RWR Loc: La Mesa, CA

Back to my first comment, concerning the Df’s controls, I like it that you don't have to go into a menu to set the ISO, and there’s little chance of accidently changing the aperture once it’s set. I check the lighting before the game starts, and if it’s uneven I simply adjust the shutter speed accordingly with my right thumb when the action moves to a darker or lighter area, without even having to think about it. My attention is then on the game itself.
As for focus, I find the viewfinder as bright and clear as those of my Leicaflexes, which have been almost a part of me since 1968. I like live view for some extreme close-up work, and it would probably be useful for astrophotography as well, though I’ve not yet tried that.
All that being said, there’s no doubt that the Df is not a sports camera - there are other models and brands better suited - but I like its controls and certainly the sensor is capable of producing very respectable images in low light.

wingclui44 Loc: CT USA

We as Df users know that Df is not for sports shooting, and I don't shoot sport. I don't see any problem with my Df in low light condition, it all depends on how low the light is! No camera can focus in pitch dark condition. Why should I take picture with out light?

JoeJoe

Hi Wingclui
I'm not knocking the DF as its an amazing camera in the right area just not fast indoor sports... I love my DF and it always draws a little attention from people asking is it a film camera... My D600 is better suited and is used for roller derby indoors low light and that performs every time..... the DF controls are not designed for this quick reaction type photography but a more slower I'll get there type of approach. its low light is quite amazing at slower shutter speeds too..... To the original poster....If you have a D800 stick with that and look at your settings or technique.... you cant buy that in a camera

wingclui44 Loc: CT USA

Hi! JoeLoe, I started using DSLR with the D200 and with a taste with my daughter's D90, I like shooting manual, but the High ISO performance from both are terrible, times for me to up grade. When the Df was announced in late 2013 with those completely different lay out of controls which were like the old Nikon, no doubt this was for me. At that time, the D800 was in the market already but it's high pix sensor turned me off.
I don't see the Df slowing me down, because all the control setting can be set out side the camera including the aperture (I using aperture ring on all my lenses) before I turn the camera on. As I said I don't shoot sport, in fact shooting wild life seems no problem for me with the Df.

donnahde Loc: Newark, DE

I disagree about needing 1/1000 or faster to shoot sports. I shoot sports daily for yearbooks and although 1/1000 and much faster than that is ideal I get by just fine with 1/320 when I'm dealing with low light. I also regularly have to shoot at 6400 ISO because of waning natural light with poor or no stadium lights for soccer, football, field hockey, etc. Indoors it's basketball and volleyball where you're dealing with poor gym lighting.

I recently did experience the extremity blurring you mention when I had to drop down to 1/250 but it actually looked kinda cool.

I wouldn't recommend 6400 ISO for large prints but for online or small prints it gets the shot. I use two Nikon D7100's for that job along with my old D5100's and just purchased a D750 but will NOT be using that for yearbook photography. I'd have it worn out in a year at at least 200 assignments a year shooting with approx 1000 shutter actuations per job. Both of those models have been awesome for me. I use the 55-300 lens for outdoor sports and I use 35mm and 85mm 1.8 primes for indoor sports.

Have fun. Hope you find the perfect combo for your shooting pleasure.

Donna

PaulR01 Loc: West Texas

Donna the sports I shoot I shoot under contract. If I blow the shot because of camera settings its my rear and loss of contract. A 7100 has a native ISO of 6400 the D750 is almost double the native of the 7100. The Canon 5Diii I use has 4 times the native ISO of the 7100. And my 1DX that is in the shop with 300,000 actuations, is double the Native ISO of my 5Diii. No wonder you can't shoot under lights outdoors with a shutter speed above 300 shutter speed. I regularly blow up posters at 12,800 ISO. From high school to college to pro, the sports rule of thumb is never go below 1000 shutter speed. Elementary age and middle school you can get away from the 1000 but not much. You will always have a blurry basketball when dribbling under 1000. A good sports camera for Nikon is the D7200, D500 or a D4 or D5.

donnahde Loc: Newark, DE

"You will always have a blurry basketball when dribbling under 1000."

This statement is simply untrue based on my personal experience. But I will bow out of the conversation now.

Streets Loc: Euless, TX.

Do y'all realize how far off-topic this thread has become?

oldtigger Loc: Roanoke Virginia-USA

The nikon D5 will solve your ISO - noise related problem but you will lose a lot of your resolution.
Not a problem though as your eye will consider the D5 image as sharp.