The DX Kit is Complete - For Now

 

Nikon D7500, Nikkor 24-85mm f3.5-4.5 VR G

I picked up a couple more F mount lenses on Friday, which leaves me with an essentially complete hiking kit for my D7500, and a mostly complete one for the Z7.

What were the lenses?

The 10-20mm f4-5.6 DX VR AF-P and the 80-400mm f4-5.6 VR G AF-S

That gives me a solid 3/4 lens kit for the D7500 covering 15-600mm effective, with the 24-85VR subbing for my Tamron 17-50 in this case as it fills the gap between the 10-20 and 80-400 better, and a 3/4 lens kit for the Z7 covering 21-400mm (the Zeiss 21, 24-85VR and 80-400). In both cases the fourth optional lens is the Tamron 90mm Macro, although for regular close focus work (flowers, some bugging) the 80-400 does just fine. 

The 10-20 is tiny, surprisingly good optically and has VR, making it a good alternative to my go-to lens for years in this space, the Sigma 10-20 f4-5.6 HSM, which I've owned multiple copies of over the years. The Nikkor is the better of the two optically, and noticeably so, which I'd hope for being a 10+ year newer design, plus significantly smaller and lighter, but less well built. I'm impressed so far, and it's small enough to handle well on the Zfc. 

The 80-400G is everything I'd hoped the Sigma 100-400 would be on my A7IV last year, but without the disappointment I got from the Sigma. Both are sharp lenses, but the Nikkor is sharper, handles better, has better AF and the stabilization works well (which the Sigma didn't).

Collectively I spend slightly less for both lenses than that Sigma cost me last year. Shooting modern DSLR glass has a clear value advantage these days, especially if you choose lenses which adapt easily to mirrorless as I am currently doing (AF-S and AF-P lenses for Nikon, AF-I Nikkors also adapt well but generally only includes lenses I don't have a huge need for, while AF Nikkors lose AF). 

I still need a decent UWA zoom for the Z7, but I'm leaning towards the 16-35VR here. It's decent but unexceptional optically, but handles well, has VR and sells for very reasonable pricing. 

I'm currently planning to continue to build up my modern F mount collection. Great class, great prices. Sure, Z glass is almost always better, but it's also usually far more expensive than it is better (the 50's excepted, Nikon didn't really design an exceptional 50mm offering between the 50/1.2 AI-S and the Z 50/1.8 S, I'll probably skip the Nikkor 50's and just get a 58G if I find one for the right price), plus I'm really enjoying shooting the D7500, so I may add some more late-model DSLR's to the kit if I continue to enjoy the D7500 long-term. Notably a D850 and maybe a D500, the latter I've long wanted because of my longstanding love for the D200 and D300.

Why Buy a DSLR in 2026?

D7500, AF-S Nikkor 85mm f1.8

Why would somebody buy a DSLR in 2026? Especially a new or nearly new one. My D7500 was technically used, but as recent production and less than 1000 shots on it, it was functionally new. 

There's pretty much 3 reasons why you'd do so.

1. The Optical Viewfinder. Some people simply prefer this experience to an EVF, and there are advantages in some conditions, especially very bright conditions. 

2. The 'DSLR Experience'. Mirror slap, OVF blackout, nice chonky grips and amazing battery life even with tiny batteries. Shooting a DSLR is not quite the same as mirrorless and some folks just like the DSLR experience better.

3. Value. Simply put there are very few cases today where you get more value for the dollars spent from mirrorless than from DSLR's, especially if you want more than 5-6fps or a high performance APS-C body from somebody other than Fuji. The real exception here is high-MP but low speed landscape cameras, there are some real steals on 40+MP low-speed bodies in the A7RII and OG Z7, which cost similar to a used D800 or D810, but deliver Z8/A1 level resolution and even more DR, at the cost of mediocre AF and low practical FPS (neither of which is really a landscape camera need). 

For me it was really #3 driving things, and mostly because I wanted a faster body (7-8fps minimum without compromises) with APS-C level pixel density and at a cost similar to or lower than my Z5ii's sale value. 

Note this brings up that SLR mount lenses are even more of a value than the bodies these days, since many of them are fully functional on mirrorless via adapter (and arguably more functional given you can get IBIS with lenses whose SLR mounts did not offer that feature). I'm still primarily using and buying SLR mount lenses (mostly F mount) because of this. Great glass, now cheap. Yeah, often the native mirrorless lens is better technically than the older SLR mount lens, but the price difference and performance are also often at odds with each other. 

For the value driven photographer, there's often real benefits to staying in the DSLR ecosystems rather than moving to the latest and greatest mirrorless system. 

 

First Outing with the D7500

Nikon D7500, Nikkor 85/1.8G

I took a short hike Sunday afternoon to clear my head after attending a Visitation for a friend's late wife. I don't deal well with events like that, so I needed some time in my own head. Hiked for 1km or so and shoot around 100 shots of woodlands and nature details. 

Overall shooting the D7500 was like a visit with an old friend, it just worked pretty much exactly as I remembered. I have a lot of experience with older Nikon DSLR's and it's not that different from my Z bodies either. 

One good thing is I finally solved my Bracketing Burst issue on the Nikons. Turns out that I'd forgotten about how Nikon bracketing interacts with drive mode and setting Continuous advance gets you Bracketing Burst. That means I can just put this on a user setting for the Z7 (which sets drive mode on a button), but for the Zfc (no user modes) and the D7500 (physical drive mode selector) I will need to remember this as it solves a major annoyance for me.

There's a couple things about the D7500 that remind me of some of what we've lost in going to the Z bodies. The BKT button and AF/MF switch/button on the left, the 2-button format shortcut and full ability to override crop modes (the D7500 actually has a 1.3x crop mode option to get down to an m43-esque crop level of about 2x from Full Frame, but unlike the D7100 and D7200, this does not also come with a speed bump, the D7500 is always an 8fps body). Sometimes I do feel like Nikon over-simplified some things in Z and I just cannot figure out why the 45MP bodies in particular lose 1.2x crop as an option as well as the ability to force non-DX crop with DX CPU lenses. 

I do miss IBIS though, even the shot above is just a touch soft due to lack of IBIS. I have adjusted my auto-ISO minimum shutter speed to bias a bit faster as a result. 

One thing this does make me think of is that maybe a D850 might make sense as an addition to the kit in the future. It would give me a fast, 45MP FX/19.5MP DX body in the best DSLR Nikon ever made, and new it costs between a Z5ii and a Zf right now (and that probably will continue to slowly drop until they finally disappear). There's a lot of great value available in DSLR's and DSLR lenses right now as people continue to sell them off to go mirrorless. Is mirrorless kit better? In most regards yes, but in a lot of cases right now the cost and benefit ratio is off when you can buy last-gen DSLR pro glass cheap (and it works on your mirrorless cameras too in most cases). 

 

Kit Priorities

Sony A7RIV, FE 28-60

With my bodies set for now, what does that mean for lenses?

Priorities are as follows:

1. Telezoom. Looking at a 80-400G as my primary option here. This will be for hiking, airshow/aviation and some wildlife stuff. This was already on the to-acquire list prior to the body changeup

2. 35/1.8DX. I have a DX DSLR again, this must be in my bag. It's my must-have lens for DX DSLR's. 

