JRG
Well-known
The full review is up.
Nikon Df Review at dpreview
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Frank Petronio
Well-known
They might not be getting their Christmas Cheeseballs from the Nikon rep this year... They practically called people stupid for buying one. Yet it scored well on their point system?
JRG
Well-known
Yeah, the point score did seem kinda high, given the tone of the remarks.
Then again, there is this quote at the end:
"... unless you take 'Pure Photography' to mean that only the pictures matter and the camera itself doesn't ..."
Well, I'd guess there are some folks who believe that it's the pictures that matter, period. And that the camera and how you use it to get the pictures is your business and that of no one else.
noisycheese
Normal(ish) Human
JMHO, but the D610 makes much more sense.
If a person is smitten with the styling of the Df, you could get yourself a nice, used F3hp body for a song. You could buy both an F3 and the D610 for less than the cost of the Df...
If a person is smitten with the styling of the Df, you could get yourself a nice, used F3hp body for a song. You could buy both an F3 and the D610 for less than the cost of the Df...
rivercityrocker
Well-known
It seemed really nit-picky.
It's pretty clear that this camera wasn't designed for everyone, yet they keep judging it by normal pro DSLR standards.
On the other side they make every excuse to make up for Fuji's design flaws.
Having gotten the first Dƒ off the truck in Austin I've been using it since the first day it was available and the only issue I have with it is the AF system. I'm a full time pro and I'm finding the Dƒ to be a great camera to use.
DPReview has gotten so biased and opinionated that I've stopped looking at their reviews as a reliable indicator of how good a camera is.
It's pretty clear that this camera wasn't designed for everyone, yet they keep judging it by normal pro DSLR standards.
On the other side they make every excuse to make up for Fuji's design flaws.
Having gotten the first Dƒ off the truck in Austin I've been using it since the first day it was available and the only issue I have with it is the AF system. I'm a full time pro and I'm finding the Dƒ to be a great camera to use.
DPReview has gotten so biased and opinionated that I've stopped looking at their reviews as a reliable indicator of how good a camera is.
rivercityrocker
Well-known
The D610 has more resolution than I need and isn't as good at high ISOs. It doesn't make more sense for what I shoot.
And just because I like the styling of the Df doesn't mean that buying an F3hp is a good option. Why can't I have the style I want along with the digital sensor I need?
rivercityrocker
Well-known
I like my D700 too, but the Df is easily two stops better at low light, which is important for a lot of my work. I'm not getting rid of my D700 but the Df is definitely relegating my D700 as a backup camera.
Here's a head to head I did of the Df to D700: http://deadsailorproductions.blogspot.com/2013/12/high-iso-test-nikon-d-vs-nikon-d700.html
drewbarb
picnic like it's 1999
I really wanted to like the Df when they were teasing it; my FM2/n and FE2 are still two of my all time favorite cameras, and a digital version of one of these with only the basic necessary controls (ISO and shutter speed, maybe AE mode with exp. comp, file quality and WB, AF or not, as long as it was F-mount with metering for Ai and newer lenses, etc.) in a body more or less the same size and shape would've had me in line on the first day. But the Df as it is looked immensely disappointing to me. I handled one in a local shop today and I was so unimpressed. The specs of the sensor look pretty good- but everything else about it just screams affected nonsense to me. For instance- I'm frankly baffled by the decision to leave out video. I mean, if they had stripped it to just the basics (and really made a digital FM/E) I would have understood that move easily, even been pleased by it; but as it is with the Df maintaining every other feature of the rest of the current lineup, just crammed into a half-assed retro styled body leaving out video seems silly. I'm sure it's a decent camera for someone, and no doubt it is perfectly capable, but I can't argue with the tone of the DP review. For me this camera is just a big disappointment. Clearly I'm not alone in thinking they missed a great opportunity here. After the last few major announcements from Nikon, I can't help thinking that they need to bring some serious clarity and discipline to their design team.
rivercityrocker
Well-known
I don't get all the fuss over the EV comp dial. To be honest, shooting RAW I don't find the need to use exposure compensation except in extreme situations.
I rarely shoot video so that feature isn't something I care about, and even if want to shoot video I have a D5300 that's perfectly capable. If not better due to the movable LCD.
It's a niche camera. It's not going to make sense to most people.
I rarely shoot video so that feature isn't something I care about, and even if want to shoot video I have a D5300 that's perfectly capable. If not better due to the movable LCD.
It's a niche camera. It's not going to make sense to most people.
dcsang
Canadian & Not A Dentist
Cool.. my D600 has, according to their "Compare Mode", value twice that of the Df 😀
Cheers,
Dave
Cheers,
Dave
Highway 61
Revisited
Yes it is a niche camera, but not only doesn't it make sense to most people : it heavily disappoints people living in that niche.
Frank Petronio
Well-known
Apparently they haven't made that many, it's a pretty small run, and like one reviewer said, it is mostly parts from the existing parts bin. It probably wasn't engineered or tested to the same degree as a mass marketed camera. And so it's priced high to compensate for all that ~ Nikon knows that it can't sell that many. I mean $200-$300 of the price went to marketing alone....
