MELVILLE, NY (June 29, 2021) – Today, Nikon announced the Z fc, a DX-format camera that combines the latest mirrorless technology with classic design and functionality. It’s the compact and lightweight everyday companion that evokes both the urge to create and to take the time to embrace the moment. Featuring a heritage-inspired design, satisfying analog controls and craftsmanship that’s both unique and functional, the Z fc is built to be a thoroughly modern camera that’s simply a joy to use for everything from stunning street snaps, self-portraits, vlogging or 4K UHD video content. Nikon has also announced two stylized lenses to complement the compact nature and aesthetic of the camera, plus additional NIKKOR Z lenses coming this year with a focus on small size and big performance.
“The Z fc is the kind of camera many have been waiting for, and that only Nikon could create. It’s exceptionally slim, yet offers superb image quality and features, with iconic styling and precise tactile controls. It’s a joy to carry and use for casual street photography, streaming, or just living in the here and now,” said Jay Vannatter, Executive Vice President, Nikon Inc. “It’s no coincidence that we are also announcing a variety of compact lenses alongside the camera to perfectly complement the iconic aesthetic.”
Preorder the Nikon Z fc starting at $956
Fusion of Classic Design + Z Series Technology
The Z fc embraces both Nikon’s heritage and our future with the powerful Z mount to create something truly beautiful; it’s a distinctly designed camera that has the performance to keep pace but also serves as a reminder to appreciate the moment.
- An Iconic Design: Inspired by the popular Nikon FM2 film SLR, the camera affords shooting with analog tactile dials with satisfying clicks for precise control. The compact and lightweight camera gives enthusiasts and casual photographers alike the option to explore their creativity and go fully automatic or manual with mechanical dials for shutter speed, ISO, and exposure compensation.
- Meticulously Crafted: The exterior of the camera is wrapped in a leather-tone material that offers an impeccably premium feel with a thoughtful blend of black and satin silver elements. It’s a familiar design that focuses on the harmony of style and functionality, with intricate details like carved aluminum dials, engraved lettering, and a circular eyepiece surrounding the bright electronic viewfinder.
- Explore New Angles: The Vari-Angle touchscreen LCD flips out to face the user and automatically adjusts for self-portraits, working on a tripod or holding at waist level for creative angles.
- High Resolution: 20.9-MP CMOS sensor is paired with the EXPEED 6 engine to provide clean, professional-quality videos and stills, even in low light. From a sunny hike or twilight cityscape, users will appreciate exceptional clarity, magnificent color reproduction, and minimal noise in nearly any situation.
- Focus Fast: The 209-point hybrid AF system has you covered, recognizing approximately 87% of the frame horizontally and 85% vertically for precise focusing and tracking throughout more of the frame. Rapid Eye-Detection AF for people and animals enable users to sharply capture the eyes of people and pets, even when they’re moving. Eye-Detection AF is also now available in the wide-area AF (L) mode, making it easy to select the area to prioritize focus.
- Advanced Video Features: The Z fc has convenient video features creators want, like 4K UHD video and a variety of frame rates. Focus is rapid yet smooth, with full-time AF that locks onto eyes and faces in the frame. Slow-motion can easily be created with the 1080p/120p setting or the 4x/5x in-camera slow-motion modes. A built-in interval timer also allows for the convenient creation of 4K time-lapse movies.
- Keep Streaming: When connected via USB-C, the camera receives power, giving the ability to operate the camera continuously, which is beneficial for streaming, video production, timelapse creation, and more. The Nikon Webcam Utility is available as a free download for all users of the Z fc and many other Nikon cameras.
- The Z fc is Designed Around Nikon’s Revolutionary Z Mount: The widest lens mount of any comparable camera system means more light, and more light means more sharpness, contrast, accurate focus, low light performance, and image quality.
- Low Light Ability is at Your Fingertips: When operating the dedicated ISO dial, discover photos and videos with minimal noise, clear details, and texture. The ISO sensitivity ranges from 100 up to 51,200*1 (expandable up to 204,800), allowing for faster shutter speeds in lower light to reduce blur and reveal striking nighttime visuals.
- Creativity Made Easy: The Z fc can operate in fully automatic mode, and users can use the exposure compensation dial in auto mode to quickly adjust brightness for a custom look. Users also have access to 20 picture controls to add creative or dramatic flair and emphasis to images and video.
- Always Connected with Nikon SnapBridge*2: Automatically send photos and videos to your phone or tablet for sharing, or use Nikon SnapBridge app as a remote control. The camera’s firmware can also be updated directly from the app.
- Premium Construction: The classic design is built with a lightweight magnesium alloy frame with consideration to dust and drip resistance. The extraordinarily small and flattened profile is convenient to carry and fits easily into bags. The controls are well thought out, with most settings available at a glance, including aperture through the top display panel.
