The Df Revival

[Akira]

Rob, I'm afraid that this is too late for the party tonight, but if you have an access to the official Nikon service, I would strongly recommend you to have your camera and lenses calibrated there.  This is more thorough calibration on the firmware level than the AF fine tuning in the camera menu.  I had my D7000, whose AF unit is essentially the same as that of Df, calibrated at Nikon service in Tokyo, which made significant difference.

Having said that, the AF of fast Nikon lenses are not particularly brisk, even in good light.  So, you would have to live with that.

[RobOK]

Rob, I'm afraid that this is too late for the party tonight, but if you have an access to the official Nikon service, I would strongly recommend you to have your camera and lenses calibrated there.  This is more thorough calibration on the firmware level than the AF fine tuning in the camera menu.  I had my D7000, whose AF unit is essentially the same as that of Df, calibrated at Nikon service in Tokyo, which made significant difference.

Having said that, the AF of fast Nikon lenses are not particularly brisk, even in good light.  So, you would have to live with that.

Good to know!

With the 50 1.8 then, should I stop down to 3.2 or 4, does that impact AF ability?

Mainly I want to avoid "hunting"

[Akira]

Good to know!

With the 50 1.8 then, should I stop down to 3.2 or 4, does that impact AF ability?

Mainly I want to avoid "hunting"

You mean, you half-press the shutter button while pushing the stop-down button?  Maybe the AF wouldn't work if you push the stop-down button.  Even if it would work, the AF would struggle more, because the amount of the light is reduced.

[RobOK]

Stop down aperture... from f1.8 to f2.2 or f2.8, i wasn't sure if aperture would impact Autofocus in dark rooms.

Thanks,
Rob.

[Jakov Minić]

In my experience the Df is not the best tool for low light AF.

[Bjørn Rørslett]

Hm. I have used 24/1.4 with the Df under extremely low-light situations where I could have sworn it would never find focus. But it did.

[Bjørn Rørslett]

Like all Nikons, you disrupt automated functionality by manually stopping down the lens on a Df.

[Airy]

In my experience the Df is not the best tool for low light AF.

What is the best  in your experience ? D750 ? D810 ?

[Jakov Minić]

What is the best  in your experience ? D750 ? D810 ?

I haven't used D750 or D810.
Perhaps I am not being just to the Df because I am comparing it to a D4.
As soon as my Df comes back for the Nikon Service Point, I will give it a go again and share my thoughts.
I am not saying that every Df is poor in low-light. Chris Dees Df worked just fine and Bjørn states that his Df has no issue.

I never had focussing issues with any Nikon camera in low light and that includes D70.
So I guess the D750 and D810 are good low light performers.

[chris dees]

What is the best  in your experience ? D750 ? D810 ?

According to the specs the D750 is. -3EV against -2EV (as is the Df)

[John Geerts]

No issue's with my Df as well.  But with regard to a AF-system in low light; how can the 'system' see things if the human eye can't see it?       By the way, I prefer manual focus in low light situations, even with AF-lenses.

[RobOK]

I started the low light messages above... I got some good, not great pictures. I spent more time enjoying the party vs taking pictures, but got maybe 40 good event shots. One portrait attached.

[Jakov Minić]

The Df and the back focus issue. At least I see some back focus here.
I have to state that I did send my Df for servicing and it came back from suffering of mirror misalignment
I was suffering for almost two years (and i wonder why my photos are all blurry).

Curious to hear your thoughts, or to see other results.

[Bjørn Rørslett]

Never assume a product is perfect. Test it. Understand the need for service and maintenance.

[stenrasmussen]

From memory with my then D810 and my now Df and D750 I'd say wt. low light AF they perform best to good: D750-D810-Df.
The incandescent AF performance is a known issue and my work-around is to learn the camera's behavior and dial in the necessary AF adjustment.
I recently shot thousands of images during 7 dance performances and the lighting was from hell: Incandescent, fluorescent, LED, HID, HMI and what have you. I spent quite some time figuring out the best (not perfect) AF adjustment.