Nikon Zfc - Z fc Camera Review & First Look

Рет қаралды 14,369

Күн бұрын

In this video I'm going to show give a first look and review of the all-new Nikon mirrorless Z fc DX-Format mirrorless camera. This camera is noteworthy due to its retro styling that brings back elements of Nikon's classic film-based cameras from the 1960s and beyond.
This review will cover items such as the product design, comparison with the Nikon Z50, examples of lens usage, oddities and quirks, initial thoughts, and workarounds to get RAW images working on your computer. The specs of the Nikon Zfc are similar to the Nikon Z50, however, it's the styling that truly sets it apart. With other features such as a fully articulating display, USB-C, and other positives, this mirrorless camera is set to have Nikon branch out into the retro mirrorless world synonymous with brands like Fuji and Olympus.
#nikon #zfc #zfcreview #nikonusa #nikonmirrorless #SLR #DSLR #filmcameras #mirrorless #camerareview #z50 #nikonz50 #nikonzfcreview
0:00 - Intro
0:30 - Initial Thoughts
1:38 - Styling & Retro Design
2:03 - Nikon F Design Comparison
3:16 - Available Colors
4:07 - Fully Articulating Screen
4:44 - Yashica Design Comparison
5:26 - What's in the Box?
6:09 - EL-25 Battery
6:52 - Lens Cap Karen Nitpik
7:48 - Nikon Z fc Controls
10:02 - Nikon Z fc Tech Specs
10:30 - Thoughts & Build Quality
12:34 - 16-50mm "Kit" Lens
13:13 - Additional Features
14:28 - Nikon Z fc vs. Nikon Z50
17:45 - Quirks & Adobe Lightroom
18:36 - Adobe Lightroom & Nikon Z fc
18:55 - Nikon NX Studio
19:46 - Lens Examples
21:29 - Final Thoughts
Have any questions or want some additional information that I forgot to include? Just leave me a message in the comments and I'll be happy to answer them. Thanks for watching!
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MENTIONED PRODUCTS
Nikon Zfc (Body Only - Black): amzn.to/3Azh6dS
Nikon Zfc (16-50mm Kit - Black): amzn.to/3iENMwt
Nikon Zfc (28mm f/2.8 Kit - Black): amzn.to/3fPsHNJ
Nikon Z50 (Body Only): amzn.to/37BgYOl
Nikon Z50 (16-50mm Kit): amzn.to/3lNSt98
Nikon Z 6II FX-Format Mirrorless Camera (Body Only): amzn.to/3cAl1h0
Nikon Z 6II FX-Format Mirrorless Camera Body w/NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4: amzn.to/3zhuX8C
Nikon Z 6II FX-Format Mirrorless Camera Body w/NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S and Mount Adapter FTZ: amzn.to/3g9xkCY
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Пікірлер: 60

@terrynewmanphotography 2 жыл бұрын

Nice run through Mike. This camera is making many of us want a second body! Also, I think articulated screens should be on all Nikon cameras as standard.

@MikeMcGeePhotography 2 жыл бұрын

Hi Terry, thanks for your kind words, and thanks for watching. I agree, I love the articulated screen!

@rogerdaigle2621 4 ай бұрын

Yup...I love this retro Nikon! I usually don't impulse buy a camera for style...don't need it but I want it! More than a pretty face...it's packed with tech too! Reminds me of my Canon AT-1 which I still own. Great video Mike!

@Retro_lindsay Жыл бұрын

I just got one and bought the ftc adapter and now I use the zfc with ais lenses Love this camera definitely recommend to people

@bajan300 11 ай бұрын

Excellent review and definitely helps. Can't find out online... Is this weather sealed?

@Pantheragem 2 жыл бұрын

Nice review. Mine showed up last week. I have a 70's style strap I put on there. When I showed my dad and his friend the camera, they both said "Nice!! How old is it?" They were surprised when I showed them the screen and all that. I'm enjoying the camera so far. Also, shout out to your dad for his service. I'm glad he came back as I'm sure the world's a cooler place with you in it. 👍

@MikeMcGeePhotography 2 жыл бұрын

Wow man, thanks so much for your kind words. There's something so cool about this camera's styling that it inspires me to take shots in a different way. Hard to explain, but it's similar to the feeling dropping a record on the turntable and playing an entire side without skipping, vs. saying "Alexa, play Van Halen's greatest hits." Same music, just a different experience and I'm really liking the feeling I get shooting with this camera. Thanks again for watching and subscribing.