3. DX UWA zoom. Got to complete the base DX DSLR kit, and this time it probably won't be a Sigma 10-20mm f4-5.6. Not sure where I'll go on this, the Tamron 10-24 is a possibility, or maybe the Sigma 10-20mm f3.5. The Tamron is attractive for having VC and a focal length range that pairs well with a 24-xx FX zoom (like my 24-85VR) even on DX. That would give me a 3-lens stabilized kit with minimal overlap, or even a viable 2 zoom and a gap filling prime setup (with a 50-60mm prime) for hiking. 

In Z mount, I'll continue to build out my manual lens setup for the Zfc, I was also looking at adding a 3rd lens to my 28/40 pair for the Z7, but I think for now the 85/1.8G might suffice for that (albeit at a much larger size than say a TTArtisan 75/2). Further down adding some compact wide AF primes is on the list, notably the Viltrox 14/4 and the 9/2.8 and 15/1.7 APS-C wides for the Zfc, eventually I do see having a compact AF setup for the Zfc as well as a set of manual focus lenses. 

 

My Brain Won - But Not in the Way I Feared

Fujifilm X-T2, XC 16-50 OIS II

No, I didn't get another X-T2 or even another Fuji, despite the image chosen. Yes, the Z5ii is gone. And I bought something I was not originally even considering. 

I've been mulling what exactly is the issue with the Z5ii driving my thoughts. because it's an incredibly good camera.

In short, pixel density is the issue with how the Z5ii fit into my kit. 

It was my best action camera in terms of AF, FPS and buffer, but it was also far lower pixel density than either the Z7 or the Zfc, limiting the reach, which is important when I simply don't own glass longer than 300mm. For landscape, it's only real advantage in the way I work over the Z7 is the screen articulation, and I can live without that, otherwise the IQ from the Z7 is simply better (better DR, more resolution, lower base ISO for long exposures). That limited its utility at exactly where it beat my other bodies sans investment in expensive glass to offset the lack of pixel density. And I'm all about inexpensive and interesting glass, not expensive glass. 

For everyday carry, both the Zfc and Z7 are smaller and lighter than the Z5ii (albeit only marginally so for the Z7). I don't use the Flexible Color Picture Controls since I just don't shoot JPEG at all, and if I did, I'd be shooting on the Zfc with my cheap & fun manual Chinese lenses, not on the Z5ii. Most of the Z5ii's EXPEED7 advantages are things I don't actually use in practice, although if you shoot events or people a lot with AF lenses, yeah, it's a beast. 

As I drove through the logic, I kept coming back to wanting a higher-end APS-C body. Really, I wanted similar pixel density to what I already had, Nikon NEF files, higher speed than the no-compromises speeds of the Zfc and Z7 (both are really 5fps bodies, albeit capable of faster with the EVF in slideshow mode), solid AF-C performance, and it can't be a brick because I don't carry bricks. 

Absent the last item, that really left me with the Z8/Z9 (way too expensive, too big), the D850 (slightly too expensive to get now, viable if I'd wait a bit, too big), the D500 (attainable if I could find one, slightly too big), the D7500 and D7200 (both hit on price, size and have enough speed, D7500 is a better speed body, D7200 has proper AI lens compatibility). Note that I own very few Z mount lenses, my core kit is F mount, and I do have screwdriver AF lenses. I'm not really worried about AI compatibility since both the Zfc and Z7 are better manual lens cameras than any Nikon DSLR. 

As it happened, for the actual DX options only the D7500 was available anyways, so that's what I got, plus I added a 85/1.8G AF-S as a workable short-tele when I want a bit more speed (both aperture and AF) vs my trusty Tamron SP 90mm f2.8 Macro. Worked out to a 1:1 trade for the D7500+85/1.8G into the Z5ii, which is reasonable value.

So now I have a DSLR in my kit again, for the first time since my old D300 died. Going to be interesting. Size/weight shouldn't be much of an issue, the D7500 clocks in at 20g more than the Z5ii, but 105g less than the Z5ii+FTZII. Batteries and cards are the same, so plenty of compatibility and the D7500 has far better battery life. Using an OVF will be interesting, it's been a while. But the body should play well with my other gear and let me run effective 2 body setups that actually lean better into what each body is good at (Zfc is small/light, Z7 is the pixel monster, D7500 is the long lens/speed body). The 85/1.8G is a lens I've long wanted to own, so adding that as a workable short tele for DX and portrait lens for FX should fit in well. 

Plus I now have a body with screwdriver AF compatibility, to make some of the more interesting inexpensive F lenses more usable (especially the 180/2.8D I've been eyeing for ages). 

As a walkabout kit, the Tamron 17-50+ 85/1.8G or Tamron 17-50+Tamron 90 macro will both work well. I'll no doubt get yet another 35/1.8DX and some sort of UWA and I'm already looking seriously at telephoto zoom options to give alternatives to the 300/4D.

 

Fuji Ponderings

Railroad Leftovers in Pontypool

Zfc, Tamron SP 17-50 f2.8

I continue to enjoy shooting the Zfc more than the Z5ii for everyday use and that continues to make me wonder if Nikon is really the right home for me and should I or should I not be shooting Fuji instead. 

The reality is the X-T3 or X-T5 is a better Zfc than the Zfc is, which is unsurprising as they are higher-end bodies and that's what gives them the advantage (better viewfinder, better build, etc). I do still need a light carry body though and the Zfc is better than the X-T30 series for that (better EVF, ISO dial instead of film sim dial). Yeah, the Zf is also a better Zfc, but it's comparatively huge and heavy (F3HP size & weight, slightly larger and heavier than either the Z5ii or the Z7) and I prefer having something more akin to a FM2n (and the X-T5 is very close to the FM2n in size and weight, 10mm less wide, but otherwise near identical). 

On the flip side, no Fuji can match the IQ of my FX bodies, nor the AF system of the Z5ii, but I don't actually lean on that very hard. And I definitely prefer the Nikon NEF files I get from my Nikons, at least to the older 24MP and similar Fuji files. Of course RAW converter performance with X-Trans continues to improve and what was marginal in 2020 Lightroom is actually pretty decent when I run my old X-T2 files through Pixelmator Pro now. 

Fuji on the other hand offers more selection in terms of classic UI cameras, a consistent APS-C lens line (and one far larger than even the entirety of the Z mount line, aside from a generally weaker long tele selection). And quite frankly, a lens line (1st and 3rd party) which generally is both good and small(ish) which I prefer to the larger and tending to expensive Nikon Z lenses. 

The Gripping hand? Fuji is very late in its current 5th Gen X-Trans platform and expected to launch a new generation in September, likely with an X-T6, and new Fuji bodies are rather overpriced for their somewhat ageing performance as Fuji has not discounted older bodies much at all (there's a couple of $100-off deals right now but that's it). 

It's honestly annoying to be in my head right now. I wish I could just buckle down and shoot with what I have rather than getting burned in 'what would be a better choice'. 

I did a pretty deep dive on comparative value and I could swing a basic X-T5 setup for what I have right now. But at the same time I do see some issues, the X-T5 gets roasted for middling build quality (notable since both of my FX bodies have notably excellent build) and the AF system. The reality is that aside from the lens system (which I can adapt), the UI and some extra (and unneeded by me) speed is all the X-T5 brings to the table over the Zfc/Z7 combo. 

