I purchased the DF as a secondary camera to my D800 as well and I am in the same boat. If I go shooting for myself (non-job), I always take the DF. The only two things I would change, more than one memory slot (whatever format) and a slightly more robust focusing system. That said, I absolutely adore this camera. It's ability to capture images in low light and high contrast scenes is absolutely amazing. I take the DF everywhere. If I could do it all over, I would absolutely buy it again. Maybe even two (if I were made of money).
Got a DF recently. Grew up on an FM2. Can't understand why anyone would give the Df a negative review. Its a REAL camera and the controls are at your finger tips. Image quality is brilliant. Love it!
Switched from Nikon D500 to Sony A7r3 in 2017 and happy with the choice. Now is late 2020, I bought a Nikon Df and thoroughly enjoy this camera. Yes, it doesn’t have advanced focusing, no body stabilization, heavy (compare to mirrorless), but it takes great pictures and that is why we buy a camera for. My primary shoot Df on stationary subject of street, structure and landscape in black and white. The performance shines in lower light, dynamic range and contrast; and the best is how it transitions color (even in black and white) like a film camera. In addition, unlike Sony that I constantly thinking about upgrade, Df is made in Japan, solid like a rock that I know I will keep it for a very long time. The retro look is a nice bonus and I set most of the control to auto, so it doesn’t require me to adjust most of the dials during shooting or simply don’t try to remember what all the dials do since I use multiple brands.
I couldn't find a camera rental place that actually rented the Nikon DF anymore. I know this is over a year later that this 4 week review was filmed. One place in Florida where I live seemed to be the only camera rental company that still rented out the DF. I had to ship it back yesterday, August 1st, 2016 after renting it for the weekend. I started off with Canon myself since my first DSLR was the Rebel XS. My wife had a Nikon D5200 and a few cropped sensor lenses. That being said, I gave the DF a fighting chance and loved that it was more dials than digital menu, like the Canon system that I am used to. My wife had a problem trying to figure out how to get the Nikon DF to focus well. Not being supplied with a manual, and being out on a hike with no internet connection, she was supposed to be the go to girl for all things Nikon. I figured out how to get the camera to focus, but I had a lot more missed shots than I would have liked for the birds flying across the trail, and there were hundreds flying across. This after my wife rented a Canon 5D Mark III and got great shots of birds flying a month prior at the same location. Then there was the problem that my wife only had two full frame lenses and five cropped sensor lenses for Nikon. The DF had a rectangle that I was supposed to compose my shots in, and with a Canon where it is physically impossible to mount a cropped lens on a full frame body, I kept on mistaking the small rectangle inside the viewfinder as a sort of rule of thirds box. I loved how the DF felt in the hand and all the little dials and such. However, I couldn't abandon ship with Canon because I have seven full frame Canon lenses, and it would be cheaper for me to buy a Canon 5D Mark III than to buy a Nikon DF at $2,000-$3,000 and a whole bunch of full frame lenses for Nikon. Yes the Nikon DF did accept the cropped sensor lenses, but all the photos went from being 16.2 megapixels down to 6.8 megapixels for every photo taken with the cropped sensor lenses. If I had more full frame Nikon lenses, I am sure I would have loved the DF as I loved the retro look, the weight, and feel. It was of course heavier than a film camera, but it felt more narrow and wider than a regular DLSR. It was just the cropping down to 6.8 megapixels with a cropped lens that really killed the joy of actually owning the DF, knowing that I would have to buy a lot of expensive full frame lenses when I already invested so much into Canon.
I have been using my Df for about a year now. I am totally spoiled by it. I love the controls and being able to see about all my settings at a glance, and the picture quality is amazing. The shadow detail and colors look so natural. It can pull detail out that you cannot see with the naked eye, like some sort of night vision. I also like using my aperture rings on all my D series lenses since you can feel it wide open or a stop down without ever looking at anything. It is a very fast camera despite some comments from who perhaps people never shot film. I do not ever want to go back to the standard DSLRs.
