Is the Nikon Zf for you? HONEST Pro's & Cons...
The Zf brings a lot of great features at a relatively great price.
No camera is perfect. Let's take a clear look at the pros cons and alternatives to the Zf.
PLEASE NOTE - the Zf does not have the sensor shield option (like Z8 and Z9). I mistakenly thought it did because an earlier video I did showed the shutter down - this was just random timing - it is NOT a sensor shield. So I have removed the mention of sensor shield from this video! Apologies for my mistake.
geni.us/ZFguide
My Nikon Setup Guide has already been updated to include the Zf, showing you the full camera controls, an initial setup guide as well as an overview of all the new features this includes. Check it out: geni.us/ZFguide
Pre-order at B&H: geni.us/NikonZf
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You Can't satisfy everyone... and that's extra true when it comes to a niche camera like this. Check out my Z Setup Guide - updated for the Zf: geni.us/ZFguide
Do you have any explanation as to why the body only version is more expensive than an X-T5 with a lens kit (either one) in the UK yet it's the other way around in the US? When you convert from UK Pounds into US Dollars the ZF body costs $2813.75 V $2630.16 (when converted from £ to $) for the most expensive X-T5 with kit lens, thats a $900 difference.
ZF doesn’t have sensor shield but you indicate it has at 9:01.
Just a guess,@@acmdv , it could be simply that the UK (Europe) is a different market than the US (and presumably Canada), so different market forces apply, hence a different price. How is it with cars?
@@kristjang.arngrimsson7060 Most of the cars sold in Europe are made here, even the Japanese cars as they have factories all over Europe. I'm wondering if Nikon are trying to pull a fast one over here or it could be yet another consequence of Brexit.
Only thing I can think of is that the price is set when the camera is released - maybe the exchange rate shifted since then - but I have no idea. @@acmdv
I love the articulated screen. This camera is everything I wished for. Controls on top just like my FA film camera. Perfect!
Enjoy! Nice to hear from someone who likes the screen 👍🏼
FA was my first Nikon body back in the days. Still works, still sitting in my cabinet. 👍🏻
The reason why an articulating is very useful that I’m surprised hardly anyone mentions is that when you are using the camera on a tripod set at a level other than eye level you can turn the screen to compose your shot horizontally or vertically without kneeling on the ground or contorting your back and or neck to look through the viewfinder. As a landscape photographer I will not purchase a camera without a fully articulating screen.
@@earledward5763 - well, you can do that with a flip-out kind of LCD screen, too, it doesn't need to turn all the way firward/180 degrees for that purpose. In fact a simple flip as on z6/7 out is faster/easier for that purpose, as it's one movement, while fully articulated you first have to move it out and then swivel it. No biggie in my book, but some think it's a deal breaker.
Good part about it is you can turn it so the screen faces the back of the camera so it protects the screen while not in use.@@marcusbraun8889
Wouldn't it be cool if it had a special mode which would simulate the FE analog viewfinder display ... the green needle on the left showing the shutter speed setting, the floating needle that shows the select shutter speed when in auto mode, and especially a simulated split screen focusing prism to use as a manual focusing aid. It could all be done with software. Something that truly captures the simplicity of the Nikon FE shooting experience with manual focusing.
I would have liked a silver Zf.
You're not alone
as if that will make u a better photographer
@@FeRoOOo71 *He is just trying to share his preference. What's your problem?*
@@aayazahmed5389 u just buy gear and never go out taking pictures
@@FeRoOOo71ass
This is my favorite Nikon camera at the moment. Sony has the A7C2 and A7CR but by Nikon adding that micro sd I think it got ahead plus the design is beautifully done.
The lens choice is very limited to consider this a walk around street and travel can. The New G lenses from Sony or even the GM lenses are small in size and weight. Need more f2 Lenses from nikon.
it also lacks custom controls that my 2013 Nikon D610 has.@@zakiradi450
Matt, I would love to see how well the Zf works with Voightlander Z mount lenses. Especially the Voightlander 50mm f1.0. Many thanks for another thoughtful video. 👏
Definitely I want to mount my f-mount 58|1.4 and the 40|2. Is there another f mount adapter to Z that is slimmer and lighter
Thanks for breaking it down! Considering Nikon Z sensors are one of the best options for adapting M mount lenses, I think the ZF is going to be pretty solid with Voigtlander/Leica manual lenses. Smallish form factor, rugged, great focus assist, and low level of corner smearing with adapted stuff. Id really love to see it with a m mount small 35/50mm :) Also It would be great if you can compare high iso performance (im guessing z6ii levels?). Cheers!
