Greater than only a looker

After I first obtained phrase of the Nikon Zf I assumed, as I am positive many did, that it might primarily be a Z6II repackaged in a vintage-style housing. In actuality, the Zf has much more to supply than simply some retro allure – although it does have loads of that, too.

I used to be excited to search out out what it is like to make use of, particularly after being so impressed with its bigger sibling, the Nikon Z8. I have been capturing with it during the last week, and this is how I obtained on.

Nikon / Pocket-lint

Nikon Zf

Really helpful

The Nikon Zf is a lovely digital camera, however greater than that, it is a wonderful performer and nice worth, too.

Professionals

• Beautiful design and construct
• Spectacular 3D autofocus monitoring
• 8-stop IBIS / VR
• As much as 30fps burst capturing (JPEG / digital shutter)
• 10-bit H.265 video and N-Log

Cons

• Huge crop at 4K60
• Not probably the most comfy grip

Worth, specs and availability

The Nikon Zf was introduced in September 2023 and is offered to pre-order now. It retails for round $2000 within the US and £2229 within the UK. It will likely be delivery in direction of the top of October.

Design

Is it unusual to name a digital camera horny? As a result of that looks like the easiest way to explain the Nikon Zf. It has the appear and feel of a Nineteen Sixties movie SLR, very like the model’s first-ever SLR the Nikon F, which is undoubtedly the place this mannequin will get its title from. It is heavy and dense in your arms, and the shiny magnesium alloy chassis feels cool to the contact. It simply oozes high quality.

The plain comparability is Nikon’s Zfc, which has very related aesthetics, however this mannequin is scaled as much as home its bigger sensor, and it has a bit extra of a grip on the right-hand aspect.

This grip is first rate sufficient in the event you’re utilizing smaller lenses, however I examined utilizing the hefty Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S, and it wasn’t precisely comfy with such a front-heavy setup. Fortunately, Nikon has thought of this, and it has teamed up with SmallRig to supply a bigger width grip accent that mounts to the bottom of the digital camera and retails for about $50.

On the highest panel, you get an array of classic dials that management your ISO, shutter velocity and EV comp. There is a PASM lever on the left-hand aspect, which I used to be pleased to see, as that is one thing that you aren’t getting on the Fujifilm X-T5 with its in any other case related controls.

There’s additionally a selector change beneath the shutter velocity dial the place you possibly can change between photograph and video modes, in addition to a devoted black-and-white mode. It is a neat little addition, and I positively felt that it inspired me to benefit from the monochrome image types extra typically.

One other cool characteristic is the tiny LCD on the highest panel, which shows your aperture. It is not probably the most helpful factor on the planet, however it provides to the classic really feel, all we’d like now could be a movie advance lever.

There is a distinct lack of Fn buttons, however there’s one on the entrance of the digital camera, and it is suitably retro. Trying one thing like a flowery cufflink, the identical styling is utilized to the lens launch button, too. There isn’t any autofocus joystick, which took some getting used to, however you possibly can, not less than, use the touchscreen and directional buttons to realize the identical factor.

Connectivity and shows

The Nikon Zf physique is well-equipped with ports, although some compromises have been made to swimsuit its petite type issue. For instance, you do get twin SD card slots, however one of many slots is microSD. In follow, it is no difficulty, speedy microSD playing cards are plentiful lately and will be had for discount costs. These card slots can do just about every part their bigger counterparts can do, too.

Elsewhere, you get separate 3.5mm headphone and microphone ports, a USB-C port for knowledge and charging and a micro HDMI output. After all, a full-size HDMI can be preferable for video shooters, however the micro connector is sensible given the scale constraints. The ports are nicely positioned, too, and in regular use, solely the USB-C is more likely to intervene with the articulation of the LCD.

One factor that hasn’t been downsized is the battery. The Zf makes use of an EN-EL15c battery, just like the Z6II, relatively than the smaller EN-EL25 pack that is discovered within the Zfc. In sensible phrases, I discovered {that a} single cost was greater than sufficient to get me by a full day of capturing. Although, that was primarily pictures, and I might nonetheless advocate carrying a spare in the event you’re capturing numerous movies. In any case, it may be recharged by way of USB-C when required.

