autofocus
build quality
metering system
speedlight system
Image quality
value
custom functions
handling
lens system - although there are some holes, check to see if these are a negative
capture NX2 is a great way to get results

you have to pay extra for capture NX2

This camera is one of the best values on the market today.It is hard to find a camera with the image quality and features for the money. I have found this camera to be very flexible because of the many custom functions available to you. The build quality is outstanding, this camera can abuse. I have found that the auto focus to be fast, flexible and accurate. The image quality, especially when you shoot raw and use capture NX2 is great at just about every iso from 200 - 1600.IT is worth the extra price especially with discounts available. I know you have to pay for it, but no other manufacturer is including software as good as this with their cameras (especially in this price range). The nikon lens system, although not perfect, is very good. The speedlight system is very good especially if you use the wireless options available to you. The handling is very easy to get along with, this is very subjective, try and hold one and decide for yourself.

Customer Service

have had no need for it

Similar Products Used:

nikon dx2s
nikon f100
nikon f6
nikon d700
canon 20d

Viewfinder. Focussing system. Exposure. Flash exposure. Noise. Active D-lighting. Custom menus.
Feels like the camera is on my side and is helping me.

It's rather heavy. This is fine for serious shoots but for wandering about I prefer something lighter
No true 100 ISO setting. For studio shoots I use the D200.

Sorry D200 users. I think it IS worthwhile to make the upgrade to the D300. It does everything just a little better.
When I first bought the D300 I put my big Pro lenses on it and carried on using the D200 with the 18-200. I like the D200, I was at home with it. After about 4 months I realsed I'd hardly used the D300 at all so I forced myself to use it - by putting the 18-200 on it.

First thing to master is the focussing system. There are 51 focussing points all over the viewfinder. My camera is set up so that the camera chooses what it thinks is the best focussing point and displays all the points that are in focus. This sounds easy but it took me a while to trust it. I can always switch back to a single-oint focus like I have on my D200.

The rest is easy. The exposure is even more accurate than on the D200, so is the flash exposure, I have set up Active D-lighting on a custom menu for high-contrast situations. I haven't noticed any noise yet (I have auto-ISO enabled, and I use 3200 ISO more often than I was expecting.

I just got back from holiday with the D70, which has allowed me to measure the progress made in only 4 years. Shooting RAW on the D70 and correcting the image in NX afterwards, I can get the results. But I have to spend time over it. The D200 was a leap in advance and the D300 is another step forwards. I feel I have a camera that makes a lot of good choices and that finally improves my chances of getting the shot right.

Customer Service

Haven't used it

Similar Products Used:

Nikon D200
Nikon D70
Nikon F100

Just about everything is great - well worth the price. BTW, the dust removal mechanism also works great. The battery life is superb.

When shooting in RAW the CA reduction does not take place in the camera. You have to use Capture NX.

Best d**n camera I've ever used. A masterpiece of design, handling and function. And, of course, the output is superb.

Customer Service

Friendly and knowledgeable.

Similar Products Used:

D2X, D200, D70s plus several Canon bodies

Great for low light, if that is your thing. More autofocus points, but considering the difference, the image quality is not that different unless you enlarge poster-size!

Bracketing is more difficult. If you are not enlarging beyond 16x20, the price difference is such that you are better off getting a D200 with a nice lens!

I am a very satisfied D200 owner. I was given the opportunity to try a D300 for several weeks and must admit it is a very fine camera. For a vast majority of the D200 users, the 200 is all you need. You will not see that big a difference in image quality if you are keeping your enlargements 16x20 and under, which is what most of us do! I am amazed when I read the reviews by DSLR owners in regards to how many they have owned in the past 6 years or so. The digital world is trying to turn us into equipment junkies!! Think about how long you used the same film camera. I used by Nikon F4s for over 10 years! Then my F5 for nearly as long! I went from the D70 to the D100 to the D200 in less than 5 years!! ENOUGH already. The D300 is great, but for my needs, the 200 is fabulous. Maybe in about 5 or 6 years I'll but the D700!!!

Similar Products Used:

D200

Very fast. Image quality;most people will never need more than the 12.3 megapixels this camera has. Someone mentioned the battery life. I noticed it runs down a bit sooner than my previous Nikons, however, I have never found this to be an issue. Wonderful LCD screen. It's a great help doing portraits. The results at higher ISO settings are very impressive.

