Nikon Df General Discussion

Vipmediastar_JZ

Took some skating pics with Df and 70-200, either the Df with af/on is acting up or the 70-200 is acting up. I I had a hard time getting focus fast and accurately.

I used this combo before and it was fast and precise. must be the winter.

studio460

Curiously, I only just slapped my Sigma 35mm f/1.4 onto my Df just now, and found its focus way off. I just assumed a firmware update was needed, so I hooked up my Sigma USB mount, and found that my Sigma 35mm already had the most recent firmware installed. So . . . I go to my Df's AF fine-tune menu, and realize that my Sigma 35mm requires a +20 AF fine-tune adjustment for it to focus correctly on the Df.

Also, since my AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 never won me over in the sharpness department, I just wrote off its performance on the Df to that. It turns out that my 50mm f/1.4 requires a -10 AF fine-tune on my Df. Weird. But both lenses now appear sharp and focus accurately (albeit, the 50mm at f/1.4 exhibiting more CA wide-open than I'd like).

Not sure if this has anything to do with it, but incidentally, all of my F-mount lenses (pre-Ai, AIs, D, AF-S), mount very tightly onto the Df's body, with zero play (but it's the kind of tight that feels "solid," rather than "bad"). Thankfully, my go-to portrait lens, the Sigma 150mm f/2.8 OS (one of the sharpest, most-accurate focusing lenses I own), focuses spot-on with no adjustments necessary. Go figure.

Will try my AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8G VR I next . . .

studio460

A quick test shows my AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8G VR I focusing fine with no adjustment.

heartyfisher

good to hear your DF adventures .. makes me think I should test the AF on my lenses. though I have not noticed any issue.. Getting used to the combinations of lenses/cameras is taking my time for now.

Vipmediastar_JZ

I fine tuned all my lens over the summer. So maybe mine is a random act of weirdness and probably needs the contacts cleaned. I used the DF and 70-200 on a shoot in october with no issues until the other day. I did review the photos and they are spot on sharp it was just getting the focus that it struggled.
It's raining again and I have two primes with me today maybe I'll get some people running in the puddles, as that is always fun.

Vipmediastar_JZ

You can do the following photo with any camera but for me the Df makes it so much easier. With the D8xx I would pause think of what I want to do and then figure out how to do it. In this case I wanted the motion blur and quickly compensated my settings for exposure and motion blur within a split second and without hesitation. It just works for me. Before that the girls were jumping and I froze those jumps too. More to come as my editing begins from 2014.

Nikon Df 85mm. Chicago Street Performance. I had the 55 ais but kept it in the bag because I wanted the autofocus.

Golf007sd

Great shot!

nukuEX2

DF is just a retro styled bastard stepbrother of D600!!! :P

spraynpray

Do you live under a bridge nukuEX2?

nukuEX2

Do you live under a bridge nukuEX2?

No. I don't like DF that's all. I know its a decent camera but IMHO I still don't get the market for the DF that's all. DF looks and feels like my dad's old Nikon SLR from late 60s {which I still have.} And you shouldn't take my post too seriously when I have " :P " at the end of my text.

WestEndFoto

NukuEX2, you should treat the elders with respect. :P

Ironheart

I happen to love my old nikon from the 60's, to each his own. I should be the target audience for the Df , but I am mostly a DX/CX shooter and am making my lens investments there. If I want full frame for a specific shoot, I'll rent it. Or fire up my FTn and shoot a few rolls of film :P
P.S. I had my FTn CLA'd a few years ago. They also re-calibrated the meter to use a modern battery. It is quite fun to use all of the manual controls and a dream to focus with the split prismatic screen. Wish my DSLRs had that.

Photobug

@Ironheart - +1 for "It is quite fun to use all of the manual controls and a dream to focus with the split prismatic screen."

spraynpray

Do you live under a bridge nukuEX2?

DF looks and feels like my dad's old Nikon SLR from late 60s {which I still have.}

Yee-ikes - that is the market for it and you just paid it a huge compliment by agreeing Nikon got it dead right! )

NikonMick

» DF looks and feels like my dad's old Nikon SLR from late 60s {which I still have.}

Not nearly close enough to an older Nik SLR, IMHO. I took a pic of a 1977 FT-3 and a new DF in December 2013 simply to show that the Df approximates the form factor of the Canon G series rather than the 60s/70s film SLRs.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/68039985@N08/11213892414/in/photostream

May be of interest,

Mick

nukuEX2

This is what my dad's old Nikon looks like.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/28425344@N02/16136897988/

Photobug

This is what my dad's old Nikon looks like.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/28425344@N02/16136897988/

Oh my does that bring back memories. What a great camera and that lens. Love that style and SOLID feel in the hands.

Symphotic

This is what my dad's old Nikon looks like.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/28425344@N02/16136897988/

Well, I could be your Dad: I've got the same camera, lens, finder, and case myself.

But I also have a Df.

MegapixelSchnitzel

Actually, I rather like the looks and styling of the Df. If Nikon makes a couple of modifications and upgrades, I'd buy it. I'm about as likely to use a video function on a DSLR as I am to install a screen door on a submarine.

miatab

Sept 2016 is the most recent comment. Does that mean that all the critics have discovered their fears were groundless and that they are now comfortable DS shooters?

miatab

Sorry, finger slip, that DS should be Df!

MegapixelSchnitzel

Absolutely not. We are exhausted and simply waiting for the Df2.

heartyfisher

LOL ! ... The Df is a nice camera.. had a play recently with a friend's one... but I am too enamored by my new D500...

miatab

Does that mean that you bought one/leased one, stole or borrowed a Df, discovered which of your complaints were valid, refused workarounds and are keenly waiting for the Df2, hoping it will be larger, real, man-sized grip, have the just superseded best auto focus, have no old fashioned knobs, has flash and video and looks like one of the other, bigger Nikon monstrosities?

MegapixelSchnitzel

No. I like old-fashioned knobs; it doesn't need an on-camera flash; I don't like workarounds; and I'm extremely tiny so everything is man-sized for me. And it needs better weather sealing because I spilled hot coffee all over the one I rented for a week.