+Victor Oquendo That's funny, I have read and commented on about every review out there on the Df. I was almost sold on not getting it until I did my own reasoning and research. The internal motor runs my 80-200 2.8 very well and fast as with all my D series lenses. Even in pretty low light. I really am astounded on all the "concerns" out there that amount to nothing for what I have tested. I use however single point most of the time being a bit annoyed with the dancing multi point setting, from all Dslrs. If you get one, the 1.2x eyepiece and cup are a big help for manual focusing. I shoot a lot of eagles with an older f 5.6 600mm Nikon and can nail the focus manually a good percentage of time, even when the bird's in flight. It is really hard for me to pick up my other" lug" camera after using it.
+Victor Oquendo I just looked at the D5 & Df test results at Imaging Resource site. At 6400, about as high as I ever go, the DF had the same or better detail as the D5! looking at a jpeg 1:1. The D5 had less noise in general shadow areas but it looked more like some noise reduction is built in as a default. Also the red pattern in the cloth was more defined by the Df in the still life. I was surprised thinking the D5 would blow away the Df in detail at that ISO.
Please, you need to do more than just read the spec sheet. The AF system is out of your favorite camera the D610 and it is a little on the week side but very usable. I've owned two of these cameras and I just love it. It is not a good all around camera like my D810 but it is actually more fun to use. It does remind me a lot of my Fujifilm X-T2 with a full frame sensor and unlike the Fuji, I can use all my Nikon Glass.
As an old film photographer, I love my Df. I find all menus to be so deep and wide that you spend more time looking into why the camera is doing something by itself instead of concentrating on subject, lighting, composition, exposure, and focus. This is an awesome camera for someone who loves still photography. But after some time with the camera, I find that a split screen viewfinder would be helpful. I would rather manual focus than press-hold-recompose or moving a damn dot around live view. Its only focus for Pete's sake, not rocket science. The other issue is no histogram during live view. Nikon would probably argue that the camera is not intended for a tripod, but come on. Its a camera and I like to use it that way. In live view you have a access to several screen configurations but a histogram is not one of them. In fact, if you use any of the composition grid overlays or leveling, you even sacrifice the exposure metering. I find myself switching screens way more than I should have to. Why in the menus you cant select the items you want visible on the live view screen is beyond me. These are the only issues/suggestions I have on a fantastic camera that is ahead of its time.
How does Df compare to the D610, Please. I hope the Df is better, that is if anybody has both dslr's, anybody care to respond in a kind way, thanks in advance.
Retro look nice, however, its should packs with modern techs such as video, zebra,focus peeking, smaller size.,may be EVF(which I love)....especially at this price
+MobiusCoin In the same way that an N90 is bulky compared to an FM. The auto focus motor, plus the necessary batteries for the AF and for the powered mirror box create size and weight that an FM would never need. An FM is much bigger with an MD12 attached. I'd love to see a tiny manually powered and focused DSLR, but I doubt that I represent enough of a market share.
Hmm why is no video not a problem on a nikon, but a huge deal on a Canon namely the 5ds... Does not seem entirely fair, just because the nikon is retro styled and the canon isn't, the 5ds isn't allowed to be a photography camera only???
STEHH87 The Df is an entirely new camera, and not an update to an existing line of camera bodies. It was never designed to have video. The 5D line has been a VERY successful video DSLR, and as such, it is expected that an update should have video. Perhaps Canon would've been smarter by not naming the 5Ds and 5Ds R as part of the 5D line-up.
I had my Df for a 2 years now and I love it. I also have the D800 and I find myself using the Df 80% of the time. Love traveling with it!
I purchased the DF as a secondary camera to my D800 as well and I am in the same boat. If I go shooting for myself (non-job), I always take the DF. The only two things I would change, more than one memory slot (whatever format) and a slightly more robust focusing system. That said, I absolutely adore this camera. It's ability to capture images in low light and high contrast scenes is absolutely amazing. I take the DF everywhere. If I could do it all over, I would absolutely buy it again. Maybe even two (if I were made of money).
