Better AUTOFOCUS for Nikon Z50 / Z5? Firmware update 2.4 tested

Key product(s)

• Nikon Z50 and Nikon Z5 cameras
• Tested firmware update(s): v2.4 (for improved performance) and referenced v1.4

Main claims / features mentioned from the firmware

• Improved eye detection performance for Auto Area AF
• Improved refresh rates for focus points in live view
• IAF (Intelligent Autofocus) in video mode added/available, described as a major improvement

User experience from the reviewer (Nicholas Meyer)

What improved

• Eye autofocus is generally accurate: in many situations, the camera focuses correctly on people’s eyes.
• Can detect eyes from farther away than before (though the reviewer says they don’t personally care much about this, since depth of field often keeps the face/eye in focus anyway).
• More reliable results overall in studio/client-style shooting:
  • From 800+ studio photos, the reviewer rejected only 13 due to bad focus.
  • In brightly lit rooms with clearly visible eyes, the reviewer reports 100% focus accuracy (every shot tack-sharp on the eyes).

What did not fully improve (cons / remaining issues)

• Even after the update, autofocus does not always feel reliable.
• Still observed out-of-focus shots, including cases where:
  • The camera appeared to “find” the eye and the focus boxes were on the eye, but the final image was wrong—especially in poor lighting or when the background is brighter than the subject.
  • In some well-lit studio sequences, when the eyes couldn’t be seen, the camera initially missed focus and only corrected after multiple attempts (e.g., “four out of focus shots before it finally focused” in one case).

Practical impact

• This can be frustrating for client work, because you don’t have time to check every shot for focus.
• Despite the frustration, the overall rejection rate is portrayed as low relative to the total number of shots.

Comparisons / context

• No direct comparison to other camera brands/models.
• Comparisons are mainly before vs. after firmware, based on observed shooting outcomes.

Pros / Cons (as stated)

Pros

• Eye autofocus is usually spot-on
• IAF in video is highlighted as a significant positive
• Better eye detection/locking, including in many studio scenarios
• Reported 100% accuracy in bright, clear-eye conditions
• Overall improvement supports continued recommendation of the Z50/Z5

Cons

• Autofocus still occasionally produces incorrect focus even when it seems to have locked onto the eye
• Performance can degrade in poor lighting or high background brightness
• If eyes aren’t visible, there can be multiple misses before focus locks

Overall verdict / recommendation

• The firmware update improves real-world autofocus performance, especially for clearly visible eyes and in well-lit conditions.
• However, autofocus is not fully foolproof, particularly in challenging lighting/background scenarios.
• Recommendation remains positive: the reviewer still recommends the Nikon Z50 and Z5 after testing.

Unique points mentioned (complete list)

1. Nikon firmware updates (v2.4, and reference to v1.4) promise improved eye detection for Auto Area AF.
2. Improved refresh rates for displayed focus points in live view.
3. IAF in video is added/improved and praised.
4. Eye recognition works from a farther distance than before (reviewer doesn’t strongly value it).
5. Before update: eye autofocus usually worked, but was not reliable (random missed focus even when focus seemed correct).
6. After update: still occasional unreliable focus, especially in poor lighting/high background brightness.
7. In poor lighting: eye boxes were on the eye, yet some shots were still out of focus.
8. In a well-lit studio: misses happened when eyes weren’t clearly visible; multiple out-of-focus frames occurred before correct focus.
9. Despite the issues, studio rejection rate was low: 13 rejects out of 800+.
10. In bright rooms with clearly visible eyes: 100% focus accuracy reported.
11. Improvement makes Z50/Z5 “even better cameras,” and the reviewer continues to recommend them.

Speakers

• Nicholas Meyer (sole speaker/viewpoint in the subtitles)