Moved to Zf from X-T5. Wanted to make full use of my vintage full frame lenses. I do miss the exposure triangle of Fujifilm which maybe nikon can fix or update. Regardless at the end I used the front and back rotary dials than the top dials on the Fuji. Now it’s the same on the nikon. The ISO situation with nikon is very annoying. Overall though I haven’t looked back
The auto iso feature is very misunderstood. In my opinion, it’s the best implementation out there. Turn on auto iso then use the dial to limit the range. Much better than having to set different auto ISO profiles like on Fujifilm.
I see it the same and am always baffled with every new video of people complaining about it. But it seems they all do not come from Nikon. Here the reviewer says Fuji did a much better job because for him it's easier turnin 2 dials and one aperture ring to A than to just turn the PASM lever of the Zf to A 😁 It just shows how different people use stuff and I fully believe Nikon didn't see that coming. Either that many users really hate it or it kinda snowballed from the first one
Fuji auto-ISO also will go lower than the minimum shutter speed you set for the profile, which is obnoxious. what I do now is set the front command dial to control ISO. then I set the aperture + shutter speeds I want, or often let the shutter be Auto. From there I can just roll the front dial to get the exposure. I don't really care what it is because the X Trans sensor noise is great, in fact I prefer it over the in camera JPEG grain, so I purposely keep the ISO higher (400+ just like the DR400 setting does) to retain shadows. If Nikon had in camera LUTs I could apply to JPEGs and lenses with aperture rings, then maybe they can talk about being "what Fuji" intended to be. Until then, this is a copycat bandwagon body without the ecosystem to back it up.
@@toke7560 The Nikon Df was released on November 5, 2013. It was a full-frame DSLR camera with a FX format and an appearance similar to the Nikon FE and Nikon FM film cameras. The Fujifilm X-T1 is a weather-resistant mirrorless interchangeable lens camera announced by Fujifilm on January 28, 2014. You’re wrong, sorry.
I think people forgot how to hold a retro camera. as the weight just rests on your left hand in a old camera.. since dslr type bodies people got used to holding the weight in their grip hand... but again modern cameras and lenses are heavier than old SLRs so its is not always easy to hold it like an old camera
i think the bodies back then were very light weight. with no lcd screen the camera always had to be used in a way where you look into the view finder . the design makes more sense where you didn't need a grip. i own just one camera and it is XT5. I love using it. i had to buy a grip though for holding it for longer periods. lens like 27mm viltrox is easier to manage with the grip.
i forgot to add that XT 5 had better autofocus when I bought it than now. the firmware updates messed up the autofocus. i could autofocus butterflies in flight when I bought it even if the success rate was around 70%. now to get them under focus the success rate is under 40% which is like very bad. been many months and still waiting for Fujifilm to fix their problem. the new focus relies on contrast detection more than phase detection which is very unfortunate that they downgraded their autofocus.....
ISO dial works the same as the Df (which you should try! Colors are fantastic SOOC). If you don’t want auto ISO, just set the ISO on the dial. If you do, setup auto ISO in the menu-now your ISO dial on top of the camera becomes a ISO limiter! Say you set auto ISO max for 6400 in the menu. Leave it on C and you get just that. Twirl the dial to 400 and now the ISO limit is 400… still auto ISO. it’s a great implementation that allows you quick control over image noise.
Same just grab the non-se for even cheaper. The 26 is my favorite of the small primes but quite a bit more expensive, the 28 is great for video since the af is so quiet but non crazy about it for pics.
I mostly got the SE versions because they look more vintage so completes the vintage look and makes it less of a target for thieves (at least in theory).
The silver ring on the retro lenses is not a fake aperture ring. It's a grip ring for you to grab when you mount and unmount the lens to/from the camera body. If you look at the old Nikkor AI and AI-S lenses for Nikon film cameras, they also have these rings and they are not aperture rings. The actual aperture rings were always black and located between the silver grip ring and the camera body. The silver grip rings were a nice feature on Nikon lenses because it meant you didn't put any stress on the focusing or aperture rings when mounting and unmounting the lenses.
I agree. And the correspondingly colored depth of focus lines engraved on the silver grip ring so you could dial in the range of focus you wanted for any aperture setting.
Here's the thing about the auto ISO. put the MAX ISO at 200 (Max on Nikon means the lowest number). Then just USE THE DIAL to set how high you want the ISO to be. For example, you want the camera to figure out the ISO for you between 100-3200. You just set the ISO to 3200 ON THE DIAL. The camera then will do AUTO ISO from 100-3200 and NOT higher than that. If you want to use Aperture priority then do that above in combination with EXPOSURE COMPENSATION.
This is how I use it, in manual with auto iso. The confusing thing is it’s opposite it aperture priority and the iso dial sets the minimum iso. This should be consistent through the different modes.
@@hunterhart1 No, I heard what you said. You don't seem to understand tho, If you want the camera to figure out just the ISO (not shutter speed) then put it on M mode and put the ISO on auto, the camera will figure out the ISO from the lowest (ISO 100) to whatever you have on the dial. If you use Aperture priority, the camera will figure out the Shutter speed first, not ISO. But the camera will always choose the lowest value (whenever possible) if you put it on auto ISO.
@@briannicklaus8447 Aperture priority means you want the camera to figure out the shutter speed. It's been always that way since the film day as the ISO is already set. So it makes sense that in Aperture priority the camera always choose ISO at the lowest value WHENEVER POSSIBLE.
Great video-I am a hobby photographer only, currently using an xt2 with the 35 f2, but I’ve been wanting something more compact. Do you think it would be better to just get the Fuji 27mmf2.8 or would the Nikon zfc with the 26f2.8 would be a nice enough upgrade?
I absolutely adore my ZF, I can shoot street with it then take it to the track and or motorsports events and shoot action. The color science is fantastic. The build quality is great and the heft is awesome. Some may complain it's heavy but even with my Tamron 35-150 it's heft is partially what I love about it.
The ZF seems like the perfect manual lens camera, especially with the aesthetic it has, but I could not figure out how to get it to zoom in for focus assist when adjusting focus. If it had that I'd pair it with a Voigtlander.
I just set it to subject detection when using the Voigtlander lenses. You could press the zoom button if you didn't want to use subject detection, but that's not quite as good as if it zoomed in when using the MF ring.... but again, I just let the box light up green when it's locked on the eye and I have a button set to show red lines on areas in focus if subject detection fails. I've yet to get out of focus image using these methods.
As for the lens. Z lenses lean toward hybrid shooters. Also being a kit lens, it's cheaper than the Fuji 18mm f2 lens. The Fuji 18mm f2 lens has an aperture ring but its autofocus is noisy and extends out. The Z lens focus is all internal and fully silent. The focus ring can be customized. Both lenses are very sharp. Go read both MTF charts. The Z lens actually outperforms the XF lens, after reviewing both. If you're shooting Raw on the Nikon you need to use Nikon NX software for its full lens correction, otherwise shoot JPEG. Even without it, it's still really good and perforns on par with the Fuji equivalent for half the cost. 18mm f2 (27mm eq.), $600 28mm f2.8 SE Z, $300 The 18mm f2 isn't worth $300 more for metal housing, an aperture ring for literally the same performance, with a loud AF motor, and non-internal focusing. The Fuji 18mm f2 is for photography. The Nikon 28mm f2.8 is for hybrid shooters. Plus you can always just get a slim adapter and put a Leica lens on it.
i been using the standard edition 40mm and i think it looks great on the ZF. Much better than SE. I also think the optics on it are actually pretty good, especially for a sub $200 lens. Definitely more than just "okay". My issue with the z-mount lens line up is the size of them.
1:15 actually the opposite, I have the grip but hate it. I find the camera easy to grab/use as is...then again I mostly shot on the Nikon F2 beforehand, that might have played some typa role.
I had the GFX50sii. I think nikon colors were actually quite similar except for the blues in the sky. Obviously the resolution is way higher on the GFX.
2:57 For auto ISO on the ZF, if you have a custom button used to set ISO (for example the REC button), you can press your custom button (when ISO dials is on C) and use the front dials (aperture one) to switch to auto iso. The back dials is used for setting your ISO and the front one is used for switching on/off Auto ISO
Yeah, and that just adds to the confusion even more. There's no 'auto' selection visible on the visible dials. It's just an odd way to design a camera. It's SO close to being an amazing camera.
