[Matthew Saville]

After a year of dithering I finally took the plunge and bought a second hand Nikon Df with the proceeds of some equipment sales (Olympus EM -1 and 12-50 mm f2.8, which I never took to for reasons that I won't go into here). I had balked at paying the launch price of £2,749, but I got this one for £1,599 in near mint condition with under 3,000 shutter actuations from Wex Photographic.

I bought it primarily because I liked the looks more than anything else - I already had a D810. But now I absolutely love it! I bought a new Nikkor 50 mm f1.2 to go with it (a fabulous lens that is still manufactured), and dug out my old 105 mm f2.5 (lovely!) and 24 mm f2.8 AiS lenses from my collection. They are manual focus of course, but despite people initially grumbling about the lack of a split prism screen I find focusing a breeze. In fact, I get as many keepers as I do with my D810 or K-3 on auto-focus. I also use old lenses on the K-3 from time to time, and don't have any problems manually focusing them, though it is easier on the larger screen of the Df.

At 16 MPx, the Df is more forgiving of older lenses which, after all, are still as sharp as they were in film days. It's just that we tend to notice the softness more when we examine 24 or 36 MPx images at 100%. I'll not be giving up my K-3, and I will buy the full-frame Pentax at some point, but the Df gives me a different experience. I actually find myself holding it like I held film cameras back in the day.

When I reviewed the Df I put it through some pretty demanding shooting conditions, and made a ~20" print, and it was a fantastic experience.

I can only hope that more companies do things like the Df and Sony A7S have done; going "backwards" in megapixels and just focusing on the aesthetics and/or the performance of the camera. A retro looking, lightweight version of the K-3 II would really be awesome to have, as would a full-frame version of the same thing. 16 MP is plenty for pretty much all but the most high-end gallery printing, and 99% of the images I take aren't going into a gallery any time soon, so why not?

=Matt=

[Qwntm]

Pentax has (or had) a Pentax Professional Services program with loaner equipment and rushed repairs. I am a member, but it's been a few years so I'm not sure if it's still around, I would assume it is. Contact Pentax USA and ask about it.

[civiletti]

"Maybe we should all try to simplify and care just a little bit less about the gear. Find the three lenses that work for us, grab a body or two, and just go shoot."

There would not be much use for this website then. Why are you taking part in a discussion that you believe is not worthwhile?

[mee]

There would not be much use for this website then. Why are you taking part in a discussion that you believe is not worthwhile?

Sure there would. And the remaining content would be more worthwhile to read than Joe from Dallas' opinion on the AF speed when photographing squirrel butts or Greg from London's thoughts on Ricoh's strategic business plan and how he knows better..

[UncleVanya]

At 16 MPx, the Df is more forgiving of older lenses which, after all, are still as sharp as they were in film days. It's just that we tend to notice the softness more when we examine 24 or 36 MPx images at 100%. I'll not be giving up my K-3, and I will buy the full-frame Pentax at some point, but the Df gives me a different experience. I actually find myself holding it like I held film cameras back in the day.

I'm not sure I follow - what's different about how you hold other DSLR's? I hold my K50 just like I held my PZ-1 and it was held like my F2 before it... with love and affection and reverence! LOL

[Winder]

I'm not sure I follow - what's different about how you hold other DSLR's? I hold my K50 just like I held my PZ-1 and it was held like my F2 before it... with love and affection and reverence! LOL

Manual focus film cameras were designed to be held with the left hand cradling the lens where you could operate focus/zoom and aperture. Since you had to manually wind the film with your right hand/thumb you were constantly changing your grip with your right hand and it was not the primary hand for holding the camera. All that changed with the invention of power winders and AF.

You wouldn't hold an operate an F2 the same way as a K-3. This is one reason that the Df is a love/hate camera. A lot of people who never used an old film camera extensively try to use it like they would a modern DSLR and that can be frustrating. Fuji pulls off the retro analog controls better than Nikon.

[UncleVanya]

Manual focus film cameras were designed to be held with the left hand cradling the lens where you could operate focus/zoom and aperture. Since you had to manually wind the film with your right hand/thumb you were constantly changing your grip with your right hand and it was not the primary hand for holding the camera. All that changed with the invention of power winders and AF.

You wouldn't hold an operate an F2 the same way as a K-3. This is one reason that the Df is a love/hate camera. A lot of people who never used an old film camera extensively try to use it like they would a modern DSLR and that can be frustrating. Fuji pulls off the retro analog controls better than Nikon.

You are mixing a few things together. I HOLD the camera the same. I can't operate it the same, the controls differ. I still cradle my lens in the same way even when it focuses by itself (quick shift anyone?) and I hold the right side with my fingers and thumb in the same way as I did with a manually cocked camera. True I don't have to cock it but that's not involved in shooting position holding. I still have manual film cameras and I spent time today picking them up and holding them and then holding my K50 - no real difference except for how the controls work - that much has changed - when operating controls I have no need to let go with my right hand to grab the dial for shutter speed (for example) since the control wheel is easily accessed without changing my grip. I also don't flip the film camera face down and chimp... . But my left hand cradles and holds the camera and takes the brunt of the weight most of the time just like with film and my right hand holds the right edge of the camera with my thumb and forefinger ready to operate various controls.

