Comparing photo of my D5600 to my new (refurbished) Z50: Would really like your opinion on these photos and any help to make Z50 sharper. I ordered a refurbished Z50 from Nikon USA on...

Texas1833 Loc: Houston, Texas

Would really like your opinion on these photos and any help to make Z50 sharper. I ordered a refurbished Z50 from Nikon USA on May 24 because I wanted something smaller and the reviews were good. I have only had SLR cameras before. (I am an amateur photographer.) It looked brand new when it came and had less than a 10 shutter count. I have been enjoying using it and felt that photos were....ok. Today I decided to compare theZ50 with DX 16-50 f/3.5-6.3 to my D5600 with Tamron 16-300 f/3.5-6.3 and was surprised with the difference. Both were shot at 50mm on the P mode....same lighting and distance. What do you think? Am I just being too critical...or is my old camera better than my new one?
First photo is D5600, 2nd is Z50.
Thank you in advance for opinions.
Lauretta

(Download)

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

The colors in the first look better, in the second they look hazy.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

Texas1833 wrote:

Would really like your opinion on these photos and... (show quote)

The first looks better, better color and significantly sharper.
But separately I would not notice as there would be no side by side comparison.
Your D5600 seems to be doing a superb job.
I think you are not being too critical.
PS, I did NOT pixel peep but just looked at the photos as a whole.

JRiepe Loc: Southern Illinois

You can't compare the cameras using two different lenses. Any noticeable difference could be in the lenses themselves.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

JRiepe wrote:

You can't compare the cameras using two different lenses. Any noticeable difference could be in the lenses themselves.

Yes, the Nikon Z lens should have given the advantage yet it did not.

therwol Loc: USA

Texas1833 wrote:

Would really like your opinion on these photos and... (show quote)

The difference is almost certainly the result of using different lenses. The Z50 picture has slightly greater exposure and slightly less contrast. This is not unusual between two lenses. If you play with it, you can probably make them look nearly identical.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

therwol wrote:

The difference is almost certainly the result of using different lenses. The Z50 picture has slightly greater exposure and slightly less contrast. This is not unusual between two lenses. If you play with it, you can probably make them look nearly identical.

Why does one have to play with it.
SOOC says it all.
So you get a new camera but to get as good as your old equipment you have to play around with the images to get as good as you get already with no playing around.
Does not make sense.

Texas1833 Loc: Houston, Texas

Thank you. That was what I was thinking. I will give Nikon a call on Tuesday. It is a shame that I didn’t make this comparison earlier when I could have returned it. Getting a Nikon Z mirrorless camera I was hoping to have a smaller and at least as sharp as my old camera and Tamron zoom lens. Thank you for your comment.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

Texas1833 wrote:

Thank you. That was what I was thinking. I will give Nikon a call on Tuesday. It is a shame that I didn’t make this comparison earlier when I could have returned it. Getting a Nikon Z mirrorless camera I was hoping to have a smaller and at least as sharp as my old camera and Tamron zoom lens. Thank you for your comment.

Remember that your Z camera is also a much lower resolution camera.
It is more in the low res class as the D500.
So for resolution your D5600 is much better.

JRiepe Loc: Southern Illinois

Are the menu's set up the same? How about picture control: standard, neutral, vivid etc.?

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

Texas1833 wrote:

Would really like your opinion on these photos and... (show quote)

If these are straight from the camera, check your pucture controls before doing anything rash. Nikon is pretty famous for shipping their cameras set up to produce very bland and unsharp JPEGs. No reason to believe a refurb would be different.

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Architect1776 wrote:

Yes, the Nikon Z lens should have given the advantage yet it did not.

Thaz a funny assumption. FWIW, images from my Z6 are like the images from my D750 when I use the same lens.

When I use a variety of lenses theres sometimes a minor difference at larger apertures regardless of the camera used, given modern cameras of similar specs.

When the OP gets the Z50 all sorted out then the question will just go away.

Texas1833 Loc: Houston, Texas

larryepage wrote:

If these are straight from the camera, check your pucture controls before doing anything rash. Nikon is pretty famous for shipping their cameras set up to produce very bland and unsharp JPEGs. No reason to believe a refurb would be different.

I watched Steve Perry’s You Tube for setting up the Z50….hopefully I did it right. However, I just realized that it has a firmware update which I will do.

Wallen Loc: Middle Earth

Texas1833 wrote:

Would really like your opinion on these photos and... (show quote)

The data is not comparable.
One image was shot at ISO 6400, f/6.3 and only 4176x2784 pixels size.
The other photo is ISO 3600, f/4.8 and 6000x4000 pixels size.

Settings and pixel count do not favor the Z and it shows in the output image.

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

"You can't compare the cameras using two different lenses. Any noticeable difference could be in the lenses themselves."

I couldn't agree more. The second shot looks somewhat desaturated. If your editor has Vibrance moving the slider to the right should bring back the colors. It does better than using Saturation.