Nikon Goes Retro with the Mirrorless Nikon Z fc

[dimme]

I think I want one... reminds me of my favorite camera the Nikon FM2

Nikon Goes Retro with the Mirrorless Nikon Z fc APS-C Camera

Nikon has announced the launch of the retro-design Nikon Zfc DX Z-mount mirrorless camera, a special edition of the Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 lens, and a new 28mm f/2.8 special edition Z-mount lens.

www.bhphotovideo.com

 

[hg.wells]

That is a beautiful camera!

 

[Steven-iphone]

I think I want one... reminds me of my favorite camera the Nikon FM2

Nikon Goes Retro with the Mirrorless Nikon Z fc APS-C Camera

Nikon has announced the launch of the retro-design Nikon Zfc DX Z-mount mirrorless camera, a special edition of the Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 lens, and a new 28mm f/2.8 special edition Z-mount lens.

www.bhphotovideo.com

Looks nice

 

[mollyc]

I like Nikon and find their products way more reliable than the Canons I originally shot with, but sometimes they make questionable decisions.....I hope this does well. The promo video you linked makes the camera seem way less gimmicky than I had originally anticipated, although I personally don't like crop bodies. I wouldn't buy one (I already have two Z cameras) but I'd definitely keep it as a purse camera if someone gave me one.

 

[mollyc]

and it comes in colors! (this is part of the questionable decision making, IMO, but they will be noticeable out in the wild, so maybe a good thing.)

 

[someoldguy]

Looks like a real camera ! Don't know about the colors , though . From the specs , it seems awful light , is it metal or plastic ? Think I'll have to see one in the flesh before making any final judgement .

 

[Boyd01]

My trusty D-80 died over a year ago, have been using my 12 Pro Max while my expensive Nikkor glass sits in the closet. I wanted to like this, got my first Nikon in 1967, it was stolen but I still have two old Nikkormats.

But all those colors, yet no option for black instead of silver trim? Apparently my old lenses wouldn't work on it anyway. Have already decided that when (if?) I replace the Nikon, I want a full-size sensor to make the most of my wide lens. And that telescoping zoom lens on the Zfc looks weird.

Specs do look good, but this one's not for me.

 

[mollyc]

My trusty D-80 died over a year ago, have been using my 12 Pro Max while my expensive Nikkor glass sits in the closet. I wanted to like this, got my first Nikon in 1967, it was stolen but I still have two old Nikkormats.

But all those colors, yet no option for black instead of silver trim? Apparently my old lenses wouldn't work on it anyway. Have already decided that when (if?) I replace the Nikon, I want a full-size sensor to make the most of my wide lens. And that telescoping zoom lens on the Zfc looks weird.

Specs do look good, but this one's not for me.

All the other Z bodies are solid black. This one is intended to look like the vintage bodies.

 

[dimme]

My trusty D-80 died over a year ago, have been using my 12 Pro Max while my expensive Nikkor glass sits in the closet. I wanted to like this, got my first Nikon in 1967, it was stolen but I still have two old Nikkormats.

But all those colors, yet no option for black instead of silver trim? Apparently my old lenses wouldn't work on it anyway. Have already decided that when (if?) I replace the Nikon, I want a full-size sensor to make the most of my wide lens. And that telescoping zoom lens on the Zfc looks weird.

Specs do look good, but this one's not for me.

I use a D750 and IMO it will be a excellent fit for your lens. I personally do not use most of the automatic functions of my cameras, and still use quite a few manual focus lens. But as my body (human one not camera) ages I think in the near future I may need to switch to something lighter.

 

[Boyd01]

All the other Z bodies are solid black. This one is intended to look like the vintage bodies.

Right, it looks a lot like my vintage silver Nikkormats. My Nikon F that was stolen also had the silver body and Photomic finder, but I always wanted the all-black "pro" version, as shown here

Classic Camera Review: The Original Nikon Fs

This is a review of the earliest Nikon F cameras from 1959. Sample photos included.

www.bhphotovideo.com

It's funny, I ran across one of these in a small local camera shop several years ago, it was pretty cheap. So tempted to buy, but it would have been a waste since I stopped using film in 1999 and have no intention of going back. Nikon also makes a very expensive all-black retro DSLR that's just a still camera with no video. Looks very cool, but not in my budget.

I shoot all-manual myself too and had been looking at used D750's. I just can't justify the expenditure these days, I only used the Nikon a few times a year and my iPhone 6s Plus got lots of use. My 12 Pro Max is a nice improvement on that, and I'll just stick with it for now, I can shoot video with my Sony XDCAM-EX and play with full-manual controls.

