned reliability - all at the lowest price for a full-frame Z system. It's this affordability that makes the Z5 the best-selling camera in its class, and therefore one of the most popular cameras on the aftermarket.

The audience for the Z5 is very diverse: from beginner photographers switching from Nikon DSLRs to videographers looking for a budget option for YouTube. With such a wide audience, the history of each individual specimen is completely unpredictable. One Z5 could “sunbathe” on a tripod in the studio, another could take thousands of shots at weddings. Only the system counter will tell you the truth.

Electronic shutter and its effect on meter readings

Nikon Z5 is equipped with both mechanical and electronic shutter. This is an important nuance for diagnosis. The camera's mechanical shutter is officially designed for 200,000 operations - a serious indicator for the "entry" level. The electronic shutter (silent shooting) does not wear out the mechanics at all.

When analyzing the mileage of the Z5, it is important to look at the mechanical meter. The latest Nikon mirrorless cameras share these values ​​in their EXIF ​​metadata, giving you the most accurate picture of actual shutter wear. Mileage up to 60 thousand on the mechanical meter is a great buy. Figures in excess of 150 thousand mechanical frames should be cause for careful trading.

Reading the counter from the files of the new Nikon Z mount

The EXPEED 6 processor continues Nikon's tradition of capturing usage data. The mechanical shutter count is included in the structure of each file - both NEF (RAW) and JPEG - automatically when the image is saved.

The data is in a private MakerNotes block. Our service supports reading metadata of the new Nikon Z-mount system. For diagnostics, bring the original NEF file directly from the memory card - files saved in third-party programs may lose some of the service tags.