Nikon Df Review

February 17, 2014 | Mark Goldstein | Rating star Rating star Rating star Rating star

Introduction

The Nikon Df is a retro-styled full-frame DSLR camera that's inspired by Nikon's iconic 35mm film cameras. The Nikon Df has the same 16.2-megapixel FX-format CMOS sensor and EXPEED 3 processor found in Nikon's professional flagship camera, the D4. Other highlights include elegant mechanical dials, a 39-point AF system, 3.2-inch 921k-dot LCD monitor, a sensitvity range of ISO 50-204,800, compatibility with non-Ai (pre-Ai) lenses, continuous shooting at 5.5fps, a self-cleaning sensor unit and a shutter tested to 150,000 releases, maximum shutter speed of 1/4,000th sec, flash synchronisation at up to 1/200th sec, 1,400 shot battery life, and a pentaprism finder with 0.7x magnification and 100% coverage. Available in black or silver, the Nikon Df costs £2749.99 / $2999.95 / €3350.00 including a special edition AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G lens. In the USA it's also available body only for $2749.95.

Ease of Use

From the front the Nikon Df is a striking camera, boasting a retro design that we think will appeal to old and new Nikon users alike, especially when the matching special edition silver-banded 50mm lens is fitted. Nikon have obviously spent a lot of time and attention on getting the aesthetics of the Df just right, and it's certainly paid off. Having said that, the Nikon Df looks like any other Nikon DSLR when viewed from the rear, although as you'll spend a lot of time with the viewfinder at eye-level, that doesn't really matter too much. More importantly, from a style point of view, the overall design suffers when you fit other Nikon lenses than the 50mm kit lens, as they invariably have a gold-banded design that instantly looks out of place on the Df.

The Nikon Df is the smallest and lightest 35mm full-frame DSLR camerain Nikon's current range, just pipping the D610. The overall body ergonomics and the weight distribution of the camera are very good, feeling perfectly balanced and very much like a natural extension of your hands, and we certainly appreciated the weight saving when using the camera for more than a couple of hours. The lower weight has mainly to do with the body material - the Nikon Df has a body shell whose rear, bottom and top plates are made of metal but the front plate is plastic. That doesn't make it any less sturdy - in fact, the Df boasts the exact same level of weatherproofing as the D800/E. One thing we aren't so keen on is the very shallow and quite short handgrip, which doesn't provide enough support for comfortable use if using the camera for an extended period of time. With no matching vertical grip available, we suggest that you definitely try the Df before you buy.

The Nikon Df has a two-position (AF-M) focus mode selector on the front with a small button at its hub.  With the selector switch in the 'AF' position, you can toggle between AF-S and AF-C modes by holding down this button and turning the rear control wheel. To cycle through the available AF Area modes - single and auto area in AF-S, single, 9-, 21- and 51-point dynamic, 3D tracking and auto area in AF-C - you need to use the front command dial instead. The settings are displayed in the viewfinder and the rear LCD screen. Unless you've set the AF Area mode to 'auto area,' you can change the active AF point via the eight-way controller.

Nikon Df Nikon Df
Front Rear

Also located on the front of the Nikon Df are a Bracketing button, flash sync terminal, a Preview button for previewing how the current shutter speed, aperture, and ISO sensitivity settings affect the exposure, and a customisable Function button (which by default switches between FX and DX modes). Finally there's the standard command dial, which rather strangely sits vertically flush with the front of the camera body, rather than horizontally, and is therefore more awkward to use than might be expected.

At the creative heart of the Nikon Df are five mechanical dials located on the camera's top-plate. Starting from the left when viewing the Df from the rear, we find the ISO Speed (L1-H4) and Exposure Compensation (+-3EV) dials, the latter sitting on top of the former. The Exposure Compensation dial has a lockable pin at its centre, whilst the ISO Speed dial has one located a few mms away at the 7 o'clock position. While its easy to operate the Exposure Compensation dial with one hand, we found it nigh on impossible to do the same with the ISO Speed dial, even when holding the camera at arm's length, which slows down operation somewhat. Also note that the ISO Speed dial only has settings for the H1 and H4 expanded values, so you can only assign two of the four fastest ISO speeds to this physical dial, and that you can onl;y set the ISO speed via the dial, not in the main menu system.

Despite the inclusion of the new ISO Speed dial, the Df still retains intelligent auto ISO control. With auto ISO enabled, you can have the camera determine the minimum shutter speed based on the focal length of the lens in use. This means that the camera may raise the ISO sensitivity if the shutter speed drops below 1/200 second when using a 200mm lens but leave it unchanged down to 1/50 second if a 50mm lens is attached (this can be fine-tuned by the user). The setting on the ISO Speed dial essentially acts as the minimum ISO speed.

