The Z fc takes its design cues from the film era, but inside it’s all digital.
Nikon is adding its second DX (APS-C) format camera to its mirrorless Z system. Dubbed the Z fc, the new camera shares some tech, including its image sensor, with last year’s Z 50, but there are some improvements inside and big changes to the exterior. Inside the camera uses a version of the 20.9MP APS-C sensor that’s powered Nikon cameras for a few years; we first saw it in the D500 SLR. It lags behind some others in pixel count, but has proven to deliver strong results over the years. The Z fc has a vari-angle touch display and eye-level EVF. It’s a mirrorless camera, so there’s no optical viewfinder. But you do get a quality EVF and a vari-angle touch LCD. The screen flips forward for selfie shots and vlogs. For video, the Z fc records in 4K or 1080p, and it supports external mics for vloggers. There’s no sensor stabilization, though—the camera relies on lens VR, and can get some extra help digitally (with a crop). For the Z fc’s design, Nikon has gone back to the 80s. The camera’s exterior is modeled after the FM2, a manual focus SLR from the era. There are small touches that help get there—the Nikon logo uses a Reagan-era typeface, a nostalgic touch for Gen X film photographers looking for a digital body that takes them back in time.
