I want to say hello and reassure you that the Nikon Df is a great camera. I bought my darling Nikon Df as a replacement for the D700 (for which I have legendary lenses). Years later, I walked to the trip with the legendary D700 and was pleasantly surprised that the D700 focuses faster, more accurately and has a larger viewfinder, which can be solved with the Df’s DK-17M magnifying eyepiece. In the meantime, I needed a small camera for stroller walks. I bought the Fuji X100F. To this day I have not found my way to this camera. Plus when I download the RAWs to my computer I can see how flat they are. I’m used to better ones from Nikons. OK, I figured I don’t have the time or inclination to waste time playing with cameras and I need to take photos first and foremost and I’ll buy a decent “violin” without compromise. I bought a Leica Q (116). My feelings are not measurable. I buy cameras based on what the output is. Photography has to be enjoyable. I like the analog feel, the slowness. It’s a form of psychotherapy for me. The Leica Q is a great camera, but compared to the M, my Q suffers from various ailments. I carry my Df with me in the winter because the batteries go dead quickly and especially the famous Leica freezes. Problems occur from about 5 degrees Celsius:-) It doesn’t even have to freeze. Now in summer it’s OK :-) As it is all metal it gets cold quickly and there is a problem with autofocus. The solution to the problem is – freeze it for 10 minutes before going out. Or when I set the buttons as I am used to from Nikons, the Leica froze really often. I was very angry at the famous Leica at first, but I’ve learned to prevent these crashes. As overpriced as these things are, not many people buy it and they don’t even have tested software for it. Anyway, the Nikon Df is great and I shoot with it in the winter because the Leica can’t handle what I load it with and I’m not an extremist. I often use the Df with the Nikon 28mm f/2.8 AI-s. I want to equip it with a DK-17M and mount a prismatic matrix with wedges. Otherwise Leica, when it shoots, that Summilux is awesome. But I subjectively like the higher ISO photos better from the Df :-) People are always chasing newer cameras because they think they will get better photos. As a handy amateur, I can say that’s nonsense. The Nikon Df is great and if the Leica annoys me, I’ll either buy the M or dump it and use the more awesome Nikon Df. I focus on documentary photography and humanistic photography, that’s also why the Df with manual glass is OK for me. I don’t bother with the autofocus of the D600:-)
Graxxor A Vidhelssen
June 6, 2024 1:56 pm
I love my Df… Bought it second hand for a song and a prayer over half a decade ago and it’s just been a champ. I use it with my compact 20/24/35/50 and 85D screw drive lenses which I used of my F4 and it’s been an absolute beauty!
If it had come with a spilt screen for precise manual focus, it would have been a winner. Alas it is all but useless with manual glass, nullifying much of its original claim. A truly tragic oversight AFAIAC
Pat
May 17, 2024 11:23 pm
I can’t imagine you’re still monitoring this article, but I’ve thought about getting a Df since it came out and see that most of the photos you took with it are paired with the 58mm f/1.4G, which I just bought, and there is a blog devoted to that pairing. Are they really that good together? I’m using it with a D850, but would love another excuse to get a Df.
Robert Gregory
March 29, 2024 2:59 am
Surely the image processor is Expeed 7 not Expeed 3 as listed in your introduction
I just received my (used) Nikon Df body a week ago and am really thrilled by its performance and its handling. I bought a used but recent 24-120 mm F4 AF ED lens with the camera. Although it is quite a bulky lens, it works fast and accurately.
My reason for choosing the Df was the possibility to use my old Nikkor AiS manual focus prime lenses. I have a 35 mm /F2, a 50 mm /F1.8, a 105 mm /F2.5 and a 180 mm /F2.8 ED. The lens data were entered into the camera’s menu and after selecting the proper lens setting, the quality of the images with these old lenses is way above my expectation.
Yes, manual focusing with the assistance of the green light on the left corner of the viewfinder takes a bit longer and requires some exercise, but the results are beautiful. In particular the 180 mm /F2.8 AiS-ED is a bulky and heavy piece of glass, which should not be used at shutter speeds below 1/200 -unless on a tripod. This lens takes stunnng pictures but is less suitable for quick travel snapshots. It should be used what it was designed for.
For the quick-and-easy stuff I have the AF zoom lens.
John
November 21, 2022 11:08 am
When you are discussing auto ISO. It looks like there is a mistake in the article. I believe that the value set on the camera top dial is the maximum ISO value. Not the minimum value as you state.
