Nikon ZF VS X-T5: Has Nikon released a Fuji Killer? 

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Fuji and Nikon user here. A big win for Nikon and Manual focus. The ZF has subject/face/eye detection in manual focus w/ direct punch in magnification. Breathes new life into my old Nikon glass and provides a better way to MF(on people) than focus peaking.

I was a photographer for major magazines for a long time. And a Nikon photographer. Of course. At some point in the digital age I had a D7100 in my hand and, with great skepticism, took some serious photographs with it. The performance of the APSC format completely convinced me. When other manufacturers added IBIS to this format, I didn't want anything else. The lower weight and more manageable dimensions of the lenses were a huge relief. And the quality is terrific. On this point, I don't understand Nikon for not seeing and expanding these opportunities.

I have both systems… and ZF hands down …selling all my apsc Fujifilm systems and not looking back… ZF will be in good company sat next to my Z6 and Z9…

You could say that I love you about a lot of features,whenwhen it regards to black and white switch ability, but not having to go to the menus is excellent

Personally love the PASM lever. A very stylish implementation. Omission of silver is a downer. Nikon hit it out of the park on style.

I got tired of waiting for Xpro4 and pulled the trigger on this. If Nikon can make a range finder version of ZF. They can really go after Fuji.

Played around with the ZF extensively. Absolutely amazing retro camera. Definitely a "fuji killer" if you can call it that. The biggest downfall is the total lack of lenses with an aperture ring. Since i shoot in aperture priority mode >90% of the time this makes the whole retro appeal a moot point unfortunately Works amazingly with old adapted lenses though. Especially zooming in to the detected eye for manual focus is amazing

Great comparison video! The B/W switch, with an EVF, would be a game changer if your natural light abruptly changes from 'good-for-color' to 'good-for-monochrome'.

Nikon does have something similar to film simulations on its cameras. They call it "Picture Control" (accessed from the menu settings). It's not as fancy but serves a similar purpose. And you could easily make unique "film recipes" by moving the various sliders within each Picture Control option in the same way that's commonly done on Fuji cameras.

I have worked with Nikon cameras for many years and I am still convinced by the products, the menu navigation and the quality of the results. But then Fuji moved into my studio with an X-T3 to try out. . The quality of the results despite the APS-C sensor completely convinced me. The argument for changing was ultimately the size and weight of the system, especially the lenses, and the associated price structure. At Fuji there was also the beautiful retro look, the image preview of the mirrorless system, the film simulations and the generous and useful firmware updates. OK for sure, if I were still active in the Nikon system, I would definitely have ordered the ZF as a privat add-on for fun, but with a fully equipped Fuji system, this camera is completely unappealing to me. The only thing I really miss is the auto focus system, but it looks like Fuji has recognized the problem and is rapidly catching up. We will see what the friendly company with an eye on their users, will bring us in the future. P.S. Thank you for your great content, it's a pleasure to watch, keep it up. 🙏🥰👍🏼 Best wishes from Germany.

Will the Nikon lenses for this camera have an aperture ring? I know it’s only a small detail but, for me, it one of the factors that completes the experience of using this style of camera.

I don’t really see it as a Fuji Killer. It doesn’t temp me the way the X-T2 did back in the day. I know Nikon full frame shooters that also shoot Fuji. These are the people I see buying this camera. I have no interest in this camera.

Although I’m sure Nikon was well aware of the competitive factor re: Fuji cameras, let’s not forget that this is not Nikon’s first venture into the retro styling world. They released the Nikon df almost 10 years ago so I don’t think it was a strategic decision to go after Fuji but perhaps an additional motivation.

I'll probably buy a Nikon ZF in coming months. I have several Fuji cameras (XT-3, XT-2 and X100V) and several Nikons (D800E, D500 and Z6II) and an assortment of Nikon and Fuji lenses. I'll keep the X100V and one of the XTs, I'll part with a Z 6II and eventually the D500 (based on what the expected Z6III will look like for wildlife and sports). The different colored ZF bodies don't appeal to me, so I'll stick with black. One of the most interesting things to me cosmetically is that the dials are made of brass, and as the paint wears off of the dials the brass comes through.