Not really a weakness but I wish it had the full sensor that the D3 has. This would help improve quality much more than extra megapixels could ever do. Although I have a 12-24 zoom lens for this camera, I still want the full frame without paying five grand. Plus, I would not want to lug around the extra weight. No ISO 100.

I write very brief reviews. This my fourth Nikon DSLR. I am very delighted with this camera. I was amazed with the accuracy of the exposures I am getting compared to my previous Nikons. The photographs I am getting from this camera are first-rate. If you are a Nikon person, you will not be disappointed.

Customer Service

I have never had a need to have any of my Nikon equipment repaired. I don't know if this is normal. However, Roberts (Indianapolis) is a very fine camera store with great prices and great sales people.

Similar Products Used:

Several Nikon DSLR cameras, various other cameras in my forty + years of taking snapshots. A raft of lenses and professional lighting equipment. Images look great from my Epson Photo R2400.

Live view - for macro work and shots in awkward positions (ground level or overhead)

Size and weight and great handling

Awesome image quality better than the D2Xs

Improved noise

Price 2 x D300 < 1 x D3

Build quality and sealing

Battery life

Custom menu function

None spotted yet, though I do wish Nikon would supply more discrete straps. The yellow on black screams out "mug me" and it certainly isn't camouflage

When first released I was reticent and did not intend to buy the D300. I was happily playing with a D2XS and a D3 when the shop assistant handed me a D300. I was amazed. And 3 months later continue to be amazed.

As a wildlife photographer I turned to digital to gain extra reach and have owned D1 D100 D2H and D200. I thought the D300 would be like the D200 with gimics. It is not it is a step change in technology

In comparison with the D2X it has less noise and is lighter

Lined up against the D3 it scores less well on noise but has more pixel density and so gives better resolution and also crops the image to give more reach. While the D3 (like the D2X) can be cropped pixel density is lost

Size and weight wise it is great it handles well and follows traditional Nikon layout protocols, having handled it for 10 minutes there was no alternative other than to walk out of the store with one

Autofocus seems faster and less prone to hunting than D200 / D2

Buy this if you do; macro live view zoomed gives you the chance to get absolutely crisp images, are a wildlife photographer who needs the crop and magnification of the DX format, your agency is demanding bigger and higher resolution files

Similar Products Used:

D200, D2H, D2Hs, D2X, F5, F100

Speed - 6 frames per second out of the box and up to 8 fps with the vertical grip and the D2X/D3 battery (note you need to get the $35 door that the EN-EL4a battery will attach to to get it to work, oh, and you will need a battery charger to charge the new battery, so to get 8 fps you need to drop $260 for the grip, $110 for the battery, $120 for the battery charger, and $35 for the new door = $500+ to jump from 6 to 8 fps, but it's still FAR cheaper than buying a D3 :)

Vertical grip - if you get it, it feels more like a D2X or D3 than any other camera/grip combo I've used... including Canon

LCD - UNREAL!!! 3 inches with 920,000 pixel rez. it's 4x the rez of the $8000 Canon EOS 1Ds MK III

Live View - yeah, Canon has it too, but does it have Auto Focus in LV? Nope! Nikon does, you can use AF in LV mode!!! It's absolutely the BEST way to determine proper white balance without the use of a third party accessory like an Expo Disc - which are awesome by the way. Hand hold it or use a tripod, turn on Live View and then run through the white balance settings... I usually use the Kelvin settings. Note, it will of course NOT work with strobe, but if it is being used as fill only, your good. Playback is stunning on the screen as well.

Early adopters get the NX software FREE - this is a first for Nikon

Menu layout is like the D40 and you can finally see you top LED data on the rear LCD so you dont have to always get above the camera.

51 area AF! - this was actually one of the reasons I went over to Canon a few years ago and one of the reasons I came back. I have always preferred Nikon's ergonomics and menu layout, but for sports the AF points were always (with the D2X) right in the middle or toward the edges of the frame. How is this helpful for sports? The head is almost always 2/3 to 3/4 up the vertical frame and center focusing with fast glass could through the focusing off a tad, especially in enlargements. At f/4 and smaller, center focusing is fine, but at f/1.4, 1.8, 2 or even 2.8 it can be off. The versatility of the 51 areas is superb and all non-active points are not visible in the finder which is great!