I'll stand pat for now, and consider maybe trading in the Z5ii for more glass. 

 

Slowing the Churn

Wight Island Bridge

Zfc, Tamron SP 17-50mm f2.8 

Took the Zfc along on a Sunday fishing trip, shot a moderate amount, all with the Tamron 17-50 on the FTZII. This lens works well if you don't let it bounce off MFD, which confuses the AF system VERY badly if it hits the minimum focus stop. Fix is easy, set to MF, focus away from MFD, set back to AF. 

One thing I've been trying to do for a fairly long time is stop my gear churn, especially system switching. I have spent WAY too much time chasing the dragon, and got fairly little out of it. The two inflection points I see as true mistakes were in selling my X-T2 and in selling my OG Z5. m43 and Sony just don't work for me as systems, despite hitting on paper, while Canon can do what I need, but lacks the fun 3rd party lenses I so love to use for non-serious work.

I'm starting to see some success with that finally, the Z7 is the first body in a long time to see significantly more than 1 year of ownership as anything other than a shelf queen, although it is my least used body right now. In terms of how long I've had the bodies, the Z7 is at 18 months, the Z5ii is at 9 months and the Zfc just broke 2 months. The only one I'm ambivalent on right now is the Z5ii, and that's more about the DX/FX focus than anything else, as it's the only body I own that isn't a competent DX body (at 10.5MP in DX mode, it's just not there on resolution, while the Z7's 19.5MP in DX almost matches the Zfc's 20.1MP). 

On the lens front, I'm pretty good about not churning if there's no system switch triggering it. I do tend to start to build up a collection if I'm not system switching though. That's how I ended up with a pretty comprehensive set of manual focus lenses, covering 21-300mm, in F mount, plus small sets of M42, Contax/Yashica< Leica LTM & M Mount and FD mount lenses. 

In terms of systems today, I do love Fuji's wide selection of APS-C lenses and classic UI bodies, but I prefer Nikon's firmware and NEF files for post. And Flexible Color Picture Controls are much more powerful that Fuji's neat but pretty wildly oversold Film Simulations (especially since there's an actual post-production workflow that can use FCPC's, unlike Film Sims). I'd be happy with either choice if I could stop overthinking, which makes me lean hard on keeping the one I'm already invested in. I might just buy a Fuji X-Z AF adapter though, which would open up the Fuji lens lineup to my Zfc and Z7 (and maybe a future DX body....). If only Nikon had a DX X-T5 fighter...(either a direct DX version of the Zf, or just a 45MP Zfx, either would work for me in this role. Heck a Z5iix would as well)

 

Zfc Update - After 2 Months

Nikon Zfc, Tamron SP 90mm f2.8 AF-D

2 months with the Zfc and where am I? Not shooting much remains the answer. I've taken just shy of 250 shots with the Zfc, largely due to not getting out to shoot more than anything else. That is more than I've shot with my other bodies though (the Z5ii has seen about 50 shots in the same period, the Z7 none). 

I actually rather do like the camera, enough that it's making me rethink DX vs FX as a long-term strategy. But in regards to the Zfc in particular, it continues to be the 'Digital FM10' I was hoping it would be. I'm quite enjoying using it in combination with the two native DX manual lenses I own and plan to add a few more (specifically I want the 7Artisans 10mm f3.5 and 35mm f1.4 II, and then 1-2 more lenses, one around 17/18mm and fast, one as a faster alternative to my 25/2). I also picked up a remarkably inexpensive F mount Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 with the built-in lens AF motor. It works well enough on the FTZII unless you let it hit MFD in AF mode where it will get all sorts of confused. Optically solid though and a useful range and maximum aperture. It has me considering seriously whether I should get a Nikkor Z 16-50/2.8 VR as an everyday lens, the range is great and that lens is smaller and lighter than the Tamron+FTZ combo I currently use. 

The main downsides I see with the Zfc are the very average EVF and the lack of IBIS, and the former is acceptable for the price point where it remains one of the better EVF's for its cost. IBIS I'd really like, but again at this price point it's somewhat rare. I also wish it had Flexible Color Picture Controls, as those make JPEG shooting more interesting to me and this would be the perfect camera to do JPEG shooting as it's my 'non-serious' camera. 

So overall, after 2 months I like the camera, would really like to see an update with EXPEED7+IBIS and am rethinking FX as a long-term strategy given how much I shoot these days and my preference for inexpensive + smaller glass where DX is finally building a nice (but almost entirely 3rd party) catalog. Viltrox and 7Artisans both launched some interesting new DX lenses recently, and I'm considering buying several of them (notably the 7Artisans trio of 25/35/50 f1.8 lenses at $125USD each, and the 90mm f2.2 from Viltrox. The Viltrox 75mm is les interesting since 7Artisans does a FX version for slightly less and that would complete the trio with my 28SE and 40SE)

Pondering APS-C Yet Again

Nikon Z5II, 24-85VR

This image didn't need FX. I could have gotten the same results with my 17-50 on my Zfc. 

One issue I continue to have with gear choice is that crop sensors really do deliver enough image quality for my needs. But I always want Full Frame, largely driven by wanting my collection of manual focus lenses to work as intended, which I then mostly don't use as they don't handle particularly well on mirrorless, losing the compact size I loved about them on classic manual film bodies. 

Working with the Zfc of late has reminded me that it does largely cover my needs and where I want the Z5ii in particular over the Zfc is never about that bigger sensor, but for the bigger EVF, IBIS, better ergonomics or the faster AF. These are all things that a notional Z70 or Z90 would cover, if such a thing existed. And when paired with modern manual APS-C lenses, it retains the compact size and handling I so loved about classic manual film cameras like the FM2n (the Zf is too large & heavy, more a F2 or F3HP equivalent than FM2n). 

With the recent(ish) Z 16-50/2.8 release, there's really only one real APS-C lens gap remaining for me, the higher-end UWA zoom, and I totally could get away with a prime or two in the 10-14mm range instead. But the Z50ii just isn't quite enough body for me to be willing to swap my Z5ii for it, even if it's probably enough body for me for most uses. The biggest loss overall for that swap would be IBIS on my 300/4D, which is a big part of why that lens works so well for me. 

This does leave me in a quandary, largely because I like to optimize my body selection to a ridiculous amount. For the most part the Z7 + Zfc combo covers my low/high needs. So do I really need the Z5ii in the first place? But the Z5ii is hands down the best of my bodies to use and the only one with the new Flexible Color Picture Controls and multi-shot. But selling the Z5ii would get me budget to go all-in on some good APS-C glass (say a 13mm f1.4 and a 16-50/2.8) which I could use on both remaining bodies, and keep the 45MP FX option when I really need the extra IQ (which is in part why I keep the Z7 in the first place). Or the Z5ii could go to fund a higher-end APS-C body, but I struggle to put the Z50ii in that category even though I know it has most of the extras I like about the Z5ii (lacking the EVF, larger body & battery & IBIS). I still reach for the Z5ii as my sole body for more serious work. 

