Nikon's stylish Df full-frame supports pre-AI lenses, but sorry, no video

Nikon's roots in photography dig deeper than most, so it's not surprising that when it finally decided to pop out a retro camera it went just a little further than everyone else. In this case it means not just the de rigueur two-tone silver-and-black body bristling with dials (though you can get it in basic black as well), but also full support for the company's pre-1977 non-AI (Automatic Maximum Aperture Indexing, in other words, automatic metering) lenses without fiddling.

Nikon's blast from the past (pictures)

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One potential downside: the camera doesn't support video.

Given that, I've got mixed feelings about Nikon's sensor choice. The camera uses the sensor and Expeed 3 processor from the D4, which will be two years old in January. The advantage of that sensor is that you get about two usable stops of low-light performance over the newer ones. But for sharpness and tonal range, if you subscribe to DXO's methodology, the sensor isn't even as good as the D610's. The question becomes: are there more people who want to shoot in the dark than who want best-in-class photos in bright or dim light? I'm somewhat inclined to think that the OLPF-free sensor from the D800E is the better choice for this model. That sensor in this body would really tickle the fancy of the type of "passionate photographer" Nikon wants to attract. And while the D4 sensor has more latitude, the D800E's is certainly no slouch in dim light.

In conjunction with the camera, Nikon will be reissuing its staple 50mm f1.8 lens to offer as part of a kit. While the lens has the same optical components as the current version, it's constructed of aluminum.

Here's a slice of the increasingly competitive full-frame field:

I'm predisposed to like the Df, as it's shiny with dials and a good full-frame sensor. Nikon certainly gets points for style, and I agree that a lot of folks won't miss the video. But I think that sensor will keep it from being a slam-dunk choice among photographers who've gravitated to similarly targeted models like the Fujifilm X100S. Sony's A7R lacks an optical viewfinder, doesn't excel for autofocus, and isn't as shiny, but in exchange it's a lot cheaper, significantly smaller, and produces stellar photos; the Nikon D610 is a lot cheaper with a lot more features and I assume (I haven't tested it yet, but it's pretty much the same as the D600) produces the same great photos. Yes, for the Df you can go on a binge with all the old Nikon lenses you can scoop up cheaply on eBay, but if you're that photogeeky then you know that these days you can mount almost any lens on any body with a little work.