Review like a pro with the Z50II

John Bogna •Tehnologija i znanje•16 sep 2025•3 min za čitanje

Get smooth focus switching with review mode

If you’re a content creator, reviewing or showcasing products is often part of the job. Whether you’ve finally nabbed that sponsorship or your channel revolves around the newest makeup trends, you’re showing off products on camera. And there’s a unique frustration that comes with holding up that lipstick tube or mail-order razor in front of the lens: focus hunting.

Older cameras will often have trouble pulling focus on something held up closer to the lens, hunting back and forth to get a sharp picture while the creator has to wait. The Z50II, however, has a mode specifically made to eliminate that problem and make product reviews smoother.

Get smooth focus switching with review mode

John Bogna

Writer and Photographer

Pratite John Bogna na društvenim mrežama

What’s in my kitbag?

Z50IIBuilt for ease

What is product review mode?

Product review mode is an easy-to-activate setting in the Z50II mirrorless camera’s video recording menu. It sets the focus area across the entire display and tells the camera to focus on the subject in your frame. When something is placed close to the camera, it will focus on that object. It’s basically an autofocus mode designed specifically for product reviews.

To turn on product review mode, just go into your camera’s video recording menu and set product review mode to ‘on’. This will set the entire frame as the autofocus area, but you can also set a custom area by selecting the option ‘on (customise focus area)’. Once that’s selected, you can use the directional pad to determine how high and wide (in focus points) your focus area will be.

Nikon Z50II | First look of our new DX-format mirrorless camera with Ricci Chera

Which lenses should you use for review videos?

While there’s no one perfect lens for every video, there are a few that work well with review videos because they provide things such as variable focal lengths or a wide, bright aperture. Try these lenses with your Z50II and see how they compare:

NIKKOR Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR – super-compact zoom lens
NIKKOR Z DX 12-28mm f/3.5-5.6 PZ – extra-wide angle
NIKKOR Z DX 50-250mm f/4.5-6.3 VR – versatile zoom with a super-wide range
NIKKOR Z 28mm f/2.8 SE – wide aperture all-rounder prime, DX 42mm equivalent

You don’t need to have every single lens here. Just choose one to start. Consider your needs and budget, then select accordingly. You can always add to your kit later on.

Tips for filming great product reviews

If your channel is built around product reviews, you want people to know they can trust you. That means delivering quality videos and honest, well-researched information. So here are a few best-practice ideas to use as a jumping-off point for your vids.

First, quality is key. The Z50II lets you record in N-Log format for more editing latitude and captures up to 4K video. Couple that with a good shotgun mic or lavalier mic that clips to your shirt and your videos will stand above their more mundane counterparts.

Second, keep your camera stable. That means using a tripod or, if you don’t have one, something like a stack of books to keep the camera from shaking. A tripod will hold your camera steadier and let you use more angles, but work with what you’ve got.

Third, dial in your lighting. Even the fanciest cameras produce lacklustre video in bad or flat lighting conditions, but good lighting can make even a budget camera shine. Make sure you and your filming space are brightly lit and the viewer can clearly see what you’re showing them.

The most important thing is to just get started. Play around, get familiar with your equipment and you’ll be a top product reviewer in no time.

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