Product Review: The Latest offering from Nikon focuses on the earlier feedback to include cont auto-focus in videos. Pics attached. Follow/DM on Instagram @mrinmaya.9 for product reviews.
Here's my hands-on review of the Nikon Zfc, an APS-C camera aimed at content-creators and amateurs.
As you all know that the camera brands are having mirrorless battles. 10 years from now, it was only two categories of consumers - Beginners who are starting out and professionals who wants to use it for their office work. But in this decade, we have a new category of cameras, which are targeted at content creators. A similar category was partly occupied by amateurs. But there is a slight difference as amateurs were doing it as a hobby, but the Content-Creation is either paid or a full-time job in total. So, the quality and the expectations are definitely new in this category. Nikon is tapping into this particular market with their new offering Nikon Zfc, a 21MP camera with Interchangeable Z-mount. Let's see more on the same.
First Impressions
The initial look & feel is like the film camera Nikon FM2, which was launched way before I was born. It feels lightweight and compact in hand, so you won't feel you are carrying a professional camera. With the 16-50kit lens, the body weighs under 600g. This makes it perfect for vlogging, taking travel photos, or doing run-&-gun content creation. It also comes in different colors to give that sassy look.
What set this apart from the other competitors is its ability to change lenses. And that too the highly advanced & high-quality Z-series lenses. You might be knowing that the Z-mount has the biggest fringe diameter, making it capable to be one of the best lens systems ever. The button placement is so handy and dedicated. So, you can change the shutter speed and aperture at the same time by two opposite dials. Similarly, you can change the ISO and even EV with dedicated buttons. I played around a lot with the aperture dial and the EV dial. These two will be the only buttons you will use as a beginner or amateur.
The Camera experience
We were offered the camera to go around and capture some different genres of Photography. I got to try out some portraits, street, landscape and low-light photography. And trust me, even with the kit lens, the quality was unexpected. The pics are present on my Instagram page, and you can check out some of the pics in the blog as well.
Most of these are captured on the kit lens 16-50 F3.5-6.3. As you can see from the pics, the kit lens itself is sufficient to take Portraits, Street Photography, Fashion, Close-ups, Architecture, Landscape, etc. The results are also very sharp overall.
I also tried to use the video AF feature. And I was really impressed by its ability to track and hold the focus. The camera is also capable of doing eye-AF and head detect tracking for capturing something like the dance videos.
Technical details and opinion
The Camera borrows the sensor and the image quality from its sibling Z50, which is having one of the best image qualities in any crop sensor camera out there. The major improvement here is the Autofocus system, coupled with the EXPEED-6 processor. It is made to do continuous eye-AF in Photo or VIdeo mode (AF-C must be on for cont eye-AF). It records uncropped 4k video and shoots at 11fps. The screen is also a fully-articulated screen, so you can do a podcast while sitting at home or vlog while you talk.
This is also the first time ever in a Nikon Z system that they have included continuous eye-AF in the video mode. This is a must-have feature for the content creators which was missing from the Nikon lineup.
Final Thoughts
After owning 3 Nikon gears personally, and using above 50 cameras in my life. I do have a sense of judging the ability of the camera itself. And also, how it competes with the competitors. Having said that Nikon Zfc came to me as an excitement. Because being a hardcore Nikon fan when I started photography, it was a little disappointing to me when they were not entering into the mirrorless world. But seeing their efforts after 2020, they are definitely in the game.
What I personally could have expected was the in-body image stabilization. As most of the similar range cameras are providing nowadays. Also, the grip feels a little odd when holding. But since this is a very compact and lightweight camera, you just need a little practice to make it stable. But overall, I definitely recommend this camera.
Below are the key highlights of the Nikon Zfc
- 21MP EXPEED 6 Nikon DX (APS-C) Camera,
- 11fps burst rate with continuous Autofocus,
- Phase Detect Autofocus for maintaining the Eye-AF & smooth video AF,
- Z-mount with support for F-mount lenses with F2Z adapter,
- High ISO performance, as it's a mirrorless body with a Backlit illuminated sensor,
- Fully articulating 1.04M-dot rear touchscreen
- Comes in different colors like grey, black, white, peach, blue, green, pink, etc.
- The weight of the camera body is only 400g.
Recommended for people
- who wants to enter into the mirrorless camera world,
- want to do vlogging or take travel photos,
- content creators who want a single camera for photo & video
- Serious amateurs as you have the lens selection from the Z-mount.
All pics by @mrinmaya.9, shot on Nikon Zfc. #iamnikon. Thanks to Nikon SG and InstaSG for the opportunity to test this camera.