Thinking of going from Nikon D4 to DF

[Huss]

I rented the DF, and bought a D750. The D750 is much more comfortable to hold, has a better sensor, much better AF, is much cheaper, and for some reason I can manually focus it far more accurately than the DF.
While for some the selling point is that the DF has the same sensor as the D4, that would have been cool if it was introduced at the same time as the D4 when that was the latest tech. With the D750 you have better ISO performance, as well as more pixels.

But, to be honest, I'm not in love with my D750. I just don't get a pleasure from using DSLRs (but that's just me). They can take fantastic pics but in ways make it so easy that it kills my inspiration. Weird, huh?

 

[Timmyjoe]

But, to be honest, I'm not in love with my D750. I just don't get a pleasure from using DSLRs (but that's just me). They can take fantastic pics but in ways make it so easy that it kills my inspiration. Weird, huh?

I don't think it's weird, I feel the same way. That's why I still shoot with a Leica M3, a Nikon F, and soon a Nikon S2. I like thinking about the image and how I'm going to be capturing it, instead of just "pointing and shooting" like with so many of the modern cameras.

 

[Fraser]

I rented the DF, and bought a D750. The D750 is much more comfortable to hold, has a better sensor, much better AF, is much cheaper, and for some reason I can manually focus it far more accurately than the DF.
While for some the selling point is that the DF has the same sensor as the D4, that would have been cool if it was introduced at the same time as the D4 when that was the latest tech. With the D750 you have better ISO performance, as well as more pixels.

But, to be honest, I'm not in love with my D750. I just don't get a pleasure from using DSLRs (but that's just me). They can take fantastic pics but in ways make it so easy that it kills my inspiration. Weird, huh?

I can't agree that a d750 sensor is better than a D4 sensor and there is nothing wrong with the AF its certainly much faster than manual focus!

 

[Fraser]

I don't think it's weird, I feel the same way. That's why I still shoot with a Leica M3, a Nikon F, and soon a Nikon S2. I like thinking about the image and how I'm going to be capturing it, instead of just "pointing and shooting" like with so many of the modern cameras.

How did we get to here!
Shooting an old camera is all about capturing a moment and thinking about Blah blah blah.
What a lot of nonsense, the thread is about should I swap my D4 for a Df .

 

[Timmyjoe]

How did we get to here!
Shooting an old camera is all about capturing a moment and thinking about Blah blah blah.
What a lot of nonsense, the thread is about should I swap my D4 for a Df .

And I already answered that.

I was not aware that we cannot comment on other poster's comments and that we were only allowed to respond to the OP's question. Or is that just your interpretation of the forum rules? 😛

 

[Highway 61]

I can't agree that a d750 sensor is better than a D4 sensor (...)

24MP are more than 16MP on a sensor the same size and at this point this is not only a matter of the casual megapixels race but about the ability of rendering certain tones and patterns in a more subtle way : many tests are in favor of the 24MP sensor over the 16MP sensor.

Of course the D4 sensor will be better at the crazy extra-high ISO levels but do we really shoot at those ?

And the D750 AF is way better than the Df one.

 

[Huss]

I don't think it's weird, I feel the same way. That's why I still shoot with a Leica M3, a Nikon F, and soon a Nikon S2. I like thinking about the image and how I'm going to be capturing it, instead of just "pointing and shooting" like with so many of the modern cameras.

Exactly how it is for me.

I can't agree that a d750 sensor is better than a D4 sensor and there is nothing wrong with the AF its certainly much faster than manual focus!

Well it is. Old tech vs new tech. Why would you think otherwise and all testing results show this.

How did we get to here!
Shooting an old camera is all about capturing a moment and thinking about Blah blah blah.
What a lot of nonsense, the thread is about should I swap my D4 for a Df .

Perhaps because some people get a DF thinking that somehow it is not a DSLR because it has a few knobs on it to twist? So they feel more attached to the process?

And I already answered that.

I was not aware that we cannot comment on other poster's comments and that we were only allowed to respond to the OP's question. Or is that just your interpretation of the forum rules? 😛

Dammit Timmy, his thread, his rules!

 

[Huss]

24MP are more than 16MP on a sensor the same size and at this point this is not only a matter of the casual megapixels race but about the ability of rendering certain tones and patterns in a more subtle way : many tests are in favor of the 24MP sensor over the 16MP sensor.

Of course the D4 sensor will be better at the crazy extra-high ISO levels but do we really shoot at those ?

And the D750 AF is way better than the Df one.

The D750 can AF in near dark conditions w/o assistance, while the DF af has given up a long time ago.

Sensor comparison:

https://www.dxomark.com/Reviews/Nik...ent-Outstanding-performance-for-Dynamic-Range

http://cameradecision.com/compare/Nikon-D750-vs-Nikon-Df

 

[kxl]

Nikon USA website, until October 29th (all prices in USD):

D810 Body $500 off -> $2500
D810 + 24-120mm/f4 kit $900 off -> $3200
D750 Body $200 off -> $1800
D750 + 24-120mm/f4 kit $800 off -> $2300

Just saying...

