Nikon Df 16.2 MP CMOS FX-Format Digital SLR Camera with AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8G Special Edition Lens (Silver)

**EDIT 12/3/2013 - Added weight comparison** Let me say as I do with all my camera reviews that I'm not a professional photographer but just a hobbyist who appreciates cameras and gadgets in general. As such much of my review will be more subjective rather than technical... Anyway, I have a D800e and an Olympus OM-D EM-5 for my dslr setup... I originally got the EM-5 to use as a smaller back up camera for use when I didn't want to lug around my D800e. Now that the DF came out, it kind of fills the same niche that my OM-D did BUT it does everything SO much better. I haven't had much time to play around with it but based off my first day with it I think I may sell all my OM-D gear and stick with this one so I can make use of all of my Nikon lenses. PROS: -------------------------------------------------- - Picture Quality - Subjectively I'd say that the picture quality is on par with my D800e for most situations. Of course, if I ever needed to crop out a ton the nod would go to the D800e but for 95% of my non-pro shooting the DF is superb and excellent in low light I should add. Also, for comparison, in my opinion the picture quality is much better than the OM-D (not that the OM-D is bad...). - Size and Weight - Smaller and lighter than the D800e and larger than the OM-D. For me it's the perfect balance of size/weight when paired with a smaller prime lens like the 50mm that it came with... I'll probably look at some of the older Nikon manual focus lenses now because those should pair nicely as well. - Handling - This is probably my favorite part about the camera. I own several digital cameras and each one has a different method for changing settings like ISO, aperture, and shutter speeds and almost all the other digital cameras require 2-3 button presses and fiddling around with a tiny joystick or wheel. With the DF, there is a physical dial for almost every major setting which is really nice so you don't have to remember how to access each one! - Huge selection of Nikon lenses available plus I already own several nice lenses that'll work nicely with this - Fast AF... not quite as fast as the D800 and not as many focus points but very quick and I rarely find myself using all of the focus points on the D800e anyway... It is noticeably faster than my OM-D but that's to be expected. When using auto-focus the DF only missed a few times in my testing with the kit 50mm. - Styling - I love the look of this camera, it's retro look is obviously inspired by all the new cameras coming out now like the X100 lineup and the OM-D. You can't go wrong with this IMHO. CONS: -------------------------------------------------- - No video mode - not deal breaker for me but may be for some - No pop up flash - I try not to use flashes anyway and I can always use a small flash mounted to the camera if needed - SD cards only - this one kind of hurts... it'd be nice to have CF and SD card slots so the CF could be primary and SD backup like the D800e - Balance may be a bit off with the larger Nikon lenses - best to stick with the lighter prime lenses if possible WEIGHT COMPARISON: -------------------------------------------------- I was curious to see the weight comparisons between the D800e, DF, and OM-D. In my weights I put the 50mm 1.8g on both the D800e and DF and for the OM-D E-M5 I put on an equivalent Panasonic Lumix G Micro 4/3 LEICA DG SUMMILUX 25mm f/1.4 Leica Aspherical Lens . This way I could get a weight comparison of each camera with a 50mm lens on each. Nikon D800e - 2lb 12.6 oz Nikon DF - 2lb 4 oz Olympus OM-D E-M5 - 1lb 11 oz Interestingly the weight differences between both the D800e to the DF and DF to OM-D E-M5 is around 8-9 oz per my kitchen scale. There aren't really any conclusions to draw from this but thought it may be useful for those of you that were looking at these models... CONCLUSION: -------------------------------------------------- I love the camera. It's expensive, yes, but for full frame, full controls, and the ability to natively use all my Nikon lenses it's worth it! If you have the money and have Nikon equipment already this is a camera that you should seriously consider. If you already have the 50mm 1.8g, though, I'd say skip the special edition and get the body only kit. The lenses are essentially the same with the only differences being the casing. Recommended for - people wanting to get another full frame Nikon camera as a backup or people wanting a full frame dslr with more/easier manual controls Not Recommended for - people making the first jump in to full frame (IMO the D800 or D800e would be a better value for your money) or people who need/want full frame video or high megapixels for cropping As I get more real world use with this camera I'll probably update my review since I've only had it for a day. In any case, I thought, I'd share my first impressions with you guys thus far...

