The style, brass dials, and metal top/bottom plates are what did it for me. The sensor will be great too.

I am a FM3a shooter so I jumped all over this camera and pre-ordered on day 1. If the Zf is a huge seller, I can see other manufacturers bringing out retro inspired cameras.

If STYLE didn’t matter to consumers, the fashion industry wouldn’t exist.

Very apt commentary. The Zf excited me a lot. For my taste, it's a bit too big -- I would have loved if they were able to keep the size of the Zfc despite the bigger sensor. Micro four thirds shooters are still hoping for these two new cameras every day: - A Pen-F II (the downgraded E-P7 doesn't count) - A GM6 (GM5 successor with updated internals)

I'm a Fuji shooter and I am going to comment (hehe). Firstly, great to see you posting again, Darren. Your opinion and experience are worth listening to. Sheesh, that Zf is setting my pulse racing. Even though I am wedded to Fuji (two bodies, 10 lenses covering everything from UWA to long telephoto) and have used the system both professionally and for leisure, I have to say I was pricing up an alternative system based on the Zf about 5 minutes after watching the first review on KZfaq. Fuji bodies are great (I have the X-T4, X-H2S) the glass is superb (Fuji do not know how to make a bad lens) so why, why, why, do I want a Zf? Maybe I need therapy!

"A computer with a lens attached to it". I always felt this way about Sony mirrorless bodies.

Good video. You did gloss over some other really important features. The new AF-linked IBIS is a first. I don’t know many cameras from any maker that claims AF to EV -10. The IBIS going to 8 stops is pretty big. For video shooters, this is the first Nikon with zebra stripes. And inherited wave form from the Z 8/9. They packed a lot of new goodness in hear that makes this a big upgrade to the Z 6II

He nice to see you again for a very long time at least two years I still shoot with my Nikon D800 and with this I am going to jump into mirrorless Z mount the zfc was on my mind almost bought it a yr ago but happy that I waited .btw I always wait one year before buying there were to Many/or at least some bugs in the last body's . I have for the moment just two Art series lenses that I use 20mm f1.4 and the 105mm f1.4 art f mount and oh so happy with those beauties .

I got my first 35mm camera (a rangefinder) in 1965. Retro styling has great appeal to me so far as appearance goes. However, the ergonomics of a proper retro style camera really seems to make handling more intuitive as well. I don't know if it's really a difference or not, but it seems like it. I expect there is a Zf in my near future.

Hi Darren - I think your style point is correct, but I would have to disagree on the notion that this camera is not otherwise better than a Z6II (a camera that I also have and use regularly). The Zf includes some upgrades that are very significant: 1) This camera has the Expeed 7 processor which enables vastly superior low light AF, AF tracking, and ISO range as well as advanced features like noise reduction in the mid tones. 2) They have added more focus points to the sensor in AF Auto Area mode so that the points extend to the very edge of the sensor frame. 3) They have added skin smoothing and portrait impression from the Z8 - although I am a RAW shooter in most circumstances - this feature has allowed me (on my Z8) to literally do head shot work for working Hollywood actors, and send JPEGS straight out of camera to agencies that have remarked at how good the shots are. 4) They have improved the IBIS to up to 8 stops and more importantly have added a feature to center the IBIS on the focal point - this is revolutionary and I hope they bring this to the Z8/9. 5) Manual focus assist is improved in a significant way in that you can detect the eyes in MF and then zoom in directly on the eye to see if it is critically sharp - this is a huge work flow enhancement if you ever shoot manual focus lenses. 6) They have added serious video upgrades - internal NLOG and 10 bit video - this is huge! 7) The vari-angle screen - many consider this an upgrade - it certainly makes doing video of one's self much easier and although I prefer the method employed on Z8/9 for vertical shooting in photography, I can see how a hybrid user would favor this screen - my guess is this is the screen that will be in non-pro UI cameras (i.e. Z6/7/f and down) from now on and the Z8/9 screen will be the screen for the pro UI cameras. Anyway, there are some others I know that I am forgetting, but I would say these 7 are more than enough to definitely say that this camera is a significant upgrade from the Z6II - in fact, I would say that if this camera had a CF Express B slot and SD, a deeper grip and could do 4k 60 in full frame instead of crop, it would literally be an awesome version of a Z6 III. This last point is exciting because it begs the question as to what additional surprises the Z6 III might bring to us when it is released next year! (likely in April/May). -PD

Pen F is still the sexier one, Darren. The color/BW Dial is really fun to use.