From what I've gathered it's slightly better than the z6II due to the faster processor. (For example max native iso is 64000 instead of 51200)
It’s better for manual focus with the eye detect manual focus assist.
Its bigger and heavier than the Z6!
Voigtlander makes some lenses for native z mount (40mm 1.2, 50mm f1.0)
@@joebledea These are the ones I've looked at in considering a move from my Fuji X-Pro 2. The contemplation continues.
the screen folded back makes it look even more like my old FM2 ! i do love the retro feel here. i really like the form factor & with the 40mm lens, you can fit in any bag. this camera is on my shopping list for next year to go travelling with.
Two days ago I got to play around with the new Nikon ZF for the first time at Photopia in Hamburg and wanted to share some thoughts as well. First off, I think the camera looks amazing and Nikon nailed the retro aesthetic. Picking it up I was surprised at how substantial of a camera it is. It feels dense, very solid, and really high end. Just holding it, it has a more premium feel then even the “pro” bodies like the Z8 or Z9 imho because of the all metal construction. The dials feel really good also - much better than the ones from the ZFc and even my analog cameras. Even compared to the Fuji cameras the ZF is a significant step up in quality and feel. The only thing I was concerned about was the the “vlog” style screen but I was pleasantly surprised by its build quality also - it’s not flimsy at all. However, it is not a small camera and even with the 40mm lens or my adapted 55mm f/1.2 one handed shooting isn’t really an option without the accessory grip, which in my eyes is a must if you plan on using any heavy glass. Since I still only shoot with my DSLR and analog cameras only and haven’t been convinced by mirrorless camera tech quite yet, I wanted to test out the EVF experience as well as the auto and manual focus features. Starting off with the EVF my thoughts on it are “good, not great”. Its large and bright, however I do still notice pixels when looking through it and especially when panning I still get distracted because its not 100% fluid. Its not laggy by any means, but its no optical system either. The Z8 viewfinder is leaps and bounds ahead in that regard. That being said, it’s perfectly usable and absolutely fine - it just didn't wow me at all. The autofocus on the other hand is something else. Its fast, accurate and reliable from what I could see. Significantly better than what I’ve experienced with the earlier Z cameras. The eye tracking works wonderful and sticks very well - it works as advertised and coming from a DSLR its quite the game changer. I was very curious how it would work when adapting old glass, so I put on my 55 and have to say that the eye tracking feature that lets you punch into the eye without having to pan manually makes manual focus fast and accurate. I loved that feature. Focus peaking also works well enough, however I wasn’t convinced that its accurate enough for critical focus with very shallow depth of field lenses. Finally some more random thoughts that came to mind: The shutter noise is very pleasant. Not important by any means, but it just has a very satisfying tone to it. Especially when shooting in burst mode. The shutter button feels amazing. Quite different to a normal shutter release, but with very nice haptics. The lack of buttons on the body would be something Id need to adjust to coming from a DSLR where I never open a menu for anything. All in all. Great camera.
For manual focus I set the OK button to zoom to 200% on the Z7. I think you can do the same on the Zf so I don’t need focus peaking.
@@christianpetersen1782 Absolutely! But peaking is super useful for wider angle lenses or at more reasonable apertures, so it's still nice to have. And the ok to zoom in and out trick works too of course
@@tolga1cool "it has a more premium feel then even the “pro” bodies like the Z8 or Z9 imho because of the all metal construction". Our senses are often faulty.
Thanks for the detailed description! The more I look at this camera the more I want it! One tip for the viewfinder: on the z6 if you half press the shutter button, for some reason the live view becomes much more fluid. I don't know if it is the same on the zf, but I think because both camera share the same viewfinder, I think it is the same in performance as well.
@@UnconventionalReasoning it does though. All metal with really solid dials makes it feel much more premium than the other bodies. It also feels much more dense. Just grab one and play with it. You'll get what I mean
The specs of the Zf are just totally perfect for me, retro design included! And the micro SD cardslot is just genius IMO. When I'll get my Zf, I'll buy a SD micro card with 1TB and leave it in forever. It'd be exactly like having internal memory! I never take the second card out of my other cameras anyway. Could you do some sports shooting while testing it, Matt? Thanks
Wait it's microSD only?
couldnt agree more. the only box i wish was ticked for me was a joystick for focus point control but if thats the only loss ill take it! the micro SD is very much underrated because you can literally put massive, cheap storage and leave it in the camera like an internal drive for sure- having a en-el15 battery and two slots in something this size is really brilliant.
@@WarriorsPhotoSD+ microSD/TF
@@zegzbrutal OHHH!😁
the bigger is your is your card, the bigger is your lost when it failed !