Faster focusing and 3D tracking - nough said.

Up to 12 megapixels from 10 - whoopie, does not matter, but it helps some people sleep at night

When shooting with the optional vertical grip - which has a better design and build quality than any other manufacturer yet, thought it's $100 more than the previous D200 version - it is FAR too easy to select new focusing points (remember it has 51 of them now) by accidentally pressing your forehead against the toggle control. The easiest way to avoid this is to obviously lock the toggle, but this can hinder you if you are choosing new focusing points withing the finder. It is most annoying when shooting sports... it's easiest just to lock it.

Image nose - I put sports under my listing as that is what I primarily shoot, but I also shoot weddings, portraits, models, high school seniors and more and image noise is one of the drawbacks of this camera. I would honestly say that even at 400 the Canon's are cleaner, but it's also about the same or maybe a bit better than the D2X was. The D3 is unbelievable in this category and if I were shooting for a magazine or doing major commercial jobs this side of medium format, I would have paid DOUBLE (keep in mind the cost of the accessories I mentioned above) and got the D3. The noise is by no means a problem even up over 800 for smaller prints and the web. But if a client wants a 16x20 enlargement, it may show a bit, but obviously NOT a reason to avoid this camera.

Not Full Frame - if you've been a Nikon shooter you've done without this since the beginning of DSLRs, but if you want it, as of now the D3 is the ONLY choice. The full frame sensor offers better resolution and noise control as well as wider wides depending on lens, but can cripple you on the telephoto end unless you have high dollar glass.

If you are looking for the short review, here it goes... If you are an avid shooter-to-professional looking for the most camera for the money from ANY manufacturer, then by the D300 - PERIOD.

Now, here's the run down. This is NOT a simple upgrade from the D200. Unlike Canon who really did little from the 20D to 30D (upped the resolution 2 mp only) to 40D (added Live View - no AF - upped the speed 1 fps, and boosted the ISO range and added the 3" screen), Nikon bumped the screen size to 3" but also QUADRIPPLED the resolution, bumped the fps by 1, but allowed for 3 fps more with the optional accessories, increase the focusing points from 9 to a whopping 51, increased viewfinder scope to 100% and added Live View with auto focus ability and sold it at the same retail point as the older version.

Why is it so great? Well, think about it. The best Nikon ever produced prior to the new series was really the Nikon D2X at $5000. Nikon basically packed the D2X into the D200 body, IMPROVED upon it and sold it for the D200 price!!! It shoots 6 fps out of the box and up to 8 fps. The D2X shot 8 fps, BUT, you had to put it in DX crop mode which dropped the res. down 7 mp or so and gave you a 2x crop down form the 1.5x. Let me tell you, indoor sports became a huge problem at 8 fps on the D2X. The resolution of the D300 is the SAME as the D2X. The body is LIGHTER than the D2X. The LCD is bigger and with 4x the resolution as the D2X. And the best part? It's only a little over 1/3 the price!!!

How about the D3? It's stellar in it's own right. The advantages are the D3 over the D300 are of course the full frame sensor, but also the superior ISO noise handling, slightly faster fps at 9 (yes it does 11 fps, but the focusing changes and it goes into crop mode - again), built in horizon indicator for perfectly level shots and a dual CF card slot which is cool. Oh, it's also heavier and almost 3 times th cost.

If I could buy either which would I get? The D3 unless weight was a big issue for me. There is nothing the D300 has that the D3 doesn't except for the lighter weight and built in flash, which I never use anyway. But I buy all of my own equipment and the extra $2500 (after buying the accessories) was better saved for my purposes right now. I will likely buy the D3 in a few years when the price comes down or they are available used. Rumors seem to indicate that Nikon has a 1Ds competitor in the pipe, but it will be hella expensive and may not run well for sports, which is what I shoot EVERY day.

The bottom line... This is simply the most versatile camera I have ever used in any body size. If I were shooting higher end fashion stuff or sports for SI where they bought my gear, then I'd go D3. Other than that I think you will see many self employed professionals reaching for the D300 because it is most of what they need most of the time and for many the only thing they will need any time.

If it's in your budget - get it. And if you're a Canon shooter contemplating the 40D or even the 1D Mark III, you really should give the D300 a closer look. There's a strong chance that with similar optics, the guy with the D300 will get the same shot with lighter gear at a fraction of the cost.

