So… That Nikon Zf… An Update.

Preface: Personal preference ahead. With a side of trying not to play, “Got to catch them all.”, camera Pokemon. But if I ever locate that elusive money tree, I would have one the next day.

Update from the original post:

I was able to get my hands on a Nikon Zf today. I walked into my local camera shop and asked when they were going to get a Nikon Zf in stock. That is when Robert and Chris announced that they had one…

Uh oh.

Opened the box and it was the 40mm f/2 lens kit…

Uh oh.

I braced myself for the “What will I trade?” fit and then I took the camera and lens out of the box, put them together, and…

Yeah. I am good.

It definitely looked the part. The dials hit the mark. But the feel was not there. A bit light. The pleather was patterned into the plastic. Did not measure up to the heft and feel of the Nikon SLRs I have owned.

The lens did not do it for me either. Light and plastic-y feeling. I like the feel and weight of the all metal Sony 40mm f/2.5 much better.

I did not expect that. Add to that the fact that I am very happy with the non vintage, because Sony has no vintage SLR to harken back to, Sony A7C.

Especially when fitted with a Kaza half case, Haoge thumbs up, and Haoge metal hood and cap.

It was not terrible. A fine camera and lens. Close to what I wanted actually. If I were not already happy with the system I had, perhaps it would have gone a different way. But the Zf and 40mm were just a bit too far off of the mark to get me to make a purchase. I was both relieved and disappointed.

Relieved that I would not spend money I had not planned on spending and adding yet another digital camera mount to feed.

Disappointed because I had hoped that they had fully hit the film camera feel mark. This is not the first time. I had said the same about the even lighter feeling Nikon Zfc. I purchased it but was ultimately let down by the feel of the digital Olympus PEN-F.

It came a bit closer, but still did not quite get there. Only one company seems to commit to the vintage livery thing.

A lot of ink is spilled about Leica. Much of it evokes eye rolls, but one thing that they do nail is feel. I have owned a film Leica M3 in the past and just wrote a post about an old timey digital M. Absent a film winder the digital M is the aesthetic and feel match for its older film siblings. From that M3 all the way up to the current M11 there is a clear, coherent design scheme. But perhaps that is the problem. With its premium price Leica can dedicate an entirely unique vintage M line alongside its newer SL line. Other companies may have their hands tied by their main line mirrorless parts bin which renders them unable to commit?… Maybe?

At the end of the day regardless of the reason I can mark myself safe from the Zf. Will press on with my Sony A7C/40mm kit for daily use. May not look the part, but it feels good in hand and serves as a second body that turns out a fine photo with the 40mm G…

…and does well with high fallutin’ lenses as well.

So. Nice try Nikon. I am glad they made it and I hope other companies do likewise. But I am good.

Original text below.

<ahem> I want it. I want it. I want it.

What stands in the way?

After many years of gear churn, I have landed on a primary digital kit that meets my every need. Otherwise, this would have been a shut up and take my money affair.

Why am I tempted?

It’s purdy and looks the vintage part. Especially with the also faux vintage 40mm.

More importantly, I hear it meets the build requirements missed on the “Looks the part but feels like a toy in hand.” APS-C Nikon Zfc.Yes, please with a side of take my money.

I even worked out my must have kit to make it work.

Two bodies:

Nikon Zf
- Naturally. Would replace the Sony A7C.
Nikon Z7II
- The least costly option to get me in the performance and MP neighborhood of the Sony A7RV.
- The Z8 would be nice, but I could easily make do with the Z7II.

Lighting:

Two Nikon Godox V1s.
- Would likely keep my Sony V1s since they can be triggered universally.
Two Nikon Godox triggers.
The off-camera lights can stay.
- Godox strobes are brand agnostic thankfully.

Minimum lens lineup:

Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8
- Without this newly announced for Nikon Z lens on the table I would never consider a switch from Sony.
Z 40mm f/2
- To replace the FE 40mm f/2.5 I am quite smitten with.
Z 50mm f/1.2…
- Not sure about this one. I have grown quite accustomed to the Sony FE 50mm f/1.2. But the Nikon option is quite the bus in comparison.

That is about it. I have other Sony lenses that are a like to have rather than a have to have so they could be added to the trade heap.

But when the GAS haze clears in addition to it making no sense that I trade what I have there are other issues.

I rather like my current setup. Especially my little A7C/40mm set up and A7RV and 50mm f/1.2.

61MP will be hard to give up, even if the Z7II is in the same ballpark.
It would leave me without a compact full frame rig. The APS-C Zfc is larger than the A7C and the Zf will be even larger.
Legacy glass adapters would need to be repurchased and others have no Nikon equivalent like the Franken-blad.
What if I do this and regret it? I have a setup now that I know I like. Trading it for what I think or hope I will like makes little sense. I would take a financial bath on a trade with fewer pieces, all for a retro vibe that I may not like as much as what I had.

In summary, this has no place in a discussion of GAS, but a switch would make no sense. Functionally this would be a net loss.

The Zf is still a great camera and I am glad they made it. Clean slate I might consider it. If I were already using Nikon I would have already bought it. But now that I have settled in nicely with Sony?

Nope.

Nice try Nikon. You have now come closer than any other brand. But I do not even have any of the film Nikon’s around to draw me in.

Not really. My bargain priced Contax 137 MA Quartz is holding down the all black “Darth Vader, your SLR is ready.” corner of my much smaller analog herd.