Review: Nikon Zf Mirrorless Camera

It’s been a long while since I reviewed anything from Nikon. From memory, the last item was its foray into GoPro type land. Be that as it may, I have had a chance to play with the relatively new Zf model.

Here’s what I think.

Before I start however, it is fair to say that anything I write (or anyone else for that matter) will convince anyone who uses a camera at this level to switch camps if they are not a Nikon user already. You have Ford v Holden, Pepsi v Coke or Apple v PC and in the camera world, it is Nikon v Canon.

And if you ask anyone on either side why they prefer that particular marque, you’ll get varying answers as to the quality of the glass, features of the camera, ergonomics or the level of support from the company.

So I am looking at the Nikon Zf from a purely neutral viewpoint OK?

Now I am not going to go into the minutiae of the technical specs here – so if you wanted those go to the Nikon website – more than saying the Zf is a mirrorless model that Nikon says continues the legacy started in 1982 with the Nikon FM2, a camera I remember quite well as I used one for as short period during my active motor sport shooting days.

And in my short play with it, using both a 17-28 2.5 lens and an 85 1.2 lens it takes both beautiful pictures, both still and video.

What I specifically like about this camera though, and I said the same a while back about the Fujifilm X100 VI, is its design throwbacks to an earlier age of analogue. Even the dials are brass and the exterior is a embossed artificial leather texture.  Ah memories indeed. Good ones too.

For those that like yto reminisce and hark back to a gentler time, Nikon has also seen fit to add a B&W switch, which as the name suggests, puts you in a purely monochrome mode.

All the major controls are clearly labelled dials, with separate ones for ISO, Shutter Speed and Exposure, with a lever under the ISO dial to set the camera operation mode (manual, aperture priority, etc) As such, anyone with a basic photography knowledge can pick up the Zf and start using it immediately.

On the rear of the body is a single rotary Main Command dial, a combo multi-selector / OK button and buttons for zoom in / out playback, display and menu.

Of course there is also a flip out LCD that also rotates, and this is probably the only criticism I had of this camera in that the LCD when hard closed against the body was hellish difficult to free from the retaining mechanism to get it open.

A curiosity rather than a criticism was that there is no hand grip on the body as we have become used to, just a small, raised ridge down the right hand front. I had no issues with gripping the Zf with the two lenses I was loaned, but I am not sure how that would go with something like a long tele lens for example. If you regularly use such a lens, I’d be inclined to put one on and have play before buying just in case.

Speaking of attaching lenses, I don’t think I have come across another brand that when connecting a lens to the camera, you turn it anti-clockwise.  That tricked me for a minute or two.

If you are into such things, you can get the Nikon Zf in a variety of colours. My loan model was blue, but there are also green, orange, crimson, brown and of course black models in the range.

When shooting, you have access to what Nikon call Creative Picture Control where you can customise colours, tonality and clarity to your taste and there is a whole bunch of presets to also call into action.

Additionally, Nikon says the inclusion of a Pixel Shift function adds to the level of detail available using the Zf, and the AF system is capable of picking up detail as small as 3% of the total frame.

So, to sum it all up, the Zf is a 24 megapixel (with a party trick letting you stitch images together to make effectively 96 mp images) camera that can shoot 4K / 60p video. It has superb auto focus functionality, some clever imaging trickery up its sleeve and is easy to learn. What not to like?

As for pricing, there are some EOFY deals at the moment; I spotted one with the Zf body with a 16-50mm lens for $1799 and the same with a secondary 50-25mm lens for $2099.

Would I buy one?

If being bogged down by having lenses from other manufacturers for existing bodies was not an issue or had no camera at all and wanted something that was flexible and took fantastic images and video, in a heartbeat.

And I’d go the blue one thanks.

For more info, see the Nikon website.