- Choose Your Style: In addition to the retro black and silver, the Z fc will be available in six additional color options to vibe with any personal style; white, coral pink, mint green, sand beige, amber-brown, and natural gray.
More NIKKOR Z Lenses
As the family of NIKKOR Z lenses rapidly expands, Nikon is releasing a variety of small, high-performance FX and DX-format lenses. These lightweight lenses are easy to carry every day, and pair perfectly with the new Z fc as well as other Z series cameras.
- NIKKOR Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR: This is a stylized version of Nikon’s smallest lens, created with a satin silver finish to complement the Z fc. It’s an ultra-thin DX-format lens with a convenient wide-to-standard zoom range from 16mm to 50mm (24-75mm equivalent). It serves as a great walk-around lens for a wide variety of scenes ranging from landscapes, snaps, and portraits to tabletop photos.
- NIKKOR Z 28mm f/2.8 (SE): Nikon’s first ultra-compact and lightweight NIKKOR Z prime checks all the right boxes – it’s fast, fun and affordable. The NIKKOR Z 28mm f/2.8 (SE) will be first released as a special edition lens for the Z fc. This is the lightest FX lens yet, with a design inspired by classic NIKKOR glass to match the Z fc’s unique finish. The lens offers a standard angle of view (42mm-equivalent when attached to a DX body) that is ideal for shooting portraits and still photography with gorgeous, blurred backgrounds and excellent low-light performance. A standard edition of this lens is planned to be available within the year, along with the 40mm f/2.0 compact prime that is currently in
- Development of NIKKOR Z DX 18-140mm f/3.5-6.3 VR: Nikon is pleased to announce the development of the NIKKOR Z DX 18-140mm f/3.5-6.3 VR, a high-power 7.8x zoom lens for APS-C format (Nikon DX-format) mirrorless cameras. The lens is scheduled for release in 2021. This will be a versatile lens for users looking to capture wide-angle to telephoto focal lengths as well as at short distances.
Pricing and Availability
Preorder the Nikon Z fc starting at $956
The Nikon Z fc will be available in classically styled black and silver starting late July 2021 (US) in a variety of kit configurations; the body-only will be available for a suggested retail price (SRP)* of $959.95 or paired with the silver NIKKOR Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR lens for $1,099.95 SRP. The silver NIKKOR Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR lens will be available separately starting in late July for $299.95 SRP.
The NIKKOR Z 28mm f/2.8 (SE) special edition lens will be available in a kit with the Z fc camera for $1,199.95 SRP starting in late July and sold separately starting in fall 2021 for $299.95 SRP.
However, Canon decided to keep the price down and do a minor refresh.
I would like to see an answer or two from Canon.
Some people prefer side flip screens and some prefer removable viewfinders.
I would prefer a model with both.
Edit: My husband had a nose and said he likes the green one and my niece likes the blue one (Both are too intimidated to use my camera). Nikon seem to have a camera that has a friendly appeal.
What's the point of this retro styled cameras?
Does people buy this becaus the like unconfortable buttons and controlls layout (because once they had to be like this for construction reasons, e.g. lot of mechanikal parts etc.)?
I bought a m6 markii with ev + lense for 800€ this seems quite expensive for 20MP. What do you think?
Canon can do something like this later, once the RF line and lenses have been flashed out.
I like the look as indeed I like the look of the Z series. Good luck to Nikon.
In this situation I simply think, that taking picutres for me as an amateur is a hobby. Nowadays maybe lifestyle is the better word, since fewer and fewer people understand why I always want to carry my camera around with a backpack full of lenses.. So I know my camera + edits can achieve pictures a smartphone will never do and I like the challenge to control the settings by my own and to know that the result is solely my merit. Otherwise I would get frustrated.
On the other side I have to admit that on family celebrations I do shoot better pictures than the smartphones guys because of the ff, wide aperture and the minimal considerations of how to compose the picture which no smartphone will do for you right now.
In such situations I shoot only jpg (the jpgs out of the canon 5d IV are close to perfection in such a shooting situation imho) and at the end of the day I go through the pictures once in the camera and select the favorites which I then sent with the (very well working) canon app to my smartphone and then I sent them in full resolution in a telegram or signal group.
Generally the people are so impressed from the quality. The details of that camera paired with a good lens is everything you need. This is also quite visible on the smarthphone screen. Never edited one picture of such an event, never shoot one single picture in raw.
I get to enjoy my hobby and the others get their photos on their mobile phones at the same time.
Bevore I had the 5D I shoot raw with my apsc camera and after I edited them for such occasions... And weeks after the pictures where distributed via usb stick or email. That never worked, the quality was never satisfying and so much work after the celebration left to do.
I couldn't believe how well the phone's ability to expose the image. The darken and bright lights were handled so well.
RP type
R type
R7
R high MP
R3
R1
Rapsc?
This is like a repackage Z50, but cuter retro design.
Same with BM6kPro. Same BM6k sensor but with better body.
It's not always the specs that matters.