My Dad collected old cameras and I have a small trunk of them up in the attic - Leica, Contax, a couple Minox "spy cameras", Speed Graphic and others. Fun to drag out and look at every so often but collecting just isn't my thing.

 

[mollyc]

Right, it looks a lot like my vintage silver Nikkormats. My Nikon F that was stolen also had the silver body and Photomic finder, but I always wanted the all-black "pro" version, as shown here

Classic Camera Review: The Original Nikon Fs

This is a review of the earliest Nikon F cameras from 1959. Sample photos included.

www.bhphotovideo.com

It's funny, I ran across one of these in a small local camera shop several years ago, it was pretty cheap. So tempted to buy, but it would have been a waste since I stopped using film in 1999 and have no intention of going back. Nikon also makes a very expensive all-black retro DSLR that's just a still camera with no video. Looks very cool, but not in my budget.

I shoot all-manual myself too and had been looking at used D750's. I just can't justify the expenditure these days, I only used the Nikon a few times a year and my iPhone 6s Plus got lots of use. My 12 Pro Max is a nice improvement on that, and I'll just stick with it for now, I can shoot video with my Sony XDCAM-EX and play with full-manual controls.

My Dad collected old cameras and I have a small trunk of them up in the attic - Leica, Contax, a couple Minox "spy cameras", Speed Graphic and others. Fun to drag out and look at every so often but collecting just isn't my thing.

What a treasure! I’m just getting back into film after shooting digital the past 20 years. There’s a big market for vintage Contax. Would be amazing.

 

[Boyd01]

Interesting, I think there are two Contax in that trunk. I believe one is the Contax I, with a bayonet type lens that collapses to make the camera thinner when not in use - and it's all black . That was my Dad's favorite camera, he was really impressed with the sharpness of the Zeiss glass.

 

[bsamcash]

Never been a Nikon shooter, but this may change that!

 

[kenoh]

I think I want one... reminds me of my favorite camera the Nikon FM2

Nikon Goes Retro with the Mirrorless Nikon Z fc APS-C Camera

Nikon has announced the launch of the retro-design Nikon Zfc DX Z-mount mirrorless camera, a special edition of the Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 lens, and a new 28mm f/2.8 special edition Z-mount lens.

www.bhphotovideo.com

Well that was looking super gorgeous what a beautiful retro camera, I would consider letting myself down and giving in to @Apple fanboy temptation for that. Then I saw the chavvy colour options…. Way to go Nikon, cheapen it why don’t you.

 

[mollyc]

Well that was looking super gorgeous what a beautiful retro camera, I would consider letting myself down and giving in to @Apple fanboy temptation for that. Then I saw the chavvy colour options…. Way to go Nikon, cheapen it why don’t you.

I'm of two minds on this. I do think the colors are kind of cheesy. And I'm the kind of person that almost always opts for a color version of any given product and I have eleventy billion hydro flasks and yetis in all different colors. But I'm not really feeling the colors here for this product, and I'd opt for the black/silver one most likely.

That said, Nikon needs to move more cameras. I'm not in the Nikon-Doom-and-Gloom camp at all, but let's face it...their marketing sucks. And if people start seeing these muted candy colored cameras out in the wild, they'll actually notice them, and perhaps ask about them and even more perhaps actually buy and use one....and that's what Nikon needs, frankly, to be noticed, particularly by dumb youtube bloggers. I'm hoping this is a brilliant move that works, rather than a dumb one that backfires. 50/50 on that one to be honest.

 

[Steven-iphone]

The colors for me are too gimmicky. Maybe to bring in a younger crowd. Silver and black.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Well that was looking super gorgeous what a beautiful retro camera, I would consider letting myself down and giving in to @Apple fanboy temptation for that. Then I saw the chavvy colour options…. Way to go Nikon, cheapen it why don’t you.

You know you want to.

 

[bunnspecial]

I love my Df, but it's a bit of an ugly duckling.

This camera is what the Df should have been, and really does look like a digital FM...

I just wish that it was full frame. Quirky design aside, the Df has a couple of strong points, and one of those is the incredibly clean 16mp FX sensor.

 

[Apple fanboy]

I love my Df, but it's a bit of an ugly duckling.

This camera is what the Df should have been, and really does look like a digital FM...

I just wish that it was full frame. Quirky design aside, the Df has a couple of strong points, and one of those is the incredibly clean 16mp FX sensor.

Probably will be if it sells in high enough numbers.