Carl
August 3, 2021 8:18 am
The Df is a camera that took me time to like. Like many, expectations were high when I finally got around to forking money out for one. I took a long time to decide to buy it, then it took me months of basically ignoring it for a while until one day the Df started to click. More and more I began to enjoy shooting with it, but not until my expectations had been completely lost in the wind of every day life. I absolutely love it for evening walks, short hikes, around the house, and my occasional street shooting itch that needs to be scratched. I paired it with a Voigtlander Nokton 40mm II f/2 and use manual focus with it. Manual focusing changes the way you think of the DF, I think. Enjoyed the read!
I was very happy to get an used Df in October 2015 with a few of shutter actions on eb@y. I kept it in use for travel and concert photography for its quick and small fitting in the bag to replace my F90X what was my all day camera before going digital. It was easy to use because my first Nikon was a manual FA and I had bought a lot of MF lenses, evem a rare Noct-Nikkor. To use those on the Df gave really nice results. But 2017 I got a shutter failure what I never had on any other Nikon camera I used since 1986, as were the D700, D3100, F3, F90X, FM2, F-501, FA. One of the blades had crumpled. This happened on the last concert tour of Patti Smith in Europe during the fore group playing and I had no camera in reserve. What a pity. See the pictures before the break on my flickr album here under flickr.com/photos/dr_mabuse/albums/72157687156915876. The repair by Albrecht Kamera Service in Duesseldorf was nice and fast but the bill was over 400€. Had someone else here such a bad luck ? As now I always keep my D3100 in reserve for important events. This cheap camera, not a professional one, had by now not any fault in all weather conditions.
Dia C Tran
November 17, 2020 9:27 am
Keep in mind that Fuji introduced a whole new lens line when they introduced the X series. If you want an A position on the lens Nikon has to introduce an entire new lens line.
Nope. The old AF-D lenses allowed you to stop down to the smallest aperture, labeled in orange, and there was a lock switch to go with it. That would allow you to shoot in P or S mode, no problem. Essentially, that was switching the lens to A position.
I want to say hello and reassure you that the Nikon Df is a great camera.
I bought my darling Nikon Df as a replacement for the D700 (for which I have legendary lenses). Years later, I walked to the trip with the legendary D700 and was pleasantly surprised that the D700 focuses faster, more accurately and has a larger viewfinder, which can be solved with the Df’s DK-17M magnifying eyepiece.
In the meantime, I needed a small camera for stroller walks. I bought the Fuji X100F. To this day I have not found my way to this camera. Plus when I download the RAWs to my computer I can see how flat they are. I’m used to better ones from Nikons.
OK, I figured I don’t have the time or inclination to waste time playing with cameras and I need to take photos first and foremost and I’ll buy a decent “violin” without compromise. I bought a Leica Q (116).
My feelings are not measurable. I buy cameras based on what the output is. Photography has to be enjoyable.
I like the analog feel, the slowness. It’s a form of psychotherapy for me.
The Leica Q is a great camera, but compared to the M, my Q suffers from various ailments.
I carry my Df with me in the winter because the batteries go dead quickly and especially the famous Leica freezes.
Problems occur from about 5 degrees Celsius:-) It doesn’t even have to freeze. Now in summer it’s OK :-)
As it is all metal it gets cold quickly and there is a problem with autofocus. The solution to the problem is – freeze it for 10 minutes before going out.
Or when I set the buttons as I am used to from Nikons, the Leica froze really often. I was very angry at the famous Leica at first, but I’ve learned to prevent these crashes. As overpriced as these things are, not many people buy it and they don’t even have tested software for it.
Anyway, the Nikon Df is great and I shoot with it in the winter because the Leica can’t handle what I load it with and I’m not an extremist. I often use the Df with the Nikon 28mm f/2.8 AI-s. I want to equip it with a DK-17M and mount a prismatic matrix with wedges.
Otherwise Leica, when it shoots, that Summilux is awesome.
But I subjectively like the higher ISO photos better from the Df :-)
People are always chasing newer cameras because they think they will get better photos. As a handy amateur, I can say that’s nonsense. The Nikon Df is great and if the Leica annoys me, I’ll either buy the M or dump it and use the more awesome Nikon Df. I focus on documentary photography and humanistic photography, that’s also why the Df with manual glass is OK for me.