Ryan Bartels
Photobox Studios

Customer Service

NA

Similar Products Used:

Nikon D2X and D200 - The D300 is a perfect combination of the two bodies... see above.

Low Noise at high ISO, Fast shutter speed, 5 frames a second (I can't count that fast), 3 inch high resolution LCD display, automatic image sensor cleaning, 51 pint 3D auto focusing, Live view for composing picture (although you do have to get use to how it works). You can preset 4 different shooting menu and 4 custom setting menu. There is more but this is what came to mind quickly.

Battery life, you want to make shore you have an extra battery. The strap that came with the camera was not comfortable.

I pre-ordered the Nikon D300 with the 18-135mm lens and received the camera the last week of November. The D300 is a great camera, I thought my D70 was pretty good and I have taken some really nice pictures with it. After using the D300 for a few weeks it is hard to go back to the D70. The speed of the D300 is amazing and the low noise at high ISO (1600 and above) is super. On December 12th, I had the opportunity to take pictures of the night firing of the canons at the Castille de San Marcos, in St. Augustine. The only light source I had was from a spot light on the fort which helped me compose the shot. the real light source was from the blast of the canons them selfs. I am thrilled with the results! I also, have use the D300 for some portrait photography and once again I was happy with the results.

Similar Products Used:

Nikon D70 and D80 but the D300 has a lot more control over your settings

Where to begin? The ergonomics are perfect. It just naturally and comfortably rests in your hands. Controls are well placed for easy access without having to look for switches or dig through menus. For those options you do have to dig for, the My Menu is very useful.

The AF system is top of the line. I didn't expect that I would like the 51 AF points, but I couldn't live without them now. The 3D focus tracking covers a huge portion of the frame. Oh, and it works very well. Just last night, it tracked a guy walking by in a wide angle shot inside of a warehouse (not the best lighting). He was quickly stepping by and I was bending around pallets getting the angle, and the focus tracking held his face through it. Also for low light, still not fantastic high ISO performance, at least compared to what we're seeing out of the D3. But I would still say it's a very solid 1-stop better than the D50, possibly more. And it maintains fantastic color and skin tone, even at high ISO's.

The LCD is fantastic. The extra resolution is noticeable and invaluable when quickly evaluating shots for quality. And Live View really seems to work. Neither is suited for action shots. Tripod mode really is best on a tripod (go figure). And the sensor based AF is significantly slower than regular AF. I haven't seriously used Live View for important shots, but I can definitely see a niche in which Live View+the fantastic LCD will be valuable.

All the bells and whistles seem to work very well, and the customizability allowed by the powerful menu system is fantastic.

I've had it out in cold temps and it worked flawlessly. Battery dies more quickly, but this is natural. In regular shooting, I haven't achieved the 1,000 shots per charge that some people are claiming. But I've also been showing off the LCD and Live View a lot, haha. I would say the battery life is roughly on par with the D50 without having conducted any tests to verify this.

Mine included a key for Capture NX. The Capture NX software is horribly optimized for the D300 RAW files. It takes 5-6 times longer to convert RAW->JPEG than with the D50. This is my one real disappointment with Nikon. They shouldn't put out software so poorly prepared for release. Hopefully there will be a patch soon. But it's not really a fault with the camera. And there are other options for RAW with the D300.

The high ISO noise reduction is very aggressive. More so than for my tastes, so I have it set to off to preserve detail.

The AF has face detection, but it's hit and miss. I wouldn't count on it unless the face was a major portion of the picture.

The AF tracking is easily confused by repetitive geometry, such as buildings or blinds. But who really needs 3D tracking on buildings or blinds?

Finally, it's so well built that the D50 now feels like a toy. Ok, not a weakness, but it was the next best thing I could come up with.

This really is a fantastic camera. That's just it. Fantastic camera. You probably won't see a tremendous difference in quality if you are moving up from a D200. But I can't say this for sure having not shot with one. I was moving up from a D50. Have I started making fantastic pictures many times better than I did with the D50? No. You can make great images with any camera. This one just gets out of your way better than most. This camera really shines in the details. It just gets out of the way and produces fantastic images.

Customer Service

None needed

Similar Products Used:

D50