Updated 9/13/21: Nikon recently issued a third apology over the low stock of the Nikon Z fc camera, but said that the previously delayed special edition 28mm f/2.8 kit will become available in October. The ongoing parts shortage has been affecting all consumer electronics companies, Nikon in particular. The company—which had already been struggling to meet 2020 orders for the Z7 II camera—has been overwhelmed by demand for the Z fc.

Rangefinder is a member of the Technical Image Press Association, which has contracted with Image Engineering for detailed lab tests of cameras. Here, we digest the test results for you on the Nikon Z fc.

Nikon isn’t shy about mining its rich design heritage for contemporary digital camera designs. The new Nikon Z fc camera channels the analog-era esthetic of earlier Nikon SLRs, like the FM2, complete with plenty of tactile dials and and a leather tone wrap. It seems to have resonated—the pre-order demand for the camera quickly outstripped Nikon’s ability to manufacture it.

Behind its retro exterior, the camera features a 20-megapixel APS-C-sized image sensor and a Nikon Z mount. An EXPEED 6 image processor helps the Z fc achieve an ISO range of 100 up to 51,200 (expandable up to 204,800).

The 209-point hybrid autofocus (AF) system covers 87 percent of the image frame horizontally and 85 percent vertically. With the camera’s Rapid Eye-Detection AF, you can track and focus on the eyes of both people and pets. Nikon expanded its Eye-Detection autofocusing so that it’s available when shooting in wide-area AF (L) mode.

[Read: Nikon Teases its Z9 Mirrorless Flagship]

The Z fc records 4K video (3840 x 2160) at up to 30 frames per second (fps) and full HD video at up to 120fps. Face and eye detection autofocus are available during filming and the camera’s USB-C port can supply continuous power when connected to an external source, so you don’t have to interrupt the action.

If you’re partial to time lapses, the camera’s built-in interval timer lets you shoot 4K time lapses. For the Zoom/Twitch/live-streamers in the audience, the Z fc can be used as a webcam with the free Nikon Webcam Utility.

[Read: Nikon Z 7II Review: Lab Test Results]

You’ll have you choice of six body colors: retro black, silver, white, coral pink, mint green, sand beige, amber brown and natural gray.

Nikon Z fc: Resolving Power Put To The Test      

At ISO 100, the Nikon Z fc is capable of capturing 99 percent of its sensor’s theoretical maximum resolution. The resolving power is good—better than Sony’s recent APS-C camera, the ZV-E10, which achieves 94 percent of its sensor’s theoretical max at base ISO. The Nikon isn’t best-in-class, though. Its resolving power trails the performance of Fujifilm’s mid-range APS-C camera, the X-S10, which hit 104 percent at both ISO 160 and 400.

According to Image Engineering, the Nikon does an excellent job at detail reproduction up through ISO 6400, where performance declines.

The Nikon Z fc will drop to 93 percent resolving power at ISO 800, 87 percent at ISO 1600 and 3200, and hits 81 percent at ISO 6400. This outpaces the performance of Sony’s ZV-E10 but falls far behind Fujifilm’s S10, which is still capable of resolving 95 percent of its sensor’s theoretical maximum all the way up to ISO 12,800.

By the time you push the Nikon F to ISO 12,800, its sensor can deliver 78 percent of its theoretical maximum resolution.

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Image Engineering found sharpening to be “moderate.” Sharpening will decline slightly as you increase ISO and you’ll notice stronger sharpening applied to low-contrast edges.

Not Much Noise         

When viewing Nikon Z fc images on a digital display, enlarged to 100 percent, you wouldn’t detect visual noise until ISO 800—and then, only barely. By ISO 3200, however, Image Engineering found that noise is definitely obvious in this viewing condition and will get increasingly so as you push the ISO to 12,800. Sony’s ZV-E10 is a touch noisier throughout its ISO range—but only just. Fujifilm’s S10 does a better job than both controlling noise as you ramp up ISO.

