It uses dedicated mechanical controls similar to those used on mechanical 35mm film SLR camera and had an appearance similar to the Nikon FE and Nikon FM film cameras.

[1] Nikon's website stated "Using its large, metallic mechanical dials, photographers will rediscover a more direct connection with their camera.

[3] In a departure from the rest of Nikon's DSLR lineup, the Df did not record video, only still images; while most reviews were generally positive, this and other built-in limitations of the camera were seen as negatives.

Also notable by their absence were built-in flash and a variety of automatic modes, though the backward lens compatibility extended to nearly the entirety of the Nikon lineup since 1959.

Without full AF-P lens support−P   ⋅ Without AF-P and without E-type lens support−E   ⋅ Without an AF motor (needs lenses with integrated motor, except D50) *