[Matthew Saville]

Manual focus film cameras were designed to be held with the left hand cradling the lens where you could operate focus/zoom and aperture. Since you had to manually wind the film with your right hand/thumb you were constantly changing your grip with your right hand and it was not the primary hand for holding the camera. All that changed with the invention of power winders and AF.

You wouldn't hold an operate an F2 the same way as a K-3. This is one reason that the Df is a love/hate camera. A lot of people who never used an old film camera extensively try to use it like they would a modern DSLR and that can be frustrating. Fuji pulls off the retro analog controls better than Nikon.

I do still hold my DSLR the same way as I hold my old film camera, left palm up and thumb forward, so that my thumb and forefinger can operate zoom or focus.

Then again, my left shoulder is COMPLETELY messed up from doing this for 10+ years with a 70-200 / 24-70, so I dunno if this is a good thing.

Either way, IMO it's just an aesthetic thing, wheter your wrist is twisted one way or the other; it doesn't have any bearing on how your images turn out, or getting more resolution out of an older lens, if that's what was being originally implied or inferred, by accident or on purpose.

---------- Post added 06-16-15 at 12:56 PM ----------

Sure there would. And the remaining content would be more worthwhile to read than Joe from Dallas' opinion on the AF speed when photographing squirrel butts or Greg from London's thoughts on Ricoh's strategic business plan and how he knows better..

I dunno about you, but I thoroughly enjoy a spare-time discussion about corporate business plans, and/or AF speed. Sure, most of us are un-qualified to speculate on a corporate business model, and some folks aren't experienced enough to speak as an authority on AF technique, but that shouldn't stop the discussions entirely.

But, it is also important to speak up if you think you're seeing TOO MUCH of one thing. I just think that certain things are to be expected during the time of a hot new camera's release.

[monochrome]

There would not be much use for this website then. Why are you taking part in a discussion that you believe is not worthwhile?

1. Quoting the absurdity in the article
2. I have many cameras and many camera bags. I do this for fun. Generally I have three lenses in the bag with each camera. Sometimes I change the lenses out for others on my shelf. On any given day that is a simple strategy, but aprt of the fun for me is deciding which bag to take and what to carry in it.

[civiletti]

1. Quoting the absurdity in the article
2. I have many cameras and many camera bags. I do this for fun. Generally I have three lenses in the bag with each camera. Sometimes I change the lenses out for others on my shelf. On any given day that is a simple strategy, but aprt of the fun for me is deciding which bag to take and what to carry in it.

What you "pointed out" is that you believe talking about upcoming gear is a waste of time that should be used making images. That is a valid opinion, but one that is at odds with the viewpoint of the people commenting in the thread - and much of what goes on in Pentax Forums. It is trolling. You should go shoot and leave the discussion to those who believe it is worthwhile. People get their fun in different ways.

[redrockcoulee]

"Maybe we should all try to simplify and care just a little bit less about the gear. Find the three lenses that work for us, grab a body or two, and just go shoot."

With my K5iis if I wish to travel light I use the 15/35/70 combo, for my 4X5 I have 90/150/210 and normlly my Hasselblad system is 60/100/150 but I do have a 250 on loan if I wish to bring it along. Guess I bought into the 3 lens idea already.

I do agree that if you are shooting for pleasure you should use the gear that gives you pleasure to use.To my wife that often means either a Holga or a Diana.

And to those who posted about theCameraStore, their Pentax gear is easy to find and well displayed within the store.

[Omestes]

With my K5iis if I wish to travel light I use the 15/35/70 combo, for my 4X5 I have 90/150/210 and normlly my Hasselblad system is 60/100/150 but I do have a 250 on loan if I wish to bring it along. Guess I bought into the 3 lens idea already.

I do agree that if you are shooting for pleasure you should use the gear that gives you pleasure to use.To my wife that often means either a Holga or a Diana.

And to those who posted about theCameraStore, their Pentax gear is easy to find and well displayed within the store.

Guess I bought into the 3 lens idea already.

I actually just finished getting my 3 primes for both my camera systems, and I feel a very odd sense of accomplishment (which confuses my girlfriend to no end). On the Pentax I got the 15, 40, and 77, and on m43 I got a 12, a 25 (just came today!), and a 45, all of which are small enough to fit in a bag. With my camera bag I can actually fit the full m43 kit, and the two extra Pentax lenses in, without it being cumbersome.

Three primes is pretty much the way to go. Unless, of course, you're a zoom person (I'm not, nothing to do with perceived quality, for some reason I just don't enjoy them), and you're either lucky, or need 3 zooms.

[Cynog Ap Brychan]

My three primes of choice are the 15 mm, 31 mm and 77 mm, but I couldn't do without the 60-250 mm. For full frame fun, I have a 24 mm, 50 mm and 105 mm, all manual focus.

[Omestes]

If I had a 31 sitting around, I'm not sure it would be on of my "everyday primes", it might be a little short for my tastes. But then again, I don't have a 31 sitting around, so... Someday I might replace the 15mm with something a bit longer, like the 21 (though I'd prefer a faster 24). I'd also, in an ideal world, have more WR lenses that isn't the kit, every time I have to use that thing, it makes me miss pretty much every other lens on my shelf. I almost grabbed the 20-40ltd, but I'm still not sold on zooms.

Please Ricoh, make a nice WR prime, I don't even care what length you make it, just do it.

[tomtor]

The da* 55 is too long?