Nikon DF - Dpreview full review in

[Braineack]

I looked at the test images the two guys from dPreview shot. Laughable choices they made. SKY-high ISO values, and most of the lenses shot nearly wide-open where imaging performance is sub-par...they shot their wad often by going for sky-hgih ISO values most of the time, when stopping down to f/4 would have given a HUGELY better image quality. The 105mm f/2.5 Nikkor for example, at f/2.5 (ie, wide-open) at ISO 20,000 instead of at f/4? Jesus, what a blunder of a decision...get the whole FACE IN FOCUS! And the high-ISO nightclub shot of the Indian fellow, made at Minus 1.33 EV...it looks like $hi+ because one of those clowns under-exposed the crap out of it. It's almost like the two guys shot this thing without any real skill in how to SET a camera...WIDE-OPEN on faces from close range, so the lens performance is awful AND at sky-high ISO settings. It's like they're clueless about the performance of old MF lenses...wide-open is stupid when the speeds are as high as theirs were...they were throwing away tons of image quality all the time...

I actually noticed this as well. I have no doubt this camera will produce great results. I'm not saying that I want touch screen LCD screens, but im also saying I don't think large analog dials was not a smart move either.

I really haven't read too much on the unit itself, but is there anything new or improved that this camera does, or does it just happen to be a whole bunch of existing tech/mech in a new package?

 

[Derrel]

It's amusing to see people who learned photography with a digital point and shoot as a kid writing camera reviews and TRYING so hard to use manual focus lenses and being unable to make good exposure decisions...they shoot WIDE-OPEN from close range, at astronomical ISO values, like total newbs.

Totally inept choices...ISO level? 16,000, as in Sixteen thousand ISO...Lens? OLD, pre-Ai 105mm f/2.5, AI-converted, so made before 1977. Shot wide-open at close range at f/2.5. At 1/320 second. This lens is decent at f/2.5, but AWESOME at f/4 to f/8. (Focal length on the dPreview review's manual focus lens EXIF information is wrong...they never bothered to program it throughout the review it seems, leaving it at 135mm on all non-AF lenses.)

2A880B3EB7E24DAFB9D63121C1EA9E3E.jpg

Funny stuff. I like the idea of under-exposing a dark-skinned guy in a dark nightclub by 1.33 EV! Wide-open, close-range, f/1.4, 1/125 second, the new Nikkor 58mm lens! Hilarious! Looks like $hi+, based mostly on photographer ineptitude...

A2CAC7BC4C6A49B390511231FC83E95E.jpg

 

[runnah]

I did notice that I was scratching my head at a lot of the choices they made while shooting.

But hey for the most part the difference between any camera over $2k is very small. Nit picking is the way you decide what you want. Either way you end up with something that is more than capable of producing a photo.

I still think it's a fashion statement first, and camera second.

 

[runnah]

I will say that their list of cons is exactly the things that I was concerned about, mostly related to comfort and ease of use.

• Locking exposure comp dial is inconvenient (especially with large lenses)
• Inconsistent use of materials detracts from sense of quality
• No exposure scale or histogram in live view
• Single SD card slot
• Combined SD/battery door under the camera awkward for tripod work
• Front command dial not terribly comfortable to use
• Body is rather large and heavy, considering small grip
• No percentage battery life/info available

And I know Derrel will say "oh you young whipper snapper and your new fangled outlook on cameras, you just don't understand what it was like lugging around cast iron camera bodies and using dials that required 3 strong men to turn."; but I have spent enough time with olde time cameras to appreciate the attention towards ergonomics and ease of use from a modern style body.

 

[Derrel]

Hilarious list of flaws.

The lightest Nikon FX body is "heavy". According to the clowns at dPreview. Wow, they need to eat some Wheaties! I wonder if they could handle a D3x or a D4...you know a camera that's actually "heavy". It's true, the Df surely weighs more than their iPhones do.

I love it...no histogram in Live view!!! OMG!!! OMG!!

Only ONE memory card slot...like 97% of all other d-slrs ever made!!!! How many people here own a camera that has TWO card slots, and was priced UNDER $3,499?

OMG-must remove camera from tripod every 1,400 shots to change battery! OMG-must remove camera from tripod every 800 to 1600 frames to load new SD card! Jesus, what a hassle! (OF course, I've shot a 120 rollfilm SLR that shot 12 pictures per loading...so...these poor kids today..)

AMAZING photo quality when used by a professional shooter:

Nikon Df + 58mm f/1.4G - A Match Made In...

