34 replies to this topic

[Merco_61]

I want one, but have to wait until they have been out a while and the price goes down a bit. I also have to wait until I can get to rent one and feel how the ergonomics work, it is different enough that a demo session in a shop might not be conclusive.

[cowleystjames]

I want one, but have to wait until they have been out a while and the price goes down a bit. I also have to wait until I can get to rent one and feel how the ergonomics work, it is different enough that a demo session in a shop might not be conclusive.

I think you may be waiting for a very long time for the price to drop.

[Merco_61]

I think you may be waiting for a very long time for the price to drop.

Perhaps, but Nikon Sweden tend to put *very* high prices on new products at release to get as much revenue as they can from the early adopters who absolutely *have* to own the latest and greatest. After about 4 to 6 months prices usually settle around 85% of the price at introduction.

I think this cycle might be a bit longer for an early November introduction, but by mid June it will probably be between the D800 and the D800E instead of about 10% over the E. If it is as nice for my use as it seems, that will be about the right price.

Mail order from somewhere in the EU would probably be cheaper than buying local, but I have a good business relationship with a local B&M store going back over 30 years.

[byrd-2020]

I want to call the Df a novelty camera, but feel I don't fully understand Nikons reason for bringing it to market.
Would pro's buy it? I doubt it with the inability to increase the battery life with a battery grip, 39 point autofocus instead of the 51 on the D4, but the thing that kills it for me is the lack of a second card slot! What were Nikon thinking there?
But I do love it, managed to get to look at one at the Nikon school in London at the weekend, boy it looks good and so compact, about the size of a 7100.
I'm sure it'll sell to rich kids but if I wanted an FX in that price bracket I'd buy a D800.

 

I know of at least two 'pros' who are buying this camera as a back-up to their D4s. But more to the point. Steve Huff (stevephoto.com) was discussing this camera and posed the following hypothetical question: If a Nikon D610, a D800, a D4, and a Df were sitting on a table in the hallway every morning, and you could take out only one for the day, which would you choose?

 

For him, it was invariably the Df. Why?  Size, weight, and handling.  Huff is primarily a Leica shooter (says he doesn't  even own a dslr these days.), and he puts a premium on size and weight.  But there are many people out there (myself included) who feel the same way.  This was one of the main reasons I chose the Fuji X system. (Gotta love those Fuji X lenses, though!). 

 

The Df is a way to get into a full-frame dslr without having to carry around one of the 'beasts' (i.e. current Nikon/Canon full-frames). I'll take a look at the Sony A7 (not interested in the 7r).  However,  I'm not holding my breath.  Cost considerations aside, the Df is much more attractive to me.  And my real concern is focusing with manual focus lenses.

 

I would add that there are many of us who simply do not want a thirty-six megapixel camera.  The D800 is currently selling for $2050 (USD) in my neck of the woods.  However, I'm not interested because of the size of the camera  and the headaches that come  with using such a large sensor.  The 39 (as opposed to 51) autofocus points is simply not an issue for many folks.  No video? Yeah!  A second card slot would have been nice, but it is hardly essential.  A lot of 16.2 megapixel files can go on a high capacity card. (I have to think that having only one-slot was a space saving consideration.) 

 

There is a lot to like about this camera. It is, after all, the smallest and lightest dslr currently on the market. It offers tremendous backwards compatibility, and it has what is arguably the best low-light sensor in existence.  The price?  Well, I would have preferred a lower price-point.  However, it is still half the cost of the D4 (same sensor and processor).  I suspect, too, that in six months or so, it will be available for a fair bit less.

[B Grace]

I know of at least two 'pros' who are buying this camera as a back-up to their D4s. But more to the point. Steve Huff (stevephoto.com) was discussing this camera and posed the following hypothetical question: If a Nikon D610, a D800, a D4, and a Df were sitting on a table in the hallway every morning, and you could take out only one for the day, which would you choose?

 

For him, it was invariably the Df. Why?  Size, weight, and handling.  Huff is primarily a Leica shooter (says he doesn't  even own a dslr these days.), and he puts a premium on size and weight.  But there are many people out there (myself included) who feel the same way.  This was one of the main reasons I chose the Fuji X system. (Gotta love those Fuji X lenses, though!).

I know the Leica M cameras aren't as heavy as the big Nikon FX cameras but I'm always curious about comments on weight regarding the Leicas.  I've borrowed an M3 set a couple of times and a relative carried an M3 kit through the 1960s until trading it all for an OM kit due to the weight.

 

Current combinations:

 

M9 (20.6 oz) + 35/1.4 Summilux (11.3 oz) = 31.9 oz

 

D610 (26.8 oz) + 24-85 VR (16.4 oz) = 43.2 oz

 

D800 (30 oz) + 24-70/2.8 (31.7 oz) = 61.7 oz

 

The Leica shooter who knows exactly which lens to leave the house with is in good shape but add a 28mm and a 50mm to the camera bag to go with the 35mm on the camera...

