The New Nikon Z fc

If I had a dollar for every time I've heard someone say some variation of "Why can't they just make a digital FE2/FM2/FM3a?", it would pay for a Snowflake.

Well, maybe not quite. But I've heard that a lot over many years, starting two decades ago and more.

Have you ever said it, or something like it? Be honest now.

So now that it's here, what are you going to do about it? This is it, the new Nikon Z fc, and it's exactly what all y'all were asking for.

The top plate is the most "FE/FM" thing about it. Beautiful!

Back down to earth
Of course, it's another retro Nikon. And the last retro Nikon, the Dƒ, was an absolute horror. I mean, it was a pretty good camera—it did a few useful things, like work with manual focus Nikkors, and it had a very nice sensor. Owners actually tended to like it. But they had to avert their eyes to buy it. The factory hit that thing hard with the ugly stick. Conceptually, it was a Frankenstein—retro styling cues troweled on awkwardly all over it, with exactly the authenticity of a very bad fake Elvis, toupée and all. On a camera that looked like its designers had no freaking idea what it was supposed to be, or to whom. (I'll be honest, the Dƒ permanently changed my feelings toward Nikon. I still have respect; just not quite as much as I used to.)

And dammit, Nikon, you just can't throw us a bone, can you? Not even when you're throwing us a bone!

Because there it is on the top plate, in the upper right hand corner, that little red video button. The marketing materials show the allegedly retro thing being used on a selfie stick as a vlogging camera, on a mini tripod for web streaming and conferencing, and with an external mic—you know, just like an intrepid PJ back in the day. Not.

With watches, there are things called "time only" watches. They just tell time. Three hands, sometimes just two. Nothing else. And you know what all the other bells and whistles are called? The things time-only watches don't have? "Complications." I love that. Could we possibly have just one simple "picture only" camera, no complications?

The answer is, of course, no. The bottom line is that you can't escape the age you're in, and you can't escape the fashions of the day. That's life on life's terms. There's actually no such thing as retro.

'She's a Rainbow'

...Except maybe in the realm of style!  :-)

Climbing Mt. Fuji
On the good side, maybe it's intended to be a Fuji X-T4 killer—a knobs-'n'-dials APS-C of agreeable size. (Here they are side-by-side at Camerasize.) I'm not going to close my mind to the Z fc. It could be great. I certainly like the direction.

Takashimaya Historical Museum

Mount Fuji by Takeuchi Seiho, 1893

Although it's a long way to the top of that mountain.

So what do you think? What's your initial reaction to the news? Boy, I am looking forward to hearing what you have to say about this. Unless all those guys who used to pine for this very thing—this very thing—have all suddenly mysteriously up and evaporated.

Hold up!
Tomorrow, the lens. If you have a comment about the lens(es) you may want to wait.

Mike

Original contents copyright 2021 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved. Links in this post may be to our affiliates; sales through affiliate links may benefit this site.

(To see all the comments, click on the "Comments" link below.)
Featured Comments from:

GKFroelich: "For what it's worth, I've shot with Nikon single-digit F models since the F2 (never had an F nor an F6), and with their digital counterparts since the D2 variants (no D1 nor D6). These days I shoot primarily with Nikon D5s, D500s, and D850s (and I have a couple of D7200s lying about here somewhere). The essential (to me) controls have for the most part been consistently placed, and have operated in the same manner, across all of these models.

"The only mirrorless camera I currently own is a Nikon Z50, with its two kit lenses (I had the V1 back when it was current). The image quality is great, the camera and lenses are small and lightweight, and they provide a compact 'rig' that covers lots of contingencies (I add the now-discontinued 5T and 6T doublets for macro capability with the tele-zoom). But the controls are scattered all over the place, and many are buried in the menus or behind some inscrutable tiny icon on the rear touch screen. The whole experience is very un-Nikon, and I've missed a few photos as a result. As long as I shoot in fully (or mostly) automatic modes, it's not much of a problem, but at times it can be frustrating, even infuriating.

"The new Z fc appears to be a Z50 packaged in a more Nikon-like body, with actual Nikon-like controls on its exterior. I won't pull the trigger until I've learned more about it, and maybe read (or viewed) a couple of reviews, but based in its appearance, I'm a future owner of one!

"Now let's see what they do with the Z9."

Christopher May (partial comment): " I think this will do better than the Dƒ did. That was a quirky camera but I think it would have been a bigger seller had the price been lower. The Z fc comes with a price tag that's going to make it a lot more popular than the expensive Dƒ."