If Nikon were to develop a full lineup of “retro” designed bodies, yeah, it would be a definite threat, and I might be tempted to give it a shot (no pun intended). At the moment, I am more than a bit disappointed in Fuji’s offerings as of late, PASM, no Battery Booster for the X-T5, still mediocre AF, etc...Now if this is a one-off camera, not it likely will not be a Fuji killer. I guess we will see upon release how it sells, I believe Nikon tried this “retro” thing with the Df a few years back, it was a flop. At the end day I am happy to see Nikon coming out with this, it might be the fire under Fuji’s a** needed to get off their duffs, get serious, and up their game

As a long-term Fuji user - and I use them because as an 'oldie' I find the dials etc are more relateable to my length of experience than front and rear rotating wheels - I am afraid this camera could make me very disloyal. I love Fuji glass but as a former Nikon shooter (film days) I love even more the Nikon lens ecosphere, especially some of the old manual AI glass. You are spot on about the decision point for Fuji users being around the X-T5. This camera is very disruptive to the Fuji world, imho.

I recently decided to go from my trusted Fuji system to try the Nikon Zf and I couldn’t be happier, the picture quality and the sensor performance is on another level, I can’t see myself spending $1700-$1800 on a Fuji APSC body when I can get a full frame for a little more and another benefit is the ability to use full frame in crop sensor mode

All of these upgrades with bells and Whistles are to expensive for an enthusiast like me They won't make my photography any better. So I'll stick with the DSLR NIKONS that I have and know

I had a black Nikon FE2 back in the day & I was in love with it, so the Zf retro styling is fine, but I’m not especially worried about retro styling these days, so I would actually prefer to have that Nikon Zf sensor, Exspeed 7 processor, & Zf specifications list inside a D780 or even D3 style body. A 24MP full frame is a sweet spot for me.

As a former Nikon guy, and now a Fuji guy, I’ll stick with Fuji. Although this looks like a great camera, I have invested too much in Fuji gear to make the switch back to Nikon. If Nikon released this camera 5 years ago, then it would be a different story and I would probably buy the Zf.

The black & white modus on the new Zf is actualy 3 different types of B&W, comparable with Acros, regular B&W and another type. Even on my Z50 there is a digital zoom possibility for the manual focussing. I moved it to the F2 button on the front of the camera and it works great.

You were the only creator who had posted a video with the exact comparison I wanted to hear, and I found it very comprehensive and entertaining! You’ve earned a new sub :)

I don't like the looks of the Nikon, too childish. I also prefer the APSC, smaller and lighter lenses. Nikon seems they want to jump on the train of the well thought Fuji system, but they will not achieve the JPEG quality which is the main reason for me why I have the Fujis since 2018. Thanks for the great review, Booray!

The Zf is cool but way too heavy compared to the X-T5 specially if you add the grip. If the Zf was 650grm with a grip already molded in the body then I would have considered it

I'll bite on the clickbait title. Fuji killer? Nah. Here's why: - Nikon's goofy use of BOTH a PASM switch and manual dials leads to situations where some settings MUST be set in the menus (auto ISO for one), or cannot be set by the dials depending on which PASM mode you're in. That leads to having dials at positions that the camera is actually not set to. DUMB! - Z lenses don't have aperture rings, and setting control rings that have no detent as aperture is just asking to accidentally change your aperture all the time without knowing. You cannot have a "retro dial" camera with 1 out of the 3 exposure controls not having a physical dial. You are now wasting the rear camera dial to control Aperture in this scenario. The appeal of dials is you can set the full exposure triangle with the camera in any power state, can't with the Z F. - Ergos. The Z F is BAD in terms of the grip. The Smallrig add on is absolutely required for anything bigger than the Z 40/2. - Adapting F lenses to the Z F is a bit of a disaster as the FTZ adds almost 100% more length to most small F lenses that you'd want to use on a body like this, making the bad ergos worse. - Micro USB running at UHS-I is a joke. You're gonna hit write speed issues that hamper your burst shooting, all so Nikon could save a buck. - X-T5 multi-tilt screen is far better for photography (both waist level landscape and low level portrait) than a flippy screen. The Z F screen also oddly doesn't actually fully open to be flush/flat with the body. - A dedicated b/w lever that gives you access to 2 poor Nikon black and white picture profiles? I've never seen custom Nikon profiles that touch what Fuji can do in terms of final JPEG output, so color me confused on this one. The Z F so badly wants to be a Fuji, but Nikon wasn't brave enough to take away the PASM dial and let it fly. They had to make it straddle the line of a regular old MILC with control dials and the Z F ends up being this weird hybrid that is worse than it would have been as either a PASM or full on retro camera. And before anyone assumes I'm a Nikon hater, I've invested about 10x more in my current Nikon Z setup than my Fuji setup. Fuji just gets this style of camera so right it's not fair to anyone else. I also have an FM3a whose design makes far more sense than the Z F. The FM3a shutter speed dial even has an Auto setting...imagine that!!

