Nikon DF

[JRG]

Some things involve no monetary exchange. But it does seem to cause bitterness. I apologise for any unintentionally hurt feelings.
If you want an advice: work on connections. Looking down at people might not work in that area though.

I'll take the post down. The camera was not bought (it's not even on sale), but based on my privilege to have such items on hand I thought I'd share practicalities. Bitchfest was somewhat expected, but in the hindsight would rather be avoided.
Have a good night.

Please don't take down the post! The bitching is no surprise, but some of us do appreciate the information you have provided. Thanks!

 

[Pablito]

Just a general question, where do the people here get such disposable income that they can afford such expensive gear like the DF and Noct, much less Leica equipment?

Any insider trading secrets, bank robbery tips, or is it mostly government bureaucrats?

All are dentists.

 

[uhoh7]

I guess it depends on how you've set-up your life and how many responsibilities you take on financially. Many NYC-ers don't own cars, own homes, or have kids. The lack of those things can pay for a Leica quickly.

drool

I'd love to spend some time in NYC again, last time was honeymoon 1990 when we were loaned a rooftop flat for 2 weeks upper east OMG I friggin loved it.

 

[doolittle]

791 posts and 66,855 views so far, this must be the fastest growing thread on RFF since quite some time.

I moonlight at nikoncafe.com from time to time. The thread there is only 13 pages long and much less of a hot topic. I guess there is a moral in there somewhere.

I think locking dials can be a good thing. Lots of other Nikon cameras have them, and if the implementation is good, they are useful.

Leica could learn something here from Nikon on their on/off/self time switches on their digital M cameras.

 

[KoNickon]

Too bad that people have a problem that others have too much discretionary income. He was trying to do everyone a favor, is all. Please let's not get into a 1%/99% thing here (U.S. members know what I'm talking about). I think most people on this forum have long since gotten over paying well over the amount of a mortgage payment for photo equipment anyway.

 

[KM-25]

A missed opportunity in my opinion. They needed to put a split micro-prism screen in it at the very least. And all those little knobs, dials, buttons, too much....way too much. I get the feeling it started out simple but the gear heads and engineers kept putting things back on. And the price, wow, no thanks.

After 25 years with the brand, the D800 was my last purchase.

 

[Frontman]

I think I will buy one. Though I have and shoot with Leica and Nikon rangefinder cameras, my main carry-around camera is a Nikon F3P. With the MD4 attached, with the MK1 accessory attached to the F3, the DF doesn't seem to have all that many more knobs and buttons.

Over time I have acquired a lot of Nikon F mount glass, some of which is superb. I love shooting with the old F film cameras, but the DF would be a nice platform for my lenses. I would like to see how the old 50/2 tick-mark Nikkor works on digital, and my heavy 50~300 ED zoom. I have also come across some bizarre old lenses which have been adapted to the F mount, these would be fun to try out as well.

 

[Vince Lupo]

All are dentists.

And some are successful photographers.

 

[Addy101]

I have a few Nikkors myself, as just about everyone on this forum.

Kiu

I don't and several others around here also don't. 😱

 

[Thardy]

Too bad that people have a problem that others have too much discretionary income. He was trying to do everyone a favor, is all. Please let's not get into a 1%/99% thing here (U.S. members know what I'm talking about). I think most people on this forum have long since gotten over paying well over the amount of a mortgage payment for photo equipment anyway.

I've heard of having a healthy amount, but never too much.

 

[Godfrey]

Just a general question, where do the people here get such disposable income that they can afford such expensive gear like the DF and Noct, much less Leica equipment?

Any insider trading secrets, bank robbery tips, or is it mostly government bureaucrats?

Priorities, Frank. We do without the second Lamborghini in order to fund our camera obsessions. It's a burden, but there you have it.

G

 

[sc_rufctr]

I just confirmed the price in Australia.

