Unveiling Nikon ZF: The Ultimate Full-Frame Retro Camera

#nikon #nikonmirrorless #nikonzf
Nikon has just announced the Nikon ZF, a retro-inspired mirrorless full-frame camera. It may not be the Nikon Z8 we expected, but the Nikon ZF sure packs a lot of useful features that improve on existing models like the Z5 and Z6II. It even has a vari-angle LCD touch screen which Nikon fans have been longing for for so long. What else does the Nikon ZF has to offer? Watch the full video as Bobby Tonelli shares his first impressions.
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== CHAPTERS ==
00:00 - Intro
01:26 - Is It a Z6III?
01:58 - Hardware
04:27 - Video Performance
02:57 - ISO Performance
02:32 - Improved IBIS
04:10 - Vari-angle LCD Touchscreen
04:45 - Black & White Mode
05:21 - SD & MicoSD Card Slots
06:13 - Body Design
07:32 - Grip (SmallRig)
09:15 - EVF Viewfinder
09:28 - I/O Ports
10:36 - Sponsor (MSI)
11:06 - Sample Gallery
11:37 - First Impressions
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== VIDEO/PHOTO GEAR ==
This video is made possible with Nikon.
Nikon Z6 II: bit.ly/3w4Qh1C
Nikon Z7 II: bit.ly/3zxYM79
NIKKOR Z 24-70MM (f/2.8): bit.ly/3Owc4Fr
NIKKOR Z 14-30MM (f/4): bit.ly/3Owc4Fr
NIKKOR Z MC 105mm (f/2.8): bit.ly/3Owc4Fr
Nikon FTZ Mount Adapter: bit.ly/3J6Cvk2
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[@jshanni2066]

Excellent video. Agree totally with the idea of an f/2 line of primes. Make them full retro with aperture rings and even sonnar design / rendering.

[@GeekCulture]

Thanks for watching. Hopefully they do this. - Bobby

[@CianMcsweeney]

I agree, the one thing stopping me buying this straight away is the lack of compact primes for the Z mount with good build quality. The 28mm and 40mm are plasticy, no weather sealing and no aperture rings

[@GeekCulture]

Additional Info: Video -H.265 10-bit recording -N-log/HLG recording support -Up to 125 minutes of 4K UHD/60p recording

[@MichaelSeneschal]

Always the best videos. Great info, thanks!

[@GeekCulture]

Thank you 🙏

[@ezekielkok1848]

Lovely shots Bobby!

[@michaelj7069]

Pre ordered! Can't wait.

[@KibbitUpIt]

Great review as always! I'm gonna order this Christmas. Monochrome option is a nice touch

[@GeekCulture]

Yes the monochrome option is cool

[@sfomann]

I am a Fuji X users and love their default jpegs. But I am going to buy this camera just to support Nikon for coming out with just a beautiful camera.

[@NetvoTV]

Can you send your ZF to me then if you not going to use it? I will make use of it if you have more money to spend! 🙂

[@hasanmoinulhaque9197]

Love to see your contents ❤❤

[@GeekCulture]

Thank you

[@Red-xz1gk]

Great video! Really want to see Nikon work on the Z mount retro lenses… we need a lot of them to match this Zf line. With a better retro lens lineup. I think this camera line will sell very well. Nikon please add 18, 21,24,35, 50, 75, 90, 135, a macro and retro style constant aperture standard zoom. Fuji may have a real competitor finally.

[@GeekCulture]

Agree. If there is some success with the Zf I assume they will do this. Hopefully- Bobby

[@grain_eyed_photography]

Mine’s arriving tomorrow 😊.

[@kennethlavalle1608]

Nice job introducing this new classic looking Nikon Bobby. I agree that several more retro AIS-designed compact lenses to accompany this Zf would be right on the money.