I don’t bother with the autofocus of the D600:-)
I love my Df… Bought it second hand for a song and a prayer over half a decade ago and it’s just been a champ.
I use it with my compact 20/24/35/50 and 85D screw drive lenses which I used of my F4 and it’s been an absolute beauty!
If it had come with a spilt screen for precise manual focus, it would have been a winner.
Alas it is all but useless with manual glass, nullifying much of its original claim.
A truly tragic oversight AFAIAC
I can’t imagine you’re still monitoring this article, but I’ve thought about getting a Df since it came out and see that most of the photos you took with it are paired with the 58mm f/1.4G, which I just bought, and there is a blog devoted to that pairing. Are they really that good together? I’m using it with a D850, but would love another excuse to get a Df.
Surely the image processor is Expeed 7 not Expeed 3 as listed in your introduction
Sorry you are wrong The Df has the same sensor and processor as professional D4, that is Expeed 3
Nikon 𝔻𝑓: EXPEED 3
Digital SLR camera Nikon Df
November 5, 2013
Nikon Corporation
www.nikon.com/compa…lr_01.html
Nikon ℤ 𝑓𝑐: EXPEED 6
Nikon ℤ 𝑓 : EXPEED 7
I just received my (used) Nikon Df body a week ago and am really thrilled by its performance and its handling. I bought a used but recent 24-120 mm F4 AF ED lens with the camera. Although it is quite a bulky lens, it works fast and accurately.
My reason for choosing the Df was the possibility to use my old Nikkor AiS manual focus prime lenses. I have a 35 mm /F2, a 50 mm /F1.8, a 105 mm /F2.5 and a 180 mm /F2.8 ED. The lens data were entered into the camera’s menu and after selecting the proper lens setting, the quality of the images with these old lenses is way above my expectation.
Yes, manual focusing with the assistance of the green light on the left corner of the viewfinder takes a bit longer and requires some exercise, but the results are beautiful. In particular the 180 mm /F2.8 AiS-ED is a bulky and heavy piece of glass, which should not be used at shutter speeds below 1/200 -unless on a tripod. This lens takes stunnng pictures but is less suitable for quick travel snapshots. It should be used what it was designed for.
For the quick-and-easy stuff I have the AF zoom lens.
When you are discussing auto ISO. It looks like there is a mistake in the article. I believe that the value set on the camera top dial is the maximum ISO value. Not the minimum value as you state.
The Df is a camera that took me time to like. Like many, expectations were high when I finally got around to forking money out for one. I took a long time to decide to buy it, then it took me months of basically ignoring it for a while until one day the Df started to click. More and more I began to enjoy shooting with it, but not until my expectations had been completely lost in the wind of every day life. I absolutely love it for evening walks, short hikes, around the house, and my occasional street shooting itch that needs to be scratched. I paired it with a Voigtlander Nokton 40mm II f/2 and use manual focus with it. Manual focusing changes the way you think of the DF, I think. Enjoyed the read!
Voigtlander Ultron that is not Nokton, my bad!
I love my Df. :) Great and unbiased review.
I was very happy to get an used Df in October 2015 with a few of shutter actions on eb@y.
I kept it in use for travel and concert photography for its quick and small fitting in the bag to replace my F90X what was my all day camera before going digital. It was easy to use because my first Nikon was a manual FA and I had bought a lot of MF lenses, evem a rare Noct-Nikkor. To use those on the Df gave really nice results.
But 2017 I got a shutter failure what I never had on any other Nikon camera I used since 1986, as were the D700, D3100, F3, F90X, FM2, F-501, FA. One of the blades had crumpled. This happened on the last concert tour of Patti Smith in Europe during the fore group playing and I had no camera in reserve. What a pity. See the pictures before the break on my flickr album here under flickr.com/photos/dr_mabuse/albums/72157687156915876.
The repair by Albrecht Kamera Service in Duesseldorf was nice and fast but the bill was over 400€.
Had someone else here such a bad luck ?
As now I always keep my D3100 in reserve for important events. This cheap camera, not a professional one, had by now not any fault in all weather conditions.
Keep in mind that Fuji introduced a whole new lens line when they introduced the X series. If you want an A position on the lens Nikon has to introduce an entire new lens line.
Nope. The old AF-D lenses allowed you to stop down to the smallest aperture, labeled in orange, and there was a lock switch to go with it. That would allow you to shoot in P or S mode, no problem. Essentially, that was switching the lens to A position.