SOME of the dPreview "Plusses" for the Df include"

• Outstanding IQ in bright and low light
• High quality JPEG images with pleasant color at default settings
• Good blend of traditional and contemporary controls
• Works with almost all Nikon F-mount lenses ever made
• Gives sensible choice for using aperture ring or command dial
• Lots of direct-access external controls
• 100% viewfinder coverage with high magnification
• Industry-leading Auto ISO settings, can be linked to lens focal length
• Fairly accessible menu system, considering the camera's complexity
• Screw-in shutter release socket

 

[runnah]

AMAZING photo quality when used by a professional shooter:

Nikon Df + 58mm f/1.4G - A Match Made In...

SOME of the dPreview "Plusses" for the Df include"

• Outstanding IQ in bright and low light
• High quality JPEG images with pleasant color at default settings
• Good blend of traditional and contemporary controls
• Works with almost all Nikon F-mount lenses ever made
• Gives sensible choice for using aperture ring or command dial
• Lots of direct-access external controls
• 100% viewfinder coverage with high magnification
• Industry-leading Auto ISO settings, can be linked to lens focal length
• Fairly accessible menu system, considering the camera's complexity
• Screw-in shutter release socket

I don't think anyone is debating the fact the the guts are great and for the money a steal. I think the debate is the fact that the retro body style offers no advantages besides looks. With the exception of the items I bolded I don't see anything that isn't on every other camera in the same bracket.

 

[jaomul]

AMAZING photo quality when used by a professional shooter:

Nikon Df + 58mm f/1.4G - A Match Made In...

SOME of the dPreview "Plusses" for the Df include"

• Outstanding IQ in bright and low light
• High quality JPEG images with pleasant color at default settings
• Good blend of traditional and contemporary controls
• Works with almost all Nikon F-mount lenses ever made
• Gives sensible choice for using aperture ring or command dial
• Lots of direct-access external controls
• 100% viewfinder coverage with high magnification
• Industry-leading Auto ISO settings, can be linked to lens focal length
• Fairly accessible menu system, considering the camera's complexity
• Screw-in shutter release socket

I don't think anyone is debating the fact the the guts are great and for the money a steal. I think the debate is the fact that the retro body style offers no advantages besides looks. With the exception of the items I bolded I don't see anything that isn't on every other camera in the same bracket.

It can use lenses no other DSLR can use, some great and low cost

 

[runnah]

AMAZING photo quality when used by a professional shooter:

Nikon Df + 58mm f/1.4G - A Match Made In...

SOME of the dPreview "Plusses" for the Df include"

• Outstanding IQ in bright and low light
• High quality JPEG images with pleasant color at default settings
• Good blend of traditional and contemporary controls
• Works with almost all Nikon F-mount lenses ever made
• Gives sensible choice for using aperture ring or command dial
• Lots of direct-access external controls
• 100% viewfinder coverage with high magnification
• Industry-leading Auto ISO settings, can be linked to lens focal length
• Fairly accessible menu system, considering the camera's complexity
• Screw-in shutter release socket

I don't think anyone is debating the fact the the guts are great and for the money a steal. I think the debate is the fact that the retro body style offers no advantages besides looks. With the exception of the items I bolded I don't see anything that isn't on every other camera in the same bracket.

It can use lenses no other DSLR can use, some great and low cost

Ahem.

 

[Derrel]

It does offer some advantages. It has Industry-leading AUTO-ISO performance. And what dPreview called "Unsurpassed HIGH-ISO performance". The sensor has the best High-ISO performance of over 200 cameras at DxO Mark...but you're happy with a new Canon camera ranked #27 in sensor performance, so, things like image quality probably are not as critical to you as the fact that your new camera shoots good video...

The ability to set f/stops directly on the lens, or on the command dial. The option to swap the front and rear command dial functions. There is no other camera in this category that can use pre-Ai lenses or accessories without modification. It has BOTH traditional controls AND modern, digital controls; NO other Nikon offers that. At any price...since this is a hybrid, designed to offer full use with over 70 million F-mount lenses and accessories.

I'm waiting for you to tell me what it was like growing up in the 1970's...and why a Leica sucks soooo hard...and why a view camera has been made 100% obsolete by your new Canon 5D Mark III and its astounding ergonomics.

Some people just don't seem to understand analog controls and what makes them different than single-point, digital readouts. No matter how carefully it's explained to them, or how many times...they seem to think that "big black camera" and rounded, curvy plastic is the be-all,end of of photography.