4k 60fps it’s amazing for me as a wildlife photographer, thank you so much for sharing your opinion about this amazing camera 👌👌👌
I would like to know about it's weather proofing/sealing. High winds, blow dust and rain. That sort of thing.
I must say the flippy screen is super annoying in actual use (for composing low-angle horizontally oriented shots; low-angle verticals are actually better with this type of screen) but I might just buy this one anyway for the other ergonomics and specs.
This is a very useful review, thank you. Everyone is referring to the retro style, but I haven't seen anyone talk about the SLR shooting experience, the way we did in the 80s. That is why I will probably buy this camera and look forward to using it with just the dials. But where are the Nikon lenses with aperture rings? Using the front wheel for aperture doesn't fit with the SLR experience. I look forward to your review with third party lenses, hopefully you can talk about Voigtlander and Zeis. I'm also interested to see how info is presented in the viewfinder.
I would be very tempted but the cost of replicating all my Fuji lenses in the Z system is the deal breaker - plus I do like the aperture rings on the Fujinon lenses tbh. Still, as someone who goes back with Nikon film cameras a long way I am super happy that they have had a run of successful releases. Maybe one day when the Zf camera and Z lenses are available second hand at prices I can justify…..
I’m in the same position as you. Used to be a Nikon shooter, then switched to Fuji and love the old-school style of shooting. But I’m seriously thinking about switching back to Nikon with this Zf camera. If I sell the Fuji stuff, I could buy the Zf instead with the 24-70 mm f/2.8 and the 85mm f/1.8. That’d be a dream kit and yes, as much as I love Fuji, I do think FF renders images with more “depth” then APSC. Difficult choice….
Sort of in the same boat. Why not use a Fuji to Nikon adapter? Yeah OK you'll be in crop mode, but means you can gradually move systems. A sneaky bonus is you get to keep using lenses with an apature ring. I've been tempted to therfore look into Sony FF lenses in the long run.
Great video Matt, I will definitely upgrade from ZFc! Just a question, what watch are you wearing in the video. Thanks
Hi Matt, great video. I love the Design of the Zf so much. On my Z6ii I use the ISO Automatic and the back button focus a lot. The Zf doesn't have an ISO button. Do I have to go to always to the menu to activate ISO automatic? And there is no AF-ON button either. Is it still possible to use the backbutton focus? Thanks Olaf from Germany
Thanks for your insights Matt! I've seen a few comments that nikon updated the colour science with the z8/z9 relative to the z6/z7. Where does the zf sit?
Thanks Matt for another helpful video. You mentioned @8:58 that you can close the shutter on the Zf to change lenses. How does that feature work? The Nikon videos made no mention of it. Also, is there a way to program U1-U3 settings? Thanks.
second this
I am very interested in the Zf but one thing I'm wondering about is will there be any possible overheating issues because this is the smallest body so far that uses the high performance expeed 7 processer and I know my Z8 sometimes can get pretty warm depending on what it is doing so if you can test that then that would be interesting to me
Great video Matt, thank you. I am curious about the subject detection in MF. I am considering ordering a Zf and pairing it with the Voigtlander 50mm f1.0 Nokton. Curious how well the subject detection with zoom feature works for grabbing focus. Have you tried this? Thoughts?
Check out my previous video - I show that.
Great take on this new camera. For decades I shot canon, from film into DSLR’s. About 8 years ago now I switched to Olympus micro four-thirds, mirrorless. As canon nor Nikon were moving forward. As I have aged, we will leave it at that, I really appreciated the reduced size and weight of all my equipment overall. Currently using an OM-1, since Olympus has sold out to OM Solutions. Still very happy with the micro four-thirds mirrorless but, concerned for the future. The Nikon Zf has a lot of features that Olympus has had for years, won’t go into specifics. The main difference is Nikon being full frame obviously. I am a serious amateur with a website and belong to several photography clubs in our community. Not a “Pro”, because I don’t sell my work. I like everything I am seeing, love the retro look, like the dials without having to dive into a menu, size is right. My concern is I do quite a bit of outdoor, wildlife and action photography. I have had my Olympus - OM cameras in some very harsh conditions from Africa, to ice cold conditions, to extreme wet conditions, etc, etc, with never a failure. Olympus was one of the first to do in camera 5 axis IS, which is a deal breaker for me not having to use a tripod all the time. As a matter of fact I seldom use one since switching. Now Nikon and others have adopted these systems and are great. Sounds like Nikon has really updated their in camera IS system. This is the first camera in awhile I really have some interest in. 24mg full frame really is not an issue for me, especially since it will handle higher ISO’s better. Would really like to see a toggle switch for focus point adjustment instead of taking eye off the viewfinder and using a touchscreen. Price point for price point very much in the range I am comfortable with. Big thing is I am heavily invested in Olympus lens and equipment which would mean a complete swap over. Time will tell as more real world use comes out. I have never shot with Nikon and that really is not an issue. If you understand photography and the basics of it, one should be able to pick up any camera no matter it’s cost or name brand and get good results. If you come from film days like I have where you had nothing automatic and you had to calculate everything, then todays cameras are dream machines. One just has to decide how they are going to use the camera and choose accordingly. Again, great take on this new model.
