D800 or DF?

[Trever1t]

I'm probably going to buy a D800. I shoot primarily portraiture. Some event work. I have a D700 and D300. I feel I'd make good use of the D800 resolution and dynamic range. Less concerned with ISO but it's pretty good on the D800 as well.

That said a few friends have mentioned the DF. My concerns with DF is limited shutter speed (1/4000) and an AF system from a consumer line of camera.


Edumacate me.

 

[robbins.photo]

I'm probably going to buy a D800. I shoot primarily portraiture. Some event work. I have a D700 and D300. I feel I'd make good use of the D800 resolution and dynamic range. Less concerned with ISO but it's pretty good on the D800 as well.

That said a few friends have mentioned the DF. My concerns with DF is limited shutter speed (1/4000) and an AF system from a consumer line of camera.


Edumacate me.

I guess my first question would be how often do you find yourself using shutter speeds higher than 1/4000? If it's something you find yourself doing often enough that might be a consideration. As for the AF system, If most of your work is portrait then I think the AF system would probably be able to deal with that quite well.

But really of the 2 cameras I think I would probably go for the D800 myself, especially for portraits. The image resolution on the D800 is amazing from what I've read.

 

[PhotoWrangler]

Two different classes of cameras.

D800 - every day driver.
Df - your "Sunday" driver.

 

[Trever1t]

I find I shoot fairly wide open often where my shutter speeds are close to 1/8000 at times. Yes the DF can operate at artificially reduced ISO 50 but I really prefer a body that offers a full range. That said the sensor on the DF is intriguing. What am I giving up there?

 

[Trever1t]

Two different classes of cameras. D800 - every day driver. Df - your "Sunday" [QUOTE/]


Please elaborate within the context of my needs.

 

[PhotoWrangler]

Please elaborate within the context of my needs.

Because of the way the controls are set up on the Df, I think it will slow you down.

I know how fast I flip through settings with my thumb and index finger when I am shooting, without removing my eye from the viewfinder. I don't think anyone is going to have that same speed with the Df.

 

[Trever1t]

Ah, ok I understand. Ya, I adjust on the fly with eye to viewfinder also.

 

[raventepes]

My vote is for the D800

When I first heard about the Df, I was excited. I REALLY wanted to like it, and I had hoped it would equal to something that could pass as a D700 upgrade, of sorts, or even be a mirrorless system. But sadly, on announcement day, I, like perhaps much of the Nikon community, was left completely underwhelmed by the Df. It isn't about the controls though. It's simply feature set versus price point. If it were priced, somewhere around, say $2000-$2200, yeah, sure, I may have bitten. But it just costs too much for what it delivers. To me, it's basically a retro styled D610 for the price of a D800.

 

[PhotoWrangler]

The price will certainly fall quickly, like the D600 did. Give it time for Nikon to make a realistic analysis of their market.

I personally love the Df, and would love to have one... for a "Sunday" camera. It would be a great compliment to my gripped, all manual FM. I dont shoot manual film all the time, but when I do, my FM is my go to.

 

[molested_cow]

If you already have a D700, I don't know why you will bother with a Df.

 

[PhotoWrangler]

For me it would purely be a personal enjoyment thing. Like I said... "Sunday driver".

 

[Derrel]

Please elaborate within the context of my needs.

Because of the way the controls are set up on the Df, I think it will slow you down.

I know how fast I flip through settings with my thumb and index finger when I am shooting, without removing my eye from the viewfinder. I don't think anyone is going to have that same speed with the Df.

The Df ALSO HAS a front command dial and a rear command dial...just like other Nikons...it has both the "old" AND the "new" in terms of exposure controls.

Bjorn Rorslett has shot the new Df...he says the viewfinder view through it is extremely good when wearing eyeglasses. He mentioned in his first impressions comments that the Df viewfinder system is significantly better than the one on the D800. For portraiture, being able to see through the camera finder very well is a big advantage; that's one of the differences between say the D600 and D7100 and the other "square eyepiece" finder cameras. The D800 and D700 viewfinders are not quite as good as those in the D3 series bodies if you wear glasses...just not quite as good. Does anybody here know what kind of in-finder displays the Df has?

The problem with the Df is that almost nobody except for those in "positions of influence" have had the chance to actually use a Df body, and some of them are people who really have no experience with anything that goes back more than a few years, so their impressions are often negative going in. Like for example, people who have say a 24 MP D5200 and think a 16 MP D4 or 12 MP D3 is somehow "not a very good camera"...

KInd of depends what a person wants...the D800 is a prosumer camera, with a high-MP sensor in it. The D3 series and the D4 are all "flagship-level" fully professional cameras. The Df is considered by Nikon as a pro camera, I believe. But it's really difficult to judge a camera until you've handled it and "seen it". LIke the Canon 5D Mk II versus 5D Mk III for example; the 5D-II was decidedly "prosumer"...the 5D Mark II decidedly better than that.

 

[PhotoWrangler]

I'd venture to post a picture and ask where, but we all know how well that works out.

From all of the photos I've seen, there is no horizontal command dial on the front like all the other Nikons.

 

[jaomul]

Specs wise the Df seems like a d600 with a d4 sensor, ability to use really old Nikon lenses and a nice old fashioned style body. It would seem on the whole that the d800 is a better specified camera. Is the 16 mp sensor used in the d4 better than the one used in the d800? Internet says they are close but I am sure the sensor in nikons flagship must have some performance benefit. I would get the d800 as the little worry about shutter speed isn't a concern. Though I am fairly sure iso 50 would pose you no issues in actual photos

 

[Solarflare]

Well ... if I had to buy a Nikon FX DSLR *now*, I would consider the Df.

The Df leaves a whole lot of stuff out that just isnt needed, and comes with useable ISO 100k (and ISO 200k, but thats more decorative than for real), which, for my kind of photography, would be quite amazing to have.

Still, other than the sensor, its mostly the technology of the D600, and the price is quite steep and hard to justify.

Plus I wear glasses and it seems that the D600 has the best viewfinder for this special condition.

From all of the photos I've seen, there is no horizontal command dial on the front like all the other Nikons.

There is a command dial on the front, its just not horizontal. Instead you move it the way you would move the aperture of old lenses.

[...] Internet says they are close but I am sure the sensor in nikons flagship must have some performance benefit. [...]

No.

Both the D800 and the D4 are cameras for professionals.

The D800 is the studio/landscape camera and has a Sony sensor that simply offers a ***load of resolution with no big issues in other respects.

The D4 is the reportage camera and comes with a sensor that is from Nikon and is made to still operate well even in the worst of condtions.