This Retro Nikon DF They're Talking About

J

jdeg

^ broke something
Staff member
Man, I love the way this looks:
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740006_582988468434257_148478899_o.jpg
 
B

Brian

Senior Member
I'm not going to pronounce judgement until it is actually released.
But hopes that it would be S-Mount are pretty dim right about now.
To add- I don't remember a Nikon fitted case that color before; It's closer to the Leather Field cases like the FB-11. This camera would look good in an FB-11.
 
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J

jdeg

^ broke something
Staff member
Rick M said:
What I don't get is D4 sensor, but only 5.5 fps and 39 AF points. That's the D600 shutter specs! I would have expected more speed when dropping 8mp. I want to like this, but these are "retro" specs. If they are going to use the D4 sensor, why not the shutter and AF to go with it? Could they have been dumb enough to drop the D600 shutter in it? (everything matches!!)
Click to expand...

I'm betting they had limited space to work with & didn't want to put it at the D4 price point.
 
M

Mark F

Senior Member
Rick M said:
What I don't get is D4 sensor, but only 5.5 fps and 39 AF points. That's the D600 shutter specs! I would have expected more speed when dropping 8mp. I want to like this, but these are "retro" specs. If they are going to use the D4 sensor, why not the shutter and AF to go with it? Could they have been dumb enough to drop the D600 shutter in it? (everything matches!!)
Click to expand...

I was just thinking the same thing myself... Use all the d600 shutters in this body and try pawning them off to the populous that preorders without hands on. I won't do it this time... Or forever more


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R

Rick M

Senior Member
I guess when nostalgia is factored into a price it doesn't have to conform to normal expectations of outperforming lower cost alternatives. With the exception of low light performance, it is equal and lesser than D610 performance specs.
 
R

Rick M

Senior Member
Another thing perplexing me is "mechanical controls". Yes the are mechanical in a physical handling sense, but they must be tethered to an electronic interface. While it looks and feels mechanical and is on the exterior, it will be subject to the same potential electronic "issues". I think some folks will confuse this as being a truly mechanical body.
 
S

speedandstyle

Senior Member
I love the new Df! Well at least the design and specs, not so much on the price. Finally manual, tactile and visible control{if you have a classic lens fitted/aperture ring}. It will also allow me to use all my pre-AI lenses as well as my AI, D and G lenses. It also gives me the excuse to get some other lenses I always wanted. Having learned on an old Nikomat this camera would also bring back many wonderful memories!
 
P

Phillydog1958

Senior Member
I like Jared Polins take on this throwback camera. It's a good-looking camera, and the dedicated control buttons are cool, but . . . Is it an advancement of technology or purely a $2,800 appeal to one's emotions? I really do like the look of this camera, but no thanks.

Nikon Df Preview - YouTube
 
BackdoorArts

BackdoorArts

Senior Member
Rick M said:
Another thing perplexing me is "mechanical controls". Yes the are mechanical in a physical handling sense, but they must be tethered to an electronic interface. While it looks and feels mechanical and is on the exterior, it will be subject to the same potential electronic "issues". I think some folks will confuse this as being a truly mechanical body.
Click to expand...

None of the analog controls are really analog, they just look and feel like the originals. For me that's a lot of extra electronic controls that could wear out, and more places where the weather can get in, but they say it's weather sealed comparably to the D610 and D800.
 
BackdoorArts

BackdoorArts

Senior Member
I got a very short email from my brother overnight that made me realize who this camera is for...
Kinda makes me sad that I switched to Canon...

(posts link to the Nikon site for the DF)

All those old lenses I had (including the 200 f2.0) would work just fine on this one.
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There are likely a lot of loyal Nikon folks out there with a collection of old Ai and Ai-s glass who have been longing to use it in the digital realm, and now they can. I wonder how this will impact the price of those old beauties on the used market? I can see a lot of people, like my brother, who sold stuff off years ago start looking to get some of it back.

So while there's something fashionable about the retro styling, I'm thinking that it's actually necessary to get the functionality of the old coupling ring to work properly.
 
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B

Brian

Senior Member
It looks like it has a flip-up AI coupling, so pre-AI lenses can be used. Most likely, in stop down meter mode

So that means it will work with my 5.8cm F1.4 and a horde of other lenses.

As for 16MPixels, the sensor in the D4 has a very high "well Capacity" meaning it does not blow highlights. About 4x that of the D800 sensor.

Controls that look mechanical that are not: The Nikkormat EL started that over 40 years ago. Mine still work well.

I can use my old Nikon glass in the Digital age, on a Leica. It would be nice to be able to use some of the lenses made after 1959.

The price- let's see what the build quality is.
 
hark

hark

Administrator
Staff member
Super Mod
Contributor
I received an email from Adorama which states lightest FX-format body with an elegant mechanical operational system inspired by the legendary F, F3 and FM/FE series. Here is the link for reading the email online:
https://email.adorama.com/pub/sf/Re...9n2yS8R3O&_ei_=ElYGpECgft1GhsR5nhKA78wUpC13AM

Mechanical operational system??? :confused:

The email also includes this link which makes comparisons to the F bodies and includes a few videos:
Nikon Df Is A Small, Retro, Full-Frame DSLR - First Look from Adorama Learning Center
 
BackdoorArts

BackdoorArts

Senior Member
"Mechanical" is definitely a misnomer given there are no moving parts controlled directly by the dials. "Analog Controls" would have been far more appropriate, though it's still not entirely accurate. It's all advertising speak anyway.

The more I read the more I'm intrigued, but there's very little here that makes me feel any "need" for it. At best it's a bit of lust, but even that's overstating it. Since I'm parsing words everywhere with this post, how about "impetuous fascination"? LOL
 
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