As an Olympus user for many years, I love that system for all it's benefits, but I got the FF bug a few years ago, when they brought relatively cheap options, so I bought a Z5 Nikon, and my Olympus gear has been gathering dust ever since. The image quality and low light etc., is just superb, and that's with the basic model and the 'kit' range 'Z' mount lenses, I would think that a Zf with it's better AF and other improvements and the 'S' series premium lenses, would be amazing.
What is your experience using it in complete manual mode using the EVF ? I would like to see about adapting Nikon f manual lens and other vintage lens to it via third party adapters.
Many thanks for the great introduction to the Zf. I'd like to see a test of the "mini sd" card. How does this impact shooting in real world situations? Many thanks.
I thought it didn't have a sensor shield like mechanism, is it a setting you turn on or off in the menus ? Thanks Matt
I love the previos F , not having 2 cards was my deal breaker. I dont care that it has a micro sd, it has two cards. Exackly what i needed . Love the retro style. 24mp is perfect, would have love 30mp. $2k is a great value
longstanding question, does it have the ability to use flash assist beam for focusing in the dark or is the Z way not flash compatible yet again
I would love to see a review of the black and white mode in one of your reviews. My favorite genre is street photos and processing my NEF files into black and white, particularly with a Tri-X filter, because I just love the classic grainy, photojournalist look. It would be great to get your impressions of the b/w mode, how it works, etc. How does it save the b/w images - are they monochrome NEFs? are they saved as HEIC or jpgs?
No mono raw 👍🏼
great video, could you also do Leica M lenses with the techart AF adaptor on the ZF body? many thanks
Thank you for talking about the battery. Other reviews hardly mention it. Great to know that Nikon hasn't compromised.
I'm a Fuji shooter and despite having a good set of lenses covering nearly everything you might ever need, I am seriously attracted to this camera - even though it would involve selling all my Fuji kit to justify owning it. I can't quite put my finger on why it is so attractive but looking at the glass options, the 14-30f4, 28f2.8, 40f2 and 105mm would be my initial set up and in all honesty probably cover the range I need the most. I like the retro style cameras (obviously) because after 40+ years of leisure and some pro photography dials me more to me than wheels.
For is big omission is lack of joystick and "A" position on shutter and Iso dial. Secondly I don't think lineup of lenses with retro styling will be sufficient.
The build quality and feel compared to Fuji is phenomenal. Although certain buttons and dials don’t feel ergonomic, the overall feel is great
I’d be interested in how high speed shooting (eg @8 & max fps) is compared to Z6ii ? Does the Expeed7 make a difference, or does it go into a lagged ‘slideshow’ type mode?
I certainly could use it, as my everyday camera with the 26mm 2.8 on it. For that kind of camera I don't need a full grip and the flippy screen is certainly no deal breaker (use a z30 as well) albeit I prefer the z6/7/8/9 kind of screen. However, it makes more sense economically to wait a while and see what Nikon brings to the table with the z6 III and hopefully z7 III and replace my current main body - the z7 first gen - with one of those (or a z8) and then relegate the z7 to everyday cam use. So it's going to be down to what comes up as replacement for my z7 and then it will be wallet/reason/impulse decision if I get the Zf as evereyday cam or relegate the z7 first gen. Impulse might win over reason here, life's supposed to be fun, too! ☺
Thinking about different options for a retro styled camera, I think Nikon could have added the possibility of a retro styled battery grip which also includes a couple of CF Express slots and maybe another stacked module underneath the grip to offer GPS and/or a wireless transceiver, a bit like the accessories once available for the F range of SLR's. I wish Nikon would stick to one design for a battery grip though, which could be moved between camera bodies as needed.
Hi Matt, my Zf camera will be shipped to me on, or around October 12th. Just in time to go in my travel bag for my November Brisbane, Noosa, Melbourne, Sydney trip. I bought a Z6 mk2 last month because I like using it, and that will not change with the Zf. I have the Z8 as my main camera. I have a reason for owning each camera. I don't think about what features are missing. Rather, how I can make best use of the features that are available to me. I will likely take the Zf with me when I go out at night to restaurants or to the Sydney opera house.
