Seems I had lenses on my mind just a little TOO much when recording the audio...!

I made the rare move to pre-purchase a camera (the Zf), and I've been loving every minute of using it. Nikon really dialed things up for the build quality on this one. Thanks for the review!

The camera is interesting but in my opinion Nikon needs to make more Z-mount lenses in the same style as the camera, and the lenses needs an aperture ring.

I've had my Zf for just over a month and honestly, it's completely removed my desire to look at any other camera. It's a joy to hold, it's reliable, the files are great. I hope to keep it for a very long time!

I have found that with heavier or larger lenses I support all of the weight with my left hand on the lens and it is actually more comfortable than when I support all of the weight with my right hand while using smaller lenses.

just wish Nikon would release a silver version of ZF in the near future

The missing physical joystick is compensated by the return of touchscreen AF control: the screen becomes the "joystick" when you are shooting through viewfinder. You also did not touch on the eye focus acquisition feature for manual focus: the camera automatically detects the eyes to help you confirm focus. You still did a diligent review and probably came in blind to avoid getting influenced by other reviews, but it could be better if you check the manual or Nikon's product release page to make sure these extra features are also getting covered.

It's an under-reported feature - eye focus tracking in manual focus mode.

I have a Nikon ZF, I'm in love with it. Purchase one of this is one of the best decisions I've ever made. Good review!

I think while the odds of a “black and white emergency’ are low, I do think there’s something to be said for getting yourself in a mindset of whatever mode you are shooting in and physically flipping that is really useful. And the emergency might be getting yourself OUT of black and white when you see something interesting in color. But I think there’s something just inherently cool about going “I am going to shoot black and white today” and flipping that switch. I can’t imagine just switching my film sim mode in the menu in my Fuji having quite the same mental impact for me.

Recently got this camera about a month after finally getting a Fuji X100V. Easy to say, I have barely touched the X100V since. Despite the size, I still want to carry the ZF with me everywhere I go. It's truly a dream camera come true. Retro full frame that is a power house on the inside. What more can you ask for? Bravo Nikon, bravo.

Picked up a Zf in early November and have been loving it! I made a video about my time shooting it side by side with the X-T5. The metering from the Zf is spectacular. The build feels amazing. AF is on par with X-H2S & A7IV .. we’ve BEEN WAITING for this!! ..I’m enjoying the 40 f2 but would really like Nikon to make some retro/metal lenses to match it. Thank you for this video.

Sharpening - when you use SOOC JPEG, in the raw processing, the camera uses a Picture Control. In it you will find "Quick Sharpening" and "Sharpening", "Mid-range sharpening", "Clarity". And then Contrast, Brightness, Saturation, Hue (and more). You can create your own variant, save it to card and load it up to another camera. Also, in NX Studio you have access to the Picture Controls and here you can create and modify them too. The ones you use in NX Studio should be compatible with the Picture Control files in the camera.

Nikon hit it out of the park with the Zf! Def on my radar... among the many other cameras and lenses to buy ;)

Just bought mine online. It should be here in two days. Can’t wait! I think between this and the Z7III when it comes out will be an amazing duo for me!

The high ISO performance is kinda impressive. Well done, Nikon!

I have had my Zf for several months now and it has really displaced my other bodies for general use (Z6II, D500, Df). I also found that because of the weight, the grip is a bit thin, so I added the SmallRig grip, and it makes all the difference. Not sure that will ever come off that body now. The manual focus assist with lenses that have the CPU is a bit of a game changer as it gives you focus point confirmation and the subject detection works as well. I am not aware of any of camera that does that. Honestly, though, I don't understand why everyone insists that we need to have 30 to 40 frames per second and AI-backed autofocus that is infallible in order to shoot sports. I have done so with my Z6II, and I think the Zf will actually do better because the autofocus system seems a cut above to me. I will find out in the next few months. Also, now 24 megapixels is just OK for image quality? Just because more megapixels are available doesn't mean they are required to produce quality images. This notion that the manufacturers put in our heads that more is always better has gotten out of control. But, I guess if the buying public wants to purchase capability they don't really need or are unlikely to ever use, who am I to disagree? Great content as usual.

Nice review! I love the Nikon ZF, I think Nikon made a good decision to release a full frame retro looking camera.

