The Nikon Z fc is our choice as the best budget camera — this retro-inspired beauty is at its best price of the year in this early Amazon Prime Day deal

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The Nikon Z fc front on view on a Space.com overlay(Image credit: Nikon)

Ahead of Prime Day 2026, which runs from 23-26 June, Amazon has dropped the Nikon Z fc mirrorless camera to its lowest price of the year. It's available for $856.95, reduced by $100 from its usual $956.95 MSRP.

Get the Nikon Z fc camera on sale right now for $856.95 at Amazon.

In our Nikon Z fc camera review, our expert tester Jacob Little awarded it 4.5/ star rating. Although it wouldn't be the first choice among the best cameras for astrophotography, the Nikon, with its APS-C sensor rather than a full-frame sensor, is still a highly capable camera for capturing the night sky, star trails, and the Milky Way when paired with the best astrophotography lenses.

The Nikon Z fc holds the title as the top choice as a budget camera in our best cameras 2026 buying guide, and is best overall in our beginner cameras buying advice, and with stiff competition from the likes of Canon and Fuji, it makes the Z fc a very attractive buy with this discounted Nikon deal on Amazon.

This camera deal is marked as a limited-time offer on Amazon, and is likely to be popular, considering it's the lowest price of the year. There's no indication of when it actually ends, and going by previous deals, it could be anytime, so we'd say grab it while you can.

Amazon also has the Nikon Z fc with a 16-50mm lens, discounted to $996.95, from $1,999.95. That's a 17% saving, and is ideal for beginners wishing to hit the ground running with an included all-rounder lens.

Paul Brett author pic for Space.com

Paul Brett is a deals writer at Space, Live Science, and across the Sports and Knowledge titles at Future. Paul is an award-winning photographer, having won the Mountain Photographer of the Year title at Trail Magazine. A huge fan of photography and cameras, he can be found on top of Scotland's mountains, wild camping, waiting to capture the Northern Lights or a cloud inversion.


A front on view of the Nikon Z fc
The 'Nikon' wording on the front of the Z Fc adds to its retro look.(Image credit: Jacob Little)

We highly rated the Nikon Z fc, and for me, as a fan of retro-looking cameras, it's safe to say Nikon has delivered here. From the 'Nikon' branding on the front to the shutter setting and exposure control dials on top, the Z fc just oozes that vintage look, and it adds to the appeal of the camera.

However, the look is the only yesteryear feature here; the Z fc is packed with mirrorless camera technology, and its APS-C sensor delivered an impressive dynamic range and performed well in various lighting scenarios.

We reckoned the F zc hits the sweet spot between high-quality image output and a budget-friendly body size. It's compact and lightweight, and although it might not be the first choice for astrophotography, it's capable enough, and its overall versatility means it's suitable for just about everything from travel photography to capturing the latest SpaceX launch.

Our tester Jacob Little summed up the camera by saying: "The Nikon Z fc is an impressive bit of design and a gorgeous camera to look at and use. On the inside, it's capable and easy to get to grips with for most casual users."

Key features: Mirrorless, APS-C CMOS, 20.9MP, up to 11FPS burst shooting, 4K Ultra HD video at 30p, 25p or 24p, Nikon Z and F Mount lenses, 1 xSD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-I), 100-51,200 (expanded 50-204,800) ISO range, 0.85 lb (390g) weight, 3-inch fully-articulating, 3.04M touchscreen.

Launched: July 2021

Price history: Before today's Amazon camera deal, the best price this year on Amazon has been $956.95. The launch price of the Nikon Z fc was $960, and that price has held fairly steady ever since. It makes this price a significant $100 off on a rarely discounted Nikon camera

Price comparison: Amazon: $856.95 | Adorama: $856.95 | Walmart: $996.95

Reviews consensus: There is no doubt that the Nikon Z fc is a powerhouse of a mirrorless camera that can deliver when it comes to astrophotography, but will also have you covered as a versatile all-rounder. We scored it a 4.5-star rating, and Amazon reviews are on par with ours, with an average 4.4 out of 5, and over 75% of global ratings are 5-star.

Space: ★★★★½ | Techradar: ★★★★½

Featured in guides: Best cameras, best beginner cameras, best Nikon cameras

✅ Buy it if: You want a camera with a gorgeous retro aesthetic, paired with functionality, design, and modern technology, at its best price this year.

❌ Don't buy it if: You're a more experienced photographer looking to upgrade. The big brother of the Z fc, the Nikon Z f has the same retro look, with a full-frame sensor upgrade. The Nikon Z f is discounted on Amazon by 7% to $2,046.95.

Check out our other guides to the best telescopes, binoculars, cameras, star projectors, drones, Lego and much more.

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Paul is a deals writer for Space.com and writes across the stable of Sports and Knowledge brands at Future. He has previously worked in cycling media and authored numerous articles on Bike Perfect, Cycling News and Cycling Weekly. Paul is an award-winning photographer having won Mountain Photographer of the Year with Trail Magazine and has a passionate interest in all things photography. Paul will be found most weekends with his camera in hand either at cycling events, on a mountain summit or chasing the aurora borealis forecasts.

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