To me, it's like an iPhone. You either love it, or you hate it, but either way, you are aware it is seen as overpriced. If you hate it, it's overpriced. If you love it, that premium is more worth it. Not the most advanced phone/camera, not the most customizable, but it just works well. No fuss, no frills. I really like this camera. I've been shooting Nikon since I had a Nikon EM. I've owned several of their APS-C models, most recently the 7000. I've used the 3200 and 5300 recently. I currently own a D800 and a Fujix100. Annoying things... 1. Wish it had a wider spread of AF points. Not necessarily 51pt, just a wider spread. The 31 pt system was first used on a dx camera. 2. Wish it had the option for a battery grip 3. Wish that right sided strap lug was not in the way! 4. Wish the on and off switch had a notch instead of just being a dial. 5. Wish it had focus peaking in live view. 6. It can't trigger CLS without sb800 or SB700/910 or third party trigger. 7. Ergonomics-see below. 8. Doesn't focus down to light as low as -2 EV, and no AF assist light!!! Sucks for such a great low-light sensor!!! For me, 6- 8 are the biggest issues. But none of this is a deal breaker. #8 is the worst though...It is solved with a flash though, but then see #6 So how does it compare to the d800? Handling D800 wins big time. I like how the d800 feels in my hand. I like the grip. I like the position of the shutter release button. I have no problem with the menus what so ever. I really don't need all those analog dials. I like how the d800 feels with a fast prime. I can hold the entire camera and shoot it comfortably with one hand. Holding the Df with a large prime and trying to shoot it with one hand feels off balance and awkward. YOu really have to use two hands. You need to grip the camera with the right hand a specific way to avoid that lug and you have to support a heavy prime with the left hand. I imagine the Df won't balance well with a big zoom. I hope Nikon introduces new F2 primes. I'd love to have a 35mm f2 AF-S! Auto-Focus- D800 wins again... don't have an issue with the 39 AF points vs 51 of the d800, i just wish they were spread out over the image a bit more. Not a new complaint. I do think it doesn't focus as fast in low light compared to the d800. But that's not a surprise as I think the d800 focuses down to -2EV (night) and the Df is -1. It feels a bit more hesitant in the dark, which sort of sucks because the sensor is so great for low light. Reminds of how my D7000 used to hesitate. I will say that I do not have to use AFFT on any of my lenses with Df. All my lenses have needed adjustment on my d800. Build- Tie. both are magnesium and weather sealed. Sensor- Tie. each one has their strength. Battery life- Df, but i really wish it took the D800 batteries as i have 3 already. WB- Does not lean towards green like the d800. looks better to me. ANYWAY. blah blah blah. I'm sure you can read online, i think you'll find my opinion is no different than others who have compared the two. How does it compare to my x100? apples and oranges. you can't compare an aps-c mirrorless vs a full frame...I think both cameras have their purpose. I will keep my x100 as it is so discreet. What i love about the x100 is the quiet shutter and the focus peaking. I think if i'm casually going out with friends during the day, the fuji will be my first choice. If i'm going out with a group of people or to a function and the lighting will be decent and focusing not challenging, I'll take the fuji. It's small, not pretentious, and takes very nice images. Why am i keeping it? It's really a great camera despite the negatives I've stated. after 1000 shots, it really is trouble free. As mentioned, it does what it is supposed to without any fuss or frills. Sure it's expensive, but based on absolute dollar number, it's cheaper than a leica, a d4, and some other FX cameras. I think if you are looking for a first Nikon FX camera, get the 610 and save your money for glass. You can buy Nikon D610 24.3 MP CMOS FX-Format Digital SLR Camera (Body Only) , Nikon 85mm f/1.8G AF-S NIKKOR Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras , and Nikon 28mm f/1.8G AF-S NIKKOR lens for a smidge more than Nikon 1528 Df 16.2 MP CMOS FX-Format Digital SLR Camera with AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8G Special Edition Lens SLR Camera with 3.2-Inch LCD (Silver) . Or even better, buy a Nikon d600 , send it in to nikon claiming "oil spots" and hopefully they'll switch out the shutter for the 610 shutter. Only get the Df if you have Fx glass. If you don't have Fx glass, again by the d610/600. This is my family cam. This is the camera i will take with me when i go out with family and close friends. I really want nikon to make a new 35f2 G Part of me thinks that "Df" means "DSLR Finale". as this should be nikon's last DSLR as they currently make them. They need to move towards a real "fusion" camera with an OVF/EVF with focus peaking and an AF system similar to Nikon 1. *****UPDATE 12/27/2013***** Just wanted to address some of the common complaints I've heard. "It doesn't have SS of 1/8000" -Honestly? who needs 1/8000? I understand if you want to shoot your 1.4 glass wide open during broad daylight, but chances are broad daylight is harsh light and the picture would look horrible because harsh shadows. the BETTER (for a non-pro without big strobes) way to shoot wide open during daylight is with an ND filter that allows you to shoot 1.4 with a SS of 1/250, or whatever your flash works at best and use a flash. Sure you can do auto-FP sync at 1/8000 for fill, but the flash is so weak at that shutter speed. "AF struggles a bit compared to 51 point of the D800/e and D4." Yes it does on the outer focus points. Best results for me have been back button focusing and using the center point and recomposing. Not ideal, but gives me the best results. "no autofocus assist lamp" -I always turned mine off because it's annoying for my shooting needs. If its that dark and you need the bright white AF lamp, your subjects will squint and react negatively to bright "in your face" light. When it's that dark, i use the AF assist lamp on my flash. I will say though, as much as i like the Df, using it has shown me how much camera the D800 is for the money. I'm starting to think that the Df is not expensive for what it is. I think the D800 is a bargain for what it is. *****************UPDATE 1/26/2014******************** Have not used my Fujix100 or D800 in over a month. I've even thought about selling them. The Df really works for me. So far no issues at all. No lock up. no hanging, no focus issues with any of my lenses. Battery last 500+ (I've never tried to see how much i can shoot)

