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What would have made you seriously consider the Df?

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Shangri La said:
For those of you that are disappointed with the Df, what would have made you think differently?

For me, the Df would need to have:

- Video. I rarely use it, but I want it to be there.

- AF. I'm willing to pay more for the 51-point AF system.

- Size and weight. It's not that much smaller/lighter than the D600.

- Better ergonomics maybe - from early previews it's just a DSLR with some more dials?

- Price. If the camera has all things covered, then I'm willing to pay $2700, although it's exceeding my upper limit already.

What about you?
Click to expand...
I am considering it on style and retro-vibe alone (I am old enough to have been starting with film back in the day), but I am not sure I will end up buying one.

To answer the OP's question:

- I love the idea of having the external controls that the DF has, just swap the stupid PSAM wheel with the Exposure Compensation and that would make it perfect (gotta love whoever made that positioning choice... probably someone who never shot a camera in his or her life);

- As far as the internals, I'd love to have 2 options a-la Sony A7: give me a 16 Mp AND a 24/36 MP model and I'll be an happy camper. As it is, it's basically a street-only camera (maybe events, if the shutter is silent enough); not enough FPS for sports etc, not enough MP for Fine Art / Landscape, no need for that kind of camera/controls for Studio / Portrait work (a D610 would be better).

- A replaceable focusing screen, definitely (I don't think it has it, but I might have missed that);

- A built-in eyepiece shutter, a-la "serious" cameras, the plastic thingy is the first thing you'll loose (together with the PC sync cap);

But - it looks great, let's just wait a bit for te price to settle and it will be tough to resist the call on feel alone.

Until then, my D3x / D800e workhorses will keep me happy.

Best,

Vieri

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Last edited:
1. Size (not so fat)

2. 24MP (D610)

3. AF: 51p (D7000)

4. Focus aid (hybrid finder etc.)

5. Remove unnecessary locking functions
 
If I didn't save my old D700 when I bought my D800 and needed a second body I would buy a DF. I still have my first camera, a 30 + year old nikon FM and my 28mm, 50mm and 135mm AIs lenses that I still use occasionally on my D700.

I really do like the retro look of the DF but I would buy it for the D4 sensor (something people easy gloss over because of the retro look). It would serve my purpose as a general walk around camera.



I like the minimalist approach also. I have not used the video on my D800 since I got it. I probably will at some point...just because its there...but I don't need or want it. I like the 51 point AF on both of my cameras but...how many people really need or use 51 points and can't live with only 39?
 
Shangri La said:
For those of you that are disappointed with the Df, what would have made you think differently?

For me, the Df would need to have:

- Video. I rarely use it, but I want it to be there.
Click to expand...
Not only that, but, the lack of video significantly affects resale value, imo.
Shangri La said:
- AF. I'm willing to pay more for the 51-point AF system.
Click to expand...
Yes. Esp. if you are shooting with a Nikon with that system... its hard to go to a lesser system.
Shangri La said:
- Size and weight. It's not that much smaller/lighter than the D600.
Click to expand...
Im ok with the size and weight. It seems to be better built than the D600.
Shangri La said:
- Better ergonomics maybe - from early previews it's just a DSLR with some more dials?
Click to expand...
The PSAM dial annoys me... it serves no purpose for me.
Shangri La said:
- Price. If the camera has all things covered, then I'm willing to pay $2700, although it's exceeding my upper limit already.
Click to expand...
Price is more than i expected... this is close to D800e territory.
Shangri La said:
What about you?
Click to expand...
I would also add
  • RGB metering sensor from the D4/D800
  • D800 battery
  • 1/8000 shutter
  • Dual SD slots
I would remove
  • HDMI port
  • PSAM dial
 
For me it was the price that's stopping me .

It has less features than a D610 so it should be priced accordingly. If it had the 51 pt AF then it could be priced between the D610 and D800. As it is, you are only paying for the Retro looks and nothing more.

As a current D4, D600 owner, it doesn't offer me anything significant and for a $1000 less I'm buying the Sony A7 for travel or for a similar price, a D800.

--
Peter
Ontario, Canada
 
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Certainly the price is my biggest objection. Unlike old film cameras, that could be reintroduced as a special edition, anniversary model, digital cameras don't have that life span and are not as memorable. For the Df , Nikon took parts off the shelf from several of its current cameras, put some dials on it and call it Digital Fusion. It is, but they want to charge us a premium for a camera that has no history, and is comparable to several current, cheaper camera currently on the market. It does evoke the emotion of nostalgia. Im not willing to pay a 500-700 dollar premium to satisfy that emotion. The lure of special edition, anniversary cameras was that if I chose to sell them at some future date, I stood a chance of making my money back, or possibly making a profit. Even regular film cameras held their value. Digital cameras don't. I have a D1x that cost 5000 dollars new. I saw a D1x on ebay for $275 recently. What will I get for a Df 10 years from now? What will I get for it 2 years from now? Ha!
 
