Nikon Z fc Camera Review

The Nikon Z fc is fairly portable. Its slim, old-school design doesn't feature a handgrip, which makes it more portable at the expense of ergonomics. It's a lightweight camera, too. If you're looking for something even more portable, consider the OM SYSTEM OM-5.

Build quality is good overall, though parts of it definitely feel cheaper than its retro exterior makes it appear. Unlike a vintage SLR, the Z fc has a plastic exterior that doesn't feel especially sturdy. However, internally, it has a magnesium alloy frame. The dials are also aluminum, but the buttons can feel somewhat slack, and the battery and SD card cover feels very flimsy.

• Nikon Z fc camera body
• EN-EL25 battery and cap
• Battery charger
• Eye cup
• Sensor cap
• Shoulder strap
• User manual

The ergonomics are okay. It's really easy to adjust settings thanks to the camera's dedicated ISO and shutter speed dials. You also have additional command dials on the front and back, with plenty of customization options to set the controls exactly as you like. That said, the squared-off body lacks a handgrip, so it isn't the most comfortable camera to hold.

The EVF has a fairly typical 2.36 million dot resolution, which gives you a pretty clear view through the viewfinder. It doesn't have the most comfortable eyecup, but it's still fairly comfortable to use.

The Nikon Z fc has a fully articulated screen that's great for vlogs or shooting at different angles. All in all, the screen mechanism feels sturdy. It also has a pretty high resolution, so the image looks crisp on the monitor. If you'd prefer a camera that has a tilting screen with a higher resolution, check out the Fujifilm X-T30 II.

By default, the Z fc goes into 'Self-Portrait' mode when you flip the screen around to face forward. This mode automatically sets a three-second timer for photos and videos and shows fewer on-screen options. You can also change shutter speed, aperture, and ISO via the touchscreen in this mode. However, it prevents you from accessing the menu, quick menu, or playback function.

Menu is easy to navigate using the touchscreen or physical controls. Some functions are harder to find, but once you get familiar with the menu, it's easy to find what you need. The menu also remembers the last option you visit, making it easy to jump back into whatever setting you were modifying. The 'i' menu lets you access frequently used settings, and you can customize it to include your preferred settings. There's also a help/guide function to help new users understand certain settings and features.

If you want a similar camera with a full-frame sensor, check out the Nikon Z f.

Battery life is decent. It's on par with the Nikon Z 50, with a 300-photo CIPA rating. That isn't amazing, even among mirrorless cameras, especially compared to competitors like the Sony a6400 or the Fujifilm X-E4. Still, depending on how you use it, you can still get a fair amount of shots on a full charge. The Z fc also supports USB charging, though it doesn't come with a USB cable in the box.

In video, the camera lasts a decently long time, with about an hour and a half of continuous video recording when using its highest quality settings.

The Nikon Z fc can shoot at a fairly quick max burst rate, which is great for capturing bursts of quick movement. It performs very similarly to the Nikon Z 50 in this respect, with the exact same buffer depth. Its capacity is decent, but you'll fill it up quite quickly when shooting in RAW. If you do fill the buffer, it takes almost 10 seconds to empty, which isn't bad but can slow you down or cause you to miss a critical moment.

The Nikon Z fc has a very solid autofocus system. It supports both face and eye detection, as well as animal detection for pets like cats and dogs. As far as tracking goes, it doesn't quite reach the heights of Sony's Real-Time AF Tracking, even on APS-C models like the Sony a6400. However, the Nikon's tracking feature still does a good overall job of keeping moving subjects in focus. For the most part, it stays with subjects even when they're moving quickly, though it can still sometimes lose track with more erratic movements. All in all, it has a solid hit rate.

If you don't want to rely on tracking, the autofocus is very effective. When using the center point, the camera can stay with moving subjects very well. You may still get a few soft or out of focus shots here and there, but overall it's very reliable.

That said, we did notice during a few runs that the camera would occasionally take an extra second or two after pressing down the shutter button before actuating the shutter. It's possible this is because we shot this test using 'Focus Priority', but the delay occurred even when the camera had indicated that focus was achieved while half-pressing.

The Nikon Z fc doesn't have in-body image stabilization, but you can still pair it with optically stabilized lenses. With the Nikkor Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR lens, it does a great job of reducing camera shake and allowing you to get clear shots at slow shutter speeds. That said, stabilization performance can vary depending not only on the lens, but also things like focal length and how steady your hands are.

Dynamic range is excellent. It performs similarly overall to the Nikon Z 50. Naturally, you lose some dynamic range in low light, but overall, the camera can capture a wide range of highlight and shadow detail, especially relative to other APS-C cameras.

The Z fc does a great job of resolving fine detail and gives you some leeway to crop your photos. This is mostly noticeable when zooming in or cropping heavily.

RAW noise handling is good overall. Images hold up slightly better at higher ISOs in low light than competitors like the Sony a6400 when it comes to noise. It's on par with the Nikon Z 50 and is pretty well-suited to low-light photography for an APS-C sensor.

Unlike the Nikon Z 50, there's no crop when shooting in 4k. It can record 4k video at up to 30 fps, but there are no high frame rate options for slow-motion recording in 4k.

4k internal recording capability is pretty good. It's limited to 8-bit 4:2:0 recording, but it doesn't support Log profiles, so you wouldn't really be able to take advantage of 10-bit color anyway. On the upside, the camera has excellent heat management, with no overheating throughout extended recording sessions. However, there's still a half-hour time limit on recording.

Autofocus is amazing in 4k. It's incredibly effective at tracking moving subjects within the frame. Unlike the Nikon Z 50, the Z fc supports eye detection in video mode for more precise tracking.

Video quality is great in more controlled lighting conditions. It's sharp and detailed, and the colors straight out of the camera pop nicely. However, it's just okay in low light, with some heavy noise and trouble pulling out detail in the shadows.

There's a bit less rolling shutter effect than on the Nikon Z 50. However, it's still quite noticeable, especially with very quick camera movements and panning shots.

In FHD, the camera can record at up to 120 fps without a crop. There's a dedicated slow-motion recording mode, as well, which automatically slows down and plays back your footage at 30 fps for up to 4x slow motion.

Internal recording capability is good in 1080p, though it's limited to 8-bit, just as it is in 4k. There's still a half-hour cap on recording as well, but it can capture 1080p video at very high bit rates for higher quality.

Autofocus is still excellent in 1080p, although not quite as consistent. The focus transitions can be a bit slow but feel very smooth. All in all, it's very effective at tracking and keeping moving subjects in focus when recording videos.

Video quality in 1080p is good, though just like 4k, it's a lot better in brighter lighting. Low light video can be quite grainy and muddy-looking.

Rolling shutter effect is a lot less noticeable in 1080p. There's still some slanting vertical lines with very quick camera pans, but overall, it shouldn't be overly distracting.

There's just a single SD card slot, and it's located in the battery compartment on the bottom of the camera. That makes it more difficult to switch out memory cards when using a tripod.

While the Z fc doesn't have a headphone jack, it has a stereo mic input, along with a Micro HDMI (Type D) port. You'll need an adapter to connect an external display, but connectivity options are pretty good overall.