Praise for the unique Nikon DF

[Huss]

Either way I just can't wait for Nikon to release the F7!

 

[Timmyjoe]

That's a great example of a high-contrast subject that indeed, should be easy to manually focus with nearly any camera. I don't suppose it was shot wide-open in bright sunlight at 150 yards. 🙂

105mm f2.5 lens shot at f4, ISO 100, 1/2000 of a second. Not wide open, but darn close for that lens.

Sorry to hear so many folks have such a hard time manually focusing Nikon digital cameras.

Best,
-Tim

 

[splitimageview]

The photos you've posted are excellent examples of subjects that are easy to focus

The topic at hand is that Nikon had a great opportunity and teased buyers, but ended up just including the same focusing that existed in all the other cameras. Nothing at all special for legacy glass, excepting the flip up AI lever.

 

[Timmyjoe]

The photos you've posted are excellent examples of subjects that are easy to focus

The topic at hand is that Nikon had a great opportunity and teased buyers, but ended up just including the same focusing that existed in all the other cameras. Nothing at all special for legacy glass, excepting the flip up AI lever.

"Nikon didn't give me what I wanted . . ." SEVEN YEARS AGO! And still folks are whining about it. If you don't like the camera, don't buy it, don't use it, but get on with your life.

Best,
-Tim

 

[splitimageview]

I didn't start the thread. 🙂 It's not whining, it's just illustrative of a lost opportunity. Perhaps Nikon wouldn't be in the market situation today if they had done it right...along with a few other things. 😉

I still shoot Nikon, both film and digital. I have maybe 10 lenses and several bodies including an S2 rangefinder.

Richard Haw has a post about adapting an FM3a screen (something I recently put into my FE2, and works very well; no split image blackout with slower telephotos.)

Link: https://richardhaw.com/2016/09/11/mod-nikon-df-split-prism/

 

[Pál_K]

Either way I just can't wait for Nikon to release the F7!

I'm waiting for a Df2.

 

[f.hayek]

I'm waiting for a Df2.

Don't hold your breath.

The Leica S SLRs have even simpler controls and menus than the digital Ms, but at even higher cost. A used S2 is pretty inexpensive these days, however, if you are willing to take the risk inherent in an 8+ year old digital camera from a manufacturer whose history with electronics is spotted at best.

Marty

You really think Fujifilm will still repair an S5 Pro?

 

[jarski]

my experience taking photos of moving flags, its harder to nail them in good position than having focus issues in day light. I like the American flag photo earlier.

if comparing manual focusing aids in EVF cameras (such as Sony A7s), to non-prism OVF (like in DF), I'd be lot more confident shooting with latter.

DF kind of dropped off my radar for some years, almost forgot it existed. now am thinking it would fit nicely with digital M's... 🙄

 

[kshapero]

I always wanted to ask this about the DF

I always wanted to ask this about the DF

I always wondered about this.
Why did Nikon cripple the DF on low light AF? Why did they not include an AF illumination switch?

 

[Fraser]

I liked my df and contrary to internet reviews it was a lot smaller and lighter to carry around than most DSLRs especially with such a good sensor. Why I never kept mine was I didn't really use it much with all my old manual focus Nikkors instead 99% of the time with a 50mm 1.4 AF wide open up to f2.8 ish it would miss focus a lot and actually I thought there was a fault with the lens. I got a good deal on a Nikon D810 and that just focuses so much better so the DF had to go! still a great camera it was a nice companion with a 70-210 to my M9 with 35.

I think if it had Leica on the front and cost twice as much it would never had the bad reviews!

 

[Freakscene]

You really think Fujifilm will still repair an S5 Pro?

Fuji in Australia fixed my FinePix S3 Pro UV/IR camera last year.

But I’m not sure how this has any relevance - I’m talking about the Leica S dSLRs.

Marty

 

[maryland_fotos]

Quite agree, I started calling it the "trusty green dot". And not distracting at all.

105mm f2.5 lens shot at f4, ISO 100, 1/2000 of a second. Not wide open, but darn close for that lens.

Sorry to hear so many folks have such a hard time manually focusing Nikon digital cameras.

Best,
-Tim

 

[Contarama]

I am a long time Df owner/user and I would like to mention a few things.

First thing - it always amuses me when I hear the oft mentioned "the Df is a D610 with a D4 sensor". The Df has a full body metal frame with many in house machined parts, hand assembled in house, and made in Sendai. A D610 has a partial metal frame, is loaded with plastic, assembly line made, and offshored to Thailand. The Df is NOT a D610 with a D4 sensor.

Second point - in regard to AF the Df has AF fine tuning for up to 12 lenses. See page 283 in the owners manual. It also has 3D tracking albeit with only 39 points...it works well enough in many situations if one has it set up correctly and really knows the camera. That being said a matched set of factory ai'd K primes is the only glass I own and therefore AF has never mattered to me personally and I believe the old glass was the whole point of the Df. That is why it is 16mp and not 36mp or something and also why it has a low number of focus points. Again it is not a D610 with a D4 sensor damnit. With a DK17M, the old Nikkors, and the electronic rangefinder I have zero problems focusing for the type of photography I do.

I have the Df and a F2 and the set of primes. It is a most excellent kit. Now all I need is a Zfc and some F to Z adapters and I could add BIF and video all in a compact kit.

Jeff

 

[Dogman]

"Again it is not a D610 with a D4 sensor damnit."

There are worse things it could be.

 

[ptpdprinter]

If I remember correctly, every Df came with a gym membership.

 

[jsrockit]

First thing - it always amuses me when I hear the oft mentioned "the Df is a D610 with a D4 sensor". The Df has a full body metal frame with many in house machined parts, hand assembled in house, and made in Sendai. A D610 has a partial metal frame, is loaded with plastic, assembly line made, and offshored to Thailand. The Df is NOT a D610 with a D4 sensor.

Clearly, nobody meant the body construction. At the time, the specs of the Df were closer to the D610 then say a D750 ... i.e FPS, LCD, Meter, etc. That is what people mean.

 

[Contarama]

If I remember correctly, every Df came with a gym membership.

With the price they wanted when it first came it out it ought to have come with a gym membership and one year of free groceries too. lol
Used prices today sub $1500 and some even less then $1000 it's a pretty decent deal imo. The files that the sensor makes are so malleable it is crazy.

 

[ptpdprinter]

With the price they wanted when it first came it out it ought to have come with a gym membership and one year of free groceries too. lol

The gym membership was so you could bulk up and actually have the strength to carry the thing around.

I thought the Df was what was going to get me into digital. I went down to the camera store, picked it up, and said nope. A couple of years later I bought a Fuji.

 

[Out to Lunch]

As I mentioned in 2020: it was Nikon's honest but botched attempt to enter the 'retro' market. Fuji did it better.

 

[oldwino]

The gym membership was so you could bulk up and actually have the strength to carry the thing around.

I thought the Df was what was going to get me into digital. I went down to the camera store, picked it up, and said nope. A couple of years later I bought a Fuji.

It is a chunky camera, but it is not heavy. My Leica M4 seems heavier.