Nikon Df
Announced November 5, 2013
PixelMeter The PixelMeter is our 1–100 aggregate of reviewer scores from trusted publications and creators. Weighted by source tier — not a raw average, and not PetaPixel’s own review.
Reviewer Consensus
Good
The Nikon Df is a full-frame DSLR that prioritizes a tactile, retro-inspired shooting experience and delivers excellent low-light image quality using the sensor from the flagship D4. That said, its unconventional control layout and ergonomic compromises make it a specialized tool that may frustrate photographers seeking modern versatility.
Weighted from 37 reviewer scores
Pros
- Exceptional low-light performance and image quality
- Extensive compatibility with legacy Nikon F-mount lenses
- Tactile, retro-styled manual control dials
- Weather-sealed, lightweight magnesium alloy body
- Bright, clear optical viewfinder
Cons
- Confusing and inefficient control layout
- Awkward ergonomics and shallow handgrip
- Lack of video recording capabilities
- Mediocre autofocus performance in low-light conditions
- High price point relative to feature set
- Launch price $2,749.95 (USD)
- Sensor 16.2MP Full-Frame CMOS
- Stabilization None
What the Reviewers Say
All 37 expert reviews, weighted into the PixelMeter score.
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- DPReview 81/100
The Nikon Df isn't for everyone. This is a product that's as much about invoking nostalgia as it is about capturing the moment.
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While we ended up not being huge fans of its ergonomics and design, the pairing of great image quality and the chance to avoid flash altogether for many shots earns the Nikon Df a spot on our Dave’s Pick list.
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The f in Df may stand for Fusion between old and new, but there's not enough of the latter for my liking here.
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Having used the camera for the past few months, I understand why the Nikon Df creates so many emotions among photographers.
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The Nikon Df is a camera that makes you want to take pictures and to look for pictures to take, and you can’t ask for more than that.
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Nikon’s aim is to try to recapture the essence of shooting on a vintage film SLR. So does the Df achieve this?
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Back in the days of film, we used to talk about how certain things had soul. Unfortunately now this is something we hardly talk about anymore, everything is cheap, disposable, mass-produced and all about value, bang-for-buck, etc… Well, the Df appears to be a camera with a soul.
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I don't think Nikon got the Df right, frankly. That doesn't make it a bad camera, it just makes it a disappointing camera to what it could have been.
- The Verge 6.4/10
The Df asks for too many usability compromises to simply dress up modern performance in a retro shell.
- WIRED 8/10
They say the best camera is the one you have with you. But there might be a better kind of camera: The one you never want to put down.
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For those that use their camera in low-light conditions, such as weddings, music festivals, gigs and night photography, the Nikon Df delivers excellent noise performance, thanks to the 16.2 megapixel sensor from the Nikon D4, albeit without the same expense.
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The Nikon Df is either a brave attempt to offer a simplified, back-to-basics photography tool, or a cynical attempt to cash-in on the current trend of retro-inspired products - only you can decide.
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The Df is a beautiful camera, and it’s a shame that it’s not a little more versatile.
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The Nikon Df is a camera that is all about its retro style. But with this full-frame DSLR, the traditional design is deeper than just surface looks.
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The Nikon Df full-frame SLR camera lives half in the modern world and half in the analog era, and suffers a bit for it.
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It may not be the camera for everyone, but many enthusiasts will love the Df's retro styling and go-anywhere capability.
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Personally, I see this as a much more natural and logical fit for the Df than the other two available sensors – while the extra resolution may be desired in some situations [...]
- Digital Trends 8/10
The Nikon Df is a mixed bag. We really wanted to love this camera, but sometimes memories are best left in the past.
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So for me, it offers all the things I want at $3,000 less than a D4, and I can do without those features that I'm missing. So for me, it works.
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The whole idea behind the Nikon Df is a pretty good one. It's exciting to think of a retro style DSLR from Nikon and it's full frame, but in reality, it's actually quite disappointing.
- Photo Review 8.5/10
These issues aside, Nikon is to be congratulated for developing the Df to suit an often neglected sector of the market, even though it has missed the target a bit, particularly with the timing of its release.
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I like the camera – a lot – though that may be partly an emotional response for this older wannabe hipster. As all others, it is a mass-produced tool, and thus not perfect for anybody.
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It’s more that the Df’s premium price isn’t quite reflected in its exterior finish, nor the overall specification, while the camera is just too big compared to the image we had in our mind’s eye.
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The Nikon Df is great concept, but we can't help that it feels slightly short of the mark in its aim to mix vintage styling and mechanics with modern technology.
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The Nikon Df seems to achieve most of what it sets out to: it’s suitably classic-looking without compromising too much on handling, it takes amazing photos, and it’s taken a very clear aim at purist photo enthusiasts.
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This camera is an impressive, well-built, full-featured, full-frame modern camera that will serve the needs of young shooters as well as longtime shutterbugs.
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The Nikon Df is the first and only retro-style DSLR on the market. Its very mechanical controls offer a return to the tactile feel of photography.
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With these features in mind, I now carry my Df all the time. It is my favorite travel body.
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[...] I am slowly bonding with this camera; it offers a unique experience that is neither entirely Nikon in the digital age nor Leica in the digital age.
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I’m lucky enough to be able to shoot with some of the best cameras on the market, and the Nikon Df has been the one I reach for almost all of the time now.
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The Nikon Df is a special camera for the experienced photographer who knows what he wants.
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So can we justify the price based on its looks alone? well, we can’t – but if you love retro, shoot mostly manual and have deep pockets – maybe you can.
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To us though, the Df feels like a bit of a classic.
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Call me biased, traditionalist, misogynistic, haemorrhoidal or whatever you want, but I cannot help but think that the Df was a missed opportunity. It does not feel or operate like the Digital F that Nikon no doubt intended.
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Whether I would heartily recommend this camera, really depends on your intention with the camera, and what you expect from this camera.
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There's a romance to working with it. If romancing a camera is wrong, I don't want to be right.
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[T]his is definitely not a camera that's going to appeal to a wide range of users, but for what it's designed to do, I feel like it does a really good job.