@@natedagreat90 maybe not confusing as much as unintuitive. At least that was my experience with it. Maybe it’s not your experience. I find Fuji, Leica and Canon cameras to be incredibly intuitive to use and understand, but I’ve never gotten along with Nikon, Sony or Panasonic. Maybe just a matter of personal preference, but the Zf misses the mark for me from a UX/UI standpoint.
@MatthewMorse i guess , i had a fuji xt5 1600 bucks for that chep feeling body with mediocre raw image out put and over rated kit lens for 100 bucks more here is the nikon zf i shoot manual anyways as most should map the record button to control iso and use the front dial to switch between maual and auto iso and you can use the exposure compensation dial as needed easy peasy lemon squeezy nothing really to complain about
6:42 PLEASE stop saying the Z mount is backwards! Nikon had clockwise mounting since 1959 12 years before Canon has its first bayonet mount, counter clockwise. Needless to say, everyone is "backwards" compared to Nikon if mounting counter clockwise. As for the dials, Nikon has had the same dial layout since the original F of 1959. So again, everyone with "backwards" dials are in fact, backwards in comparison to Nikon.
@@hunterhart1 True, but my point still holds water. Stop calling it backwards because, Leica's M mount which was the FIRST bayonet mount was in fact clockwise, same as the Nikon F mount and same as the Z mount today. That said, I never said anything about Nikon being first, just that they had a bayonet mount before Canon and in this case, Fujifilm.
@@arunashamal But then how do you shoot at waist level? The issue with a fully-articulating screen is that in order to shoot from low angles, you have to flip the screen out to the side of the camera, which is a super odd experience as compared to having a screen like on the Fuji XT5 that can flip up horizontally or vertically, but not flip completely around. It's a prime example of Hunter's (and my) entire argument that the Zf is trying to be too many things and isn't doing any of them extraordinarily well. Is it for video? Is it for stills? Is it for vloggers? Is it for people seeking a more tactile, analog experience with digital? Yes, yes, yes, and yes. But it's not good enough at ALL of those things to be good enough for anyoen looking for a camera that excels at just one of those things. A jack of all trades, as it were.
@@MatthewMorse It is a hybrid camera. You might not shoot video, but Nikon Df got roasted for not having video despite being one of the greatest DSLR experiences at the time. Nikon learned the lesson. XT5 is the Fuji's flagship camera. and NIkon's flagship z9 has a non fully articulating screen too. The problem is comparing Flagship camera from Fuji to a cool, hip casual camera from Nikon. The reality is lot of people shoot video and people who would buy a "fun" camera like ZF are the most likely to shoot vlog style videos, not the person who buy the z9. Nikon probably didn't want the same reaction as df.. And also if people are really into the "retro thing" they can shoot it the way how a real deal SLR was shot back in the day.
@@arunashamal You missed my point entirely... For me (and for Hunter and for other folks that have made the same complaint), the fully articulating screen is a dealbreaker on a camera that was designed specifically for stills photography. It's an odd juxtaposition. It's contrarian to build a camera that looks like a film camera, and then around back, cater almost solely to a video-centric audience. Fuji tried the fully articulating screen on the X-T4 and went back to a tilt screen on the X-T5. Nikon should do the same with a Zf2 if they really want to hold on to the photography crowd. Everyone I know that wants or has or has used a Nikon Zf is/was interested in it as a stills camera. I know Nikon got blasted for not having video in the Df, but, realistically, how many of those mouth-breathing tech reviewers were really ever going to use the Df to make a video? None of them. They just like to bitch about video specs and slam companies because they get paid to do so. Actual working or enthusiast photographers seek out the right tool for them. For people like Hunter and myself, the Zf wasn't it. That doesn't mean it isn't the right tool for someone else. It just means we found enough that we didn't like about it to not hold on to it as a primary camera.
I have Nikon for analog and the F3 for exemple is what the ZF should be on Zf. I have no curiosity to even try it. Ive edites some of the raw from the zf and they Look fantastic when it comes to color. But better than fujifilm ? Depends. If you compare with X-T4 or X100V probably. But have you tried the X100Vi, X-T5 or X100VI with the 40mp sensor? Anyway. I do love my F3 and F80 with the Velvia or Superia 100 film ;)
Great video mate. As a ZF user since release and as well as Nikon F3 and FA owner, I have to say the grip is not really that much of a downside, since it’s trying to replicate the vintage film camera format. Also, you guys should try the 35mm 1.4 and 50mm 1.2 from Artralab, both manual lens, but the look just fits ZF perfectly! Optical performance is decent with a bit of character, plus not expensive at all!
I made the switch from the Fuji X-T5 to the Nikon ZF and I’ve never disliked a camera more in my life. The SE kit lenses aren’t good and I forgot how much I loathe the Nikon menu system. My ZF is on eBay for sale and I’m heading back to Fuji. Mad at myself for making the switch.
Tough switch for just aesthetics. The ZF outclasses the Fuji on on almost all Aspects. Buying the ZF hoping it was laid out like a Fuji was probably your first mistake.
@ definitely wasn’t an “aesthetic” switch. I was with Nikon for five years until I went all in on Fuji in 2018. The ZF reminds me of every reason I left Nikon to begin with. Having owned both, I would disagree between the X-H2 and the ZF.
@@justinkohl3818did you try out the manual focus stuff? I’ve got the X-T5 and have been thinking about switching to the ZF. Trying out a bunch of manual lenses seems fun.
@@dbean5174 I did, I had the newest Techart adapter to autofocus all of my Leica M glass. Like I’ve learned with the same adapters for Fuji, they never work as well as you think they will, especially for the price. Manual focusing is pretty similar to manual focusing on a Fuji with old lenses.
Thanks for the video 👍 did you have a chance to try the ZF with an M lens ? I find it to be a great system for adapting M lenses, especially if you have a nice adapter to do it. And of course it perfectly matches the retro design and philosophy of the camera. I mean, of course your M10 is better for it, but outside of an M body, the ZF is great for this. By the way, how would you rate the ZF sensor compared to the Leica M10 sensor ? All the best 🙏 cheers !
@hunterhart1 Thank you for your advice! One day i choose Nikon (full frame, way better AF, better in low light, better building), the day after i choose Fuji (tilt screen, more pixels, more light and compact and more lenses with aperture rings). It's the first time i hesitate so much. Today the scales are tipped towards Nikon.
Oh man! This is only one of two cameras I have GAS about (the other being the Leica Q3 43). I have the Fujifilm x-T5 and I keep thinking about how much I would love the Zf for being a full frame version of what I love (the dials). So, I'll keep watching. But you might have solved my problem!
You just have to set the record button to an iso button and you can switch to auto iso holding the record button and turning the front command dial.. If you’re a Nikon user for years you know to do this for certain bodies
I am not a Nikon shooter, so to figure out how to do something so simple would annoy me if I was trying to switch over. That is the point. Not user friendly in that regard. I don't use auto ISO, that point was for people who do.
There aren’t only two lenses. Try manually focusing with m glass. Game changer with auto eye detect, focus confirmation etc. the grip is fine if you know how to hold a camera. One handed shooting isn’t a thing and never will be a thing. This is a value driven camera directed at Fuji users who wear a camera as a fashion item. It’s an awesome camera that definitely leaves a little to be desired… but all in all- one retro release by Nikon and Fuji users jump ship and ride the Nikon train. I do agree about the lenses- I wish they had aperture rings- but hopefully sigma art lenses will Be available soon.
@ oh I see. I don’t think they make any retro styled lenses to be honest. The attempt is pretty bad at best. I just run Voigtlander glass or m glass. I have the 28, 40 and 50 1.8s which are all great. But seriously lacking in the retro design department.
Liked your review and agree with your feelings about the raw images. THere's definitely something very pleasing and natural to them- almost like the opposite of what the q3 does which can be much harder and aggressive looking sooc.
Maybe I‘m in the minority here but I feel like Nikon should’ve gone all in with the Zf and price it at 1000$ more, give it a more premium and sturdy build and the 45 MP sensor from the z7 II. The retro design doesn’t cater to hybrid shooting anyways IMO. Oh and lose that flip screen and give it that nice implementation that Fuji has on the X-T3 and X-T5.