Welcome back Darren. I was lusting after a full frame Pen F also. Won’t happen. Stunning looking with horrible performance. Then came the Zf. I ordered one. It is in back order. Did not even blink. I was a huge fan of the Olympus IBIS. The gold standard. No one even comes close. I have a feeling the Nikon Zf IBIS maybe just as good. That pen F is the most beautiful camera ever made. I wish they had at least put in the OM -1 sensor on it with their best IBIS and a better VF and a screen for a mark 2 if not FF. I would have bought it. Or they should have joined the L Mount alliance and gone for the kill. They missed a huge opportunity. Look at X100 V. You can’t even get it.

Style definitely matters. But looks by themselves or not enough. How it performs is a big factor and this camera performs. Nikon could have come out with a retro z6 II body and most people would have been happy. Most of us didn't see the specs of this camera coming. This is basically a retro z6 III. Or at least a bridge between the z6 II and z6 III. The z6 III may have 30+ MP and a few other things added. If I was looking for a dedicated street photography camera, this would be it. I use my z6 II for that and it does fine. My next camera will not have screen blackout in burst mode which means I have to save up for the z8. I don't think the 3rd gen z6/z7 will have stacked sensors because of their price point. It would be nice if they did.

totally i have it on pre order and the sony fx30 for a similar reason along with the sony A7IV for most things

Exactly my thoughts I pulled the trigger and ordered a ZF I have the Z9 and Z8 but the ZF brings back yesteryear for me

Darren my E-M10 + grip have been doing this for over 10 years - stylish retro SLR. Style sells just ask Leica. The Pen F is a range-finder style body and has a grip issue as all range-finder bodies do (including the Leica RF, Q2/Q3 etc), unfortunately style isn't always comfortable. Hopefully OM System will dust down the E-M10 mk II body for M10/M5 mk V. They have updated the AF algos & the sensor in M10 IV...It's good to see you..

I like this Nikon ZF quite a lot. Just missing two things in my honest opinion... Higher res sensor (around 33 - 45 would have been ideal) and selection of those retro style lenses. 24, 28, 35, 50, 85 and 135 mm lenses (retro design, not like other Z system lenses) Personally I would have left video out completely to keep price down.

Style changes how you feel and operate the camera. I have never been happy with moderne styled cameras.

Perfectly on point: why Apple sold so much in the last 10 years, despite the countless drawbacks? Style and intuitive use. This from someone who despise Apple deeply, but credit has to be given where it's due Market is not made just by spec nerds that weight every single crumb of feature in a product. Yes, demanding professional are willing to pay and won't care for an product if it does if it pays the bill, but you are not drawing new costumers on an ugly and unconfortable product. People, the large majority of them, just ask for functional products, well built, that don-t look like prone to fall apart. They don't look at specs, how many FPS they can shoot, how deep the camera can dive, how many stop of light they can recover in post: they want something that feels good in the hands and looks good. Why the PenF failed? a broken Firmware at launch (bad reviews) and held back features in an expensive product. This is where Nikon is succeeding.

What say me,I'm right with you, I have cameras from Panasonic, Pentax, Olympus and Fujifilm, full frame, APSC and micro 4/3.i take a camera almost every where I go, I photographe many different subjects and was involved in event photography for a number of years. I now have gone back to photographing wildlife and landscapes, I only do events for family. The ZF is my first Nikon and last camera that I will buy. A while back I bought a lightly used Fujifilm XT3, it's a camera I wanted for a while, I just love how the camera works, I passed on the XT 4 because of the screen, when the XT5 came out I picked it up and was not looking for anything else until the ZF. it reminds me of my late Uncle's film Nikon, so having a full frame camera that is similar to the Fujifilm XT line is hard to resist.

Man, all I have to say is that I NEED a shirt like that with my own name on it. Thanks for the style inspo Darren

What is up with this audio? Is there an aquarium behind the camera or a water slide or some thing?

