Nikon D300 Review.

[andy153]

I'm not going to start with any of the Specs - you can read them for yourselves at any Nikon web site.

So how do I find it?

To start with I should mention that I got mine with the MB-D10 battery pack so bear that in mind - I rarely take it off. It has the advantage of being able to use my batteries from either my D200 or my D2x. This gives it it's full 8fps power. It has an extra multi controller with it so in Portrait mode you are not scrabbling for controls.

The handling characteristics are almost identical to my D2x - Big, chunky, controls almost identical. With my Sigma Big Ma, 80-400 VR Nikkor or my AF-S 70-200 f2.8VR not the sort of thing to carry round your neck. I tend to use Optech padded straps - forget Nikons own unless you are showing off.

Larger rear screen - superb - only word for it.

Live view - forget the hand-held mode - but great on a tripod.

Focusing - probably the best part of the camera - the new sensor makes following birds in flight a dream and very fast - but apart from the Bigma all my lenses are Nikkor's so that is what I would expect, The Bigma responds just as well. Also the intelligent scene recognition works very well - and rarely focuses on parts I don't want.

Picture Profile mode: Interestingly there are some free downloads from Nikon that copy the picture characteristics of the D2x. I use these most of the time as I'm used to the D2x and like it. It's enhancement is not something I've tried yet but I will report back when I have done so.

Last bit for now: What should you expect? A solid, well built, reliable camera. I would rate it above the D200 and on a par with my D2x. Ergonomically it is better than the D2x when it has the MB-D10 attached. And I love the battery interchangeability. I just wish manufacturers, would decide on a Battery shape and stick to it, or at least give us one charger - one battery does most models.

Several of my latest gallery uploads have come from my D300 so please look there to see actual examples. I will post some more varied shots very shortly just as D300 examples - They will all be straight from the camera.

If you are contemplating a D300 of your own - I cannot recommend it highly enough.
Please enjoy and if any questions I'll try to answer them.

[andy153]

As promised - here are three shots, taken in sequence on continuous low frame setting to show the focus follow capability - Nikon D300 - 18-200 VR Nikkor with VR active. I know it is wrong lens and they are too far away but I thought this would be an extreme example. The fourth shot is a crop about 50% of Test4 to demonstrate how well or otherwise the focus has locked on the bird.
PS I know my panning is rubbish!

[Don Hoey]

Hi Andy,

Thinking back to this thread http://www.worldphotographyforum.com...ead.php?t=3174 have you had a chance to see how your new toy behaves.

Don

[andy153]

Hi Don, Having played about with 500+ exposures I'm now starting to set myself some structured tests. Up till now I have not used the Active D Lighting, and many other features, but over the next week or so {weather permitting} I'm going to repeat the Springfield Park lake shot one as is, the other with Active D. At the moment I am shooting large jpegs with only occasional RAW - I do Normally shoot Raw. I have to say that I have NOT found any over or under exposure problems. With my D2x - when I load into Photoshop I always turn the picture down one stop - not because it needs it but because it is a personal thing I automatically do for my monitor. I don't do it if I'm printing. I am also using the D2x mode III setting that I downloaded from Nikon.
The above birds were just an extreme test of the full 51 auto focus sensors and I think it handled them very well. I will be repeating this with the Bigma in the near future.
I am happy with the program mode, and very happy with the Aperture priority mode. I have not yet tried out shutter priority or manual - that is still to come.

First impressions are as above - better than a D200 equal to a D2x.

[Canis Vulpes]

Focus is something I really need tracking fast moving aeroplanes. The D2X does the job very well (1.01 firmware) but I use one only focus point. Having 51 point means greater flexibility and would be advantageous for portraiture and still life.

Thanks for the summary comment 'better than D200 equal to D2X' means I'll be very happy for the foreseeable future using my D2X in its fourth season, hopefully a fifth and beyond.

Glad you are enjoying your new toy

[andy153]

Thanks for that Stephen - I agree - I won't be getting rid of my D2x any time soon (firmware 2.0) but at the moment I do find myself having to make a conscious effort to pick up the D300 instead.

[Canis Vulpes]

Wheres the D2H in all of this, mine is still going strong and the choice body for still life and portraits.

[andy153]

Still use D2H and D200 though less than I used. My D2H was obtained in the last twelve months with 69 yes 69 actuations - use it for Rugby matches and other sports, D200 is my carry around camera.

[Derekb]

Andy, if you don't mind I'll add my thoughts and expand upon your review.

I'm using the D300 almost exclusively now, for both my sporting shots and my landscapes. I'll cover both separately below:

Action/Sports
I have yet to alter the colour of any of my cycling images, every single shot is perfect right out of the camera. I use both Aperture priority (AP) and Shutter priority (SP) modes, depending on what effect I'm wanting.

AP
Attached is a picture taken using AP (V718-1) and you can see it is pin sharp, the camera locked on and the results are awesome - the best I have ever seen (and I've used my colleagues MKIII). To be honest setting a high shutter speed to stop the action is too easy with this camera - you are talking about a 100% success rate of pictures in focus.

SP
OK so a more difficult test is to set the camera to SP. Much more skill is needed here to pan and keep your subject in focus, but the D300 locks on and keeps focus like a guided missile. The attached photo (YRC Hilly 41) was taken on one of our local hilly courses. Here the rider was doing 40+ mph down a fast hill (my tutor chose this spot to test my technique!) at a shutter speed of 1/160th and this is quite possibly one of the most difficult shots for me to get as a cycling photographer - but I'm finding I use this method most of the time now.

Landscapes
Quite honestly I'm gobsmacked with this camera for landscapes and that was not what I bought it for. The colours are just superb even before you start to edit and the range it handles (Andy - you must explore the Active D-Lighting, it is truly an incredible tool when you learn when/how to use it - which I'm still doing) has to be experienced. Where I used to take multiple exposures with my D80 to ensure I did not blow out a sky, I'm setting the D300 up to capture what I want in one shot. See the attached photo (View from Curbar Edge) which has not been touched yet - it is straight out of the D300. Now tell me honestly of any other camera (apart from the D3!) that could have handled this scene without blowing out. The sunlight was strong (see the flare) and almost into the lens, yet it handled it superbly.

OK so what are the downsides?
Well I'm still not convinced with the Program mode (P), which I now never use. From the example above taken in AP mode, you can clearly see it handles difficult scenes very well. I wish I had thought to switch it to P mode, but I'm pretty certain it would not have produced a good image. I will test this more and report back, but for now I do not trust the 'all automatic' P mode.

Bottom line - my own personal opinion.
My next purchase (though not for a while) will be the D3. I will then own the best two DSLR cameras out there.

[andy153]

Glad you've joined in Derek, Like the thumbnails - Focus is superb, isn't it?
In fact the whole things great.