@@flixbertmeh, I have a Zf and a Z8 and I can’t tell the difference between photos from the two just scrolling through my photo album. I gotta pixel peep or look at metadata to tell the difference.
You already know how I feel about this camera because we've talked about it ad nauseam, but agree 100%. The color science in the Zf is absolutely incredible. I think if they were to round out the lens lineup with some better optics that look the part and give a true exposure 'triangle' on the camera, and rework the UX a little bit to override software with some of the hardware controls (A on the dials like on Fuji cameras, for instance), they'd have a better system overall. Having mechanical dials for things, but then also having control wheels that will also control those things just creates a weirdly confusing experience. At this point, though, his is just a Z6-series camera shoved into a retro-looking body, and it's awkward to use because of it. This camera is so easy to like, but for me, was just hard to love.
PASM on the ZF works better than the Fuji for me, because on Fuji if you want to use full auto, you have to change every DIALS to A. In Nikon you just change one dial. Also when you want to go back to full manual, you don't have to turn the dial from A all the way to your desired number.
@ I could see that. For me, it’s not as intuitive, but that could be a matter of being used to one or the other. I personally found Nikon’s menus to be incredibly confusing so navigating the camera outside of the dials was never a fluid experience for me.
@@ironmonkey1512 100% agree. They’re almost… flat? But not lacking in color or contrast. They just don’t really shift one way or the other. It’s a unique look for sure.
I tried a Zf with the 40mm retro style lens for a weekend but returned the kit. I didn't like the auto ISO implementation, inability to use a dial for 1/3 shutter stops in conjunction with the shutter speed dial, or the articulating screen. The body was also much heavier than I wanted, so I decided to stick with a Fujifilm X-T5 for now. My main interest in the camera was street photography, and the X-T5 is a better fit for what I want to do. The sensor on the Zf was excellent, and it has made me consider Nikon for other types of photography while keeping Fujifilm for the retro/street photography experience.
If I could take the Zf sensor and drop it in an XT5 or XPro body, I'd be in camera heaven. The color science Nikon developed around that 24mp sensor is in a class of its own, IMO.
@@MatthewMorse Doesn't makes sense. ZF is already in an XT5 body, but with better build quality. XT5 body is so trash, I owned XT2 for many years and it's still have better build than XT5
@@ufukkiblat I disagree that the XT5 is trash. I owned one for several months and it was a great camera. And given most of Fuji’s lenses are weather sealed, it’s actually a step up from the Zf with the 40 or 28, which were rehoused specifically to match the aesthetics of the Zf. I carried an XT1 and 35WR through Iceland in pouring rain, sleet and snow. It got drenched and never missed a beat. Not sure I would trust the Zf and 40 to make that same trip. But that’s what’s great about photography. There’s a camera for everyone.
@@MatthewMorse trash is probably too harsh but if you held X-T1 and X-T2 side by side with X-T5 you'll notice significant difference in build quality. I had X-T1, X-T2 and X-T3. Skipped over X-T4 and went to try X-T5 and majorly disappointed. Also for some reason I feel like X-T3 autofocus is better than X-T5 which is very weird.
@@ufukkiblat I would say that, for me, I agree that the pinnacle of Fuji's XT lineup was the X-T3. I think the X-T5 is very close, but it seems that maybe they're using more engineered plastics in those than the X-T3. I could be wrong about that. I tried the X-T4, but the articulating screen was a dealbreaker for me. Fuji's autofocus has never been great, but I think as they've tried to implement more 'intelligent' AF modes (like Sony or Nikon has), their software has somehow made it worse. I don't own any Fuji cameras currently. My last one was an X-Pro3 which is my favorite digital camera I've ever owned by a long shot. I never used it for anything fast (nor would I), and as a photography-centric tool, it ticked a lot of boxes for me. IMO, Fuji should ditch the XH and XM lineup (even though they just did the XM5) and go back to the XPro, XT, and XE. Lean more into the photography space, and not try to compete with Sony and Panasonic in the video arena as they can't get there in terms of output and active AF. There are enough photographers out there that are passionate about Fuji's photography-first, analog-style approach from the early 2010s that they don't need to appeal to the broader market of videographers and hybrid vlog shooters.
Fujifilm better wake up. Based on the video it seems like Nikon is just one good retro lens with a real aperture ring away from grabbing their marketshare
I just have auto iso in my quick menu , where ever it is at on my iso dial will be the highest point so I kept it at 6400 most of the time . If I want more I can just turn the dial .
I understand but I think for people who shoot aperture priority, it could be a lot simpler. I personally do not want to go into the menu while shooting.
@@hunterhart1yeah I guess , I shot Fujifilm for years before the zf and currently own a couple Sony a7iv’s it’s not the worst thing in the world. The zf in my edc so it basically lives on auto iso . Everybody has differnt needs so it’s understandable. Great video .
Hold the camera with your left hand. It's a two hand camera. Same for the DF, Zfc, F3, F2, F, SP, etc. One handed operation requires a deep grip, otherwise, hold the camera+lens with your left hand.
Also, cash grab? You can't be serious. The FM3a was made till 2006. The DF released in 2013 (6/7yr gap) ahead of the 2014 Fuji X-T1. DF discontinued mid 2018. Fuji was late post SLR, and used Nikon digital bodies for its sensors. The DF is the smallest FX DSLR. The Zfc came out 3yrs after the DF was discontinued in 2018. The DF had no competition with Fuji bodies being APS-C. Not even Leica made a fully manual (top plate dials) operated (full frame) digital camera, especially not in DSLR or Mirrorless interchangeable lens configuration or even rangefinder for that matter. They kept the trend of a shutter speed dial and maybe exp comp. Nikon is the only one that's really kept full manual control dials on bodies (top plate and aperture dial). Their aperture control is on the lens or sub command dial. Their digital bodies ISO is in the menus or on a sub command wheel. On film, it's on the back door. So bandwagon? Cash grab? 😅 That's actually Fuji riding Nikon coat tail for decades.
You don't have to go in the menu, just set up your record button to be iso and turn the front dial to swith from auto iso to manual hearing people complaining about auto iso is getting lame
@@hunterhart1 you don't lose anything. You get really fantastic rendering lenses that look the part and have the manual controls and subject detection in MF. Try out at least the 40mm f/1.2 before you write of the idea, there is a reason so many Zf shooters go for the Voigtländer lenses.
@@hunterhart1 usually because you like Nikon, like Nikon control, colour science, image quality, or any other number of reasons. I really suggest giving it a go, the Voigtländer lenses really match well with the Zf. Unless you must have AF.
Great camera. Eventually, 24.5mb is enough and makes good size IQ sense compared with recent 40 or 60mp cameras. Could see myself switching from my beloved xpro3 to this camera aiming for full frame. Xpro3 also has metal dials and great shutter sound to me. I only think the lens lineup of this camera do not match the retro style of the body (from what I've seen) and honestly, my deal breaker here, is the side flip screen. Really? A video like back screen on what could be possibly the best street photography camera? I personally would love to see on the Zf the back flip screen like the Xpro3. I find it the best solution to shoot from the hip; It's somehow like a Mamya style where where we can shoot more discreetly looking from up the camera and is practical to unfold it fast. Now, owning a XT5 too, I find the back screen not so practical because it's like a 2 step to open: first pull it back, then turn it horizontal. But that's me, I know a lot of people hate the Xpro3 back screen so I would not ask for it on the Zf but at least the same system as the Xt5 (or some recent Sony's). Pulling a screen to the side to flip it is more intrusive for street photography, takes more space, only makes sense to me on a camera optimized to video.
To get around the Auto-ISO thing, I mapped the video record button to the top item in My Menu. Then I made Auto-ISO the top item in My Menu. Probelm solved.
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Meh, Nikon has being doing retro longer than Fujifilm has been making digital cameras. Also, the Zf control layout is infinitely superior to the stupid “A” settings on the Fuji dials. Things like jumping from full manual to aperture priority to shutter priority and back to full manual is much much faster on the Nikon. Don’t even get me started on auto ISO with Fuji. When I had my Fuji kit, I despised having to jump into the menus to change auto iso settings. With the Nikon I can just spin the iso dial to change my auto iso settings.