To me there are Three features that define the potential of this camera: 8 stops of vibration reduction can be a game changer, the pixel shift feature, if well executed could make it a superior landscape camera that punches waaaay above its price point and several pros/reviewers have commented favorably on how the image quality, as expressed by looking at prints is close to 45 megapixel images shot on a z72. This might be the best deal in photography.
The problem with that is taking this camera out into the wild is a potential disaster waiting to happen. The ergonomics of this will slip out of your hand like a frog. You'll have to keep it around your neck like the One Ring, otherwise it will go walking off on its own (lol). For actual working professionals there are better options that won't fight you to get the shots. No custom options on the dial being replaced by actual exposure dials means you can't actually use this camera in a professional capacity at all, since you will need to change between different sets of settings fairly often out in the wild, and especially for HDR photography to get the best look. This camera doesn't have U1, U2, or U3 functionality, but Nikon cameras made in 2012 and 2013 still had those features? Not only that, but ONE CARD SLOT? Intolerable. This should have stayed on the side of the camera rather than at the battery door, like with the old Nikon F-mount DSLRs, but covered by the faux leather. You don't really need most of the stuff you just mentioned if you're not shite at photography. Again, working professionals don't need 8-stops of vibration reduction, as great as it sounds. Pixel shift is pretty damn cool though, so I guess we'll just have to wait for a Z8-ii or something.
It’s a lovely camera! Does it have extended shutter for long exposure? Thank you for the rundown.
yes. Look ate the features in the official page
looks very nice, thinking about finally upgrading from my om-d em10 mk II have been wanting to switch to full frame for a while and having great auto focus would be great
… Appreciate you Matt. I am increasingly suspicious of mainstream reviewers being nothing more than cheap salesmen, but this seemed a fair review. It would be good to see a pre-AI Nikon lens compared on a ZF and a DF. Comparison of images and ergonomics!
Thats true most of them are salesman now. Thats why almost no one does tutorials or image quality camparisons anymore.
I had my first Nikon DSLR in 2008 with the D300, it took me seven years before thinking I needed an upgrade and bought the full frame D610 in 2015. It’s now eight years and I’m thinking I need another upgrade and the ZF looks a really good step up. I was looking at the Z9 but the RRP put me off,plus the weight etc etc then the ZF gets released and WOW what a great camera for the money. I can see a backlog of orders though. I’m thinking of sticking with my older 80-400 AFS with the FTZii but may hire a ZF with the FTZii first to see how it performs
Can't say I have a deal breaker. The Zf is aimed exactly at my hobbyist heart. The one drawback I see (besides no blackout free evf, which is fair at this price) is they didn't rethink the retro dials and get rid of the PSAM dial, like Fujifilm. Nitpicky, I know.
Nice video Matt as always. A nice looking camera but I'm another where the real deal breaker is the swing out screen because you can't easily use L brackets with them. I don't have a full frame Nikon mirrorless yet and am waiting on the Z7ii to be updated. But if they put that type of screen in it, I'll have to settle on a Z7ii or just keep using my D810 forever.
Excellent review. Thanks!
Speaking of the Hasselblad X2D, what would be your best adapted lens? For portraits
The one thing really annoying me is the absence of a second function button. But it will do wonders with my vintage lenses thanks to the new manual focus system
Thanks for the great review
Is old lens doesn't have discrepancy when mounting it? Is old 50mm will see the same or at the same distance? Hope I can watch a video sample comparing old and new mounted to see discrepancy. I'm trying to research about measured distance of flange distance few mm difference with dslr and mirrorless Nikon.
It's a cool camera and reminds me of the FE2's I had decades ago, but my deal breaker is that it looks like I can't control it electronically via a Camranger or something like that.
I mostly shot wildlife, which means using my Sigma 150-600 on an old D810. I’m looking to update my camera for something with better auto focus and can handle higher iso. If it’s smaller and lighter, even better. That’s my bugbears with the D810. I’d like to see how this works for wildlife and lowlight those but the lack of the grip with a big lens is my concern. It’s £2300 in the UK at the moment. It’s tempting but there’s still some doubts about whether it is for me. If it had been closer to the z6II styling, that would have worked better for me. To the £2300, I still need to add a ztf adapter and potentially a grip.
I think if you put big lenses on this body it will not be a pleasant shooting experience.
