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Df hands-on

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My friend at Beau Photo posted his impression of the Df here: http://beauphoto.blogspot.ca/2013/11/lunch-with-new-nikon-df-dslr.html

Everything he said just reaffirms why I want the Df, but I'm still mad at him for not calling me in when the Nikon reps came to town to show off the new cameras :-D

Also, don't call him to try taking away the unit that he has reserved for me :)
 
Great first impressions

Thanks,

But nothing about easy it is to manual focus,

as it's supposed to used Ai or not manuel focus,

that it seems to have no telemeter, but only the green dot,

and a focus screen you can't change.

Is it easier or not to manual focus than on a D800 or D700 ??

can you ask ?

thanks
 
Interesting, I see he has the lovely Nikkor-S 50MM 1.4 on it.

He did not mention anything on how the manual focusing works with the viewfinder though re accuracy ease of use?

Oops, I see someone already asked the same question.... ;-)

--
Amateur photographer. Enjoy.....believe in yourself..
 
Last edited:
Thanks for posting this!

I'll admit I'm taken with this camera and covet every morsel of info!
 
Thanks for sharing the link.
 
I am sure he said that the viewfinder makes manual focusing a snap, too. :-)
 
digitalphotographer said:
My friend at Beau Photo posted his impression of the Df here: http://beauphoto.blogspot.ca/2013/11/lunch-with-new-nikon-df-dslr.html

Everything he said just reaffirms why I want the Df, but I'm still mad at him for not calling me in when the Nikon reps came to town to show off the new cameras :-D

Also, don't call him to try taking away the unit that he has reserved for me :)
Click to expand...
Very interesting. Thanks much for sharing. I'm looking forward to the release... :)

Cheers,

-raaj
 
I think I'll pre-order now :-)
 
Amazingly he says:

"Well the most important omission is a true pro-level AF system. Instead of the 51-point system in the D800 or D4, you get the 39 point system from the D610 or D7100, which simply doesn't have the coverage you might want in some situations and likely won't perform as well for fast action sports"

While, according to Nikon UK, the D7100 has 51 focus points.
 
digitalphotographer said:
My friend at Beau Photo posted his impression of the Df here: http://beauphoto.blogspot.ca/2013/11/lunch-with-new-nikon-df-dslr.html

Everything he said just reaffirms why I want the Df, but I'm still mad at him for not calling me in when the Nikon reps came to town to show off the new cameras :-D

Also, don't call him to try taking away the unit that he has reserved for me :)
Click to expand...
Quite a bit of writing on all the controls, retrodesign, and the ability to use all the old lenses. Even pictures that they had an old Ai or pre Ai lens to play with. Yet absolutely nothing to say about the viewfinder and actual manual focus.

It's like all the early reviewers are under orders not to talk about it. Baffling.
 
michaeladawson said:
digitalphotographer said:
My friend at Beau Photo posted his impression of the Df here: http://beauphoto.blogspot.ca/2013/11/lunch-with-new-nikon-df-dslr.html

Everything he said just reaffirms why I want the Df, but I'm still mad at him for not calling me in when the Nikon reps came to town to show off the new cameras :-D

Also, don't call him to try taking away the unit that he has reserved for me :)
Click to expand...
Quite a bit of writing on all the controls, retrodesign, and the ability to use all the old lenses. Even pictures that they had an old Ai or pre Ai lens to play with. Yet absolutely nothing to say about the viewfinder and actual manual focus.

It's like all the early reviewers are under orders not to talk about it. Baffling.
Click to expand...
 
Shotcents said:
Better or same, it's a stupid thing to leave out.

Robert
Click to expand...
Nope. Most likely the same or maybe a tag better.

If it was better or really a lot better Nikon and reviewers would have been broadcasting that a long time ago.

By saying nothing it is Nikon's attempt to reduce the attention. It's hard to say how important this really is for potential Df buyers. I suspect that we may be nothing more than a very vocal minority.
 
Thanks for posting. I didn't even know about Beau. and I live just across the bridge. Could even walk on a active day. I can't wait to check it out....maybe today.