The good news is I'm really not wavering on system choice. I just don't see any options that fit my use cases there other than Fuji, and Fuji just doesn't split quite the way I'd want it to for my needs and is right now late in the lifecycle of all their high-end bodies so I would not want to pay current pricing for a body whose cost & value will drop very soon as the next gen comes out. If I'd got the X-T30 route instead of the Zfc, I might have picked differently though, selling my Z5ii for a X-H2 or X-T5 would work in that situation, but not in the one I'm actually in. And quite frankly I prefer Nikon files to Fuji files, even if I love that Fuji lens lineup. 

So that leaves me at 'keep Z5ii, get a telezoom and maybe a wider FX UWA later this year', 'sell Z5ii and buy even more glass', or 'sell Z5ii, buy EXPEED7 Z DX body' in some form (Z50ii now or notional higher-end Z DX body later). Option 3 really also includes 'buy more AF glass' long-term as well. 

Right now in terms of native Z lenses, I have 4 total. The 28/2.8 SE and 40/2 SE (both FX AF primes) and the TTartisan 25/2 and 7Artisans 55/1.4 (both DX manual primes). For other AF lenses I really only have the F mount Tamron 17-50/2.8 DX, Nikkor 24-85VR and Nikkor 300/4D. I don't see getting rid of any of these even if I do change up bodies, since the only thing on the list which becomes less useful on DX would be the 24-85VR and I'd keep that for the Z7 which I have no intent to get rid of, since it works well as both a DX and FX body and has minimal resale value (due to age and being well over 300k shutter actuations). 

I do plan to increase my fleet of Z DX manual lenses, regardless of what direction I go. They're cheap, fun and surprisingly good and the Zfc was pretty much intended to be dedicated to these and I want to keep that. I'll also be investing in a new telezoom regardless, a 70-200/2.8 or similar. I need it regardless and it fits all paths relatively well. 

 

A Very Dead Winter and a Spring Return

Nikon Zfc, TTArtisan 25mm f2

Well I've been gone since October and the simple reason is that I shot pretty much nothing all winter, because I stayed cooped up at home for multiple reasons. Since I wasn't going far, I never carried the Z5ii or the Z7 due to size/weight/inconvenience and therefore took pretty much no pictures.

This did make clear to me that I needed a real light carry solution. I wasn't carrying around town largely because both of my bodies were too big, even with only the 40/2 or my M 35/5.6 mounted (my two smallest lens setups for them).

Light carry on Z is in a bit of an awkward position at best. The only smaller FX body is the ZR, and that costs more than a Zf, let alone a Z5ii. This makes it a poor choice for anyone other than a Z8/9 user unless light carry or cinema are their primary uses. Z DX is on life support and we're still waiting to see EXPEED7 updates of the Zfc and Z30, despite the first EXPEED8 body being expected this year (Z9II most likely), and Nikon's lens lineup for Z DX is only slightly less terrible than it has been historically (thanks to them finally dropping a 16-50 f2.8 normal zoom, the first in DX, F or Z, since the old 17-55 from 2003). 3rd party primes and a couple zooms from Tamron & Sigma carry all the load in Z DX, so you need to be willing to run 3rd party glass if you want to do anything serious as a DX shooter today.

I greatly prefer my light carry option to match both mount and format with my primary bodies. Cards I don't care about (since I don't really swap cards much anymore, a 64GB+ card is sufficient for my needs on most anything and cheap enough even at today's inflated prices that I can have enough for my bodies + a spare or two) and batteries are more a 'nice to have match' than anything else. I generally only need 1 larger or 2 smaller batteries for a day of shooting and they don't take up much space. 

That said, since there were no viable options in Z FX, I had to compromise on either format + battery, mount + battery, or all three (since Nikon Z DX exclusively uses EN-EL25 series batteries instead of the larger EN-EL15's or EN-EL18's of the FX bodies). 

Mount + battery would mean the Panasonic S9 for me. The A7c's have a dire viewfinder and an A7Cr or A7CII are too expensive for this use for me, the R8 doesn't adapt manual lenses well enough but would do in a pinch if I was willing to focus on native glass. 

Format + battery is Z DX. Z30 lacks a viewfinder and is less pocketable than the Zfc due to the grip. It's EXPEED6. Zfc is a tad pricey for what it is (being EXPEED6), Z50ii has all the toys, but is the least pocketable and the best performer for the dollar.

The other alternatives (compromising on all 3) would be m43 or Fuji. m43 still suffers from the lack of really up to date lower-end bodies, and they're overpriced too (OM-5 series I'm looking at you). Fuji's a bit pricey and the AF-C is dire by modern standards, but the main complaint here is that every body is a different UI experience. 

Eventually it came down to Fuji something vs the Zfc. Narrowing further would be the X-T30III vs the Zfc, similar price point, similar specs and both are very viable in this use case. The 3 big differences other than mount items (Fuji has way more lenses, Zfc can use all my current lenses and can get a Fuji X AF Adapter) are the EVF (same panel specs, Fuji's magnification is 0.62x vs 0.68x for the Zfc), the left control dial (film sim for Fuji, ISO for Nikon) and the screen (single axis tilt for Fuji, Flip/twist for Nikon). In all 3 cases the Zfc actually wins for my preferences.

Realistically, if I'd found a used X-T3 in this price range I would have snagged it, barring that the Zfc wins out (used X-T4 is too big/too expensive for light carry). Plus I really need a second FTZ so I can run two F mount AF lenses when running a 2 body setup (needed since the vast majority of my lenses are F mount) and Nikon was running the usual FTZ deal when paired with a new Z body with the Zfc qualifying.

So I grabbed the Zfc/28SE kit, and FTZ and ordered another TTArtisan 25/2 APS-C pancake and a Smallrig EN-EL25a compatible (with integrated USB-C charge) off Amazon. That gets me a compact wide for my FX bodies and completes my SE lens set (I have the 40/2 SE already), and even more compact MF prime for the Zfc and the spare battery it's definitely going to need. Why the 28SE kit? Well I can always grab a 16-50 used for super cheap, I had a real use for the 28SE on my FX bodies and the bare body was not in stock. I personally think Nikon should do a 24DX SE for the Zfc update, it makes more sense than the 28SE in a kit with a DX body (but the 24DX didn't exist when the Zfc was released). Would also give people a reason to actually buy the 24DX over the cheaper (and often better) 3rd party alternatives.

Short Zfc review - It's better than I'd expected. The build is light, but it's not the FM10-level build I'd initially thought. Viewfinder is adequate, ergonomics feel like an FM10 just with better materials. It's no secret I loved the FM10 as a light carry film body and the Zfc is a direct drop-in for that use, with improvements. I think I'll do just fine with it. My main complaint is the lack of support for Flexible Picture Controls, which would make it much more viable as a JPEG body, and it's the only body I own where I am really likely to shoot JPEG in the first place. 

Regarding usage, this gives me a body well suited to pairing with cheap manual focus APS-C lenses, which is something I really loved during my last go around with Fuji (especially that 18/6.3 pancake on the X-T1 and the 12/2.8 on the X-T2). So I'll be building up a small collection of those and probably will end up doing a 'Nikon DX on the cheap' series like the one I did for Fuji on the Cheap some years ago. 