I use fuji even though I'm a Nikon fan, like most other brands photographers most will either own a fuji or at least have owned one in the past, I agree with the lack of retro glass for the ZF and yes fuji wins on this, but fuji you said is better glass? I disagree.... Fuji glass on majority of its lenses has something lacking on Z glass? Character something that Z glass fails on, however on the other side if Sharpness and the ability to control ghosting,flare and so on Z glass is just better, in my opinion, and that's why I use nikons old lenses, Sharpness is normally not my thing but, character of glass is..... That been said be owned most of nikon camera's and now see no need to ever buy another nikon because the ZF is everything I've needed or want, And it fits within like brother n sister with fuji next to my nikon in my bag, match made in heaven, one isn't better than the other but more like they complement each other,.thats so rare
@hunterhart1 A raw file is not an image before software has made an interpretation of it. If you shoot jpg, then you get the brands color science (in camera raw developing) but when you shoot raw it you have to use third party software. The only brands that offer both is hasselblad and phase one and nikon as far as i know. Also, if you take almost any camera and do a raw profile (in Lumariver for example) for lightroom and then compare, you wouldn’t be able to tell any difference in colors, only noise and dynamic range.
@ In that case the computers OS is often reading the embedded jpg thumbnail. That’s why the photo suddenly looks different when opened in Lr for example. But this is in a way good news, you can get a camera from the brand you like the most and just make your own profile that suits your style and workflow! No need to take color science in the decision! Although, some brands might have collaboration with Lr. I know nikon now have a quite good “Camera matching” profile in Lr.
3 reasons why I wouldn't buy it 1 24 mps ..No thanks I like 40 plus. Always have and that's me ..crop's and so on 2 the screen..ITS a video screen 3 weight ...it's heavy for street camera 4 the grip 5 lens options are average and no aperture ring ...aperture rings have a functional purpose to using it on the fly Everything else is pretty good 👍...but no it wouldn't make me swap
counterpoint, Fuji has sensible lenses for their retro cameras. also I saw someone praise Nikon color science and woof really? it's so bad compared to the other two systems I use. Zf is a cool camera but without better lenses it's hard to want to pick it over my other cameras, sadly.
I agree with you. Sold my Fuji XS-20 for the ZF, and the lens offering is a weak point imo. Nikon primes are either oversized or ugly compact toys. I don't want an oversized rig and there are times I want snapshots of things at distances closer than 1m. Unfortunately, the image quality of these compact lenses (28mm and 40mm) completely fall apart at short distance. At longer distances they do a great job with tasteful classical rendering though. The only option for me is the 26mm pancake. Build quality is acceptable. It's really compact and image has a sharp clinical rendering and holds up well at all distances. This lens and the Voigtlander offerings pretty much save the ZF for me. The Fuji system compared to Nikon has beautiful lenses in different sizes with aperture rings. Image quality just as good and sometimes even better than the Nikon lenses in my opinion. In the end, aesthetics and feel of a lens does matter. If aesthetics and feel didn't matter, why even bother with the inefficient dials of the ZF when you can get a modern body like the Z6III and shoot your way much more efficiently. I hope Nikon makes some well styled high quality compact lenses in the future, because I'm enjoying my time with the ZF even with the subpar lens offering for my use case.
Lots of lack of familiarity and ignorance being displayed here. I suggest you pull this video and spend 6 months using the Zf and then watch this video so you'll understand all the mistakes. Then post your revised review.
Meh, Nikon has being doing retro longer than Fujifilm has been making digital cameras. Also, the Zf control layout is infinitely superior to the stupid “A” settings on the Fuji dials. Things like jumping from full manual to aperture priority to shutter priority and back to full manual is much much faster on the Nikon. Don’t even get me started on auto ISO with Fuji. When I had my Fuji kit, I despised having to jump into the menus to change auto iso settings. With the Nikon I can just spin the iso dial to change my auto iso settings.
![Noob To Max With DRAGON REWORK In Blox Fruits [FULL MOVIE]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/LnBMOinoOvA/mqdefault.jpg)
Moved to Zf from X-T5. Wanted to make full use of my vintage full frame lenses. I do miss the exposure triangle of Fujifilm which maybe nikon can fix or update. Regardless at the end I used the front and back rotary dials than the top dials on the Fuji. Now it’s the same on the nikon. The ISO situation with nikon is very annoying. Overall though I haven’t looked back
The auto iso feature is very misunderstood. In my opinion, it’s the best implementation out there. Turn on auto iso then use the dial to limit the range. Much better than having to set different auto ISO profiles like on Fujifilm.
I agree. Would even be better if in Aperture Priority, the shutter dial sets the minimum shutter.
This
I see it the same and am always baffled with every new video of people complaining about it. But it seems they all do not come from Nikon. Here the reviewer says Fuji did a much better job because for him it's easier turnin 2 dials and one aperture ring to A than to just turn the PASM lever of the Zf to A 😁 It just shows how different people use stuff and I fully believe Nikon didn't see that coming. Either that many users really hate it or it kinda snowballed from the first one
Fuji auto-ISO also will go lower than the minimum shutter speed you set for the profile, which is obnoxious. what I do now is set the front command dial to control ISO. then I set the aperture + shutter speeds I want, or often let the shutter be Auto. From there I can just roll the front dial to get the exposure. I don't really care what it is because the X Trans sensor noise is great, in fact I prefer it over the in camera JPEG grain, so I purposely keep the ISO higher (400+ just like the DR400 setting does) to retain shadows.
If Nikon had in camera LUTs I could apply to JPEGs and lenses with aperture rings, then maybe they can talk about being "what Fuji" intended to be. Until then, this is a copycat bandwagon body without the ecosystem to back it up.
No thats not what Fujifilm wanted to be, stop the click bait.
Dead right. Fujifilm were there first.The rest just copy with their version.
@@toke7560 The Nikon Df was released on November 5, 2013. It was a full-frame DSLR camera with a FX format and an appearance similar to the Nikon FE and Nikon FM film cameras. The Fujifilm X-T1 is a weather-resistant mirrorless interchangeable lens camera announced by Fujifilm on January 28, 2014. You’re wrong, sorry.
@@adomolis did they tell you that?
@@toke7560first to what?
Just wondering how we ever held onto our 35mm film cameras back in the day.
I think people forgot how to hold a retro camera. as the weight just rests on your left hand in a old camera.. since dslr type bodies people got used to holding the weight in their grip hand... but again modern cameras and lenses are heavier than old SLRs so its is not always easy to hold it like an old camera
I have an FM2 and it’s way lighter than the Zf so I think that’s part of it lol
i think the bodies back then were very light weight. with no lcd screen the camera always had to be used in a way where you look into the view finder . the design makes more sense where you didn't need a grip. i own just one camera and it is XT5. I love using it. i had to buy a grip though for holding it for longer periods. lens like 27mm viltrox is easier to manage with the grip.
i forgot to add that XT 5 had better autofocus when I bought it than now. the firmware updates messed up the autofocus. i could autofocus butterflies in flight when I bought it even if the success rate was around 70%. now to get them under focus the success rate is under 40% which is like very bad. been many months and still waiting for Fujifilm to fix their problem. the new focus relies on contrast detection more than phase detection which is very unfortunate that they downgraded their autofocus.....
ISO dial works the same as the Df (which you should try! Colors are fantastic SOOC). If you don’t want auto ISO, just set the ISO on the dial. If you do, setup auto ISO in the menu-now your ISO dial on top of the camera becomes a ISO limiter! Say you set auto ISO max for 6400 in the menu. Leave it on C and you get just that. Twirl the dial to 400 and now the ISO limit is 400… still auto ISO. it’s a great implementation that allows you quick control over image noise.
I might be in the minority here, but I really don't like the look of these SE lenses and prefer how my Zf looks like with the normal 28mm and 40mm.
Same just grab the non-se for even cheaper. The 26 is my favorite of the small primes but quite a bit more expensive, the 28 is great for video since the af is so quiet but non crazy about it for pics.
Same here - bought the nomal versions.
I mostly got the SE versions because they look more vintage so completes the vintage look and makes it less of a target for thieves (at least in theory).
