Many have asked me which of the two cameras I prefer and which one I recommend buying.
For this reason, I have created a summary table that contains not all the technical features, which can be found everywhere on the web, but only the differences between the two cameras. In fact, it is almost the same camera presented in different clothes and with some differences.
I have owned the Nikon Z50 for some time, while the Z fc for about a month. Fortunately, apart from the external appearance, the menus and functions are very similar and I immediately felt at ease with the new arrival.
The main difference between the two is certainly aesthetic. The Z50 is more modern and in line with the other Nikon Zs, while the brand new Z fc has instead taken up the classic analog lines of the Nikon FM2. There is little to say, the Z fc is fascinating and has a more pleasant appearance than the Z50, but the ergonomics are decidedly inferior to the Z50. If we are already used to using other Nikon Zs, we will have to relearn the layout of the buttons. The great grip of the Z50 is completely missing and the 40 years of ergonomic improvements (compared to the Nikon FM shapes) are noticeable. For this reason I will be ordering the additional grip for the Z fc as soon as possible.
The vintage looking wheels of the Z fc are very nice but honestly not very functional especially in the heat of the action. Fortunately, there are also dials for the right index finger and thumb like on all recent Nikons that control shutter speed and aperture without having to turn the dials on the lens and on the top of the camera. In this case, on the Nikon Z fc you have to set the upper shutter speed dial to “1/3 STEP” to use the faster rear dial. This way it is used more similarly to all modern Nikons. On the other hand, the additional wheel for exposure compensation is comfortable on the Z fc. On the Z50 you have to press the “+/-” button at the same time as the front dial (like on most recent Nikons).
The Z fc does not have a built-in flash, but honestly I rarely use these flashes and there is always a connection for the most powerful external flashes. I have no doubt that on some occasions, however, an internal flash like the one on the Z50 can still be useful. Great news on the Z fc is also the fully articulated rear display unlike the one on the Z50 which only rotates vertically. On the one hand it is certainly more versatile but on the other it is a little smaller than the one on the Z50, not by much but in practical use the difference is noticeable. The Z fc has also inherited from its bigger sisters like the Z6II and Z7II all the new features, such as focus stacking, real-time USB charging, extendable times up to 900 seconds, 5 new autofocus modes and several small but useful updates. For all of these I have created the table below.
In summary, if I had to choose one of the two, which one would I get? The answer depends on how I am going to use the camera. Do I go on the road and/or do I want a cool camera with customizable colors? Z fc. I do action and ergonomics are essential? Z50. One of the new features that attracted me most of the Z fc compared to the Z50 is the automatic focus stacking, a technique that I use very often and that I really miss on the Z50. On the other hand, I miss the two programmable fn1 and fn2 buttons of the Z50 that on the Z fc is only one. I also miss the very convenient user quick settings 1 and 2 on the Z50, where I quickly recall the camera settings for action or macro photos. These are unfortunately absent on the Z fc.
Another difference is also the slightly higher price for the new Z fc. In short, the answers are many and there is no absolute winner between the two.
In any case, I hope I have clarified a little in the possible choice of one of these two Nikon APSC mirrorless cameras. For one of the many field tests I took the Nikon Z fc to the abandoned city of Lavacchielli in the province of Parma, Italy. All images were shot with the Laowa 9mm f/5.6 and I used a 3 shot bracketing. I used the K&F Concept BA225 lightweight tripod. In post production I used JPGs since the codecs to open RAW are not yet available.