I am considering the a7cii or ZF. How do their autofocus and general handling compare ? You could even make it one of your next subject 🙂
Same considerations as you have, between A7C2 & ZF. Struggle in ZF has 2500 pixel when using APSC lens it left 1000 pixel only........😂
@@vincentc7818 10MP is still plenty, even for small prints. In the end it's the quality of glass. A crap glass on a 61MP sensor will yield worse results than top of the line glass on a 10-24mp sensor.
Not a fan of the Floppy screen but not a deal breaker either. I will buy this camera with the 40mm and be very happy. Add it to my kit as a street shooter and back up.
Matt, Great reflection on these pros and cons. I took the dive on release day and pre-ordered it. All things equal, had they announced a Z6iii and the zf at the same time, i probably would opt for the 6iii for the better grip. But i DO love the flip out lcd (yes, for stills shooting!), and value the IS/vr improvements and Nikon’s ever evolving color science, so full speed ahead! ;-)
My guess is that Z6iii will have different sensor than Z6ii with approximately 30+ MP resolution at slightly higher price point than Zf. Zf with expeed 7 and 10bit internal video looks very capable camera at 2k $ which is of great value.
So I preordered this as I won’t get charged for it until it is shipped because it is a new Nikon product (always back ordered into oblivion). But my personal rational is this: I shoot work with a d850 and d810 ten pair currently. Got about five lenses for that setup. And I have a Fuji x100v I do for casual stuff I really wanted to get into the zmount in a seamless more cost effective way but did not like the z6 or even z7 bodies. I honestly fancy the z9 but need it to drop in price so I will wait for its successor more likely. But what I think I am going to do is take advantage of the fuji x100v hype and sell for its bloated resale value to fund this. Though it is bigger than the V it will get me the feel I enjoy with the fuji, a full frame, and a gateway to the z system. The V is like 1700 used now which is insane. But if the V successor had ibis or something and maybe a xt5 sensor it might make me reconsider. So many choices
This camera was designed for the enthusiast that likes the feel of their old film cameras. I really don't think it's designed for the working professional. That's what the Z6ll, Z8 and Z9 are for.
spot on
Matt you are the best teacher ever
For me...The fact that it has a fully articulated display ... makes it a must buy. Elsewise...I would have upgraded to Z5 long ago.
other brands have fully articulated display ages ago
Hybrid solution from Sony is best idea. Tilt and flip at the same time.
And so had Nikon. My good old Nikon D5300, which is 15+ years old...has fully articulated display and that's why I love it and am still keeping it.@@kevc.2958
I beg to differ. Investing in a new lens system is expensive and the learning curve of Sony's menus is also very steep. The tilt and flip cannot be used for shooting videos of yourself and that's exactly why I need fully articulated display.@@kamilpotato3764
That’s the reason why I won’t buy it - I have a flips screen and I really miss the tilt screen :/
Matt, thanks again for a reasonable and thoughtful review. There is no perfect camera, it's all about tradeoffs and Nikon clearly knocked it out of the park for a lot of people, including potentially myself. Keep up the good work!
Call me a Nikon fanboy if you want, but I think this is the most charming digital camera in years (certainly in 'full frame' format) and if I had the money I would chose this over anything comparable. I think it's got more charm than any of the Fujis simply because it's not mimicking another brand, and the 'crop factor' is really a digital mindset. To have a analogue camera aesthetic with a true analogue image size feels more genuine some how, like the Leica Ms. If Nikon or a third party don't make a retro battery grip for it to help with ergonomics for bigger lenses then they are insane. Then again, I'd also like them to make an M mount digital rangefinder, so what the hell do I know?
It looks really interesting, deff a blow to what Fuji has been doing. But, I wish it was smaller. As in as small as a classic Nikon FE or Fujifilm X-T1/2/3
I think Expeed 7 will have to be in every new Z camera moving forward, regardless of price, because that’s what Canon and Sony are doing.
The Expeed6 came with the Z6/Z7 in Sept 2018. The Expeed7 came with the Z9 in Dec 2021 The cost of the Expeed7 today is probably comparable to the cost of the Expeed6 in 2018. The Z6 was $2k USD.
they will probably do that anyway. it costs a lot to have multiple chip production lines.
This ZF to me is a good compromise for what it offers and price point? expeed 7, 3 D tracking and that B&W dial are features that are very inviting? I'm seriously looking at getting one as a backup for my Z8. Think I'll stick the 40mm permanently on this ZF. That micro SD is a good redundant back up too...
Great video as usual 😊 Would you consider it as a second body if you only have the z9.
No. For the reasons I mention in video, it doesn’t suit my needs.