[@RobertFalconer1967]

Now THAT'S a Nikon! LOL. While I would have much preferred a design based off Giorgetto Giugiaro's gorgeous F3 (rather than returning to the well for a third time with the FM/FE design cues), what really impresses me is the guts of this camera. They took the superb 24MP sensor of the Z6 series (the best 24MP sensor on the market, IMO), and combined it with the extremely powerful Expeed 7 processor to make the already great high ISO performance even greater. Not to mention all the massive improvements to AF. Plus they've added some industry firsts, like 'Focus-Point Stabilization', where pitch and yaw calculations are biased in favor of the location of one's subject in the frame. Or the ability to have Eye AF tracking while focusing manually, and have it zoom into the tracked eye if you want. This is Nikon returning to the strategy that always worked so well for them in decades past - rather than adding gee-whiz features for their own sake, they go to the heart of what a camera needs to do and introduce innovations that will actually improve image capture. Now I'm *really* salivating over the Voigtländer Z Nokton 50mm f/1.0 lens. My god what a low light monster combination that would be! Thanks for the preview...

[@GeekCulture]

Agree. I was hoping for an F3 version of this for full frame and I think it would have been fantastic. Hopefully they do this in the future.

[@user-sj4xg8eg8r]

Nikon did the right thing to release this retro designed full-frame. I tried and i like it and bought one and a week later added the Z8!

[@TouchLifeStudio]

Just got on a wait list for this Zf camera. Hope to do a review once I get it the production camera.

[@GeekCulture]

It’s a fun camera to use

[@Jviotr]

Even though it’s not retro, the little 26 f2.8 would pair well with this for a very compact full frame combo. I suppose they could also release a retro version of the little 24-50 zoom they kitted with the Z5..

[@GeekCulture]

I find kit zoom lenses with slower apertures not as exciting as 2.8 or f4.

[@shojunichi]

So excited to get this, will pair perfectly with my Zfc! Retro camera geek here haha

[@GeekCulture]

Indeed! Nice combo

[@lsaideOK]

This video is the best composed of any I have seen in a ZF review. Excellent colors too. What camera was used to shoot the video?

[@GeekCulture]

Thanks. We shot on the Nikon z7II and 24-70 f2.8

[@MLee-vcrr]

Great video man. That looks like a true high quality camera with great build quality. This just may be my very first Nikon camera purchase. I was just wondering what material the lens is made from? The lens looks very nice on the camera but seems a little "plasticy" (hoping it's metal).

[@GeekCulture]

Thank you. The lens is more plastic than metal unfortunately. However voigtlander makes metal lenses that are z mount but manual focus. - Bobby

[@ajkt208]

Great review ! Definitely getting one 😅

[@GeekCulture]

Thanks for watching - Bobby

[@Whatreally123]

Now only thing we need are compact 35/50 mm primes. And maybe an updated Zfc (I want a Zfc for travel as it's compact and lightweight).

[@GeekCulture]

Agree on the primes as I mentioned in the video. Would be great to have these in the lineup - Bobby

[@amermeleitor]

The lenses that would be perfect for the ZF are the Sigmas "i series" Sadly aren't available for Nikon Z

[@btonelli]

Agree 💯

[@Eliehbk]

You're the best, Toni!! When will you start reviewing watches as well?? You always wear beautiful ones.

[@GeekCulture]

Thank you. 🙏 - Bobby

[@jimbolic0809]

WOW. Your video popped up on my feed and I had to click in because you are SO HANDSOME.

[@GeekCulture]

Thank you - Bobby

[@crispin8888]

I'm going to assume that when you are uploading on Geek Culture, you will be wearing suitably studious glasses.

[@GeekCulture]

lol! 😂 - Bobby

[@WidePhotographs]

I am thinking of returning my z5 and continue to save for this camera. Two main reasons, IBS & exspeed 7 for great AF

[@GeekCulture]

I think this is a good choice

[@WidePhotographs]

@@GeekCulture I know the z6ii at the same price has the better ergonomics but I don’t earn a living off photography. Hopefully one day but for now it is a hobby I enjoy. A hobby I hope I can turn to a career.

[@andretim75]

Why not come out with a small cool retro 105mm 2.5 AF !! That would be a stunner !! And give us a cool small retro 20mm , 2.8 will do here !