$3,500 with the lens. 🙄

 

[fireblade]

I just confirmed the price in Australia.
$3,500 with the lens. 🙄

...and as that great aussie band sang

I started a joke, which started the whole world crying,
But I didn't see that the joke was on me, oh no.
I started to cry, which started the whole world laughing,
Oh, if I'd only seen that the joke was on me.
I looked at the skies, running my hands over my eyes,
And I fell out of bed, hurting my head from things that I'd said.
Til I finally died, which started the whole world living,
Oh, if I'd only seen that the joke was on me.
I looked at the skies, running my hands over my eyes,
And I fell out of bed, hurting my head from things that I'd said.
Til I finally died, which started the whole world living,
Oh, if I'd only seen that the joke was one me.

Thanks Nikon, but not this time.

 

[alan davus]

I just confirmed the price in Australia.

$3,500 with the lens. 🙄

That's probably about right considering it includes GST and the Aussie dollar viz a viz the greenback at the moment....... I'm actually quite partial to it. In looks if nothing else it's the best camera Nikon have bought out in more than two decades. I bought a new M-E in August so I'm not rushing out to order a DF but with 6 manual focus Nikon lenses still sitting in the cupboard, next decent contract that comes my way I'll certainly be having a closer look. It's a shame so many posters here have derided Nikon for producing this just because it doesn't match their image of what the ideal camera should be. I think it's a worthy effort if far from perfect.

 

[tunalegs]

Bitchfest was somewhat expected, but in the hindsight would rather be avoided.
Have a good night.

I think I must have missed something unless a mod deleted it...

 

[willie_901]

Originally Posted by Frank Petronio
Just a general question, where do the people here get such disposable income that they can afford such expensive gear like the DF and Noct, much less Leica equipment?

Any insider trading secrets, bank robbery tips, or is it mostly government bureaucrats?

Since you asked Frank... All I did was make two phone calls; nothing else.

The first was in December 2009 to purchase 200 shares of Apple common stock. This cost about as much as a new M9 and a couple of excellent Leica lenses. The second was in late August of 2012 to sell those shares.

"Life's single lesson: that there is more accident to it than a man can ever admit to in a lifetime and stay sane."

Thomas Pynchon, in V

 

[fdarnell]

General comments to this extensive thread

General comments to this extensive thread

1. If Leica introduced a camera this way and with this price for full frame, it would be revolutionary and the best thing ever.

2. It's too big, too expensive for 16MP - if it had the 36MP sensor, I would consider it, since I would want unbelievable quality.

3. The hype has a been a good thing for "trickle-down". I bought an FM2 from the forum here just because I remember how nice it was to shoot film with that camera, so that was good for buyer and seller.

4. The well-to-do 1%'ers that I deal with daily don't know crap about technology and could care less. They are more interested in the price of real estate or how much money they can make with their next stallion deal. Fortunately for me, they call me when they need a good photo. However, this only keeps a D80 employed at the most.

5. It's still too big. I regret selling my all black FG-20.

6. I regret not buying 3000 shares of Apple when it was around $15 just after I sold my house and had the money to do it. I would now have a nice house AND the Leica, AND the new Nikon!! When I had that money again, Apple was $600. I bought a D600 instead and it had shutter dirt after 300 clicks, forcing me to really think about full-frame and whether or not I really need it. The D600 went back.

 

[Frank Petronio]

One thing that strikes me about the DF marketing is that it's the first camera specifically marketed to the older Baby Boomer generation, retirement aged people. For everything that has gone before, cameras and most all consumer goods have aimed at a vibrant young audience by using attractive, youthful models in exciting lifestyles (surfing, skiing, etc.). But for the DF we get a lone camper not doing much of anything around his campfire... and the promo videos are of AARP members like McNally and Krist rather than Chase Jarvis chasing snowboarders.

Not to make you feel old or anything but I bet we're going to see a lot more of this as the boomers hit retirement. While hipsters may desire this camera in the same way they want Lomo Petzvels, most of them simply can't afford it... where gramps simply has to cut back on his meds or sell a few painkillers to raise the coin.

 

[fdarnell]

Perhaps with the coming fiasco of our health care system I should invest in some of those legal pain killers to be able to capture what I did not make with Apple!

Then I could get the Df2 or Df3 😀

But then gramps would be on the lam, and I'm not even a gramps yet.

 

[sanmich]

A missed opportunity in my opinion. They needed to put a split micro-prism screen in it at the very least. And all those little knobs, dials, buttons, too much....way too much.

my feeling exactly