Doug Chadwick (partial comment): "If I could have gotten this instead of my first digital, a D80, I certainly would have. The control layout would have eased my transition somewhat. However 2007 is now a rather long time ago."

Al C.: "I dunno. The front wheel, the ridiculous name (huh? Z-fc?), and the non-serious fonts ruin it for me. And that's in black, never mind the rainbow! I am sorry, but frisky is not in the Nikon gene. This is embarrassing."

Thomas Rink (partial comment): "As I see it, the nostalgia for film cameras like the Nikon FM2 is due to their simplicity and ease of use. This camera, on the other hand, is as complicated as any mirrorless digital camera, but with an even more complex user interface—in addition to the retro-style dials, it also has front and rear command wheels. My Fuji X-T20 suffers from the same flawed design, but at least there is a lens lineup for it."

Alex Mercado: "Without a Prontor-Compur connection; nor a threaded shutter button; and the sensor is below 100MP—this has to be tHe WoRsT nIkOn EvAr!!! Okay, all joking aside, I like it a lot."

Yoram Nevo: "They forgot the 'Auto' setting on the ISO dial. Well that's a real bug. I should know since I'm a software engineer and write bugs for a living."

Stéphane Bosman: "I'm sure there is a market for it, but it is not the people who have known and taken pleasure in using the FM, FE, FM2 and FE2 cameras. As you said, those were simple and a delight to use. My current handheld cameras are an FE2 and an F3, and this new Nikon leaves me much colder than my Fujis."

almostinfamous: "It has everything I want in a camera except IBIS. I am interested in the colourful ones too, actually—might get a few of my former students to actually consider Nikon."

Hugh: "Retro camera. APS-C, therefore limited use with my Pre-AI Nikkors. Complaining about it shooting video is missing the point entirely. Thirty seconds with some superglue would fix that red button so it never shot video again, and you could even stick black tape over the red button like a cool kid with a Leica. Fortunately Canon make the RP, which is full frame, costs about the same, and works beautifully with manual focus vintage lenses…and Fuji make APS-C cameras with matching lenses."

Steve C: "In plain sight Leica is staking a monopoly on simple user interfaces. The Typ 240 brought video, but let you render the button completely inoperable. (Love!) The subsequent next model removed it completely, and the one after struck two more buttons from the camera. When their product director was interviewed about the S and SL's spec-sheet competitors he said 'Yes, but they're covered in buttons. If you want only four, this is the only one.'"

Comments

[Robert Roaldi]

Is there a lot of money in nostalgia?

[Dave]

Mike,

The Nikon is noticeably thinner and lighter than the Fuji. For such a nice layout on the top plate, that little video button can be easily ignored. It's there, next to the shutter button if needed, but it takes a "second-fiddle" place to the shutter button.

I noticed that the display can be closed off and it looks like a film camera. I'm impressed by that detail. I don't know if anyone could have done a nicer job without deleting the video function. A camera without video ability simply wouldn't sell.

[John Camp]

The price is right -- body only, probably under a thousand dollars? In a year or so, after the new has washed off, probably $800? If that happens, I'd pick one up to go with my other Zs. I still have to swallow hard to accept that fake pentaprism housing that sits up on top like a billboard. Why not refer back to the Nikon rangefinders rather than the SLRs?

[Christopher May]

I think a majority of TOP readership probably shares your dismay regarding the video features but I'm guessing we're not the demographic that this is targeted at. This is a camera for the home market and for younger shooters that fancy themselves as YouTube superstars. The colors, the flip screen and the price all attest to that. It just happens to be styled like a camera that also beckons to those of us who are a bit older and more curmudgeonly. The error is on our part to think that the retro styling was meant to attract us.

All is not lost, though. Internally, this is an updated Z50. I bought my wife a Z50 and I really like it for what it is. Having that camera wrapped in an appealing package calls to me more than I'd like to admit.

I think this will do better than the Df did. That was a quirky camera but I think it would have been a bigger seller had the price been lower. The Zfc comes with a price tag that's going to make it a lot more popular than the expensive Df.

[psu]

I will continue to be in camp "retro top dials are mostly worse than the new style controls" ... even when you do them well, like Fuji vs. doing them half baked, like Nikon does here.

[Doug Chadwick]

An interesting camera that I don't need. But if I could have gotten this instead of my first digital, a D80, I certainly would have. The control layout would have eased my transition somewhat. However 2007 is now a rather long time ago.

But your comment on the dreaded Df, "it did a few useful things, like work with manual focus Nikkors" sums up what I would lay out cash for.