Moving to the other side of the flash hotshoe, the Shutter Speed dial sits on top of the Release Mode switch. Once again, the Shutter Speed dial has a centrally located locking pin which is easy to operate with one hand. The dial has settings running from 1/4000th sec to 4 seconds, with extra B, T and X settings. There's also a 1/3 Step option if you want finer control via the main command dial. One obvious quirk to take note of is that the Shutter SPeed dial is completely redundant when you choose the Aperture-priority shooting mode.

Nikon Df Nikon Df
Front Top

Underneath the Shutter Speed dial is the Release Mode switch. The release mode options include Single-frame, Continuous Low, Continuous High (5.5 frames per second, which is 0.5fps slower than the D610), Quiet (delays mirror return until the user lets go of the shutter release), Quiet Continuous (3fps) mode, Self-timer, and Mirror lock-up. The last of these is really only useful if you purchase the optional MC-DC2 cable release - while you can use the shutter release button in Mirror lock-up mode, the very act of pressing it can cause more vibration than the mirror itself, defeating the point. Do note however that the Remote control mode also has a “Remote mirror up” option, which you can activate via the shooting menu if you have the ML-L3 infrared remote control but not the MC-DC2 cable release. If neither is to hand, the Nikon Df offers a user configurable Exposure Delay Mode, in which the mirror is raised when you press the shutter release, and the actual exposure takes place automatically with a one-, two- or three-second delay depending on what you've set in Custom Function d10.

Completing the Df's suite of mechanical controls is the pared-down mode dial, located on the right shoulder of the camera body when viewed from behind. The dial only offers 4 classic choices - P, S, A and M - with Auto or Scene modes of any kind, and no customisable U modes either (you have to dip into the Df's separate Shooting Menu Banks and Custom Settings Banks instead). The dial is locked in place by default - you have to physically pull it up and twist it to change between the shooting modes, which is a bit tricky with hands or gloves on, and especially while looking through the viewfinder.

The Nikon Df has quite a small shutter release button that's threaded in the middle to fit a traditional cable release. The shutter release is then surround by a dial for turning the camera on and off, again proving a little too small and fiddly to locate in the heat of the moment. Completing the Df's top plate is possibly the smallest monochrome LCD panmel that we've ever seen on a modern DSLR, complete with its own tiny button for turning the backlight on and off. Given its diminutive size, in practice we didn't really use the panel at all.

With 0.7x magnification (using a 50mm lens focussed at infinity), the Nikon Df's viewfinder image certainly isn't the biggest in the market - however, those stepping up from an APS-C model will still find it positively huge. The 100% frame coverage is a bonus, and a clear sign that Nikon has intended the Df to be a serious proposition to serious photographers. The camera only comes with a 39-point AF module - thankfully, the focus points aren't permanently marked on the focussing screen, so viewfinder clutter isn't a problem. The arrangement of the 39 focus points is identical to the D610, grouped even more tightly in the centre of the frame, offering less coverage for the off-centre areas.

Nikon Df Nikon Df
Side Side

On a related note the AF point indicators are smaller than on any other mid-range or top-end Nikon DSLR we can think of, with the exception for the D610, meaning the active focus point is quite hard to see, even if AF point illumination is turned on via Custom Function a5. With a lower limit of -1EV, the Nikon Df's AF system is less sensitive than that of the similarly priced D800, which remains operational down to -2EV - and in our experience this does make a difference when shooting in very low light. There are also fewer cross-hatched sensors (9 in the Df versus 15 in the D800), and they are all located in the very middle of the frame.

To the left of the rear screen, the Nikon Df has five buttons arranged in a vertical row. These include Menu, White Balance, Quality, Flash and Info, the middle three of which double as Help / Lock, Zoom-in (+), Zoom-out (-) buttons respectively when the camera is in Playback mode. Above these five buttons are the self-explanatory Playback and Delete buttons. Over to the right of the viewfinder are AE-L/AF-L and AF-ON buttons and a rear command dial, and below that a switch for selecting the metering mode.

At the heart of the Nikon Df's live view experience is a 3.2-inch LCD screen. This is the same 921,000-dot affair found on the Nikon D800/E and D610, which incorporates a gel resin between the cover glass and the screen itself to combat the fogging that may result from sudden changes of temperature, and also makes use of an ambient light sensor to allow for automatic adjustment of the screen's brightness, contrast, gamma and colour saturation. In use we have found the screen to have excellent viewing angles but only so-so visibility in direct sunlight.

As it doesn't offer video shooting, the Nikon Df just has a Live View button. As with other Live View enabled Nikon dSLRs, there is a red rectangle that you can position anywhere within the frame, so you can focus precisely on the part of your subject that you want to appear sharpest in the resulting photo. On the Nikon Df, Live View auto focus is actually pretty fast for a traditional dSLR camera, but that isn't to say it's fast in absolute terms - the latest generation of compact system cameras still run circles around it - but at least it doesn't feel sluggish. As far as manual focus is concerned, the Nikon Df has no focus peaking feature but you can at least magnify into the live view feed for accurate focusing. Another important thing to note is that you can change the lens' aperture setting while in Live View, just like the D800/E.

