Nikon Zfc

Nikon announced the retro-style 21mp APS-C Zfc on the 28th of June, much to my surprise. It certainly was a well guarded secret as no leaks had been reported until about four weeks before its official launch. At first glance the much rumored z30 might have made more sense regarding their overall line-up. However, with the current shortage of electronic parts the postponement of a true entry level body set below the z50 is likely the right decision – if there was to be a z30 to begin with. So far the reactions about the Zfc have been divided between those who love the design inspired by the classic FM-2 and those who prefer modern ergonomics. After all the Zfc is essentially an improved z50 with a new design, adding not much to Nikon’s line-up in the eyes of those who would have preferred another body or an updated z50. But is there really nothing new?

What’s new?

Actually, a lot. There have been reports about improvements of the AF system, which is always a good thing. Then there’s a swivel screen, which can be turned sideways and forward, great for vlogging or taking selfies. However, the real news is the top dials. ISO, shutter speed and exposure control all got their own dial on the top plate, while keeping the front/rear combination as on the z50. This results in a different way of handling the camera, aimed at an entirely different group of users, and that’s why this camera could be a real winner for Nikon. Targeting a new user segment. In particular in Asia this could be a very important camera for Nikon as retro-style is very popular there – and yes, China took over from the USA as the biggest market for Nikon in 2020. And that’s where the colours come into play, too.

The colours

From pretty in pink to classic silver the choice of colors offers something for everyone. The fact that there are so far only two lenses adapted to the classic look is likely not a major consideration for most potential buyers. As the CIPA lens report states most APS-C users buy mainly zoom lenses. For those one or two silver zooms and perhaps a single prime will do. Those who plan a larger setup with more lenses got the grey and silver body options, which both should go well with the minimalist black design of the Z series lenses. The only colour option I would stay away from is white, as it might go the way many other white consumer goods go if used frequently – and that’s dirty. I really like the grey version, as it offers something different from the standard silver/black or all black while likely still looking good with black lenses.

No grip?

The biggest difference in terms of ergonomics is likely the absence of a large, comfortable hand grip (albeit it seems a small grip will be available at one point). And yes, this is a major concern for some. However, the intention of this camera is not to serve as a professional workhorse, held throughout the entire day during a prolonged shoot. It’s much more the camera you bring along when going about the more pleasant parts of life. It’s for a more casual use, and the absence of a large, well formed grip will matter much less in such situations. On top of that the intended user group is unlikely to mount any heavy f2.8 zooms or large telephoto lenses on the Zfc. In this sense the absence of a grip is a well chosen design choice, form over function is the right way to go here.

Two kit options

Initially Nikon offers the Zfc as two kit options apart from body only. One includes the 16-50mm f3.5-6,3 (24-75mm in Fx terms) standard zoom, a great companion for those who want some zoom capability while keeping the size small (about US$1100 for this kit). The other option includes a new 28mm f2.8 compact prime lens (42mm Fx equivalent, about US$1200 bundled with the Zfc). This is actually a Fx lens, keeping the option to seamless upgrade to Nikon’s more advanced Fx line open. Whatever the choice, the Zfc is an intriguing camera, not only for its looks, but for its handling with the additional dials as well.

The dials

Shooting my z7 mainly with autoISO on and over/under exposing frequently the Zfc offers some interesting possibilities. For one in a fully manual mode the front/rear dial remain, but the exposure compensation is easily accessible now through its own dial, instead of the button push and dial combination on other Nikons. That’s one click less, and that’s a good thing if you use it often. I prefer this arrangement over the option of using the clickless lens ring on the z7. The other interesting detail is the ISO dial, in particular if used with aperture priority (A). Nikon’s autoISO allows you to set a minimum shutter speed along with the maximum ISO. However, this minimum speed shouldn’t be the same at all times, depending on what one shoots or what lens used. This is where the ISO dial comes in – it allows to quickly adjust the minimum ISO resulting in a faster shutter speed. Such more specific control of the slowest shutter speed within A might sound like a small detail, but it makes the use of A more versatile and can negate the need of changing into another mode. Again, a fast, one click operation, similar to the exposure compensation. I don’t see myself using the shutter speed dial often as I prefer the rear dial here. That said, if the camera is low down on a tripod it might come in handy.

To buy or not to buy

The Zfc came along while waiting for the z30, a potential candidate to replace my Nikon 1 j5 as a ‘walkaround’ body, with a permanent place in my day bag. A z50 was the other option, until the Zfc came along. Not only offers it what the z50 has, the dials allow for interesting new shooting styles as well, and it just looks gorgeous, too! Yes, this is it, the Zfc will find its way into my day bag, once it is really available, which might take a while due the current shortage of components. Plus I’ve got the feeling I’m not the only one who will want one.