Introduction

When the Nikon Df was announced in 2013, it caused a controversy – the styling and the control layout quickly divided photographers in two camps: The ones who hated the camera, and the others who loved it.

A decade later, the question remains: Is the Nikon Df a good camera and for whom is it for?

Review

Retro-styled Digital SLR (F-mount)
16.2 MP CMOS Nikon FX Sensor
39-point Multi-CAM 4800 AF-system
5.5 fps drive speed
One SD-card
No Video recording

Imaging Performance

The Nikon Df uses the same sensor as the Nikon D4 – an almost legendary 16.2 MP chip that is known for its outstanding low light capability.

When I first shot with the Df I was used to the then-recent 20 MP Micro-FourThirds sensors of the Olympus OM-D M1II – and I was blown away by how good its sensor was. But even today, the sensor lives up to the hype and normal ISO range from 100 to 12.800 is perfectly usable with even offering some room for adjustments in post production at its highest setting.

Auto-Focus

When the Nikon Df came out, one major point of criticism was its auto-focus system that is based upon a system used in lower-tier Nikon DX bodies. That has several downsides.

Only a relatively small center portion of the frame is covered with AF-points. Thanks to the EXPEED 3 imaging processing engine of the D4, the system performs ok, as long as you are using the center points.

The Df’s AF-system is comparable to the one in the F4 but with faster focus acquisition in low light and better accuracy. Forget about using the off-center points for tracking subjects or shooting in low light – it is just not meant for that.

Shooting Experience

In order to do the Nikon Df justice it is important to take step back. The Nikon Df is not a camera for the average working professional. Instead, it is the most Leica-esque DSLR ever made by being the smallest, lightest full-frame Nikon DSLR with a retro control scheme and full backwards compatibility with virtually every Nikon F-mount lens ever made.

The shooting experience is comparable to the Nikon F4 in terms of AF-system and control scheme (which was recently revived for the Nikon Zf). The Df can be operated like a “modern” twin dial camera but also offers the possibility of controlling it with classic dials. What Nikon did there was met with criticism, but in reality it was a stroke of genius: It offers the best of both worlds and once you get used to it, you’ll most likely love it.

In your hands the Df will feel like a Nikon F3 or FM2N (from which it borrows its good looks).

In many ways, the Nikon Df can be seen as an attempt to merge the best elements in many Nikon cameras for the connoisseur.

And that is exactly how the Nikon Df makes you feel like when shooting with it, like a connoisseur who knows exactly what he wants in a camera: An excellent sensor that is able to cope with every photographic situation possible, excellent (vintage) lens selection and an extraordinarily good looking camera.

If you want your camera to nail focus with every moving subject or if you want the most convenient workflow, you won’t like the Df that much. The AF-module really hampers the usability when time is of the essence and the lack of a grip can be very annoying when working all day with it. No video and lacklustre WiFi connectivity (super slow and only with the expensive WU-1a adapter) can also be difficult to stomach for some photographers.

Apart from that, you get everything you expect from a high-end Nikon DSLR: iTTL flash metering, live view and good battery life.

Verdict

Is the Nikon Df a great camera? Yes it is. Is it for everyone? Certainly not. But if it speaks to you, the Df will be your dream camera. There is nothing like the Df out there, and this really shows. Prices on the second-hand market are climbing and supply is practically non-existent. The Df is a digital classic – like fine wine or a classic car, it only gets better with time.

Nikon Df