You're not in the minority. The older models are cheaper and the same optics.
Same, the normal ones are also cheaper. If you want true vintage you would get voigtlanders anyway
The silver ring on the retro lenses is not a fake aperture ring. It's a grip ring for you to grab when you mount and unmount the lens to/from the camera body. If you look at the old Nikkor AI and AI-S lenses for Nikon film cameras, they also have these rings and they are not aperture rings. The actual aperture rings were always black and located between the silver grip ring and the camera body. The silver grip rings were a nice feature on Nikon lenses because it meant you didn't put any stress on the focusing or aperture rings when mounting and unmounting the lenses.
yes... but the Nikon classic aperture ring was cool tho, with those blue yellow pink aperture numbers..They should've included it.
I agree. And the correspondingly colored depth of focus lines engraved on the silver grip ring so you could dial in the range of focus you wanted for any aperture setting.
Here's the thing about the auto ISO. put the MAX ISO at 200 (Max on Nikon means the lowest number). Then just USE THE DIAL to set how high you want the ISO to be.
For example, you want the camera to figure out the ISO for you between 100-3200. You just set the ISO to 3200 ON THE DIAL. The camera then will do AUTO ISO from 100-3200 and NOT higher than that.
If you want to use Aperture priority then do that above in combination with EXPOSURE COMPENSATION.
This is how I use it, in manual with auto iso. The confusing thing is it’s opposite it aperture priority and the iso dial sets the minimum iso. This should be consistent through the different modes.
@briannicklaus8447 yeah, but once you learn it, it's really not a big deal as people make it you should only be shooting manual anyway
I understand how it works... I think you missed what I was saying.
@@hunterhart1 No, I heard what you said. You don't seem to understand tho,
If you want the camera to figure out just the ISO (not shutter speed) then put it on M mode and put the ISO on auto, the camera will figure out the ISO from the lowest (ISO 100) to whatever you have on the dial.
If you use Aperture priority, the camera will figure out the Shutter speed first, not ISO. But the camera will always choose the lowest value (whenever possible) if you put it on auto ISO.
@@briannicklaus8447 Aperture priority means you want the camera to figure out the shutter speed. It's been always that way since the film day as the ISO is already set. So it makes sense that in Aperture priority the camera always choose ISO at the lowest value WHENEVER POSSIBLE.
Reminds me of the FM2. I still have it. I remember the FM2 didn't switch the ISO automatically either.
The Voigtlander apo z lenses are great for this camera.
Great video-I am a hobby photographer only, currently using an xt2 with the 35 f2, but I’ve been wanting something more compact. Do you think it would be better to just get the Fuji 27mmf2.8 or would the Nikon zfc with the 26f2.8 would be a nice enough upgrade?
I absolutely adore my ZF, I can shoot street with it then take it to the track and or motorsports events and shoot action. The color science is fantastic. The build quality is great and the heft is awesome. Some may complain it's heavy but even with my Tamron 35-150 it's heft is partially what I love about it.
The ZF seems like the perfect manual lens camera, especially with the aesthetic it has, but I could not figure out how to get it to zoom in for focus assist when adjusting focus. If it had that I'd pair it with a Voigtlander.
I just set it to subject detection when using the Voigtlander lenses. You could press the zoom button if you didn't want to use subject detection, but that's not quite as good as if it zoomed in when using the MF ring.... but again, I just let the box light up green when it's locked on the eye and I have a button set to show red lines on areas in focus if subject detection fails. I've yet to get out of focus image using these methods.
I remapped the video record button (not needed when shooting photos) to 100% Zoom. Convenient placement and works like a charm, hope this helps.
I use the front button near the lens to punch in for critical focus. I use Voigtlander and Zeiss lenses on the Zf. Only autofocus is the 180-600
As for the lens. Z lenses lean toward hybrid shooters. Also being a kit lens, it's cheaper than the Fuji 18mm f2 lens. The Fuji 18mm f2 lens has an aperture ring but its autofocus is noisy and extends out. The Z lens focus is all internal and fully silent. The focus ring can be customized.
Both lenses are very sharp. Go read both MTF charts. The Z lens actually outperforms the XF lens, after reviewing both.
If you're shooting Raw on the Nikon you need to use Nikon NX software for its full lens correction, otherwise shoot JPEG. Even without it, it's still really good and perforns on par with the Fuji equivalent for half the cost.
18mm f2 (27mm eq.), $600
28mm f2.8 SE Z, $300
The 18mm f2 isn't worth $300 more for metal housing, an aperture ring for literally the same performance, with a loud AF motor, and non-internal focusing.
The Fuji 18mm f2 is for photography. The Nikon 28mm f2.8 is for hybrid shooters. Plus you can always just get a slim adapter and put a Leica lens on it.
@@dct124 I don’t understand why Fuji hasn’t updated the 18/2 to the new R/WR styling of the other “Fujicrons.” That and the 35/1.4 need an update.
@MatthewMorse idk. Forgot to mention the Nikon 28mm f2.8 doesn't have focus breathing either.
i been using the standard edition 40mm and i think it looks great on the ZF. Much better than SE. I also think the optics on it are actually pretty good, especially for a sub $200 lens. Definitely more than just "okay".
My issue with the z-mount lens line up is the size of them.
1:15 actually the opposite, I have the grip but hate it. I find the camera easy to grab/use as is...then again I mostly shot on the Nikon F2 beforehand, that might have played some typa role.
You’re the only one
Great video! I’m thinking of buying the zf and are the Fuji gfx images a lot better than Nikon full frame ? As I shoot a lot with my gfx50r
The image quality is superior on the GFX as far as sharpness and detail but I prefer the natural look of the nikon. That is just me though.
I had the GFX50sii. I think nikon colors were actually quite similar except for the blues in the sky. Obviously the resolution is way higher on the GFX.
2:57 For auto ISO on the ZF, if you have a custom button used to set ISO (for example the REC button), you can press your custom button (when ISO dials is on C) and use the front dials (aperture one) to switch to auto iso.
The back dials is used for setting your ISO and the front one is used for switching on/off Auto ISO
Do you see how that is not straight forward? They could have made that easier imo
You dont have to put it “C” before going into the menu for Auto-ISO. Just turning on Auto-ISO in the menu will override anything the dial says.
Yeah, and that just adds to the confusion even more. There's no 'auto' selection visible on the visible dials. It's just an odd way to design a camera. It's SO close to being an amazing camera.
There's nothing confusing about it, man, it's not physics or astronomy.@MatthewMorse
@@natedagreat90 maybe not confusing as much as unintuitive. At least that was my experience with it. Maybe it’s not your experience. I find Fuji, Leica and Canon cameras to be incredibly intuitive to use and understand, but I’ve never gotten along with Nikon, Sony or Panasonic.
Maybe just a matter of personal preference, but the Zf misses the mark for me from a UX/UI standpoint.
@MatthewMorse i guess , i had a fuji xt5 1600 bucks for that chep feeling body with mediocre raw image out put and over rated kit lens for 100 bucks more here is the nikon zf i shoot manual anyways as most should map the record button to control iso and use the front dial to switch between maual and auto iso and you can use the exposure compensation dial as needed easy peasy lemon squeezy nothing really to complain about
@MatthewMorse to say it's so close to being amazing is just funny if this camera isn't amazing every other fuji camera is just trash than
6:42 PLEASE stop saying the Z mount is backwards! Nikon had clockwise mounting since 1959 12 years before Canon has its first bayonet mount, counter clockwise. Needless to say, everyone is "backwards" compared to Nikon if mounting counter clockwise. As for the dials, Nikon has had the same dial layout since the original F of 1959. So again, everyone with "backwards" dials are in fact, backwards in comparison to Nikon.
Leica was first.
@@hunterhart1 True, but my point still holds water. Stop calling it backwards because, Leica's M mount which was the FIRST bayonet mount was in fact clockwise, same as the Nikon F mount and same as the Z mount today. That said, I never said anything about Nikon being first, just that they had a bayonet mount before Canon and in this case, Fujifilm.
Who cares 😂
@@DJJS7 if a channel dedicated to gear review can't even get that right, what else have they gotten wrong?
2:14 For a photo camera, the flip-out screen is a deal breaker for me.