Always one of my favorite creators of content. God bless you and yours sir.

I've just got mine today in blue! Also got the smallrig grip to help which I find essential but what a powerhouse!

This is my main camera now. Such a joy to shoot manually. Unless Nikon releases a rangefinder version, it probably won't ever be replaced. Though I'd might be tempted to keep both!

Cheers for the review, Chris. At the moment I am traveling in Aveiro Portugal, and have my Zf paired with an old AF-D 60mm micro Nikkor. What a blast, absolute fun to shoot with. Using it in full manual mode of course, and the manual eye-detect feature works wonderfully well. For sure an interesting body, makes one want to go out and shoot. Keep up the good work though, always enjoy your reviews.

To be honest, I was able to use my Plena and the ZF to get me some demanding and paid Sports photography shots! Great review! Love your content!

Absolutely love mine! Joy to use and shoot with.

Nice video. Based on a few hints in this review I'm sensing a review of a certain Nikon portrait lens upcoming, and as an owner of that lens I'm very excited!

Once again a very good and informative video. Keep up the good work! I love the ZF especially for IBIS and AF, and that's exactly why I bought it. I only fell in love with the design at second glance. It's just the handling that I can't quite get used to. As a film photographer, I also have another camera with me as a companion, so I always have to get used to it. Best regards SLEH

Superb review as always, Chris! As a Z8 shooter, I am considering this as a lighter-weight "travel" option when I don't need the Z8 and larger Nikkor lenses. (Was also briefly considering the Fuji X100Vl too, since I have experience with the Fuji X System in the past, but not sure I want to go back to an APS-C sensor, since I sometimes print quite large, and the fact that I can utilize some existing shorter/lighter Nikkor Z lenses with this Zf camera.) Thanks again sir!

For bigger lenses you can use the matched Smallrig grip, which also includes a quick release plate design for Arca style clamps. Other than the retro design and analog controls this is a capable modern camera. I love the BW switch.

Preordered at launch, and I have been loving this camera. For landscape, product, astro, however, I'd still use my D850. Zf is a great walk around camera.

Best camera I ever had. And beautiful

Appreciate the quality content!

Lovely camera. Would look great alongside my Nikon N2000 film camera.

It really really is a lovely camera to use.

That thing is an absolute ride

All there is to know in 12 minutes! Very impressive! Thanks!

Definitely on my list for the future!

The rear LCD works great for adjusting focus point with touch while the eye is on the EVF

Great review

Nice review, Christopher! Did you try it out with any other lenses besides the 85/1.2? BTW, the images are gorgeous with that lens although the 85/1.8 seems like a better match for the size and shape of the Zf.

I’ll keep my Fuji’s but as a long time Nikon film shooter this definitely has my attention. I’d love to have one.

Definetly not a Camera for huge lenses or fast Sports action, but the AF is incredible and with the smallrig grip it feels nearly as secure as my Z6 did. I really miss my joystick for switching through multiple faces in a scene, what a bummer... Lovely camera thou, I haven't touched my Z6 ever since i got it. No on, to get a Godox Lux Senior flash to complete the package. Thanks as always for testing. Even thou this is not a benchmark-camera, it performed great and I hope to see many of its features carried over to the Z6 III.

It's weird when you think about it. We are now at the mirrorless age of the photography yet we yearn yesteryear single lens reflex (mirrored) cameras. It's kinda sad we never now truly see the frame through our own eyes but through a LCD...

I also have some issues with an over-sensitive shutter release button: sometimes I take two pictures, if I want to take only one (yes, in single shot mode). But generally I love my Nikon Zf. The focus confirmation option is also very useful for manual focus (also with automatic eye detection!). Another bonus is that with the help of the Megadap ETZ21 all my Sony E mount lenses work great on the Zf. So this is currently my "unversal" camera that I can use to shoot with Nikon Z, Nikon F and Sony FE lenses 😀

The power of habit i guess :D So used to get loaned lenses and not cameras. Cheers for the video Christopher.

Love the Zf !!!! Im in love ❤

Waiting for Nikon 85mm 1.2s review especially for portraits! Thank you!

@christopherfrost Once again Fantastic review Chris! BTW which lens did you use while testing this camera? Cheers!