[RossCumming]

If you are looking for one in the UK, you can't do any better than HDEWCameras who have it for sale this week at £1765 body only or for about £100 more you can have it with a 50mm lens ;- 404 Not Found - Retailer of Photography Equipment & Electronics

 

Now I am wondering whether I should have been so hasty in buying the D610 8 weeks ago ........

[Guy]

The black one. It shoots just like my other DSLR.  In auto ISO, you don't have to touch the dials much at all.  Too bad the designers were short sighted and did not let the dials control the top ISO and minimum shutter speed for auto ISO instead of having to change those values in the menu. 

 

Also, compared to my D800, the 16MP seems much easier to shoot in the 1/60th shutter speed range with around a 50mm prime without VR and get sharper shots.  But it also seems the more I think about holding a camera steady by hand for a test like that the more I move it.  

 

The camera is a good candid and walking around camera.  I'd rather grab it to go out for casual shooting with primes than my D800.  But for the big, heavy zooms the D800 is more suitable body for those lenses, IMHO.   And f1.8 primes seem to be a better fit for size/weight than most of the Nikon's f1.4 primes.  The new 58mm is pretty light though kind of big.  

 

 

 

 

Gear p0rn by About yo_tuco | Flickr, on Flickr

[Wired]

After checking out the A7 at the shop half a dozen times I've decided I won't be happy with it. So I'm waiting for the Df. I'm incredibly interested in the low light capabilities...but it is only one stop better (on paper) and the extra 1 fps could be nice too...for doing my live music photography.

 

I don't know... I'm pretty happy with my camera stable right now...but I always want more!

[SteveM]

I'm happy with mine, but it's tailored for someone like me.  I grew up using a film, so "dials" vs. "Wheels/Menu" doesn't make much of a difference.  I will say that the front dial, while cosmetically nice, isn't the best design but I find myself rotating it with my index finger without much trouble.  The rest of the dials are preferable for me, but hey, I still prefer having an Aperture ring on my lenses.

 

As far as size, if you've shot film for decades, the size/grip is about right, and it's refreshing to shoot with something that isn't shaped like a watermelon.

 

So we basically have the D4 sensor, tweaked for better low light performance, with some of the components from the D610.  I would have preferred to have all of the D4 components in the Df, but wouldn't have appreciated the $6K+ price tag.

 

Anyways, I decided to pick one up for covering off lowlight candid shots, which has turned out to be ideal.  It's a great camera for me at a good price point, but I can certainly understand that it isn't for everyone.

 

 

ISO 12800 at night with campfire lighting (run through denoise....)

 

[Guy]

After checking out the A7 at the shop half a dozen times I've decided I won't be happy with it. So I'm waiting for the Df. I'm incredibly interested in the low light capabilities...but it is only one stop better (on paper) and the extra 1 fps could be nice too...for doing my live music photography.

 

 

 

It's not just the noise.  With the Df, you can capture about a stop more of extra light past ISO 400

[Guy]

Put a sports lens on the Df and gave it a try at some action. It does okay.  The frame buffer is about 24 frames which is between 4 and 5 seconds worth of shooting.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[etrigan63]

I am getting one to replace the Fuji X-T1 system I just finished reviewing. Nothing wrong with the Fuji. Great camera, great system, awesome lenses. I just don't want to have to deal with two sets of lenses, accessories, gewgaws, etc...

[Samyaza]

I was excited about it when it was announced.  Then I cooled on it after reading the reviews and seeing that Nikon put the lowly D600 AF in it.  For the money it should have D800 AF and better build quality.  The Df is growing on me again and its back on my possible buy list.  Waiting until after Photokina.

[etrigan63]

I have received my Df and I have to say that I am quite pleased with it. It handles well and while the AF is not up to par with my D800e it does work well enough. I have been using primes on it (Nikon 50mm f/1.8G and Nikon 35mm f/2 AF-D) but I have a Nikon 28-105 f/3.5-4.5 AF-D Micro due tomorrow for walkabout. Here are a few shots taken of and with my Df kit:

 

My Nikon Df by Carlos Echenique, on Flickr

 

Cloud Totem Pole by Carlos Echenique, on Flickr

 

Exploration Tower, Cape Canaveral, FL by Carlos Echenique, on Flickr

 

Being Koi by Carlos Echenique, on Flickr

 

Man of Letters by Carlos Echenique, on Flickr

[etrigan63]

Shot with the aforementioned 28-105 lens:

 

I think I over-tuned the lawnmower... by Carlos Echenique, on Flickr