 

A Very Good Day of Photography

Nikon Z5ii, 300mm f4D on FTZII

Yesterday was a very good day of photography. I got out early enough to catch a sunrise (and pre-dawn mist) at Smoke Lake in Algonquin Park, one of my favourite places to shoot sunrises, and spent the day meandering through the park and then the Algonquin Highlands southeast of it, finishing up at Silent Lake Provincial Park before heading home through some backroads just before sunset. That's the sixth of my seven photo outings from my goals. Just one more this year and I'm done.

In other news, I broke 66% on my Like to Posts ratio on Fred Miranda, netting the first goal of the year done. At this rate if I keep up my posting there I should break 67% and possibly even 68% by year's end. The downside is the Nikon forum is the least active in Liking photography posts so once I exhaust the archives of old Sony and Canon shots, the rate of increase will drop. 

On the camera side, the Z5II is now at 1400 shots, exceeding in 1 month what I shot with the A7IV in 6 months. The Z7, which I also shot with a bit yesterday (mostly for the sunrise shots) is now up around 1100 shots and closing in on the 1350 or so shots I took with the A7IV. I expect shooting to taper off after October as we get into the dull portion of late fall which is always a photographic doldrum for me. I'll be happy if I finish the year with 1500 or so shots on the Z7 and 2500 on the Z5ii, bringing me over 5000 shots for the year and 4000 or so towards my 10,000 with one system goal (which I will not come close to making in 2025 barring a miracle). 

I also got a new lens this week, lucking into a nearly-mint AF-S 300mm f4 D ED for a crazy low price. It's got the AF-S squeak which is why it was so cheap, but otherwise looks essentially unused, likely having sat in a closet for years after purchase which is also one of the causes of AF-S Squeak. Even if the motor fails, I still got an otherwise mint 300 for less than a similar-condition copy of the AI-S version goes for. Had lots of fun shooting it yesterday, it's very sharp, has great close focus performance and stupid fast AF which matches up well to how I like to shoot when hiking. Lots of critter pics and also nature close-ups from yesterday. 

 

2025 Goals Update

Nikon Z5II, Nikkor-S.C 5cm f1.4 LTM

Well, I just passed another milestone on my goals, my Likes to Posts ratio on Fred Miranda just passed 65% on my way to my goal of 66%. Another percent is very doable, I started the year at 63.2%.

I'm also up to 5 of 7 Photo trips for the year, with another planned for next week. I expect to hit this goal

In terms of shooting, it's really low this year, I'm not even at 3,000 shots for the year, evenly split between the A7IV and the Nikons. Barring a major shift, I'll be happy to clear 5,000 shots for the year with the majority on the Nikons, and I do expect the Z7 will become the second camera in recent memory to exceed 12 months of ownership in January. Eventually hitting 10,000 without a system change is definitely possible, but no idea if I'll do that on a single body anytime soon. The Z5ii so far is just shy of 600 shots and still working well, but it's definitely still in new toy mode. We'll see where the new year takes us, but I really hope I'm still shooting the Z5ii come next fall, although I could see it demoted to second string if I bought a real replacement for the Z7 (ie if I trip over a deal on a Z8).

 

Z5ii - Initial Thoughts

 

Nikon Z5ii, AF-S Nikkor 24-85mm f3.5-4.5 VR G on FTZII

3 shot/1 stop bracket to HDR

I've got about 400 shots on the Z5ii now, from a couple outings (one minor photowalk, one major outing over the weekend). Definitely still in new toy mode, but it also feels extremely comfortable, I can't remember the last camera I picked up that shooting with felt like coming home. That's probably the very familiar ergonomics (almost identical to my Z7 and even closer to the Z5 I had a few years ago). Oddly the only two recent Nikons I've bought new were the OG Z5 and the Z5II, I generally buy used cameras (the other exception in the last 5 or so years was the OM-1). 

It's no secret I liked the Z5ii on announcement, I called it 'surely the best in class' although at the time I still thought that picking the A7IV better fit my needs (and on paper, I was correct, in practice, well not so much). This is simply a very well sorted camera that brings an absolutely stupid amount of capability for its price and overshadows the competing cameras as a general use camera (S5II is still better for serious video, but lags at everything else largely due to the AF system still struggling, while the R8 offers small size, fast AF and high FPS rates, but lacks pretty much everywhere else as it has a consumer battery, no IBIS and an APS-C grade EVF) and about 95% of my complaints from the Z5 and Z7 have been addressed, and of the two major remaining ones only one could be sorted in software.

So what was fixed? Customizability mostly. All the buttons that I might want to program but couldn't on the Z5 and Z7, I can on the Z5II. Only a few core UI buttons (shutter release, menu, the zoom buttons and delete) are not programmable now. This immediately frees up 3 additional buttons for me if I'm willing to accept differing controls between my two bodies. My limiter on customization now is maintaining UI commonality between the less customizable Z7 and the more customizable Z5ii. Since the Z7 still brings one major item to the table (the amazing 45MP sensor), I want to keep them similar so I don't have to think when swapping between them. That does limit what I can do with Z5ii for now. 

The Non-CPU Lens system got an upgrade, fixing all my complaints. When I test drove the Zf in early 2025 it still offered the old Non-CPU Lens Data UI, where you picked focal length and aperture from a list f pre-populated values, which locked out non-Nikon focal lengths (like 21mm and 25mm) and apertures. It also didn't let you enter the lens name for EXIF like the OM and Panasonic bodies do. Those features were already in the Z8 and Z9 at the time, but had not tricked down to the lower-end EXPEED7 bodies (Zf and Z6iii in particular at that time, even though the Zf had the new MF assist functions it pioneered). With the Z5ii that changed and the new UI is present which addresses pretty much all the shortcomings of the system from the older EXPEED6 bodies like my Z7. It now writes full EXIF with dumb adapters and I can enter specific lens names to differentiate multiple lenses of the same spec (like my two 28mm f3.5's), I do still have to remember which slot is which if using the quick-access selection as that only shows slot ID, focal length and aperture, but it shows up in the full menu UI. My understanding is that the Zf and Z6iii on current firmware also have this now. It's a real value add for somebody who loves mucking about with non-CPU lenses as I do. 

There's also a lot of other Quality of Life updates in the EXPEED7 bodies, they're faster, less gotchas and just very well sorted. Plus it's nice to be using a system without the dust management issues that continue to plague Sony. 

What don't I like?

1. Bracketing Burst is still broken compared to the Nikon DSLR's (and Sony). I cannot set the Z bodies up to just shoot a burst if I have Bracketing enabled. Sony makes it a drive mode which allows this (but locks out combining bracketing burst with a self timer), The Nikon DSLR's had a custom function to set this to always on. I have to assign a button and hold that button down while shooting to get it on the Z's. 

2. That third control point on the body. The Sony bodies actually have 4 control points (which is more than I need, I never used the one around the d-pad), but being able to have exposure compensation on a dedicated dial in M+Auto ISO mode was great and I cannot do that on the Z's unless I put it on the lens ring and shoot only with lenses that have a ring (or a focus ring that can be re-assigned as a control ring). Worse, I can't set the camera up so that Aperture is on the lens and Shutter/ISO or Shutter/exposure compensation is on the body. That's by far the most normal setup I can think of for shooting with the control ring on the lens, especially since I use a lot of manual lenses where I'm basically just wasting a control point.

