Nikon Df IN STOCK now!

November 30, 2013 Nikon 51

81NKSTwBvGL._SL1500_The Nikon DF is IN STOCK (black) and ready to ship with the 50mm Special Edition lens! Be king of the night with this one..

You can order at Amazon HERE or B&H Photo HERE

I will have one on Monday and will take a look at the black AND silver versions. Look for a 1st look video next week! 

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51 Comments

  1. My DF arrived today in Black from Amazon, and it goes back to them tomorrow. To be blunt the camera just feels cheap in the hand, way too much plastic feeling for a $3,000 camera. Just as a side note I also picked up the Panasonic GX7 and for such a small camera the quality just felt so much better. The Nikon almost felt like a toy. I am sure the images would have been fantastic out of the Nikon, but the quality just didn’t make me believe it would hold up well as a travel companion.

    • Funny – I received mine today as well and I agree that it feels somewhat cheap. I think the reason for this is because it is so light..much lighter than I thought it would be. It is NOT plastic but they did a good job of keeping it light, which for me is fantastic. Its heavier than the GX7, lighter than my M 240 and my E-M1 feels better in my hand. IQ wise, looks just like the D4 did to me. I may return mine as well, not sure yet but when you return to Amazon, wethere you shot it or not, it goes up for sale by them at a discount under the used section. The Af is faster than the A7, the shutter is quieter, the IQ with the kit zoom is decent but that lens is soft at 1.8. Doesnt sharpen up until 2.2.

      $3k is a lot of cash but so is $2300, $7000, $4500, $3500 – all prices of modern day full frame cameras. I was happy with the weight and size, which is smaller than I though but I did think it was going to be a bit more “tough”…the buttons and dials do not inspire confidence..

      • The feel of a metal camera has a certain temperature when you hold it in your hand vs a plastic material. I am not 100% sure this is an all metal housing. I just did not see me taking this with me on a trip with several lenses as compared to the GX7 or EM1.

        Even if the price was $1,000 less I doubt I would make the purchase again. It will be interesting to see how this plays out for Nikon. Look at the V1 such a nice design, with a much better fit and finish. I would have expected the same for the DF.

      • Steve your reply above says that you may return the DF however on Amazon today there is a review that seems relatively positive about the DF, has there been a change in 1 day did the feel of the camera grow on you? Or do you still have your doubts?

    • “…the quality just didn’t make me believe it would hold up well as a travel companion.”

      Unless you’re planning a trip to Damascus, I wouldn’t worry too much about the camera feeling “cheap”, because it isn’t.

      Lighter weight in this situation means nothing. Most Nikon and Canon cameras in this range use reinforced polycarbonate outer shells coupled with something called thixotropic moulded magnesium alloy. Those are typically the strongest camera bodies currently produced.

      In other words, if you go traveling with it it isn’t going to up and disintegrate in your hands.

      As to knobs and dials, Leica aside, they’ve been plastic for going on 30+ years now. Not much has changed on that score.

      Touch & feel can be a very tricky (and subjective) thing. What may feel cheap to one person feels like quality to another … and vice versa.

      That being said, if something doesn’t feel right to you, you probably won’t feel comfortable, or inspired, shooting with it.

  2. Handled one of these today in store and the a7 late last week. Obviously very different. The a7 too small for my liking with a sore thumb knuckle after a few minutes, though obviously small and light. The Df felt better in the hand and although big not heavy.

    Verdict – one’s too small ergonomically imo and the other is closer (Df) though could be cut down a bit more. Controls on both seems fine and the speed dial on the Df is akin to older manual camera. Aperture dial DSLR like as you’d expect (same as a7). Manual focus on a7 with native Zeiss lenses is not as fast or smooth as Df and 1.8 kit lens manual focus. That said though with a nice M mount lens on a7, I’m sure it be pretty smooth!

    View finder on Df in my opinion bigger and brighter, though won’t get you that live view adjustment like a7. Really a personal preference.

    AF zone selection on Df seemed quicker and a bit more intuitive due to ergonomics than a7. I have no doubt both will “miss” at certain times.

    As for image quality no idea…but that’s not my first concern anyway and given both have FF top quality sensors in them expect them to be pretty close really.

    Neither feel as balanced as a Leica RF, though that is me being biased I use one now. Hope this helps if you are thinking about either.

