The Df Revival

[Hugh_3170]

Richard, I have the E3 screen in my FM3a and a spare Beattie screen similar to the K3, but with grid rulings.  I am tempted to try this in my Df, hence my R&D.

The FM3a handbook on Page 47 makes the following comment about focus screen interchangeability between the FM3a and the older FE2 and FM2n (1/250th flash sync) cameras:

"K2, B2, and E2 types for the FE2 or the New FM2 (the latest version with 1/250th sec flash sync) can be used with this camera (i.e. the FM3a) without exposure compensation.  K3, B3, and E3 type for this camera (i.e. the FM3a) can be used with an FE2 or New FM2 camera, no compensation required."

So they are interchangeable.  Subjectively the K3, B3, and E3 types look a little brighter to me than the K2, B2, and E2 types, but obviously the metering is unaffected according to Nikon.

Pages 46 & 47 from the FM3a manual are attached.

EDIT: Also similar pages for the FM2n and the F100 film cameras.  Nothing about screen changing is mentioned in the manuals for the D200, D700, D810, or the Df.  Have not looked for the D* series of cameras.  The subtle differences between the tabs on the K, K2, and K3 screens can be found in these pdfs; ditto for the tabs on the B and E type screens.

I have added this super useful table to the site. I am going to buy an old F6 screen, maybe later

[Chuck Clark]

I haven't seen aerial photos here, I think. The Df is the goto for night aerials. D810 is great (unbeatable in daylight) but its resolution is nullified by the necessary use of formerly unusable ISOs (!). This is a JPG from the camera with no massaging, the local fireworks competition on the Ottawa River. Auto ISO and the kit 50mm work well. I was using MANUAL this time but I often use P just to irritate people.

This is Netherlands show (can't you tell?). Australia won, hands down, inside the first 5 shells if anyone wants to know.




_DF08811 by Chuck Clark, on Flickr

[Jakov Minić]

Chuck, that's super good.
Would love to see more if you have in P mode or any other

[FGAng]

I like mostly-oof shots and your 24/1.4 shots are nice. But fast wide angles are harder to focus with the stock focusing screen. I installed a precision matte Canon type S one and life gets easier with fast lenses.

Did you have to file away parts of the Canon type S screen, and do any adjustments?  And pardon my ignorance in Canon system, haven't handled one since 1982, this is the Canon Type S screen for which camera?

Many thanks in advance.

[Chuck Clark]

I branded some of these for some reason. There's a little more light to work with in winter, but not much. 22 years ago I was using an FE2 and 20 rolls of whatever-it-was chrome plus sometimes a 180 2.8 WITH NO INFINITY STOP. 3500' is close enough to infinite. "Stop here while I reload." is not an option in a Cessna 172. What a pain. No chance at all of night work and day was a big event. Now it's a (literally) simple matter of finding a night rated pilot (there are 7 instructors worth of them at the Rockcliffe flying club), $150 for an hour in the plane and off you go. Equipment is not something one even has to think hard about, at least not with D810 and Df.

First one is of both Canada's spy headquarters. I call them Spook Centrals. Hi, guys. It's notable that the new one, in the foreground, is officially called the "Drake Building"!!!!

Second is downtown all lit up at Christmas. I live in this one.

Third is the inevitable winter city Winter Carnival. The oval is a pleasure skating rink, right beside the frozen Rideau Canal 15km skateway. We have a lot of rinks in town.

Last one is stitched, winter really helps this view.

The common caveat applies concerning artistic quality...etc, my pictures are here merely to show how easy it is to get a good shot in what used to be a difficult to impossible situation.


ottawa 1533 by Chuck Clark, on Flickr



night_DF07853 (2) by Chuck Clark, on Flickr



winterlude 1346 by Chuck Clark, on Flickr


evening aerial photography with the Df by Chuck Clark, on Flickr




CWC

Chuck, that's super good.
Would love to see more if you have in P mode or any other

[BW]

I love your pictures Chuck! The Df is a really an outstanding camera. If I had to choose one camera, I would not doubt to pick the Df

[Lorne]

Sadly, my Df needs its own revival as the shutter appears to have failed. I contacted Nikon Canada and they quoted me $375 for its replacement - not as bad as I feared. The failure occurred during a time-lapse sequence, but I just assumed the battery was drained. Today I saw the dreaded Err on the display, and soon found that the Df was no lunger functional. Here are the last two shots of the sequence.

My old D200 and V1 will have to fill in till the Df is repaired.

[richardHaw]

that seems a bit too expensive for a shutter replacement.
the shutter assembly itself is cheap. try sending that to Nikon SG,TW,HK,TH if you have friends there.

[Lorne]

My Nikon Df arrived back at noon today. It survived the journey intact, the box was undamaged and more importantly the camera is perfectly fine.

All the menus had been reset to factory defaults so I’ve spent awhile inputting my choices.

The shutter count was reset as part of the repair. The last frame before failure was 27,934, the first frame I shot on it’s return was 125. Obviously, testing the repair used up a few frames, and cleaning the sensor afterwords probably added to the count. Fwiw, the first shot I took after buying the Df new in Dec. 2013 was 303.

Nikon Canada charged me Cdn$442.39 for the repair, or about US$335 / €315 / £270.

edit: I kick myself for not asking Nikon to return the failed shutter. It would have been a nice memento.

Lorne

[MFloyd]

Some rumours about the new Df http://nikonrumors.com/2017/01/12/rumors-from-japanese-magazine-nikon-df2-to-be-based-on-the-d750-24mp-sensor.aspx/

[Jakov Minić]

Now you know why I bought a D750 after using the Df

[John Geerts]

   Logically the use of the D5 sensor would be more appropriate for a Df2, I hope.

[Roland Vink]

If the D5 sensor can be configured so the low ISO dynamic range is improved (lower frame rate - lower read speed - better control of noise) then it would be a good candidate for the Df2. Otherwise, the sensor used on the D750 is an excellent all-round performer - large dynamic range at low ISO and good performance at high ISO.

On the other hand, the D750 sensor is basically the same as used originally on the D600 which was already available before the Df came to market. It seems a little strange to use a relatively old sensor for the Df2 when it wasn't used used for its predecessor (unless the design of the Df using the D4 sensor was already locked in much earlier)

[Bjørn Rørslett]

A sturdier outer shell and less fragile control buttons are my premier wish for a Df2.  Ideally, a shell of titan would be a dream come true.

[aerobat]

Rumor has it that the 100th anniversary Df shall be in Titan - fingers crossed