Nikon D300 review by Gene Wright

Nikon D300 Digital SLR Camera Front View

Nikon D300 Camera Review. There is no mode dial, like in D80, just a button and only 4 modes that will be displayed in the viewfinder; this is a pro camera, and you do not have to lower the camera from your eyes too often when you change various settings. the amateur-like modes (portrait, night etc) have disappeared and you don't have to change white balance, ISO and picture quality settings by peering at the back of the camera (like on the D80) to find the buttons. They are on the top, like on D200, which more convenient because they are placed in a triangle shape and you can get to your required button without removing the camera from your eye, because you will quickly remember the location of each button: front the quality, left the white balance, right the ISO. Furthermore, the ISO setting is displayed in the viewfinder and you'll be quite amazed to find how useful this little feature is!

Nikon D300 Digital SLR Camera Left Angle View

Engineered with pro-level features and performance, the 12.3-effective-megapixel D300 combines brand new technologies with advanced features inherited from Nikon's newly announced D3 professional digital SLR camera to offer serious photographers remarkable performance combined with agility.

Similar to the D3, the D300 features Nikon's exclusive EXPEED Image Processing System that is central to driving the speed and processing power needed for many of the camera's new features. The D300 features a new 51-point autofocus system with Nikon's 3D Focus Tracking feature and two new LiveView shooting modes that allow users to frame a photograph using the camera's high-resolution LCD monitor. The D300 shares a similar Scene Recognition System as is found in the D3; it promises to greatly enhance the accuracy of autofocus, autoexposure, and auto white balance by recognizing the subject or scene being photographed and applying this information to the calculations for the three functions.

Nikon D300 Digital SLR Camera Right Angle View

The D300 reacts with lightning speed, powering up in a mere 0.13 seconds and shooting with an imperceptible 45-millisecond shutter release lag time. The D300 is capable of shooting at a rapid six frames per second and can go as fast as eight frames per second when using the optional MB-D10 multi-power battery pack. In continuous bursts, the D300 can shoot up to 100 shots at full 12.3-megapixel resolution. (NORMAL-LARGE image setting, using a SanDisk Extreme IV 1GB CompactFlash card.)

The D300 incorporates a range of innovative technologies and features that will significantly improve the accuracy, control, and performance photographers can get from their equipment. Its new Scene Recognition System advances the use of Nikon's acclaimed 1,005-segment sensor to recognize colors and light patterns that help the camera determine the subject and the type of scene being photographed before a picture is taken. This information is used to improve the accuracy of autofocus, autoexposure, and auto white balance functions in the D300. For example, the camera can track moving subjects better and by identifying them, it can also automatically select focus points faster and with greater accuracy. It can also analyze highlights and more accurately determine exposure, as well as infer light sources to deliver more accurate white balance detection.

Nikon D300 Digital SLR Camera Left Side View

The D300 incorporates Nikon's new Multi-CAM 3500DX autofocus module that features an intelligent array of 15 cross-type sensors and 36 horizontal sensors. These sensors can either be used individually or in groups, with the option for Single area AF mode and Dynamic AF modes using groups of either nine, 21, or all 51 focus points. The system also features 3D tracking with automatic focus-point switching that takes advantage of all 51 AF points as it uses color and light information to accurately track the subject. Nikon's new Scene Recognition System and improved focus algorithms also contribute to the impressive performance of the new 51-point AF system.

Nikon D300 Digital SLR Camera Right Side View

Nikon's new Picture Control System makes it easy for users of all experience levels to select and apply adjustments to how their pictures are rendered and create optimized settings to suit their individual preferences. The same settings produce consistent picture tone, even when using different camera bodies. The Picture Control System offers four basic setting options--Standard, Neutral, Vivid, and Monochrome. These can be directly modified for easy adjustment and customization of image parameters, such as sharpening, tone compensation, brightness, and saturation. Photographers can customize and store up to nine customized options in the D300 and export up to 99 to a CF memory card, enabling photographers to share settings among multiple cameras that feature Picture Control System.

Nikon D300 Digital SLR Camera Top View

Taking a cue from the popularity of Nikon's D-Lighting technology, the D300 features a new Active D-Lighting mode that, when enabled, provides remarkable real-time highlight and shadow correction with optimized image contrast. Active D-Lighting produces broader tone reproduction in both shadows and highlights by controlling highlights and exposure compensation while applying localized tone control technology to achieve a more pleasing level of contrast across the entire image. And because the advantages of Active D-Lighting are applied as images are captured, image editing time can be shortened.