The EVF seems to be the identical because the Z6II, it gives a 3.69 million dot decision, which is lots sharp sufficient for me, however it’s nothing too thrilling. With a 60fps refresh charge, you won’t have the smoothness you need for fast-moving sports activities shoots.

The touchscreen LCD is a flip-out fashion, which is an fascinating alternative. Clearly, it is nice for video capturing, particularly if you might want to movie your self, however provided that the digital camera appears largely geared in direction of pictures, a tilting display screen might need made extra sense. Particularly since the remainder of Nikon’s full-frame lineup utilises tilting shows. That mentioned, it is an amazing show, with a 2.1 million dot decision it is good and sharp, and the contact controls are very responsive.

Picture and video efficiency

The Nikon Zf has the identical 24.5MP sensor because the Z6II, however it’s paired with the Xpeed 7 processor that is discovered within the Z8. This permits the Zf to do the identical glorious 3D focus monitoring because the Z8, and it is the primary time we have seen this characteristic come to such an inexpensive physique.

The processor additionally permits for some fairly speedy capturing. You get burst capturing in RAW as much as 14fps with autofocus, or 30fps in JPEG utilizing the digital shutter. There are pre-burst choices accessible, too.

The Zf additionally boosts the IBIS (or vibration discount) to permit for as much as 8 stops of compensation, probably the most we have seen from any Nikon digital camera. There’s one other distinctive characteristic with this IBIS system, too, and that is the truth that it may be set to centre the stabilisation across the focus level relatively than the centre of the body. This helps keep away from distortion and blur when your topic is framed within the nook of your picture – nevertheless, it solely works in photograph mode, and never with telephoto lenses.

Since this camera has such classic styling, you may be tempted to pair it with classic lenses. If you happen to do, there’s an amazing characteristic that makes use of the attention detection characteristic to permit you to punch in and manually focus in your topic’s eyes. It is a incredible concept, and as somebody who ceaselessly shoots with guide lenses, I hope it turns into a extra widespread characteristic.

I used to be actually happy with the pictures that I used to be capable of seize with the Nikon Zf, the IBIS is superb, creating tack-sharp pictures even with longer exposures in low-light circumstances. It handles noise rather well, and the autofocus is each speedy and dependable.

Now, the Zf is clearly designed with pictures in thoughts, the array of retro dials are sufficient to provide that away. However, that does not imply it could’t carry out with regards to video.

What’s on provide here’s a stunning quantity {of professional} video options, together with 10-bit seize in H.265 and N-Log. It additionally inherits a bunch of helpful video options from the Z8, like waveform scopes and the big selection of autofocus choices.

You may shoot uncropped video at 4K 30fps, and it will do 4K 60fps, albeit with a heavy 1.5x crop. It loses out on a few of the fancier codecs from Nikon’s pricier cameras, similar to ProRes choices, however as a B-camera, this may get the job performed handily.

I spent most of my time utilizing the digital camera for pictures, as I think about that is the way it will mostly be used. However, the few clips I took regarded glorious. Autofocus labored nicely, and the IBIS is first rate for video, too. The one factor to be careful for is the rolling shutter, as this sensor would not have the quickest readout, however as long as you are not whip-panning ceaselessly, you ought to be high quality.

Verdict

The Nikon Zf is an excellent digital camera, it feels nice in use, and it is fantastically designed. What’s extra, it gives significant enhancements over the Z6II, and gives a few of the issues that make the Z8 so nice, however at a way more inexpensive worth.

If you need the classic look, however aren’t married to Nikon, then the Fujifilm X-T5 can be value contemplating. However, in the event you go for that, then you definitely step all the way down to an APS-C sensor and solely save round $300.

If you need the classic look and a full-frame sensor, then I can not consider a greater possibility than the Nikon Zf. Even when the classic factor would not draw you in, it is a well-priced and very succesful digital camera usually, so it is actually value your consideration.