There are several Arca plates with a larger grip available now (e.g. smallrig - $39 USD @ B&H).

great review as always , thank you very much . would you answer my question if its not big burden for you ? im really struggling to decide if i have to upgrade form zfc to zf , im not profecional obviously but i do wnat good results , and as i m living in very north cold and dark country i do feel bothrerd some times of the noice as i have to go to 6400 or even 12800 as its mostly dark and cloudy here. so would i see so much diffrence in the files cause of the bigger sensor and ibis or should i just invest on faster lenses?thank you .

I really want these specs in a modern body. Looking forward to the z6iii.

No AF joystick, but is the first Nikon Mirrorless camera that you can use the LCD Screen to move the AF points.

Excellent camera :)

I wonder if we'll ever be lucky enough to get a Nikon Z500 or some other sort of mirrorless D500 equivalent! Also, a suggestion, it might be a good idea to test noise levels in RAW in future reviews so we can see the general low-light capabilities without the in-camera denoise!

Very pleasant review, as always 🙂 I wish... Sony! would come up with such a camera, as all their recent lenses come with an aperture ring.

Hi , thanks for the review ! What lens did you use for IQ test ? Thanks

Thanks for a brilliant review, as ever. Did you have any issues reconciling the PASM dial setting to the external dials for shutter speed and ISO? Did you miss having an aperture ring on the lenses, Fuji style? And were you inconvencienced by the lack of auto on the ISO dial?

Great review. I see the 85mm 1.2 S lens review on the horizon. 😅

Lovely review, thank you. I hope a company makes a great grip for this, I dislike the SmallRig one.

There’a already a Smallrig grip option for this camera at reasonable money and I would consider it an almost essential accessory along with an extra battery.

Love Nikon ❤️❤️❤️

i liked the zfc too, but had to return it because of a design flaw. the internal microphones pick up vr knocking from the kit lens. I tested multiple copies, it's a real design flaw.

The ZF 🔥

Hey Cristopher! Can you please do a technical review of Canon's relatively new RF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM lens? It seems to be a lens that was dropped and forgotten. No one has done a good technical review on it and it would be nice to see your tests on it.

It's very strong and Sharpy like Nikon 780❤

Greetings! Would you recommend this camera for non professional photographers? Also is there a good amount of lenses to use this with or it is limited? Thanks!

You maybe could have mentioned the optional grip extension which is designed for, and supplied via, Nikon for the Zf. It should remove one of your main criticisms.

I hope they make a silver version to match my silver Df.

Was that a hint that the 85 1.2 review is on the way.

Great information Thanks! This camera is the most compelling reason yet for Nikon to introduce an FTZ adapter with a screw drive for the millions of excellent old D lenses. I just do not understand what is holding Nikon (or some 3rd party) from doing that.

That's a nice Nikon Fuji XT

Image quality wise is there much of a difference in this camera compared to Nikon Z fc (stills and in 4k 24fps). There's definitely more features in the Zf, I was just wondering of the image quality in the aforementioned categories.

NX studios has some annoying auto settings. I don't think you can turn off the distortion corrections there either.

Awesome, finally a more budget friendly capable camera from Nikon, too bad they came out with this first instead of the Nikon z6 III. But, maybe their studies show there are more people into these kind of retro looking cameras, to the loss of body hand-holdability, especially when using bigger, heavier lenses, and so decided this would be better. However, I did notice you said you Thank Nikon UK for lending you this "lens".

Can you recommend an E-mount to Z-mount adapter? And is it worth getting?

What lens was uses for the image quality review?

really nice to see more cameras that are pleasant to look at instead of just being shapeless blobs

Df is also still awesome

Is it good for wildlife and bird photography?

I just hold the bottom of the lens when shooting to stabilize i barely use the grip as long as you have a camera strap the small grip on bigger lenses isnt an issue for me

No-one in their right mind would hold a rifle with both hands in such a way that the left hand isn't placed quite a way in front of the trigger so as to support the barrel and hold the rifle steady. And no-one should try to use a camera with a heavy lens other than with the left hand supporting the lens instead of trying to balance the gear with the left hand trying to cling to the left side of the camera body.