Nikon Df Nikon Df
Memory Card Slot Battery Compartment

Unlike every other Nikon digital SLR camera except the professional series (D1 through D4), the Nikon Df doesn't feature a pop-up flash. Instead the Df has a standard Nikon hot-shoe for external flashguns - but no Prontor-Compur flash sync terminal. The camera has come in for a lot of criticism for its X-sync speed of 1/200th second - on one hand it is indeed a step back from the 1/250th second sync speed of the D7100 and D800/E; on the other, it's exactly the same as that of the admittedly older Canon EOS 5D Mark III. In FP mode, most Nikon Speedlights can be used at any shutter speed up to the camera's top speed of 1/4000th of a second but that of course entails a loss of flash power and range.

The Nikon Df inherits a few interesting features from other full-frame Nikon DSLRs. The dual-axis virtual horizon of the D800/E has found its way to the Df, which is very good new for architectural and product photographers. Also worth mentioning is the fact that just like the D800/E, D7100 and other mid-range models, the Nikon Df can auto focus with pretty much any AF lens you can mount on it, including those that do not have a built-in Silent Wave Motor, and can provide matrix metering with any AI lens including those that do not feature a CPU. Also note that F-mount lenses dating back to the 1959-1977 period can be attached to the camera even if they have not been professionally AI converted.

On the left hand flank, if viewing the Nikon Df from the back, we find three commendably firm, hinged rubber doors that are well-behaved enough to stay open until you close them. Sheltered behind these doors are three connection ports, including a USB 2.0 port - no USB 3.0 on the Df, unlike the D800/E - a mini HDMI connector, and an accessory terminal for the optional MC-DC2 cable release and GP-1 GPS unit. The camera is also compatible with the WU-1b Wireless Mobile Adapter. Power is supplied by the EN-EL14a lithium-ion battery which has an impressive CIPA-approved life of 1,400 shots.

The Nikon Df only has a single SD memory card slot, and annoyingly it's housed in the same compartment as the battery on the base of the camera body. The shared compartment does at least have a nice lockable switch, and you can also open it when the Df is mounted on a tripod as the metal mount is positioned inline with the centre of the lens.

Image Quality

All of the sample images in this review were taken using the 16 megapixel Fine JPEG setting, which gives an average image size of around 7Mb.

Noise

The base sensitivity of the Nikon Df is ISO 100. The 'native' range extends to ISO 12,800, with boosted settings of ISO 25,600 (H1.0); ISO 51,200 (H2.0); ISO 102,400 (H3.0) and ISO 204,800 (H4.0) also available. Additionally, you can choose ISO 50 (L1.0) when there's plenty of light, and you don't want to stop down your lens beyond a certain point. Here are some 100% crops which show the noise levels for each ISO setting.

JPEG RAW

ISO 50 (100% Crop)

ISO 50 (100% Crop)

iso50.jpg iso50raw.jpg
   

ISO 100 (100% Crop)

ISO 100 (100% Crop)

iso100.jpg iso100raw.jpg
   

ISO 200 (100% Crop)

ISO 200 (100% Crop)

iso200.jpg iso200raw.jpg
   

ISO 400 (100% Crop)

ISO 400 (100% Crop)

iso400.jpg iso400raw.jpg
   

ISO 800 (100% Crop)

ISO 800 (100% Crop)

iso800.jpg iso800raw.jpg
   

ISO 1600 (100% Crop)

ISO 1600 (100% Crop)

iso1600.jpg iso1600raw.jpg
   

ISO 3200 (100% Crop)

ISO 3200 (100% Crop)

iso3200.jpg iso3200raw.jpg
   

ISO 6400 (100% Crop)

ISO 6400 (100% Crop)

iso6400.jpg iso6400raw.jpg
   

ISO 12800 (100% Crop)

ISO 12800 (100% Crop)

iso12800.jpg iso12800raw.jpg
   

ISO 25600 (100% Crop)

ISO 25600 (100% Crop)

iso25600.jpg iso25600raw.jpg
   

ISO 51200 (100% Crop)

ISO 51200 (100% Crop)

iso51200.jpg iso51200raw.jpg
   

ISO 102400 (100% Crop)

ISO 102400 (100% Crop)

iso102400.jpg iso102400raw.jpg
   

ISO 204800 (100% Crop)

ISO 204800 (100% Crop)

iso204800.jpg iso204800raw.jpg

Sharpening

The out-of-camera JPEGs appear a lot less sharp than images converted from raw, and often benefit from some sharpening in a program like Adobe Photoshop. Alternatively you can change the in-camera sharpening level to suit your tastes. Here are two pairs of 100% crops – the right-hand images have had some extra sharpening applied.