@@frankfeng2701 1000%
Don't flip it out then!
@@arunashamal But then how do you shoot at waist level? The issue with a fully-articulating screen is that in order to shoot from low angles, you have to flip the screen out to the side of the camera, which is a super odd experience as compared to having a screen like on the Fuji XT5 that can flip up horizontally or vertically, but not flip completely around.
It's a prime example of Hunter's (and my) entire argument that the Zf is trying to be too many things and isn't doing any of them extraordinarily well. Is it for video? Is it for stills? Is it for vloggers? Is it for people seeking a more tactile, analog experience with digital? Yes, yes, yes, and yes. But it's not good enough at ALL of those things to be good enough for anyoen looking for a camera that excels at just one of those things. A jack of all trades, as it were.
@@MatthewMorse It is a hybrid camera. You might not shoot video, but Nikon Df got roasted for not having video despite being one of the greatest DSLR experiences at the time. Nikon learned the lesson. XT5 is the Fuji's flagship camera. and NIkon's flagship z9 has a non fully articulating screen too. The problem is comparing Flagship camera from Fuji to a cool, hip casual camera from Nikon.
The reality is lot of people shoot video and people who would buy a "fun" camera like ZF are the most likely to shoot vlog style videos, not the person who buy the z9. Nikon probably didn't want the same reaction as df.. And also if people are really into the "retro thing" they can shoot it the way how a real deal SLR was shot back in the day.
@@arunashamal You missed my point entirely... For me (and for Hunter and for other folks that have made the same complaint), the fully articulating screen is a dealbreaker on a camera that was designed specifically for stills photography. It's an odd juxtaposition. It's contrarian to build a camera that looks like a film camera, and then around back, cater almost solely to a video-centric audience. Fuji tried the fully articulating screen on the X-T4 and went back to a tilt screen on the X-T5. Nikon should do the same with a Zf2 if they really want to hold on to the photography crowd. Everyone I know that wants or has or has used a Nikon Zf is/was interested in it as a stills camera.
I know Nikon got blasted for not having video in the Df, but, realistically, how many of those mouth-breathing tech reviewers were really ever going to use the Df to make a video? None of them. They just like to bitch about video specs and slam companies because they get paid to do so. Actual working or enthusiast photographers seek out the right tool for them. For people like Hunter and myself, the Zf wasn't it. That doesn't mean it isn't the right tool for someone else. It just means we found enough that we didn't like about it to not hold on to it as a primary camera.
what grip do you use?
Small rig
I have Nikon for analog and the F3 for exemple is what the ZF should be on Zf. I have no curiosity to even try it. Ive edites some of the raw from the zf and they Look fantastic when it comes to color. But better than fujifilm ? Depends. If you compare with X-T4 or X100V probably. But have you tried the X100Vi, X-T5 or X100VI with the 40mp sensor? Anyway. I do love my F3 and F80 with the Velvia or Superia 100 film ;)
Yes I had the XH2
Great video mate. As a ZF user since release and as well as Nikon F3 and FA owner, I have to say the grip is not really that much of a downside, since it’s trying to replicate the vintage film camera format.
Also, you guys should try the 35mm 1.4 and 50mm 1.2 from Artralab, both manual lens, but the look just fits ZF perfectly! Optical performance is decent with a bit of character, plus not expensive at all!
interesting hearing your thoughts about the sensor. that sooc shot was very pleasing!
I made the switch from the Fuji X-T5 to the Nikon ZF and I’ve never disliked a camera more in my life. The SE kit lenses aren’t good and I forgot how much I loathe the Nikon menu system. My ZF is on eBay for sale and I’m heading back to Fuji. Mad at myself for making the switch.
Tough switch for just aesthetics. The ZF outclasses the Fuji on on almost all
Aspects. Buying the ZF hoping it was laid out like a Fuji was probably your first mistake.
@ definitely wasn’t an “aesthetic” switch. I was with Nikon for five years until I went all in on Fuji in 2018. The ZF reminds me of every reason I left Nikon to begin with. Having owned both, I would disagree between the X-H2 and the ZF.
@@justinkohl3818did you try out the manual focus stuff? I’ve got the X-T5 and have been thinking about switching to the ZF. Trying out a bunch of manual lenses seems fun.
@@dbean5174 I did, I had the newest Techart adapter to autofocus all of my Leica M glass. Like I’ve learned with the same adapters for Fuji, they never work as well as you think they will, especially for the price. Manual focusing is pretty similar to manual focusing on a Fuji with old lenses.
That is the flip for me, the ZF is a great camera but the (retro) glass is subpar
I love RF style bodies, and this ZF is the only camera in the SLR body that I really want. Takes me back to the days of my Pentax K1000.
Thanks for the video 👍 did you have a chance to try the ZF with an M lens ? I find it to be a great system for adapting M lenses, especially if you have a nice adapter to do it. And of course it perfectly matches the retro design and philosophy of the camera. I mean, of course your M10 is better for it, but outside of an M body, the ZF is great for this. By the way, how would you rate the ZF sensor compared to the Leica M10 sensor ?
All the best 🙏 cheers !
unfortunately not, I wish. I think this would have been so fun to do.
Who is this guy Mathew you make reference to?
Mask On Nurse Marty (Ret)
I hope they actually rehouse their old lenses from 70s and 80s, with no changes to lens design but just adding a AF motor.
I have an X-T3 that i want to upgrade and i still can't decide between X-T5 and Nikon Zf. That makes me crazy!
@@anthonymahieu8392 I’d go Nikon
@hunterhart1 Thank you for your advice! One day i choose Nikon (full frame, way better AF, better in low light, better building), the day after i choose Fuji (tilt screen, more pixels, more light and compact and more lenses with aperture rings). It's the first time i hesitate so much.
Today the scales are tipped towards Nikon.
Old Nikon lenses with adapter works well and has subject detection in manual focus lenses
Nice video, but why does a photographer use such dim lighting for his RUclips video?
I am a moody guy I guess. Thanks
Oh man! This is only one of two cameras I have GAS about (the other being the Leica Q3 43). I have the Fujifilm x-T5 and I keep thinking about how much I would love the Zf for being a full frame version of what I love (the dials). So, I'll keep watching. But you might have solved my problem!
You’ll love either camera honestly
You just have to set the record button to an iso button and you can switch to auto iso holding the record button and turning the front command dial.. If you’re a Nikon user for years you know to do this for certain bodies
I am not a Nikon shooter, so to figure out how to do something so simple would annoy me if I was trying to switch over. That is the point. Not user friendly in that regard. I don't use auto ISO, that point was for people who do.
Nikon is losing business.
Fujifilm is gaining business.
That alone says it all - EVERYTHING you need to know.
Nikon is losing business? 😂😂😂
There aren’t only two lenses. Try manually focusing with m glass. Game changer with auto eye detect, focus confirmation etc. the grip is fine if you know how to hold a camera. One handed shooting isn’t a thing and never will be a thing. This is a value driven camera directed at Fuji users who wear a camera as a fashion item. It’s an awesome camera that definitely leaves a little to be desired… but all in all- one retro release by Nikon and Fuji users jump ship and ride the Nikon train. I do agree about the lenses- I wish they had aperture rings- but hopefully sigma art lenses will Be available soon.
Nikon only makes two retro styled lenses....
@ oh I see. I don’t think they make any retro styled lenses to be honest. The attempt is pretty bad at best. I just run Voigtlander glass or m glass. I have the 28, 40 and 50 1.8s which are all great. But seriously lacking in the retro design department.
Liked your review and agree with your feelings about the raw images. THere's definitely something very pleasing and natural to them- almost like the opposite of what the q3 does which can be much harder and aggressive looking sooc.
Try the 35 1.4. I think the rendering is exactly your vibe. I absolutely love it.
Agree with your comments. The sensor look and auto focus that works clinched it for me 👍
Maybe I‘m in the minority here but I feel like Nikon should’ve gone all in with the Zf and price it at 1000$ more, give it a more premium and sturdy build and the 45 MP sensor from the z7 II. The retro design doesn’t cater to hybrid shooting anyways IMO. Oh and lose that flip screen and give it that nice implementation that Fuji has on the X-T3 and X-T5.
why would they use a 45 MP sensor ? 🤣
@ because it has a way nicer output, gives more room for cropping and printing and therefore caters more to a photo first feature set
@@flixbert better for cropping, yes. But many people would say picture quality improves with fewer megapixels.
