df photos on Flickr

Just purchased the Nikon Df FX camera. The dealer I purchased my camera from let me know the Df I bought was only taken out of the box to capture the attached image on Friday 27-FEB-2015, before shipping to me, and has never had a lens attached or any images captured with it (BRAVO!). They picked up the Nikon Df body to test some lenses back in November 2015 - but ended up using a different body instead.

Ultimately, my love for full frame ambient and low-light handheld captures has made my D700 the workhorse.

Although a superb camera, the Nikon D800 was not a direct upgrade for my Nikon D700 - related to functionality scale-up, so I have ordered the Nikon Df. Understanding that although the Nikon Df was not the ‘direct’ upgrade of the D700, it is in terms of functional capability scale-up. The D700 and Df both were built with the same sensor as the current flagship Nikons (Nikon D3 for the D700, and Nikon D4 for the Df). While being less expensive and lighter than these flagship cameras, in the case of the Df, as mentioned, has the same sensor as the Nikon D4 (and the D4 is currently on the market at around $5,000). There are a number of key differences between these two cameras. The first (and I think) the most important, is the difference in sensor quality and resolution.

The Nikon D700 has a 12 MP sensor, while the Nikon Df has a 16 MP sensor. There is a is a difference in pixel-level quality and high-ISO performance with the 12 or 16 MP sensors - perfectly suited for my my love for full frame ambient and low light handheld captures. Image processing capability also gets a boost with the EXPEED 3 processor installed in the Df as opposed to the EXPEED 2 processor installed in the D700. The EXPEED 3 is a sophisticated system that is designed to analyze and process images at faster speeds and precision.

I have handled the Nikon Df - must say the weight of the Df camera caught me off guard. The weight appeared similar to my first DSLR (D40). Although the Df has a smaller battery than the D700, it can shoot more images – up to 1400 compared to 1000 on the D700 on one full charge. The body build of the Nikon Df has top and bottom magnesium alloy plates, while the D700 has a full magnesium alloy body. If built with an entire magnesium body, it would have added to the weight of the Df camera - Speaking of weight, the Nikon Df it is about 300 grams lighter than the D700 (over 1/2 a pound). Current and retro F mount Nikkor glass fits the Df. I do need to mention something for novices, video capability is not part of the Df design. The Df is designed for photographers who want to concentrate solely on the art of photography.

This is what led me to be a still photographer - the ‘art’ of the craft. Personally, I want to thank Nikon engineers for this non-video design with the Df - as much a philosophical point as anything else. This is a camera for serious still photography - or 'pure photography' - not videos clips (both my D3100 and D5100 have that capability). One of the first shooting paces I will take the Nikon Df through is seeing its capability for ambient and low-light photography. I was able to capture quality images with the 12 MP sensor D700 handheld at 1/15 sec - intrigued to see if that capability will carry over to the Df with a 16 MP sensor. I can only imagine what it would be like attempting similar low-light captures with a Nikon D800 and its 36 MP sensor - would probably have bump ISO beyond 6400 - which pretty much eliminates a crisp quality image.

For me, I will now have a Nikon DSLR built like a real camera (call it vanity :-), with engraved and knurled solid metal dials, alloy top and bottom plates and capable of taking a real cable release. The design is masterful (in my humble opinion): solid metal dials as well as two electronic command dials like other Nikon DSLRs. Bravo! Stay tuned - I will be posting test and professional images captured with my new Nikon Df soon.

Finally, the Nikon Df sent arrived at my home Monday afternoon. Yet, herein lies the rub, I flew out on an engineering project in Atlanta at oh dark thirty Monday morning, and am not returning home for several days. FedEx did require a signature for delivery of the purchase. My university Junior class daughter who is home on spring break signed for the package, and it is on my desk in our home office. [our daughter decided to just chill at home this year instead of doing a spring break trip with classmates as she did her Freshman and Sophomore years - good kid, save me some $$].

So I will have to wait a bit until I get my hands on the new addition to my camera bag (will kinda be like Christmas again :-)

Greg

The Davenport Projex

gregdavenport.format.com/home

Df_1623 by Morihiro MATSUSHIRO

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DF-458 by Dinamo Fotografía

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Nikon Df by Aleksei Baranov

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Nikon Df

Df_1713 by Morihiro MATSUSHIRO