The Nikon Z fc. Does the vintage look add value?

Friday 1 October 2021, 22:44 by Nando Harmsen | 5,385 views | 12 comments

This article was translated from Dutch with the help of AI. Read the original.

Nikon has released the Nikon Z fc. A mirrorless camera that looks like an old Nikon FM or Nikon FE. The question is: does that vintage look add value? I received two Nikon Z fc cameras for a review and to answer this question.

Anyone who photographed in the analogue era or enjoys collecting old cameras will undoubtedly recognise the control dials. A ring on the lens to set the aperture and a ring on the camera to set the shutter speed.

There is a certain logic to this layout. The aperture is in the lens, so it makes sense to set it on the lens too. The shutter speed is in the camera, so it has to be set on the camera. This made setting things reasonably intuitive.

The aperture ring on the lens tells you that you adjust the lens opening on the lens. Logical, right?
The ISO did not exist as such. Although the term was also used back then, ASA was the abbreviation for the sensitivity of the film in the camera. Once chosen, it remained fixed for 12, 24 or 36 photos.

Anyone who could afford a semi-automatic camera also had an EV control, which made it possible to deviate by one or more exposure values (stops) from the exposure the camera metered and set.

With digital cameras, all these things are hidden under buttons and dials that no longer show a visible setting. Everything is read from an LCD screen and has become values that are no longer as easy to understand intuitively.

Various buttons for making settings grouped together. You have to translate the information on the screen into what it does. In fact, this can make it difficult to understand. In this example, you can see a Panasonic Lumix camera.

The Nikon Z fc

Nikon has put a modern mirrorless camera in an old-fashioned body. This became the Nikon Z fc, a camera with an APS-C sensor, so a crop camera, that looks like an old Nikon FE or Nikon FM. In short, once again with the traditional control dials.

Analogue and digital side by side like brothers. Spot the differences.
This is not new. The manufacturer released a Nikon Df years ago, a camera that unfortunately did not become very popular. But anyone who appreciated this camera had an excellent camera with high-quality images.

A vintage look made me want to photograph in an old-fashioned way. I even chose to photograph in jpeg.
Other manufacturers also went back to an old-fashioned look. Fujifilm in particular is popular precisely because of the 'old-fashioned' appearance of many of its cameras.

With the Z fc, however, Nikon went a step further by basing the entire body design on the previously mentioned FE and FM models.

The Nikon Z fc next to the Nikon FE, a camera on which the design of the former is based.
I reviewed the camera extensively for Cameraland.nl, in collaboration with Nikon itself. If you are interested in that review, visit the Cameraland.nl website. In this article, I want to take a closer look at the appearance and its usefulness. Hence my extensive introduction.

Using the controls on the Nikon Z fc

Let's return to using the controls. You set the exposure with the aperture and shutter speed. With an aperture ring on the lens, it is obvious that you are changing the lens opening. With a shutter speed ring on the camera, it is immediately clear what you are setting with it.

Bring this back to the digital camera and the photographer, especially the beginner, will understand much more quickly which setting does what. The settings have been given a place.

Of course, these days you can set the ISO for each photo. So it makes sense to replace a rewind lever with an ISO dial. The film advance lever has been replaced by a nice exposure compensation dial.

No film rewind mechanism, but an ISO dial.
And so the Nikon Z fc was born. An ISO dial, a shutter speed dial, an exposure compensation dial, but no aperture ring. This is how it is normally done on digital cameras, using a semi-recessed control dial on the front of the camera.

Apart from the aperture, you can use the Nikon Z fc like an old-fashioned, vintage camera. That is precisely what makes this new digital mirrorless camera so much fun. You still have all the conveniences of modern technology at your disposal, and therefore all the possibilities too.

Did you know that with a simple setting, the camera works entirely like a modern camera? The 1/3 step setting on the shutter speed dial locks the dial, after which you can use the recessed control dials to change both the aperture and shutter speed.

Choose the 1/3 step setting on the shutter speed dial, and you can then use the control dials to choose your shutter speed.

