What do I need to know now that I bought a Nikon Df

Good camera. I seriously considered one when I bought my D810 last summer but couldn't afford it.

Charge your battery and enjoy the heck out of it.

What glass do you have? I'd grab my Nikkor 50/1.4 AI'd and go walkabout to get to know it.

My serious everyday FX walkabout lens on my D810 though is my AF Zoom-Nikkor 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5D IF. Stupid cheap on Eprey (got mine for $50 ;) ) but really good optical quality, it's the first zoom I've ever really liked.
 
wlewisiii said:
Good camera. I seriously considered one when I bought my D810 last summer but couldn't afford it.

Charge your battery and enjoy the heck out of it.

What glass do you have? I'd grab my Nikkor 50/1.4 AI'd and go walkabout to get to know it.

My serious everyday FX walkabout lens on my D810 though is my AF Zoom-Nikkor 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5D IF. Stupid cheap on Eprey (got mine for $50 ;) ) but really good optical quality, it's the first zoom I've ever really liked.
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Dear wlewisiii,

I have a Nikon 24mm f2.8 AIs, a 28mm f3.5 S, a 35mm f 2.8 S, a ton of 50's, plus a 135mm f2.8 S, a 200mm f4 S, and a 300mm f 4.5 S. Plus a lot of AF Nikkors that will work with it.

I have the lenses covered for my needs. Are they the best, no, but they cover my needs.

Regards,

Tim Murphy

Harrisburg PA :)
 
DSLRs are pretty straightforward. I don't know what complications you might face with a DF that you wouldn't with any other DSLR. Get a spare battery and an SD card, bolt on a lens go have fun. Be sure to share the pics with us!
 
I've thought of one myself occasionally because apparently they have the same sensor as the D4 and I think the sensor in my D4 is my favourite ever of any digital camera I have owned. The thought of that sensor in a more svelte body is very appealing ... I'm sure you'll love it! :)
 
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You have to remember that is actually works with Autofocus lenses, AF, AF-D, and AF-S- but not those made for the F3AF.
It is just not for manual lenses.
You can use Nikon Rangefinder lenses made for the Reflex Housing with an N->F tube. I use the 25cm F4.
You can use a Deckel Adapter to use lenses from the Kodak Retina S series cameras on it.

I bought my Df the first day it was available in the local camera shop, 10 years ago this month. Great camera, has withstood the test of time.
 
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Sonnar Brian said:
You have to remember that is actually works with Autofocus lenses, AF, AF-D, and AF-S- but not those made for the F3AF.
It is just not for manual lenses.
You can use Nikon Rangefinder lenses made for the Reflex Housing with an N->F tube. I use the 25cm F4.
You can use a Deckel Adapter to use lenses form the Kodak Retina S series cameras on it.

I bought my Df the first day it was available in the local camera shop, 10 years ago this month. Great camera, has withstood the test of time.
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Yup, that's why I mentioned that AF 28-105 zoom. I love it on my D810 & I imagine it would be a gem on a Df as well.
 
Buy a couple of older 4x Sandisk or PNY SD cards for it, use them when shooting at High ISO. I found this to be true with the Leica M9 and M Monochrom. I tested on the Df, and there was less Band noise at very high ISO. I did this first time using the camera at the Skating Rink, shooting under the Disco lights.
 
The Df is a great camera. As Keith mentioned, it has the D4 sensor, which is a gem. Have had one since 2016 and enjoy using it with all my old Ai'D Nikkor glass.

Only two bugaboos that I know of. First, check your diopter setting every time you pull it from a camera bag. The adjuster is not recessed and can easily get knocked out of the setting you want it at. And second, you need to program into the camera the focal length and f-stop of the manual focus lenses you want to use with it, and remember to set the camera to the lens you are using.

Otherwise, just a fun camera to shoot with, and so cool to be able to use sixty year old lenses that were designed for the original Nikon F on a "modern day" digital SLR camera.

Best,
-Tim
 
When I bought the Z5 this last December- from the same saleswoman that I bought the Df from 10 years ago, she told me Df owners tend to hold onto them much more than others.
 
A fine camera - mine has never let me down, and always pleases me with its ease of use and optical viewfinder. I use mine with a bunch of AF-D lenses, which are of great quality, and cheap, because they won't work on the newer Z cameras.
I have a newly acquired Zf, and it is a lovely camera, too...but I still have the Df and don't have plans to sell it as it works so much better with manual focus nikkors and the aforementioned AF-D lenses.
 
I've had mine for nearly 10 years now and have no plans to ever sell it. It makes nice images and works with most Nikkors except for my rangefinder lenses. It makes a great travel camera with just a couple of primes or a small zoom.

My only gripe is that I wish Nikon had made it look like my favourite film camera, the F2 rather than the FM which is what I think they modelled it on.

Looking at the 2nd hand market they seem to hold their value well.
 
I owned one. Super loved it. One small correction: It does not accept Z lenses. The reason I sold it was because it has no AF Illuminator and this meant poor AF in low light. Enjoy the rig.
 
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