Nikon is adding its second DX (APS-C) format camera to its mirrorless Z system. Dubbed the Z fc, the new camera shares some tech, including its image sensor, with last year's Z 50, but there are some improvements inside and big changes to the exterior.

Inside the camera uses a version of the 20.9MP APS-C sensor that's powered Nikon cameras for a few years; we first saw it in the D500 SLR. It lags behind some others in pixel count, but has proven to deliver strong results over the years.

It's a mirrorless camera, so there's no optical viewfinder. But you do get a quality EVF and a vari-angle touch LCD. The screen flips forward for selfie shots and vlogs. For video, the Z fc records in 4K or 1080p, and it supports external mics for vloggers. There's no sensor stabilization, though—the camera relies on lens VR, and can get some extra help digitally (with a crop).

For the Z fc's design, Nikon has gone back to the 80s. The camera's exterior is modeled after the FM2, a manual focus SLR from the era. There are small touches that help get there—the Nikon logo uses a Reagan-era typeface, a nostalgic touch for Gen X film photographers looking for a digital body that takes them back in time.

It's not just the looks, either. For certain, the silver body is a departure from the banal black cameras that dominate the market. But the controls are old-school too. Nikon is taking a page out of Fujifilm's playbook there. The Z fc skips a Mode dial in favor of a simple switch. The prominent dials offer direct control over ISO and shutter speed instead. We've yet to see a Nikkor Z lens with a dedicated, clicked aperture ring, but most include a silent control ring that can be set to adjust the f-stop.

Conceptually it's not far off from the Fujifilm X-T30, our current favorite interchangeable lens model for consumers. The Z fc has far fewer native lenses—Fujifilm has been making mirrorless for close to a decade, and Nikon is just starting to get its feet wet—but works with the same Speedlight flashes as Nikon SLRs.

The Z fc is built a bit better than the X-T30. Its body is magnesium alloy and it includes dust and splash protection. It can also use Nikkor SLR lenses via an adapter, the FTZ, though the Z fc's flat front makes it a better fit for small zooms and primes. The Z 50 has a modest handgrip, better suited for use with bigger lenses.

Creative photographers are well served. Nikon includes 20 creative filters in camera, so JPG photographers can snap shots with different looks, without having to deal with editing software. Raw capture is available if you prefer to make your own edits.

There are a few different ways to get the Z fc. Nikon is selling special editions in a set of fun colors directly through its website. You can get the camera in Sand Beige, Amber Brown, Ash Gray, Coral Pink, or Mint Green, along with the Nikkor Z DX 16-50mm in silver, for $1,199.95.

Other versions will be sold at all authorized Nikon dealers. The standard kit, with a black leatherette and also bundled with the DX 16-50mm, is priced at $1,099.95. A body-only configuration is available too, for $959.95.

Enthusiasts interested in the camera are more likely to look to a kit with a prime lens. Nikon is introducing its full-frame Nikkor Z 28mm F2.8 along with the Z fc for $1,199.95. The 28mm is exceptionally small, and finished with knurling to match manual focus Nikkors.

You'll be able to buy the 28mm F2.8 on its own for $299.95, but it won't go on sale on its own until autumn. All Z fc configurations will ship earlier, at the end of July.

Also following later is a new zoom, the Nikkor Z DX 18-140mm F3.5-6.3 VR. Nikon isn't providing too much information aside from promising to deliver the lens in 2021. It's not entirely news for photographers who've been paying close attention to Nikon—it's been an entry on the company's Z development roadmap for some time.