Overall, I'm really liking the Z5ii. It just feels like home so far. We'll see how things play out, but hopefully it will still be in my bag next September. 

The Nikon System Now

Nikon Z7, Nikkor 105mm f2.5 AI-S

So with my Sony stuff gone, there's a few gaps in my setup to fill, but I still do have a nice selection of glass available to me, especially reasonably compact primes.

So what's in the rotation?

Standard kit:

Zeiss Distagon 2,8/21 ZF - my standard wide-angle lens and an absolute gem.

Z Nikkor 40mm f2 SE - My AF fast/compact prime for walkaround. Rather good, decently small and fast enough

AF-S Nikkor 24-85mm f3.5-4.5 VR G - Very solid and sharp general purpose zoom

Tamron SP 90mm f2.8 N-AF - My macro of choice even though it doesn't AF on the FTZ. 

M mount kit:

7Artisans 35mm f5.6 - Fixed aperture bodycap/small walkabout lens

Nikkor-S.C 5cm f1.4 LTM - Not only my cold dead hands lens, but a solid classic-rendering Sonnar type normal. Some issues with the M mount adapter mean I need to use a different adapter than I do for the other M lenses.

7Artisans 75mm f1.25 - Big, fast monster. Unique rendering and weak wide open, but lots of fun. 

F mount kit:

24mm f2.8 K - Classic Nikkor wide angle.

28mm f3.5 H - Classic low-contrast rendering, muted but beautiful colour, Kinda a PITA to focus due to low contrast, metal focus ring

28mm f3.5 AI - Classic and solid AI mild wide. Got it with the Z5ii in a 1 for 1 swap for my unloved 35/2 AI (a lens I've owned and not loved several times over the years, my least favourite Nikkor 35mm)

50mm f1.8D - Yeah, I have one, it's technically my partner's for her D50. Neither of us ever use it, but we won't sell it at this point

Micro-Nikkor 55mm f3.5 AI - Heirloom, came with my FE from my Aunt (who bought it new from the camera store I worked at as a teen). Will never sell this lens, and I love it, my 3rd one and I always get great results.

Nikkor 105mm f2.5 AI-S - The legendary Afghan Girl lens. Had a few copies previously, sold most foolishly (and broke one). Will not sell this one. 

Nikkor 200/4 Ai - This one needs a teardown, aperture is sticky. Nice lens otherwise and compact.

Nikkor 300/4.5 K AI'd - This thing sucks. But it's also worthless. Won't use or sell.

M42 kit

Super-Takumar 35/3.5 - Longstanding favourite. Keeping

Super-Takumar 135/3.5 - Tiny and decent. Fun and keeping.

I intend to add to all 3 kits. I miss my old (and formerly very complete) M42 kit, there's a few gaps in the F mount kit and I'm really enjoying cheap M glass.

Current priorities are:

1. AF telezoom

2. fast M wides - 28 and faster 35 for sure, then a modern 50 and last a 90. 

3. More ZF/ZF.2 lenses, especially a 35, 50 and 85. I miss my old 85/1.4 ZF.2 in particular. 

More native Z glass and M42 stuff when I can find it for pricing in the budget. 

The goal here is to get to a practical hiking kit quickly (UWA + normal + telezoom, and I just need the telezoom added), then focus on 'fun' lenses including backfilling some old stuff I sold and regret, or always wanted. 
 

Post-Summer Updates

Sony A7IV, Tamron 17-28/2.8

Well, it's been a long and busy summer with relatively little shooting. I got out with the camera a total of 3 times, and only shot 6-700 shots total across all of those. The A7IV is now just shy of 1400 shots.

The A7IV has been delivering what I wanted for hiking/landscape work, but I just do not really like using it for adapting lenses, the only adapted lens that's seen any real use is my EF mount Voigtlander 90/3.5 APO-Lanthar, which is fully coupled on my EF->FE adapter. 

This breaks into one of the issues with being dual system. I just like the Nikon more, even though the Sony stuff has been working well overall. I really wish I'd waited and bought the Z5ii instead (or just got that used Zf I was eying instead of the A7IV). Nikon has also solved the light body issue with the new Zr, although it is somewhat expensive (since it's really a Z6iii in a small body, not another Zf/Z5ii sibling, so it costs near Z6iii money, sitting halfway between the Zf and Z6iii in price, which is reasonable for what it is as a video body, but high for light carry).

This is kind of a pisser, since the Sony does work fine for its primary uses, it just has a few minor annoyances that irk me. The biggest one with native glass is how the metering display behaves when in M+Auto ISO. In short, it doesn't do anything even if you are bouncing off ISO limits. Which means you basically have to guess what the heck it's doing in a mode I REALLY like shooting in. The Z7 displays accurate metering in this use case.

The reality is the Sony A7IV spent a lot of the summer next to my desk hoping I'd pick it up, and I rarely did. I didn't shoot the Z7 much either, largely because every time I wanted to, I got indecisive. 

End result - After 6 months of ownership the A7IV and my 3 native lenses got traded back in and a Z5II came home with me. 

Nikon's Z5ii - Certainly the Best in Class.

Nikon Z5, Nikkor Z 24-50 f4-6.3

Nikon announced the new Z5ii last week.

It was exactly what I expected, a Zf in a lightly modded Z5 body. And it's exactly what I would have bought if it had been out a couple months before. I spent a lot of time debating between the Zf, Z6iii, S5ii and A7iv. I eventually settled on the A7iv, and I am happy with that, but if the Z5ii had been out already, I would have looked no further since it met all my original requirements for a body. The Zf only got downchecked because of the weight and ergonomics. 

So what is it - in short it's a pairing of the excellent Expeed7 processing system with the old but outstanding IMX410 24MP BSI Full frame sensor used in a number of different cameras including the Zf, Z6, Z6ii, S5ii, S9, SL3-S and IIRC also the A7iii and A7C. It's a great sensor limited really only by the inability to do full-width 4k50/60 (which I don't care about).

While the price does go up, it remains a huge value and handily the best body in its pricerange for general users, outperforming the A7III and A7C in all regards, the S5II in terms of AF & overall stills performance and the R8 in terms of basic features (better EVF, IBIS, better battery life, dual cards, but much slower and worse 4K video). The Z5ii simply offers the best balanced combination of features, even if most of those cameras (except the aging A7III) beat it in some specific area. 

That said, for my needs I do think the currently more expensive A7IV isn't really overmatched by the Z5ii, but it's currently at least 25% more expensive. I think I made the right choice for my needs, even if it's a choice I probably would have skipped if the Z5ii had been already available last month. 

 

A Couple Weeks Later - A7IV & Z7

A7IV, Tamron 17-28 f2.8

I've had the A7IV for a couple weeks now and put almost 600 shots on it in that time, vs around 800 for the Z7 since I got it 2.5 months ago. The difference in shot count vs time is mostly in being able to get out for one major photo trip after getting the Sony, and I only brought the Sony along for that trip.

Overall, they're both excellent cameras. I generally am preferring the A7IV in actual use for the more flexible control layout, vari-angle LCD and the ability to dedicate a dial to exposure compensation, plus the AF is significantly better. The Z7 however does have a better metering readout for Manual+Auto ISO (As it will tell you on the metering display when it's hit the end of its range for ISO and by how much) and a nicer EVF. Also the Z7 files are still nicer. 