I could use the Zfc as a friend brought it along when he came over with his wife for me to take the wedding pictures with him for cards n stuff... it is a damn sexy looking thing but the grip on it... it just hurt from even just walking around a bit in Zürich City... Later i bought the X-T30ii (i was looking for a compact fun little thing to take with me when i dont want to lug my R5 with kit around) and ... yea the grip on the zfc is just not good, even compared to the x-t30 wich has a really fine grip for a camera of its size... doesnt detract that the zfc looks sexy and the zf too

I would be more into the Zf if the f2z adapter had a feeler ring for AI and AIS aperture rings.

Haha, I'm having a black and white emergency!!!

Hopefully Nikon has fixed their AF performance, to be on par with Canon and Sony.

reminds me of my little EM

Will Canon ever do a retro style digital camera?

This camera is such a let down. I love Nikon and my first camera was an FE followed by an FE2. However, the ZF just doesn't work without the aperture ring on the lenses. I have always shot in aperture priority as for my use case I like to control the depth of field. Without the aperture ring on the lenses the other dials are superfluous and just wouldn't get used. It just makes it pointless. For my use case though I'd prefer to buy a Sony camera which has lots of lenses with aperture rings, or Fuji (if I wanted APSC) for the same reason, manual aperture rings. If Nikon could bring out a bunch of prime lenses in the style of the old manual AI(S) Nikon lenses then I'd be really tempted with this camera, otherwise it would be a waste for me. The lack of grip is fine for me and those complaining about this don't understand how to hold a camera from the film era because they aren't used to it. The left hand extends under the camera to hold the lens and the right hand on the camera body to press the shutter.

What about its video quality, thank you !

Not mentioned lenses used on test shots.

How very Fuji is that camera?

Had my zf for 2 days, it’s nice to look at but an ergonomic disaster for anyone that wants to use as a pro tool to use at speed. Even if add a hand grip the lack of thumb stop on the back still makes its slippy. Af-on button is in a bad place for left eye shooters and lack of custom button options makes using a bit of a pain and defo not one handed. Compared to Fuji it’s not very well thought out especially with no matching lenses with aperture rings. Screen release at the top of the screen is annoying, bottom would be far far better. EVF is nice though, and holds together well on 100% mangnifictaion and manual focus compared to the Fuji xt5/xh2. Overall though it’s a great looking toy, has some great features and af is great but needs work to make it a real workhorse tool and not just a retro toy. Mine will be returned sadly 😢

The thinking here defeats me as some of the dials become redundant, depending on which mode your in, and leads on to me asking questions…. Why not a dial for aperture with exposure compensation as a sub-dial Why not dump the MASPA lever and provide an auto position on the dials to set auto aperture / auto shutter / auto ISO Why the thumb/finger dials Why not a sub lever to control the maximum ISO Why doesn’t the body have a hand grip and provide card access like a Z7 Why no joy stick for the AF This camera could have been so much more for anyone wanting KISS, but there you go

can't understand why they would put out an additional 6 body colours that don't even work on a retro style camera, really, and not offer a classic silver-black one. apart from that, an interesting camera, pretty much right up my street, but i'm already with fuji, and i don't want such a heavy thing as the Zf, to be honest. plus the nikon lenses look hideous, fuji does a far better job there.

With Nikon releasing a full-frame retro-styled camera, should Fujifilm be worried about this? And for the unique dual card slot (SD-microSD), I think the microSD slot is meant for JPEG-only backup that stays in the camera for as long as possible

I wish they'd put sensor protectors in for lens changes. But LOL. I'd like to thank Nikon UK for loaning me this lens. :-) Easy mistake to make given how many times you've said it

@1:03 a little mistake occurred, you said "lens" instead of "camera". Nonetheless an awesome review as always! Keep up the great work!

1:02 Lens?

If only Nikon could figure out their auto white balance and skin tones. Always on the warm/yellow side, and always needs adjusting.

Tried to buy one of the coloured versions. Only available in their online shop. Complained to Nikon I wanted to buy it through my normal dealer. Got a short and rude reply stating I could buy it online or fk off. Never buying Nikon again.

I think it still feels a bit cheap and not at all like an old retro camera. And it has no joystick, that's a deal-breaker for me at this price point.