[@nivin3]

I'm planning to buy this too...coming from Fuji...only if there is a way to mimic Classic Negative in post

[@GeekCulture]

You can create recipes as well with the picture profiles

[@nivin3]

@@GeekCulture do you know anything that matches Classic Negative?

[@obscurelines]

How do you feel about the plasticy lens? I'd love to see Sigma Contemporary lenses made for this camera.

[@btonelli]

Would love to see this too

[@thedarkslide]

There's always the Voigtlaender lenses for Nikon Z mount.

[@GeekCulture]

Yes I have them - Bobby

[@22welcome]

I love it and preordered one with orange leather 🤗

[@btonelli]

congrats

[@22welcome]

@@btonelli Thank you so much 😉

[@22welcome]

@@btonelli Thank you so much 😉

[@mlai2546]

Keeping my fingers crossed that Z6iii will have stacked sensor 24 or 33mp. And priced between $2500-$3000.

[@GeekCulture]

Would be great!

[@Emulives]

Jared polin has the best review in eye auto focus.

[@GeekCulture]

Yes. US side had more time with the camera.

[@lamaludwig1470]

Like the camera but have Fuji for my retro needs and Nikon for my rough environment needs.

[@GeekCulture]

Also a good option.

[@jackslater8688]

Are you the guy that reviewed the red lumix gm5 years ago. Loved that video.

[@GeekCulture]

Not me sorry.

[@jtes1442]

An excellent offering from Nikon. It's not for me, as I do not like flippy screens and the lack of a joystick. However, it's cool to see the Z9/Z8 tech trickle down to other models. I'm more interested in what the Z6III will look like.

[@GeekCulture]

Understand. Some may not gravitate to a design like this which is understandable but I’m like you and happy to see the tech trickle down. - Bobby

[@HI2LIFE]

Almost love it....If only it didn't have a flip screen...This camera as a mainly photo camera and not so much a video camera why Nikon why didn't you make a screen like on the Z6II? That would have been perfect for a photographer taking low shots having the screen nicely squared with the camera and not laying disproportionaly to the side....I can understand on a hybrid camera where video is important for vloggers then yes a flip screen makes sense but in a retro camera like this it doesn't make sense for me anyway.

[@GeekCulture]

These days video is equally as important and a feature many have been asking for. I understand the feeling you have on it but the flip out rotating display helps in many ways

[@mlai2546]

When Nikon releases a non articulated screen, people want articulated screen. When Nikon releases articulated screens, people want a non articulated screen. Thats the nature of people. They just want what they can't have.

[@patrickcoggins6279]

I must admit, I've always preferred the traditional tilt screen over the side-flip screen (especially in landscape orientation), but recently I've been taking more vertical photos (as that's how many people see them on a phone) and the side-flip screen then becomes very useful for composing shots, especially lower ones.

[@kevc.2958]

many body aim for photos like my old canon m50 had that kinda screen, just nikon is lacking behind.

[@yophotodude7693]

It’s preordered for me. I have a Z 9 and a Z 6II. The Z 6II pretty much collects dust unless Im shooting video. For the limited video work I do, the Z 6II is a great choice and I have the Z 9 for crazy-spec video. However, I do want to do more vlogging, and while I normally hate flippy scenes, I do want one for that purpose. I feel the Z f, with its coolness factor and Z 9-like AF features will get used more for photography than my Z 6II is now.

[@GeekCulture]

Congrats on getting it. This will definitely replace the Z6 II I feel. -Bobby

[@yophotodude7693]

@@GeekCulture my first Nikon was an FM back in 1980. I have an FM2 sitting on a shelf that I would like to use, but it’s so impractical to go back to 35mm film. I am going to pick up an old 50mm film/1.4 like I used to use on my FM for it. It may be weird on the FTZ, but for $50-60 USD it’s worth the experiment.

[@ryancampbell1151]

Is the 10-bit in this 4:2:2 or 4:2:0?