@@flixbert my gfx50r sits on the copy stand 24mp is plenty
@@flixbertmeh, I have a Zf and a Z8 and I can’t tell the difference between photos from the two just scrolling through my photo album. I gotta pixel peep or look at metadata to tell the difference.
You already know how I feel about this camera because we've talked about it ad nauseam, but agree 100%. The color science in the Zf is absolutely incredible. I think if they were to round out the lens lineup with some better optics that look the part and give a true exposure 'triangle' on the camera, and rework the UX a little bit to override software with some of the hardware controls (A on the dials like on Fuji cameras, for instance), they'd have a better system overall. Having mechanical dials for things, but then also having control wheels that will also control those things just creates a weirdly confusing experience.
At this point, though, his is just a Z6-series camera shoved into a retro-looking body, and it's awkward to use because of it. This camera is so easy to like, but for me, was just hard to love.
PASM on the ZF works better than the Fuji for me, because on Fuji if you want to use full auto, you have to change every DIALS to A. In Nikon you just change one dial. Also when you want to go back to full manual, you don't have to turn the dial from A all the way to your desired number.
The colors look great without having a 'look' which is quite an achievement.
@ I could see that. For me, it’s not as intuitive, but that could be a matter of being used to one or the other. I personally found Nikon’s menus to be incredibly confusing so navigating the camera outside of the dials was never a fluid experience for me.
@@ironmonkey1512 100% agree. They’re almost… flat? But not lacking in color or contrast. They just don’t really shift one way or the other. It’s a unique look for sure.
Definitely not a z6 shoved into a retro body. It’s a slightly downgraded z8 in a retro body. Big difference.
I Love My ZF… Selling all my Fuji gear Except my Fuji XT3 and the Great 35mm 1.4❤
I tried a Zf with the 40mm retro style lens for a weekend but returned the kit. I didn't like the auto ISO implementation, inability to use a dial for 1/3 shutter stops in conjunction with the shutter speed dial, or the articulating screen. The body was also much heavier than I wanted, so I decided to stick with a Fujifilm X-T5 for now. My main interest in the camera was street photography, and the X-T5 is a better fit for what I want to do. The sensor on the Zf was excellent, and it has made me consider Nikon for other types of photography while keeping Fujifilm for the retro/street photography experience.
If I could take the Zf sensor and drop it in an XT5 or XPro body, I'd be in camera heaven. The color science Nikon developed around that 24mp sensor is in a class of its own, IMO.
@@MatthewMorse Doesn't makes sense. ZF is already in an XT5 body, but with better build quality. XT5 body is so trash, I owned XT2 for many years and it's still have better build than XT5
@@ufukkiblat I disagree that the XT5 is trash. I owned one for several months and it was a great camera. And given most of Fuji’s lenses are weather sealed, it’s actually a step up from the Zf with the 40 or 28, which were rehoused specifically to match the aesthetics of the Zf.
I carried an XT1 and 35WR through Iceland in pouring rain, sleet and snow. It got drenched and never missed a beat. Not sure I would trust the Zf and 40 to make that same trip.
But that’s what’s great about photography. There’s a camera for everyone.
@@MatthewMorse trash is probably too harsh but if you held X-T1 and X-T2 side by side with X-T5 you'll notice significant difference in build quality. I had X-T1, X-T2 and X-T3. Skipped over X-T4 and went to try X-T5 and majorly disappointed. Also for some reason I feel like X-T3 autofocus is better than X-T5 which is very weird.
@@ufukkiblat I would say that, for me, I agree that the pinnacle of Fuji's XT lineup was the X-T3. I think the X-T5 is very close, but it seems that maybe they're using more engineered plastics in those than the X-T3. I could be wrong about that. I tried the X-T4, but the articulating screen was a dealbreaker for me. Fuji's autofocus has never been great, but I think as they've tried to implement more 'intelligent' AF modes (like Sony or Nikon has), their software has somehow made it worse. I don't own any Fuji cameras currently. My last one was an X-Pro3 which is my favorite digital camera I've ever owned by a long shot. I never used it for anything fast (nor would I), and as a photography-centric tool, it ticked a lot of boxes for me.
IMO, Fuji should ditch the XH and XM lineup (even though they just did the XM5) and go back to the XPro, XT, and XE. Lean more into the photography space, and not try to compete with Sony and Panasonic in the video arena as they can't get there in terms of output and active AF. There are enough photographers out there that are passionate about Fuji's photography-first, analog-style approach from the early 2010s that they don't need to appeal to the broader market of videographers and hybrid vlog shooters.
Sony make the sensor for the ZF.
@@gvnrchmnd if this is true, they should put it in one of their own cameras
Great review! Can't wait for you to come to the Nikon side. We got some cameras for you to try here LOL
Fujifilm better wake up. Based on the video it seems like Nikon is just one good retro lens with a real aperture ring away from grabbing their marketshare
I just have auto iso in my quick menu , where ever it is at on my iso dial will be the highest point so I kept it at 6400 most of the time . If I want more I can just turn the dial .
I understand but I think for people who shoot aperture priority, it could be a lot simpler. I personally do not want to go into the menu while shooting.
@@hunterhart1yeah I guess , I shot Fujifilm for years before the zf and currently own a couple Sony a7iv’s it’s not the worst thing in the world. The zf in my edc so it basically lives on auto iso . Everybody has differnt needs so it’s understandable. Great video .
Hold the camera with your left hand. It's a two hand camera. Same for the DF, Zfc, F3, F2, F, SP, etc. One handed operation requires a deep grip, otherwise, hold the camera+lens with your left hand.
Portable hand workout baby 💪
@cyrusr2209 Don't get frisky with the merchandise
I wasn't shooting in the video, this camera could not be operated with one hands. Thanks for the strange advice.
Those two lenses (28 and 40) are decent lenses because they render differently than other Z lenses ( tend to be a little softer).
Your copies might be softer but mine aren't. My 40mm is just a sharp as my 85mm or 24-70mm and they're both s line lenses.
totaly agree about this aperture ring. Thanks for this vids.
Use active d lighting when shooting jpeg if your not already
I don't shoot jpeg
Also, cash grab? You can't be serious.
The FM3a was made till 2006.
The DF released in 2013 (6/7yr gap) ahead of the 2014 Fuji X-T1.
DF discontinued mid 2018.
Fuji was late post SLR, and used Nikon digital bodies for its sensors.
The DF is the smallest FX DSLR. The Zfc came out 3yrs after the DF was discontinued in 2018. The DF had no competition with Fuji bodies being APS-C.
Not even Leica made a fully manual (top plate dials) operated (full frame) digital camera, especially not in DSLR or Mirrorless interchangeable lens configuration or even rangefinder for that matter. They kept the trend of a shutter speed dial and maybe exp comp. Nikon is the only one that's really kept full manual control dials on bodies (top plate and aperture dial).
Their aperture control is on the lens or sub command dial. Their digital bodies ISO is in the menus or on a sub command wheel. On film, it's on the back door.
So bandwagon? Cash grab? 😅 That's actually Fuji riding Nikon coat tail for decades.
Got you to comment, score!
@hunterhart1 I always do for the algo for people, it's intentional.
@@dct124 my man.
I hate the grip and never use it. And I like the ISO function.
I set my record-Button to switch between ISO Auto On /Off.
You don't have to go in the menu, just set up your record button to be iso and turn the front dial to swith from auto iso to manual hearing people complaining about auto iso is getting lame
Do you have to go into the menu to set up the record button to be ISO?
If you put a 'proper' lens on it like the Voigtländer 40mm f/1.2 or 75mm f/1.5 you don't need a grip, the lens is the grip.
So lose one of their biggest selling points of this camera to have a better grip.
@@hunterhart1 you don't lose anything. You get really fantastic rendering lenses that look the part and have the manual controls and subject detection in MF. Try out at least the 40mm f/1.2 before you write of the idea, there is a reason so many Zf shooters go for the Voigtländer lenses.
@ why not just buy a Leica then?