No mirrorless camera works very well with manual focus. AF lenses have pretty compromised focus-by-wire systems and real manual focus lenses are crippled by being left at shooting aperture instead of focusing wide open or nearly wide open. Focus peaking and image magnification help, but are still slow in comparison.

Nikon has had, and to some extent still has, an opportunity to address this. They could produce a ZtoF adapter that couples to older lenses (ones they still sell by the way) the way their higher end FF DSLR cameras do, full aperture metering and viewing.

So although I will not buy this camera at a little over $1,000, would I pay $3,000 for the FF version with manual lens usability? Yes. Would I like using it as well as I think I would? I have no idea, but Nikon would have my money. And that's what they are in the business to do.

[Stan B.]

Frankenweenie. Fugly downsized in a cynical attempt towards cuteness.

Nikon's forced, best of both worlds attempts (faux retro styling in front, plasticky digital amenities in back) just don't work! That said, these miniature Hollywood set cameras just may sell to hipsters that don't know no better.

A true digital FM would have to: 1) be compact, 2) have manual controls, and 3) perform at a fairly professional level as part of a "professional" system. In other words, your choice of Fuji's...

[jim]

Dont need video, no in camera stabilization? but the killer for me is format... ApsC! So none of my Nikkors, or other manual lenses, will have same FOV.

[Stephen Scharf]

I would have hope Nikon would have learned their lesson with the Df, but...nope.

We don't need...yet another camera body. We need solutions like better integration with smartphones and tablets. The Fuji Remote app, for example, is an unmitigated disaster....it's actually gotten worse over time.

[hugh crawford]

I can't tell without it in my hands, but it looks like it might have one of my holy grail features; being able to set most of the settings by feel without looking instead of by menu. That is only true if the knobs have hard stops in them instead of turning freely. Also, F/stops seem to be an afterthought. Did a Canon designer sneak in? F/stop primacy over shutter speed primacy was a big reason to buy Nikon over Canon back when the FE was newish.

I don't have a problem with video being included. If the camera makers were to make a camera without video they would have to charge extra for it because there would be an extra version to test and maintain and having two different versions of the software makes the likelihood of bugs that much more likely. What I do have a problem with is dedicating a button to video. On Sony cameras, and other brands from what I understand, you can remap most of the buttons and dials but not the shutter or the video button. That's stupid. Why not a button on the front? That could be a shutter or video button.

[Ken Bennett]

Until Nikon has a full line of fast primes, faster primes, pro-level and consumer zooms built and sized for APS-C cameras, they will have a hard time knocking off Fujifilm. One retro camera does not an ecosystem make.

[John Robison]

Yep, expressed that thought many times. My most silly dream was to have a digital back for my OM-1. Since the OM -1 back could be un-clipped from the camera so as to use data backs or a bulk film back.
Would have been happy with a reduced size 18x24mm sensor ( Why yes, I do shoot half frame, how did you know?) Along with a focusing screen with the image area indicated. The first curtain would trigger the sensor to turn on at the beginning of it’s travel.
The Nikon looks nice. I assume that with an adapter it can use most F mount lenses?

[Xf Mj]

I confess to really liking the prospect. Since my only shooting is in the 28-90mm range, and I prefer fixed focal length lenses to do it, I've never liked cameras with a comfy, deep handgrip. Yuck. Every time I pick up a Z6 or Z7 I feel a small death inside me. I wanna like them, they are great cameras, but I hated 80s camcorders, too. Today's professional rigs crush my enthusiasm for cameras and shooting. I ain't a professional, but I do like to walk about and take nice pictures.

I'm probably a goofball that shouldn't be indulged by the market. Though maybe there are a enough of me, and with cash on hand ready to be spent.

I started my photo hobby with a Canon FTb hand-me-down years ago. In the last year, my 70s haptic memory has heaved sobs at every Best Buy visit I've made. There have been plenty as I try to replace my 2011 Olympus. Each young salesman (who seem to always have just spent months' salary and employee discount on a new Sony or Canon system), I make his golden hour hopes for a sale turn darkroom safelight dim with my dead frown. I'll pick a spiffy camera up and then immediately put it back down. I can't hide my immediate disgust. I tell them the model they personally bought, I've read, is a really great camera, but through a forced smile.

