dogberryjr
[Pithy phrase]
I'm wondering what you crystal ballers think about the chances of Nikon updating the DF.
Joe Jesus
shaggy nurse
Doubtful, I think. I remember people shooting the Df down as soon as it came out for not being radically austere enough.
As much as I would love a Nikon F2 with a D5 sensor, I imagine its probably not financially viable for Nikon to put one out.
As much as I would love a Nikon F2 with a D5 sensor, I imagine its probably not financially viable for Nikon to put one out.
Phil_F_NM
Camera hacker
With the glut of extraordinary used DSLRs out there and Nikon's recent decline in DSLR sales, I'd say no. I think the DF was a one-off, piece of kit and its low sales numbers may prove to make repairs in the future more difficult for the consumer. Then again, that's what all the companies want these days; planned obsolescence and frequent replacement.
Phil Forrest
Phil Forrest
Roger Hicks
Veteran
Dear Joe,
Probably right. Also, those who love the Df (and I'm one of them) are not those who "upgrade" their cameras with every announced "improvement". I'll use mine until it dies. The headline is misleading -- I still use the Leica, a LOT -- but this article explains why I like it.
Cheers,
R.
Contarama
Well-known
Roger you can indeed set the focus point to stay put in the middle and you can set up one of the buttons (I use the function button) to make menu diving a one button press experience which takes you to a custom menu. On my custom menu I have auto iso, non cpu lens, image quality, picture control, active d, and hdr. No more menu diving for me. Now there are tons of custom film profiles available on the net as well. The camera is awesome. It along with my F2 is all I'll ever need although I wouldnt mind having a matching film/digital Leica set as well.
Timmyjoe
Veteran
I hope they keep making the current one for a while. I can't afford one right now, but would like to get one in the future. Used one for a week with my old Nikkor glass and was quite impressed.
JoeLopez
Well-known
I can't see them making another Df style camera. I love the idea of one but the price is out of my reach at the moment. I'd love to have one in my bag 
While I agree that they probably won't make a version 2 due to their issues, where did you find sales figures on the Df? Let's remember it was priced high for what it was and was probably had a high margin of profit for Nikon. I loved it for the year I used it.
Phil_F_NM
Camera hacker
I don't have sales figures but it is certainly a low production body aimed at a smaller market compared to the standard Nikon mold of DSLRs (Loosely based on the bodies of: F6, F100, N70.)
I view the DF as Nikon's camera which is analogous to the Epson RD1. A great body with excellent controls, aimed at serious amateurs and a few odd professionals.
Phil Forrest
Roger Hicks
Veteran
Sure. I've learned some of this since I wrote that piece. But I used to write self-instructional materials and the Df manual (like most camera manuals) is a prize example of how not to do it.
Cheers,
R.
uhoh7
Veteran
Nikon needs to get of it's butt and make a small FF body like A7 but better. But they are to busy panicking.
Sorry Phil, I guess I jumped to the conclusion that you thought it was a sales failure.
ptpdprinter
Veteran
Maybe they could make it bigger and heavier.
Phil_F_NM
Camera hacker
Oh no, it's certainly not a failure. It's a resounding success but I think that WE, the folks on RFF, are not representative of the greater market share of Nikon and so the DF is a greater draw on this and similar forums. Kind of "birds of a feather..." So asking the question about a new DF in light of Nikon's current situation and the industry as a whole is like asking about a reboot of a Epson RD1 even though the DF is still available new so the comparison is a little off. Thank goodness Nikon has a greater market share and can conceivably support the camera longer into the future than Epson's RD1.
Phil Forrest
Ronald M
Veteran
functionally the DF has nothing over a DSLR except using some pre AI lenses . If you are wedded to then, convert to Ai. They attempted to make it look like the consumer FM to FE series which were not attractive.
I think it looks not attractive. I really dislike the flash mount on top. I do like the nice clean prism of a non metered F or F2.
What would have saved it would be a F focus screen.
In the end, low sales, high cost to make a one off, doomed it.
I think it looks not attractive. I really dislike the flash mount on top. I do like the nice clean prism of a non metered F or F2.
What would have saved it would be a F focus screen.
In the end, low sales, high cost to make a one off, doomed it.
Roger Hicks
Veteran
Well, apart from having the controls in the right places.
EDIT: I assume you mean "any other DSLR" as it is of course a DSLR.
Cheers,
R.
seany65
Well-known
I'd like to see a cheaper, simplified version with fewer buttons and a less cluttered layout, with the whole thing done like a normal analogue camera, but with digital capture.
Contarama
Well-known
I have people come up to me all the time asking about it. Another thing about it is it is one of three or four current Nikon products MIJ...all other models elsewhere. May not make any difference but I believe it does.
Huss
Veteran
Did not like the DF at all for the time I used one. Big fat body that felt unsubstantial. Here it is next to my FM2n:
The promise of working well with old MF lenses let down by a crappy focus screen. My D750 is more accurate with mf lenses than the DF.
What the next DF should be is a mirrorless camera, with all the mechanical knobs in the right places. Fuji already does that with it's Contax RTS look-a-like XT-2. There is no reason for the next DF to have a mirror. Or be so bulky.
The promise of working well with old MF lenses let down by a crappy focus screen. My D750 is more accurate with mf lenses than the DF.
What the next DF should be is a mirrorless camera, with all the mechanical knobs in the right places. Fuji already does that with it's Contax RTS look-a-like XT-2. There is no reason for the next DF to have a mirror. Or be so bulky.
Roger Hicks
Veteran
True, but quite difficult. There's a limit to how much you can delete. Preview screen? Delete? Zoom? WB? Menus? Again, see the review I linked to above.
And we'd all like to see it cheaper, but then, we'd like to see cheaper Leicas too. Tough.
Cheers,
R.