Funny. I'm going to get a D810(a i hope) to go with the Df. I really think nikon intended it that way.
until now , year 2022. your videos are still useful. Rest in peace .
Got a DF recently. Grew up on an FM2. Can't understand why anyone would give the Df a negative review. Its a REAL camera and the controls are at your finger tips. Image quality is brilliant. Love it!
Great objective review, thank you!
This is one of the better quick review rundowns of this camera I've seen. Thanks
Switched from Nikon D500 to Sony A7r3 in 2017 and happy with the choice. Now is late 2020, I bought a Nikon Df and thoroughly enjoy this camera. Yes, it doesn’t have advanced focusing, no body stabilization, heavy (compare to mirrorless), but it takes great pictures and that is why we buy a camera for. My primary shoot Df on stationary subject of street, structure and landscape in black and white. The performance shines in lower light, dynamic range and contrast; and the best is how it transitions color (even in black and white) like a film camera. In addition, unlike Sony that I constantly thinking about upgrade, Df is made in Japan, solid like a rock that I know I will keep it for a very long time. The retro look is a nice bonus and I set most of the control to auto, so it doesn’t require me to adjust most of the dials during shooting or simply don’t try to remember what all the dials do since I use multiple brands.
Df + Nikkor AF-D lens, almost 180k shutter counts, and still alive.. Couldn't be happier :)
That's great to hear 👍
I couldn't find a camera rental place that actually rented the Nikon DF anymore. I know this is over a year later that this 4 week review was filmed. One place in Florida where I live seemed to be the only camera rental company that still rented out the DF. I had to ship it back yesterday, August 1st, 2016 after renting it for the weekend. I started off with Canon myself since my first DSLR was the Rebel XS. My wife had a Nikon D5200 and a few cropped sensor lenses. That being said, I gave the DF a fighting chance and loved that it was more dials than digital menu, like the Canon system that I am used to.
My wife had a problem trying to figure out how to get the Nikon DF to focus well. Not being supplied with a manual, and being out on a hike with no internet connection, she was supposed to be the go to girl for all things Nikon. I figured out how to get the camera to focus, but I had a lot more missed shots than I would have liked for the birds flying across the trail, and there were hundreds flying across. This after my wife rented a Canon 5D Mark III and got great shots of birds flying a month prior at the same location.
Then there was the problem that my wife only had two full frame lenses and five cropped sensor lenses for Nikon. The DF had a rectangle that I was supposed to compose my shots in, and with a Canon where it is physically impossible to mount a cropped lens on a full frame body, I kept on mistaking the small rectangle inside the viewfinder as a sort of rule of thirds box. I loved how the DF felt in the hand and all the little dials and such.
However, I couldn't abandon ship with Canon because I have seven full frame Canon lenses, and it would be cheaper for me to buy a Canon 5D Mark III than to buy a Nikon DF at $2,000-$3,000 and a whole bunch of full frame lenses for Nikon. Yes the Nikon DF did accept the cropped sensor lenses, but all the photos went from being 16.2 megapixels down to 6.8 megapixels for every photo taken with the cropped sensor lenses. If I had more full frame Nikon lenses, I am sure I would have loved the DF as I loved the retro look, the weight, and feel. It was of course heavier than a film camera, but it felt more narrow and wider than a regular DLSR. It was just the cropping down to 6.8 megapixels with a cropped lens that really killed the joy of actually owning the DF, knowing that I would have to buy a lot of expensive full frame lenses when I already invested so much into Canon.
I have been using my Df for about a year now. I am totally spoiled by it. I love the controls and being able to see about all my settings at a glance, and the picture quality is amazing. The shadow detail and colors look so natural. It can pull detail out that you cannot see with the naked eye, like some sort of night vision. I also like using my aperture rings on all my D series lenses since you can feel it wide open or a stop down without ever looking at anything. It is a very fast camera despite some comments from who perhaps people never shot film. I do not ever want to go back to the standard DSLRs.
