Nikon DF announced

[MJP]

Now this is what we wanted from Pentax. A full frame retro . . .

Nikon Digital Fusion just announced.

[MJP]

Apparently has the D4 FF sensor, D610 controls, no video function . . . more to follow.

Edited November 4, 2013 by MJP

[FracturedRabbit]

An overweight Olympus OMD!

[FracturedRabbit]

But good to see something different, instead of the usual Canikon black boxes. I wonder if and when Canon will ever wake up and offer something interesting.

[MJP]

An overweight Olympus OMD!

Nikon DF is a full frame, 35mm equivalent, where a 50mm lens is actually a 50mm lens and not a 75mm lens (ala APS-C).

[FracturedRabbit]

I am aware of that. I was referring to the style of the camera not the internals (and the OMD is not APS-C).

[MJP]

I am aware of that. I was referring to the style of the camera not the internals (and the OMD is not APS-C).

I know it's an M4/3, I was thinking of my APS-C and present FOV.

What's the future of the camera market?

I think it's going to be:

1. Mobile telephones and those tablet things;

2. 35mm equivalent DSLR's and mirrorless.

. . . and not much in between.

The faithful retro style is great if you have the old lenses, otherwise I think it's going to look rather odd.

[FracturedRabbit]

This assumes that anyone interested in photography as a hobby will only want a camera with a "full frame" sensor.

The upsides are the ability to print large, better low light performance and thinner potential depth of field. The downsides are bulk, weight and cost.

I think many people would settle for something smaller.

Personally, I have had "full frame" and 1.3 crop, and lugging all the gear around just took the fun out of it. With M43 and a range of great lenses, I am enjoying photography more than ever before; the fun is back. But that is just me.

For those seeking the ultimate in IQ, why settle for "full frame"? There are rumours that Canon are working on a medium format DSLR. If they can bring one to market for around 4 thousand dollars witha couple of tasty lenses...

Whatever the trends, this is a great time for the hobby, so much choice in all segments.

[Tywais]

Not to take this off topic too far but just a comparison and the smallest full frame outside of Leica the Sony A7® just released. 24Mpixel and 36Mpixel versions. Yes, I know - it's a Sony but still a pretty impressive kit and priced around $1700 USD.

[MJP]

Full frame . . .

I've handled one of these RX1's and they're feather light. I think we'll see 35mm equivalent sized sensors as common soon and in small packages. Definitely good for the mirrorless market.

A lot of lenses out there that are full frame compatible (I have quite a few) that are being used on crop format (this works because the full frame sweet spot covers APS-C), but very few medium format lenses. A medium format DSLR will just be another 645D.

[MJP]

Not to take this off topic too far but just a comparison and the smallest full frame outside of Leica the Sony A7® just released. 24Mpixel and 36Mpixel versions. Yes, I know - it's a Sony but still a pretty impressive kit and priced around $1700 USD.

Sony A7.JPG

DXO sensor rating for that thing is mental! My FF lenses can also fit the thng and it's only £1700.

Hey Tywais, can we have a pinned thread for completely random gear head chat?

[Tywais]

Not to take this off topic too far but just a comparison and the smallest full frame outside of Leica the Sony A7® just released. 24Mpixel and 36Mpixel versions. Yes, I know - it's a Sony but still a pretty impressive kit and priced around $1700 USD.

Sony A7.JPG

DXO sensor rating for that thing is mental! My FF lenses can also fit the thng and it's only £1700.

Hey Tywais, can we have a pinned thread for completely random gear head chat?

Let's give the new forum some time to develop and will look at what would be useful for pinned topics. Still a virgin forum and want to see the direction it takes.

[MJP]

Not to take this off topic too far but just a comparison and the smallest full frame outside of Leica the Sony A7® just released. 24Mpixel and 36Mpixel versions. Yes, I know - it's a Sony but still a pretty impressive kit and priced around $1700 USD.

Sony A7.JPG

DXO sensor rating for that thing is mental! My FF lenses can also fit the thng and it's only £1700.

Hey Tywais, can we have a pinned thread for completely random gear head chat?

Let's give the new forum some time to develop and will look at what would be useful for pinned topics. Still a virgin forum and want to see the direction it takes.

Kay!

I just love threads that go off at tangents!

[Tywais]

Not to take this off topic too far but just a comparison and the smallest full frame outside of Leica the Sony A7® just released. 24Mpixel and 36Mpixel versions. Yes, I know - it's a Sony but still a pretty impressive kit and priced around $1700 USD.

Sony A7.JPG

DXO sensor rating for that thing is mental! My FF lenses can also fit the thng and it's only £1700.

Hey Tywais, can we have a pinned thread for completely random gear head chat?

Let's give the new forum some time to develop and will look at what would be useful for pinned topics. Still a virgin forum and want to see the direction it takes.

Kay!

I just love threads that go off at tangents!

Hope I fixed that - Sony A7 topic now here.

[MJP]

I promise I shall stick to the topic i hand.

You may sometimes see me write "Now that gives me a kernal of an idea . . . "

[FracturedRabbit]

Ming Thein, a great photographer and always a good read; has an interesting perspective on the Nikon: http://blog.mingthein.com/2013/11/05/retro-for-the-sake-of-retro-thoughts-on-the-nikon-df/

"It looks like a D600 rear-ended an F3, in a not very neat collision."

