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.
Afreld
November 6, 2020 9:09 am
From D200 then D300 then D800 and now the Df. I like the Df most of all.
Christopher Mangan
November 8, 2019 2:00 pm
To Nasim Mansurov:
After all these years I find myself reconsidering this Nikon Df Camera. I put my F3, FM-2 and my N90s Nikon film Cameras back into their original boxes and am using my digital Nikons; whether D800E, D850 or my new Z6. There is something to be said about a Retro Camera, however.
This type of camera slows the Photographer down to think about the shot: the composition, lighting, subject, etc. and since I live in NYC – which suffers from a “rushed-spirit” – such a feature, to me is invaluable.
At times I want something to slow me down because many of today’s cameras can and do turn people into “snapshooters” unlike the older film cameras which only exposed a 24 or 36 exposure roll of 35mm film.
I also have a Mamiya RB-67 Pro-S which is even more limiting at 12 or 10 exposures. I rarely take that that camera out due to its size and weight.
Your review of the Nikon Df is excellent! I never hated the camera; I was only turned off by the price. The thought that this camera may be discontinued soon disturbs me though. I wish that Nikon would update it with at least two card slots and a higher resolution sensor, say 20-24MP, but I suspect that they will concentrate more on the Z Mirrorless Cameras.
I want to go out and experience Photography the way that I did with the Nikon F3 and the FM-2, so I decided to research interchangeable focusing screens for the Df.
There are times that I want to manually focus and not having a Split-Image Rangefinder with a Microprism collar screen on a digital SLR is defeating. I found the solution at focusing screenDot com. here is a link to Nikon Df Focusing Screens:
I am thinking of using the Nikon Df with my Nikon PB-6 Bellows Unit and maybe for Astrophotography as I have a number of older Nikon AiS Lenses that I really want to use.
Of course, the other cameras will be kept and used by me when I need their capabilities.
Again, I thank you for this excellent review of this unique DSLR Retro Nikon.
The 16 MP sensor on the Df is perfect. It resolves older Nikon lenses really well. I wouldn’t change it for anything.
Andy T. Laird
August 20, 2019 10:12 am
Excellent review Nasim. I just picked this little camera up (second hand) in beautiful condition for only $800. Me and my wife both shoot with Nikon z7 and feel the Nikon Df is a great camera along the Z7 for events, portraits etc! Plus we can use the same lenses we use with the FTZ adapter!
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.
From D200 then D300 then D800 and now the Df. I like the Df most of all.
To Nasim Mansurov:
After all these years I find myself reconsidering this Nikon Df Camera. I put my F3, FM-2 and my N90s Nikon film Cameras back into their original boxes and am using my digital Nikons; whether D800E, D850 or my new Z6. There is something to be said about a Retro Camera, however.
This type of camera slows the Photographer down to think about the shot: the composition, lighting, subject, etc. and since I live in NYC – which suffers from a “rushed-spirit” – such a feature, to me is invaluable.
At times I want something to slow me down because many of today’s cameras can and do turn people into “snapshooters” unlike the older film cameras which only exposed a 24 or 36 exposure roll of 35mm film.
I also have a Mamiya RB-67 Pro-S which is even more limiting at 12 or 10 exposures. I rarely take that that camera out due to its size and weight.
Your review of the Nikon Df is excellent! I never hated the camera; I was only turned off by the price. The thought that this camera may be discontinued soon disturbs me though. I wish that Nikon would update it with at least two card slots and a higher resolution sensor, say 20-24MP, but I suspect that they will concentrate more on the Z Mirrorless Cameras.
I want to go out and experience Photography the way that I did with the Nikon F3 and the FM-2, so I decided to research interchangeable focusing screens for the Df.
There are times that I want to manually focus and not having a Split-Image Rangefinder with a Microprism collar screen on a digital SLR is defeating. I found the solution at focusing screenDot com. here is a link to Nikon Df Focusing Screens:
www.focusingscreen.com/index…0ddf60712c
I plan to get a Black Df body and put the Df K3 Focusing Screen in it, or have a repairman do it. Here is the link to that Screen:
www.focusingscreen.com/produ…0ddf60712c
I am thinking of using the Nikon Df with my Nikon PB-6 Bellows Unit and maybe for Astrophotography as I have a number of older Nikon AiS Lenses that I really want to use.
Of course, the other cameras will be kept and used by me when I need their capabilities.
Again, I thank you for this excellent review of this unique DSLR Retro Nikon.
The 16 MP sensor on the Df is perfect. It resolves older Nikon lenses really well. I wouldn’t change it for anything.
Excellent review Nasim. I just picked this little camera up (second hand) in beautiful condition for only $800. Me and my wife both shoot with Nikon z7 and feel the Nikon Df is a great camera along the Z7 for events, portraits etc! Plus we can use the same lenses we use with the FTZ adapter!