Switch to a postcard-sized print, or an 11 x 15-inch print and Image Engineering found that the Nikon produced no visible noise at any of the ISO levels tested. Not too shabby.

Consistent Dynamic Range But Be Careful With Colors

The Nikon Z fc can achieve 9.3 stops of dynamic range at ISO 100. Sony’s video-centric ZV-E10 does slightly better, delivering a little over 10 stops of dynamic range at base ISO. Fujifilm’s S10 similarly hits 10 stops at its widest dynamic range, which is achieved at a higher ISO of 1600.

Image Engineering noted that the Nikon Z fc’s dynamic range stays fairly consistent through ISO 1600, where the camera can deliver 9 stops. At ISO 6400, you’ll experience a slight decline to 8.7 f-stops. Push the camera to ISO 25,600 and, not surprisingly, you’ll see a correspondingly steeper decline in dynamic range performance, with the camera hitting 7.9 stops.

When it comes to color reproduction, the Z fc really lags its competition with 16 colors deviating strongly from their reference color. Fujifilm’s S10 had zero strong deviations, while the Sony ZV-E10 had four colors deviate strongly from the reference.

However, Image Engineering found that the camera’s automatic white balance performed very well, with the best results coming at higher ISO levels.

The Nikon Z fc Has Excellent Video Quality        

The Z fc proved to be as capable (if not more so) on the video front as it was with still images. Examining a still image extracted from a 4K video frame revealed the camera resolving 100 percent of its theoretical maximum at ISO 100 (better than in still capture). At ISO 1600, it drops, slightly, to 96 percent. It’s not quite as sharp as Sony’s ZV-E10, which is resolving 107 percent of its sensor’s theoretical maximum or the Fujifilm S10, which resolved 114 percent.

[Read: What’s Inside My Bag: Portrait Photographer David Hakamaki Reveals His “Wow Factor”]

You’ll enjoy 11 stops of dynamic range at ISO 100 and over 9 stops at ISO 1600—better numbers than the Nikon Z fc could achieve in still image mode. It also bests the S10 (10 stops) and Sony’s ZV-E10 (a little north of 10 stops).

Image Engineering did find that sharpening is applied fairly strongly along high-contrast edges at ISO 100. It becomes milder by ISO 1600. The Nikon Z fc does a decent job controlling visual noise during filming. A 4K still frame shot at ISO 100 would show no visible noise in any viewing condition. Image Engineering detected visible noise on a digital display at 100 percent magnification at ISO 1600.  By contrast, the Fujifilm S10 didn’t produce any visible noise in any viewing condition at any ISO value tested.

White balance was dubbed “excellent” at low ISOs and “very good” at high ISO values. Eye and face detect AF worked “seamlessly.”

Speed And Performance

The Z fc starts up in 1 second, the same amount it takes the Fujifilm S10 to get going and faster than the 1.8 seconds the Sony ZV-E10 needs to become fully operational.

With the mechanical shutter engaged, the Z fc was clocked at 11.1 fps (JPEGs) for up to 100 stills before slowing down—considerably zippier than either of its aforementioned competitors.  You’ll trade off some speed when shooting RAW images: the camera will slow to 9fps and capture 40 images before slowing down.

Switch to the electronic shutter and the Nikon can burst at 11.1fps for JPEGs but capture more—131 frames—before slowing down. RAW capture slows a bit further, down to 8.5fps for 39 frames before slowing.

Autofocus

In bright light (300lx), the Z fc can focus in 0.3 of a second and capture an image in 0.4 of a second. You’ll only lose a fraction of a second in lower light (30lx), where the camera focused in .4 of a second and captures an image in .5 of a second. In terms of AF speed, it’s faster than the Sony ZV-E10 but you lose less-than-a-tenth of a second advantage compared to the Fujifilm S10 in bright light.

Price: $960 (body, retro-black and silver); $1,200 (body in remaining color options with silver NIKKOR Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR lens).

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