Both are good cameras, both aren't perfect. If I could get the Z7's sensor, EVF, metering readout & Non-cpu lens data system in the A7IV's everything else, I'd be ecstatic. 

In general, if I have to pick just one, I'm usually going to pick the Sony here, it's just better at most of the stuff I care about and more importantly, the system brings me options I simply don't have in Z mount, notably compact bodies and a wider lens selection. But I still do enjoy the Z7 and am planning on keeping it around for now. It's a fun change, the files are nice and I don't have all that much value in Z7 specific stuff that can't also be used via adapter on the A7iv (since all but one of my Z7 lens kit are adapted lenses). 

So overall, my plan to largely dedicate the Z7 to adapted/manual lenses for around town shooting and the A7IV for everyday uses seems to be making a lot of sense. I'm going to continue that way for now. 

 

Chasing the Dragon

Nikon Z7, Z 40mm f2

 Yeah, I'm bad for chasing the dragon. Legendarily bad in fact as I've been doing a constant round robin between Nikon, Sony, m43 and Fuji for over 15 years now since I got my G1 back in January 2009.

What is Chasing the Dragon though? It's when following 'the grass is greener on the other side' to the logical extreme. At one point I made 3 total system switches in a 1 year period. That's crazypants, but it's also a legacy of my unwillingness to accept that I both have bad Gear Acquisition Syndrome (GAS) and the perfect camera for me doesn't yet exist, nor does the perfect lens lineup.

Over the last few years I've been actively trying to stop and settle on one system. I almost achieved it with Canon, as I stuck with that system for 18 months (a recent record) and honestly only switched back to Nikon because I was unhappy with the adaptation experience for manual lenses on Canon, I was otherwise pretty happy with Canon (the bracketing UI aside). 

The other problem is that I just don't deal well with having 2 systems. Or more correctly, I want to have 1 system/2 bodies in the field ideally when I'm shooting landscape/nature. Ideally with shared batteries (I rarely swap cards in practice so while I used to select for that, it's no longer a requirement so long as I have enough 128GB cards so every body has its own card(s). )

The problem is that right now my sole body is a high mileage body I bought cheap specifically as a body to use with my old manual lenses. I like the body, but it doesn't meet my video needs without me buying several additional accessories to rig it out (external display for starters) and I'm always cognizant that a camera with 316k shots on it may die on me. Plus I'd like some more performance for bugging/wildlife/aviation. 

So what are my options?

I've really settled on 4 possibilities, and I'm about ready to narrow that to three. The plan really is to have 2 options when I'm ready to go to the local pusher. 

The first is to do the obvious, stick with the Z7 and just buy a bunch of interesting glass. The downside here is just the usual Nikon issue, the lenses are big & heavy unless I buy some of the few DX lenses, and those are very consumer. But I do have the option to get a bunch of lenses I'd always wanted. I also have the concern that my Z7 will die at a point where I can't just buy another body, but the flip side of that is that most of my lenses will work on DSLR's and a D610 or D800 is stupid cheap, so it's unlikely I'd be out a body more than briefly even if it died at an inopportune time. 

The second is to go Fuji. Keep the Z7 and use it primarily with my collection of manual focus FF lenses, even slowly adding to that collection, but the main system becomes Fuji. The biggest advantage here is that Fuji does have both compact offerings and all but 2 of their lenses are under $3k CAD, with the majority being under $1300 or so. Plus there's a wide variety of small lenses in the system, which is very nice. Biggest downsides here are processing X-Trans files (which I still don't love, but I can readily get good results from) and the pretty mixed selection of lenses in terms of rendering styles and resolution. The bodies available cover all my use needs, the X-Hx for fast PASM with good long-lens handling, the X-T series for retro/everyday use and the X-M5 as a small EDC/Webcam body.  Fuji also gives access to the ridiculous number of cheap & interesting APS-C manual primes (and AF primes too),

The third is to add the Zf and a couple zooms, which is in many ways the Nikon body I always wanted. But here the big issue comes down to the Nikon lenses not being well optimized for that body. Specifically the lack of aperture rings, as well as control dials on the handful of smaller lenses in the system. 3rd Party lenses do make up somewhat for that (both size & handling) but the best lineup of 3rd party lenses for the Zf isn't available in Z mount, so you need a MegaDAP adapter to use them (that's the Sigma 'i' series primes). Plus the Zf simply doesn't have as well sorted a UI as the X-T5. The other issue here is the Zf is best suited to the use I bought the Z7 for, old manual lenses, and I kinda want to keep the Z7 focused on those uses. There's a half-step option here of getting the Z50II instead of the Zf, and focusing on APS-C for most uses. The Z7 is a solid APS-C body to cover the Z50II's weak spots (and vice versa for the most part). This would be better if I could expect a higher-end APS-C body from Nikon. 

The fourth option is basically option 2, but Panasonic L mount. With the new S1RII arriving tomorrow with very aggressive pricing this looks even better than the third option for full frame for long term usage, with a wide variety of interesting glass existing in L mount, but we're still talking a large system, even if it's smaller than the All-Nikon Z setup. Could go S9 for a tiny body here, or S5II for all singing/all dancing with the view of adding the S1RII in the future as a resolution body to address the Z7's eventual demise. Lots of reasonably priced glass in the system, and some compact & excellent zooms as well. 

Now the reality is that I don't need better IQ than crop can deliver, and Fuji offers me a more compact option than Panasonic. Nikon just doesn't offer a compact/high performance option (only the Z50II which lacks IBIS and a good EVF, both items I'm sensitive to). 

What I really wish I could do is spend a week with an S5II, 20-60, 35/1.8 and Sigma 100-400, and a Week with the X-T5, 16-50 f2.8-4, 23/2 and Sigma 100-400 and see which I get along with better.

Regardless of what path I choose, I will continue to use the Z7 and add interesting primes to my system. I'll probably add 2-3 zooms as well eventually, likely F mount lenses I get for good prices.  

Ponderings about Retro Cameras

 

Fujifilm X-T2, XC 35mm f2

I'm very strongly attracted to Retro cameras, specifically those similar in design to Nikon's iconic FM & FM2n. This is largely because I shot most of my film work on those cameras, the F3 and a few other similar bodies (FA, FM10, FE, FE2). I still own an original FE and an F2a. 

With retro cameras I've seen 3 general approaches across the 4 brands that have seriously done retro cameras.

The first is 'Retro in looks only' with the new OM-3 being the classic example, but the essentially the whole Olympus/OM System Micro4/3rds line except for the E-M1/OM-1 series fall into this category. A few Fuji's do as well, notably the X-Tx00 series. Essentially this is a camera with retro styling, but a modern PASM+dual dial interface. Key items are no external shutter speed or ISO dials, although an external exposure compensation dial is OK (we've even seen that on non-retro designs like some Sony's). These bodies tend to work well and look good, but don't tend to become iconic as in use, they're just another camera with a small grip (The Pen-F being the exception)

The second is the fully integrated design. This is a design where you get an external interface with ISO & Shutter speed dials, intended to work with an aperture ring on the lens, but also two control wheels and you can readily switch between dial and wheel interfaces as needed. The Majority of Fuji designs are in this category. It's also what Nikon has tried to do, but not quite achieved with their 3 retro designs (the Df being an abject failure and the Zfc and Zf being near-misses). The key here is that these bodies allow you to work both like a fully retro body with the external exposure triangle (usually plus exposure compensation) and a modern body, and allow you to switch each corner of the triangle independently and seamlessly. Fuji also does a few bodies that are partially here, with ISO replaced by either some alternate control or nothing on some bodies that are either lower-end or more compact.