    • For what it’s worth, a few thoughts about the DF:
      • My gut reaction to the size of the camera was that it just felt…odd. Definitely some cognitive dissonance going on, since it looks but doesn’t feel familiar.
      • Although it’s similar in size to the D600/610, it plays completely differently in the hand…the 600 feels like a bowling ball after handling the DF. The DF is also substantially lighter.
      • They got the shutter right – quiet & satisfying.
      • I didn’t mind the shutter placement at all – it felt very natural for my average-sized hands.
      • The 50mm limited edition lens is quiet and fast – a pretty good value for the $250 difference in cost between the body alone and the kit.
      • Image quality is great – I haven’t A/B’d raw files with D4 files, but since it’s the same sensor, I’m sure results will be comparable.
      • After shooting with it for about an hour, I didn’t want to go back to a D6XX. It just felt more like a camera…

  3. All you guys trading, selling, buying new cameras every few weeks… makes me doubt you really are photographers or photo enthusiasts! Are you getting paid for this? The person buying the Df and contemplating selling his Fuji? We don’t need bigger sensors, we need better build cameras with better ergonomics. Smaller lenses! And then we need to take photos and develop a style. For casual shooting just about anything will do! I was waiting for the Sony A7 to see how it will perform with Leitz wide angles and it seems it is not up to par. I have the NEX 7 and it takes nice, sharp pictures with my 35 and 24 Leitz glasses, but they become 35 and 50 and the ergonomics of the camera could be improved. So I am waiting and paying seven grand for a Leica… forget it! And yes… they don’t make them anymore like they used to. I still shoot with an M4 from the 60s and a F2A from the seventies! Modern digital cameras are disposable f….n toys, my NEX 7 included! Come to think about it… I should get an M9… for $2,000.00 – Happy shooting!

    • Spare as the lecture. This camera looks promising as an upgrade to my D7000. I like primes and the idea of the D4 full frame sensor as well. Then real dials like on my old and broken FG20 and FE2, s

      I have the X100S and the XE1 and they are not up for sale . Yes I use 3 cameras .

    • i’ve been doing photography for 30 years now, began in 1983, WAY before digital. I have also been buying and selling cameras professionally for 25 years. Would you like to buy my D800? 😀

  4. I hope the Df proves to be a strong seller. Nikon’s stock is down 20% for the year on the Nikkei foreign exchange and the Nikon bosses are clearly worried (as are Canon’s) about the future of DSLR sales with, believe it or not, cell phones digging into corporate profit margins and everything photographic. I’m certainly a Nikon “fanboy” and love the quality of the old film equipment -compare the beautiful AIS lenses to the current plastic. Sorta makes one sad but you have to move on. My F-2 with MD-2/MB-1 is simply gorgeous but alas, a very, very heavy, massive camera akin in size to the D-4 and somewhat smaller D-800. These are all very fine cameras as is the new Df and in skilled hands will take very impressive photos as we all know. I simply am no longer willing to lug one around as I often did -ALL DAY guys, when there are smaller lighter alternatives with at the least, equivalent image quality for a lot LESS money…and, wonderfully, will accept ALL those beautiful Nikkors…cheers!

  5. I could purchase one shipped to Cambodia from Singapore and I have been quoted $USA2190 body only. About $2400 with lens . I have the 50 1.4 G . Is this a good deal ?

    • it would be a good deal, if it were indeed true. the body is worth $2750 and that lens can be had new on sale for $349. proceed with caution- pay only in a secure way, (i.e. Paypal, credit card, etc.)

  6. I bought one. absolutely I agree- it costs too much. Once I get past that point of contention, its a lovely camera and a real breath of fresh air coming from the D800 with a battery grip attached. The Df is faster, lighter, smaller, quieter and dynamite ISO performance. I have the top limit of my auto-ISO set at 12,800 and I could probably put it at 25,600 without a problem, really. I could easily imagine using the Df while traveling when I want to go light. It focusses just fine with manual lenses (I use mostly those). My only real complaint (besides the price) is the strap lugs. They get in the way- so I took them off -which is OK because I use a strap that connects in the bottom in the tripod socket. oh yes- one other thing- Nikon didn’t supply an LCD cover with this camera, nor a way to put one on it. What’s up with that, Nikon?

