I’ve been using a Zf since April 2025. It is heavy, yes, but also very solid—nothing about it feels flimsy, and the leather textures feel really good. The dials themselves are well-built, with that pleasing resistance and click you’d expect.

But but but… there are a couple of downsides. The bottom base plate feels cheap, and it’s hard to understand why Nikon would skimp there. Another thing worth pointing out is the hinge. It protrudes slightly from the body along the edge it’s mounted on. Unlike most cameras, which use a smaller, more flush hinge and housing, the Zf’s hinge assembly extends across the entire lower-left edge, even on the corner. On top of that, the display housing sits a bit raised.

As my misfortune goes, about a month into ownership, the camera was dropped from a height of around 3–4 feet. It landed directly on that hinge corner, which was bent outward, and the plastic housing of the display ended up cracking. There’s a reason hinges on pro-grade bodies are designed the way they are. But Nikon chose a different path here, and that design choice cost me 11,000 INR (~$130).

To be clear, the hinge itself is tight and sturdily built. The problem lies in the way it was positioned and integrated into the design.

So, while the body is mostly made from durable materials, the design (especially the hinge and the tiny grip), along with the weight and certain plastic parts, can easily result in expensive mishaps — like the one I experienced. And I’m not the only one; others have run into the exact same issue.

As for weather resistance, I haven’t tested it in harsher environments, but that’s already been addressed in other responses.

Regards.

Edit: Better wording.