I felt the same in 2014, at each car dealer, when I'd test drive their sporty hatchback to replace my beloved but beaten 90s one. "In late-stage capitalism, are we no longer allowed to feel the road?" I avoided asking the salesmen, figuring that would make negotiating a low price a bit tricky. So I compromised and got a modern Mini and sure it kinda does kind of drive just like an old VW Rabbit. Almost fun like a go cart in Keds on a summer vacation, but then with fake airplane-looking controls and circular bomber displays for my A/C temp. Whatever. I still want to drive a camera sorta the same way, and a Zfc (or full frame Zf, if they can keep the same size) might just be the analogue. Hope they invent some more F2.8 and F4.0 lenses for the thing.

BTW, here's my idea for the next Roku

https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/old-tv-800x469.jpg

I'd put HBOMax on Ch5 and TCM on Ch13. Maybe I'd want Amazon Prime Music on Ch2? It could show just fuzz and with glorious sound, as if broadcast from Cleveland, too far away for me to get a picture.

[Crabby Umbo]

I've been bitten in the ass by Nikon's APS-C aspirations before, very few prime lenses ever appeared. Finally practically gave away my D90 and D300. Unless they make an f/2.8 equivalent of a 24mm, a 35mm, and an 85mm, all prime, and all small, forget it...

BTW, Olympus could save themselves by making a body like this for their M4/3rd's lenses...and forget the amateur multi-screen settings. I'm available for consulting...

[hugh crawford]

I, by the way, am holding out for a digital Yashicamat.

[John Robison]

One more thought. The 28mm f2.8 ‘kit’ lens needs a click stopped aperture ring, and focusing and DOF scale to be truly retro.

[Albert Smith]

I had one of those, "Man, I gotta get one!" Moments when this showed up. I love the old manual focus Nikons from the '80s, still have a lot of them (FE2, FM2 and F3), but then I remembered why I jumped to Fujifilm.

Nikon needs to prove they are committed to filling out the lens line with primes that start with f-one-point-something.

They put out out a nice 35mm f/1.8 dx lens that I used on my D300s, but then never followed up with any prime wide-angle or portrait range short teles.

The answer isn't, "Well just use fx lenses." Look how petite Fujis are with those tiny dx lenses.

Still, if Nikon makes a dx 16mm and 70mm with an f/1.8-ish aperture...

[Dillan]

I have to say, Mike, you have very good taste, as far as watches are concerned.

[Patrick Dodds]

This is interesting and makes me smile - always a good thing straight off the bat, like looking at a piece of art: if it makes me smile, you've got me.

I have a Z6 and to pick up one of these would be like buying another lens - I can put my 85mm 1.8S on it and it would be, what, a 120mm or something? (I'm probably getting this all wrong but still, this being the internet, I hope to be corrected if I am). It looks lovely and harks back to my FM2 which I still have somewhere. I've held off buying new S lenses because I have a set of older ones that, with the adapter, work perfectly well on the Z6, though they look and feel unbalanced... Less than £1000 for a new lens that's as good as the 85 though? I like it!

[Robert Pillow]

I hope it does well, but my idea of retro must be reactionary: A Nikon Zrc body similar to the S series rangefinder.

[David Dyer-Bennet]

I went on to auto-focus from my FM2. So when digital came out, no, I did not want "a digital FM".

Certainly there has been a learning curve on auto-focus and on digital, among both photographers and camera designers; some things one or the other (or both) have had to learn the hard way.

[Kenneth Tanaka]

Kinda like a 70's dune buggy of a retro-cam! A "Hey, baby, what's your sign?"-cam. Rather under-powered and under-spec'ed but it sure is blooming with fake analog dials! I've never owned, or even held, a Nikon camera in my life but I'd be tempted to get one of these things in light green, brown, or even pink just as a desk trinket! Very cute!

As a practical matter, however, it seems clear that this is a design targeted to Boomers (like me), as young people aren't buying many cameras any more. But how many of us have arthritis and can't deal with little dials any more? Not me, thankfully, but I don't want little dials on my working camera anyway! Give me that Hasselblad touch-screen u.i. any day!

[Mike Ferron]

And that compact 28mm 2.8? Equals about 42mm on APS. Not to shabby.

[Speed]

If you think the little red video button on the Nikon is bad, you'll be shocked (Shocked!) to learn that the Morgan Plus Four comes with, " ... central locking and a digital driver information display, with air conditioning and LED puddle lights also available.

Shameless.

[That's just wrong! :-) --Mike]

[Eolake Stobblehouse]

Hey Mike, what’s a Snowflake? (Googling it was no help.)

On the one hand I have a very nice collection of pre-1980 cameras, all silver. (It actually is surprisingly popular when I post things on Facebook.) On the other hand, I don’t understand the nostalgia for the dang dials. Even back in the day, I always used automatic 95% of the time.

