Nikon Zfc
Announced June 29, 2021
PixelMeter The PixelMeter is our 1–100 aggregate of reviewer scores from trusted publications and creators. Weighted by source tier — not a raw average, and not PetaPixel’s own review.
Reviewer Consensus
Strong
Nikon Zfc is a stylish, retro-inspired mirrorless camera that offers a fun, tactile shooting experience with solid image quality and intuitive controls. While its design and portability make it an appealing choice for travel and street photography, it lacks some modern performance features and ergonomic refinements found in competitors.
Weighted from 45 reviewer scores
Pros
- Attractive retro styling with satisfying manual dials
- Reliable and fast autofocus performance
- Excellent image quality and color rendition
- Lightweight and portable build
- Versatile articulating touchscreen
Cons
- Poor ergonomics due to lack of a front grip
- Build quality feels plasticky and fragile
- Missing headphone jack and other advanced video features
- Limited selection of native DX-format Z-mount lenses
- Lacks in-body image stabilization
- Launch price $960 (USD)
- Sensor 20.9MP APS-C CMOS
- Video 4K 29.97p
- Stabilization None
- Burst 11 fps electronic 11 fps mechanical
What the Reviewers Say
All 45 expert reviews, weighted into the PixelMeter score.
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- PetaPixel 5.5/10
The Zfc takes its film cosplay seriously and very much hampers the experience with clunky controls and a very slow memory card writer.
- DPReview 86/100
The Nikon Z fc is an APS-C mirrorless camera that successfully brings back the design of the company's film cameras. It offers plenty of hands-on controls, a vlogger-friendly fully articulating touchscreen, excellent still and video quality, and plenty of customizability.
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The Nikon Z fc is a solid addition to the Z lineup. While it stands out from its siblings due to its retro-inspired design, the camera’s performance is consistent with the Z50, meaning that it’s a good camera with impressive overall performance.
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With its two-tone retro styling and analogue top-plate dials, the Nikon Z fc represents a radical departure from the firm’s previous Z-mount models.
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[T]he Nikon Zfc because not only does it look incredibly cool, but it has that wonderful combination of being a fast and powerful camera which is also pretty easy to use.
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If you like the timeless aesthetic of the early film SLR era and the tactile feel of mechanical dials, the Nikon Z fc is the perfect camera for you. Raising the camera to your eye and “just taking pictures” is a wonderful experience.
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It's actually a very decent camera that takes excellent stills and videos. But so too does the Z50.
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I like the style of it, I feel good when I'm shooting it, and that's half the battle when it comes to photography: does it bring a smile to your face? And this camera certainly does.
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I think the Zfc would be an excellent camera for an amateur photographer who wants to learn and explore their eye for photography on a fun and stylish camera, and that's backed up by having all the tools in there, I think, to create a great image.
- The Verge 7.5/10
The Nikon Z FC is a great entry-level camera for fashion-forward folks who will be motivated to carry this camera everywhere because of its retro design.
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As always, there is the conflict of interests involved in seeing a product that “I want” as well as considering "I need", and the Nikon Z fc very definitely falls into the highly desirable category of "I want".
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Ultimately if you prefer a modern-looking Nikon mirrorless then the Z50 is a great option – but if the vintage bells-and-whistles hold an extra appeal and such nostalgia tweaks those heartstrings, then the Z fc is the one.
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The quality of the results that you get from this camera are not in question at all. I'm really happy with the results that I got with this camera, even with the kit lens, love it.
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While it’s not the only retro-inspired mirrorless camera out there, the Nikon Z fc’s personality and portability make it a great choice for a walkabout or travel camera.
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Only the slippery body shape, along with the relative shortage of DX-format native Z-mount lenses, go against the Z fc. But even with these considerations, if you dig the retro aesthetic, the Z fc is still worth every penny.
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The Nikon Z fc is one of the most stylish swappable lens cameras you can find for the price, but its autofocus performance lags behind competitors and some ergonomic choices don’t make much sense.