    • I don’t understand this thing about the lugs. The lugs are exactly where they would have been on the majority of 35mm film cameras. It never bothered anyone at the time. I have never heard of a dslr with an lcd cover supplied except for the Olympus E-1 in 2003. You can buy a GGS glass lcd cover from ebay sellers for about 10 dollars. I use these on every one of my cameras. The lcd screen is 3.2 inches diagonal, same as tor the d600 and probably the d800.

      • The lugs are where they normally are but the shutter button is not as far forward as on my D800. All my other Nikons came with a replaceable LCD cover. What I’m saying is, for a $2800 unit, it would be nice to have the cover come with , like the D800 did.

  7. Handled one in the store yesterday and these short 30 minutes might cost me USD 3000. It just feels “right”, a camera one wants to go out with and shoot. No comparison to all these computers with lens mounts including Fuji, Olympus, Sony and whatever.

  8. I just played with it on a camera show for a long time today, I found the silver buttons are bit annoying for the silver version, They looks like cheap plastic buttons. If they can make it like the old Nikon FM2, F3 with black buttons, silver body, it will be perfect. Hope the future Dfx or Dfs will be like this. The image quality is excellent, I used my 55mm f1.2 without problem and manual focusing is quick too. 16mp is a lot quicker when download to computer, comparing with those 24mp or 36mp.

  10. just got mine! it is stunning, could not be happier. solid build quality yet surprisingly light, no problems manual focusing with my zeiss 50mm. and that d4 image quality is certainly there

  11. There’s a simple solution to the 3k price point of this camera. Just wait a year and buy a lightly used one..or just change your perspective. If you look at it as a long term investment instead of the latest and greatest thing it becomes cheaper. Keep it till it dies. That sensor will produce beautiful images 10 years from now. 36 megapixel really isn’t any better for all practical purposes than 16 megapixel, and REALLY slow down your processing time. Whatever you buy today will be dated tomorrow or a year from now. And its a CAMERA, not a computer like the new SONY’S.

  12. I just picked up a Black Df yesterday. I was highly skeptical about this body and was just checking it out more from curiosity than anything else. Until I slapped on a 50mm f/1.2 AIS Nikkor and brought the camera up to my eye. The feel in the hand was incredible. And yeah, as an over 50 guy, there was an immediate emotional connection.

    The major thing that initially drove me away from considering the purchase was the lack of a split prism focusing screen and the inability to swap out the built-in screen. That concern was immediately taken away as I started shooting with the 50mm. It is much easier to focus manually than my D800. I actually had my D800 with me and did some comparisons on both cameras with the 50mm in manual and my 35mm f/1.4 G in auto. Auto focus on the Df was very quick as well.

    The only other issue that I had before handling the camera was the 39 point focus system. The way I normally compose, I already have a bit of a problem from time to time with the D800. So the more narrow coverage of focus points in the viewfinder of the Df was a concern. I think I can live with that though and the Df will become my primary travel camera. Now I have to convince myself to part with my Fuji X-E1 and the 23mm that I just picked up a few weeks ago. I really love the Fuji but I think the Df will give me the lighter kit (over my D800) that I wanted when I travel and also address the weaknesses in handling that I’ve experienced with the X-E1. And low light performance? Forgetaboutit. The Df high ISO is amazing. Especially compared to the D800.

    The Df is definitely a body that you shouldn’t draw conclusions about until you’ve had a chance to handle it. I was even shocked at how well the camera felt with the 35mm f/1.4 G on it. I just got back from a week in Zurich and I would have much preferred to have been walking around with that lens on the Df rather than the D800 like I did.

    • Thrillington, you echo my thoughts. I put my 50mm f1.2 AiS (on my FE2 at the time) on a Df on Friday, and was amazed by the ease of focusing. Also the IQ, just judging from the rear display (no card in the Df) seemed to be amazing, wide open. I didn’t have my D800 with me, so no direct comparison.

      The “big” (and excellent) AFS 1.4’s that I’ve got (24, 35, 58 and 85) seem oversized though for the Df; the AiS’s seem to fit better, and there’s really nothing attractive inbetween. What are your thoughts on that one?

      • As far as 1.4’s, I only have the 35mm G and 85mm D. I love the feel of 35mm on the Df. I haven’t been able to shoot my 85mm 1.4/D since I moved to a D800. That lens just isn’t good enough for the D800 sensor. Not a problem on my Df. That’s been a favorite lens of mine for a long time and I’m very happy that I can use it regularly again. I’m thrilled with the Df. My D800 will still be my primary body when I’m shooting events, but the Df will be a great back up. And I will probably use the Df primarily when shooting candids when I’m on-site.

