"Test Driving" The Nikon ZF; An Excellent Camera With Some Quirks

The Nikon Zf is a bit bigger than my Z7II but feels much better built.  Also, I like the painted
finish.  It is a semi-gloss.  A little glossier than other Nikon cameras. (Nikon Press Image)

When Nikon announced the retro-styled camera, the Zf, several months ago I found myself rather unexcited by it.  I was familiar with their two previous retro efforts, the F-Mount full frame Df and their currently still available APS-C (DX) Z-mount camera, the Zf-c. I didn’t find a reason to be much interested in either of those.  However, over the past few months I managed to read a few articles and watched a few YouTube videos about the Zf and found everyone seemed to rave about it.  That peaked my interest as to what may be special about this camera?  I watched more and more videos but avoided videos made by those who had received the camera before its official introduction as I find them all suspicious in their proclaimed unbiased reporting.  The YouTubers loved the retro styling (á la Fujifilm) and they universally thought the camera would be a hit for Nikon.  I think it has been a hot as it was sold out for months.  They also touted the AF, image quality and new features, such as the 96mp compositing feature.  Was this a wolf of a camera in sheep’s clothing, so to speak?  I thought I would find out for myself. 

What better to do in the dreary winter than to test some photo gear.  I've now had an opportunity to take the Zf for a "test drive" and here are my thoughts.  This is not a review, however.  You can find plenty of them on the Internet and on YouTube.  I’m just passing on to you my general thoughts about it.

I used both the Nikon 24-120mm f/4 and 40mm f/2 SE lens with the camera.  Both worked well.  The Special Edition 40mm f/2 lens is small and is ideal for a retro camera such as this.  It looks just like the Nikkor AIS manual focus lenses of the past sans an aperture ring (sadly).  I will also add that little 40mm f/2 lens is really nice!  It surprised me as to how sharp it is.  For about $300, I think it is a real bargain.  There is another similarly style lens that should go nicely with this camera.  It is a 28mm f/2.8.  

Both of these images were shot at ISO 25,600 with in-camera High ISO Noise Reduction set at
normal.  No other noise reduction was applied. Also, single exposures.  No HDR. (click to enlarge)

First, I find it humorous that I often saw reviewers complain about the camera's shape.  Well, if you aren’t blind and have actually looked at the camera, even a picture of it before using it you then know it’s an emulation of the shape of the Nikon film SLRs from the 1960s-90s.  The shape should be no surprise.  Its the main point of this camera.  It is meant to be that way.  It is not supposed to be the shape of a typical digital camera of today.  It is the shape of cameras I used from 1971 to 2001.  I get it.  That said, if you aren’t used to using a camera without a grip for your fingers, I suggest buying the SmallRig grip (or one similar) as it makes the camera easier to hold.  Do people complain about the shape of Leica M11s or Q3s?  I wonder.  Same shape different politics, I guess.

Second, one of the main reasons we buy a camera is for its image quality.  I found the quality of my images made with this camera as good or better than any other digital camera I've owned.  I think it is a combination of a relatively low 24mp full frame sensor (do we actually need more or do we "want" more?  You decide.), the new Expeed 7 image processor and the latest firmware Nikon's engineers have written.  As I understand it, the image processor and firmware are largely the same as that in a Z9 and Z8.  Top notch, in other words.  I'll just say, the image quality is superb, IMHO!

From a black & white JPEG.  I find the JPEGs perfectly editable.  I like to warm tone my 
monochrome images. (click to enlarge)

As for how it feels, it feels well-built.  Substantial.  It doesn’t feel cheap or plasticky.  This is not a small, compact camera.  It reminds me of the Nikon F3 film camera I used to have in the 1980s-1990s.  I think it feels good.

One of the unexpected bonuses I discovered about this camera is the colors this camera produces.  There is something about the color that is just seems different from my other cameras—even my other Nikon cameras.  I don't know what Nikon may have done but I like it a lot.  The color 'speaks' to me and I'm not sure why.  Speaking of color, Nikon included 31 different picture "styles" to which the camera can be set.  That includes ‘regular’ three black & white styles.  They also have a number of exotic black & white styles.  I have always set my Nikons to the “Neutral” color profile as I find it the most natural.  Also, the Natural Light Auto White balance works very well.  Did I mention I really like the color this camera produces?

No joystick.  Fully articulated
screen. Not my favorite.

In my limited experience, I found the dynamic range to be excellent.  The highlights and shadows respond very well to over and underexposure.  In the situations where I thought I needed to bracket, it turned out I didn't.  Not once.  I was able to use one exposure to bring down the highlights and/or bring up the shadows and edit the images to my satisfaction.  Photons to Photos has not yet published the dynamic range nor digital noise levels for this camera.  DXOMark has the Z6II, which uses the same sensor, at 14.7 stops of dynamic range at base ISO.  I would think this is in the same ballpark.

