Z fc - the thread

[Birna Rørslett]

The 12-28(?) DX for Z is probably a very interesting option, but it's anyone's guess how long we have to wait for it.  For now I put the Laowa 11/4.5 on the Z fc and get very good results since its not-so-good-corners are cut off by the DX format. Might consider the 9/5.6 Laowa if the perceived need for a superwide lens takes precedence.

[Birna Rørslett]

About time the Z fc makes a selfie of itself. With a 55mm f/1.2 Nikkor-O CRT lens on it, a wide focus range from here to there incl. infinity is possible.

[Kenneth Rich]

I see no camera, I see no lens; what I see is a frightening selfie of a very Kyklopean Birna.

[Wally]

I see no camera, I see no lens; what I see is a frightening selfie of a very Kyklopean Birna.

Not sure what you want to say??? Doesn't seem appropriate. Please hold your horses!
Thank you.

[Fons Baerken]

Tried three dtse alternative batteries, when the nikon batteries are not available, after a few charges they all fail zfc must be chipped to single out non-originals,
Are they yet available the original en-el25's?

[Birna Rørslett]

I have two of them -- didn't know they were scarce?

[Fons Baerken]

They seem to get back in stock i ordered 2 of them will arrive in three weeks, yes they were out of stock for months.

[mxbianco]

EN-EL25 batteries are somewhat scarce, and overpriced: they cost almost the same as EN-EL15c's (62€ vs 68€ RRP from nikonstore.it), which have more than twice the capacity (2280 mAh vs 1120 mAh). The same is true for compatible batteries, about 40-50€ for a compatible EN-EL25 vs 30-40€ for a compatible EN-EL15 (even lower if you buy a 2-pack). There are many more cameras ( I count at least 19 models) using EN-EL15x batteries, there's only the Z50 and Zfc using the EN-EL25. This is the possible cause of the higher price of the EN-EL25.

This thread seems to have stopped abruptly on Dec.31, I am going to revive it a bit with my findings on the Zfc (bought feb 2022).

Ciao from Massimo

[mxbianco]

BUILD QUALITY

Everything OK, except the battery door, which is very flimsy, especially the latch

BUTTONS AND DIALS

Buttons are where they should, the AE-L/AF-L button can be remapped as AF-ON (Menu...Controls..f2).
Be careful, I was fooled the first time around, with the factory default it looks like there are only 3 options available, but if you scroll up the rest of the entries become visible, including AF-ON!

The absence of a second Fn button up front is not justifiable even by aesthetics, if they wanted to make a perfectly FM/FE looking camera they would have had to exclude the front and rear control dials (which are absent throughout the Fex/Fmx series).  Are they working to pull out a ZfcII, like they did with Z6II/Z7II ? I remember Nikon being more serious than that!

It is possible to use the red Video Record button as an alternative to the missing Fn2. The default when not in video mode is the BKT function, most functions that can be assigned to Fn (but not all) can be assigned to the Video Record Button.

The exposure compensation dial is a little smallish, I can live with it, but others did not like it. You can avoid using it with most AF-capable Nikkor Z lenses (24-70/4S and 2.8S, 14-30/4S, 14-24/2.8S, 28-75, 24-200, ...), by mapping the Lens Control Ring (bottom menu option in Menu...Controls..f2...Custom Controls (shooting)) to Exposure compensation. It works flawlessly and smoothly, naturally you lose the MF feature in the lens (can use only in AF modes), but then if you use fully manual vintage lenses you don't lose anything, the focus ring works as usual with vintage MF AI-AIS-nonAI-RF lenses.
One notice: in order for the mapping to work, the exposure compensation dial has to be set (to the 0 position) to the dedicated "C" position opposite the 0 position on the compensation dial, otherwise you turn the Lens Control ring and nothing happens. With that smooth operation you are free to concentrate on the image, and the exposure compensation is visible on the viewfinder (the image turns darker or lighter, and the amount of compensation is shown on the R side).