      • I should also say that I have big hands. The two biggest problems that I’ve had with the Fuji X-Series (which I love) is that the aperture ring on the lenses are too small and too close to the body. I also switch focus points frequently and that’s a problem on the Fuji’s. The Df solves both of these problems and the body is just the right size for my ham hands.

        • I’ve got medium sized hands. I just handled a NEX5r (kitted out with a 28mm 2.8 AiS and a huge adapter). Laughable ergonomics.

  13. Before you buy, go to camerasize.com to compare the Df with the A7. You already know about the sensor/imagers of the two cameras. My AIS Nikkors are going to hang in new territory

    • There is, that might be a surprise to some, an unhappy balance between size, weight, ergonomics and ease of handling. As some wise guy said: “I want my camera to weigh 1 gram during transport, and 2 kilos when I’m taking a picture.”

      I have medium sized hands. I don’t like my thumb and fingers to accidentally press bunched together buttons and dials. I like a camera to have some substance, so I can do 1/8 sec with a wide angle without the artificial help of IS. A Contax RTSIII with a 1.4/35 Distagon (2 kgs) will let me do that, a D800 with a 1.4/35 (1600 grs?) nearly as well.

      A camera that will fit in your coat pocket (Ricoh GR?) has its strong points as a snapshooter though.

      • I tend to agree. I don’t fully understand the tiny camera syndrome that people seem to be obsessed with these days. And the argument about needing a stealthy and small camera for ‘street photography’ is an odd one, too. Unless maybe one is into surveillance photography or voyeurism. A lot of my projects are in urban environments but the size of the camera has no bearing on my making images. “Street photography” (whatever that term means these days) should include knowing your environment, the history and historical materialism that you interact with; and most importantly the people who occupy that space. “Street photography” is interactive and not passive (any form of photographing is a conscious act.) The photographer becomes part of that same space, too.

          • Yes, and there’s no reason to hide if you’re a photographer either. I feel that you actually blend in better with the environment by NOT being ‘stealthy.’ Anyway, I find current ‘street’ photography to be really lacking in any sort of context. And I’m not sure what this ‘stealthy’ voyeurism bit is really all about. I’d prefer to have some intellectual context in respect to what I’m looking at. Much of photography these days tends to be only about the surface; images with no foundation.

            btw, I once used a 4×5 view camera on crowded urban streets for a project. People certainly noticed, but they very quickly went on with their business and eventually ignored me. In large urban centers people are pretty jaded and in this case they almost made a point not to pay much attention to me. 🙂

    • But not with that D4 sensor which, along with its pseudo-retro looks, is its main selling point. I “handled” the body + my trusty 1.2/50 AiS in a shop yesterday (great image quality with that combo!), found manual focusing for some reason easier and better than with my D800, ergonomics just on the right side of too cramped, grip nice but you can’t dangle the camera by two fingertips; too shallow (F3 and FA like), weight almost too light for its size so gives a less robust impression, AF I didn’t test.

      If I weren’t heavily invested in pro quality AF-S Nikkor primes I’d give it serious thought. Seems to be the ideal digital body to use your AiS glass on. The sensor will be less critical for that glass than the D800 sensor.

      • Got mine (silver) two days ago and it’s a really nice camera although pricey. The autofocus is really fast and the image quality at high iso’s is impressive. The size of the body feels just about right for me. From the images that I had seen on the web, I was expecting something much larger. I agree that the body is almost too light made of very thin magnesium metal with a nice silver plating. The more I handle the camera the more it feels solid (but light) and compact. It’s not the kind of body that would handle a lot of trashing like my Sony A850. The only button that really feels cheep is the small one on the front for AF/M.The other buttons feel solid and well machined. Overall, yes it’s expensive, but the camera looks terrific better than on the web. It really does feel and look like 70’s slr.

        • Good to hear that Marc! Tell us/me more when you’ve used it for a while, maybe post a user report here?

  15. I am a Canon FF and Olympus E-P5 guy (for now)….but it is hard to imagine buying the Df at this price point (unless you have a lot of Nikon glass), when you can pick up a Sony A7 & Zeiss 35mm f/2.8 for about $2500…be King of the Night and a whole lot more….just the size alone is persuading ……..
    http://camerasize.com/compare/#495,487

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