Whereas Nikon’s vintage-inspired Zf and Zfc mirrorless cameras have confirmed exceptionally well-liked with photographers, they aren’t Nikon’s first foray right into a retro-styled digital digital camera. No, that was 2013’s Nikon Df, arguably probably the most weird DSLR Nikon ever launched. 12 years later, individuals are returning to the Df and appreciating all its novel charms. The motivation to jot down this story comes from Digital Digital camera World‘s Mike Harris, who famous that the Df, regardless of its restricted options by trendy requirements, stays a coveted digital camera on the used market. The Nikon Df has had lasting enchantment on the used DSLR market that only a few different cameras can dream of. The Nikon Df is almost $1,400 at KEH proper now, for instance, which is sort of twice as a lot because the Nikon D4, the once-flagship DSLR whose guts drive the Df. This is among the few cases when, between two cameras with the identical primary imaging pipeline, the “worse” one is much costlier and interesting. A fast look on eBay tells the identical story, though admittedly the worth hole is rather less there most often. So, what’s the deal? Why do photographers in 2025 care concerning the 16-megapixel Nikon Df? It’s a DSLR that was costly on the time of its launch ($2,750 physique solely), oddly sluggish, made utilizing an excessive amount of plastic, couldn’t shoot video, and had only a single card slot years earlier than Nikon’s first two full-frame mirrorless cameras, the Z6 and Z7, would stumble out of the gate largely due to their lack of twin card slots.
Except for the good picture high quality — sure, the 16.3-megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor that debuted within the Nikon D4 is nice, even now — the Df’s lasting enchantment is primarily as a result of it’s bizarre and retro, at a time when bizarre and retro are stylish. The Nikon Df Was Each Behind and Forward of the Instances Again when the Nikon Df launched in 2013, I used to be in school, armed with my trusty Nikon D3 and my still-new Nikon D800E. My first digital digital camera was a Nikon D80, and I had slowly labored my method up Nikon’s DSLR pyramid ever since. I used to be a Nikon man by way of and thru, and all the time yearned for the most recent and best Nikon DSLRs and lenses. The Nikon Df was decidedly not the “best,” even when it was, for a spell, the “newest.” Nonetheless, I coveted that digital camera. I needed it so badly. Regretfully, I by no means ended up getting one, as a result of it was too tough to justify the expense when my D800E was my major digital camera. The Df promised to scratch a sure aesthetic itch, however provided little (nothing, actually) by the use of higher efficiency. I didn’t wish to sacrifice imaging for model, a modus operandi I’ve continued to stay by, at the same time as digital camera corporations have more and more thrown lovely retro cameras on the market. Not solely is the Nikon Df lovely, but it surely additionally accepts outdated Nikon F-mount lenses due to a brand new metering coupling on the bayonet. The lens proven here’s a Nikkor S 55mm f/1.2 non-Ai lens from the late Sixties. That retro styling is what makes the Nikon Df such an attention-grabbing digital camera to think about in 2025. The Nikon Df caught out like a sore thumb when it arrived in late 2013. Whereas Sony had simply launched its first Sony a7 and a7R mirrorless cameras, the large canines within the DSLR house had been centered on advancing expertise as far and as quick as doable. Retro was decidedly not “in.”
Certain, Fujifilm’s cameras, just like the X100S, X-M1, and X-E2, launched in 2013, all sported retro styling and plenty of devoted bodily controls, however the Df caught out like a sore thumb within the DSLR house, particularly within the full-frame one. It’s one factor to launch a comparatively inexpensive vintage-inspired digital camera at a beginner-friendly value level — kind over perform is less complicated to justify in that tier — but it surely’s one other factor altogether to launch a digital camera for almost $3,000 that was in virtually each far more difficult to make use of and a worse selection for demanding photographers. Nikon agreed, by the way in which, since its subsequent vintage-styled digital camera could be the APS-C Zfc launched in 2021 for just below $1,000. Its recognition would encourage the Zf in 2023, a mid-range full-frame digital camera that has additionally been a industrial success. However in 2013, the Nikon Df was bizarre. It’s laborious, if not inconceivable, to know exactly what number of Nikon offered, however the sentiment then and now’s that the Df didn’t promote very properly. It could have met Nikon’s expectations in the event that they had been relatively pessimistic concerning the endeavor from the beginning, however the Df is area of interest. It’s not Nikon D810A area of interest, however its gross sales numbers completely trailed most of Nikon’s full-frame cameras, even significantly pricier skilled ones. In 2013, photographers weren’t able to embrace a chunky, angular $2,750 DSLR styled after traditional Nikon movie SLRs just like the FM and FE. The digital camera’s unbelievable skill to simply accept outdated Ai and non-Ai lenses from way back to 1959, due to a brand new metering coupling lever on the bayonet, didn’t tickle the flamboyant of many then, however makes the Df a dream for photographers now who wish to scour yard gross sales and classic lens gross sales. Talking of classic lenses, these are tremendous well-liked as of late, too. The Df’s devoted publicity compensation, ISO, and shutter velocity dials felt misplaced in Nikon’s digital digital camera lineup. The little data panel that regarded ripped from a point-and-shoot movie digital camera appeared much less charming and extra like an antiquity. Then, after all, there are the unusual omissions and shortcomings. The Df’s lack of a second card slot, its lack of ability to shoot video though the D4 actually may, the bizarrely handcuffed steady capturing speeds (5.5 frames per second is insulting when the D4 can do 11), and its surprisingly dangerous autofocus all contributed to it touchdown with a bit extra of a thud than a bang.
Nevertheless, with the advantage of hindsight, photographers at the moment are seeing the Nikon Df extra for what it’s, relatively than what it isn’t. It’s lovely in an odd, unconventional method. Its controls, which pressure you to decelerate, really feel inviting now when they might have felt limiting then. The world has modified loads since 2013, and other people’s sensibilities have adopted swimsuit. Many photographers at the moment need one thing totally different from what they did over a decade in the past. The success of vintage-inspired cameras within the years because the Df’s launch exhibits that individuals are not simply prepared to decelerate and take a beat, however many are desperately looking for that have. The Nikon Df’s many bodily controls appeared clumsy in 2013, when photographers had been itching for quicker and extra versatile cameras. Nowadays, slowing down is in vogue. The Nikon Df was the very best retro-styled DSLR digital camera when Nikon unleashed it upon the world. Individuals weren’t asking for it then. They’re now, although, and the Df is carving out a enjoyable little area of interest as the costliest Nikon DSLR digital camera that isn’t the a lot newer D5 or D6. Picture credit: Nikon. Header picture created utilizing an asset licensed through Depositphotos.