I really like this camera, but it is definitely for a bit of a niche audience and there are definitely some things that Nikon really could have done better. First what Nikon did right: The sensor is simply incredible. Ranging from ISO 100-12800, 12800 is actually completely usable with almost no noise. Dimly lit subway tunnels? No problem. If you need to shoot indoors or dimly lit environments without a flash this will handle it. The styling is great. I find the ergonomic similar to the F3 (though chunkier) and compared to the other Nikon pro and semi-pro bodies it is incredibly light. The fact that you can use an old school shutter release is a nice touch (though it would be nice if you could also use a modern remote). The viewfinder is great and while it does not have the old school split prism focusing screen, manual focusing is a breeze. The dial controls have been a bit of controversial topic. Personally I find them reasonably easy to use, and they can easily be bypassed for those who cannot be bothered. The ability to use Non-AI lens is huge if you like manual focus primes, especially if you like to shoot film too. Non-AI lens are dirt cheap and great lenses. Unfortunately there are a few things that Nikon really could have handled better. First for a camera in this price range, there is no excuse for not building these with the 1/8000, 200,000 release rated shutter. The 1/4000 shutter works fine and will probably not be hugely limiting factor, but since Nikon is charging about the same for a Df Kit, as a D810 body, this seems like a strange place to cheap out on. The front command dial is not as difficult to use as some have claimed, but it is not as easy to use as the standard command dial design Nikon uses for everything else, and I don't think it really would have harmed the retro design any more than the current stylized front dial (the rear dial is the Nikon standard. The complaints about the Single SD card/Battery Compartment combination is not well thought out, and totally unnecessary. Personally I think this is a case of Nikon slavishly following Fuji with their X100 set up. Having to pull the SD card from the battery compartment causes unnecessary wear on a plastic part. Even if they couldn't acommodate a two card slot, they could have at least placed it in a dedicated slot on the side. As good as the sensor is in low light, the auto focus system is terrible in low light. I am constantly switching to manual focus in low light because the autofocus won't stop hunting. I have a D5300 with the same system that has a much easier time. But the D5300 has an assist lamp, where one was not included on the DF. The kit lens is pretty and works OK, but it is definitely not worth the premium you pay for a DF kit. Honestly the old plastic AF 50mm 1.8 looks more retro, is lighter, takes great pictures and can be had for about a $100.00 new. Unless you get a deal, just get the body. I guess the big question is it worth paying the same price for this as opposed to a D800 (or D810 now). Honestly other than the ability to use non-AI lenses and extreme low light capabilities, the D800 is a lot more capable camera. This is a great camera, but I would not have paid full price for one (I got an open box kit at a pretty steep discount). On the other hand I love using this camera, and I seriously doubt I will be selling it later down the line. So it definitely has a subjective "it" factor that cannot be denied.