The battery life isn’t a problem for me because I use the batteries that I used on my Nikon D500 those batteries are fantastic

The Nikon certainly looks the part but the pictures are the same as any other Nikon. Fuji have the customisable film simulations which the Nikon does not. The unique look that Fuji brings to the JPEGs is what sets Fuji apart from other camera manufacturers.

Micro SD card issue- I like to save my raw images on one card and jpegs on the other. I’ve heard of photographers storing images on one card and video on the other.

But who will buy it? Nikon fans are used to their control, they won't buy it. And that because of this, Fujifilm fans would switch to Nikon? Certainly not.

The new Nikon ZF is more comparable to the X-T4 than the X-T5. I own and use the original Nikon Df which is a digital way to use my old MF Nikkor lenses but also couples well with my AF-S Nikkors. The problem with this modern Nikon ZF as well as the previous Zfc is Nikon no longer makes lenses with aperture rings. I'm into the Fujifilm line because of their rendering of digital cameras that still have all the dials. I learned how to be a photographer using the old Nikon pro 35mm cameras which had manual controls. So, using the Fuji X-t series is very close to the way I learned photography. I use modern digital cameras that have PASM dials but I don't like them. Hense, my love for the Fuji X-T series.

I'm a Nikon shooter, I own the Zfc, before I had the X100T and sold it. The battery life is much longer than what is stated officially, so I would not worry. I have the black Zfc and will get the Zf as well. This camera is better than any Fuji X camera on the market, you can't compare it. And I have so many old AI-lenses, it's just a joy to see that I can now use them without crop.

Nope 👎…why? Colour science- fuji competition sure. Fuji killer lol. Full frame isn’t needed. Flip out screen …noooo. Xt5 40 megapixels v 24. Colours …fuji …screen fuji. Low light - plus you can use Nikon f mount on the fuji anyway. Does it have colour simulations…no it doesn’t? No silver meh …. now putting my grumpiness aside, I do think this is actually a pretty good camera and I think it’s good to have competition but I certainly won’t be rushing back to Decon three SNOW got annoyed at Nikon is that I didn’t make any crop sensor cameras have any quality and the lens choice for a Z mount lenses is all expensive. You’ve got the F1 .2 for next one point fours with a really expensive and then you’ve got the cheap lenses and they are just rubbish. It’s an expensive system to get into Nikon to get good images you can get far better images out of the next three with a cheap lens then you can get a similar Nikon lens and body. I’ve been teaching Literally, I felt hundreds and hundreds of cameras in my hands. I don’t have a fancy RU-vid channel sorry and but if I did I could literally write most of the cameras from the last 10 years and I can tell you what Nikon camera is right very highly they are fantastic, but they are also very expensive for what you get and I think there are better options are similar prices in my view

The CIPA ratings are 100% false. CIPA said the Nikon Z9 shots are 700 shots, but people are getting over 5,000 shots WITH 8K video shooting. Zf does do 4K/60 at a crop.

Not a fan of the micro SD, but it’s better than nothing. Also, I think Nikon does have a digital zoom. It should be called DX crop or DX zoom if I’m not mistaken. It’s been a while since I shot with Nikon.

The biggest highlight for me in the new NIKON Zf is the possibility to address several full manual lenses to the EXIF. This can only Olympus MFT at these days...

It doesn't look like the lens on the Nikon has an aperture ring...so despite all the nice dials you still have to use the viewfinder and a control knob to set the aperture. Big minus compared to the Fuji.

Why is no one talking about the 8000th SS limit on this camera. For Electronic Shutter as well!! It means no fast lenses in daytime without an ND filter. I'm far too used to super fast Electronic shutters that go super fast.

