Reviews > Ramblings of the Fierce Bear of the North

Living and working with the new Nikon Df: Under reconstruction

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Bjørn Rørslett:
 vicfei1
29 Nov 2013 15:30

Bjorn -
I keep reading about the DF and how it is meant for primes. After handling the DF, do you agree that most zoom lenses would render the DF top heavy and out of balance compared to the feel with primes, or is it no different than any other "modern" style DSLR?

Thanks for your astute and comprehensive analysis of the DF!

[ nfoto 29 Nov 2013 16:03 ]

Only tried with the 25-50 so far, a zoom lens that fits the camera to give a perfect handling and balance. However, I'll make sure other zoom lenses with meet the Df during the next week.


[ nfoto 29 Nov 2013 16:07 ]

Whilst the Df surely can mount virtually any Nikkor ever made (it shares the exception for the 2.1 cm f/4 with any Nikon model after F and F2), don't forget this camera isn't meant to be a replacement for any current model of DSLRs. The Df is an extension of the Nikon camera range and requires its own ways of operating.

Bjørn Rørslett:
[ nfoto 29 Nov 2013 17:52 ]

The second season of the Nordic noir TV series "The Bridge" just ended on the house altar, so a homage seems in order.

No Porsche, but the brand name starts with a "P" ... Df, AIS 15 mm f/3.5. Auto ISO.



This ultrawide vintage lens is a royal pain to use with D800 because it almost never seems to get into focus and the poor Liveview does nothing of value to assist either. Put the 15 mm on the Df and you now actually can observe the lens comes into sharp focus. Still not easy in dim light due to the extensive depth of field, but in this case you probably should put the camera on a tripod and then you do observe the true focus easily enough.

Bjørn Rørslett:
[ nfoto 29 Nov 2013 18:19 ]

A lot of negative comments regarding the build of the Df circulate on the internet, and go to show few people actually have seen the camera and even fewer have used it.

There is nothing 'cheap' or 'plasticky' with the Df. In particular what strikes as I continue to work with the camera is the meticulous attention to details by the engineering team behind this camera. You notice these small yet important touches after a while. For example the layout and marking of the dials and the way the reference points are laid out.

 Luc de Schepper 29 Nov 2013 18:31

I got my Df today and attached a neck strap. When I handle the Df I have some trouble handling the front command wheel with my index finger. The strap is between my index and middle finger. This is what I suspected and mentioned when I handled a demo Df last week. Everything else is very much ok, compact and light camera and amazing sensor.

[ nfoto 29 Nov 2013 18:38 ]

Yes, I'm aware of the problem. Some of it stems from the fact we tend to deal with the camera as an ordinary DSLR, but you need to have a different grip with it. Another part of the problem is again that hands are not equal in size world wide so what goes well in Japan fares less well in Europe. I have reported this issue to Nikon Europe already.

Currently I work without a strap, but will later make a loop so I can hold the camera through it. Then the strap will only run through the left-hand side lug.

I probably will make another lug position when I get my own copy of the Df.*

* turned out later this wasn't required at all. I carried over my by now ingrained DSLR handling pattern

Luc de Schepper  29 Nov 2013 18:45

Thanks for the info Bjørn. Less friction on the front command wheel would be a step in the right direction imo.


[ nfoto 29 Nov 2013 18:52 ]

Luc: A balance has to be struck. Less friction would mean easier to change aperture involuntarily when you pick up the camera with your right hand.

Bjørn Rørslett:
otoien 29 Nov 2013 18:54

Quote: nfoto, on 29 Nov 2013 - 16:19, said:
    Øivind: should be a camera easy to operate with gloves on. With mittens my experience nothing is   easy to handle. Today I used only finger gloves and had no issues of course.

Bjørn, I certainly agree that operating a camera with thick mittens is not easy, thus expectations must be lowered, and perhaps limit operation of controls to the most essential. But there is a distinction between difficult and nearly impossible. My D200 belongs in the former category where shutter, front and rear command dials are operable, while D5100/D40x nearly always will mandate to take the mittens off, mostly because of the small size. Even a simple thing like avoiding the mitt get in front of a small prime lens is a challenge with those small bodies. With the D200 a problem is that it is easy to inadvertently move the control dials when handling the camera. Actually with very thick mittens, the grip almost always feels too fat one these digital bodies..

The best camera I ever have used in the cold is my F2. The high placement of the shutter speed dial on the Photomic finder, and use of aperture ring made it very easy to handle with mittens on, and shutter release was aided by one of those knobs that screwed down into the threads around the shutter release.


[ nfoto 29 Nov 2013 18:57 ]

JamesT: "I couldn't figure out how to get the current ISO setting to display in the viewfinder - please tell me it can be done...otherwise I consider this a miss".  Setting d4 to the rescue. Or press the Info button on the rear. Hint: change background of the info display from white to black as this is much more easy-going on your eyes when you quickly switch between viewfinder and rear panel.

[ nfoto 29 Nov 2013 19:02 ]

Øivind: testing the Df with thick winter gloves on indicated you should have little problem with the shutter speed dial or its lock. The release button is easy to grasp as well. The +- control can also be reached, but the lower ISO dial is less easy. However if you set AutoISO then the need for readjustments is minimised.

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