@@hunterhart1 usually because you like Nikon, like Nikon control, colour science, image quality, or any other number of reasons. I really suggest giving it a go, the Voigtländer lenses really match well with the Zf. Unless you must have AF.
3:03 incredible image/light there!
gracias
I have one, Love it, I will get another body for sure.
Great camera. Eventually, 24.5mb is enough and makes good size IQ sense compared with recent 40 or 60mp cameras. Could see myself switching from my beloved xpro3 to this camera aiming for full frame. Xpro3 also has metal dials and great shutter sound to me. I only think the lens lineup of this camera do not match the retro style of the body (from what I've seen) and honestly, my deal breaker here, is the side flip screen. Really? A video like back screen on what could be possibly the best street photography camera? I personally would love to see on the Zf the back flip screen like the Xpro3. I find it the best solution to shoot from the hip; It's somehow like a Mamya style where where we can shoot more discreetly looking from up the camera and is practical to unfold it fast. Now, owning a XT5 too, I find the back screen not so practical because it's like a 2 step to open: first pull it back, then turn it horizontal. But that's me, I know a lot of people hate the Xpro3 back screen so I would not ask for it on the Zf but at least the same system as the Xt5 (or some recent Sony's). Pulling a screen to the side to flip it is more intrusive for street photography, takes more space, only makes sense to me on a camera optimized to video.
sony a7cr is the best camera ever made.
Got me with the clickbait title. ZF looks sick though forreal.
It is a great photography camera, easy to use for the most part. I enjoyed it!
To get around the Auto-ISO thing, I mapped the video record button to the top item in My Menu. Then I made Auto-ISO the top item in My Menu. Probelm solved.
@@Anon-zl4ne yeah man but you have to go into your menu to set all that up. That’s the whole entire point.
close, but no cigar.. fuji still offers more options
At least it’s close, not a fan of cigars though
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The ISO implementation is the best out there! WTH are you talking about? 😅
I love comments like this. Based on MY opinions, you people get so worked up. I hate it, doesn’t mean yours right or wrong.
@@hunterhart1riiiiight.
Clickbait title, everyone knows it's the other way around, Nikon would like to be in Fujifilm's place.
Why is that
I am not gonna put a non retro lens on a retro camera.....Is this a fashion statement????
Yes… it is. What’s the point? But a Z6iii, that’s what I’m doing, same damn thing with a different look.
Fuji refuses to make this camera
@@Old-School-Liberal ahh that’s a good one
Great content, as always! I have a quick question: I have a SafePal wallet with USDT, and I have the seed phrase. (alarm fetch churn bridge exercise tape speak race clerk couch crater letter). What's the best way to send them to Binance?
Said no Fujifilm camera ever.
Only if it didn’t feel like a Mac truck 😂
Meh, Nikon has being doing retro longer than Fujifilm has been making digital cameras. Also, the Zf control layout is infinitely superior to the stupid “A” settings on the Fuji dials. Things like jumping from full manual to aperture priority to shutter priority and back to full manual is much much faster on the Nikon. Don’t even get me started on auto ISO with Fuji. When I had my Fuji kit, I despised having to jump into the menus to change auto iso settings. With the Nikon I can just spin the iso dial to change my auto iso settings.
Assign a custom Fn button or just press the Q button on the fuji. Takes about 3 seconds.
I use fuji even though I'm a Nikon fan, like most other brands photographers most will either own a fuji or at least have owned one in the past, I agree with the lack of retro glass for the ZF and yes fuji wins on this, but fuji you said is better glass? I disagree.... Fuji glass on majority of its lenses has something lacking on Z glass? Character something that Z glass fails on, however on the other side if Sharpness and the ability to control ghosting,flare and so on Z glass is just better, in my opinion, and that's why I use nikons old lenses, Sharpness is normally not my thing but, character of glass is..... That been said be owned most of nikon camera's and now see no need to ever buy another nikon because the ZF is everything I've needed or want, And it fits within like brother n sister with fuji next to my nikon in my bag, match made in heaven, one isn't better than the other but more like they complement each other,.thats so rare
A classic brass camera with a plasticky lens...with no aperture ring...
Stop make people believe that its the sensor determining how the colors and tonality look. Thats all software.
Software? For straight out of camera images? That is not the sensor?
@hunterhart1 A raw file is not an image before software has made an interpretation of it. If you shoot jpg, then you get the brands color science (in camera raw developing) but when you shoot raw it you have to use third party software. The only brands that offer both is hasselblad and phase one and nikon as far as i know. Also, if you take almost any camera and do a raw profile (in Lumariver for example) for lightroom and then compare, you wouldn’t be able to tell any difference in colors, only noise and dynamic range.
@@timkristensson2279 So when I open a RAW image on my computer before going through software, you are saying it is being manipulated through software?
@ In that case the computers OS is often reading the embedded jpg thumbnail. That’s why the photo suddenly looks different when opened in Lr for example. But this is in a way good news, you can get a camera from the brand you like the most and just make your own profile that suits your style and workflow! No need to take color science in the decision!
Although, some brands might have collaboration with Lr. I know nikon now have a quite good “Camera matching” profile in Lr.
3 reasons why I wouldn't buy it
1 24 mps ..No thanks I like 40 plus. Always have and that's me ..crop's and so on
2 the screen..ITS a video screen
3 weight ...it's heavy for street camera
4 the grip
5 lens options are average and no aperture ring ...aperture rings have a functional purpose to using it on the fly
Everything else is pretty good 👍...but no it wouldn't make me swap
Grown people arguing about different brands, taste and feelings 😂
These comments from everyone is exactly what I expected. One opinion sends adults into a spiral 😅
Io sulla ZF uso il Z 24-120 con il quale faccio matrimoni e posso dirti che ottengo delle foto incredibili superiori a tutte le fotocamere Nikon
counterpoint, Fuji has sensible lenses for their retro cameras. also I saw someone praise Nikon color science and woof really? it's so bad compared to the other two systems I use. Zf is a cool camera but without better lenses it's hard to want to pick it over my other cameras, sadly.
lol
nothing wrong with liking what you got
@@ironmonkey1512 yeah but what I got includes a Zf lol and while I like *it* I do not like the Nikon lens offering.
I agree with you. Sold my Fuji XS-20 for the ZF, and the lens offering is a weak point imo. Nikon primes are either oversized or ugly compact toys. I don't want an oversized rig and there are times I want snapshots of things at distances closer than 1m. Unfortunately, the image quality of these compact lenses (28mm and 40mm) completely fall apart at short distance. At longer distances they do a great job with tasteful classical rendering though. The only option for me is the 26mm pancake. Build quality is acceptable. It's really compact and image has a sharp clinical rendering and holds up well at all distances. This lens and the Voigtlander offerings pretty much save the ZF for me. The Fuji system compared to Nikon has beautiful lenses in different sizes with aperture rings. Image quality just as good and sometimes even better than the Nikon lenses in my opinion. In the end, aesthetics and feel of a lens does matter. If aesthetics and feel didn't matter, why even bother with the inefficient dials of the ZF when you can get a modern body like the Z6III and shoot your way much more efficiently. I hope Nikon makes some well styled high quality compact lenses in the future, because I'm enjoying my time with the ZF even with the subpar lens offering for my use case.
@@TCMx3 I've got voiglanders on mine I just shoot manual focus. Amazing lenses!
Lots of lack of familiarity and ignorance being displayed here. I suggest you pull this video and spend 6 months using the Zf and then watch this video so you'll understand all the mistakes. Then post your revised review.
And the owner of the camera who says the same things who’s had it for longer?
Lol !!!
trash click bait
You clicked 🙏🏼
No camera can produce Fuji colours!
Get yourself a Voigtlander Z 40mm f/1.2.
Thanks
Meh, Nikon has being doing retro longer than Fujifilm has been making digital cameras. Also, the Zf control layout is infinitely superior to the stupid “A” settings on the Fuji dials. Things like jumping from full manual to aperture priority to shutter priority and back to full manual is much much faster on the Nikon. Don’t even get me started on auto ISO with Fuji. When I had my Fuji kit, I despised having to jump into the menus to change auto iso settings. With the Nikon I can just spin the iso dial to change my auto iso settings.
Takes less than a second