 

[Keith]

I'll give myself a couple of more days to mull this over at the risk of the camera being gone by then ... though I suspect they've had it in stock for a while so probably unlikely. They are basically a consumer electronics store that doesn't really get demand for this type of camera ... they mostly stock the point and shoot stuff or the smaller cheaper DLSRs.

if I miss out it wasn't meant to be.

 

[Fuchs]

I have been using both the D4 and the DF for a year, and ultimately I chose to sell the DF. The main reason to have both was to have the same sensor x2, simplifying my post processing workflow. I'd say that for the reasons you mentioned, your best choice will be to grab asap that DF, and sell the D4 before the secondhand prices go down too much, pulled by the D5 availability.

For me, as a freelance pj, it was the weather sealing, battery life and af system of the D4 the most important points to be considered. The DF just doesn't stand to the comparison in any of those dpartments.

IQ wise, they are identical, and I have used any of them indifferently up to iso 25k to print even some double spreads without a problem. Take in mind these are basically action/reportage photos for press, not landscapes or brick walls being meant to be pixelpeeped to 400X

(In the last month I have been using a Fuji Xt1 outfit, with results good enough to make me consider going completely that way, I suppose that in the end you adapt to what you adopt
🙂 )

 

[Eric T]

I'll give myself a couple of more days to mull this over at the risk of the camera being gone by then ... though I suspect they've had it in stock for a while so probably unlikely. They are basically a consumer electronics store that doesn't really get demand for this type of camera ... they mostly stock the point and shoot stuff or the smaller cheaper DLSRs.

if I miss out it wasn't meant to be.

$2200 sounds like a great price for a Nikon Df and 50m lens, particularly if you mean Aussie dollars. I have always been intrigued by that camera.
Keep us posted on your decision.

 

[Huss]

I do prefer the immediacy of the knobs on the DF compared to my D750.

It's also why I chose an Xpan over the XpanII. The Xpan has knobs to set the ISO and the exposure compensation, while the Xpan II needs button pushing and LCD gazing.
But I digress.

Knobs do rule.

 

[johannielscom]

Keith, get yourself a Sony A7 body (also 24MP, same sensor as the Nikons or pretty darn close) and a good adapter to use your Nikkor lenses on it.😉

Saves even more cash, and even more weight.

Good luck making up yr mind!

 

[zleica]

Keith, I owned and used both, but I sold the Df. I would recommend that you just keep your D4. I know you mentioned it's size and weight, but D4 will do everything better, more reliable focus, more accurate focus on MF lens too. You will have more keeps. And it's almost none destructible body and will last for a very long time. One the price side, a good Df and the kit lens go for less the $2000, and body is about $1600 - $1700. The used price for D4 is about $2400. To me, I will absolute keep the D4.

 

[Mudman]

For MF prime use I'd be hard pressed not to get the Df. I went with the D750 for its better AF system and the fact it can shoot video (I recently lost a job due to not moving on with the times on video, so time to invest in it more). The D750 is a nice little camera. I don't see you going wrong with the Df if you want something lighter than the D4. My D3 is definitely heavy for all day work. I have found that with the extra MP of the D750 I have to be more careful to avoid camera shake (a plus for the smaller MP Df).

 

[Huss]

For MF prime use I'd be hard pressed not to get the Df.

I found manual focus accuracy better on the D750 than the Df using prime lenses.
I think it has to do with the D750 having the better AF system, which ties into using the focus confirmation dot when focusing manually.

 

[Luke_Miller]

I only use the focus confirmation light when using a challenging lens, such as my Noct-Nikkor wide open. The rest of the time I use the ground glass screen and compose while focusing. In my case that is faster than trying to position a focus point over the subject and then use the green dot.

 

[Mudman]

I found manual focus accuracy better on the D750 than the Df using prime lenses.
I think it has to do with the D750 having the better AF system, which ties into using the focus confirmation dot when focusing manually.

Huss I haven't really played around yet with my MF glass on the D750. For the classic form though I'd probably lean towards a DF and an aftermarket screen for focusing. I've had the D750 a whopping two days, so I'll see how well it works with all of my lenses soon enough.

 

[Huss]

I only use the focus confirmation light when using a challenging lens, such as my Noct-Nikkor wide open. The rest of the time I use the ground glass screen and compose while focusing. In my case that is faster than trying to position a focus point over the subject and then use the green dot.

The nice thing is you can select the position of the focus point (with both cameras) so it does not have to affect your composition.
I tend not to stare at the dot, but focus using the screen and happen to notice when the dot appears.

Slightly off topic.. manually focusing with a Nikon F6 is far superior to any DLSR that I have used, even though the F6 is also an AF camera. Nikon really spent the time on that one to make sure it works perfectly with both types of lenses.