The Nikon Z fc is a vintage-looking APS-C camera that's a throwback to the old Nikon FM2 (Updated)
By
The Nikon Z fc is a vintage-looking APS-C camera that's a throwback to the old Nikon FM2 (Updated)
Note: This article was first published on 29 June 2021 and it was updated on 15 Jul 2021 1530hrs with local availability and pricing details.
This retro-looking beauty is the new Nikon Z fc, which has a design that the company says was inspired by its vintage FM2 SLR from the Eighties.
Really, it’s a Nikon Z50 in a vintage body, but that’s no bad thing.
The beautiful body is mostly magnesium alloy and it’s wrapped in leatherette. The highlight for most enthusiasts is the presence of dials to control exposure, shutter speed, and ISO – just like vintage cameras. Oh, and that vintage Nikon logo on the front.
What’s not so vintage, however, is the articulating “Vari-Angle” touchscreen, which flips out to make it easy for owners to take selfies or vlogs. The screen is 3 inches large and has a resolution of 1.04M dots.
If you want to go old-school, the Z fc has an OLED viewfinder with a resolution 2.36M dots.
Inside, the Z fc has a 20.9MP APS-C size sensor which is paired with the company’s Expeed 6 image processor – these specs are identical to the Z50. It can shoot up to 11fps with full autofocus.
Speaking of autofocus, the Z fc has a 200-point hybrid autofocus system that covers roughly 87% of the frame horizontally and 85% vertically. The autofocus system also has eye-detection for both people and animals.
As for video, the Z fc will shoot 4K at up to 30fps and Full-HD at up to 120fps. You can also turn it into a webcam using the Nikon Webcam Utility.
The Z fc uses Nikon’s Z-mount and will accept any of Nikon’s Z lenses. Nikon will offer two kits lens options for the Z fc: a new 28mm F.28 (SE) that’s designed to look like a vintage Nikkor lens and a DX 16-50mm F3.5-6.3 zoom.
Availability and pricing (Updated on 15 Jul 2021)
Sadly, local pricing and availability details have yet to be announced. However, the Nikon Z fc in the US is priced at US$959.95 (S$1290) for the body alone, US$1,099.95 (S$1,478) with the silver 16-55mm zoom, and US$1,199.95 (S$1612) with the 28mm prime.
The Nikon Z fc is available for pre-order now until 27 July 2021. Prices are as follows:
- Nikon Z fc (body only): S$1,549
- Nikon Z fc + Nikkor Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 kit: S$1,779
- Nikon Z fc + Nikkor Z 28mm f/2.8 kit: S$1,929
Customers who pre-order will also receive free gifts worth up to S$276. These include a one-time complimentary premium exterior swap worth S$79, which allows you to choose an exterior colour of your choice. Some options include white, pink, green, and grey. You also get a Z series Peak Design strap (S$99) and a Manfrotto tripod (S$98).