Autofocus is most important in photography, so I take Nikon always. Sadly I am Fujifilm user and I am punished by bad autofocus.🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

I'm a professional and one is on the way. Your points are not valid enough for what the camera does. Regarding the b&w switch, I can see you've never done street photography

not feeling the native glass lineup with no aperture ring...

I have had the experience of lugging around a bag full of full frame lenses, and found it no fun at all. Which is why I switched first to Micro Four Thirds, and now to Fuji. I must say that I also like the retro styling of the Fujis.

I love the look of the Zf and would love to purchase it, but the cost of full frame is a real issue I think. I have loved my Nikons, but those lenses can get expensive. Big reason why I stay with aps-c or super old dslrs lol Great video Booray! Really enjoyed you on the fujilove podcast the other week when you guys were talking about the upcoming summit

As a photo hobbyist, I am certainly excited about Nikon Zf and would buy it. However, if I were professional photographer, I would rather prefer to have something else for work, like Nikon Z7 II, Nikon Z8, Nikon Z9 or even Nikon D850. However, even in that case, Nikon Zf would be ideal fit for the personal off the work use.

I am a Fuji shooter too... Have XH1 & xs20 ... But now I am considering to exchange my entire canon 7d kit for Nikon ZF. It is difficult to say which brand is better, how ever there are some creative features in Nikon which Fuji is not providing,, especially Raw file in double exposure mode. 2ndly yes for Nikon's low light performance is ofcourse better, exposure smoothing while shooting timelaps is there in Nikon. Ofcourse Fuji leads in film simulation, handling, etc. But the biggest advantage of Nikon z mount is that we can adapt Sony FE mount lenses with an adaptor... And there are plenty of 3rd party budget lens available for Sony FE mount

The nikon has 4K at 60p but its cropped.

TL;DR the Nikon EN-EL15C battery is huge and will last at least 2 days for casual shooters. I might be a few months late, and this is just a mere observation about the Nikon battery. I have the Nikon Z5 which has the same battery as the Nikon ZF. Although the processor of my Z5 is older which might have contributed to the savings, I was able to produce a whooping 1,100 clicks (with 20% left at the end of day, 2 SD cards for RAW+Jpeg). Websites say 380 clicks as well for the Z5 but I think it's super conservative.

I'm a Leica M shooter and the Zf might allow me to switch back to Nikon. I carry my Leica everywhere, including the grocery store and because I enjoy only the smallest lenses possible with a full-frame sensor Leica was really my only choice. I would feel good about carrying the Zf everywhere and because I generally use a 28mm lens, Nikon has me covered with either the small 28mm or the tiny 26mm! While the magic I feel when I hold my Leica is causing me to stall on this, the technologies in the Zf are impossible to resist, especially in this form-factor. On batteries, an inspiring camera is enough for me to forget about poor battery performance.

Wow that PASM leaver - Fuji should shamelessly steal that and stick it on the XT6, or an XH3S (after they dump the useless top screen and bring back the dials)! That is all they really needed for the new XH bodies. IDK if things changed with the XT5, but on my XT3, I've always been able to select a shutter speed on the dial (in full stop increments), and then use the front dial to move it up or down 2/3rds. Fast and easy. At some point, you just use the front dial to change shutter manually, and use the dial when you need a quick manual override (like when, say, wanting to jump back to a flash sync speed). I do this all the time, actually - I might run auto ISO outdoors, if I have the light, and/or auto shutter. But when I'm back inside, I set the ISO with the dial and go back to flash shooting with a twist of a dial or a flick of the command wheel. Nikon's solution seems worse to me. Also I would not pick either camera. With no battery grip, I can't slap my zooms and a flash on an XT5 and comfortably shoot an event, or sports, or anything really, comfortably. Unless, of course, I can do it with any of Fuji's amazing little prime lenses (but, then again, the flash on top will still be a horrible ergonomic / balance problem). To me that is a deal breaker. I am also on the fence with regards to the XT5's poor rolling shutter performance. The XT3 is good enough, most of the time, but the 40mp sensor got a lot worse. That's a big hit to sport/action/wildlife shooting, and there is that shallow buffer. The Nikon is cool, I guess, but there are, what? Two lenses that "fit" the camera? It has the same major ergonomic flaws that the XT5 has if you want to use it as a professional tool, or invest in the very excellent larger lenses either company makes. No aperture rings? Nikon is clearly ready to gain some market share back, and they are coming for everyone. z8, z6/7iii have my attention. The 1.8 primes are fine by me, and they're cheaper than Fuji primes. The zooms are somewhat affordable. Yup, I don't know where I'd go if not Nikon FF for an "upgrade" (I'm too poor for Canon, and too smart for Sony). Oh, yes I do - Fuji GFX!