We may be disappointed with it but what it symbolizes is that manufacturers are willing to make niche cameras that might only sell 15K units. That's a good thing for niche dwellers and hopefully they'll get better at this the next time around.
And the other good news is that Nikon launched an expensive camera that so far doesn't have quality control issues new out of the box. No oil on the sensor or mis-adjusted AF. Phew!
We may be disappointed with it but what it symbolizes is that manufacturers are willing to make niche cameras that might only sell 15K units. That's a good thing for niche dwellers and hopefully they'll get better at this the next time around.
And the other good news is that Nikon launched an expensive camera that so far doesn't have quality control issues new out of the box. No oil on the sensor or mis-adjusted AF. Phew!
Waku
Member
By God´s sake, it has the D4 sensor!!! That feature alone at that price would make me purchase it.
Anyway, it´s another option, perhaps not for everybody but always it´s good to have options than not. If you don´t like it (as me) don´t buy it, is that simple.
Anyway, it´s another option, perhaps not for everybody but always it´s good to have options than not. If you don´t like it (as me) don´t buy it, is that simple.
x-ray
Veteran
Sorry but I'm one of the niche people and it didn't disappoint me. I'm quite happy as I think many of us niche folks are. You want to talk niche cameras, the Leica digital M's. Talk about over priced and poorly designed and executed. How many of our digital M's were flawed right out of the box. My new M9 required a new mother board and sensor right out of the box. No video in the M8 and M9. What about exposure compensation. Battery issues, card issues, coffee stain CCD, lockups, LCD failure and on and on. Seems like the monochrom is even more of a niche camera with the same issues. Also Leics has abandon firmware updates for the M8 & 9 and they're still flawed. Oops forgot excessive image noise above ISO 800.
I've owned my M9 and D800 since July last year and shot commercially with the D800. I've compared my raw files side by side with my Hasselblad digital files and in many ways they compare favorably. The Nikon is better in some regards and worse in others. Same goes for the M9 ( now that the sensor was replaced) and the same goes fit my DF.
I bought the DF for the low noise of the D4 and wanted a small light weight package. I shot a job for a client under extremely low light. My exposures generally ran at ISO 6400 1/10 " f2.8 to 3.5. Some areas were even darker ( thank nikon for VR2 ). I shot with both my DF and D800 and the DF excelled with extremely low noise for the ISO and I had a very high ratio of sharp images. Even under these conditions I had no problems with the AF of either.
Since getting my first Nikon D series camera in 1999 my D1 was the only one with design issues and they were resolved by firmware updated for the most part.
If you don't like it simply don't but it. It give another choice and that's it. It wasn't a personal slap in the face from nikon. It's great to see a departure from the worn bar of soap look that everyone uses. I like the operation of my D800 and have few complaints except I would like a split image focusing screen in it. Oops that's my only real complaint about the Df.
Anyway the DF satisfies my need for a light weight, rugged, pro quality, high ISO performer centered around manual focus lenses. Those of you that don't like it just let it go and keep using your D700 or buy the camera you do like. It's not a personal attack from Nikon. You have a choice.
JRG
Well-known
Amen. And thanks!
rbelyell
Well-known
i will never understand how some can generate anger for inanimate objects, or worse, for the people who use them. utterly insane.
x-ray
Veteran
You should take a Look at Get DPI under medium format and look for the thread on the Hasselblad Lunar. Some of these folks were obviously off their meds.
jsrockit
Moderator
I think it has to do with the money spent on the inanimate objects... that seems to be the trigger causing people to get upset. It's hard to use your mindset to dictate another person's wallet, but many of us try. 😀
dcsang
Canadian & Not A Dentist
Or, the corollary to the above, how some can generate affection/adoration/deity-like-worship for inanimate objects, or worse, the people who use them.
Cheers,
Dave
Highway 61
Revisited
If I don't like it and if I think that the "niche camera" concept is biased because people obviously living in this very niche aren't those the marketing dept. at Nikon might have thought of as their probable Df buyers, then I explain why in sensible terms (what I have always done) and I feel free to write this down on a web photo forum I'm registered at.
I never talked about a "personal slap in the face from Nikon" whatsoever so putting that kind of argument in a response to my post, including a quote of it, is off topic.
I'm more than happy to learn that there are people out there who like that camera, but I still don't like it, for several reasons, and I don't see why I couldn't write it. Given that I have been owning and using Nikon gear on a regular basis for now almost thirty years I feel quite legit to express my opinion about that camera.
And I expressed my opinion about that camera and its marketing hype only. If you can find something personal aimed towards that camera users in some of my posts I'll be more than happy to get some feedback about this.
I don't think the other post about anger for inanimate objects etc regards what I could write here about the Df, either.
I don't understand why thinking that this camera would then be a really stunning one with some (less than ten on a wishlist) minor improvements and modifications is now seen as something unsane or whatever. As it is, it's a D4 sensor in a strange body, which is half-way of where it should have been to be something really "different" and prone to raise some true enthusiasm, at whatever price it would have been tagged.
I'm not too sure if it would become more popular if the price was noticeably lower. Niche people are ready to spend their cash at a premium on something they are seduced by. But the Df isn't seducing.
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