Ciao from Massimo

[EDIT: corrected the needed setting of the compensation dial to have the Lens Control Ring work as expected]

[mxbianco]

HANDLING

The absence of a grip, or at least a small bulge on R side as the Df had, added to the fact that the camera is really small (it disappears in my hands), prompted me to immediately buy an additional grip for my Zfc.

I was considering three choices:

• The original Nikon Zfc-GR1, well built but it costs a fortune (available in Europe, can be found for 133€ on official nikonstore.it), and it does not have any advantages over compatible models.
• the JJC version, about 50€ on Amazon or Ebay, less if ordered from China, has an Arca-Swiss wedge at the base and a 1/4" thread
• The SmallGrip version, about 50€ on Amazon, same price from China, has an Arca-Swiss wedge at the base and a 1/4" thread, plus an additional 1/4" thread embedded on the vertical part of the grip. Very good looks, this is the one I selected

Additional bonus: the grip has a passageway underneath for opening the battery compartment without dismounting the grip itself, and also it protects the -flimsy- battery door from damage. For me, an essential part of my camera setup!

ciao from Massimo

[Birna Rørslett]

I like the layout of the Z fc as it is. The "flat" front makes adapting some exotic lenses very easy, in contrast to most other of the modern cameras. I'm looking for an L-bracket with the rising part on the camera's left-hand side. The "solution" of a grip that just offers a 1/4" thread not an Arca plate is not my cup of tea (or coffee).

[mxbianco]

I like the layout of the Z fc as it is. The "flat" front makes adapting some exotic lenses very easy, in contrast to most other of the modern cameras. I'm looking for an L-bracket with the rising part on the camera's left-hand side. The "solution" of a grip that just offers a 1/4" thread not an Arca plate is not my cup of tea (or coffee).

There are gripless , simple, light and inexpensive L-brackets with two ARCA-compatible plates, the one for portrait mode  -as you are requesting- on L-hand side. 
From China, about 10€, for an example see link: https://www.ebay.com/itm/283477706973.
It is symmetrical, can be mounted on either side
Naturally it's not a dedicated bracket so to access the battery compartment you'll have to unscrew (just a bit) and rotate the bracket.

BTW, the embedded 1/4" thread on the Smallgrip grip is just for the occasional usage, not too much of a problem with me, I generally shoot handheld with no tripod or monopod.


Ciao from Massimo

[mxbianco]

VIBRATION REDUCTION

After mounting the Z-Nikkor 24-70/4 on the Zfc, I noticed that the VR icon was grayed out. I knew the Zfc does not have IBIS, but I had overlooked the fact that most Z-Nikkors dont't have lens-embedded VR.
Here's the list of Z-Nikkors that have lens-embedded VR:

• 24-200/4-6.3 VR
• 100-400/4.5-5.6 VR S
• 16-50/3.5-6.3 DX VR
• 18-140/3.5-6.3 VR
• 50-250/4.5-6.3 DX VR
• 70-200/2.8 VR S
• 400/2.8 TC VR S
• 105/2.8 MC VR S

Practically all prime lenses except the 105/2.8 μNikkor are without lens-embedded VR!
Same goes for the first zooms presented  in the Z lineup (14-30, 14-24, 24-70/4 24-70/2.8, 24-50), and notably the latest zoom offering: 24-120 (no embedded VR)

Fortunately, the 16-50mm kit lens does have embedded VR, which compensates the relatively "dark" aperture of 3.5-6.3. I suspect it's going to be a popular lens, not only because it's being offered as a kit lens. There are many "used" 16-50s on Ebay, when people will start realizing that it's one of the few z-mount lenses that have VR, the "dumping" of this lens is going to decrease...

Ciao from Massimo

[Jan Anne]

Just use fast primes and electronic first curtain or full electronic shutter, should work just fine in most cases.

VR is only really needed with long lenses or lenses with slow aperture like the mentioned consumer zooms.

[mxbianco]

I also like VR with wideangles in dark places where a tripod or a monopod is prohibited, lenses like the AFS-Nikkor 16-35mm/4. A little large for the Zfc, especially because you have to use the FTZ adapter, but fine down to 1/2".

Ciao from Massimo