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Digital Nikon FM2

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
It's not in Amazon's top 20

When the Fuji 100 was announced there was a massive waiting list.

I really think if this camera was priced between the D610 and D800 ie about $2200.- there would be a much better demand.

As such, I'll wait for the price drop..... ;)
There are only 3 35mm DSLR cameras on that list, the two budget models, 6D and D610, plus the massively popular 5D III, but I agree: If Nikon had sold it for $2,200, they would have sold more. The people at Nikon obviously know this. Still, they priced it $500 higher. Maybe they don't even have capacity for the sales volume they would have gotten with a lower price. If that's the case, earning a few hundred dollars more per unit is better than having thousands of angry customers waiting for their cameras.

I think Nikon took a calculated risk here. This is not a mainstream camera. Those who love it will buy it for $2,700. Many of those who don't wouldn't even buy it for $1,700.
 

Swissblad

Well-known member
I'm just worried that if demand isn't there, the price will plummet like for the Nikon 1.

That's why I will wait and see - in the meantime I will scour garbage bags for disposed D800E's....

The more I look at this camera, the more attractive it becomes - Nikon made a wise choice in using the D4 sensor - it is stellar.
 

Stefan Steib

Active member
I am sorry , but if someone states they want to match the look of a classic like the FM and it looks like a pregnant FA it will NOT meet the expectations.
The old one was clean and defined, the new one is a typical example of "wannabee plastic fassade not understanding the essence of the original".

Failure Nikon. Sit dow. New try.

 
It's even better - a quote from KR:

"The Nikon Df is small, light, tough and intuitive, so my D800E can go out with next week's trash......"


.........hey all you D800E - I'll show you where my trash container is

:D
Jeez, it's so hard to pick out a good quote from his site, because essentially the whole "Recommendations" section is a gold mine.

I've been waiting for this for over 10 years.
Apparently he see the future.

The Nikon Df is small, light, tough and intuitive, so my D800E can go out with next week's trash.
So will the unicorn and bird of paradise leftovers from dinner time.

I didn't buy the regular 50/1.8G because it's offshored to China; I'm hoping the special edition will be made domestically in Japan.
I demand my products be only crafted by the master race!

I love that it looks like my Nikon FE 35mm camera; when I'm in public I can snap away without people worrying about who I am or why I'm taking pictures, as happens if I show up with a big camera.
Not much smaller or more discreet (silver, duh) than any 35mm SLR, but how can you see KR's giant goofy grin and still look at the camera?

I just wish the Df cost a lot more so it wouldn't fall into the hands of the general public. It's value to me as a stealth camera drops if everyone has one and people figure out that it's digital.
Is this a NC-17 forum or a PG forum? Just asking.

Of course I prefer the chrome version; the black one looks like everything else, so I hope all of you get black so I still look like a 35mm bumpkin with my chrome camera.
Proactive hipster confirmed. Possibly racist.

It may be one of those products that goes away after its first model, after which the used prices of the Df might be more than we can buy it for new today.
2/10 - Maybe he should get his son to help troll, kids come up with the best BS.

For instance, Nikon's 28mm f/1.4 AF-D was sold for a while in the 1990s and then discontinued with no replacement. It was one of Nikon's most expensive lenses ever at about $1,500 back in the 1990s, and today, they still sell for more money used than anyone paid for them new because there is nothing like it; the Nikon 24mm f/1.4 AFS is different. If you deserve a Nikon Df, get one while you can.
Amazing... he compares this camera the to the D600/610 just moments earlier, and now claims it to be as potentially rare and timeless as a lens with no equals.

I don't mean to be insulting, but one could very well come up with compelling arguments for the Df, and not one of these has anything to do with why someone would be ecstatic for the thing.
 

ptomsu

Workshop Member
The more I hear and read about this camera, the less interested I am. Especially for that price. Maybe for $1500.- that would be a different show. But for around $3k I will pass it!
 
M

mjr

Guest
I am sorry , but if someone states they want to match the look of a classic like the FM and it looks like a pregnant FA it will NOT meet the expectations.
The old one was clean and defined, the new one is a typical example of "wannabee plastic fassade not understanding the essence of the original".

Failure Nikon. Sit dow. New try.

