Product Listing

Nikon Df Review - Df for Digital conFusion

By Alvin Soon - 14 Jan 2014
Launch SRP:

Conclusion

Conclusion

The Nikon Df can be described as a camera with a D4 sensor inside a retro body with the lacklustre AF system from the entry-level full-frame D610. The D4 sensor is stellar and is the only reason I would recommend the camera for, since you’re basically getting flagship image quality for less than half price. But if you’re looking at the Df for its retro controls, then I’m going to ask you to slow down, because the retro controls are clunky and slow you down instead of make you better.

The entry-level AF system has the AF points all bunched together in the middle. In my experience, you’ll find yourself compromising composition at times just to line up the subject inside the AF area. That might be okay for an entry-level full-frame camera, but it’s not okay for a camera that’s about “pure photography” and halfway in price between the D610 and D800.

Perhaps Nikon thinks that pure photography means purely manual focusing. Well, back in the film days we had focusing aids to help us with that, but the Df doesn’t come with any. And it turns out that the focusing screen cannot be replaced, so even though the Df can mount older non-AI lenses you’ll need to basically wing it for manual focus or use Live View and magnify the view to check focus.

In the end, there are just too many compromises you’ll be paying for the D4 sensor and the retro vibe. I don’t see it, and if you’ve already had your emotional reaction to the Df, you may think me a fool for it. This is a camera that people seem to just hate or love.

For what it’s worth, my first ‘serious’ camera was a Nikon FM10, when I was still a student in the 90s. I’m no stranger to manual controls so the Df doesn’t fail for me because of a fondness for digital controls. It’s because it fails to make ‘retro’ controls work in a way that, well, works. Instead, it just feels like an idea of retro made for retro’s sake.

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7.0
  • Performance 9
  • Design 6
  • Features 6
  • User-Friendliness 6
  • Value 7
The Good
Lightest FX body in Nikon's stable
High battery life
Stellar image quality
High ISO low noise images
The Bad
Retro controls are clunky
Digital 'fusion' is inconsistent
Front dial is stiff and hard to use
AF points are bunched in the center
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