When I first held the Nikon Df, it absolutely took me back in time a bit to when I shot with an FE. I’ll spare anyone reading this post my attempts at waxing poetic about my film days…. We’ve been there. As a Nikon Ambassador to the United States, I’m NOT going to attempt a “review” of this camera. I’ll leave that to the tech pundits. I’ll just talk about how I’m going to use it. There’s plenty of review’s about this camera on the web, and the files have spoken loudly…. with very little noise…. pun intended.
I wasn’t really expecting to love this camera. I’m a “flagship” kind of guy. I love the responsive nature and ergonomics of my D4, and the flagship cameras that date back 30 years. I first played with the Df a few weeks back in New York while hanging with a few friends. It took me a bit of time to get used to thinking about fundamentals. There’s a few wheels and dials that I needed to get used to. It’s not a camera I’m going to shoot the bulk of a wedding with. But, it’s a camera that I can carry on my shoulder the entire day with ease- never missing a moment in front of me. That, right there, is why I love it.
Paired with a fast prime, this camera is a serious tool in my bag that is stealthy, light, and packs a punch with files that rival my D4. I really don’t care about the whole retro thing. If I really want retro, I’ll bring out my old FE. Hell, these days, my D3 will feel “retro” soon. I do like how it looks. But, I care more about what it does. It’s light as a feather, I’ll wear it all day, and the arthritis in my neck and shoulder can stop bitching at me. I’ll be ready for nearly any moment that comes along.
Now, it’s not exactly prime wedding season here in the Philadelphia PA, USA area, so I haven’t had the chance to shoot a wedding with it yet. It will, however, be paired with my Nikkor 35mm 1.4G, or my old Nikkor 28mm 1.4D. It’s light as a feather, and extremely quiet. During this portrait session below, I had my D4 with my 85 1.4G on one shoulder, and the Df with my 35 1.4G on the other. I shot more images with the Df, and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed shooting it. It’s not going to replace my D4. But it’s a supplement that I’ll be using quite a bit this upcoming season.
About the portrait session below. I’m proud to say that I photographed Courtney and Joel back in 2004. I absolutely love this couple. We’ve stayed in touch over the years, and I was fortunate enough to capture they’re first son, Landon, as a baby. Two weeks ago, I spent a few hours with them on a frigid day inside their Philadelphia home 3 weeks after Carter was born.
For the geeks, ALL but one image were shot with the Nikon Df and the Nikkor 35mm 1.4G.
