Early fourth quarter, Nikon released firmware version 3.0 for the retro-styled Zf, which I own. Among the many new features is built-in recipe (e.g. filter) film grain, which styling is succinctly named. When flipped on, the camera captures a standard photo in RAW and nostalgic film look in JPG.
But how meaningful is it, really? Let’s compare with the alley Harley that I photographed in early December 2025 using the zf; I converted the color original to monochrome in post-production. The Featured Image was film grain-stylized in camera, six days later on the 16th of the month. Additionally, the Zf has a dedicated switch for shooting black and white; both capabilities were active.
I had hoped the monochrome motorbike would feel film-like. You tell me: Is this photo all that different from the other? Does any difference matter? Vitals: f/7.1, ISO 100, 1/400 sec, 73mm; 10:38 a.m. PST. If I rightly recall, the NIKKOR Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR lens was attached for both shots.
The older photo absolutely is sharper. The newer is more subdued, which I find appealing. And you?