Expert review of the Nikon Z f

The first thing I notice about the Nikon Z f is the retro design with the various control buttons. The camera feels quite large in my hands compared to other mirrorless cameras. Especially in combination with the optional grip. At the same time, the grip allows me to hold the camera firmly. Without this grip, it doesn't feel as ergonomic. That's why I prefer to use the camera with the grip. I find the control buttons on top of the camera convenient. They allow me to easily adjust the settings.

The camera has a classic appearance with modern technology. There are various dials on top that allow me to adjust the ISO, shutter speed, and more. It takes me some time to get used to, but I like it. On the small display on top, I can see the aperture I selected. When I take fast action photos, I use the automatic mode. That way, I prevent missing the activity moment. With the tiltable touchscreen, I can also take photos from above or below.

Thanks to the Expeed 7 processor, the camera has a Deep Learning AI technology for the autofocus. This allows me to focus very quickly and accurately. This technology recognizes many different objects and faces, like people, animals, vehicles, and birds. The tracking of these objects is 3D. This means that the camera even tracks the object when it's coming right at me. As a result, I can capture my dog running towards me, for example. The 3D tracking is useful for sports photography too.

This camera is very suitable for action photography. I take photos at up to 30 images per second in JPG format as a result of the large buffer capacity of the image processor. When you press the shutter release button, the buffer saves the images from 1 second before until 1.5 seconds after you press the shutter release button. Thanks to this, you can capture activity moments of athletes of animals accurately. You can then choose the best image yourself. I'm disappointed that this option doesn't work with RAW files.

The built-in image stabilization of the Nikon Z f is very good. I slow down my shutter speed by 8 stops and take sharp photos out of hand. The IBIS is connected to the autofocus system with Nikon. Thanks to this, the camera uses my focus point as starting point for the image stabilization instead of the center of the image. That way, the stabilization also works if I choose a focus point near the edge of the image.

The quality of my videos looks good. When I record in 4K resolution, I notice many details in my images. I choose Full HD resolution at 120 fps for slow motion videos. I slow down the images 4 times that way. Thanks to the high number of frames per second, the slow motion videos are very smooth. The photos look very sharp too as a result of the 24-megapixel full-frame sensor. My photos are bright even in situations with less lighting.