A few weeks ago I wrote about how the Z8 would not be in my bag and now I am feeling a bit hypocritical. Why? Just about every reason I cited for not wanting it — size, battery, memory cards — also applies to the new Zf, and add to that a smaller image size so the Zf would seem like a hard pass. I bought one to test out thinking it is never going to stay … boy, was I wrong.
Retro Styling
When Nikon introduced the Zfc I loved the throwback look, but so many things about it — especially the crop sensor — convinced me to skip it. The shortcomings of the Zfc are not present in the Zf at all, and the retro styling is beautiful. I ended up with the black body as it reminds me of my first SLR the Minolta X700. Had a silver version been available I would have gone with that, but I do love the black on black.
Hi-Tech Retro
I saw a video review titled “Retro on the Outside, The Future Within” and that is as concise and accurate a description as I can think of. While it looks retro, other than the megapixel count it is almost a Z9 on the inside. And guess what, it is a blast to use. Whether you strap on a 26mm or the new 135 Plena or an 800mm you are going to get terrific images. I have really enjoyed the Z9 since I received it, but I love this camera. From the lighter weight to the retro look to the great performance, this camera has excited me to get out and take pictures. My lens of choice is the 40mm f2 and I can see why this is the pairing that Nikon chose for the “kit” version. It is just so much fun. So much fun in fact I would say of all the cameras I have ever owned, this is my all-time favorite.