The appearance itself

Although it is a modern camera, its appearance differs greatly from modern designs. Not just when it comes to the control dials. The body has the same shape as the Nikon FE and FM. That means no prominent handgrip. The body is straight, angular and not shaped to fit your hand.

This is of course the camera's charm and necessary to make it look like those old cameras. Still, it takes some getting used to if you are accustomed to modern cameras. The grip is considerably smaller.

The old-fashioned appearance means that today's ergonomic conveniences are not present, or are only partly present. That does not have to be a problem, though.
I can imagine that people with large hands will find this less comfortable. That is why Nikon has announced a grip that solves this problem. But it will make the shape and appearance differ from the cameras on which the Nikon Z fc is based.

What is the point of this old-fashioned appearance?

And now the big question. What is the point of this appearance? Is it merely a fashion trend, a way for some photography enthusiasts to stand out? Or does it change the way you use the camera and photograph?

When using the camera, it was very appealing to set everything manually again. I even folded the LCD touchscreen completely closed so that I could not use it. It felt as if I had an analogue camera in my hands, making me more conscious of creating images.

Street photography with the Nikon Z fc was fun. Photographing in jpeg, with the monochrome Picture Control set. It is just like having a black-and-white film in your digital camera.
This is of course very personal, and not everyone will appreciate it. In my view, it is also not a camera for fast photography, shooting lots of images or genuinely professional work, although that is of course possible.

It is a camera to enjoy photographing with, to spend time taking photos. The control dials at your disposal help with that. It is just a shame that the lenses do not have an aperture ring. That is a drawback.

It is a shame that the lenses do not have an aperture ring. You have to make do with an unattractive LCD screen to read your aperture. Unless you use the large LCD screen or your EVF.
The camera is modern. You have a high-resolution sensor with fantastic dynamic range. The camera is fast at 11 frames per second and the autofocus includes eye AF and face AF for fast and accurate focusing.

The camera offers timelapse, interval shooting, focus stacking, HDR and multiple exposure. Everything can be set as you wish and there is a fully tilting touchscreen available, ideal for content creators who want to make a short video now and then.

Are there any drawbacks? Of course, like all cameras, there are things that could be better. Read about the pros and cons in the review on the Cameraland.nl website.

The Nikon Z fc is a modern digital camera, with a tilting screen and extensive functions that can be set through the menu. It is very different from the past, with a roll of film.

Conclusion

Whether the camera is suitable for you, you can of course only decide for yourself. I found the Nikon Z fc pleasant to use, partly because of the physical shutter speed dial.

Besides, the eye wants something too. A camera can certainly look beautiful and attractive. The Nikon Z fc is therefore a camera you can be seen with.

In short, I think the vintage appearance adds value. But it is for the enthusiast who wants to enjoy spending time with their photography.

Photographing with the Nikon Z fc was fun. I certainly see added value in the old-fashioned appearance and partly old-fashioned controls. But it is not suitable for everyone.
What do you think of a camera based in this way on its distant predecessors? Do you see it as a fashion trend, or do you think it is more than that? Let me know in a comment below this post. I look forward to hearing your opinion.

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About the author

Nando Harmsen has been photographing for more than 40 years. He specialises in wedding photography and landscape photography. Nando also gives talks, workshops, masterclasses and photo trips, and regularly reviews new and interesting equipment.

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12 comments

Aart Van wijk wrote on Tuesday 5 October 2021 at 11:11 | reply
Looks amazing. don't have the money for it, otherwise I'd get one straight away.
Translated from Dutch.

Freddy Van Erp wrote on Tuesday 5 October 2021 at 12:08 | reply
What NIKON is doing above is something we've known for a long time!
Olympus is no stranger to this kind of design when it comes to looks. Moreover, much more beautiful than this NIKON.
What strikes me nowadays is that Olympus (or now OMDS) has more or less become "the forgotten child" everywhere. Which is certainly undeserved!
Translated from Dutch.