I am particularly interested in renting the Df which they are going to do. Better get my request in now.
 
Shotcents said:
michaeladawson said:
digitalphotographer said:
My friend at Beau Photo posted his impression of the Df here: http://beauphoto.blogspot.ca/2013/11/lunch-with-new-nikon-df-dslr.html

Everything he said just reaffirms why I want the Df, but I'm still mad at him for not calling me in when the Nikon reps came to town to show off the new cameras :-D

Also, don't call him to try taking away the unit that he has reserved for me :)
Click to expand...
Quite a bit of writing on all the controls, retrodesign, and the ability to use all the old lenses. Even pictures that they had an old Ai or pre Ai lens to play with. Yet absolutely nothing to say about the viewfinder and actual manual focus.

It's like all the early reviewers are under orders not to talk about it. Baffling.

--
Mike Dawson
Click to expand...
Mike, this is soooooo right!

Outside of ONE person, there has been no real report on the viewfinder. Better or same, it's a stupid thing to leave out.

Robert
Click to expand...
16MP is a nice resolution for hand-held shooting. My interest is strictly how well this will work as an "around the neck" camera. Frankly, none of the current Nikon DSLRs have viewfinders and screens that make MF usable (even with the replacement screens that I have tried) -- Live view MF yes, Viewfinder MF no.

Hyping Df's being able to use pre-AI, AI and AIS lenses without improving MF viewfinder capability offers no new value -- to me at least. And oh yeah, please dump the LCDs: Just one more reason to have to send it back for repair.

We have hundreds if not thousands of miniature format cameras to choose from with good AF and LCDs, how about just one optimized for MF?

I'm looking for two things:

How well can it be used for MF?

Is the outer casing metal or plastic?

-Pat
 
This camera could be good for me. Kinda wish it had more MP for cropping though. I want the capability of my D800 but I do want a smaller body. At 5'2 and 95lbs.... I find it pretty heavy. Like the proper AF-ON too. Never used video, ever, on my previous cams. I would miss the flash in commander mode though.
 
michaeladawson said:
digitalphotographer said:
My friend at Beau Photo posted his impression of the Df here: http://beauphoto.blogspot.ca/2013/11/lunch-with-new-nikon-df-dslr.html

Everything he said just reaffirms why I want the Df, but I'm still mad at him for not calling me in when the Nikon reps came to town to show off the new cameras :-D

Also, don't call him to try taking away the unit that he has reserved for me :)
Click to expand...
Quite a bit of writing on all the controls, retrodesign, and the ability to use all the old lenses. Even pictures that they had an old Ai or pre Ai lens to play with. Yet absolutely nothing to say about the viewfinder and actual manual focus.
Click to expand...
The quality of the VF to use legacy MF Nikkor lenses will be the deciding factor for me.

I, too, think the near absence of discussion from early hands-on impressions about the quality of the VF to allow accurate MF is a bit peculiar. The only person who I think has commented positively about the VF thus far has been Bjorn.

I am anxiously waiting to learn how useful the VF on the Df will be from early adopters.
 
reginalddwight said:
michaeladawson said:
digitalphotographer said:
My friend at Beau Photo posted his impression of the Df here: http://beauphoto.blogspot.ca/2013/11/lunch-with-new-nikon-df-dslr.html

Everything he said just reaffirms why I want the Df, but I'm still mad at him for not calling me in when the Nikon reps came to town to show off the new cameras :-D

Also, don't call him to try taking away the unit that he has reserved for me :)
Click to expand...
Quite a bit of writing on all the controls, retrodesign, and the ability to use all the old lenses. Even pictures that they had an old Ai or pre Ai lens to play with. Yet absolutely nothing to say about the viewfinder and actual manual focus.
Click to expand...
The quality of the VF to use legacy MF Nikkor lenses will be the deciding factor for me.

I, too, think the near absence of discussion from early hands-on impressions about the quality of the VF to allow accurate MF is a bit peculiar. The only person who I think has commented positively about the VF thus far has been Bjorn.

I am anxiously waiting to learn how useful the VF on the Df will be from early adopters.
Click to expand...
+1
 
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