Interesting camera but I'm DONE with full frame heaviness and size... I am wondering why they aren't providing it in silver/black. Those colors make it look like a toy.

Booray, to answer your question at @19:37, I’m one of those people who actually really likes the new B&W mode. To me, it fits the whole ethos of the camera and I actually find SOOC monochrome images from my Z7ii to have really nice tones and gradations. Thus, I treat them like I treat my film sims from my X-T5.

I'm soooooooooooooooo tired of the so-called shots per battery BS. Nikon always greatly underrates the shots per battery. I still remember 36 shots for FILM. It is all that hard to carry batteries and so easy to carry film. GGGGEEEEEEZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ it takes minutes to change a battery and seconds for film. NOT!!!!!!!!!!

I used to be a Nikon film camera user and then switched to Fuji because I hate the PASM dials. Fuji, however, has been frustrating me to no end with their crappy autofocus and low-light performance (so many soft shots!). I am ordering the Zf and if I don't see as much grain and blurred images, I am sold.

I own Z6II and very happy with it ever since. It has everything I want it. I Don't Need to change every time a New Camera release. That's stupid! I Don't have the camera Syndrome think that every new camera is Better than Old ones. The Zf look nice like to my F3 but I won't go Crazy and Buy it like most will...

I take pictures on bracketing on film simulation, 1 image is velvia, another across, and classic neg, simples!

After much research I will not be selling my xt5 for the zf . No joystick , weird sd card setup . Just learned today that you have to go into the menues to turn on auto iso . The only reason FF wouldn’t even be appealing to me would for the 2.8 zoom becauee you really loose out with dof being apsc . I can’t even imagine the weight of that camera with a 24-70 . I do like Nikon but this camera isn’t it imo

With this battery, you are exaggerating. The same battery is in the Z8 and the Z6II. I have no idea how I would have to shoot to take only 300 pictures with the Z6II. Nikon Z6II On one battery in the studio 5h of continuous use and 1200 product shots.

So beautiful I immediately felt tempted... but I must say I don't use Fuji purely for nostalgic 'retro' reasons. In fact I use an XS10 as a daily camera - what hooked me was the simulations and the small, good, affordable lenses. With aperture rings! That, more than ISO and SS, is what I really want to control in an 'analogue' way. I don't want to buy into a body purely for nostalgic reasons. So the issue will be, do I need full frame? I didn't buy a full frame up to now, and not only because they aren't retro styled... I will have to wait and see if the full frame really does offer enough advantages over the latest Fuji sensor. But man, this Nikon is attractive...

If i don't have any camera yet definitelly will buy nikon ZF. fullframe lowlight capability and autofocus, many dissapointing i had using Fuji in that area. But because already invested in Fuji lense ecosystem, and camera not giving make any money, yeah, i'll stay in Fuji for now.

I see it as more of an attack on Canon and Sony, hitting a niche that they won't or can't hit. Canon because they they seem unwilling to make a camera that looks like classic 70s cameras like the AE-1, A-1, or F-1, and Sony because they don't even have a classic 70s camera they can evoke (without reviving the Minolta or Konica brand names that they don't even own).

Problem with the XT-5 is there are many Fuji lenses that can not resolve with its sensor. The Nikon will excel over the XT-5 in low light and AF.I'd rather swap a battery than miss because of AF another win for Nikon. I'd take the ZF with the 26mm pancake lens over the X100V any day of the week. Faster AF incredible IBIS the ability to change lenses better EVF better rear screen.

As an X-T5 shooter, even I believe Nikon did really well, I will not switch to a Zf.

Like it is fullframe and video. Would love that obtion for vintage lenses, which actually was made for fullframe. Video, vintage and a fullframe Rangefinder video/camera. Else no! Not for me.