@@mattgranger so logically a z8 is the perfect second body to the z9. But if you can afford it 😝 also the Z6iii would be more expensive than the zf for sure. So that puts the zf as a real option… I’m just debating the quality of the 4K 60fps would be just the crop that could be solved by using wider glass or do we also have some quality downgrades as well.
For me the best second body to my Z9, is another Z9. Hence I own two Z9s and no Z8s :)
My first Nikon and I haven't been this excited about a camera since my A9
Welcome to the team mate :)
I started my professional career with Nikon F cameras. It seems appropriate that I get a couple of Nikon ZF bodies and then search for those old manual lenses I loved. I've been using Canon digital since the 10D but may put the current kit on the block it the ZF delivers what I expect.
I was asked if I could make b&w studio portraits. I have Nikon Z5 but I got this idea that the Zf would be perfect for b&w studio shots :) Not sure if I'll purchase it because I also want to do action photography in the future and I'm used to function buttons and joystick of Z5.
I'm not so sure the joystick would be a big deal for action. You kind of just use a custom area of focus and let auto AF or 3D AF rip they work really well and you always have the option of just scrubbing across the screen with your finger as a substitute. Everyone shoots differently though so whatever works for you. I haven't been doing much action with the Z8 but I rarely have to use the joystick after setting up large custom focus boxes.
I'm just wondering, that at 9:00 you're talking about the sensor shield, but I could not find any option in the menus to get it working. How did you manage to do that?
I don't mind the screen at all. I loved the screen on the xpro-3, being able to hide the screen and just shoot like film is a fun way to shoot. If you really need to chimp you can use the evf as well. If anything a version of the xpro3 screen that would just swivel when opened with the hinge on the bottom would be awesome.
Pre-ordered. It's got pretty much most of my wish list. I wish it was ~33mp, but I can live with 24.5mp.
How is the battery life? Is it better than the Z6ii?
Does the Zf have a multiple exposure mode with blend modes?
check the official page
Are there plans to make a silver version? It would make it even more retro like the Df and Zfc.
No news on that yet.
I think Nikon hit it out of the park with the zf. When people first talked about wanting one I figured it would be just like a z6 II in a retro body with one card slot. Instead we got a z6 III in a retro body with 2 card slots. And they didn't dumb it down. This camera even has a couple of things that the z8 and z9 don't have. At least not yet. I think this camera is geared more for street photographers, travel and for people who want to jump on the nostalgia ship. Trends have a way of coming back around. Bell bottoms came back not once but twice. If I was buying a camera solely for street photography this would be the camera. But I need a full size grip and no screen blackout in my next camera. I don't think the z6 III or z7 III will have a stacked sensor so it's looking like I'm going to have to save up for a z8. I still think Nikon needs to follow up with the z6 III and a d500 replacement. We need an apsc version in a z8 body.
Hi, do you know if they fixed the common problem of previous z models not showing the true depth of field when the camera 's aperture is smaller than f:5.6. thanks!
I do not know it's still on a preorder. I can be more certain in the end of October.
I have a Z6 at the moment for weddings. Can I use the ZF along with my Z6 or should I just save up and get the Z8
I would personally use the ZF if I were you, simply because your process would be more consistent with 24mp x 24mp instead of the large resolution jump on one body causing you to change your workflow when editing. That's just my opinion though.
I want to use it with my z6ii
I've been thinking of moving away from my xt3 and this has looked really good
I got it and I love it. Great companion to my D850.
Spec-wise the Zf pretty much hit everything I hoped for in the Z8 - better AF, 10-bit video internal and fully articulating screen at half the Z8's price. I looove the look of the retro body and they've done it really well, but the only thing holding me off is the grip and button layout and how it would function from a practical, all day use standpoint vs Nikon's regular bodies. Thinking it's probably a case of waiting for the Z6iii as a working photographer that hopefully has similar specs but I feel in my soul the Zf will likely suck me in with some kind of impulse buy at some point
That is me! I have a Fujifilm XT4 and I absolutely hate the articulating screen. I don't do video so i prefer the quickness of a tilt screen for photography. I will never purchase another camera with an articulating screen.
A thought- are the internals that of the Z6iii that everyone seems to have wanted next?
My thought: the z6 III will go up in price a bit and hence be higher in specs. Whatever those might be...
Hi, Matt! So, is there 8 stabilization stops in Zf or not? Perhaps these 8 stops appear when the Focus Point VR technology is working? Z8 5.5 stops, Zf 8 stops, and who will say "wow"?)
I believe they claim 8 stops in body when using the vr linked option.