Bertus Klarenbeek wrote on Tuesday 5 October 2021 at 12:35 | reply
I grew up in the analog era and had a Nikormat ftn, by now I have been photographing digitally for about 20 years and I also have a Nikon D810, which suits me just fine, but when I saw the announcement of the Nikon Zfc my heart really started beating faster and I ordered it immediately. By now I have had it for about 2 months and hinder photos further and am very happy with it, it is really old-fashioned photography again and you see what you are doing. In principle, own everyone should learn the basic principles and in this way that is possible.
I am very enthusiastic about the Nikon Zfc.
Translated from Dutch.

Guy Ackermans wrote on Tuesday 5 October 2021 at 13:27 | reply
Funny that this is suddenly seen as a Nikon novelty. I've been photographing with Fujifilm for years ...
Translated from Dutch.

Nando wrote on Tuesday 5 October 2021 at 13:50 | reply
@Freddy: finding something beautiful is subjective. What you think, someone else doesn't have to think. That Olympus doesn't appear in the news much is self-evident. They're currently lagging far behind in releasing new cameras (as far as I know). That doesn't mean they aren't good cameras, certainly not. There's just so little to write about.
Translated from Dutch.

Nando wrote on Tuesday 5 October 2021 at 13:53 | reply
@Guy Ackermans: It's not a Nikon innovation, it's just a new camera based on those old models. Whether that appearance adds value, that's the question.
Fujifilm has had this idea for quite some time, and I applaud that. The aperture ring on the lenses in particular makes it even more intuitive. I miss that with Nikon.
By the way, Fujifilm is tending to move away from this 'analog look'. The dials are disappearing again...
Translated from Dutch.

Paul Laarman wrote on Tuesday 5 October 2021 at 14:00 | reply
The Olympus mirrorless camera (OM-D) has been around for a long time. I have been photographing with an Olympus OM-1 since 1973. So for me, the Olympus OM-D E-M was a logical choice when switching to digital. This camera is no longer as popular, undeservedly so, while the reviews are actually very positive.
Translated from Dutch.

Nando wrote on Tuesday 5 October 2021 at 17:00 | reply
@Paul Laarman:
I have thought before about why Olympus is lagging so far behind in the news and in the general attention. Things are indeed going on behind the scenes at this manufacturer, as I understand it. Perhaps this is (partly) a reason. It is indeed a shame because these cameras have special and unique capabilities.
Translated from Dutch.

wim flohr wrote on Tuesday 5 October 2021 at 20:52 | reply
Fantastic camera - at first glance - I can't judge it yet. I used to have an FM, which was unfortunately stolen during a trip to Indonesia. I was terribly upset, because it was a fine camera, with which I even won a local photography competition. I knew how to handle it well and there were only a few photos on the film roll back then, so I didn't lose all my photos. With a digital one, this would have been the case.
Hip hip hooray for the Zfc.
Translated from Dutch.

Edzo wrote on Tuesday 5 October 2021 at 20:56 | reply
My first SLR was a Praktica. Very quickly followed by a Pentax MX. A world camera at the time. I still photograph with Pentax (in the meantime the K3-III), but a few years ago I bought the MX-1 "for nostalgic reasons". Also retro look. Just "for fun".
When I saw this Nikon, I immediately thought it was a cool camera. If money were no object.......... But anyway, I think I'll just remain loyal to Pentax .
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info@trigona.nl wrote on Wednesday 6 October 2021 at 09:30 | reply
I don't relate to this at all, probably because I never owned a Nikon camera in the past. Actually, it's also rather strange to want an old look, with modern techniques.
Translated from Dutch.

Paul wrote on Thursday 7 October 2021 at 13:06 | reply
The cameras look beautiful, much better than the Z5-6-7-9,
But what terrible lenses!
A sort of pinhole lenses, although the image will probably be good.
Especially if you put them next to each other, as you do here, then a 1.4 or 1.8 is quite a lot more of a lens.
Translated from Dutch.

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