Nikon’s launch pattern seems to be to launch the taster cameras first followed up with more interesting versions of similar camera. Hopefully the silver version 24 mpx next then the 40mpx in both colours.

I am getting it. Love the all black. battery not an issue as I already have one for my Z7 so just carry it for backup

If nothing else, perhaps it'll lower the prices on some of Fuji's cameras. The used market for Fuji is very overpriced.

I vote for Fuji on this comparison, I have the Z5 from Nikon and I am satisfied with everything it does and it has two SD cards and a great battery life paired with the 24-200 Z lens it does all.

I think the aps-c Nikon Z fc deserves a mention on price, comparing the aps-c XT5 to the aps-c Nikon Z fc. You are still getting a retro camera at a lot cheaper than the Fuji.

Nikon's 24 megapixel full frame coupled with the most advanced processor they have to date is going to give you some really really good low light photographs and as far as I'm concerned, cramming 40 megapixels in a crop sensor is gonna take a lot of AI to get the noise out, and if I remember correctly the auto focus can detect down to -10 EV, that's nearly 4 stops better than the Z9, it's all physics, but to be fair I would really like to see some side-by-side comparisons.

Like always, CIPA ratings are nowhere near real world performance. 380 shots will probably be more like 1000-2000. So battery life most likely won't be an issue with the Zf 😊

Absolutely yes, this is a Fuji XT killer. This is "only" 24mp but it's full frame which was always my gripe with Fuji. And I'd rather have the smaller files and lower noise. I bought an Xt5 and promptly returned it after testing it alongside my z6ii. The Z was the clear winner in sharpness and overall IQ. This Zf is a winner.

Nikon fill in the gap for retro feel camera that is Full frame, Fujifilm only release APSC and Medium format that gap they left in the Full Frame scene is leaving room for other brand to compete.

If anyone should make a retro camera, it's Nikon. Looks like the Nikon cameras I used when I started doing photography. But, there are only two retro looking lenses. If there were more retro lenses I would consider buying the camera. And I wish the lenses had aperture rings. Maybe more will be coming in the future. And I'm not a fan of micro sd cards.

Both cameras are in different pricepoints. There is a big 2 as Nikon has only 11% marketshare many sill shooting DSLR.

Hang on a minute there’s something missing when you look down on the camera? Oh that’s it - no aperture ring on the lens!

I love everything about the fujis except for the DR. If I meter the grass for middle the grey the clouds should not blow out…but they do. Personally I would have much rather see Fuji increase the DR on the new sensor as opposed increasing the MP. I will def be taking a very close look at the Nikon. I already have a Nikon FM, so it would make a beautiful companion. :-)

I was a Nikon shooter like so many Fuji converts. D2x and all their cameras were APS-C. I shot D100, D200, D300(tech was changing rapidly) Then Nikon almost completely abandoned those cameras, while constantly encouraging users to switch to full frame. I think Nikon sees Fuji as silly consumer cameras and they are competing with that idea, thus the pretty colors. They have made pretty cameras for the style conscious market before and always failed after a few years.

larger sensor and lower MP = better low light performance. Superior AF is a big win for Nikon.

i didnt give up on Nikon and waited years shooting my D810. The camera that ive been waiting for has arrived.

Thanks for mentioning the digital zoom.

Never liked Nikon honestly, no matter the specs or the form of the body. And i'm not into Fujifilm just for the retro look of the cameras.

No, imo the ZF is nice, but is not a Fujifilm killer. Not only are the controls a bit better on the Fujifilm, their lenses match the retro feel better. The ZF has 2 lenses, which are ok. Imo 😊

Nikon has not the same range of good, compact and most of all, affordable lenses. So no, i'll never buy the Nikon Zf.

The Nikon can do 4k 60 but with a heavy crop unfortunately.

Depends. Nikon has the full frame body and Fuji has the lenses. So it depends what you prioritize. If you want an all manual feel, compact camera, and small lenses, go Fuji XT. If you want more of an automated mirrorless full frame with larger AF lenses then get the Nikon. For the Nikon to work 100% as a retro manual camera they would have to release a lineup of small, compact, manual, vintage Nikkor lenses for the new mount (yes with a real aperture ring). The colors don’t matter because anyone with any taste and sense will get black. As far as the sensor. Check how the Fuji does over 3200ISO and how the Zf handles it. IMO, probably the full frame 24MP sensor will handle high ISO noise a lot better than a small sensor with a lot of megapixels (that most people buying these things don’t really need). Video LCD’s on cameras for photography don’t really work. That’s why Fuji users prefer the tilt screen not a video screen. The Zf should have no video. It should have a tilt screen only and a lineup of real manual lenses to go with it. And come in black leather only in black or silver finish. It should also have a very minimal menu set. It shouldn’t have many options. Only the things needed to make photographs. And that’s it. The simpler and less features the better.

