Finding time for Photography with a Nikon Df by D.J. De La Vega

24 Comments

1. Thanks (belatedly) for sharing these images, and for your narrative. I recently acquired a pre-owned, like-new Df, and decided to search for older Df articles on this site. I instantly recognized your name, from your article on your trip in the northeast USA with your Leica X1. I remembered really liking those images, and have enjoyed these, as well. (I never bought a Leica X-camera, instead deciding to try a Nikon A, a very nice APS-C compact camera that was seriously mis-labeled as one of the Coolpix series, a marketing blunder, in my opinion.)

   I am loving my Df. I had thought it would be mostly useful with compact lenses, because of its skimpy gripping area, but it also handles very well with my larger “pro” lenses, including my pre-II 70-200/2.8G VR, which are a wonderful ergonomic fit in my relatively healthier left hand, while my left arm and shoulder support the weight. (Age, wear, and tear have not been so kind to my right hand, wrist, and shoulder.) I have other DSLRs more-suited to shooting sports, action, wildlife, and birds. The Df is perfect for just walking about with with a camera.

   Regarding your images in this article, I have yet to decide upon favorites, though the cyclist certainly caught my attention.

   Be well, and continue the good work!

   Rex

2. thanks for sharing. loved your photos and i can relate to your dilemma of life getting in the way of “our” photography. i too usually just shoot on the fly. we do with what we are handed. i too am a nikon df shooter and still have my old nikon lenses. so i can relate to your article too. love my camera. keep it up and share more pictures. the cathedral shots were my favorite. thanks.

3. Great work, and the fact that you did went B&W added a little drama to the photos. One thing did jump up at me for some strange reason: all the photos are well “centered.” Kind of a perfect symmetry in them. Ever thought of mixing it up a bit by shooting off-centered objects? Just curious.

   • Thanks. Well spotted, I never genuinely had not noticed on these 10 but that’s maybe why I subconsciously picked these as a set to publish. I have and do regularly shoot by the rule of thirds but something draws me to central composition. I can’t explain it, I suppose my brain like to compartmentalise things.

     Maybe it’s because historically I loved learning about and was inspired by the Bauhaus photographers and at one time obsessed over another German photographer Andreas Gursky. I suppose when I began studying the candid and street masters, I always kept a bit of that minimalist symmetrical approach when shooting.

4. hi
   please tell me what do u think about ur df….i’m on doubt if to buy or not

   • I was in the shop buying the Df 20 minutes after reading Steve’s review. Very nice, smallish, lightweight camera, well built with a kit-lens excellent even when shot full open.

   • I agree completely with morten, and I absolutely love it. The build, the IQ the dials, they way it makes you think about and execute your shots.

     But by no way is the Df for everyone. Some people just HATE it.

     I suppose the answer would be what are you in doubt about? which aspect puts you off and maybe morten and I could give our opinion.

   • I just bought a used a DF with less than 10,000 clicks for $2,100. I’m wildly glad I pulled the trigger, as this might become my goto wedding camera from this point forward.

     But it’s also going to be my everyday walk around camera. Egads, I love this camera far more than I though I would. The weight and feel of the DF – it doesn’t feel like a toy – the way it balances so well with so many of Nikon’s old inexpensive manual focus lenses. Best of all, it slows me down. A LOT.

     I just posted a few photos on my flickr stream with the silver DF and a few of my old black and silver pre-ai lenses: Nikkor-S 50mm f/1.4, Nikkor-P 105mm f/2.5 and the Nikkor-H 50mm f/2.

     https://www.flickr.com/photos/scoobs/

     I agree with DJ, some people hate the ergonomics with the grip being too small, the dials are too fidgety – and for the M43 crowd, the camera is too big. The retro design…

     It really only took me a few minutes to hold it, get the menus set up the way I wanted (as I use Nikon a LOT, so it was entirely familiar), and get used to the buttons and dials.

5. Great pictures. I’ve just followed you on Flickr!

6. Dear DJ:
   Thanks for your inspiring photographs and common-sense equipment comments. I enjoyed the variety of photos.

   One question, did you use a tripod for the cathedral interiors?

   • Thanks Roger, no I never use a tripod. I think they take all the spontaneity out of photography. I do own one but would only use it if I needed to do something very specific like light trails at night.

     Plus the Df is killer at lowlight, no need for one anymore 🙂

7. Very nice DJ!

8. I really enjoyed your photos. Yes, the cyclist image is excellent.

   • The cyclist looks relax. Is it your intention not to balance the frame or what others term Dutch tilt to show action? He’s still looks-Keep calm and relax go cycling ad. Great camera, photographer, and images. Keep shooting!

     • Thanks, I did not intentionally shoot on the tilt. I saw him approaching, pedalling along without a helmet with his hand in his pocket and I only had a split second to react. I waited just long enough until he was isolated in the traffic (ie no cars behind him distracting and cluttering the frame.). I was panning and the street was on an incline and ended up with this, and as I mentioned in the article, I wanted to do as little post production as possible and left it how it was in camera.

9. Very nice photos the one of the Cyclist is superb and the shots you have taken of the Cathedrals are amazing as I know both of those Cathedrals well. In B&W they just seem that more special

10. Photo #4 seems to be mirrored? Or….? 🙂

    • Doesn’t look like it to me. All the text is going in the right direction.

11. Lovely shots of the cathedrals. I do like the cyclist shot also. Greetings from Ely.

12. Nice black and white photos. What lenses did you use?
    Thanks!

    • Thanks for posting Steve and thanks Ken and John. I used a 28mm 2.8 D inside and just the kit 50mm 1.8 G outside. I planned on hating the G cos it has that silly silver band on it and I’ve always loved my inexpensive 50mm 1.8 D. But the kit lens is stunning, great wide open and nice out of focus. Plus it focuses quicker and quieter than the D.

      • The 50mm 1.8G has always been a fantastic lens and the deal of the century for $200…I wouldn’t think the silly silver band would change that 🙂

      • Hi DJ,

        Have you used the Nikon’s 50/1.4G? If so, how does the focus speed compare to that lens? Is it noticeably faster?

        Thanks,

        c

13. The nonchalant cyclist is my favorite! I also like the Natural History Museum and the view of the Lincoln Cathedral. Thanks for sharing!

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