Nikon Df: Aimlessly wandering around Nikon's today site I settled on the Df page. Just wondering what the attraction of this camera is. It's an analog DSL as far as I can tell and am...

bobforman Loc: Anacortes, Washington State

Aimlessly wandering around Nikon's today site I settled on the Df page. Just wondering what the attraction of this camera is. It's an analog DSL as far as I can tell and am scratching my head as to why it's made? Nostalgia? Or is there a real purpose for it? Asking for a friend.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

bobforman wrote:

Aimlessly wandering around Nikon's today site I settled on the Df page. Just wondering what the attraction of this camera is. It's an analog DSL as far as I can tell and am scratching my head as to why it's made? Nostalgia? Or is there a real purpose for it? Asking for a friend.

Its a good camera but I think it is (was) a niche product intended to appeal to those yearning for the look and feel of a pro level film SLR camera.

yssirk123 Loc: New Jersey

The full frame lower megapixel Nikon DSLR's like the Df were very good low light performers, and the image files SOOC were gorgeous. I still use a 12MP Nikon D3S for portraits.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

mwsilvers wrote:

Its a good camera but I think it is (was) a niche product intended to appeal to those yearning for the look and feel of a pro level film SLR camera.

cameraf4 Loc: Delaware

I bought mine, I confess, because it looked very much like the very first camera I ever owned (Nikon FM). I keep and use it because the images are beautiful, the camera is, compared to my other Nikons, smaller and lighter, and it can be set-up to function as a fully Auto DSLR or a completely manual one or anything in between. Plus, it is kinda cool all the comments I get from strangers who think I am still shooting film.

Kmgw9v Loc: Miami, Florida

cameraf4 wrote:

I bought mine, I confess, because it looked very much like the very first camera I ever owned (Nikon FM). I keep and use it because the images are beautiful, the camera is, compared to my other Nikons, smaller and lighter, and it can be set-up to function as a fully Auto DSLR or a completely manual one or anything in between. Plus, it is kinda cool all the comments I get from strangers who think I am still shooting film.

You have articulated my experience with the Df exactly, except that my first Nikon was an F2.
The Df is a special camera.

LWW Loc: Banana Republic of America

bobforman wrote:

Aimlessly wandering around Nikon's today site I settled on the Df page. Just wondering what the attraction of this camera is. It's an analog DSL as far as I can tell and am scratching my head as to why it's made? Nostalgia? Or is there a real purpose for it? Asking for a friend.

A knob or switch is far superior to searching a bazillion menus and missing a shot.

In a 63 year old who has always been an early adopter of technology, but new tech is often a sales ploy and not a better tech.

A good example is car radios are inching backwards on controls after decades of an abundance of mini and unused buttons.

There is nothing as elegant, forgetting newer electronics, as a two knob radio.

The same can be said of the original NIKON F and this was designed to be a digital take on that.

LWW Loc: Banana Republic of America

Kmgw9v wrote:

You have articulated my experience with the Df exactly, except that my first Nikon was an F2.
The Df is a special camera.

Young'un.

My first NIKON was an F with a prism finder and Kreskin exposure.

Quixdraw Loc: x

I bought the DF because it was a pleasantly similar to my various Nikon F film cameras, but more importantly, it would let me use all of my large collection of old Nikon lenses. It is the most expensive digital camera I have purchased, and the only one bought new. Though its 16.2 MP have been surpassed by each of my other Nikon digital cameras, it is still my favorite "walk around" camera. I use the others for close ups, wildlife, and other specialized tasks. Though not provable, the DF seems to me to be superior for landscapes and to render color and contrast in particularly attractive ways. I have never regretted the purchase.

Kmgw9v Loc: Miami, Florida

quixdraw wrote:

I bought the DF because it was a pleasantly simila... (show quote)

I have other full frame bodies, but my walk around camera is the Df with a 35mm 1.4 attached.

Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.

bobforman wrote:

Aimlessly wandering around Nikon's today site I settled on the Df page. Just wondering what the attraction of this camera is. It's an analog DSL as far as I can tell and am scratching my head as to why it's made? Nostalgia? Or is there a real purpose for it? Asking for a friend.

I was drawn to the Df because of it’s look, but after using it I fell in love with it. It is smaller and lighter than other full frame DSLRs, That it doesn’t offer video or pop-up flash is not a problem for me because I don’t video and rarely used the pop-up flash anyway. It will accept just about all Nikon F mount lenses including pre-AI. It has very good low light/high ISO capabilities. It has very good color rendition and dynamic range. It doesn’t have all the bells and whistles that newer cameras have, but it’s a wonderful camera for taking pictures.

BebuLamar

It's certainly a niche camera and I love it. Why it's made? Nikon figured they can make money with it. Not a lot of people would buy it but those who do are willing to pay the price and thus they made a profit although not a lot but I heard more than what they expected. Nikon has been selling it for the exact same price since they introduced it in November 2013.

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

bobforman wrote:

Aimlessly wandering around Nikon's today site I settled on the Df page. Just wondering what the attraction of this camera is. It's an analog DSL as far as I can tell and am scratching my head as to why it's made? Nostalgia? Or is there a real purpose for it? Asking for a friend.

It is made because some people are still willing to purchase it.
As long as they can make money, Nikon will not look a gift horse in the mouth.

FiddleMaker Loc: Merrimac, MA

Kmgw9v wrote:

You have articulated my experience with the Df exactly, except that my first Nikon was an F2.
The Df is a special camera.

My first was a Nikon FTN black body purchased in 1970 at Altman Camera in Chicago. Like an idiot I gave it to the Ritz Camera shop manager when I bought my D7000 back in 2011. Also he got a 55mm macro and 105mm prime. What a jerk I was for giving this stuff away. Bought all this stuff back in the early 70s when I had a darkroom. I still have all my darkroom gear which has been idle for a good many years.

Robert1 Loc: Davie, FL

The moment I saw it I knew I got to have it, and have it I did.

It was make for photographers, for those that were yearning for a camera like the first one they had, back in the days of film, before auto focus for it's simplicity, low light capabilities, colors rendition. It's aesthetics that you have to have been there back then to truly appreciate and understand why it was made.

This is my walk around & portrait camera. Love it. It's a shame Nikon did not came up with a new version.