I really want to get the zf. But my budget is very limited. I think ill get second hand z7. Priced around 1500s with low shutter count
I had the D800e and the tones from that 36mp sensor were gorgeous. Wish the new ZF had similar mp size.😑
Great stuff Matt, happy about how you covered the Zf thus far :) Im really into the market for one, and im getting close to pulling the trigger. Coming from Df earlier and also adapting vintage lenses already but on a APSC sensor i really think this is the best of all worlds for me. I will however have to sell my leica and one lens, so keeping a Cron 50 V4 that im going to use on analog M and on the Zf :) I know the value of the ZF wont really compare as it most likely will drop in value so much faster than my M240. Still, i feel as a tool its much more suited overall for what i do. Please as you said do some adapted lenses videos! :) I have a host of F lenses and also some M42 and Zeiss and Zuiko so really looking forward to someone showing what that experience is like on the Zf.
Hi Matt, do you know why electronic shutter is only up to 1/8000th ?
I've got two Z6ii, was hoping this would have the 45mp sensor. I'm really not sure I want to add another camera with a 24mp sensor. Then again I don't want to spend 4k on a Z8 or buy an older Z7ii with a replacement coming in the next year. Why is this so hard? 🤔
Haha. Choices 🤷♀️
I think a z7iii will have the high mp but looking at where the zf is priced the z7iii will cost 3-3.5k and the z6ii will be 2.5k
it is not meant to have more than 24. Live with that
Hi Matt. I am from Hong Kong. I like watching your KZhead channel because I am also a Nikon user. May I ask who send you Z f for doing testing recently? Is it Nikon Hong Kong? It's because up to now I still can't see any local Hong Kong KZheadrs upload any Nikon Z f hands on video on KZhead, thanks!😊
Thanks Matt. Great video as usual. Z f is nice and probably many people will buy it. I am Nikon shooter , but the UK price £2299. Is crazy. Usually Nikon stuff here costs similar amount in £ to USD. I don’t understand why in this case is different. Z6 is at £2069.00. I already have Z7 & Z7II - great stuff.
09:00: how did you get the shutter down Matt? I can't see this option in the camera.
Honestly I don't know! haha, it was quite some time ago and I dont have a camera on hand.
Does this model have customizable user settings (U1, U2, U3)?
I hope these sell well and Nikon releases more portable SE lenses. Coming from Fuji, this is my only con.
Thanks for the details, would you rather use the ZF or D780 for professional work? Taking in to account ergonomics and overall AF, tracking etc. It looks great for a take everywhere camera but in terms of usability, with anything bigger than the Z 24-70 F4 it seems a bit of a handful. Thanks!
Me, I’d choose the Zf. Depends what lenses you own I guess.
For me this is a preview of the next Z6, maybe with the 33 mpixels sensor? Yes please test the behavior with adapter lenses? Thanks!! I am more interested in the cheaper walk-around ones, like the 1.8G series but anything will help.
It will never have a higher mpx
Been looking for an alternative to my Olympus system and this looks like it.
I'll take the 24 MP full frame size pixels for their low light performance. I'd like to see how it performs at high ISO. Two micro SDs would have been the way to go. My 3 year old laptop won't even accept full size SD.
Photo newbie here. Would the Zf be fine for macro photography and bird photography? I’m tossing up between this and the z7ii with the larger megapixels. I just worry that z7ii might be better to crop down and not lose detail compared to the Zf or should I be looking at an aps-c for the reach? 😅
This Zf is tempting but I prefer the ergonomics of a z5. Going to stay with my z5 until the z5ii is released. i am hoping the z5ii gets the BSI sensor, stays with Dual SD slots and newer processor for better AF.
Thanks for all your Nikon wisdom, Matt! I’m thinking of trading in my D850 (backup to my Z9 ) so that I have a smaller camera for backup mirrorless that will work better on a gimbal for video b-roll shoots and for a travel camera. What do you think? And what lens would you recommend for general b-roll corporate, industrial video to start - kit 40mm or a zoom?
At 9:01 you clearly show the camera being with a closed sensor as a dust shield, but I cannot find any place in the setup to enable this feature, how did you enable the Zf to enable dust shield mode upon power-down?
This was a freak accident. It was just a closed shutter that happened to be down. I checked the source footage and I had slowed it down for this - sorry it’s misleading
@@mattgranger no problem, but you even in your words say it, oh well, would love that feature, I am a bit more concerned on cleaning the sensor on this Z as it does not lock on power down, Have you tried a swab sensor clean yet. No matter how careful, dust bunnies show up over time.
Yes I misspoke. I don’t own a Zf. But I don’t do sensor cleans myself.
Can you use AIS lenses ?
any