One year later, the DF: any comment?

[JHP]

I'm determined to try again, and a poster above is correct, I learnt what I was doing after it was too late. I thought I'd have enough experience since I had changed the screen in an OM-1 and that was very easy. I should have really taken a step back and read the instructions CLOSELY! My main shock was the two pin thick metal frames that popped out with the focusing screen. I wasn't expecting those.

If I tried again I'm pretty confident I'd do it properly.

Guess it's just trial and error.

 

[Highway 61]

You have a better description?

Howzabout this ?

😱

😀 😀 😀

 

[x-ray]

One thing I've observed over my life, having money doesn't mean one has taste. That's really ugly.

 

[andrew00]

I tried a Df recently, took a few shots including a selfie (lolz) in a mirror.

Looking back at the image I feel the selfie has an organic quality to it. Hard to explain but it looks a little more smooth, perhaps lifelike than a 'typical' digital image. Perhaps it has a more CCD look than a CMOS look I don't know, it just seems less clinical.

I was wondering if anyone else felt this Re: the Df (or D4) or if it was simply a lucky shot so to speak. Likewise has anyone compared the Df to the D750 in this capacity - in the smoothness of the colours and 'feel' etc.

(lens was 50/1.8 fyi)

 

[Jamie Pillers]

I installed a Katzeye on my D7000 and I'm a clumsy guy and it went well. I now have a D610 but Katzeye doesnt make a screen for that model. I have found though that using the green dot with the stock screen has worked pretty well.

Ray, I've installed a split screen in my D600. I bought the screen at focusingscreen.com. They buy up brand name screens and then trim them to fit the new digital cameras. My screen is a F6-L, made for the Nikon F6 body. It works perfectly and has no detrimental affect on auto-focus.

 

[Bike Tourist]

I just bought one two weeks ago and haven't used my D610 very much since. I originally thought that an old guy like me would appreciate the look of it and be happy with all the manual dials and maybe use AIS lenses or, at least, D lenses. Well, yes and no.

I still like the look of it. But I'm too far gone down the contemporary road, I guess. I use G lenses, aperture priority, auto ISO and auto minimum shutter speed. I get shots I used to miss, fumbling with adjustments.

So . . . 20th Century appearance with 21st Century capabilities. I'm happy. I seem to use the Df with prime lenses and the D610 with zooms.

 

[Kent]

I got mine some weeks ago and I really LOVE it!

It's the best cam I've ever had (and I had and have cams such as EOS 40D and 5D, Leica M8, Nikon D7000, Fuji X-E1, X-E2 and X-T1, several Pentax etc...)

I do own a bunch of very nice pre-AI lenses and I love being able to use them on the Df.
And I've never had any problems with focussing with the "normal" matte screen and the focus indicator.

I also think that the AF is fast enough and very precise.

 

[Godfrey]

When I finally looked at a Df in the flesh, I was underwhelmed. Too many knobs, dials, switches, buttons ... glitz. I'm more interested in a Nikon D750 body, which seems to have simpler and more sensible control layout.

My basic question is this:

I have these lenses ...

Nikkor 18mm f/3.5 AI-S
Nikkor 28mm f/2 AI
Nikkor 50mm f/1.2 AI-S
Micro-Nikkor 55mm f/3.5 PreAI
Nikkor-H 85mm f/1.8
Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8 AI-S​

... that I like a lot. I use them with the Nikon F or Sony A7 at present.

Would they work well on the D750? ...on the Df? Which body would suit them better? Would the Nikon D body do better with them than the Sony A7?

Because that would be my entire motivation to buy a Nikon body, to use these lenses to best advantage.

G

 

[x-ray]

Don't know anything about Sony so I can't say but they will work perfectly on the Df. Your AI lenses should work fine on the 750 assuming it has an indexing tab for AI lenses. My D800 does and they work fine. If the 750 has the same kind of non retractable index tab then the non AI will not work. I'm unable to use non AI on my D800. If the indexing tab flips down like the Df then you're good. If you want to AI the two lenses then they'll work perfectly. The cost of having them AId is pretty cheap. I have several of those myself and they're great on the Df.

 

[Godfrey]

Thanks.

I happened to be near the camera shop on my day's errands so I stopped in; I'd stuffed my Nikkor 50/1.2 AI-S in the bag just in case. Lucky me: the Nikon Rep was there showing off all the latest Nikon gear. I got to play with the Df and D750 quite a bit, had a nice chat with the rep.

AI series lenses work fine, no problem at all, on both. The Df has the movable tab so that Pre-AI lenses can work on it without modification as well. For the D750, I'd have to have my Micro-Nikkor 55mm and Nikkor-H 85mm converted to AI.

Between the two, I much prefer the control layout, feel, and balance of the D750. The Df goes overboard with too darn many knobs, dials, buttons, switches, etc. It's better looking in black than chrome, but it is a weird, messy hodge-podge of styling elements and control paradigms to me.

The D750 is simpler, modern, clean and feels better in the hand. It reminds me to some degree of the Olympus E-1, which I account as the most ergonomic, finest SLR body design of all time.

Neither of them, however, appeal to me all that much. As I told the rep, I shot with Nikon gear from '68 to '01, but what I used from '81 on were the FM, FM2n, FE2, and F3. All the later pro and semi-pro bodies gave me a headache until the D200 came out, when they started to improve again. The D750 is a fine camera, but it's not something I want to spend my money on.

One thing the Rep had that did surprise me was the Nikon 1 V3. He had it on the counter fitted with the 10-30mm lens, grip and EVF. A delightful little piece: felt tight, well made, controls all in the right places, lovely EVF, fast focusing, etc. I was quite taken with it. Hmmm.

G

 

[sanmich]

No real MF screen (hell, at least give us the option to take interchangeable screens)

Sums it up for me.

 

[Bike Tourist]

I'm really enjoying the Df. I find the opinion of others interesting but I would never base my buying decision on those opinions. Just too many differences in style and approach among us for that to be a final determination.

 

[Roger Hicks]

I'm really enjoying the Df. I find the opinion of others interesting but I would never base my buying decision on those opinions. Just too many differences in style and approach among us for that to be a final determination.

Dear Dick,

Absolutely! I agree with every word!

Cheers,

R.