- Eolake Stobblehouse

[Re the Snowflake, check that link. I hope it still works.... --Mike]

[Michael Perini]

I'm one who thinks Retro generally doesn't work very well.... and I am a fan of and own lots of older cameras.(including 4 of my original F bodies) Very occasionally I still shoot film-- but not so far this year, so I'm doing it less and less.
Of the things Nikon needs most, I wouldn't have thought another digital camera body that tries to look like a film camera would have made the cut, - even as a badge engineered variant
But Nikon has contributed a great deal to Photography so I wish them well even if it holds no interest for me.

[SteveW]

Hmmm, that new Z-mount 28mm f/2.8 might be a nice lens.

No IBIS though. And the viewfinder doesn't measure up to the X-T4. More of a competitor with the Fuji X-S10 or X-30, although the X-S10 does have IBIS.

[David Lee]

Now Nikon copies Fujifilm. Pathetic.

[Chris A Beloin]

I currently own the Z50 with an 18-400 Tamron (which provides the VR), for a one camera, one lens solution. You do need the FTZ adapter for this.

The looks are intriguing but I would miss the deep grip and built-in flash of the Z50.

Also, there is an overall lack of quality APSC lenses to go with the Z cameras.

[Bob Johnston]

Well,it's hardly an X-T4 killer. It has no IBIS, it has a 20mp sensor and is not weather sealed. It is more comparable to the X-T30, in specs that is, except that the X-T30 has a 26mp sensor. Nikon needs to try a little harder but you never know what plans they may have for a higher end model. I do think that when Fuji styled the XT cameras they had the FM2 in mind. Oh and yes, the Fuji remote app is indeed unusable.

[Steve Renwick]

Well, it's kind of cute. But we can see from here that it has one major ergonomic failing. It still has a PSAM mode switch. Hence, when the camera is in Program or Aperture mode, the nice-looking shutter speed dial lies to you, and does NOT indicate the shutter speed.

So if the dials don't indicate correctly, what's the point of having them? Cardinal sin.

To paraphrase Lloyd Bentsen, "I know the FM3A. I've shot with the FM3A. And you're no FM3A."

[Steve B]

Well, I went ahead and pre-ordered one with both the lenses on the NikonUSA site today. It's right up my alley. My other cameras are an Olympus Pen F, Fujifilm XE-3 and Leica M10. Is that crazy? Probably, but I enjoy shooting with all 3 of the other cameras and have just 2 (or 3 in the case of the Leica) lenses for each, and like being able to grab one when we're up at our lake cabin and go for a walk and see what comes up. I doubt that I'll ever have more than 3 lenses for this camera either, but I'm sure I'll enjoy using it, just as I do with my other cameras.

[James]

In fairness to Fuji, the XT4 has dual card slots, IBIS, is weather sealed, and has a magnesium alloy body. Then there are the lenses. Fuji has the following prime lenses for their APSC camera (in FF equivalents to make the FF people happy...): 21, 24, 28, 35, 50, 75, 85, 90, 135, and 200. Many of these have either F1.4 or F2.8/2 variants. Oh yeah they have that silly F1.0 lens. Then the zooms are really well covered and none of them have a maximum F6.5 aperture on the long end. I personally like the look of the Nikon (well maybe not the pink and or green versions) but without any serious lenses I am not understanding what this camera is for. It strikes me as a camera that is designed for someone moving up from a phone or point and shoot. A certain percentage of those users will love photography and quickly feel constrained by the poor lens selection. That's when Nikon tells you that you now need to buy a more expensive FF camera and a new set of lenses. Good marketing for sure. So nope this isn't a XT4 killer unless you don't care about having quality lenses you can grow with as a photographer, weather sealing, dual card slots, IBIS, and a professional grade build quality.

[Francisco Cubas]

I was a Nikon user when I began in photography, and for many years I waited for something like this camera. But then Fuji came out and I'm happy with them. Anyway, I seriously doubt that Nikon will make the APSC lenses that this camera needs.

[Alex G]

I recall leaving more or less that same comment on this site before the Df (disappointing) came out. I’ve long since decamped into the Fuji world. The XT-1 ticked the right boxes. Like you, the Df broke the magic that Nikon had for me. They proved that they didn’t really understand what had made their products great. The marketing for this new camera makes me skeptical.

[Craig Yuill]

I am amused by the negative comments about the Nikon Dfc. It looks much nicer than the Df - very close to my FM2, the first Nikon camera I ever owned. And I suspect that it will perform better than the Df too. If my personal finances permitted it I would have already pre-ordered it. I think this could become a very popular camera. I hope it does.

