Nikon Z5IIC Data Calculator
The Nikon Z5IIC is the EVF-less version of the Z5 II — same 24.5 MP BSI sensor, same EXPEED 7 engine, same codec lineup, in a flat-top body at $1,399.95. For storage planning the meaningful difference is not the viewfinder: it is that the Z5IIC has one SD slot where the Z5 II has two.
A note on sourcing. Every figure below is transcribed from Nikon's own Z5IIC Reference Guide, published when the camera shipped in October 2026. It matches the Z5 II's table row for row — same sensor, same engine, same codec options — which is what you would expect, and now confirmed rather than assumed.
Nikon Z5IIC Recording Bitrates
Nikon splits its table by codec rather than by a quality setting — there is no High Quality / Normal toggle on this body the way there is on the Z8 and Z9. Three codecs, plus N-RAW.
| Frame size / rate | H.265 10-bit | H.265 8-bit | H.264 8-bit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3840×2160 60p / 50p (DX crop) | 340 Mbps | 300 Mbps | — |
| 3840×2160 30p / 25p / 24p | 190 Mbps | 150 Mbps | — |
| 1920×1080 120p / 100p | 190 Mbps | 150 Mbps | — |
| 1920×1080 60p / 50p | 100 Mbps | 80 Mbps | 50 Mbps |
| 1920×1080 30p / 25p / 24p | 50 Mbps | 40 Mbps | 30 Mbps |
| 1920×1080 slow-motion | — | — | 30 Mbps |
The dashes in the H.264 column are real: H.264 8-bit offers no 4K mode and no 1080/120p or 100p on this camera. Conversely, the slow-motion modes are H.264 only.
N-RAW 12-bit Bitrates
N-RAW records to the SD card in NEV format, with a companion MP4 proxy written alongside. Note the ceiling: 30p, in both image areas. There is no high-frame-rate N-RAW on this body.
| Image area | Frame size | Frame rate | NEV | MP4 proxy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FX | 4032×2268 | 30p | 420 Mbps | 30 Mbps |
| FX | 4032×2268 | 25p | 350 Mbps | 30 Mbps |
| FX | 4032×2268 | 24p | 340 Mbps | 30 Mbps |
| DX | 3984×2240 | 30p | 410 Mbps | 30 Mbps |
| DX | 3984×2240 | 25p | 340 Mbps | 30 Mbps |
| DX | 3984×2240 | 24p | 330 Mbps | 30 Mbps |
Budget for the proxy. Dual-format recording adds 30 Mbps on top of the NEV stream, so FX 30p N-RAW is really 450 Mbps of card throughput, not 420.
Memory Cards for the Nikon Z5IIC
One SD UHS-II slot. Nikon recommends V90. The N-RAW ceiling of 420 Mbps plus a 30 Mbps proxy is about 56 MB/s sustained — V60 clears it on paper, but V90 is the recommendation and the margin is worth having on a single-slot body.
- ProGrade Digital Iridium V90 512 GB UHS-II SDXC — about 2 hours 32 minutes of FX N-RAW 30p including the proxy, or 3 hours 21 minutes of 4K 60p H.265 10-bit.
- Lexar Professional GOLD V90 256 GB UHS-II SDXC — roughly 1 hour 16 minutes of FX N-RAW 30p. The natural default if you shoot RAW occasionally rather than always.
- SanDisk Extreme PRO V90 128 GB UHS-II SDXC — about 38 minutes of FX N-RAW, or 50 minutes of 4K 60p H.265 10-bit.
- Angelbird AV PRO SD MK2 V90 256 GB — sustained-write focus, worth it if you live in N-RAW.
- Delkin BLACK V90 128 GB UHS-II SDXC — lifetime warranty and free data recovery, which counts for more when there is no second slot holding a copy.
The Z5 II's second slot was a genuine safety feature. Losing it is the real cost of the Z5IIC's smaller body, and it is worth pricing an extra card and a more frequent offload routine into the decision.
Nikon Z5IIC Storage — Quick Examples
| Shoot | Bitrate | Per minute | Per hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| N-RAW 12-bit FX 30p (+ proxy) | 450 Mbps | 3.38 GB | 203 GB |
| N-RAW 12-bit FX 24p (+ proxy) | 370 Mbps | 2.78 GB | 167 GB |
| 4K 60p H.265 10-bit (DX crop) | 340 Mbps | 2.55 GB | 153 GB |
| 4K 60p H.265 8-bit (DX crop) | 300 Mbps | 2.25 GB | 135 GB |
| 4K 24p H.265 10-bit | 190 Mbps | 1.43 GB | 86 GB |
| Full HD 120p H.265 10-bit | 190 Mbps | 1.43 GB | 86 GB |
| Full HD 24p H.264 8-bit | 30 Mbps | 0.23 GB | 14 GB |
What Actually Drives Storage on This Body
The DX crop at 4K 60p is the headline constraint. Shooting 4K 60p costs you the full-frame field of view, not just card space. If you need both, 4K 30p at 190 Mbps is the compromise — and it happens to be 44% cheaper in storage too.
N-RAW stops at 30p. Unlike the ZR, the Z5IIC has no high-frame-rate RAW. The most this camera asks of a card is 450 Mbps with the proxy running, which is modest for a RAW-capable body and keeps V90 SD comfortably sufficient.
H.265 8-bit is the quiet win at 4K 30p. 150 Mbps against 190 Mbps for 10-bit — a 21% saving. If the footage is not being graded, it is free capacity.
H.264 is a Full HD codec here, nothing more. Do not plan around it for 4K; Nikon does not offer the mode.
Frequently Asked Questions
What bitrate does the Z5IIC record 4K at?
4K 60p/50p is 340 Mbps in H.265 10-bit or 300 Mbps in 8-bit, DX crop only. 4K 30p/25p/24p is 190 Mbps in 10-bit or 150 Mbps in 8-bit, full-width. H.264 offers no 4K mode.
How much storage per hour?
About 153 GB/hr at 4K 60p H.265 10-bit, 86 GB/hr at 4K 24p, and roughly 203 GB/hr for FX N-RAW 30p once the MP4 proxy is counted.
What card does it need?
A single SD UHS-II slot; Nikon recommends V90. There is no second slot, so no in-camera backup or overflow.
Is 4K 60p cropped?
Yes — 60p and 50p are fixed to DX. 4K at 30p and below is full-width.
How does it differ from the Z5 II for storage?
Same sensor, same processor, same published codec and frame-rate options, so the bitrates are the same. The difference is the card slots: one on the Z5IIC, two on the Z5 II. Full side-by-side comparison →