This is an early review, but I really like this camera. I intend to update this review once I get more shoots under my belt. By way of background I'm both an photo enthusiast and a little bit of a gadget nut. My other equipment currently includes a Canon 5D Mark III with some L glass, and a Sony Nex 7. As my needs evolve I find myself wanting to lug around my Canon equipment with the heavy zoom 2.8 lenses less and less. Hence when i saw the opportunity to get a full frame sensor in a small package I read all the necessary reviews and went for it. My initial concerns going in were the lack of video, the fact that I wasn't familiar with Nikon systems and I wanted to make sure any glass I bought was going to be both lightweight and excellent which are hard things to do unless you stick with moderately fast primes. The rest of this is based on my first impressions and about three days of shooting: 1. Build quality is excellent, I went for the all black model and I'm happy I did. I did read some concerns on other reviews about the quality of the magnesium alloy plating on the silver model but to me the all-black one is solid, feels like it constructed well and feels great to hold. it is substantial and perhaps a tiny bit bigger than I expected before i got it but a worthwhile reduction in bulk which is what I was going for. 2. I do find that having the dials on top of the camera to show exposure settings, ISO etc. mean that I am more likely to creatively tinker with things, for example I shot some high ISO shots in a dimly lit environment last night when in the past I wasn't very likely to go through menus and settings to make ISO changes preferring to leave it on Auto unless I really needed to. 3. So far I have used the 50mm F1.8G lens it came with I find the combination of the camera and lightweight and small fast normal lens to be wonderful. Its a compact package with fantastic image quality, pictures are sharp, blurred backgrounds are wonderfully soft and really bring out the subject and performance in low light is great. I'm really enjoying using this setup right now and intend to have this combination be my primary walk around combination for the next several weeks. 4. I did not purchase an external flash since the camera doesn't have one and don't think i will need one for most things due to the fast lens and capabilities of the full frame sensor. i did buy the Nikon 70-200 F4 lens and while its a lot lighter than my 70-200F2.8L Canon lens its still a little too bulky in my view for everday walk-around. I haven't shot as much with this lens and will update when I do more. 5. Some minor nits are that its relatively easy to knock the auto/manual focus button on the front of the camera when making other adjustments and the cover of the battery compartment separates from the body relatively easily and then needs to be slotted back in, minor items for sure. All in all I'm very pleased so far and look forward to shooting more and returning with more feedback.