Original (100% Crop)

Sharpened (100% Crop)

sharpen1.jpg sharpen1a.jpg
   
sharpen2.jpg sharpen2a.jpg

File Quality

The file quality settings available on the Nikon Df are Fine, Normal and Basic for JPEGs, plus you can also store your photos in Nikon's proprietary raw format (NEF). NEFs can be either 12- or 14-bit. Don't expect to see much of a difference between these two unless you do lots of post-capture tweaking, in which case you may see a benefit to working with 14-bit originals. Here are some 100% crops which show the quality of the various options.

16M Fine (7.24Mb) (100% Crop) 16M Normal (4.83Mb) (100% Crop)
quality_fine.jpg quality_normal.jpg
   
16M Basic (2.71Mb)(100% Crop) 16M RAW (19.1Mb) (100% Crop)
quality_basic.jpg quality_raw.jpg
   
16M TIF (48.5Mb) (100% Crop)  
quality_raw.jpg  

Active D-lighting (ADL)

D-lighting is Nikon's dynamic range optimisation tool that attempts to squeeze the full dynamic range of the sensor into JPEGs. Active D-lighting works “on the fly”, before the in-camera processing engine converts the raw image data into JPEGs. The available settings are Off, Low, Normal, High, Extra High 1 and Extra High 2.

Off

Low

adl_01.jpg adl_02.jpg
   

Normal

High

adl_03.jpg adl_04.jpg
   

Extra High 1

Extra High 2

adl_05.jpg adl_06.jpg

HDR Capture

The Nikon Df has the ability to shoot two differently exposed images in rapid succession, which are then blended in-camera to form a single, high-dynamic-range image. Although Nikon recommends that you use a tripod for this, the extremely fast continuous shooting capability of the Nikon Df means that you can often get good results even when you don't have a tripod to hand. The exposure differential can be 1, 2 or 3EV (or automatic), and you can choose from three different levels of smoothing. Note that this feature is only available when shooting JPEGs.

Off

1EV

hdr_01.jpg hdr_02.jpg
   

2EV

3EV

hdr_03.jpg hdr_04.jpg

Picture Controls

Nikon's Picture Controls are akin to Canon's Picture Styles in being preset combinations of sharpening, contrast, brightness, saturation and hue. The Nikon Df offers all six Picture Controls that were present in the D4, namely Standard, Neutral, Vivid, Monochrome, Portrait and Landscape. All Picture Controls can be tweaked to your liking, then saved and transferred to other cameras.

Standard

Neutral

picture_controls_01.jpg picture_controls_02.jpg
   

Vivid

Monochrome

picture_controls_03.jpg picture_controls_04.jpg
   

Portrait

Landscape

picture_controls_05.jpg picture_controls_06.jpg

Vignette Control

Vignetting is a fact of life with FX cameras and their lenses, but it usually does not mean completely black corners. Nikon's Vignette Control feature seeks to reduce this corner shading. As in the D4, it has three levels, Low, Normal and High, and it can of course be turned off. As you can see in these examples taken with the AF-S 50mm f/1.8G lens at f/1.8, the feature really works.

Off

Low

vc_off.jpg vc_low.jpg
   

Normal

High

vc_normal.jpg vc_high.jpg

Night

The Nikon Df lets you dial in shutter speeds of up to 4 seconds and has Bulb and Time modes as well for exposure times of practically any length, which is very good news if you are seriously interested in night photography. There is an optional long-exposure noise reduction function that can be activated to filter out any hot pixels that may appear when extremely slow shutter speeds are used, though we found no need for this when taking the photograph below at a shutter speed of 30 seconds, aperture of f/16 at ISO 200. We've included a 100% crop for you to see what the quality is like.

Night

Night (100% Crop)

night1.jpg night1a.jpg

Sample Images

This is a selection of sample images from the Nikon Df camera, which were all taken using the 16 megapixel Fine JPEG setting. The thumbnails below link to the full-sized versions, which have not been altered in any way.

Sample RAW Images

The Nikon Df enables users to capture RAW and JPEG format files. We've provided some Nikon RAW (NEF) samples for you to download (thumbnail images shown below are not 100% representative).

