Nikon Z 50 Diffraction Limit
With a 720 nm infrared filter, the Nikon Z 50 stays free of visible diffraction up to ƒ/5, and diffraction starts to soften images at ƒ/8. Unconverted (hot mirror), it is diffraction-free up to ƒ/7.1 and soft from ƒ/11. These limits come from its 4.22 μm pixel pitch: longer infrared wavelengths make a larger Airy disk, so diffraction appears at wider apertures than in visible light.
Open the Nikon Z 50 in the calculator
Nikon Z 50 specifications
- Pixel pitch: 4.22 μm
- Megapixels: 20.9
- Pixels: 5568 × 3712
- Sensor: APS-C, 23.5 × 15.7 mm
Buy the Nikon Z 50: KEH Adorama
Sharpest ƒ-stop by filter
Safe is the narrowest aperture with a diffraction ratio of 3 or lower at every wavelength the filter passes. Caution allows up to 3.75. Avoid is the first aperture where any wavelength reaches 4.5. All three are calculated to the one-third stop. See which wavelengths each filter passes.
| Filter | Safe | Caution | Avoid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full spectrum | ƒ/5 | ƒ/6.3 | ƒ/8 |
| Hot mirror or UV/IR cut | ƒ/7.1 | ƒ/9 | ƒ/11 |
| 470 nm high-pass | ƒ/5 | ƒ/6.3 | ƒ/8 |
| 550 nm high-pass | ƒ/5 | ƒ/6.3 | ƒ/8 |
| 590 nm high-pass | ƒ/5 | ƒ/6.3 | ƒ/8 |
| 665 nm high-pass | ƒ/5 | ƒ/6.3 | ƒ/8 |
| 720 nm high-pass | ƒ/5 | ƒ/6.3 | ƒ/8 |
| 780 nm high-pass | ƒ/5 | ƒ/6.3 | ƒ/8 |
| 830 nm high-pass | ƒ/5 | ƒ/6.3 | ƒ/8 |
| 930 nm high-pass | ƒ/5 | ƒ/6.3 | ƒ/8 |
| 1000 nm high-pass | ƒ/5 | ƒ/6.3 | ƒ/8 |
| IR Chrome | ƒ/5 | ƒ/6.3 | ƒ/8 |
| UV Bandpass | ƒ/12.7 | ƒ/16 | ƒ/20.2 |
Diffraction ratio at each ƒ-stop
The Airy disk diameter divided by the 4.22 μm pixel pitch, for every wavelength from ultraviolet to infrared. A filter only passes some of these wavelengths; the table above applies each filter’s set. How the ratio is calculated.
| ƒ-stop | 350 nm | 400 nm | 470 nm | 550 nm | 590 nm | 665 nm | 720 nm | 780 nm | 830 nm | 930 nm | 1000 nm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ƒ/1.4 | 0.28 | 0.32 | 0.38 | 0.45 | 0.48 | 0.54 | 0.58 | 0.63 | 0.67 | 0.75 | 0.81 |
| ƒ/2 | 0.4 | 0.46 | 0.54 | 0.64 | 0.68 | 0.77 | 0.83 | 0.9 | 0.96 | 1.08 | 1.16 |
| ƒ/2.8 | 0.57 | 0.65 | 0.76 | 0.89 | 0.96 | 1.08 | 1.17 | 1.26 | 1.34 | 1.51 | 1.62 |
| ƒ/4 | 0.81 | 0.93 | 1.09 | 1.27 | 1.36 | 1.54 | 1.67 | 1.8 | 1.92 | 2.15 | 2.31 |
| ƒ/5.6 | 1.13 | 1.3 | 1.52 | 1.78 | 1.91 | 2.15 | 2.33 | 2.53 | 2.69 | 3.01 | 3.24 |
| ƒ/8 | 1.62 | 1.85 | 2.17 | 2.54 | 2.73 | 3.08 | 3.33 | 3.61 | 3.84 | 4.3 | 4.63 |
| ƒ/11 | 2.23 | 2.54 | 2.99 | 3.5 | 3.75 | 4.23 | 4.58 | 4.96 | 5.28 | 5.91 | 6.36 |
| ƒ/16 | 3.24 | 3.7 | 4.35 | 5.09 | 5.46 | 6.15 | 6.66 | 7.22 | 7.68 | 8.6 | 9.25 |
| ƒ/22 | 4.45 | 5.09 | 5.98 | 7 | 7.51 | 8.46 | 9.16 | 9.92 | 10.56 | 11.83 | 12.72 |
| ƒ/32 | 6.48 | 7.4 | 8.7 | 10.18 | 10.92 | 12.3 | 13.32 | 14.43 | 15.36 | 17.21 | 18.5 |
| No visible diffraction (less than 3) | |
| Visible diffraction may slightly impact image sharpness (3 to 4.5) | |
| Visible diffraction will impact image sharpness (4.5 or greater) |
Cameras with similar pixel pitch
Other APS-C cameras within 0.2 μm of the Nikon Z 50. The same pixel pitch gives the same diffraction limits.
- Nikon D500 (4.22 μm)
- Nikon D7500 (4.22 μm)
- Nikon Z 30 (4.22 μm)
- Nikon Z 50 II (4.22 μm)
- Nikon Z fc (4.22 μm)
- Sony Alpha SLT-A58 (4.25 μm)
Pixel pitch comes from the camera database. Send a correction if anything here is wrong.