I think the Df is a camera made for people of my demographic, with actual experience and lens collections that go back to the 1970's...but the issue is it's being reviewed by people who really seem to have some troubles with the "basics" of simple photography as it was done from 1928 until 1999. They know the price of everything, but the value of nothing.

 

[runnah]

It does offer some advantages. It has Industry-leading AUTO-ISO performance. And what dPreview called "Unsurpassed HIGH-ISO performance". The sensor has the best High-ISO performance of over 200 cameras at DxO Mark...but you're happy with a new Canon camera ranked #27 in sensor performance, so, things like image quality probably are not as critical to you as the fact that your new camera shoots good video...

The ability to set f/stops directly on the lens, or on the command dial. The option to swap the front and rear command dial functions. There is no other camera in this category that can use pre-Ai lenses or accessories without modification. It has BOTH traditional controls AND modern, digital controls; NO other Nikon offers that. At any price...since this is a hybrid, designed to offer full use with over 70 million F-mount lenses and accessories.

I'm waiting for you to tell me what it was like growing up in the 1970's...and why a Leica sucks soooo hard...and why a view camera has been made 100% obsolete by your new Canon 5D Mark III and its astounding ergonomics.

Some people just don't seem to understand analog controls and what makes them different than single-point, digital readouts. No matter how carefully it's explained to them, or how many times...they seem to think that "big black camera" and rounded, curvy plastic is the be-all,end of of photography.

I think the Df is a camera made for people of my demographic, with actual experience and lens collections that go back to the 1970's...but the issue is it's being reviewed by people who really seem to have some troubles with the "basics" of simple photography as it was done from 1928 until 1999. They know the price of everything, but the value of nothing.

Again, no one is debating that the guts are bad. I never said that at any time.

You're right I wasn't born in the 70's and I have no perspective as to what it was like to live back then. But to discount my knowledge on a subject is ignorant on your part, and to assume that you know better just because you are older is arrogant. But just so you can sleep at night I have used many a manual camera in my time.

p.s. Attacking me is a diversionary tactic used by people losing an argument.

 

[yioties]

You guys take this stuff way too seriously!

 

[runnah]

You guys take this stuff way too seriously!

 

[SamSpade1941]

It does offer some advantages. It has Industry-leading AUTO-ISO performance. And what dPreview called "Unsurpassed HIGH-ISO performance". The sensor has the best High-ISO performance of over 200 cameras at DxO Mark...but you're happy with a new Canon camera ranked #27 in sensor performance, so, things like image quality probably are not as critical to you as the fact that your new camera shoots good video...

The ability to set f/stops directly on the lens, or on the command dial. The option to swap the front and rear command dial functions. There is no other camera in this category that can use pre-Ai lenses or accessories without modification. It has BOTH traditional controls AND modern, digital controls; NO other Nikon offers that. At any price...since this is a hybrid, designed to offer full use with over 70 million F-mount lenses and accessories.

I'm waiting for you to tell me what it was like growing up in the 1970's...and why a Leica sucks soooo hard...and why a view camera has been made 100% obsolete by your new Canon 5D Mark III and its astounding ergonomics.

Some people just don't seem to understand analog controls and what makes them different than single-point, digital readouts. No matter how carefully it's explained to them, or how many times...they seem to think that "big black camera" and rounded, curvy plastic is the be-all,end of of photography.

I think the Df is a camera made for people of my demographic, with actual experience and lens collections that go back to the 1970's...but the issue is it's being reviewed by people who really seem to have some troubles with the "basics" of simple photography as it was done from 1928 until 1999. They know the price of everything, but the value of nothing.

Thanks for being the voice of sanity...

 

[Rick58]

To all the Nay sayers, I love my Df.
I AM from the era of the Nikon F2 Exakta VXIIA, Olympus OM-1n, Pentax K1000 and Crown Graphic. It feels great to have those dials looking back at me again.

It mattered little to none that it was a full frame camera or it's only 12mp. I don't even care that it doesn't have a built in flash.

What my Df allows me to do is have the feel of a camera that I spent 40+ years shooting with. I can use practically every F mount lens ever made. This alone is worth big bucks to me, and hey, I can even use my old mechanical shutter release instead of a distant relative to my TV remote.

Nay sayers? Enjoy your menus. I'll keep my dials and stable of F mount lenses. Now if they just would have given me a level to advance my frames :greenpbl:

Oh yeah, did I mention I can't use my still camera as a video camera? YES!!! Thank you Nikon!

 

[vipgraphx]

Doesn't matter, all the real photographers have switched to canon...

Actually many are switching to SONY