I finally pulled the trigger this past week and ordered a Nikon Df. With a 60 day return policy from Crutchfield camera I thought I could really put the camera to the test. I ordered the silver body and an 85mm f1.8 D lens. After a few days shooting, all I can say is 'Wow'. (I don't need 60 days--3 has been enough.)
My initial worries about manual focusing, handling etc. haven been, I now see, completely unfounded. This camera handles beautifully! And, while I was initially worried about the lack of interchangeable screens, the focusing confirmation is so precise that manual focusing with this camera is simply not going to be an issue.
What has amazed me more than anything, though, are the files. There is a reason why the Nikon D4 has been the company's 'flagship'. And there is a reason why the Df costs what it does. The sensor in this camera (developed 'in house' by Nikon, as I understand it) is simply amazing. At low ISOs (anything below 800) the tonality is incredibly smooth. Shots at 3200 and 6400 are much more than usable--they are quite beautiful. Shadow detail is simply amazing. If this is 'dated technology', then I'll take all I can get.
I don't know what others think, but there is, to my eye, a very different look that the Df and D4 produce when compared to the sensors in both the D610 and D800. It is difficult to describe. But I do know that this is *the* sensor for the kinds of photos I make. (I suspect that D4 users know what I am talking about.)
If you are having concerns about the handling, all I can say is 'order one and try it out. You can always return it.' Every concern I had simply vanished after a few days shooting. And my biggest question now is: what will my next lens purchase be?
I would add that I am extremely pleased with the 85mm 1.8 D lens. I use an 85mm as my 'normal' lens; and since I wanted an aperture ring (that's why I did not order the kit lens) I went with the D over the newer G lens. I am now trying to decide whether to get the 50mm f1.4 D (I've got to have that aperture ring) or pony-up for the 50mm f1.2 Ai.
Anyway, forget all that crap--and that is what it is--about this camera having a 'cheap' or 'plasticky' feel. It is magnesium alloy; it is light; and it feels strong. It is--at least to these eyes--a beautiful design. And it is not going to weigh you down the way that a D4 will.
For those of you who have not read it yet, I would suggest that you look at Steve Huff's 'real world' review of the Nikon Df. His sentiments regarding this camera are essentially the same as mine. Huff says that amongst current offerings, this is the only full-frame DSLR he would own. (He makes this judgment based on size, weight, and handling.) I have to say that I feel the same way. And now that I do own this camera, I'm not letting go of it--at least not for a very long time.