Product Images

Nikon Df

Front of the Nikon Df

 
Nikon Df

Side of the Nikon Df

 
Nikon Df

Side of the Nikon Df

 
Nikon Df

Side of the Nikon Df

 
Nikon Df

Side of the Nikon Df

 
Nikon Df

Rear of the Nikon Df

 
Nikon Df

Rear of the Nikon Df / Image Displayed

 
Nikon Df

Rear of the Nikon Df / Shooting Menu

 
Nikon Df

Rear of the Nikon Df / Live View

 

Nikon Df

Rear of the Nikon Df / Info Screen

 
Nikon Df

Rear of the Nikon Df / Info Screen

 
Nikon Df

Top of the Nikon Df

 
Nikon Df

Bottom of the Nikon Df

 
Nikon Df

Side of the Nikon Df

 
Nikon Df

Side of the Nikon Df

 
Nikon Df

Side of the Nikon Df

 
Nikon Df
Front of the Nikon Df
 
Nikon Df
Front of the Nikon Df
 
Nikon Df
Memory Card Slot
 
Nikon Df
Battery Compartment

Conclusion

The Nikon Df is either a brave attempt to offer a simplified, back-to-basics photography tool, or a cynical attempt to cash-in on the current trend of retro-inspired products - only you can decide. Offering an undeniably lovely old-school design, a plethora of customisable controls, a small and lightweight body (for a full-frame DSLR) and the same superlative image quality as the flagship D4 camera, the Nikon Df nevertheless left us wanting more given its D800/E level price-tag. Not all of those manual controls are as well-though through as they should be, the retro aesthetic only really works when the matching 50mm kit lens is fitted, the handgrip is too small for comfortable extended use, some of the features have clearly been borrowed from the cheaper D610 camera, and we did obviously miss having video onboard and to a much lesser extent a pop-up flash.

That the Df is smaller and lighter than any other Nikon FX digital SLR camera is a real boon to anyone planning to use it for extended periods of time, though be prepared that it's still quite a handful if you're moving up from an APS-C camera. The Nikon D610's mirror is pleasingly quiet for a full-frame SLR camera and in normal use it produces only minimal viewfinder blackout. The 39-point auto focus system proved to be fast and generally accurate, although we did feel that the AF module's frame coverage could have been greater and also had some issues seeing the active focus point because of the unusually small size of the in-finder AF point indicators. We also had some issues with the Df's retro suite of control dials, with the ISO Speed and Shooting Mode dials proving difficult to operate with one hand and the Shutter Speed dial essentially redundant in the Aperture-priority shooting mode. Having recently reviewed the similar Fujifilm X-T1, the Nikon Df doesn't hit quite the same high mark in terms of its usability.

The Nikon Df is one of those cameras that you really must try before you buy, whether you're a long-time user of film Nikon DSLRs or a more modern SLR owner excited by the promise of a full-frame camera with a retro look and feel. For us, the DF's impeccable image quality and its compact size proved to be more appealing than the much-hyped but slightly flawed retro design, going some way (but not all) to justifying the rather eye-watering price-tag. Recommended then, but please take our advice and try the Nikon Df before you either dismiss it or buy it...

4 stars

Ratings (out of 5)
Design 4
Features 4
Ease-of-use 4
Image quality 5
Value for money 3.5

Main Rivals

Listed below are some of the rivals of the Nikon Df.

Canon EOS 5D Mark III

The long-awaited Canon EOS 5D Mark III DSLR has finally arrived, boasting improvements to virtually every aspect of its popular predecessor, the breakthrough 5D Mark II. It's cost has also increased significantly, so does the new 5D Mark III offer enough to justify the £2999 / $3499 asking price? Read our detailed Canon EOS 5D Mark III review to find out.

Canon EOS 6D

The Canon EOS 6D is a new full-frame DSLR with a much more affordable price-tag than the 5D Mark III and a few tricks up its sleeve that its bigger brother doesn't offer. At over £1000 / $1000 cheaper than the 5D Mark II, have Canon cut too many corners for the 6D to be a real contender? Read our in-depth Canon EOS 6D review to find out...

Fujifilm X-T1

The Fujifilm X-T1 is a brand new compact system camera that looks, feels and performs very much like a classic DSLR that''s been shrunk in the wash. Is this the best X-series camera that Fujifilm have released, and can it compete with the likes of the Sony A7/A7R and Olympus OM-D E-M1, not to mention DSLRs from Canon and Nikon? Read our in-depth Fujifilm X-T1 review to find out...

Nikon D610

The Nikon D610 is a new full-frame DSLR camera that updates last year's D600 with a new shutter mechanism, faster 6fps burst shooting and a new Quiet Release Burst mode, and an improved auto white balance system. The D610 retains the same 24.3 megapixel full-frame sensor, 1080p HD video, ISO range of 50-25600, a 39-point AF system, 3.2-inch LCD screen and a viewfinder with 100% coverage as its predecessor. Read our in-depth Nikon D610 review now...

Nikon D800

The Nikon D800 is one of the hottest DSLR cameras for 2012. Featuring a remarkable 36 megapixel full-frame sensor, the D800 also offers 1080p HD video, a 3.2-inch LCD screen and a viewfinder with 100% coverage. Read our in-depth Nikon D800 review to find out if it's worth the £2499.00 / $2,999.95 cost of admission.

