Nikon introduced the Retro looking Z-FC. Ist it worth the Hype?

Nikon created quite some hype when they announced the Z-FC.

Mainly people bought into the retro-look and for those of us who can remember the pictures from the Vietnam War with jounalists sweating through the jungle with Nikons, often multiples, hanging round their necks it looked very attactive.

According to Nikon the retro looking camera was packed with modern technology. It had a half frame (DX) sensor but everything alse was going to match what one would expect from this company's range of equipment.

To get the retro look, they placed some of the settings on old-style dials on the top of the camera. That looked as though it might be usefiull even today.

The Z-FC comes with two kits or one fixed prime lens and the kit lenses are superb. In particular the 16-50 (3.5 - 6.3) Zoom is a perfect companion to take with you when you are out and about.This was also the reason for investing appx. £1000 for this bit of gear. There are plenty of YouTube reviews praising this camera mainly due to its portability.

This was definitely the reason I had spent the money. But then within a very short time I found some negative points.

First and foremost, in comparison with a modern camera it is difficult to hold safely. On more than one occasion I almost dropped it. Then, even though the dials are cute the settings need always to be made by turning them insrtead of using the built-in menu system. So if you want for example to set Iso in the menu there is no way the dial on top will turn to show you the current reading.

Also, important to me and the way I photograph, there are no user storages as there are on the larger Nikons. My D700 has U1 and U2 and these to me are essantial. I like to do a lot of low-key stuff so I store the settings I use most in U1 and can recall them at any time

.

The back monitor is super and you can flip it round in any direction including a self portrait mode. However the first thing I switched off was touch control because I was forever resetting things with my nose whenever I used the viewfinder. True the camera automatically switches between monitor and viewfinder using a sensor next to the viewfinder but I don't think it switches fast enough to prevent you accidentally changing settings.

I loved the small Z-Series lenses and some of the other gripes I had would not have been enough for me to swap the camera for something else.

For Easter I had friends staying. One of whom takes beautifull photos and the plan was for her to use the camera round Dorset while she was here. I realised though that the risk of dropping the camera was really quite high and when I went to Castle Cameras in Bournemouth and had a chance to feel the Z50 there was just no option. The Z-FC had to make way for the Z50.

The Z50 has a tilting monitor which unfortunately doesn't have a protecting cover. You can tilt it completely down to switch on self-portrait mode if you require that feature. But most importatnt it sits perfectly in your hand and feels really safe. I use the Peak wrist strap which goes really well with a camera of this size.

It also has two programmable function buttons on the front, has scene and effect-modes, sports iso and compensation buttons the way you would expect and for me most important U1 and U2 storage capabilities. Like the Z-FC it only has one card and only goes to 1/4000th of a secod which I have found in blazing Weymouth sunlight is not enough to get completely black low-key backgrounds. But for those shots I still have my trusty D7000.

All in all an amazing piece of kit and with the small zoom and the magnificent 50-25 (4.5-63) Tele I have a portable camera that does everything I want.

I must be honest I have not used the video capabilities.

I do not claim to be an awesome photographer but my recent sunset shots out at Portland Bill were really amazing.

-pw- Weymouth