Official Announcement of Nikon Df

[stevefusion]

Yesterday morning I was doing a field trip at Sungei Buloh WR with office colleagues so I took out my good old D300 + MB-D10 + 80-200 AFD + 2x Kenko. Then in the afternoon I was out at Serangoon NEX for another function, this time kiddo's school charity event Sharing Spree, and I brought Df + 80-200 AFD + 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 non-VR.

And I understood what reviewers said about how unbalanced the Df felt with heavy lenses, even though deep in me I knew that I should be using my left hand to support the lens just as in the good old (film) days.

Sigh ... on the one hand we clamor for smaller and lighter DSLR, then when one comes along we complain that it is not big and heavy enough...

Anyway the Df has not ceased to amaze me with its high ISO performance, especially after shooting with D300.

And the good old non-VR 24-85 performs quite well.

yes agreed!
it certainly does feel like falling outward, i am using 24-70mm2.8g . after about 30min of shooting, wrist feel kind of tired trying to battle with the weight inward. maybe a battery grip will help??
but then again , ''pure photography'' camera was not design for that type of lens i believed. it go much better with prime lens.

The ISO is amazing!! useable picture even at 12800 ISO. but i have a lot of issue with the low light focusing in dark places.
since DF do not have built in IR/AF-assist illumination , i bolt on sb-910 in many circumstance .

 

[diediealsomustdive]

You should check out how photographers held their cameras back in the good old film days. Those with a motor drive tend to do it like today's photographers - right hand and wrist based. The rest, especially those with bigger lenses without a motor drive support using left hand and elbow based. That's how I was taught.

And I need to get back to that.

Yes I agree with the amazing high ISO capabilities.

But my underwater shooting will still be D800 based, if for nothing the cost of an underwater housing.

 

[andykyaw]

yes agreed!
it certainly does feel like falling outward, i am using 24-70mm2.8g . after about 30min of shooting, wrist feel kind of tired trying to battle with the weight inward. maybe a battery grip will help??
but then again , ''pure photography'' camera was not design for that type of lens i believed. it go much better with prime lens.

The ISO is amazing!! useable picture even at 12800 ISO. but i have a lot of issue with the low light focusing in dark places.
since DF do not have built in IR/AF-assist illumination , i bolt on sb-910 in many circumstance .

yeah I agree that it goes better with primes.
And I think that Nikon has what we need for use with Df.
28mm f1.8G
35mm f1.8G (coming soon in Sg)
50mm f1.8G (kit)
85mm f1.8G
All these primes are light (good IQ as well) and will be good for use with Df, especially for travel/street.

 

[diediealsomustdive]

yeah I agree that it goes better with primes.
And I think that Nikon has what we need for use with Df.
28mm f1.8G
35mm f1.8G (coming soon in Sg)
50mm f1.8G (kit)
85mm f1.8G
All these primes are light (good IQ as well) and will be good for use with Df, especially for travel/street.

That's one way to do it.

Another way is to dust off the old Ai/AiS/non-Ai lenses and have fun doing the real retro stuff! Probably have to avoid the maximum aperture for most of the older lenses, though.

f/8 and be there!

 

[Riebuz]

Don't forget there is this old nikon D lens 20f2.8D lens is good too.

 

[andykyaw]

That's one way to do it.

Another way is to dust off the old Ai/AiS/non-Ai lenses and have fun doing the real retro stuff! Probably have to avoid the maximum aperture for most of the older lenses, though.

f/8 and be there!

Don't forget there is this old nikon D lens 20f2.8D lens is good too.

hmm. In fact, for the look of it, D lenses and Ai/AiS/non-Ai suits Df much better.
G lenses look so modern on Df. haha
I have seen a photo of Df with 105mm f2 DC i think, looks perfect match

 

[stevefusion]

That's one way to do it.

Another way is to dust off the old Ai/AiS/non-Ai lenses and have fun doing the real retro stuff! Probably have to avoid the maximum aperture for most of the older lenses, though.

f/8 and be there!

yes! i did use it with 50mm f1.2 AIS, feel wonderful! (pin point focusing is never easy at f1.2 !)

 

[x0tiq]

I have seen a photo of Df with 105mm f2 DC i think, looks perfect match

Yeah... saw pic of silver DC with 135mm DC ...
Like as if it was brought down from heaven ...

I wonder how it looks with 180mm ED AiS attached ... :embrass:

 

[andykyaw]

Mei yu chien laaa ..... :embrass:

Yeah... saw pic of silver DC with 135mm DC ...
Like as if it was brought down from heaven ...

