The new Nikon Df is beautiful

For DSLR's, the image looks out of focus, if it is out of focus. Certain DSLR's (including some Nikons) have a light that lights up if an image is "in focus." Not sure if that's the case with the DF.

Some older film SLR's have a split prism with a circle divided in two halves. Just combine the two halves into a circle, and the image is in focus. Arguably, the easiest way ever to manually focus. My dad has a couple of old film cameras.
 
Kirk Tuck had a recent blog post about how, at least in his opinion, the camera companies are trying harder and harder to appeal to a graying audience by catering to their memories of retro camera designs.

Case in point.

As one of the graying audience -- albeit with less disposable income than many of my contemporaries -- I could not be happier to hear it. I'm still waiting for a manual focus, manual everything full frame camera that is not a Leica expensive, however.
 
thanks, i have a few slr's, but im pretty sure the DF doesnt have a split screen. i was wondering how mf worked on it specifically.

No split screen for sure. When you turn the manual focus ring, it just comes into focus. I'm not sure if it has a "light" confirmation, which I believe the D800 does. If it does, it may not have been enabled when I was playing with it at the store.
 
given that it has an ovf, how is it to focus manual glass?

in the viewfinder, which will give you a view through the lens. It is not mirrorless. LIke in all SLR's the mirror will bounce the image up to a pentaprism that will bounce it around more to correct the orientation and -- voilà -- a real time, optical, through the lens view that has been around for decades. Old and good technology.
 
The Df arrived Monday and I've barely had a chance to shoot with it, but here are a few initial impressions. First, it is fun to shoot with! It is nice to again have an OVF and the shutter sound is fantastic, if that is even possible (how can a shutter sound nice?). Second, my Ricoh GXR A12 50mm still impresses me immensely - there is something to its IQ that is really pleasing - but in comparison its EVF is a let down, its AF is poky and it feels solid but slight. The EM1's EVF is of course much better. But I forgot how nice it is to have an good OVF and how it helps the "seeing" even if EVFs have their advantages. The one downside is that when I previously had DSLRs my eyesight was still good, but now it's not so good and I really should wear my reading glasses when using the OVF, but I don't want to. I need to look into magnifiers.

The body has been described as light and hollow or heavy and solid, and this seems to me to be based on where you are coming from. Coming from a Nikon D800 the Df is indeed light and "hollow" but from mirrorless it is heavy and solid. To me, it feels right. It is a good, solid weight, not too heavy at all. And it feels very tight and pleasing dense. A perfect balance IMO; really nice to hold.

The files are large and the DoF is of course different. So far my impression is that for a lot of my forest work the APS sensor still works best in terms of the DoF I'd like to achieve, but I have yet to take the Df on a proper forest photowalk. The thin DoF is definitely pleasing in different contexts and particularly for people shots. However, the kit 50mm lens vignettes heavily when wide open (there is a camera setting to adjust for that though). The B&W conversions are very, very good, but I still have a lot of tweaking to do to get proper B&W conversions recipes in my RAW developer (which already supports Df RAW files). And naturally, high ISO performance is unbelievable. Simply unbelievable. :eek: Low ISO is amazingly clean.

In many cases I like "grit" in my images, but in other contexts I like clean, smooth B&W images. With the EM1 and Ricoh GRD4 I can easily get grit (and I think the relatively minor grit of the GXR/A12 is part of its charm too). The Df files are obviously very clean and I'm looking forward to working with them. I have not really analyzed color yet, but it looks "correct".

This is also the first time in a long time that I feel like I'm going to have to really study and get to know this camera in order to best use it. I plan on not rushing it and taking the time to get to know it and its files. The "fun factor" will encourage me to use it.

And oh yeah, that shutter sounds nice :D But I can definitely feel its whack.

The Df is not a serious compact. But I'll tell you what - there are some fantastic cameras available today and no one can complain if they don't find something they like!

If there is interest I will continue to post impressions here.
 
Thanks Andrew!

Is there any type of focus confirmation aid when using manual focus? And if yes, would such aid work if using older Nikon glass? Thank you!
 
I'd certainly like to try one. I like the looks and there are times when a larger camera with a nice OVF would be fun to shoot with. It's hard to try that expensive a camera, however. ;)
 
Got mine yesterday, black with the 50mm lens. I agree with Andrew's observations and will add a couple more. There is a quiet shutter setting that works well, though not totally silent. it has auto ISO including maximum and minimum numbers, but this can be overridden by the manual aperture dial on top of the camera. It can also be set for a minimum shutter speed, or auto which adjusts automatically to the lens length. I prefer using D lenses with this camera so that apertures are set manually on the lens itself, but it accommodates the newer G lenses and allows choice as to which control the photographer prefers to set lens apertures. I spent all evening going through the menu to get all the controls where I want them and to get quick access in the future to the menu items I expect to use the most. Now I can control everything for my usual photography with the manual controls on the top of the camera and on the lens aperture ring (most of my lenses are of the D type). The sensor is from the top Nikon camera, the D4 and the high ISO performance of that sensor was a major selling point for me. This would be a perfect B & W only camera. The highest ISO setting is 204800! AS for focus confirmation, yes it is electronic in the viewfinder and the point of focus can be easily moved around to suit the situation. I did not have time to get out and shoot much with it today (i'm buried in end of semester grading of papers and tests), but I will attach a couple of pics. The one of my daughter taken at ISO 12800 and the one from the fish market at ISO 450. Both are handheld jpgs straight from the camera.
WRA_0065.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
WRA_0083.jpg
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
 
I don`t need another camera, I don`t need another camera, I don`need another camera, .....don`t need ...camera, .........don`t..........., ...........NO...........!
 
I have not read the manual yet, but I do know about the quiet shutter mode and will look that up soon. I took some snaps today and realized that a few were at ISO 12800 and it was unbelievable. This is like maybe some cars that can get you to the grocery store in just first gear and you know there is so much more potential there.

Need to research Nikon lens reviews and see if there is a better 50mm.
 
Back
Top