@Pantheragem 2 жыл бұрын

@@MikeMcGeePhotography Absolutely. Yeah, shooting with the Z fc is a different experience. That's what I'm enjoying about it. My Z6II is just a different animal. Using the dials on the Z fc makes you understand what goes into taking a photo, in a different way. If that makes any sense.

@RandomMcfattinada Жыл бұрын

Thank you, Great video man! You have any videos where u shoot with this camera? Thanks again

@ElectroTone 2 жыл бұрын

The Nikon Z fc is basically a restyled Z50mkII minus the built in flash, yet with all the sore spots of the Z50 ironed out. This makes the Z fc the dream Nikon camera for video work, like KZfaq, unless you do 'need' a full frame sensor. Better AF performance, proper 3x3 screen 'grid' now in thirds for composition (the Z50 is 4x4), external power for charging and operating via USB-C, plus the articulated screen. That the connectors for stationary work blocks the view of the articulated screen is less of an issue. You can use Nikon's free Wireless Mobile Utility app to fully remote control the camera from your smartphone/tablet via WiFi, including seeing the Live View. So no need to look at the tiny screen from a distance while in the studio. (Or you can just hook up the camera to an external monitor via HDMI... ☺️)

@gerryhardman9060 4 ай бұрын

Nice review. I also owned a Yashica rangefinder which started me off as well. The Z50 also has the U1 U2 functions which I don’t believe the Zfc has. I don’t care I will buy one anyway but I will buy a Black body as all my film Nikons were black and I made a black aluminum grip with a nice wooden handle to go with it. I like your enthusiasm for this camera which I also share as I used my Nikkormat and my FE for many years. And you’re right, it’s important to have a connection with the camera as a tool in your hands. Regard Gerry

@scotboy1297 Жыл бұрын

Makes you want to play Paul Simon's song Kodachrome : "I got a Nikon camera, I love to take photographs,so Mama dont take my Kodachrome away"

@IndevaBr 2 жыл бұрын

Fantastic review!!!!

@cheetahkid 2 жыл бұрын

I am waiting for Zfc (possible next batch). I have loads of cameras myself, I do have the Nikon F like you got, I do have F2,F3,F4 and F5. Keep it up, thank.

@MikeMcGeePhotography 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for your kind words, and I think you'll really like the styling of the Z fc. When holding one side-by-side, it's almost an unfair comparison due to the strength/weight of the older Nikon film cameras, but this Z fc is still such a fun retro camera. I think you'll enjoy it. Thanks again for watching.

@ALWH1314 2 жыл бұрын

Love the style, looks exactly like my first camera Nikon FG, which is 40 years old and still works perfectly. That new 28mm f2.8 SE looks like an old AIS lens.

@felm.974 2 жыл бұрын

That was awesome, thanks! I'm thinking of getting one, but I also want to have a second camera for when I do portrait shoots so I might get a Z5 or 6 and have my Z6II as my main, let's see. Thanks

@DragontearsNYC 2 жыл бұрын

Would you recommend this camera for someone looking into their first mirrorless? but great review.

@OutRAjious 2 жыл бұрын

the jpgs I’ve seen from this little camera beat all others even those higher up the range…

@lynelljansen8057 2 жыл бұрын

Nice review!

@lynelljansen8057 2 жыл бұрын

Love that you added your dad's strap!!

@checksix_TC 2 жыл бұрын

I shoot Canon and I just bought this Zfc for no reason other than its good looks. If Nikon can make a Z5 variant that looks like the F3 or FA it would be awesome!

@Greg.Lacoste Жыл бұрын

Great video, and I love my Nikon ZFC, its perfect for travel and other things, I just wish it had double sd card slots and vibration reduction built in.

@stereokid 2 жыл бұрын

Tempted to buy it because it looks like the Nikon FE I use to shoot with.

@22welcome 2 жыл бұрын

💞Zfc💞

@TaipeiGeek 2 жыл бұрын

The strap looks like something the Dude would wear. Nice review. I would love for someone to test some Zeiss or Voigtlander lenses made for Leica M mount, preferably 35 mm. Would really like to see the image quality.