The D300's LiveView feature offers two modes for confirming subjects and composition on the new 920,000-dot, high-resolution 3-inch LCD monitor while shooting. The Tripod mode is designed for precise focus and accuracy when the camera is on a stable platform and the subject is not moving. In this mode, the camera focuses on the subject using focal-plane contrast and any point on the LCD screen can be selected as the focus point for the picture. The second mode, called Handheld mode, allows photographers to use the camera's conventional TTL focusing system with all 51-points and 15 cross-type points available. When using this mode, the camera activates focusing immediately when the shutter button is pressed to ensure accurate focus.

The D300 also employs a new self-cleaning sensor unit. Four different resonance frequencies vibrate the optical low-pass filter in front of the image sensor to shake particles free and reduce the appearance of dust.

September 10, 2009 Nikon D300 is now officially discontinued according to Nikon Japan. Nikon D300 Review DX • Around $1,500, body only • Introduced August 23, 2007

The 12MP D300's optical viewfinder provides a nearly 100 percent view of the image frame and 0.94x magnification. The camera's CompactFlash slot supports the UDMA standard for fast write speeds. The D300 body also incorporates an HDMI port for outputting images to a high-definition screen. Shutter Speed: The Nikon D300 features a 12.3- megapixel self-cleaning DX-format CMOS sensor and high-resolution (920,000-dot, or 307,000 pixel) 3-inch LCD with a 170-degree viewing angle. The camera takes F-mount lenss, and provides selectable 14-bit RAW image capture.

• Nikon D300 digital SLR body
• EN-EL3e rechargeable li-ion battery
• MH-18a quick charger
• UC-E4 USB cable
• EG-D100 video cable
• AN-D300 strap
• BM-8 LCD monitor cover
• body cap
• DK-5 eyepiece cap
• DK-23 rubber eyecup
• Software Suite CD-ROM

The D300 ROCKS!, July 13, 2009

By Carole (Washington)

The main reason I purchased this camera was for my whale photography. I had been shooting with a Nikon D50, and although it did a good job, I needed more. When I heard that the D300 would go to 6fps (8fps with the battery grip), I knew I had to get one.

This camera did not disappoint. The first time I took it out was for gray whales in April. It did a superb job. Next was my first venture photographing orcas. I was on San Juan Island and shooting from the shore. I didn't have the grip (still getting used to the way that feels), and at 6fps I got amazing shots. I took the camera out on a boat a couple of weeks ago and again the results were amazing. I was using the Nikon 70-300VR lens. You can see some of my photos in an article I wrote on photographing orcas: [...]

I am more than happy with my D300 and would recommend it to anyone looking to upgrade their camera body. I also don't know why people complain about their battery life as I have absolutely no problems with mine. I do suggest that if you are buying an extra battery, you Best Prices for the Nikon battery, not a third party. When you are spending this much for a camera body, what you put into it should be only the best.

By P. Chen "Pneuma" (Denton, TX)

I shot pictures with Nikon FM2 before the digital era and I learned a lot about photography by shooting with FM2, which is an all mechanic manual-focused SLR.

For the last several years, I shoot with a Canon A series P&S and I am pretty happy with the Canon. Therefore, when the chance came up for me to purchase a DSLR, I researched hard and long and couldn't decide if I should choose a Nikon or Canon. The final decisions came down between Nikon D300 and Canon 50D. Although 50D is newer and cheaper, I bought the Nikon D300 because of my fond memory with FM2 and my two manual-focused Nikkor lenses.

The first several hours of my D300 ownership were filled with disappointment and frustration. The pictures I took were underexposed and the color looked weird, plus I couldn't figure out which auto focus mode to use (I never had a auto-focused SLR). However, once I read the manual, which is very easy to read, and David Busch's Nikon D300 Guide to Digital SLR Photography, thing began to change. After two months of shooting and playing with the settings, I can now say that Nikon D300 is truly a camera for serious photo amateurs.

If you know nothing about exposure, white balance, ISO, apertures, and shutter speed, this camera may frustrate you. In that case, I would recommend you buy Nikon D60 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S DX VR Nikkor Zoom Lens, which is a wonderful beginner's DSLR (I end up buying a D60 too). However, if you have basic knowledge about photography and how SLR works and you would like to put everything under your control, then D300 will not disappoint you.

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