Nikon Severity of this Df viewfinder issue?

mike3996

Legend
Location
Finland
So my preowned Df seems pretty alright in all aspects but there appears to be a misaligned component in the viewfinder.

(Picture material taken from the user manual so their copyright.)

This is how it's supposed to be.

orig-vf.png


This line on the bottom is what I see when I look through the VF straight...

direct-vf.png


And this is how the LCD is obscured if I look into the VF at an angle:

tilt-vf.png



Nothing earth-shattering but somewhat inconvenient.
 
You're supposed to look straight through the viewfinder, same as to see a rangerfinder patch at best but then there shouldn't be such a line.
Depending on the angle your talking about, the cut-off is rather severe.

Let me put it this way: I've never noticed anything like image #2 or #3.
As for severity, I don't know. Perhaps it's just something that's not sitting right.
I hope some people with a technical background come along, like @BrianS
 
I just checked my Df and I do not see that line at the bottom of my viewfinder. Not sure what that is or why it is there.

I did check the bottom LCD and if you move the camera down so your eye is higher up on the viewfinder window, there is a "ledge" that does slightly obscure that LCD info. I checked my D500 and it does the same. If memory serves, this is how the Nikon LCD operates normally.
 
Thanks guys! I also talked with the seller and he also thinks that this is normal. (Well of course he will say that. 👀)

Next week I'll bring the camera to a couple of Nikon authorized retailers and have their clerks have a look through the finder.


Out shooting I barely notice either issue.

I just don't remember this blockage from the first Df I had, and the line is certainly something that may indicate of a missed tolerance...
 
I just checked my Df- what you show for the readout is exactly what I see in mine when looking through the viewfinder at an angle.

I see the faint bottom line when taking off my glasses and looking through the viewfinder.
And the visuals are very helpful.
 
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Now I find this whole thing funny -- back in March when I had a real craving to find faults from the camera, to find all the justification to return it, why didn't this bother me then? :)
 
If you looked through the viewfinder of your Leica at an off-angle like this, your pictures would be out of focus- especially when using the Tele-Elmarit 135/2.8 with goggles... I know this first hand!
 
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