[Jeff]

Since I rented a z50 and seriously disliked so much that it soured me on Nikon, and since this is basically a z50 made up to look like an old film camera, and since I already own 2 cameras, I will pass on this one.

[Steven Palmer]

I'm an FM3a shooter who tried digital for a while but didn't enjoy the editing process via computer so happily went back to black and white film. Occasionally I want to shoot colour but have always been turned off by the design of digital cameras. But this camera really makes me consider upgrading my digital camera (Panasonic G3) and doing a bit of digital colour again. My only dislike is that I don't have an aperture ring on Z lenses but then I saw Nikon put a little LCD showing me what f stop I'm in. Not as good as an aperture ring but kudos for thinking of old complainers like me. I'd certainly consider buying one.

[MHMG]

Even though I own the complete series of Nikon D8xx dSLRs (i.e., D800E, D810, and D850), and the D850 is now my main squeeze, I think there is essentially as much "who moved my cheese" differences between the 8xx models as there is between any one of them and my Df. Move to Z mount when I have so much F mount Glass? Why? Better optics? That's a hard sell to me. I get it, but I have a few truly incredible F mount lenses. I'm not willing to give them up or cripple them with an FTZ adaptor.

I have absolutely no ergonomic troubles switching seamlessly between my modern D 8xx's and my Df thus I have never understood the "Frankenstein camera" label so many reviewers put on the Df. But, my reason for purchase wasn't retro nostalgia or dials over buttons. The fact of the matter is that the Df is absolutely the best dSLR camera choice for my vintage pre-AI Nikkor glass. OK boomer...

As for appearances, I don't really understand how anyone who thinks the Df is ugly can think the Zfc isn't. They look a lot alike to me, and I'm far more comfortable in public with my all black Df than I would be with a silver Zfc or worse yet any of those candy colored ones. The all black version tends to tone down (no pun intended) the "hey look at me and my retro styled camera" vibe, so it's a pity that the Zfc isn't offered in a full black dress. I guess Nikon's marketing folks know best. Pink and green? OK boomer...OK boomer.

[Jamie Pillers]

I'm one of those people that've been asking for a camera in this form. But its APS-C! I already have the X-T4, so there's zero reason to switch at this point. I'd been assuming they were going to put a full-frame sensor in it. Oh well...
And looking at the Camerasize comparison, its kind of scary that the Nikon is over 30% lighter than the Fuji! What did they leave out??

[Ken]

Ironically, Nikon would almost certainly have sold a lot more DX mirrorless cameras over the next couple of years if, instead of this little camera, they had released three to five competent but small and lightweight primes for their existing Z50 camera.

[Mike Plews]

One of Mrs Plews' many jobs included working at a high end jewelry store. They carried a variety of watches all the way from Swatch for the grandkids up to luxury watches like Omega, Cartier and Patek Philipe.
One year for the stores parent companys annual meeting Patek Philipe brought in a mechanical watch with either 23 or 24 complications (can't recall which).
Not only did it know the day and date, it knew what the month was and if it was 28, 30 or 31 days long. It also knew when it was leap year and adjusted the dial accordingly. Remember this was an entirely mechanical timepiece.You really want to keep that one wound.
It cost a little more than your Seiko and my house combined.
BTW Tissot hits a sweet spot cost benefit wise. They do really clean mens dress watches that look a lot pricier than they are.

[Ilkka]

I would be interested if it was full frame. Even though the only Nikon I have ever owned is a Nikonos. But I have no interest at all in APS sensor. I have a full 4/3s setup and APS is too close to make a difference.

[mike rosenlof]

Not just the size, but that top deck looks a lot like the Fuji X-t4. The size is also similar to the Leica film Ms, so nice and compact by today's standards.

I admit I'm intrigued. I'm primarily a film user, but I've been eyeing the Nikon Z5 and Z50 trying to balance smaller size vs. more features at a not that different price.

The Zfc easily beats the Z50 in my book. Someone called it an updated Z50, so that's a plus in my eyes. The top deck probably allows one to use the camera *often* without diving into the menus. Another plus.

Maybe...

[Jayanand Govindaraj]

Every amateur photographer will keep talking about the desirability of a digital FM2, but very few will put their money where their mouth is and actually buy one. We hobbyist photographers are known to complain irrespective of what the camera companies (not just Nikon)release, it is our constant excuse for not being able to take seriously good photographs. It is always the equipment, or more correctly, the lack of it, that is forever to blame! The younger generation, thankfully, do not have that particular hangup, and this offering might just appeal to them, in which case it could lead to Nikon getting a reasonable number of long term customers! A far more important outcome than catering to all of us......