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For travel snappers or those who want a camera that's as pretty as the photos it takes, the Nikon Zfc is one of the best mirrorless cameras you can buy, as well as of course one of the best travel cameras.
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The Nikon Z fc is a photography oriented retro-styled camera that does nothing better than its rivals. It’s expensive, handles poorly, and the AF pales in comparison to rivals.
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I think this is a great camera for the person that's always saying, "I love photography, I'm getting into it on my iPhone, which camera should I get?" This is fun, it's easy to use, it's a great tactile experience.
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The Z fc proved to be as capable (if not more so) on the video front as it was with still images.
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I was constantly changing settings and it just didn't work for me.
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The Z fc is a small, relatively light camera that looks stylish and offers the plenty of adjustable controls.
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From its achingly cool retro looks to its solid imaging features, there’s a lot to like with the Nikon Z fc. If you’re looking for a take anywhere camera or something to sit alongside a more serious image-making tool, this would be a great choice.
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We think the Nikon Z fc hits the sweet spot in terms of mixing functionality, design, modern technology and a gorgeous retro aesthetic that is a joy to look at.
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We thought this retro camera was going to wow us. Instead it's rather proven that sometimes ideas from the past are best left there.
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It's ‘only’ an APS-C sensor in this camera as opposed to the larger full-frame sensors found in most of Nikon’s pricier ‘Z’ series mirrorless models, and it lacks the waterproofing, but that doesn't stop us recommending this mirrorless marvel.
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The Z fc isn’t a cutting-edge camera – you’ll find more advanced features and better performance on similarly priced cameras from Fujifilm, Panasonic and Sony – but it doesn’t disgrace itself at all on the image quality front.
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It is a pure photographic gem for hardcore photographers who enjoy photography and for those who miss the operation and feel of the SLRs from the golden era of photography, a time when technologies were not a distracting factor in image making.
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[T]he Nikon Z fc really has been created for on-the-go use, not only with one of the most compact and portable mains-powered and lead-free battery charging packs I've seen from Nikon to date, but with the addition of a USB-C socket on the side [...]
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This is a camera that I'm going to be purchasing with my own money, so if that says anything at all about how useful I find it as a travel camera, really, really excited to have this out into the world whenever we start to to travel again.
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On the opposite, the Nikon Z fc is a camera that brings back a lot of fun in photography with a vintage look that will get a lot of attention. It's great for a lot of enthusiastic photographers, but it’s not for everyone.
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I LOVE my Nikon Z fc! It's a sharp, lightweight well-made camera that makes it easy and fun to take great pictures.
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[A] beautiful but flawed camera.
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Considering what it has to offer, this camera suits casual users who love taking selfies and vlogs, as well as beginner photographers.
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I've really enjoyed using the Nikon Zfc over the past few weeks both as a stills camera for taking photos as well as a video camera.
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If I didn't have Z50, I would have gone for this one because I do love the retro styling.
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Nikon went this route, and I hope they continue to do so.
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The Nikon ZFC brings classic film-camera style back to daily photography. A modern crop sensor for street walks and travel vlogs.
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[T]he Nikon Z fc combines beautiful styling with strong performance and user-friendly functionality, making it a favoured choice for those seeking a blend of classic charm and contemporary technology.
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It is a good quality camera that stands out against the others in its price range, and it’s a great choice for those looking for a hybrid image/video/beautiful mirrorless camera.
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[T]he Zfc is definitely worth your consideration.
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This is a camera you love to go around with, it looks nice, people probably look at you with the camera and the feeling it's nice. It's a it's an easy camera to take your time, look, make pictures, enjoy.
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If you've made it this far into my review, chances are that you're considering purchasing a Zfc for yourself, and my advice is this: if you pick up a Zfc, you're not going to regret it. I thoroughly enjoyed using this camera and I think you will too.
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I really I do like this camera and if I was looking for a crop sensor and something which was actually quite light as well - it's a really light camera to carry around - and something that just looks good then the Z fc would definitely be a choice for me.
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I actually like this camera a lot more than I thought I would, and I enjoyed shooting with it, and especially for the price, I don't see many deal breakers.