I've had the camera for about a month, and I am really loving it. One major reason I chose this camera vs the competition is the superior low light ability. Image quality at high ISO is stunning, even better than I was expecting. Altogether, image quality in any situation is impeccable. It has a very small form factor for a full frame DSLR. It is lighter than it looks like it should be, but still feels solid. With the 50mm kit lens attached it is a very light weight combo, indeed. I have exclusively used mirrorless cameras over the last few years and don't mind carrying this around a bit, DF is heavier but not uncomfortably so. I like the look and the analog dials (opinions may differ). There has been a ton of criticism about this camera,. some valid , some unwarranted. I'll mention a few and my take on it FWIW: Bad ergonomics - It's a retro design. It has retro ergonomics. I don't think the point of this camera is to mount big heavy zoom lenses on it. With small primes it handles just fine IMHO. Bad AF - I'm a center focus and recompose type of shooter. If you need AF points all over the frame, get a different camera. I have found the af very quick and accurate with the kit lens (haven't tried any other AF lenses yet). However, Wish It could focus in even lower light. It goes to -1ev, for this camera with this sensor it should go lower. Oh well. Only one sd slot - Yeah, wish there were two, but there isn't. Manual focus sucks - I haven't had a problem, the AF confirmation dot is a big help. However, I haven't tried to focus any lens faster than f1.8. It is a shame Nikon didn't put a retro style focusing screen. bummer. Price - It's not cheap. But, if you want it, you can rationalize the cost. I'm sure there are many other complaints I haven't mentioned... So to end this thing, I love the camera. I like it for what it is and I'm not really concerned about what it isn't. No camera is perfect and it is always a matter of tradeoffs when choosing one. I don't have any regrets about this purchase. Cheers !

I really wanted to like this camera. It is so retro and light. But I need more than a pretty face for my camera gear. The first thing that surprised me was one memory card slot. Yikes! Not having a backup memory card is like not backing up your computer. It is just begging for problems. When I shoot with a high end camera, I always shoot in both jpeg & raw. I use my jpeg as a backup in case anything goes wrong with the raw memory card. The next problem I had with the camera is the battery compartment door fell off, and kept falling off. Next, an employee brought me the eyepiece that had fallen off when I took off the cover. The only camera profile available with the converted files is Adobe Standard. I've never seen a DNG that only has one camera profile available. No portrait, or landscape. That is a huge limitation. Yes, it's cute, it's retro, it's light, but so is my plastic Diana+. This camera cost me almost $3,000 and I would put it in the toy category. That is way too much money for a toy. Thank goodness I didn't sell my Nikon D4 16.2 MP CMOS FX Digital SLR with Full 1080p HD Video (Body Only) , which yes, is heavy, but well made, has 2 memory card slots, several camera profiles for DNGs, and none of the pieces fall off.

I have owned a lot of DSLRs over the years and the Df is easily my favorite camera out of all of them. The image quality is superb and the high ISO / low light capability is fantastic. Even though I love this camera it is not your typical DSLR an that has a lot of people talking about it. I think that the one of the biggest questions that a lot of buyers have regarding the Df is who is it's intended audience? Is this a camera meant for amateurs? Semi-pros? Professionals? Some have pointed to the Df's shortcomings (39 point AF instead of 51, no 2nd memory card slot, 1/4000th max shutter speed, no video mode, etc.) as reasons why they would not use the Df for professional work. I think that any professional could easily create quality images with the Df in most situations but they probably wouldn't use it as their "workhorse" camera body because there are other options available that might be more suited to the task. Nevertheless the Df is still a very capable tool when needed. So does that mean that the Df is more geared toward amateurs? I know that I have definitely been enjoying it for my own personal photography since i bought it. It's lightweight which means that you can grab the Df and use it to photograph family trips, events, etc. and then use an EyeFi card to send your photos to an iPad, smartphone, or computer. This last Christmas was the first time in several years that I've pulled out a DSLR to photograph people opening presents instead of a smartphone because it is was so easy to handle especially since there was no need to attach a speedlight. But the price of the Df and the fact that it has the same sensor as the flagship D4 seems to suggest that it is not aimed solely at amateurs or for personal use. I think that the Df is meant for photographers who want a camera that can provide a nice blend of "work" and "play". I know that I personally love using this camera because it is so fun to use and I have a hard time putting it down. But I also wouldn't have any reservations about shooting professional quality portraits with the Df especially with it's amazing sensor. It's a beautiful blend of both worlds and although it may not be the right camera for everyone it certainly fits my needs quite well.