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Looks:

Smaller and lighter body. The df isn't small or light at all. 100g less than a D600 - big deal.

A better viewfinder - like the ones in the film cameras the df is supposedly trying to copy

Less crap all over the body. A live view button, two info buttons, all those dials. Less is more - look at a Leica M9 and how little it has on the camera!

Function:

The better AF system (to justify the premium price), or no AF at all (and sell it cheaper)

IMO the perfect df would have been a Nikon F3 body, with the D4 sensor in there. Don't actually need autofocus. Hell, they could even dispense with the LCD screen. You can fit HUNDREDS of raw files on a cheap SD/CF card. Compared to the 24-36 shots on film, you don't really need the screen if this camera is targeted at the film crowd who like simplicity and slow pace.

If they'd sold that for the same price as the D600, I'd buy one instantly. The current df is just full of compromise. Does many things and none of them very well.

--
My travel photography blog - http://www.frescoglobe.com
 
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It occurred to me that I didn't answer your question. Put at least 24 megapixels in it, the 51 point AF module, maintain its current look, simplify its menu to deal with white balance; then maybe I would purchase it. Or just lower its price to that of the D610.
 
So as it stands now, the DF is more of a fashion statement then!
 
36 MP + split screen
 
For that feature set, the price should be close to that of the D610.

In the UK, the intro price with the 50mm lens (compulsory here, there is no body-only offering) is £2749. The current price of the D800 is £1950. The D610 is currently £1500.

That is just nuts, even if you factor in the likely £500-ish price drop that the df will experience between now and Easter.

What a shame...
 
Without question, I'd have bought a Df if it had been significantly lighter than a D610--having a lighter FX camera for my FX glass would have been great. But as it is the Df is only about 3 ounces lighter than a 610 and and 5 ounces lighter than my D800. So no sale for me.
 
Shangri La said:
For those of you that are disappointed with the Df, what would have made you think differently?

For me, the Df would need to have:

- Video. I rarely use it, but I want it to be there.

- AF. I'm willing to pay more for the 51-point AF system.

- Size and weight. It's not that much smaller/lighter than the D600.

- Better ergonomics maybe - from early previews it's just a DSLR with some more dials?

- Price. If the camera has all things covered, then I'm willing to pay $2700, although it's exceeding my upper limit already.

What about you?
Click to expand...
AF from the D800 and Video

I would have bought it no questions. But at the price it is now and with the actual specs I think it's overpriced. Obviously it's also possible the af module for the d800 was too big for the camera body, but somehow I doubt it.
 
Apollo18 said:
For that feature set, the price should be close to that of the D610.

In the UK, the intro price with the 50mm lens (compulsory here, there is no body-only offering) is £2749. The current price of the D800 is £1950. The D610 is currently £1500.

That is just nuts, even if you factor in the likely £500-ish price drop that the df will experience between now and Easter.

What a shame...
Click to expand...
 
Shangri La said:
For those of you that are disappointed with the Df, what would have made you think differently?

For me, the Df would need to have:

- Video. I rarely use it, but I want it to be there.

- AF. I'm willing to pay more for the 51-point AF system.

- Size and weight. It's not that much smaller/lighter than the D600.

- Better ergonomics maybe - from early previews it's just a DSLR with some more dials?

- Price. If the camera has all things covered, then I'm willing to pay $2700, although it's exceeding my upper limit already.

What about you?
Click to expand...
Think of a nikon D610 or even better a nikon D800... Wrap it in a retro styled body..with all the dials and bells and whistles... Then i will want a nikon df... :-)

... Put video, built in flash with CLS, AF assist kamp, remote via ML-3, mic input...
 
Either

a) the best possible AF system they could muster for low light work, making it a killer stage/theater/dance camera with the nice D4 sensor in there.

or

b) 36mp sensor and a hybrid super accurate AF system of some sort that nails focus, even if slowly, for serious, slow paced but mega high quality landscape work in a smaller body that by virtue of the smaller size is more "packable" in the camera backpack, where space is always a concern.

As I said in another thread, this camera is a tweener for me - too expensive for the compromises made. I'll play with one at some point and will reserve final judgement until that point, but upon initial glance, I simply am not interested at this at all, given it's (upon first glance) consumer AF system and sensor combination.

-m
 
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