@MikeMcGeePhotography 2 жыл бұрын

Glad you liked the video and thanks for your comment!

@MikeMcGeePhotography 2 жыл бұрын

...and The Dude would like a White Russian to go with this camera strap, please. :)

@sarah-lenawokock9940 2 жыл бұрын

"... is built like a german tank." Me, german, watching this: 😳😳😳

@MikeMcGeePhotography 2 жыл бұрын

I probably should update my phrasing to "...built like a Sherman tank". 😀

@ElectroTone 2 жыл бұрын

It is a genuine compliment from days of old. 😆 German tanks from WW-II were engineered really, really well from a mechanical standpoint. Complete overkill. Same as German WW-II era radio equipment. _Insanely_ well built for electronics of that era. US/British radios were disposable tin trash by comparison.

@baronsilverton6504 2 жыл бұрын

Looks like a fun camera - just wish there were 2 function buttons on the front - I use both all the time and not sure what I would sacrifice by only having one button. It is a very good looking camera - there is no doubt there.

@MikeMcGeePhotography 2 жыл бұрын

It's just beautiful. I think it'll be a great travel lens or just one to have around all the time. I wish it had a bid more "heft" or weight, but if I need an overhead shot for KZfaq videos, this is my goto camera! Thanks for watching, Baron. Hope you liked the video review. Cheers.

@gerryhardman9060 4 ай бұрын

You can assign other other buttons to replace the one button that’s missing on the front to do the same job. Regards Gerry

@jiripastrnak1936 2 жыл бұрын

I just got mine with the 28 2.8 Purely heart before brains too lol. ( and I also have Z50 atm too)

@riversidekitchenwithdaveru3545 2 жыл бұрын

If I had a wildlife telephoto lens on the Zfc ? Can I shoot stills and video simultaneously?

@Jordan-389 2 жыл бұрын

what is the colour bit for video

@n578md2 2 жыл бұрын

In 2002, I bought a Nikon FM2n. B&H had them on close-out because they were discontinued. ($364 for an FM2n black!) Compared to my 1982 model FE2, these last FM2n's were also cheap and plasticky. The shutter speed dial felt really cheap with ugly clicks. The ISO dial (inside the shutter speed dial) also didn't feel great to use. But, it worked just fine with its 35-70 F/2.8 lens. I would have loved to see some sample pics taken with the ZFc. They should have made a retro version of the Z5 and not the Z50.

@JonathanBriehl 2 жыл бұрын

Sounds like as of Aug 17 Lightroom supports raw from the Z fc?

@MikeMcGeePhotography 2 жыл бұрын

Yup! The August 2021 (Lightroom Classic 10.4) now supports the Nikon Z fc! :)

@amiyananda5084 2 жыл бұрын

I don't understand why these reviewers are saying that it is made up of plastic, even though it is clearly stated in the nikon website that it is made up of magnesium alloy.

@MikeMcGeePhotography 2 жыл бұрын

Because the *frame* is magnesium alloy, but there are exterior plastic parts. The plastic battery door in particular definitely detracts from making the camera feel substantial, and gives it a cheaper feel. Hop[e this helps.

@simonm.1122 2 жыл бұрын

I guess I'm just scratching my head as to why people think this is a big deal. The FM/FE series stayed in production for about 29 years for a reason. It was a great design that a lot of photographers preferred. I was one of them. The head-scratcher is why Nikon waited until 2021 to finally make a digital FM/FE. Gushing over the design makes no sense to me. It looks the way a manually controlled camera should. Meanwhile, Fujifilm has been doing this for over a decade. Leica never stopped. The words "retro" and "hipster" drive me nuts. It is just good camera design for people who prefer the manual control scheme and the classic aesthetic. This should have been an option all along.

@gettoana 2 жыл бұрын

Well, there was the Nikon Df..

@simonm.1122 2 жыл бұрын

@@gettoana Ha ha ha! I love my Df, but it is one inelegant beast of a camera. Nikon really missed the mark with its design. It's ability to make gorgeous full-frame images with every old F-mount lens ever made makes it my favorite camera, though. My point is once upon a time, in the early 2000s, Nikon made the F3 and the FM3a available alongside cameras like the F5, F100 and N90. Essentially, photographers had a choice between classic analog manual controls or electronic dials, buttons, and screens. In the move to digital, Nikon essentially ignored photographers who prefer classic camera bodies, and Fujifilm stole the market from them.