Zf Will do 4k@60 in APC crop, and also 'in camera' 10bit/sdr/n-log, also 4K at 30 is sampled from 6K image data

Hi Booray Perry - I like your style of presentation and you seem to be reasonably unbiased, which is very appreciated. That said, there are some things you should be aware of: 1) the CIPA rating on the battery life is totally out of whack with reality. I easily shoot an entire wedding day with 2 Nikon ENEL-15C batteries on the Z6II (same battery as is in the Zf). I have no doubt that this battery will be fully sufficient for any and all professional use. 2) the reason for the micro SD card is simply for space savings - the choice was 1 card or 2 with the micro and I think it is clear that Nikon made the right choice. 3) The Nikon Zf does 4k 60 but with an APS-C crop - this is is de facto as good as the Fuji as the Fuji is an APS-C camera. 4) ISO performance is not only better on the Nikon due to its native range, but also the fact that full frame is much more competent in low light than APS-C - but more to the point, the Nikon Zf focuses to -10 EV at 1.2 - so call it -9EV at 1.6, or -8EV at 2.2 - this is really industry leading at this point and just as important as the ISO range etc. Ironically you said, "congratulations, you can now get a "Fuji Style" camera in Full Frame", and I get what you are trying to say, but I think you forget that there were no Fuji cameras back in the film days - besides disposables and later point and shoots - literally the so called "Fuji Style" camera is modeled after the old Nikons with perhaps the Canon AE-1 thrown in. So, Nikon is NOT imitating Fuji - to the contrary Fuji is and has always imitated Nikon - Nikon is now taking its rightful place in producing a camera based on the designs that they created in the first place. And to point 1 above, I assure you that the battery is sufficient for professional work. I would say that the ergonomics of the grip are lacking for pro work, but that does not seem to be something that bothers you as this is clearly the case with Fuji cameras as they have no grip to speak of either - I am sure in both cases there are third party options - for the Nikon we already know that Small Rig has designed a grip specifically for the Nikon Zf. Finally, you speak of lens selection. You should know that Nikon is again at the forefront of optical design in the inustry. Simply put, the Z S line lenses are second to none in the market. They have a line of 1.8 S primes that are literally professional grad 1.8's - not the 1/8's of old but top of class IQ, build quality, aberration control and focus breathing corrected. In short, they are the best body of 1.8 primes on the market. Nikons faster glass is also spectacular and better than the competition. So, from a pro standpoint, especially for events/weddings - what is most important? 1) ergonomics - we must hold the camera all day long - this is where the Nikon Zf falls down a bit but no more so than the Fuji's which are equally uncomfortable to hold, 2) low light performance - no comparison - The Nikon is full frame and focus in much darker situations, 3) lenses - no comparison - for anyone that has used the new S line glass from Nikon - it is better than (and at its worst as good as) any lenses from any other manufacturer., 4) battery life - yes the CIPA rating is low, and always seems to be an under estimate especially when it comes to Nikon, but I can assure you that the ENEL-15C battery is sufficient for any professional event work - 2 batteries will carry the day - 3 at the most - this is not really different than what you need with the Fuji. Finally, I always struggle to undertand how anyone would choose APS-C for pro use. I am not saying that you cannot get good images with APS-C as I know one can and I have myself, but the inherent disadvantages in low light and subject isolation just make me scratch my head as to why this would be a first choice - it is the reason that I never invested in Fuji gear to be honest. If it is just about size and weight, I suppose that was a reason in the past, but the Zf is not that big of a camera (neither is the Z6/7 form factor). Anyway, I am not dumping on Fuji - even if it appears that I am. I like their aesthetics and I know several colleagues that swear by their color profiles. As a RAW shooter, I guess I just don't see this as that much of an advantage as RAW files (especially Nikon NEF files that are among the best RAW files out there) can be made to look any way with editing - including just like any Fuji file - there are literally presets out there than imitate the Fuji film profiles for non-Fuji images. I have gone on for too long, but wanted to be sure that some of the salient facts you missed were addressed. That said, nice video and presentation! -PD