[@GeekCulture]

All we see in the camera is 10 bit H.265

[@andrewsorrell2924]

Yes f/2 line-up!

[@GeekCulture]

Hoping for it. -Bobby

[@chloescanlon1107]

Great review. Shame about the side hinged flippy, flappy rear LCD. I don’t know where you get the opinion from that Nikon fans have been longing for this. It’s only good for selfies and vlogging for everything else it’s pants. The tilt is so much better in every way, quick, unobtrusive and compact.

[@jeanjoseph2288]

if they make this with the higher megapixel they would deff dominate

[@eliaspap8708]

Thanks for sharing, im confused. Not sure what the point of the dials are if there is no auto setting on the dials! to me its just a marketing gimmick and Nikon have underlined this by putting a PSAM switch! Which makes no sense, lenses should have F stop aperture dial for the real deal experience or instead due to the lack of aperture dials Nikon lenses don’t have. Maybe they should have a dedicated aperture Auto on/off switch to solve that issue instead of the PSAM, to me this is just eye candy over functionality and will never give you the true feeling and emersion into photography over a Fuji camera does or a traditional range finder or film camera.

[@GeekCulture]

Dials are needed and can be used or not depending on your style of photography. You can adjust the aperture on the ring of the lens by assigning the functionality as it’s a custom ring. I have film cameras that also have dials. Some like my FM3A have aperture priority so I don’t need to constantly adjust the shutter. While similar to Fujfilm in some ways it’s also a bit different

[@DonaldHawk]

Would like to see size comparison to others

[@GeekCulture]

To other?

[@DonaldHawk]

@@GeekCulture I’ve been debating Z8 on size or something compact like Sony A7CII

[@jean-paulrederik4203]

as a Fuji x-pro user: how the hell do you change the f-stops?

[@GeekCulture]

Use the dials on the camera or assign the custom ring on the lens to adjust aperture

[@jean-paulrederik4203]

Thank you! I'll test it out at the local Nikonshop@@GeekCulture

[@domtomas1178]

Yep, Nikon needs a few primes with an aperture ring for this camera. Then I’ll be saying goodbye to my Fuji gear 🥹

[@nohaybandaninguna]

Only reason I’m not buying this immediately is the lack of small Nikon lenses, starting with a 50mm… otherwise I’d be all over it!

[@btonelli]

Yes they need a compact 50 I feel

[@mathieumorel448]

Perfect but there's no lenses to match with .. I need the distance marks, aperture ring, and all it needs to work full manual. Otherwise there's no point, no?

[@GeekCulture]

Yes I hope they come out with these

[@josephschimmer302]

Aperture rings, please!

[@GeekCulture]

Has it on the lens. You can customise it

[@josephschimmer302]

@@GeekCulture I‘m oldfashioned, and let‘s be honest: this is a camera for oldfashioned people; I prefer dials with engraved markings not only on my camera but also on my lenses. But thank‘s anyway.

[@davidgifford8112]

No not a Z6III. But it looks like the Z6III is further away than most people hoped, presumably because Nikon is working up a new 30+mp censor which is still not ready. A retro body isn’t going to suit the majority of Z6 shooters or those looking to upgrade into the Z6 space. Nikon seems to be in the business of trying to provide each new product with special powers, which will prove to be the Zf special power, low light performance, VR performance with off centre focus tracking, pixel shift, heavy weight vlogging?

[@GeekCulture]

Z6III could have the A7IV sensor since they use Sony sensors but probably won’t see anything till next year. However st this time this is an improved camera over the Z6 II in many ways hence why I say a Z6 III - Bobby

[@jamesmlodynia8757]

Why did a company like Nikon use a cheap plastic lens with a plastic lens mount to repackage and sell with a special camera like the ZF, I purchased just the camera and paired it with Voightlander and Viltrox glass, the type of glass that Nikon should make but don't have for this camera.