 

[Clix Pix]

I think the target audience is the young snapshot / Instagram / blogging / vlogging / TikTok crowd and that is one reason for the attention-grabbing colors along with the rather funky, quirky retro look in juxtaposition with modern features such as an articulating LCD screen at the same time. The original Df camera was less than wildly popular, so we'll see what happens with this new mirrorless version now.

 

[chocolaterabbit]

I love my Df, but it's a bit of an ugly duckling.

This camera is what the Df should have been, and really does look like a digital FM...

I just wish that it was full frame. Quirky design aside, the Df has a couple of strong points, and one of those is the incredibly clean 16mp FX sensor.

Amen, I've always wanted a Df but the expensive price is what kept me away. This makes a lot more sense at less than $1K. Looking at the sample pics it's definitely a step up from the Df in image quality despite the sensor size. I like it.

It's funny, I ran across one of these in a small local camera shop several years ago, it was pretty cheap. So tempted to buy, but it would have been a waste since I stopped using film in 1999 and have no intention of going back. Nikon also makes a very expensive all-black retro DSLR that's just a still camera with no video. Looks very cool, but not in my budget.

My Dad collected old cameras and I have a small trunk of them up in the attic - Leica, Contax, a couple Minox "spy cameras", Speed Graphic and others. Fun to drag out and look at every so often but collecting just isn't my thing.

You should have a look at getting back into film photography, it's really been seeing a resurgence these past few years. I use my iphone while I'm out and about, but for serious shooting I've been taking my Contaxes, Rolleiflex and Hassy out and doing meetups with other likeminded film shooters, and there's quite a few around on Facebook/Instagram etc. Sure the image quality is not getting any better, but we just love the process of film shooting. Cost of film is bit of an issue though. In any case I love being able to collect and admire them, AND being able to use them.

IMO they will bring an all black version if this silver one works out.

Interesting, I think there are two Contax in that trunk. I believe one is the Contax I, with a bayonet type lens that collapses to make the camera thinner when not in use - and it's all black . That was my Dad's favorite camera, he was really impressed with the sharpness of the Zeiss glass.

Big fan of Contax, though I have the Japanese ones. Love the 645, T3, G2 etc.

I'm of two minds on this. I do think the colors are kind of cheesy. And I'm the kind of person that almost always opts for a color version of any given product and I have eleventy billion hydro flasks and yetis in all different colors. But I'm not really feeling the colors here for this product, and I'd opt for the black/silver one most likely.

I must be the only one around here since everyone else seems to be against the colours, but I love them! The main reason is that I used to own an Olympus OM2n with a tan leatherette colour scheme back when I was a kid, that looks exactly like a combination of the orange/beige fcs. Very nostalgic, and IMO will attract not only the young Instagram Tiktok crowd, but also the older retro film camera collectors/shooters.

 

[bunnspecial]

It's funny, I ran across one of these in a small local camera shop several years ago, it was pretty cheap. So tempted to buy, but it would have been a waste since I stopped using film in 1999 and have no intention of going back. Nikon also makes a very expensive all-black retro DSLR that's just a still camera with no video. Looks very cool, but not in my budget.

I have a decent sized collection of Nikon Fs...and yes I'll legitimately call it a collection rather than going through the mental gyrations of calling it anything else.

The F was a groundbreaking camera and historically important. It wasn't the first 35mm SLR, it wasn't the first with an automatic aperture, it wasn't the first with a coupled meter(option), it wasn't the first with a metal focal plane shutter with a maximum speed of 1/1000, and it wasn't the first with an instant return mirror.

It was, however, the first to combine all of those features into one convenient package AND back it up with a firm commitment to a comprehensive line of lenses. More than 60 years later, the latest and greatest 120-300mm f/2.8 will mount and work fine on a Nikon F provided that you're content to shoot it at f/2.8.

With that said, it was a camera from 1959 and it shows. A lot of it is clunky. In operation, my biggest complaint is that loading requires removing the back completely, so it's a 3-hand operation in the best of circumstances. The coupled meters went through a bunch of revisions, going from selenium to CdS(Photomic) to TTL with manual indexing(Photomic T), changing the metering pattern to center weighted average(Photomic Tn) and finally going to the familiar semi-auto, mount the lens and twist the aperture ring, indexing(Photomic FTN).

The F2 basically massaged the F in about every aspect starting with a basic meter that was similar to the Photomic FTN but better integrated into the body, and then improving on it with optional(and super high tech for the 1970s) silicon photocell meters with LED read-outs and super low-light sensitivity, making the switch to automatic indexing along the way, changing to a swing open back, increasing the max shutter speed to 1/2000, and in basically every way improving the ergonomics and mechanics. Among other things, it moves the shutter release to the "front" of the top plate, which is where it remains on modern cameras. Plus, if you want a motor drive, it takes all of 2 minutes to attach it, and you don't need a tech to set it up and more or less permanently marry it to the body. I consider the F2 one of the finest SLRs ever made. I collect Nikon Fs. I collect and USE Nikon F2s.