One draw back I see with this camera is the fact that when camera is off you can feel the ibis clunking around inside because it does not lock down like all other nikons, and in a haptic world, feel is as important as style. Also the lack of stylish lenses hmmm I could just adapt my ais lenses?

Your main point regarding style being the reason Nikon produced this camera I I agree with. I don't like that the second card slot is a "micro" card and the camera with its style gets lost when you attach any other Z line lens to it, all the Z line lenses except for the kit lens becomes a contradiction in style when attached to the new ZF. It also requires a grip accessory to hold comfortably with say the 100-400 Z lens. This camera needs a compact Z line of primes to go with its "style"

Been waiting to hear your views on this

I agreed with you about the PEN-F pro. When I look at the Nikon I don’t see a replacement for the PEN. I think it looks like something Fuji would have made. It looks like like a full frame X-T5. It will be a hit with Nikon shooters. But, I don’t see it as a replacement for a PEN-F. I also don’t see many Fuji shooters dumping their X-T series cameras for this.

The good thing about the Zf is, there's nobody who doesn't like it. It would be a good, no, a great camera without the style. Expeed 7, great AF, 8 stop IBIS, pixel shift, touchscreen to move the focus point. And then it's styled the way it is. It scores highly on pretty much every metric. It is 24MP, and for some that is not enough. But honestly, for the vast majority, it is. There are question marks like how it will handle with larger lenses, and how convenient the dials work. And these things are perhaps relevant, but they don't detract from how much people like this camera.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts! A bit offtopic: do you have any tripod head recommendations for real estate? Are pan/tilt worth the trouble?

Do you think OM systems should bring out a monochrome Pen F II camera?

I sold all my Olympus Pro gear and switched over to Nikon FF. I still have my Pen F but it is having some issue. So looks like the ZF will become my smaller street camera. Long time MFT shooter loving the FF IQ by the way.

Olympus has done it with the 10 serie. A PEN F hasn’t the film camera look like the 10. It looks compact camera style

What colour did you order?

I'm a Nikon shooter, but Zf is the least attractive camera for me. They made two fatal mistakes. They made a heavy body without a grip, which requires a third party grip attachment to make it useable, making it even heavier. I have several vintage Nikon SLRs, which are cute, light, and small unlike Zf. Second, using articulating screen is a total disaster, no photographer wants that. They had a chance to make a really good retro camera and they screwed that up.

The Zf is a chunky boy and looks like a challenge without a grip.

I agree. OMDS certainly missed a trick. Now it is too late to jump into the bandwagon. It has moved on. So sad.

I disagree. What OM-System (formerly Olympus) needs to do, is to take the guts from OM-1 and fit them into the body of the E-M5 mk.II, keep the price less than $1500 and be done with it. I don’t like the Pen-F’s rangefinder style body form factor.

Lovely Camera the Zf BUT it takes SD Cards = SLOW = a waste of Xspeed 7 capabilities. , Also I do Astro and need Shutter Speeds of 20 Secs at least >> The Zf only goes to 1 Sec about !! then you have to use Bulb >> wheras the Z7 and Z6 go to 30 Sec and the Z9/Z8 and Z7II and Z6 II go to 900 secs .. A Door stop in my life unfortunately

you been away for so long bro

Hundred percent.

Its not just retro styling, honestly, any semblence of style on modern cameras would be more than welcome, other than fuji and leica all the major players have the fugliest cameras ive ever seen. Fujis new gfx 100 ii is a good example of a modern stylish camera

olympus will die a slow death...just because of that financial BS that they did. they almost got delisted in the Tokyo stock exchange.

Olympus is DEAD. It deserved to die because it refused to make Full Frame cameras. Olympus lectured consumers that a ridiculously small Micro 4/3 sensor camera is all they would ever need. M 4/3 was quite acceptable in 2008. But is a totally worthless sensor format in 2023 and in future. Nikon ZF will KILL the Fuji XT market. Fuji extremely stubborn insisted on not making Full Frame sensor cameras. Now Fuji derserves to die as well. Nikon says to Fuji { I can do Retro better than you }.