It’s been over a year since the Nikon Zf topped Map Camera’s used sales charts, but if I was surprised to find a nearly three-year-old full-frame retro camera at the top of the pile, I was doubly surprised to find a ‘Big N’ lockout in first and second place. According to the major Japanese camera retailer’s data for June, the Nikon Z50 II APS-C mirrorless landed second place, fending off strong competition from Sony and Fujifilm, with the ever-popular Sony A7C II and ultra-trendy Fujifilm X-E5 occupying a joint third place.
The chart then skips straight to fifth place, with the aging Fujifilm X-T5, with the oldest camera on the list in sixth, the Sony A7 III. I’m not surprised to find the Canon EOS R6 Mark II on this list, although I would have backed it to sit higher than seventh, given the buzz around the Canon EOS R6 Mark III and the Mark II’s position as a fantastic budget alternative. Nikon’s other retro mirrorless camera, the APS-C Nikon Zfc is eighth, with the Sony A7 V and Sony A7 IV bringing up the rear, respectively.
Position |
Camera |
1st |
Nikon Zf |
2nd |
Nikon Z50 II |
3rd |
Sony A7C II |
3rd |
Fujifilm X-E5 |
5th |
Fujifilm X-T5 |
6th |
Sony A7 III |
7th |
Canon EOS R6 Mark II |
8th |
Nikon Zfc |
9th |
Sony A7 V |
10th |
Sony A7 IV |
Why are Nikon Zf used sales up?
You need only look at the Nikon Zf to get caught up in its romantic retro aesthetic, but however good looking this full-frame mirrorless camera is, it’s been over a year since it topped Map Camera’s used ranking. According to the retailer, this could be due to a fluctuating supply of used Nikon Zf inventory, stating: “If it can maintain its current high inventory level, it will certainly become a formidable rival to Sony cameras, but we'll see…”.
It’s interesting to see the Nikon Zf beating the newer Fujifilm X-E5. Another very attractive camera and one that was almost certainly designed to tug on the heartstrings of fans of the compact camera king, the insanely popular Fujifilm X100VI.
But the Nikon Zf has something that no Fujifilm X-Series camera has, a full-frame sensor. Rather than compete against Fujifilm cameras like for like, which the Nikon Zfc and its APS-C sensor have to do, the Nikon Zf is targeting a different kind of photographer. As such, I've heard of plenty Fujifilm stalwarts speaking kindly of the Nikon Zf, currently the only retro-themed mirrorless camera on the market.
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Nikon launches ingenious Nikon Zf bottle holder among other camera-related swag – but they're only available in Japan. I’m a landscape photographer and the last-gen, full-frame Nikon Z7 II is still a tour de force. Why pay more? DSLR cameras are picture-making machines; mirrorless cameras are picture-making computers. Sometimes I just want to go back.