Nikon D800E

The Nikon D800E is a 36 megapixel full-frame sensor DSLR with the anti-aliasing filter removed, which should result in higher resolution, sharper images compared to the regular D800. The D800E also offers 1080p HD video, a 3.2-inch LCD screen and a viewfinder with 100% coverage. Read our in-depth Nikon D800E review to find out if you should choose it instead of the D800.

Olympus E-PM1

The Olympus E-PM1 is one of the smallest, lightest and arguably sexiest compact system cameras currently on the market. Also known as the PEN Mini, the svelte EPM1 boasts the World's fastest autofocus system, a 3 inch LCD display, new 12.3 megapixel Live MOS sensor, full 1080i HD movie mode with stereo sound, and an extensive range of creative filters. Read our in-depth Olympus E-PM1 review to find out if it's the perfect upgrade from your run-of-the-mill compact.

Sony A7R

Big sensor in a small body - that's the USP of the new Sony A7R camera. Offering a 35mm full-frame sensor inside a relatively compact body that takes interchangeable lenses, the A7R is a truly unique and genuinely exciting proposition. Is the Sony A7R the ultimate fusion of DSLR technology and compact system camera size? Read our Sony A7R review to find out...

Sony A99

The Sony A99 is a new full-frame DSLR camera that seemingly offers virtually all of the latest cutting-edge technologies. The A99 is also the only full-frame camera that isn't made by the Big Two, Canon and Nikon, who both now have three full-frame models in their ranges. Can the A99 compete with the well-established competition? Read our in-depth Sony A99 review to find out...

Review Roundup

Reviews of the Nikon Df from around the web.

dpreview.com »

The Nikon Df is, at first appearance, the camera that many people have been asking for, for years - a classically styled DSLR with traditional external controls. But, for all Nikon's talk of a return to 'Pure Photography,' an awful lot of what's under the Df's confidently retro skin is pretty familiar. The Df is built around the 16MP full frame sensor from the company's flagship D4 with the processor and AF system borrowed from the comparatively affordable D610.
Read the full review »

amateurphotographer.co.uk »

One of the most common complaints I hear about DSLRs comes from enthusiast photographers who want a camera that operates in the same way that their old film SLR did. This is usually followed with a plea for a DSLR that doesn't shoot video. And it is exactly this photographer at which Nikon has targeted the Nikon Df.
Read the full review »

pocket-lint.com »

Looking back to move forward - that’s what the Nikon Df is all about. This retro style DSLR marries the classic Nikon SLR style of years gone by with much of the Japanese company’s modern tech. It’s the only Nikon DSLR capable of supporting current F-mount and older non-AI lenses thanks to a collapsible coupling lever in the design. So if you’ve got old lenses it could be the perfect partner.
Read the full review »

cameralabs.com »

The Nikon Df is a retro-styled DSLR which pays homage to Nikon's iconic film SLRs of the Seventies. Announced in November 2013, it takes the 16.2 Megapixel full-frame sensor of the flagship D4 and houses it in an unashamedly old-fashioned body with physical dials for the shooting mode, release mode, shutter speed, ISO and exposure compensation.
Read the full review »

ephotozine.com »

The new Nikon Df is a 16.2 megapixel full-frame Digital SLR that is said to be a fusion of old Nikon qualities with the latest digital technology from the other Nikon D range digital SLRs. It is available with a special edition of the AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G lens which has the same optical performance as the standard 50mm f/1.8G lens. The Df is available in black or silver, priced at £2749.99 with 50mm f/1.8G and only available as a kit with no plans for body only in the UK, although this may vary depending on country.
Read the full review »

stevehuffphoto.com »

The Nikon Df is a new kind of DSLR for Nikon, but it is indeed still a normal DSLR with a new/old fancy design. While it performs much like a D800 or D610 or D4 it is the style and design that separates it from the crowd. In the past 2-3 weeks that I have been shooting the Df I have had no less than 5 compliments and inquiries on it. People see it and are immediately struck by the beauty of the camera. It looks retro yet modern though two people thought this was film camera. So that right there tells me that Nikon designed it just as they intended.
Read the full review »

neocamera.com »

The Nikon Df is their first retro-styled digital camera. The Nikon Df brings a highly mechanical interface into the digital era. This full-frame DSLR is certainly a hybrid though with dual control-dials, plus dedicated dials for EC, ISO, Shutter-Speed and Exposure modes.
Read the full review »