@johnjon1823 2 жыл бұрын

Frankly it needs to be full frame or old lenses don't provide the same look due to the crop factor, that's really kind of a bitch. Also, I heard there was no IBIS which is also kind of bad, especially since any old telephoto or zoom really needs help in that area. If it had been full frame, and better build quality or heavier construction more metal kind of thing, THAT would actually also be a plus. Plus if Nikon actually made things in Japan, that would also be a plus. I wish them success with it, I was just hoping for more. Like the DF was not really designed to help you focus an old manual lens, it's kind of like they go half way, had they done that, it would have been more attractive. What's the purpose of retro if you don't allow retro lenses to be used and full frame? Thanks for the information, put the strap back on your father's camera and get a new strap, try to keep things in good order so the old strap will last.

@mikescott8225 2 жыл бұрын

I know Nikon is married to the Z mount, but it's overkill on the Zfc. I'd be a buyer if it had an F mount that would take everything from my old mf lenses to my 85/1.8G (my favorite Nikon lens) without an adapter. Oversized mount = oversized lenses, so a Fuji X-T and their compact APS-C size prime lenses will make more sense for me when I'm ready to fully commit to mirrorless... and this is from a dedicated Nikon shooter who for years has dreamed of a digital FM2. I still have my FM2 along with the D750, D600 and D7100, but the Z mount is killing the deal for me unless I decide I want to move to full frame mirrorless.

@MikeMcGeePhotography 2 жыл бұрын

Hey Mike, thanks for your comment. Just curious, is size the main factor of not wanting to use an F-mount adapter? The Zfc also comes in a 28mm f/2.8 kit as well that is a "pancake" lens option as well (although supply is severely limited.) I think down the road Nikon is going to start releasing more and more DX mirrorless lenses that will capitalize on the smaller size, even though ironically the 28mm f/2.8 lens in the Zfc kit is a full frame lens, not DX. Thanks for watching and happy shooting, Mike! :)

@Pantheragem 2 жыл бұрын

For what it's worth, the FTZ works very very well. I was hesitant to make the jump, but I'm glad I did. Omar Gonzales just did a really good comparison showing the 50mm 1.8 in both the Z-mount, and the adapted G lens. Check it out if you're curious.

@mikescott8225 2 жыл бұрын

@@MikeMcGeePhotography - thanks for the reply. Yes, definitely a size thing. After dragging around heavy kit for years the idea of lightening the load is part of the appeal of mirrorless APS-C cameras. I appreciate that the Fuji X system is optimized for the chip, allowing for smaller/lighter lenses. The DX Z lenses have less glass but a lot of body mass in order to fit the mount.. to me the Z mount only makes sense for the FF cameras. I used the adapter when I had a Z7 on loan and found it clunky.. shifting the center of balance and the feel of the camera in hand noticeably. The Z7 impressed me greatly though.. and the Z6ii is the best contender as a replacement for the D750 professionally. Personally, I'm leaning toward the idea of a compact travel kit of something like a Fuji X-T and a pair or trio of small primes. I've been dabbling with the X100V and X-E3 so far and they're still not as instinctive to me as the Nikon system that I've been in over 20 years. Tough choices coming down the road...

@simonm.1122 2 жыл бұрын

Allow me to introduce you to the Df... seriously it is a far better camera than anyone ever wanted to admit. It is literally backwards compatible with every F-mount lens ever made, and it resolves old glass beautifully on one of the best sensors ever produced.

@mikescott8225 2 жыл бұрын

@@simonm.1122 I've had a curiosity about that one too, but it's an SLR and not mirrorless.. every camera, every exposure, is a compromise.

@svisser2977 2 жыл бұрын

“Zed”

@edscoble 2 жыл бұрын

Can you make your content inclusive by formatting the auto captioning into closed captioning please? it is extremely hard to watch it relying only on the auto captioning sadly (I'm Profoundly Deaf), hence why I and others don't subscribed.

@MikeMcGeePhotography 2 жыл бұрын

Hi Edward, I'll be happy to make any adjustment on this end to make my video's captions easier for you to read. I just don't know what you're asking me to do on this end. I thought users could change the formatting of captions by going to Settings > Subtitles > Options and then choosing any style/color/size they want for the captions. Does that work for you?