The third approach is to make the most minimal concessions to digital possible. The only real entry here is the Leica M digitals, although the X-Pro3 dabbles in this. Leica has simply taken their film body, stuck digital internals into it and added the absolute minimum required to make them a functional digital camera. It works very well, if you want a camera that works like it's 1985 and only that way. 

The challenge with Nikon here is they continue to half-ass the experience. The Zfc and Zf are excellent cameras. But they suffer from two significant issues, only one of which is at the camera level.

At the camera level, the core issue is that they work well when only using the external dials and when only using the internal controls, but when mixing the two experiences it's a study in gotchas, especially with ISO where you need a written guide to figure out how everything interacts (except in Auto mode, where it does exactly what you'd expect when moving the ISO Dial in and out of C, why can't it be set to work the same in PASM modes?). Some of this comes down to the choice to borrow the PASM switch from the old Nikon FA rather than use a Pentax/Contax style A positions (Fuji clearly borrowed their X-T series UI from Pentax's retro-style AF cameras like the MZ-5n). Ironically many Nikon film bodies use A positions on the shutter speed dial (the FA was the exception here) and even a P position on a couple bodies (like the FG). I'd bet whoever was lead designer for the Zf and Zfc used these cameras only in all manual or in Auto (which are the two good experiences) with minimal use of Aperture priority in particular.

The other issue with the Nikon retro bodies is simply Nikon has not given users a lens selection to match these two rather popular bodies. Even the two SE lenses match in styling and size only, but as they lack an Aperture ring (or even a control ring) you can't use the lens as the third corner of the exposure triangle in manual focus. The two f1.4 lenses are a better experience as they do have a control ring, but you still can't see aperture on the lens, only on that tiny top LCD display. The irony here is that there is a good experience available, just not from Nikon. Many 3rd party primes come with aperture rings, so if you want the best experience just use Viltrox, Voigtlander, Meike, 7Artisans or TTArtisan lenses instead of Nikkors on your Zf. Nikon needs to start releasing lenses designed for these cameras in more than just cosmetics, as by all reports they are very good selling cameras and likely would sell even better if Nikon had thought out the lens needs of these cameras. 

So what can Nikon do.

In short - firmware updates. I'd like to see the following changes:

1. Setting in the Auto-ISO setup to disable Auto ISO when the ISO dial is not set to C

2. Setting in Controls CF's to 'have camera select shutter speed when dial set to C' 

3. Setting in Controls CF's to ' Use PASM switch for User Custom Settings' 

4. Setting in Controls that if setting 3 is enabled it allows the PASM Switch positions Auto, P, A & S to each be mapped to a Ux setting (U1/2/3/4) instead of AE modes. - This would also solve the loss of directly selectable user banks on these two cameras.

5. Add an A position after minimum aperture in the aperture range so you can dial into having the camera select aperture + respect A position on lenses with a physical aperture ring. 

Also, when the ZfcII comes (and eventually for the ZfII), give us a half-grip option with a shutter release and front control dial, like the OG E-M5 offered. That will be killer for these bodies with larger lenses. 

If you wonder why all the retro musings, well I can't frikking decide whether I want a Zf or an X-T5. Or to be more correct, I want a Zf, but I want some of the X-T5 experience (UI fully sorted and lenses with aperture rings). I keep digging in and realizing the two best kits for me would be X-H2+X-T5 or Z7+Zf, in both cases with the small creator camera added at some point for video/light carry (Z30/Zfc or X-M5/XT-30II). The question if I go Fuji is how do I align the body selection/acquisition as I ultimately would want two bodies, but do I get X-H2+creator or X-T5+creator first, then add the other higher-end body afterwards. 

Z7 Gear Plans

 

Nikon Z7, Tamron SP 90mm f2.8 Macro N-AF on FTZII

So, what plans do I have for the Z7 in terms of what goes on front of the lens. 

Adapters:

The TTArtisan 6-bit M-Z Adapter is the first on my list. This is a major benefit if I want to expand my use of M lenses past my Nikkor-S.C 5cm f1.4 LTM and even worth it for just that lens as it enables EXIF data and trap focus. 

Second adapter will be an EF to Z adapter, for my CV 90/3.5 APO-Lanthar SLII in EF mount. This is second largely because of the fact I also have a Tamron 90mm f2.8 Macro in N-AF form that I can use on the FTZ with the same functionality, but it's not as nice a lens to use even if it does focus closer. 

Third will be an E to Z electronic adapter, so I can use pretty much any E mount lens. Probably the MegaDAP unless the recently announced Viltrox gets rave reviews before I purchase it.

Lenses:

Nikon F mount Manual Focus - Likely not much here. I want a 135/2.8 AI-S, a 28/2.8 AI-S and either a 85/1.8K or a ZF.2 85/1.4 Planar. There's a handful of other lenses on my 'buy for the right price' list, largely Zeiss although another Voigtlander 58/1.4 SLII in the original rubber grip version would be high on the list (and a 110, 125 or 180 CV would be interesting for the right price). However these are larger and handle less well on mirrorless so while I do intend to keep acquiring some slowly, they are not a priority.

Leica LTM/M lenses - I'd like to build a small system here. Likely going to be heavy on the Chinese offerings, the 7Artisan Wen 35/1.4 is high on my list and has been for several years. This will be a slow buy as these aren't exactly cheap, even if they aren't expensive

Native Z Manual lenses - I'm probably going to go hog wild on the cheap DX stuff, it's one of the main reasons why I went with the Z7. All sub-$250CAD though, no fancy DX, only cheap & fun. I'll keep my eye out for interesting FX glass though, there's a couple Voigtlanders that are on my long-term interest list like the 40/1.2 and the 75/1.5. Oh, and Laowa has some fun ones too. Long term the FX manual primes will probably become the real core of my kit outside of hiking setups. 

Nikon F mount AF lenses - Not much will happen here. I'm only really interested in the f1.4's (aside from the 50mm's which are not impressive), the PF lenses and a couple telezooms (80-400G, 70-200's, 70-300E), with the latter as alternatives to expensive Z offerings for hiking. All cases have to be the right price before I'll look seriously. 

Canon EF mount lenses - Aside from the 135L, most interest here is for ZE or CV lenses if the right price is in EF mount instead of F mount. 

Native Z AF lenses - S 14-30/4, the two F4 midrange zooms, 180-600 all interest. For primes, the f1.4's again, the compact offerings and maybe the 20/1.8 and 85/1.8 S's (which are the most interesting of the f1.8 S line). Also the Viltrox primes and maybe the Tamron 70-300. We'll see how the lineup grows long-term. Plus there's a bunch of cheap AF primes coming out, they're of interest here (both DX and FX).