[MJP]

Ming Thein, a great photographer and always a good read; has an interesting perspective on the Nikon: http://blog.mingthein.com/2013/11/05/retro-for-the-sake-of-retro-thoughts-on-the-nikon-df/

"It looks like a D600 rear-ended an F3, in a not very neat collision."

In the cold light of day, it is butt ugly.

[MJP]

Farck!!!

It's £2700 with the 50mm in the UK.

[sunshine51]

The Nikon Df....

I'm currently in HKG doing company business & called in earlier this

morning at a favourite camera shop on Kowloon side & had a play

with the Df....all I can say is that it's OK. That's it...simply OK. Nothing

more.

OK...it looks like an FM with some more buttons & knobs, what a kick

in the bum to one of Nikon's finest cameras ever made.

OK it has a 16.2 Mp sensor...big deal. My D800 has a 36.3 Mp sensor.

OK it has "controls" like the D610....that just means it has the same

type of controls as the D7000 & D7100 have which is what the bad

D600 & Nikon cockups corrected D610 controls were copied from.

OK it has a 39 point AF system...big deal...it's just another copy of

the D7K, D7100, D600/610...because they all have a 39 point AF

system.

OK it comes with a custom made "classic themed" 50mm 1.8 lens.

Big deal...a custom made classic themed 50mm 1.4 or 1.2 would

have sweetened the deal but a crap f1.8...BS.

OK...the Nikon Df costs USD 2999.95 with the above mentioned

lens in kit form or take off USD 250 for the body alone....well...

actually this is not OK...it's way over priced for what it is and "it"

in no way can be compared to a D4.

Personally I could care less that it doesn't shoot video so I'm

neutral on the OK-not OK - you gotta be kidding me here.

The Df is nothing more than a niche camera for somebody with a

whole lotta money to spend and little brains to use.

If one wants retro or classic one can easily buy a virgin FM or FM2

here in HKG, to include a motor drive that's also a virgin, then

a couple nifty primes or whatever which will be used & in excellent

condition, a bag to toss the camera/lenses into and a rebuilt Nikon

Cool Scan IV...& finally perhaps...a bunch of film stock...

And still have USD 800.00 left over for whatever usage one see's

fit to use it for.

One particular camera shop still has 3 FM/FM2 bodies & 2 motor

drives that are virgins....the store used to have 4 until this morning.

[Goshawk]

The Df is nothing more than a niche camera for somebody with a

whole lotta money to spend and little brains to use.

If one wants retro or classic one can easily buy a virgin FM or FM2

here in HKG, to include a motor drive that's also a virgin, then

a couple nifty primes or whatever which will be used & in excellent

condition, a bag to toss the camera/lenses into and a rebuilt Nikon

Cool Scan IV...& finally perhaps...a bunch of film stock...

And still have USD 800.00 left over for whatever usage one see's

fit to use it for.

haha... so true. Give me the D800 over this throwback any day......watch this spot on video rant.....(MJP won't like it, he thinks this guy needs a haircut so dismisses him immediately ..)

[sunshine51]

@ Goshawk...

Jared Polin (sp) in my opinion, and being quite like myself...himself...

is a guy I like. His Fro Knows Foto stuff on Youtube is great for both

beginner & old hand. Plus I like the fact he cocks up stuff every now

& then too & admits it...which proves to me...he's human. At one time

in my life I wore a pony tail that reached the small of my back & a full

beard....still got the beard though...

[Goshawk]

@ Goshawk...

Jared Polin (sp) in my opinion, and being quite like myself...himself...

is a guy I like. His Fro Knows Foto stuff on Youtube is great for both

beginner & old hand. Plus I like the fact he cocks up stuff every now

& then too & admits it...which proves to me...he's human.

+1

[FracturedRabbit]

Another preview, with better hair:

[tw25rw]

Call it an emotional response, but this is the first DSLR I have found myself wanting. The spec is right, the compatibility with my old lenses right and the resemblance to the Nikons from when I was first getting interested very right.. It's just that it's about £1000 over priced.

Nothing wrong with the resolution or gimmicky spot metering. I might have positioned the dials a bit differently, but this draws me in a lot more than the black plastic blobs on the market these days.

[MJP]

Call it an emotional response, but this is the first DSLR I have found myself wanting. The spec is right, the compatibility with my old lenses right and the resemblance to the Nikons from when I was first getting interested very right.. It's just that it's about £1000 over priced.

Nothing wrong with the resolution or gimmicky spot metering. I might have positioned the dials a bit differently, but this draws me in a lot more than the black plastic blobs on the market these days.

I think it'll sell very well if the price comes down to something closing on realism. If you're using manual focus lenses a lot, you could fit a Katzeye focusing screening.

Personally I don't care what a camera actually looks like, only the photos it takes, but I can see the attraction to retro bodies if you're using heritage glass. Modern lenses are going to look quite out of place on this thing.

[MJP]

[tw25rw]

I would buy it over anything Canon have on the market.

[FracturedRabbit]

At least Nikon are trying something a bit different. When is the last time Canon innovated (to the nearest decade)?

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa app

[MJP]

I've seen user comparisons with the Nikon D800 and the 5D Mk III.

They prefer the Mk III.

I've no interest in either Canon or Nikon. The A7r and some Contax G lenses are the only shutterbug items on the shopping list right now. For me I think that setup would be perfect.

[tw25rw]

The new Sonys do look good. With in body image stabilisation they would look even better.