Nikon Z fc review
Nikon’s latest APS C mirrorless camera harks back to its manual-focus lm SLRs. Andy Westlake investigates whether there’s substance behind the retro whimsy
Welcome to retro, Nikon-style. One of the tricks that manufacturers have used to make mirrorless cameras more attractive has been to style them like 35mm manual-focus SLRs. Olympus kickstarted this trend with its original OM-D E-M5, then Fuji lm went a step further by equipping its X-T range with analogue dials to control exposure. Nikon’s latest entry-level model, the Z fc, takes the same approach, with a retro design that pays homage to the FM2 SLR from 1982.
While the Z fc borrows a lot of its design ideas from Nikon’s Df DSLR from 2013, it’s built around the mirrorless Z mount, which allows it to be very similar in size to the FM2. But rather than being the full-frame retro model that many photographers have been yearning for, it’s based on the APS-C format Z 50. This places it in direct competition with
Fuji lm’s highly regarded X-system cameras, most obviously the X-T30 that has a similar price and retro design. However, in contrast to Fuji lm’s extensive lens range, only two matched DX-format Z-mount optics are available to t the Z fc, the 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 and the 50-250mm f/4.5-6.3 telezoom. Beyond that, you have to use larger and more expensive full-frame lenses, or Nikon F-mount DSLR lenses via the £269 FTZ adapter.
Nikon is offering the Z fc for £899 body-only, £1,039 with a matching silver version of the 16-50mm, and £1,249 in a kit that adds the 50-250mm. There’s also a £1,129 bundle with the 28mm f/2.8 SE prime, a full-frame optic that’s been styled
to resemble the F-mount AI-S lenses used by the FM2. This pricing throws it into the middle of a competitive market that also includes the Canon EOS M6 Mark II, Fuji lm’s slightly more expensive X-S10, and the Sony Alpha 6400. Then there’s the Z 50 itself, still available for about £70 less. Nikon is clearly hoping the Z fc will be chosen for its looks alone, but is there enough substance behind the style?
Features
In terms of its technical speci cations, the Z fc is effectively a minor update to the two-year-old Z 50. As such, it employs the same 20.9MP sensor that offers a sensitivity range of ISO 100-51,200, extendable up to ISO 204,800. Bursts can be red off at up to 11 frames per second, complete with continuous autofocus, or 5fps with live view.
Shutter speeds from 30sec to 1/4000sec can be set in whole-stop increments via the top dial, or one-third steps using the electronic rear dial if you need more precise control. There are also B and T settings for long exposures, with the latter initiating the exposure with one press of the shutter button, and then ending it with a second. This is arguably more useful than the B mode, which keeps the shutter open as long as the button is pressed down.
Autofocus employs on-sensor phase detection with 209 selectable points. In a notable update over the Z 50, both eye detection AF and animal detection AF are on hand for stills and video shooting. A good array of focus area options is available, ranging from pinpoint for homing in on a speci c subject in single AF mode, to wide areas that are more suitable for following moving subjects in C-AF.
Like the Z 50, the Z fc lacks in-body image stabilisation, relying instead on optically stabilised lenses. This is a common limitation of APS-C mirrorless models, but here it’s compounded by just how few of Nikon’s Z-mount optics include VR, as the full-frame cameras all use IBIS. While both the 16-50mm and 50-250mm are stabilised, otherwise it’s just the 24-240mm f/4-6.3 (£849), 105mm f/2.8 macro (£999) and 70-200mm f/2.8 (£2,299).
One welcome update compared to the Z50 is the inclusion of a USB-C port, which can be used both to charge the battery and power the camera. This requires a 3A input, though, which means it won’t work with a lot of powerbanks and mains chargers. Battery life is rated to 300 shots per charge, although you can get a lot more than this if you regularly shoot bursts, and Nikon has implemented relatively aggressive power saving settings to help you get the most out of the battery.
Investigate the shooting menu and you’ll nd a number of handy features, including multiple exposures, high dynamic range shooting, focus bracketing, and silent shooting. In-camera raw conversion is available if you want to experiment with reprocessing your images before sharing them, with plenty of further editing options in Nikon’s extensive retouch menu. There’s also a customisable My Menu for grouping your favourite