In regards to high ISO noise, I found it remarkably minor compared to my other cameras.  In fact, I normally turn off all camera noise reduction in my cameras' menus (which technically will apply only to JPEGs but the Zf camera settings are automatically transferred to Lightroom but is still adjustable) but tested it at the both the low and normal for some nighttime photography when shooting at ISOs in the range of 25,600.  Lightroom picks up the in-camera noise reduction setting and applies it in the Develop module.  At the low setting, the noise, looking at my images at 100%, was minor and not objectionable at all!  At the normal in-camera setting, all the noise was gone.  But was the detail still there?  In my images the answer is yes.  I was very surprised but also very pleased.  I've never had a camera with this good noise performance.

As you may already infer, the more I tested this camera, the more I liked it!  But I digress...

Deadrise wooden work boats for crabbing or oystering. (click to enlarge)

Nikon says there are seven stops of in-body-image-stabilization (IBIS) in this body—eight with certain lenses.  I don’t know if there is or isn’t.  But I did run a short test to see at what shutter speed I could handhold the camera before camera shake set in.  I was able to handhold the camera down to 1/3 second with 100% of the images in sharp focus.  At 1/2 second, a few were still in sharp focus.  At 1 full second there was one in sharp focus and there were a couple that could still be sharpened up nicely in Topaz Photo AI.  These tests were conducted using the 40mm lens.  That kind of IBIS is Olympus/OM-1 territory!  Also, you have to consider I’m 72 years old and I am many years past my steadiest hand hold holding technique.  

Finally, Nikon seems to have invented a new kind of IBIS,  it is now linked to the position of the AF point.  So, instead of rotating around its various axises always in the center of the sensor, it moves the center of rotation to wherever the AF point is located.  I don’t know how much that improves IBIS, but it certainly seems to be the next step in improving this feature.  Most likely, you’ll see this show up in other manufacturer’s cameras in the future.  Bottom line—the IBIS is really good.

Part of a "Automated Peanut Picker" from the early 20th Century. (click to enlarge)

I like the switch on the top of the camera that allows me to instantly change from color to black & white photography.  I used it quite a bit as I am a fan of monochrome (evidenced by my Monday posts entitled, "Monochrome Monday.")  There are three options for black & white and when turning the switch to black & white the camera engages whatever one of the three black & white options you last chose.  If you are shooting only raw, the images in Lightroom take on the black & white profile and show up as black & white.  They can be converted to color if you change profiles.  If you shoot raw + JPEG, both show up in LR as black & white with the raw file still a color image underneath the applied profile but the JPEG is black and white.  Also, the EVF is shown in black & white when photographing.  I find this a nice compromise.  One last thing about the three black & white profiles.  They are all different and are useful for different types of scenes.  That is a nice bonus.

I found my images needed less sharpening in Lightroom than any other camera I've owned.  LR applies an Amount setting of 18 and I find that sufficient.  For comparison, LR applies an Amount setting of 40 for my OM-1 and X-T5.  As you may know, I've been a Fujifilm user since February, 2014 when I bought an X-T1.  You Fujifilm users certainly know that consternation and struggle we've had in Lightroom with sharpening those files.  It is pure joy to have files looking this good without having to move any sliders.

I like dials!

Here is the "quirky" part as mentioned in the title.  The way Nikon has engineered the operation of the ISO and shutter speeds in conjunction with the ISO and Shutter Speed dials is a bit quirky.  Since I almost always shoot with Auto ISO and in Aperture Priority or Manual, I didn't find anything problematic for me.  However, if you like to frequently and quickly move between Auto ISO and manually setting the ISO, you have to perform a bit of a gyration to do so.  Engaging or disengaging Auto ISO has to be done in the menu.  You just can't simply turn the ISO dial to an Auto setting as I can in my X-T5 (although I have to use the menu to do so in my OM-1).  To mitigate this I customized the camera to have the off/on Auto ISO menu item appear in Nikon's I-Menu, which is similar to Fujifilm's Q-Menu.  To go from Auto ISO to manual ISO I push the I-Menu button, turn off Auto ISO setting (it's an off/on switch), set it on the top dial and I'm on my way.  Also, one other thing about the ISO dial.  If you are in Auto ISO, you can modify your minimum ISO by moving the ISO dial to a higher ISO.  For example, I normally set my minimum Auto ISO to base ISO.  But if I wanted to raise the minimum ISO to, say, 1600, I can do so just by rotating the top ISO dial to 1600.  I don't have to go into the menu for that.  

As for the shutter dial, when in Aperture Priority, the Shutter Speed dial setting does not represent the actual shutter speed.  It's not like a Fujifilm camera where you set it to "A."  You can leave the Shutter Speed dial set anywhere and the camera will control it.  I’ve seen YouTubers complain about that but I think if you have any awareness and familiarity with the camera at all, you realize that and it, too, is not a problem.  Again, both were a non-issue for me.

All of the images I made are well detailed and the colors pleasing. (click to enlarge)

The electronic viewfinder (EVF) is the same as in my Z7II, the Z6 series as well as the Z9 and Z8.  For only 3.69mp, it punches above its weight class, so to speak.  Nikon, again, has added some special sauce (a series of lenses as well as extra brightness and speed) to it to make it perform excellently. I didn’t want for more pixels.

