The Nikon Z 50 was by no means a breathtaking camera, even when it launched, back in 2019. Over the years, though, it has really begun to show its age, as the likes of Fujifilm and Sony handily surpassed it in the APS-C game, bringing features like 5-axis image stabilisation to ~$1,000 cameras. Now, a new leak suggests that Nikon will refresh the Z 50 with the Z 50 II, although there is yet no mention of IBIS or a sensor resolution bump.

According to the leaks from NikonRumors, the Nikon Z 50 II will likely feature three key upgrades. Firstly, Nikon will update the ergonomics and looks of its compact APS-C offering to align more with the Z 6 III — this likely means the same two-axis Vari-angle touchscreen as the Z 6 III and a smaller EVF tower. Second among the updates is an update to the Expeed 7 processor, which may enable faster write speeds, better AF tracking and subject recognition, and potentially higher video frame rates and resolutions. Lastly, the leaker claims that the Z 50 II will also finally drag Nikon's APS-C camera into the USB Type-C age.

Ominously missing from the Z 50 II leak is any mention of IBIS. Given that the Z 50 II looks to be using the same 21 MP DX-format APS-C sensor as its predecessor, it seems unlikely that IBIS is unlikely to make its way to the Z 50 II. While it wouldn't be unexpected for an entry-level Z 50-series camera to launch without IBIS, it would put Nikon at a severe disadvantage compared to its competitors. Other entry-level and mid-range cameras, like the Sony A6700, which retails for $1,398 on Amazon, and the Fujifilm X-S20, which costs as little as $1,299 on Amazon, are only slightly more expensive than even the current-gen Nikon Z 50 and all have excellent in-body image stabilisation.

Although the new Nikon APS-C camera will supposedly launch later this year, it is still early days for Z 50 II rumours and leaks.