[@carlosmcse]

If you want this style of camera, seems to me that Nikon has the right body, but Fuji has the right lenses. Nikon would have to come up with lenses that have an actual aperture ring like Fuji lenses do. And they need to be small. Those rotating rings you can assign functions to is just not correct for this sort of camera. There’s a real reason why you want real aperture rings. If I’m at f8 and all of a sudden I turn I need to expose at f4, I don’t have to look at anything. I can keep shooting and count 4 and I know I’m at f4 (half clicks). I don’t like the whole thing about screen focusing. I wouldn’t mind a faux rangefinder style patch in the middle of the EVF. Fuji fakes this too.

[@amermeleitor]

I'm convinced that the Z6III will be better than the ZF. Same processor, but a faster sensor readout and 4k60p without crop.

[@chufanling]

I bought this phone in the United States. Is the menu in Chinese?

[@GeekCulture]

Not sure. You commented on the Nikon Zf vid

[@dpedrosoliano]

why does it look like you're in singapore? 😜

[@GeekCulture]

Because we are based here - Bobby

[@yingthao6855]

It’s a great photography camera until the flip out screen shows up😢

[@GeekCulture]

Disagree. Flip rotating display helps in many ways

[@63MacGuy]

"Not a professional Camera?" I guarantee tons of pros will be using this camera

[@GeekCulture]

I agree some will. Nikon isn’t pitching this as a professional camera but I also disagree especially with the specs -Bobby

[@---us7qf]

Muahahahahaha! Look at Bobby's hand holding the camera. Especially without the SmallRig grip. It looks like a toy in his very LARGE hands. Wow! Such big hands.

[@GeekCulture]

😂

[@USGrant21st]

Can't believe Nikon released a heavy camera without a grip. So now you need to buy a third party grip just to make it useable, which also makes the camera heavier.

[@GeekCulture]

It’s not heavy. The grip is only needed when using longer lenses. Similar to how the film cameras were.

[@USGrant21st]

@@GeekCulture I have several vintage film SLRs. They are light and small and lenses were also light and small, so it wasn't a problem without a grip then. Nowadays everything is big and heavy, so the grip is a necessity.

[@photomorti]

Dammit nikon why not a regular flip screen :( I cannot stand these vlog style flippy screens

[@GeekCulture]

Hybrid cameras work well with them

[@photomorti]

@@GeekCulture Yeah for my type of shooting its cumbersome sadly. Was really hyped to get into this ZF system haha

[@nickdual]

I told you. Your audio is bad in comparison with the others

[@GeekCulture]

My audio? What’s wrong with the audio

[@nickdual]

@@GeekCulture Your voice is noisy.

[@praveensamuel8375]

Nikon made a ‘Fuji’.

[@stephanweiskorn6760]

Useless retro icon neck ornament attempt of a camera. Please use a Sony a7 IV. A real camera that works 100% for professionals.

[@GeekCulture]

This camera won’t be for everyone. Speaking of the A7IV I’d rather A7CII. Better AF from the A7RIV.

[@outdoorlife_nature]

Dude wants to bring that stupid flippy screen to z9ii and z8ii😅 seriously.... Is he really professional.....

[@GeekCulture]

When you have strong hybrid cameras it’s good to have a display that can flip out and rotate. The ideal display is like the S1H and A7RV

[@EDHBlvd]

Rocking the two-tone Rolex because its Singapore. I presume nobody is going to steal that from you there. What is the charge for theft in Singapore, life in prison?

[@GeekCulture]

Theft here isn’t like in other parts of the world currently. Our gov has a no BS attitude even when it comes to petty theft or crimes. Citizens here obey the law for the most part and wearing a watch is safe here, because even the bad seeds are wearing Rolex and RM :)

[@EDHBlvd]

@@GeekCulture yep. Must be nice. 👍

[@jamesmlodynia8757]

I have the ZF ordered from B&H PHOTO, was going to order the camera with the 40mm F2 until I found out that the mount on this lens is plastic, I would have paid more for the lens if it had a metal mount, but because it is plastic that is a big no for me.

[@GeekCulture]

Understand however the lens does perform well. I do agree it should have a metal mount - Bobby