[HABS HAER Photographer Stephen Schafer]

Mike, I also wish this camera didn't have that confarnit video button, and as useful as the tilting screen is in use, I do 90% of my photography from behind the camera so you could delete that too for max nostalgia. BUT IF COSTCO SELLS THE KIT, IT WILL BE A HIT! And I don't remember that many zeroes on the ASA dial of the FE-2 I used for 20 years before digital took over. Asfas as watches... have you run across the MAX BILL HAND-WINDING 027/3702.04? It doesn't look like much from top view, but it has a spectacular rounded crystal that gives the entire Max Bill "retro" lineup a very mid-century appearance (if you get it without the complications).

[Peter LO]

Am I the only one who thinks the pseudo-classical look of this new camera ugly?

The front dial is awkward, and is certainly not very FM/FE. Why can't it be hidden as part of the shutter button assembly as the digital Pen F does?

Similarly, while the iso dial on the left is authentic, having a separate EV bias dial on the right isn't, not to mention the current placement of PASM selector.

Perhaps Nikon has forgotten FA, whose top plate includes essentially all physical controls a model digital camera needs - just use the film advance crank as an on/off switch and add a video button on it, and turn the multiple exposure lever into a photo/video selector.

[Kye Wood]

The D700 was a popular, much loved camera.

Why couldn't they have just reissued that? Like, exactly that?

This just makes me feel so sad for Nikon. Reminds me of Bruce Springsteens song Glory Days.

[Mani Sitaraman]

My off the cuff reaction.

I love that it only 390 grams, a full 200 grams lighter than my Nikon FM. It is about 2/3rd of an inch slimmer. While the electronic viewfinder is low resolution, by the standards of electronic viewfinder, it does have 1.03x magnification, a major plus for my aging eyes.

(I asssume that's not based on a full-frame standard; it it is, then it has only the equivalent of .68x magnification on a full frame camera.)

I'm not happy that it has a Z mount, as that will mean I will (eventually) have to get new lenses and discard my old, old AI and AF-D collection of lenses.

And I'm not happy that it is not full-frame.

But why look a gift horse in the mouth. I'm sure, if I buy it, it will easily fall in line with my instinctive habits developed over two decades of shooting with the Nikon FM.

[D Glos]

Too little, too late, for too much.

I still have an original FM2 that I acquired new in the early 80's. That camera played nice with any Nikkor, or compatible, made up to that point, as the meter coupling tab could be pulled out of the way for non-AI lenses, and it had a clean, bright viewfinder, with changeable focusing screens. Lightweight, simple to operate, and due to the vertical, titanium bladed shutter, had a higher than average flash sync speed.

I'm only going to jump back into the Nikon digital ecosystem if they make something that plays nicely with my motley collection of old, MF Nikkors. This one doesn't.

[K-guy]

A bunch of people do the instant fail thing because this new Nikon is APS-C size. Hmmm, how many of them can demonstrate that their photography is compromised by APS-C versus "full-frame?? Really? But I agree with the criticism of Nikon not offering more lenses for this format.

[Soeren Engelbrecht]

One of my favourite camera/lens combinations is an FE with the 45/2.8 P pancake lens - both in gorgeous silver. So I could definitely imagine myself enjoying using the Zfc with the 28/2.8 SE lens.

BUT: I have zero trust in Nikon offering any more meaningful (read: compact prime) lenses suitable for DX. The pre-announced 40 mm compact prime would correspond to 60 mm on DX.

In effect, this would probably be an expensive one-trick pony for me. And I have enough of those already :-)

[Caleb Courteau]

This camera is lovely to look at, even if the ergonomics are inferior to a z50. Their DX cameras are generally very good, but as many have said, Nikon killed confidence in their APS-C format with their lack of lenses.

In my opinion, the company that has done retro best is Olympus. I own an OMD-EM10 II, and the shape and knobs satisfy one’s lust for the analog era. The dials are finely knurled aluminum and clicky making them extremely satisfying to interact with. However, the knobs operate just like a DSLR. One PASM dial and two command wheels to change settings in the various modes. No, the Olympus is NOT a simple to operate analog camera, but the user interface isn’t trying to fool you into thinking it is.

The problem with tacking on dials that say “ISO” and “Shutter Speed” is that they become liar dials when you’re in a mode that doesn’t use those functions.