If you're considering this camera, ask yourself some questions. First: "Will I ever need to use this camera one handed?" If you can picture yourself leaning out over a canyon, bracing yourself with one hand and snapping pictures straight down with the other, this is not the camera for you. "Will I ever need to change settings while my attention is elsewhere?" If you can picture yourself running with the bulls, changing f-stop and shutter speed on the fly for that perfectly motion-blurred composition, this is not the camera for you. "Will I ever want to focus on something on the side of the frame?" If you like to autofocus anywhere other than the very center of the frame, this is not the camera for you. "Will I ever want to take a video?" ...because you can't. If you ever want to make video with your new DSLR, this is not the camera for you. Just to be clear, this camera feels and looks cheap, has incredibly counter-intuitive controls, has video capabilities pointlessly locked out, and the range of the autofocus points leaves EVERYTHING to be desired. Now, if you're still reading and thinking, 'Hm. None of those things really apply to me.' Ask yourself if you: -Like loud clicky noises when you move dials. -Have two extra hands to depress lock studs and twist dials in order to modify settings while holding the camera up to your eye. -Believe that the best composition has the focal point in the center of the frame (or always focus manually). -Have nostalgic feelings toward a camera that you used in college, or during the Nixon administration, whichever came earlier. -Distrust suspicious newfangled technologies such as video recording. Or if you don't really want to take pictures, and just want a hipster-chic camera to show off to your friends, THIS IS THE CAMERA FOR YOU! If not, check out the D810. Thanks, that's all.

A few things to know: It is made in Japan. It is beautiful. It is heavy, solidly built and you will look very snobbish photographing with it( Sorry ! making pictures with it.) The buttons give a good feel and you can feel the change. Read the manual first unless you are a duck and photography is an old pond for you. If you have moved from entry level DSLRs to this - there is a learning curve. There is no built in flash and there is no video recording button. There is button for everything ISO,Shutter speed,Exposure comp, exposure mode- rest is adjustable via the menu. ------------------- Update: With some practise and good hand holding technique- the low light pictures are amazing. Many bird photos with 300mm lens and ISO 800 in low light also came out very good. I am beginning to like it more and more. Waiting for David Busch's guide for Nikon Df till then the manual is not too bad. ----------------- The low light performance of the camera is stunning, all you need is a f1.8 aperture lens as 50mm 1.8 or even Tamron 90mm f2.8 and you can get brilliant colours and photos without flash in low light or just a fluoresent bubl. Bird photography with Nikon 300mm F4_ Bower 1.4 TC gives an aperture of f5.6- the autofocus works and the pictures are very good if handheld technique is good. Nikon 300mm + Nikon 1.7TC gives a field of view of 500mm equivalent and even at f8 the autofocusing works .But this combination is best during reasonable light around sunset.

Se trata de una cámara full frame con controles de perilla que facilitan mucho su manejo para aquellas personas que se enfocan exclusivamente en fotografía. No saca vídeo, por lo que debe tomarse en cuenta si se requieren ambas cosas, fotografía y vídeo, este no es el equipo para ello. Es una cámara fotográfica muy recomendable

This is a really nice camera, if your looking for a digital camera which operates like one of the old Nikon film cameras, a few examples the FE2 or FM3A or an FM2N r F3 This is the camera for you. it's for the serious photographer who likes a manual control camera. I use it with the old manual focus Nikon prime len's, AI and AIS len's, and it works perfectly with them, i have six of them, from 35mm up to 400mm and every one give's very pleasing results. It can also be used with Af len's as well if you prefer. It's better suited to slow moving or stationary subjects and is excellent for low light photography, i use it for Landscape and low light and portrait photography and have had some excellent results. some people say its over priced, but believe me the build quality is very good, its mainly of metal construction, unlike most modern Digital SLR's which are mainly made of plastic. Don't be put off by the low 16.2 MP sensor, the sensor is from Nikon's flagship camera the Nikon D4, that's why the Df is very good for low light photography and the quality of your pictures will be of excellent quality. 16.2MP is more than enough for most peoples needs, even a Pro photographer. So this is really a camera for the serious photographer, Amateur or Pro, which would also explain the high price.

I wanted a still picture camera able to do good quality work with and endless choice of good lenses etc. It has the feel and capabilities that I want. Nikon could do some upgrades on the technology with what they have in house but this will keep me content as-is for a long time. CT

I loved it, working fine.