The rear LCD is touch sensitive.  You can touch and move the AF square, touch to move and focus as well as touch to place the AF where you want it which will also focus & expose your frame.  I find I use that if my cameras are on a tripod.  Additionally, the touch screen works really well for all menu items, scrolling, etc.  I found no lag in changing or confirming menu choices.  There is no lag or struggle touching the LCD to change settings.  Very convenient.

I once wrote that not having a "joystick" to move the focus point around was a deal breaker for me when considering a new camera.  This camera does not have a "joystick" but I found I quickly reverted to my old habit of using the 4-way buttons around the "OK" button to move around the focus point.  The camera also allows you to use your thumb on the LCD itself to do the same. I found myself using that method as well.  In fact, using your thumb is quicker than using a joystick or the 4-way buttons.  So, contrary to my previous thoughts, not having a "joystick" is not necessarily a deal breaker, but I much prefer to have one.

The camera has a limited number of programmable buttons.  I wish it a couple more.  I'm a back-button focusing devotee.  I have been for years.  The problem I found with BBF in the Zf is that the I-Menu button is exactly where an AF-On button should be.  It naturally sits under the thumb.  Now, Nikon allows you to swap button functions but not swap the I-Menu button with the AE-L/AF-L button which can be programmed for BBF.  I wrote to Nikon about that and they responded the same day indicating they would pass on my suggestion to allow this swap to their Japanese counterparts.  I hope this will be included in a future firmware update.

I had to throw at least one railroad photo in for my fellow railfans. (click to enlarge)

As most of you may remember, I'm not a fan of fully articulated rear LCD screens.  This camera has one.  The issue for me is two-fold.  When handholding and trying to compose by using the LCD screen, it is more difficult to do accurately when the screen is not in the direct axis of the lens.  Secondly, when trying to use an L-Bracket and mounted on a tripod, the articulated screen gets in the way.  Life doesn't have to be this difficult.  But this may not be an issue for you.

Also, I wish Nikon would re-instate the "Delay" menu function.  They took it out of a couple of recent cameras and it is baffling as to why?  It was already there!  Having a "delay" mode before exposure is much more convenient than having to use the self-timer.  There were more options.  By the way, the self-timer in the Zf flashes the green AF Assist Light on the front of the camera and there is no way to turn it off.

The autofocus is terrific.  I think it is the best I've had on any camera I've owned.  The subject detection works better than in both my X-T5 an OM-1.  The 3D tracking is how the OM's C-AF +Tracking should work (Olympus/OM's AF-C + Tracking AF function just doesn't work well enough to even use it for anything).  The Zf's 3D Tracking locks onto a subject and no matter how fast your subject moves or where in the frame your chosen point of focus may be, the AF does not lose it.  As far as subject tracking, it picks up faces, eyes, automobiles and trains almost instantly.  I haven't tried animal or bird Subject Detect because I don't have a Z-mount long lens for a Nikon and it is hard to find any animals or birds near my home this time of year.  Especially ones that will walk up to me and smile for the camera!

The camera is plenty fast.  Release Mode can be set for 1-7 frames per second on Low and 

10fps on High while High Extended gives you 15fps.  You also have an option for 30fps but that gives you JPEG files, not raw files.  For all but the fastest photography, I find 10fps sufficient.

We all know about the two memory cards.  The main card is set up for an SDXC UHSII card, which is the fastest configuration available.  But the backup card is a Micro SD card.  I had a V60 Lexar Gold Micro SD card that I put into the camera.  I found this card very hard to remove.  I decided to just leave it in the camera and didn't bother removing.  I considered it as sort of ‘in-camera’ memory, kind of like what Leica and Hasselblad provides in some of their cameras.  The point is you do have two memory cards.  I don't think Nikon could have engineered the camera with 2 SDXC cards while keeping it's shape.  There just doesn't seem to be enough room.  If they added a larger grip, conceivably a second SDXC card could have fit.  But that would have defeated the purpose of the camera's stated design.  I didn't find the Micro SD card slowed down my photography or the camera itself.  Again, it's really not an issue for me.

Better days. (click to enlarge)

This post is getting a bit long.  I could write more but all in all, I enjoyed using the camera.  The more I used it the more I liked the images I made with it.  Most importantly, I found the image quality to be as good if not better than any camera I've used to date—and isn't that the bottom line?  We want to produce the best technical image quality we can.

 

All this said, I don't think the camera is for everyone.  I think it is for people like me who like retro styled cameras.  After all, I used film camera shaped like this for 30 years or more.  Because of the styling I think there always will be some mild controversy about the camera. Additionally, at $2000 US I think the camera is priced very attractively.  A lot of bang for your buck, so to speak.

If you have used a Nikon Zf, I would be interested in hearing your thoughts.

Here are a few more images.

Capt. Scrap-e. (click to enlarge)

From a black & white JPEG. (click to enlarge)

Stealth camping?  Not!  (click to enlarge)

Vaping while out for a nighttime walk.  This image was shot at ISO 20,000. (click to enlarge)

Oyster tongs for scaping the bottom of the river/bay by hand to retrieve oysters. (click to enlarge)

Join me over at my website, https://www.dennismook.com. 
 

Thanks for looking. Enjoy!  

Dennis A. Mook  

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