Larry L The Nikon Df is a really neat camera!
+Larry L Thinking about buying one today, however one reviewer that I watch a lot said its a huge fail. Hows the focus speed?
+Victor Oquendo That's funny, I have read and commented on about every review out there on the Df. I was almost sold on not getting it until I did my own reasoning and research. The internal motor runs my 80-200 2.8 very well and fast as with all my D series lenses. Even in pretty low light. I really am astounded on all the "concerns" out there that amount to nothing for what I have tested. I use however single point most of the time being a bit annoyed with the dancing multi point setting, from all Dslrs. If you get one, the 1.2x eyepiece and cup are a big help for manual focusing. I shoot a lot of eagles with an older f 5.6 600mm Nikon and can nail the focus manually a good percentage of time, even when the bird's in flight. It is really hard for me to pick up my other" lug" camera after using it.
AWESOME! thanks for your response Larry.
+Victor Oquendo I just looked at the D5 & Df test results at Imaging Resource site. At 6400, about as high as I ever go, the DF had the same or better detail as the D5! looking at a jpeg 1:1. The D5 had less noise in general shadow areas but it looked more like some noise reduction is built in as a default. Also the red pattern in the cloth was more defined by the Df in the still life. I was surprised thinking the D5 would blow away the Df in detail at that ISO.
Please, you need to do more than just read the spec sheet. The AF system is out of your favorite camera the D610 and it is a little on the week side but very usable. I've owned two of these cameras and I just love it. It is not a good all around camera like my D810 but it is actually more fun to use. It does remind me a lot of my Fujifilm X-T2 with a full frame sensor and unlike the Fuji, I can use all my Nikon Glass.
That happened to your channel?
As an old film photographer, I love my Df. I find all menus to be so deep and wide that you spend more time looking into why the camera is doing something by itself instead of concentrating on subject, lighting, composition, exposure, and focus. This is an awesome camera for someone who loves still photography. But after some time with the camera, I find that a split screen viewfinder would be helpful. I would rather manual focus than press-hold-recompose or moving a damn dot around live view. Its only focus for Pete's sake, not rocket science. The other issue is no histogram during live view. Nikon would probably argue that the camera is not intended for a tripod, but come on. Its a camera and I like to use it that way. In live view you have a access to several screen configurations but a histogram is not one of them. In fact, if you use any of the composition grid overlays or leveling, you even sacrifice the exposure metering. I find myself switching screens way more than I should have to. Why in the menus you cant select the items you want visible on the live view screen is beyond me. These are the only issues/suggestions I have on a fantastic camera that is ahead of its time.
How does Df compare to the D610, Please. I hope the Df is better, that is if anybody has both dslr's, anybody care to respond in a kind way, thanks in advance.
Retro look nice, however, its should packs with modern techs such as video, zebra,focus peeking, smaller size.,may be EVF(which I love)....especially at this price
It just seems so much more bulky than a real old Nikon FM.
It is bulky compared to the old FM line.
+MobiusCoin In the same way that an N90 is bulky compared to an FM. The auto focus motor, plus the necessary batteries for the AF and for the powered mirror box create size and weight that an FM would never need. An FM is much bigger with an MD12 attached. I'd love to see a tiny manually powered and focused DSLR, but I doubt that I represent enough of a market share.
Hmm why is no video not a problem on a nikon, but a huge deal on a Canon namely the 5ds... Does not seem entirely fair, just because the nikon is retro styled and the canon isn't, the 5ds isn't allowed to be a photography camera only???
STEHH87 The Df is an entirely new camera, and not an update to an existing line of camera bodies. It was never designed to have video. The 5D line has been a VERY successful video DSLR, and as such, it is expected that an update should have video. Perhaps Canon would've been smarter by not naming the 5Ds and 5Ds R as part of the 5D line-up.