Nikon Zf: what we want to see
Featuring shutter speed and ISO dials, a faux leather finish and metal effect top plate Nikon Z fc surprised us in 2021 with its retro charm. The Z fc, one of the best mirrorless cameras for beginners, represented a compelling one Fujifilm X-T30 II alternative, and remains competitively priced.
But I, like many Nikon fans, was left wondering: will there be a more high-end, full-frame version of the ‘casual’ Z fc, one that really pays homage to the Nikon FM2 – the 30-year-old 35mm film camera from which the Z fc immediately took its design elements, a camera with legendary robustness.
If Nikon Rumors right, will we see such a camera in 2023, and I couldn’t be more excited about what will likely be one of this year’s cameras best mirrorless cameras. It will do what is so important now: provide a wonderful shooting experience, especially for avid photographers.
We spoke exclusively to Nikon in 2021 about how it designed the Nikon Z fc and why it thinks the future is retro, and the Zf would be Nikon’s take on cameras that Z fc designer Shu Suzuki (of Nikon’s Design Center) described very well realized as “designed with a focus on the enjoyment of ownership”. Let’s see what to expect from the upcoming Nikon Zf.
Nikon Zf: Get to the point
- What is it? A full-frame Nikon Z camera with the same retro design concept as the crop-sensor Nikon Z fc.
- When is it out? Probably the last quarter of 2023
- How much is it? Unknown, but we predict similar to the Nikon Z7 II, which had a list price of $3,000 / £3,000 / AU$5,500 at launch in 2020.
Nikon Zf: What’s in a name?
The ‘f’ in the Zfc stands for ‘fusion’, as in old and new, while the ‘c’ means casual. In fact, Nikon’s ‘f’ nomenclature was first seen 10 years ago in 2013, in the Nikon Df DSLR camera, a full-frame, weatherproof design suitable only for photography.
Based on those two cameras, we can expect the rumored full-frame mirrorless version of this classic design, with a robust build quality, to be called the Nikon Zf.
Nikon Zf: which full-frame sensor?
The next obvious question is what sensor will the Nikon Zf have. Nikon currently has three full-frame sensors: the 24MP in the Nikon Z6IIa higher resolution of 45.7 MP in the Nikon Z7IIand a ‘stacked’ 45.7 MP sensor in the Nikon Z8 And Nikon Z9.
The latest stacked sensor delivers serious firepower and offers next-level continuous shooting and video performance, with negligible shutter. It’s what made Nikon possible do away with the mechanical shutter in the Z9 altogether.
As great as that stacked sensor would be in a rumored Zf, it’s a super expensive part and feels a bit over the top for a retro snapper that’s mostly captivating photographers. If I were to hazard a guess, the Z7 II’s 45.7MP sensor will make its way into the Zf, and I predict that Nikon could recycle much of the Z7 II’s tech into the Zf’s new shell.
Making a Z7 II in a new shell allows Nikon to set the price of the Zf just slightly lower than the $4,000 / £4,000 / AU$7,500 Nikon Z8. But how much lower can we realistically hope for?
Nikon Zf: price and release date
The Zf is rumored to be Nikon’s only remaining mirrorless camera in the 2023 pipeline. Price-wise, we think the Zf will be pitched at the level of the Nikon Z7 II, which launched in 2020 with a list price of $3,000 / £3,000 / AU$5,500 body only – that’s a whopping 25% less than the Nikon Z8. I don’t think Nikon can reasonably go much higher than the Nikon Z7 II, but I don’t think it will be much less.
If we’re talking Z7 II-like pricing indeed, then adding the retro Z 28mm f/2.8 SE full-frame lens that launched alongside the Z fc would be icing on the cake. I’d also like to see more retro Nikon Z lenses that take design cues from the Zf, or Nikon’s old 35mm lenses, of course.
It feels a little hollow when you have to pair the Nikon Zf with the all-black, industrial-looking Z lenses. Sure, we could use an adapter to link Nikon lenses of the past, but you don’t get the benefit of the Z-mount lens for image quality and autofocus performance; we need more retro Z glass.
Nikon Zf: design pleasure
Design will be where the Nikon Zf excels. I think enthusiasts of traditional photography cameras need a Fujifilm alternative – and not just the Leica offerings that are out of reach for most people – and the Nikon Zf could be that same camera.
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It will be a very different shooting experience than a clunky smartphone camera. The Zf will have those tactile exposure controls – shutter speed, ISO, exposure compensation – plus a top-end LCD. Still, it could combine that retro goodness with a modern flip-out screen that gives you the best of both worlds: easy viewing from any angle, or flipped completely away so you can pretend it’s a bezel-less camera like in the good old days.
The Zf will be sturdier than the Nikon Zfc – both physically larger and sturdier, with good weatherproof build quality that will hopefully be even more robust than the Df. In addition to being a mirrorless camera, the Zf won’t be as large as the Nikon Df, a DSLR with a larger pentaprism optical viewfinder and greater flange depth (the distance between image sensor and lens mount) that requires the camera to be physically deeper.
Most of all, the Zf will look damn good and tap into your creativity in a way that a smartphone and even a modern standard mirrorless camera can’t. It should be a camera that’s a joy to use, and I can’t wait to get my hands on one.