Bro X0tiq, I think u r deeply infected by Df poison. pls sell whatever u hv now and get Df immediately.

 

[x0tiq]

Bro X0tiq, I think u r deeply infected by Df poison. pls sell whatever u hv now and get Df immediately.

Yes ... Iam already poisoned when the DF was born ...

 

[issic]

Hi all, I'm currently using D700 and is very interested in the Df. I've read many reviews and believe one of main complain is the AF system. I'm fine with having 39 points and the small coverage as I usually use only the center focus point. But what worries me if the AF speed under dim environment.
For my shooting style, D700 focuses fine. So I hope Df users can share with me if the AF speed under din situation is better or worst than D700. Tried google but can't really find any discussion on this.
Appreciate the sharing in advance.

 

[x0tiq]

So I hope Df users can share with me if the AF speed under din situation is better or worst than D700. Tried google but can't really find any

Try reading this *link*

 

[issic]

I read that article. Unless I missed out something impt, it doesn't really gave an insight on the AF speed in dim condition. But rather just mention the diff in specs.

 

[tomcat]

I read that article. Unless I missed out something impt, it doesn't really gave an insight on the AF speed in dim condition. But rather just mention the diff in specs.

I have the D700 before I got the D800E and I find that the D800E is better than the D700 in autofocusing under dim lighting condition. To me, the Df focuses just as fast as the D800E. My preferred way of autofocusing is to use the centre AF point and this is the way I shoot with all 3 cameras. So you do the maths and tell me whether I think that the Df is faster than the D700 in autofocusing under dim lighting conditions or not.

 

[jeff7id]

I have the D700 before I got the D800E and I find that the D800E is better than the D700 in autofocusing under dim lighting condition. To me, the Df focuses just as fast as the D800E. My preferred way of autofocusing is to use the centre AF point and this is the way I shoot with all 3 cameras. So you do the maths and tell me whether I think that the Df is faster than the D700 in autofocusing under dim lighting conditions or not.

Similar with me. I had D700 before I got the D800. Then I got Df to replace D800.
Before D700, there is a long list of my ex-DSLR hahaha.
Plus mirrorless to play for few months, which I sold them away already.

Agree that D800 AF speed is better than D700. And AF speed of Df is a par with D800

 

[undergrd]

I read that article. Unless I missed out something impt, it doesn't really gave an insight on the AF speed in dim condition. But rather just mention the diff in specs.

Probably you might also want to check with Bro Stevefusion on shooting in dark/dim places as he mentioned in his earlier post that he had a lot of issues with the low light focusing in dark places. Just a suggestion.

yes agreed!
it certainly does feel like falling outward, i am using 24-70mm2.8g . after about 30min of shooting, wrist feel kind of tired trying to battle with the weight inward. maybe a battery grip will help??
but then again , ''pure photography'' camera was not design for that type of lens i believed. it go much better with prime lens.

The ISO is amazing!! useable picture even at 12800 ISO. but i have a lot of issue with the low light focusing in dark places.
since DF do not have built in IR/AF-assist illumination , i bolt on sb-910 in many circumstance .

 

[jeff7id]

NIKON DF Cheatsheet

Free reading here: Link to read
Use your computer mouse to Zoom-in and enlarge the text

Or just order online and they will post to your home for total of S$29.79 only

 

[tomcat]

Nobody shoots in the dark with no lit targets. If there is a lit target, I would have no problem autofocusing on it using the centre AF point of the Df and then recomposing. It is when the lit target is off-centred and the photographer does not want to use the centre AF point to focus on it that there might be problems autofocusing and this applies to both the D700 and D800 as well.

 

[issic]

Thank you all for sharing. I guess I might have worried too much.
Thanks again.

 

[Riebuz]

Probably you might also want to check with Bro Stevefusion on shooting in dark/dim places as he mentioned in his earlier post that he had a lot of issues with the low light focusing in dark places. Just a suggestion.

Might as well get a "night vision" camera (which is much more cheaper than Df) don't you find it a bit funny trying to shoot in the dark without light? Either will have a lot of noise or basically one colour (black) in ur photo, better go sleep early rather waste time as even a D4 can't make it too.

Dim area ofcos you can use single point to shoot, will be much easy to get focus.

Sry if I'm wrong, but I believe no one will get a good image without the support of flashlight in the dark.