And with the full frame-sensor comes full-frame glass which equates to extra weight to carry around. For years my Canon L series lenses have remained in a dry cabinet whilst my X100T, XT4 and now XT5 come for a morning coastal walk and coffee. In fact the light-weight Fuji equipment lends itself to being carried anywhere and at any time, making opportunities to capture great moments. But really in the end, the weakest link in the artistic process is the photographer and their skill: maybe we should concentrate on the art rather than the intricacies of the equipment. After all, the great masters of photography used film and manual focus but were stillt able to create images that have been preserved and published through the decades. I wonder if anybody ruminating over these comparisons will be so fortunate.

Nikon estimate theire batteries life quite conservative. Exspect double battery life or more.

every camera has its own qualities. This is a full frame camera and while X T 5 is not. Ok, lets compare with 50 S II Fujifilm with Nikon then. Fujifilm X T 5 has 180 pixel shift while Nikon 90 Mega pixel shift. Who kills who ? Fujifilm shoots 6 K While Nikon 4 K. SO, both cameras are good in their own way. We should appreciate the retro design in those times and focus in our needs in photography.

Micro SD is not odd. Anybody who uses a GoPro is familiar with them. The only down side is they can be a little bit slower than the V90 SDXC cards, but not much. And if you get V60 SCXC cards they are the same speed. They use less power and take up much less space. Also, the R/W interface is smaller inside the camera. So it is a good choice.

As someone who used to shoot Fuji and now shoots Nikon, there's zero chance this is a Fujifilm killer. Once you get past the styling, all of the other points where Fuji sets itself apart from Nikon still are not on this body.

That's a beautiful camera. I'll stick with my Fujifilm however. For now.

Stabilization on the focus point is not so shocking until somebody says it,how come no one has never done that before it makes perfect sense!

Meanwhile, Leica here is just sitting pretty and watching 🗿

You're comparing apples with oranges!

It will absolutely eat into Fuji sales. The last thing I need is another camera, but man, this one looks sooooo cool!!

I wish the zf at least had the z7ii sensor, but I actually like the idea of micro sd. A client I am meeting for a quick jpg shoot can stick their own micro sd into the extra slot and I can shoot raw to the main sd. Then we go our merry ways and don’t have to transfer files! I also have a bunch of them laying around anyways, so I save money on buying cfx

As a long time Fuji User and FM2/FA Hobbyist here, the Nikon Zf got me excited like no other camera in a while. Being full frame and having Z6III* specs in that retro form factor is compelling although I don't need most of it. For me, handling and shooting experience is more important than frames per second and fast continuous auto focus. And in that respect, I stay hesitant if Nikon, who did not commit to this form factor for the whole lineup (Fuji also diversified here with X-H, X-S and GFX) really went the whole way with this one. Is the Zf just an Z6 in different clothes, i. e. same menu system, huge dependency on changing settings on the back display etc? I think this is a question only further hands on testing can answer. I have no experience with the Zfc. Maybe I could adapt to the full articulating screen since it also means, that I can hide the screen. Maybe I could adapt to PSAM again, although it means that sometimes confusingly the camera has different settings than the ones which are on the dials alone (but it's the same on the FA). But one thing I really miss right away: A dedicated aperture ring on the lenses to make the manual control of the exposure triangle complete. The little display doesn't do the trick for me. Nikon did not even put an aperture ring on the two retro styled lenses! Why, Nikon? And all the other Nikkor Z lenses with their modern form factor deliver great image quality but also maybe just draw the whole camera back to being a Z6 in disguise, not a functional retro camera. In respect of lenses I am also very curious on how good one can adapt legacy AIS glass on the Zf, functionally (focusing wide open, aperture read out) and in style (the adapter should not be the one thing not retro in between). Since - to be honest - I really would like to add a good digital FM2 body to my collection. One day. I am not in an hurry to get one now.

I don’t get the battery stats my z 8 shoot overs 10,000 shots on half a battery charge very rarely need to change batteries.