Now come on Stefan, play fair, the strap lugs are in almost the same position and the hotshoe is very close! ;)
 

Lars

Active member
It is now. Places 12, 18 and 19.

It's not in Amazon's top 20

When the Fuji 100 was announced there was a massive waiting list.

I really think if this camera was priced between the D610 and D800 ie about $2200.- there would be a much better demand.

As such, I'll wait for the price drop..... ;)
 

ceh

Active member
Question - what is the knurled button next to the Df logo?

Use of non-AI NIKKOR lenses
Not only is the Df capable of capturing high-quality images using the latest NIKKOR lenses optimized for digital SLR cameras, it is the first Nikon digital SLR camera equipped with a collapsible metering coupling lever that enables the use of non-AI lenses.

When focal length and maximum aperture value for non-AI lenses are registered with the camera beforehand, optimal exposure can be achieved with exposure metering when the camera aperture setting is matched to the aperture value specified with the aperture ring on the lens by rotating the sub-command dial (supported only in [A] and [M] exposure modes). As the Df is equipped with the Nikon F mount, which has not changed since Nikon released its first SLR camera, the combination of older NIKKOR lenses and a camera incorporating the latest digital technologies allows users to enjoy capturing photographs exhibiting a wide variety of forms of expression.:)
 

bradhusick

Active member
Hi guys,
I posted this on Steve Huff's site a few days ago.
-Brad

My idea for a "Pure Photography" Nikon digital basic

I was so excited to read about the upcoming "Pure Photography" Nikon digital, but when it was announced and shown I was disappointed to see it's basically a D610 dressed up with a square body and some extra dials (too many in fact).

So here's my visual concept for a Nikon Dfb (b for basic) that sticks more closely with the idea of a digital F3. No need for an ISO dial or mode dial (how often do we switch them?). No need for most of the buttons. Just set aperture and shutter speed and take pictures. And make it as thin as physically possible.

I hope you like it. I hope they build it.
-Brad

click for larger image
 
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Thorkil

Well-known member
:)..Hulyss (but I think he used some gasoline for the flames..)

If I should have a second workhorse, apart from the Ricoh GR, used for Buildings, and walking inside in difficult lightconditions, the
Imaging Resource "Comparometer" ™ Digital Camera Image Comparison Page
shows that the D610 can cope with relative good result at iso 12.800, and if the Df got the sensor from the D4, then this will give an even better result at 12.800, not as detailed, but more clean than the D610. And it shows that the Sony A7, the OM-D ME-1 and K-5II etc. have been giving up at this stage.
So for these demands there will only be the D610 or the Df. But the D610 will save me a lot of Money, and its about the same size.
thorkil
 

ptomsu

Workshop Member
So for these demands there will only be the D610 or the Df. But the D610 will save me a lot of Money, and its about the same size.
thorkil
Exactly my point! Plus the D610 has video, which I do not understand the Df does not have, as it is already more than fully packed with controls, so the few more knobs for video would not have hurt!
 

Lars

Active member
Sorry to say Brad, but just removing buttons doesn't improve user experience.

And some people like to change ISO without leaving the viewfinder. With digital, ISO is an exposure setting just as much as aperture and shutter.

The one glaring design mistake I see is a separate button for LCD light. What's wrong with the three-position power switch of the D-series cameras. PASM switch could probably also have been integrated into some other switch (but I do like it to be readily accessible).

And the grip is f-ugly. The form language does not match the rest of the device. Take away the grip and the impression is of a much more nimble body.

I do sympathize with the idea of de-cluttering, however if that leads to common settings only accessible through menus then it has gone too far.

A body sized like the FM series would be nice.

Hi guys,
I posted this on Steve Huff's site a few days ago.
-Brad

My idea for a "Pure Photography" Nikon digital basic

I was so excited to read about the upcoming "Pure Photography" Nikon digital, but when it was announced and shown I was disappointed to see it's basically a D610 dressed up with a square body and some extra dials (too many in fact).

So here's my visual concept for a Nikon Dfb (b for basic) that sticks more closely with the idea of a digital F3. No need for an ISO dial or mode dial (how often do we switch them?). No need for most of the buttons. Just set aperture and shutter speed and take pictures. And make it as thin as physically possible.

I hope you like it. I hope they build it.
-Brad

click for larger image
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
Here's a grab from dpr today.



