New Leak Suggests Nikon Might Launch A US$1000 Retro-Inspired Camera Soon

A recent leak first reported by Nikon Rumors is suggesting that Nikon may be planning to launch a new retro-inspired mirrorless camera soon. Believed to be called the “ZFC”, the new camera is shown to feature a design that is reminiscent of the Nikon FM series that were released during the 1970s and 80s.

But before we move forward, we would like to clarify that the full overhead view of the alleged camera shown above is a visualisation created by Nikon Rumors, using parts from different mockups to fill in the blanks. The actual leaked photos provided to the publication (shown below) only revealed portions of the device – mainly showcasing its viewfinder, upper dials, as well as its shutter and record buttons. So keep in mind that there is a chance the visualisation may end up as inaccurate.

As for its hardware, the site claims that the new ZFC camera will be a Z-mount APS-C camera and would feature similar specifications as the Nikon Z50 from 2019. To recap, the latter is equipped with a 20.9MP sensor, an ISO range of up to 51,200, high autofocus at -4 EV, 11fps of high-speed continuous shooting, and up to 4K UHD video recording with no crop.

Besides that, Nikon is also expected to launch two APS-C prime lenses alongside the ZFC, under a new “SE” line: a 28mm f/2.8 and a 35mm f/1.8. The latter is expected to be shipped together with the camera as a kit lens. Unlike the ZFC, Nikon Rumors noted that the new lenses will retain the familiar Nikkor Z-mount design and would not feature a retro-inspired look.

Nikon is said to announce the camera later this month on 28 June, while its release is expected to happen at the end of July this year. The new Nikon ZFC will reportedly retail at US$999 (~RM4,112), while the pricing for the two lenses remains unknown for the time being.

If this leak is accurate, this would make the unannounced ZFC to be the second retro-inspired digital camera from Nikon. The first being the Nikon Df in 2013, which also featured a “timeless design” based on the brand’s classic FM series. But unlike its alleged mirrorless successor, the camera was much bulkier due to being a DSLR.