Nikon Zf
This past year I decided to go back to a Nikon for my main camera. I wasn’t completely happy with my FujiFilm setup and missed the feeling I had and photos I would make with my old Nikon D600. I really missed shooting Full Frame. I did a little research and ended up picking up a Nikon Zf. Some of the reviews were a little off-putting in saying that the lack of a grip was uncomfortable for many, but I try to give things a pretty fair shake before I just heed what people on the internet say and I’m glad that I did. I’ve been using the Nikon Zf since late May of 2024 and figured I’d write down some thoughts on my experience with it.
First Impressions & Camera Build
The internet had a lot of opinions on the feel of the Nikon Zf and in particular the lack of grip. This was probably one of my biggest fears after reading some of the reviews online. What if I start to use the Zf and hate the way it feels, or worse can’t get a grip on it and constantly drop it out of my hands. By the time I purchased my Zf they did start making a grip that attaches to the body, but the one that Nikon made seems to be discontinued already. Nevertheless, I was pleasantly surprised when I started using my Nikon Zf that I didn’t find it that uncomfortable at all. In fact over time It’s become my favorite camera I’ve ever handled. Sure it’s a bit blocky and for today's standards it might be considered larger form factor than some, but I find it refreshing and it’s a camera that lets you know that its there. It feels like it has a little bit of weight to it, which I prefer.
One of the things that drew me to the Nikon Zf was the fact that it has physical dials made of Brass for Iso and shutter speed (it also has a physical dial for exposure compensation, but honestly I almost never touch it because I shoot in Manual 90% of the time). The body of the Zf is made of a Magnesium Alloy and then obviously has plastic and some almost rubberized type skin to it. The Nikon Zf is obviously a Retro styled camera and looks a lot like a bigger Nikon FM2. The internals are all modern for what you’d expect in a new camera and in some cases has features that you’d only find in a much more expensive camera.
I suppose another thing to mention, which I could see being a bit of a deal breaker for some, is the fact that you have one normal sized SD card slot and then one micro sd card slot. I’m guessing that this decision was made to keep the size of the camera down as much as possible while still giving you the ability to have a backup card. I can’t imagine shooting a wedding or event without having a backup memory card to save in case one of the cards fails. Years ago I did a portrait shoot and when I went to import the photos to my computer I found that the card had failed and the photos were lost.. Still haunts me to this day.
Another note is something that probably 90% of photographers won’t really be able to relate with me about, but the Nikon Zf has a screen that fully articulates and I love that the rear the screen is textured like the rest of the body. In 2019 FujiFilm put out the X-Pro 3 model which had a screen that only flipped down and when closed only had a small screen on the back which showed minimal settings. There was a lot of hate about this, but I was one of the weirdos that actually liked this concept. When I was learning photography I was taught to not “chimp” after every photograph. I think my photography teacher in college had talked a bit about that and it stuck with me ever since. Obviously, having a screen to view your photos immediately after taking them and being able to adjust the settings is a huge advantage in todays photography, but building a confidence of knowing what your photos are going to look like is also important in growing as a photographer. Not saying I never look at the screen, but 90% of the time that I’m shooting I keep the Nikon Zf screen flipped towards the body. This does a couple of things for me; It keeps me from looking at the lcd after every shot or two and allows me to focus on my shooting, it also allows me to not worry about scratching up my lcd screen from rubbing against my pants, belt, or jacket zipper etc. There are times when I have my camera at very low angles that the screen also comes in handy because I can flip it to wherever I need to get the shot.
Lenses
When I got my Nikon Zf I also ordered the 40mm f/2 SE. The SE stands for “Special Edition”, but it’s basically the same lens as the regular 40mm f/2 with slightly different aesthetics to fit with the retro look the Nikon Zf has. I have since picked up a 28mm f/2.8 SE which I believe are the only two that they make which accompany the retro vibes of the Zf. I do have a 85mm f/1.8 S which also looks perfectly fine on the Zf and works great for portraits. I wish there were more third-party lenses for the Nikon Z mount, like I had with my Nikon DSLR and Fuji cameras. While I found some lenses made for different mounts, the selection for the Z is maybe more limited. However, there are many lenses available, and you can use lens adapters to fit a wider range of lenses. Just keep in mind that you may lose certain features, like autofocus, with some incompatible lenses. They did just announce the 35mm 1.2 which means they have a 35, 50, and 85 all in 1.2 which is pretty great. Honestly, you can do a lot with just those three lenses and I may end up working towards getting those 3 down the road.
Final Thoughts
While every camera does have it’s shortcomings, quirks, or just things that don’t quite jive with someone’s particular taste, the Nikon Zf ticks the boxes that it needs to tick to be a camera that I actually look forward to shooting with. The way the shutter feels when pressed, the brass controls giving real tactile feedback, and the way the camera feels solid like a camera should are all things that I enjoy about the Nikon Zf. The list of things I love about the Nikon Zf far outweighs the things that I don’t care for and its a great full frame camera that is capable of taking modern photos while still holding onto a bit of flavor from cameras of the past.
