Nikon has unveiled its newest full-frame digital camera, the 24.5-megapixel Zf with retro fashion and know-how borrowed from the corporate’s high-end Z8 and Z9 cameras. With the brand new sensor and processor, the cellphone guarantees highly effective options like 14fps most taking pictures speeds, superior AI autofocus, and 4K 60p video. On the identical time, it is a very useful digital camera with plenty of classic touches and a number of colors, all designed to attraction to that vintage-loving nerve.
The physique and dealing with concentrate on guide controls, with no fewer than 5 dials on prime to manage taking pictures mode, video/picture/black and white, aperture, shutter velocity, and publicity compensation. It additionally has a pair of entrance and rear imaging dials and a D-pad controller, however no joystick. The “fist” is only a small ridge. For all that, the Zf actually does appear like an outdated Nikon movie digital camera – proper all the way down to the chromed shutter launch button.
The Zf’s magnesium alloy physique is compact, however not very mild at 710g (the Sony A7 IV weighs 659g). Nikon says it affords “excessive resistance to mud and water drops.”
The high-resolution 2.1 million dot variable-angle contact display totally expresses vlogging and selfies, whereas permitting for contact operate management and focus level choice. For astro shooters, it has a “Starlight Viewing Mode” that reinforces the display brightness in darkish scenes. In the meantime, the OLED viewfinder has a decision of three.68 million dots and 0.8x magnification.
It has two card slots, however with a critical caveat. One is a high-speed UHS-II card slot, however the different is a UHS-I microSD slot — the one mannequin with this combo so far as I do know. The battery is a weak level, because it solely gives 380 pictures in comparison with 580 pictures on the Sony A7 IV. Different options embody a USB 3.2 Gen1 port with charging help, microphone/headphone ports, and a micro HDMI connector.
Inside, it has a 24.5-megapixel back-illuminated (BSI) sensor and an Expeed 7 processor borrowed from the high-end Z fashions. This offers it autofocus capabilities suitable with the Z8, together with Nikon’s 3D monitoring in addition to AI-powered goal detection that may discover folks, canine, cats, birds, vehicles, bikes, bicycles, trains and planes. It is going to additionally detect distant faces that occupy as much as 3 % of the longest facet of the body.
As for picture high quality, the usual ISO vary of 100 to 64,000 guarantees good low-light functionality, and it has a pixel shift mode that reinforces decision as much as 96MP for nonetheless scenes. Consistent with the outdated design, Nikon has a devoted black and white mode (with its personal dial setting), which permits a number of monochrome settings starting from “flat monochrome” to excessive distinction.
It may well attain taking pictures speeds of 11 fps in RAW mode (14 fps with JPEGs) in digital shutter mode (Nikon does not checklist mechanical shutter specs) and affords a low-quality 30 fps JPEG-only mode with a burst taking pictures possibility prematurely to make sure your win. Do not miss a chance. The 5-axis IBS (or Vibration Discount, as Nikon calls it) reduces shake by as much as 8 stops with a supported lens. Stabilization could be linked to the main focus level, moderately than simply the middle of the picture as is the case with most techniques.
On the video facet, the Zf can report full body 4K at 30p from a 6K Extremely HD picture, or at 4K60p with DX crop (1.5x), together with 1080p/120p. Video could be captured in 10-bit H.265 recording, giving customers higher colour accuracy and extra choices in publishing. Nonetheless, H.265 information require a strong pc, which implies you’ll have to transform them to a different format to edit them.
Based mostly on the specs, the Nikon Zf appears to be like like a strong digital camera that may compete with fashions just like the Panasonic S5 II and Sony A7 IV. Nonetheless, it differentiates itself from these fashions based mostly on its dated design and guide controls, which ought to attraction to a sure phase of consumers. The Nikon Zf will arrive in October 2023 at a aggressive value of $2,000 body-only, or $2,240 with the old-style Nikkor Z40 f/2.0 SE lens. If you would like one of many different colours (Indigo Blue, Darkish Brown, Bordeaux Pink, Orange, Moss Inexperienced, and Stone Gray), you may pay $2,100 for the physique alone.