Specifications

Type Single-lens reflex digital camera
Lens mount Nikon F mount (with AF coupling and AF contacts)
Effective angle of view Nikon FX format
Effective pixels 16.2 million
Image sensor 36.0 x 23.9 mm CMOS sensor
Total pixels 16.6 million
Dust-reduction System Image sensor cleaning, Image Dust Off reference data (optional Capture NX 2 software required)
Image size (pixels) FX (36 x 24) image area: 4928 x 3280 (L), 3696 x 2456 (M), 2464 x 1640 (S). DX (24 x 16) image area: 3200 x 2128 (L), 2400 x 1592 (M), 1600 x 1064 (S)
Storage - File format NEF (RAW): 12 or 14 bit, lossless compressed, compressed, or uncompressed. TIFF (RGB). JPEG: JPEG-Baseline compliant with fine (approx. 1 : 4), normal (approx. 1 : 8), or basic (approx. 1 : 16) compression (Size priority); Optimal quality compression available. NEF (RAW)+JPEG: Single photograph recorded in both NEF (RAW) and JPEG formats
Picture Control System Standard, Neutral, Vivid, Monochrome, Portrait, Landscape; selected Picture Control can be modified; storage for custom Picture Controls
Media SD (Secure Digital) and UHS-I compliant SDHC and SDXC memory cards
File system DCF (Design Rule for Camera File System) 2.0, DPOF (Digital Print Order Format), Exif (Exchangeable Image File Format for Digital Still Cameras) 2.3, PictBridge
Viewfinder Eye-level pentaprism single-lens reflex viewfinder
Frame coverage FX (36 x 24): Approx. 100% horizontal and 100% vertical. DX (24 x 16): Approx. 97% horizontal and 97% vertical
Magnification Approx. 0.7 x (50 mm f/1.4 lens at infinity, -1.0 m-1)
Eyepoint 15 mm (-1.0 m-1; from center surface of viewfinder eyepiece lens)
Diopter adjustment -3 - +1 m-1
Focusing screen Type B BriteView Clear Matte Mark VIII screen with AF area brackets (framing grid can be displayed)
Reflex mirror Quick return
Depth-of-field preview Pressing Pv button stops lens aperture down to value selected by user (exposure modes A and M) or by camera (exposure modes P and S)
Lens aperture Instant return, electronically controlled
Compatible lenses Compatible with AF NIKKOR lenses, including type G, E, and D lenses (some restrictions apply to PC lenses) and DX lenses (using DX 24 x 16 1.5x image area), AI-P NIKKOR lenses, and non-CPU lenses. IX NIKKOR lenses and lenses for the F3AF can not be used. The electronic rangefinder can be used with lenses that have a maximum aperture of f/8 or faster (the electronic rangefinder supports the center 7 focus points with lenses that have a maximum aperture of f/8 or faster and the center 33 focus points with lenses that have a maximum aperture of f/7.1 or faster).
Shutter type Electronically-controlled vertical-travel focal-plane shutter
Shutter speed 1/4000 - 4 s in steps of 1 EV (1/4000 - 30 s in steps of 1/3 EV with main command dial), X200 (with shutter-speed dial only), bulb, time
Flash sync speed X=1/200 s; synchronizes with shutter at 1/250s or slower
Release modes Single frame, continuous low speed, continuous high speed, quiet shutter-release, self-timer, mirror up
Frame advance rate 1 - 5 fps (continuous low speed) or 5.5 fps (continuous high speed)
Self-timer 2 s, 5 s, 10 s, 20 s; 1 - 9 exposures at intervals of 0.5, 1, 2, or 3 s
Exposure Metering TTL exposure metering using 2016-pixel RGB sensor
Metering method Matrix: 3D color matrix metering II (type G, E, and D lenses); color matrix metering II (other CPU lenses); color matrix metering available with non-CPU lenses if user provides lens data. Center-weighted: Weight of 75% given to 12 mm circle in center of frame. Diameter of circle can be changed to 8, 15, or 20 mm, or weighting can be based on average of entire frame (non-CPU lenses use 12-mm circle). Spot: Meters 4 mm circle (about 1.5% of frame) centered on selected focus point (on center focus point when non-CPU lens is used)
Range (ISO 100, f/1.4 lens, 20 °C/68 °F) Matrix or center-weighted metering: 0 - 20 EV. Spot metering: 2 - 20 EV
Exposure meter coupling Combined CPU and AI (collapsible metering coupling lever)
Mode Programmed auto with flexible program (P); shutter-priority auto (S); aperture-priority auto (A); manual (M)
Exposure compensation -3 - +3EV in increments of 1/3 EV
Exposure bracketing 2 - 5 frames in steps of 1/3, 2/3, 1, 2, or 3 EV
Flash bracketing 2 - 5 frames in steps of 1/3, 2/3, 1, 2, or 3 EV
White balance bracketing 2 - 3 frames in steps of 1, 2, or 3
ADL bracketing 2 frames using selected value for one frame or 3 - 5 frames using preset values for all frames
Exposure lock Luminosity locked at detected value with AE-L/AF-L button