This tells a very interesting story. To start with, I've never seen a camera getting as much attention as this at dpr, approaching 50%. Secondly, there's not a single Canon camera on that list. Even the relatively new 70D has fallen off. But even more importantly, the Sony A7 isn't there either, while almost the entire Nikon mid range of DSLR bodies is present among the Top 10.

The huge interest for the Df can have many reasons:

- Many photographers have been asking for something similar to this for a long time.
- It retains compatibility with all Nikkor lenses from the last 60+ years.
- The looks of the camera attract people.
- In spite of being retro, and in contrast to the wishes of many "pure" enthusiasts on fora like this, it also retains the functionality of a D610 (with the exception of video), making it more or less a 2-in-one camera.
- As opposed to a Leica or a Lunar, it's within reach for very many "middle class" photo enthusiasts while still having unique, "exclusive" properties. For those with F-mount lenses, which can be counted by the millions, it's almost a bargain seen in that context.

In the meantime, the Df has climbed to the 16th and 18th position on Amazon's Top 20 list Amazon Best Sellers: best Digital SLR Cameras

Add to this the enormous PR effect when mainstream media start writing about this "cool looking, perfect retro Christmas gift to the photographer who has everything he needs", and I see a very smart move from Nikon here. This camera might be a commercial success even before the first body has been delivered to a customer :thumbup:
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
:)..Hulyss (but I think he used some gasoline for the flames..)

If I should have a second workhorse, apart from the Ricoh GR, used for Buildings, and walking inside in difficult lightconditions, the
Imaging Resource "Comparometer" ™ Digital Camera Image Comparison Page
shows that the D610 can cope with relative good result at iso 12.800, and if the Df got the sensor from the D4, then this will give an even better result at 12.800, not as detailed, but more clean than the D610. And it shows that the Sony A7, the OM-D ME-1 and K-5II etc. have been giving up at this stage.
So for these demands there will only be the D610 or the Df. But the D610 will save me a lot of Money, and its about the same size.
thorkil
I had a look at the IR comparison at ISO 25,600. At that ISO, all the details are gone from the both of the A7 cameras, so a comparison is pointless. Unfortunately, also the D610 lacks a lot of detail that is clearly visible in the D4 image and to make it worse for the D610, shadows and dark colours show zillions of multicoloured dots, particularly in the blacks, that render images useless for print at any decent size. A reduction to 16MP simply won't solve that problem. The choice of the 16MP sensor for the Df makes more sense for each day I look into this.
 

Thorkil

Well-known member
Yes, but for my part I'm only judging this type of workhorse as if it can be used when I go down in the bottom of a staircase and the serviceman(/lady) has forgotten to change the bulb, what can I achieve, and defend using in a quality report just printed on A4 paper or send out via internet.
In this case I have made this very subjectiv conclusion considering maximum usefull Iso:
(http://www.imaging-resource.com/IMCOMP/COMPS01.HTM)
D4(/Df?) 25.600
Nikon D610 12.800
Nikon D800/E 12.800
Pentax K-5II 6.400
Pentax K-5IIs 6.400
Sony A7 6.400
Sony A7R 12.800
Ricoh GR 6400
Oly OM-D E-M1 3.200
Oly OM-D E-M5 3.200 looks slightly better than the E-M1
Panasonic GX7 3.200
Leica M9 2500


If money wasn't an issue I would go for the Df with the D4-sensor(and actually it's much cheaper than the D4!...and les bulky), and I should only struggle with smaller files too.
But for now I think it will be the D610. Perhaps I'll wait for springtime to see if they lower the Df prices.
thorkil
 
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Thorkil

Well-known member
any viewpoints in IQ between the D4(/Df) and the D610?
At Imaging-ressource it actually looks like the D4 is sculpturing the Things better (better shaping of the bottles)?..it looks like the contrast-appearance is slightly better anyhow..and if that is right, it could be a strong point too, while the Nikon Pictures always have been a bit too flat
thorkil
PS..looking at these samples
http://www.techradar.com/reviews/ca...rids/nikon-df-1196518/review/3#articleContent
I might consider seriously whether there is actually a lot of image quality gain hidden in the Df (I'm slowly starting to be convinced)..that will be worth spending the extra Money (and the M-like way, just to look Down and in one glance see all the settings..that has a very strong appeal to me too)
 
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