Not to nit-pick, though, but this new camera is pretty clearly a design homage to the FM/FM2/FE/FE2 series cameras. They were slotted as the pro back-up/advanced amateur cameras and were built like tanks but a lot smaller and lighter than the contemporary F2 and F3. The FM2n is my second favorite manual 35mm SLR behind the F2.

 

[bunnspecial]

Amen, I've always wanted a Df but the expensive price is what kept me away. This makes a lot more sense at less than $1K. Looking at the sample pics it's definitely a step up from the Df in image quality despite the sensor size. I like it.

I have some low light images I LOVE from my Df, and it's my go-to camera for that(plus using non-AI lenses, which no other DSLR does as well as the Df even if it's clunky).

The Df is far from a perfect camera, but it's one I don't regret buying. I bought mine from KEH and don't remember what I paid, which is actually kind of unusual for me but I think it shows how much I like it. I know it was over $1K, and I'm guessing probably $1100-1200.

In a sense, it was and still is overpriced for a D600 shoved into a weird body and a D4 sensor(with a small battery and single inconveniently placed card slot). That's also overlooking the awkward styling-someone in my local camera shop described as an "FM clone from behind the iron curtain" and I think he nailed it. The camera still has its charm, though. I think a lot of us were hoping for a Df2 or the like with maybe a D5 sensor and some other needed updates like maybe a second card slot and at least the AF/image processing/mirror and shutter from the D750.

I've thought about selling my D3s/D800/D810, or maybe the D3s and D800 and replacing with a D850 or a pair of D850s. With a battery grip I can replicate the speed of the D3s with a better AF system, and of course the IQ is a step up from any of them. I can't really replace the Df, though, since it fills a role really no other Nikon does and also is close to a stop better at high ISO than a D850...

 

[whiteonline]

I have some low light images I LOVE from my Df, and it's my go-to camera for that(plus using non-AI lenses, which no other DSLR does as well as the Df even if it's clunky).

The Df is far from a perfect camera, but it's one I don't regret buying. I bought mine from KEH and don't remember what I paid, which is actually kind of unusual for me but I think it shows how much I like it. I know it was over $1K, and I'm guessing probably $1100-1200.

In a sense, it was and still is overpriced for a D600 shoved into a weird body and a D4 sensor(with a small battery and single inconveniently placed card slot). That's also overlooking the awkward styling-someone in my local camera shop described as an "FM clone from behind the iron curtain" and I think he nailed it. The camera still has its charm, though. I think a lot of us were hoping for a Df2 or the like with maybe a D5 sensor and some other needed updates like maybe a second card slot and at least the AF/image processing/mirror and shutter from the D750.

I've thought about selling my D3s/D800/D810, or maybe the D3s and D800 and replacing with a D850 or a pair of D850s. With a battery grip I can replicate the speed of the D3s with a better AF system, and of course the IQ is a step up from any of them. I can't really replace the Df, though, since it fills a role really no other Nikon does and also is close to a stop better at high ISO than a D850...

I absolutely love my Df as well. Low light is great, and I never had a camera make such wonderful pool-side and beach photos. Something about blue color and that sensor.

I never saw the big deal about the D600 bits because I don’t rely on the autofocus. Paired with manual lenses, it’s a great experience and I’m able to capture moments due to lack of fiddling with autofocus targets.

The Z fc looks great, but it doesn’t have the magic sensor.

 

[chocolaterabbit]

I have a decent sized collection of Nikon Fs...and yes I'll legitimately call it a collection rather than going through the mental gyrations of calling it anything else.

Sounds great, I'm also a long time Nikon fan, not so much collector. Started with an N90x, then D1x, D700, and then was going to upgrade to a Z7 but went to film instead.

I've thought about selling my D3s/D800/D810, or maybe the D3s and D800 and replacing with a D850 or a pair of D850s. With a battery grip I can replicate the speed of the D3s with a better AF system, and of course the IQ is a step up from any of them. I can't really replace the Df, though, since it fills a role really no other Nikon does and also is close to a stop better at high ISO than a D850...

Sounds like the Df is not for everyone, but I think I would be able to live with the quirks. I'll probably grab one to play with in a few years when they come down to $500 or so. I would love to see a Df2 as well but I think Nikon realised that the market for them is small and the first priority is to get a cheaper more fun camera out rather than a semi pro clone.