Z fc - the thread

[golunvolo]

As promised, although nobody asked, here is the 5cm f/1.1 on my Z fc.

It's 1.1 all the way!!

  I wished it    It not only looks gorgeous, also delivers. It is said to be and feel very light weight?

[richardHaw]

what happened to the 5/1.1? it looks like balsam separation
waiting for my sample body...looks like its not coming soon

[Birna Rørslett]

The camera body feels quite light, yes. It could be heavier, without any complaints from my side. The old rangefinders are really heavy as they are all metal and brass a substantial fraction of it as well.

[Birna Rørslett]

Rick, the lens is clean as a whistle. Considering its age (60+ years) it is in remarkably good condition. Only signs of it being used are faint cleaning marks on the front element, which is probably quite soft, and some brassing on the inner rear barrel. I might end up using a filter (gasp) on the lens just to cut down on the required front cleaning.

[richardHaw]

be careful when turning the aperture ring, thats how many of them get broken iris blades
kiitos will happily change them all for $220.00

[Birna Rørslett]

Having the aperture ring or less locked at f/1.1 probably will be safe, then?

[Kenneth Rich]

Just how heavy is it- just the body? I wondered, still wonder, but Birna's statement that the old rangefinders were really  heavy, in comparison, stuck with me, and something made me want to find out just how heavy my Bessa R2 and its Summicron f2 50 mm collapsible M mount lens are. Before I realized it, almost, I had the body and lens on the precision kitchen scale, new 9 V battery fitted, and got the following results:
         Bessa R2 body, 481 grams, no body cap
         50mm f2 Summicron lens, 243grams,. including front lens cap but naked M mount.
It will be interesting to compare the Bessa and the new retro styled Nikon.

[richardHaw]

Having the aperture ring more or less locked at f/1.1 probably will be safe, then?

i suppose so.
that is a good lens compared to what the 50/0.95 which is rubbish wide-open so it should be nice.

[Birna Rørslett]

Just how heavy is it- just the body? I wondered, still wonder, but Birna's statement that the old rangefinders were really  heavy, in comparison, stuck with me, and something made me want to find out just how heavy my Bessa R2 and its Summicron f2 50 mm collapsible M mount lens are. Before I realized it, almost, I had the body and lens on the precision kitchen scale, new 9 V battery fitted, and got the following results:
         Bessa R2 body, 481 grams, no body cap
         50mm f2 Summicron lens, 243grams,. including front lens cap but naked M mount.
It will be interesting to compare the Bessa and the new retro styled Nikon.

Z fc body alone, around 455 g

The 5cm f/1.1 Nikkor-N + RF(S)-Z adapter 496 g

My black Nikon S3 rangefinder, no caps 620 g

[Erik Lund]

Congratulations Birna, that is a very nice setup! impeccable condition considering the age of the lens!

[Birna Rørslett]

The Z fc is at ease with all my old Nikkors. Here it is hooked up to the 35cm f/4.5 Nikkor-T (~ 1960) through first the N-F tube which allowed the long rangefinder lenses to bypass the additional reflex housing of the rangefinders, then to the FTZ. As I had the audacity to add a CPU to the N-F, I now can enjoy the full potential of this imposing vintage optic.

Nikon made around 650 of these long Nikkors, a substantial number of which were rebuilt to be used on cine cameras for recording nuclear tests in the US desert. I have three of the 35cm Nikkor-T lenses, two from the rebuilt version, and the last being complete with the original focusing section shown here. It being a triplet, one cannot expect wonders in terms of optical brilliance, but results are pleasing enough. Considering this lens is 60+ years old it is in surprisingly good shape and works quite flawlessly with all the strange features seen in its "preset" operation.

[Erik Lund]

They really compliment each other well, impressive vintage setup

[Thomas G]

Would it be a suitable body to be taken on long bike rides? Combined with some small capable auto focus  lens?

Weight is of concern as of hills and mountains, and there is a tendency to temporarily loose some fine motoric capabilities over long hours in the saddle,- thus the af.
Even though the majority here seems to favour traditional lenses fitted to it.
Is it robust enougth to take  rattling and bumps?

[Birna Rørslett]

The 35/1.8 Nikkor Z and the Z fc should be about perfect. Or, to get things even smaller, use the new 16-50 DX Z.

[richardHaw]

i wonder how much the front casting could tolerate...i assume not as tough as a Z6 but only time will tell

now you need to modify an MD-12 for it