[Jeff1000]

Since Nikon leapfrogged the full frame market with their introduction of the Z-Mount (remember lenses?) even though no one is man or woman enough to admit it, Nikon decided to have a little fun in the amateur crop sensor arena. Can't camera designers have a little fun?

[Helcio J. Tagliolatto]

Now I'm ready to buy my first digital camera!

[Sreeram Chandran]

Nobody is speaking about (upto) 900 seconds slow shutter speeds which the Z50 lacks.

[Dogman]

I know I'm jaded. I haven't been excited about a new camera release since...well, I can't remember. Nothing I've seen here changes that. Sorry, Nikon. I love your DSLRs but I can't get excited about another video camera in disguise.

[Chris Fuller]

My all-time favorite camera is the Nikon FE2.
So, this camera looks fun, but the real question is whether or not Nikon will make lenses that correspond to its retro aesthetic. The 28mm 2.8 is a start, but it falls short. Where's the aperture ring? This is the reason why Fuji has succeeded so well with the X series cameras: you can purchase lenses that match the look and feel of the camera. Marketing gimmick? Of course. But nostalgia, matched with quality, has been a winner for Fuji since the advent of the X-Pro1, a camera that people still own with great affection.

Time will tell with Nikon.

[Gavin]

This with a 35mm sized sensor will get my money.

[Will]

If it's like the other Z's, the video button can be customized to something useful. If the red dot remains intrusive, a tap with a black marker solves that. Otherwise (but with the glaring issue of 'liar dials' remaining), it's a cute camera that some will buy and I guess that's the purpose. It doesn't move the ball forward, though.

[Marc]

While I liked my FM2, FE, FA and especially the F3HP well enough, they all where not particularly nice to hold and shoot without having your thumb stuck behind the film advance lever. Hence, all had a motor drive attached to them eventually.

Then the issue about APS-C lenses. Nikon doesn't have a stellar record offering APS-C lenses (particularly primes) for their APS-C bodies. When the D700 came out, my D300 where left at home 95% of the time and I never regretted parting with it.

In short: Nice try Nikon, but you lost me with the sensor size of the Zfc.

[Dave Stewart]

In shooting/stills mode, the function of that video button can be reassigned to something else.

I won't be trading in the Z50 for a Zfc. The only top dial I adjust on my Df camera, is for ISO, and I always wish it had just been a button as per other Nikon DSLR's. Something good they've changed at the back of the new camera, compared with my Z50, is the button placement, so it's very much more like the bigger Z cameras and some DSLR's. The playback and delete buttons are back in their usual places, and zoom in/out have dedicated buttons rather than footering about with the touch screen, which is always a pain if you're to trying to review something in the dark, or through the viewfinder.

If it had IBIS like the big Zs (or the Fuji X-S10) I'd be interested, and a pity there's one less function button at the front, which may just be for aesthetic/marketing reasons. I set one to zoom to 100% (works for both shooting/focusing and playback), and the other, in conjunction with the front and rear dials, to adjust the focusing mode and zone size.

Plenty low shutter count Z6 cameras for sale secondhand, and they're now about the same price as this camera (in the UK). Think I'll trade-in some bits for one of those. Only catch with them, is to remember you may also need an expensive memory card and reader.

[Steve Rosenblum]

Doesn't have IBIS or the ability for the screen to be flipped down to use as a waist level finder, so.....Nope!

[R]

Set it to 1/250s, shoot, then find out the camera did something else ecause there's a switch for 'Auto'. Looks like Nikon still hasn't solved the industrial design problem they missed in the Df.
I do think it's a camera for people who never used a film camera. Can't imagine someone who used an FM, FE or F-whatever to like this with a f6.3 zoom.

[Dennis Ng]

Bought the z50 so to use the jut lens on my z7. Guess I have to wait as I just want the lens, not the body.

[David Bennett]

There are very few cameras about which my views have not changed over time. I wasn't very keen on Werra cameras because they seemed blind or missing something. That's one I still am not overly fond of. I didn't like the Fuji X-E2 because it too seemed blind. And so light that you would think it was a toy. It seems fine now.

I didn't like the Z7 or the Z6 when they came out because they looked like someone had tried to bolt a yawning mouth onto a body too small for it. But now - they look fine.

My thoughts now about the Z fc is, why? Why do it? It isn't a film camera. Why make something because it looks like something else? Maybe they had a big parts bin that they wanted to use. Or if not the parts then the tooling for the parts.

Hey, where is the grip? I just picked up my Nikon FE, and there's no grip. How did we manage? The reviews of everything nowadays always mention the grip.