Exclusive: How Nikon designed the Nikon Zfc – and why it thinks the future is retro

Touch screens could have taken the world, but Tactile Tech is not going to disappear in silence. Turntables, valve amplifiers and mechanical watches have been carved into challenging niches, and the Nikon Z FC is the attempt of the camera giant hitting a similar place for photographers.

Even if you are not a Nikon fan, or a photography fan, it is easy to see that Nikon Z FC is a special camera. The model on which the Full-Frame Nikon FM2 since 1982 is based, is a classic design that was famous for being virtually indestructible. And who does not love a gadget that is covered with silver dials?

However, this is far from the first time a camera manufacturer has returned to the past to make his camera from the future. Fujifilm, Olimpo and Leica have built their reputation in the immaculate vintage aesthetic. Nikon has also played the retro card, with fun, but-defect, Nikon DF since 2013.

So, what is different this time and why do the Nikon Z FC now? Fortunately, the Nikon Hau Nelson (UX Planning Department, 1st Planning Section) and Designer Shu Suzuki (identification group, design center) were happy to answer these questions and many more during an exclusive interview with TechRadar.

And yes, we did, ask when we are going to get a full-frame Nikon Z FC …

Intelligent movement

It is no secret that the camera manufacturers, even the giants like Nikon, are in a bit of joining. Smartphones have devoured the entrance end to the market and its silicon pulse does not show any sign of deceleration.

This is something Nikon recognizes. “With the increase of smartphones, anyone can easily experience photography, so we need to go beyond that,” says Hau Nelson. “We believe that Z FC has a value that goes beyond technical details. It has a viewfinder that makes users look through it, their dials feel comfortable, and there is an aesthetic that makes users feel that users feel Proud as they take it. ” He adds.

But it is not enough to simply make a camera that people enjoy looking at. Somehow, this was the error that Nikon was done with the Nikon DF in 2013, who married a similar retro aesthetic with a slightly plasticky SLR, mid-range. It was also too expensive for such a half-baked concept.

So, Nikon learned some lesson to do the DF? “The Z FC was developed with a different concept than DF, but both cameras were designed with a focus on the joy of the property,” says Shu Suzuki. “We consider the balance between the practical value and joy of the property to be crucially important.” The Nikon DF never felt pretty like a whole cohesive, partly because it was a voluminous SLR, but the more compact Z FC handles like a Nikon FM2 today.

Vintage twin

Even so, this “practical value” that Shu Suzuki refers to himself means that, under his retro body, Z FC is a very modern camera. In terms of specifications, it is effectively a Nikon Z50, which is the only other camera in the Nikon Mirror Cameras range with a APS-C sensor. Like that model, you get a sensor of 20.9mp and the latest Hybrid Hybrid system from Nikon, more, unlike Nikon DF, the ability to record video 4K / 30p.

Photography purists, then, may prefer to pick up a maltered Nikon FM2, a mechanical tool that could work without any battery. But Nikon has worked hard to ensure that Z FC has retained the spirit of FM2, if it is not its indestructible and weather-resistant construction.

“While the design of Z FC is inspired by FM2, the goal was never reproduced exactly the silhouette, but believes a new framework that retains the general essence of the previous model,” says Shu Suzuki.

“The restructuring of the framework to adapt to the new technology without a mirror was the most important aspect of the design, and the balance of the dimensions of the body of the chamber and the pentaprism proved to be one of the greatest challenges, especially with the z of large Diameter and the area of ​​minimized pentaprism due to the adoption of the EVF, “he added.