Nikon ZR Camera Released – Through the Eyes of a Nikon-RED Filmmaker

by Omri Keren LapidotSeptember 15^th, 2025

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Nikon ZR, the first progeny of the Nikon-RED acquisition, is out, with quite a stir around it. The new camera seems to follow no known patterns, fitting into a box of its own. The camera blends high-end cine features, never seen before in this price range, with hybrid features trickling up from Nikon’s Z cameras. As the market scrambles to figure out the camera, its use-cases, workflows, and target audience, we’ve been lucky enough to get a first-hand impression from our own Francesco Andreola

Francesco Andreola seems to be the perfect candidate for this interview: He was a Nikon-RED user before it was cool, working with a RED KOMODO-X on set alongside Nikon mirrorless bodies, the Nikon Z6III being his current. You can dive into his hands-on review here, but the general gist suggests an incredibly powerful filmmaking tool, jam-packed with features in a body that may just be a bit too compact, dictating some significant compromises.

Codecs and formats: heavyweight and flexible

The Nikon ZR offers a wide variety of codecs, including lightweight H.264/H.265 in 8-bit and 10-bit, as well as storage-devouring options such as ProRes 422 HQ (currently only HQ), and three RAW options internally: R3D, N-RAW, and ProRes RAW HQ. These juicy codecs come at a cost of storage space (and price), and won’t be the first choice for everyone. However, they provide a unique blend of footage quality, compactness, and vlogging abilities. As with many high-bitrate cameras these days, the Nikon ZR relies on CFexpress Type B media. These are fairly common, at least in the high-end of the hybrid market, but aren’t cheap. The camera has one slot for these and another for a MicroSD card, which won’t provide any backup recording ability due to the speed limit.

Nikon ZR ergonomics: what works, what doesn’t

ZR debuts a new compact body. Ergonomics and control points are quite limited by compactness, but the basics are there. Among the most questionable design choices, we can definitely count the use of micro-HDMI, a practice almost eradicated from both cine and hybrid cameras these days; cramming the media and battery into a tight space, easily blocked by tripod plates or rigs; lack of additional mounting points, like those on the Sony FX3 and associates, Canon EOS C50, and other cine compacts. Unlike these two rivals, the Nikon ZR has no dedicated audio handle. However, Tascam is making an on-camera mixer for it, and it seems as if Nikon is also starting to produce smart-shoe accessories.

The 4″, high-res, 1000-nit bright LCD is perhaps the camera’s best ergonomic feature. Occupying most of its rear, it may sometimes render external monitors completely obsolete. Button layout is also good, providing all the necessary controls at your fingertips without being overwhelming. The camera’s grip is very minimal. This may not help with bare body hand-held shooting, but it does make the camera super compact. Rigs will soon follow, and this camera would probably benefit from them.

Interface tweaks that matter on set

The Nikon ZR carries some small but welcome quality-of-life updates: a new on-screen shortcut button aggregates key monitoring tools such as peaking, zebras, and screen brightness. As most of us will be asked to film vertically sometimes, the video UI now auto-rotates for vertical shooting. For easy color alignment in RED sets, ZR supports RED look integration, so you can align with KOMODO-X on set using shared LUTs.

32-bit float onboard

ZR records 32-bit float audio internally, with no extra accessories needed. The ecosystem will still require a 32-bit float source, but if there is one, it will save you the hustle of syncing. This ability is extremely useful for various shooting scenarios, especially run-and-gun, documentary, weddings, etc.

Who is the Nikon ZR for?

The Nikon ZR occupies a unique spot in the market. Both a “Pocket RED” and a high-end vlogging camera. This will allow various audiences to use it, and the price will put it in reach for many. Francesco said he would replace his Z6 III with ZR for video-first work, keeping the option to shoot stills casually, albeit at a small compromise in the stills sense. Having both the Nikon ZR and the Z-Mount RED KOMODO makes absolute sense. The ZR’s RAW options, RED color integration, and shared media make it a more natural B-cam than previous Nikons or any other hybrid around.

The Z-Mount, while not abundant with optics, holds a wild card up its sleeve. Due to its extremely short flange distance and wide diameter, it is the only mount capable of accepting adapted Sony E-Mount lenses. Ironically, about a decade ago, Sony benefited greatly from the trend of adapting Canon EF lenses to their camera, and now the tables have somewhat turned.

Price and availability

The Nikon ZR, with all its REDness, is now available for preorders and competitively priced at $2200 / €2,118.05. Several kits and accessories are also available.

Will you consider the Nikon ZR as your next cine camera? Or maybe your next RAW-capable vlogging rig? Do you believe it’s ready for prime time? Let us know in the comments.