ISO sensitivity (Recommended Exposure Index) ISO 100 - 12800 in steps of 1/3 EV. Can also be set to approx. 0.3, 0.7, or 1 EV (ISO 50 equivalent) below ISO 100 or to approx. 0.3, 0.7, 1, 2, 3, or 4 EV (ISO 204800 equivalent) above ISO 12800; auto ISO sensitivity control available
Active D-Lighting Can be selected from Auto, Extra high +2/+1, High, Normal, Low, or Off
Autofocus Nikon Multi-CAM 4800 autofocus sensor module with TTL phase detection, fine-tuning, and 39 focus points (including 9 cross-type sensors; the center 33 points are available at apertures slower than f/5.6 and faster than f/8, while the center 7 focus points are available at f/8)
Detection range -1 - +19 EV (ISO 100, 20 °C/68 °F)
Lens servo Autofocus (AF): Single-servo AF (AF-S); continuous-servo AF (AF-C); predictive focus tracking activated automatically according to subject status. Manual focus (M): Electronic rangefinder can be used
Focus point Can be selected from 39 or 11 focus points
AF-area mode Single-point AF; 9-, 21-, or 39-point dynamic-area AF, 3D-tracking, auto-area AF
Focus lock Focus can be locked by pressing shutter-release button halfway (single-servo AF) or by pressing AE-L/AF-L button
Flash control TTL: i-TTL flash control using 2016-pixel RGB sensor is available with SB-910, SB-900, SB-800, SB-700, SB-600, SB-400, or SB-300; i-TTL balanced fill-flash for digital SLR is used with matrix and center-weighted metering, standard i-TTL flash for digital SLR with spot metering
Flash mode Front-curtain sync, slow sync, rear-curtain sync, red-eye reduction, red-eye reduction with slow sync, slow rear-curtain sync, Auto FP High-Speed Sync supported
Flash compensation -3 - +1 EV in increments of 1/3 or 1/2 EV
Flash-ready indicator Lights when optional flash unit is fully charged; flashes after flash is fired at full output
Accessory shoe ISO 518 hot-shoe with sync and data contacts and safety lock
Nikon Creative Lighting System (CLS) Advanced Wireless Lighting supported with SB-910, SB-900, SB-800, or SB-700 as a master flash and SB-600 or SB-R200 as remotes, or SU-800 as commander; Auto FP High-Speed Sync and modeling illumination supported with all CLS-compatible flash units except SB-400 and SB-300; Flash Color Information Communication and FV lock supported with all CLS-compatible flash units
Sync terminal ISO 519 sync terminal with locking thread
White balance Auto (2 types), incandescent, fluorescent (7 types), direct sunlight, flash, cloudy, shade, preset manual (up to 4 values can be stored, spot white balance measurement available during live view), choose color temperature (2500 K - 10000 K), all with fine-tuning
Live view - Lens servo Autofocus (AF): Single-servo AF (AF-S); full-time servo AF (AF-F). Manual focus (M)
Live view - AF-area mode Face-priority AF, wide-area AF, normal-area AF, subject-tracking AF
Live view - Autofocus Contrast-detect AF anywhere in frame (camera selects focus point automatically when face-priority AF or subject-tracking AF is selected)
Monitor 8-cm/3.2-in., approx. 921k-dot (VGA), low-temperature polysilicon TFT LCD with approx. 170°; viewing angle, approx. 100% frame coverage, and brightness control
Playback Full-frame and thumbnail (4, 9, or 72 images or calendar) playback with playback zoom, photo slide shows, histogram display, highlights, photo information, location data display, and auto image rotation
USB Hi-Speed USB
HDMI output Type C mini-pin HDMI connector
Accessory terminal Wireless remote controllers: WR-R10 and WR-1 (available separately). Remote cord: MC-DC2 (available separately). GPS unit: GP-1/GP-1A (available separately)
Supported languages Arabic, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hindi, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese (Portugal and Brazil), Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian
Battery One rechargeable Li-ion EN-EL14a battery
AC adapter EH-5b AC adapter; requires EP-5A power connector (available separately)
Tripod socket 1/4 in. (ISO 1222)
Dimensions (W x H x D) Approx. 143.5 x 110 x 66.5 mm (5.6 x 4.3 x 2.6 in.)
Weight Approx. 765 g (1 lb 11 oz) with battery and memory card but without body cap; approx. 710 g (1 lb 9 oz; camera body only)
Operating environment - Temperature 0 °C - 40 °C (+32 °F - 104 °F)
Operating environment - Humidity 85% or less (no condensation)
Supplied accessories BS-1 accessory shoe cover, BF-1B body cap, EN-EL14a rechargeable Li-ion battery, MH-24 battery charger, DK-26 eyepiece cap, AN-DC9 strap, UC-E6 USB cable, String for eyepiece cap, ViewNX 2 CD

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