Nikon 12.3-Megapixel Digital SLR Camera - Black

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Nikon 12.3-Megapixel Digital SLR Camera - Black

...

Nikon 12.3-Megapixel Digital SLR Camera - Black

...

Nikon 12.3-Megapixel Digital SLR Camera - Black

...

by doing things as fundamental as "correct" chromatic aberrations and inherent distortions of individual lenses. This camera, which borrowed so much from the flagship Nikon D3 has really pushed the envelope.

There are very good alternatives right now. For those wanting exemplary image quality with much of what the D300 offers but for significantly less money: Canon offers the popular Canon EOS 40D 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only) and Nikon now has attractive pricing for its popular D200, the fine camera that the D300 updated in late 2007 Nikon D200 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only). It has also earned many loyal followers and has a very solid build.

But once in a long while something extraordinary is designed that stands out from a very distinguished and competitive field. I am not regularly gonzo over gear. I will simply address the current field with options for your consideration while your money is still in your pocket. Thinking about the history of photography does not involve ranking accomplishment by merely which tools, the means that were used. But we do each need to make our personal choice. Any of the cameras mentioned here should make you very happy. Only you will know which one in particular matches your needs and desires.

The performance and potential of the D300 camera make it stand out to me. I have less work to do in image editing and the quality of the capture is the best I have seen. There are lots of places to read in detail about all its features including those shared with Nikon's outstanding premium camera, the D3. The D300 is not cheap but is durable and Nikon has been generous for what it offers and for what you can deliver with it. That is its most compelling case, its quality, performance and value. I realize praising engineering is not exciting reading - despite that being Nikon's historical strength - but it is their breakthroughs that I value most in the D300. That includes an entire series of triumphs in interrelated areas including color, tonal nuance, metering for better exposures and more extensive creative controls where you actually get to apply your intelligence and talents. Automated everything is also available but if you are exclusively shooting like that particularly in JPEGs there are many other good cameras to consider buying that will do that well for far less money beginning under $500 including a zoom lens like Nikon D40 6.1MP Digital SLR Camera Kit with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor Lens. In fact all well known brands offer much better cameras than you might expect for their price at the so called entry level but that is another topic. You may be upgrading from one to the D300. That is not a subtle leap beginning empirically and then simply holding each in your hands. It is just not fair or necessary to compare things so wide apart.

The D300's precision is amazing. It is going to spoil me regarding expectations in small camera photography. Want a closer look? Composing or fine tuning sharpening while looking at stunning color in "Live View" modes (yes, there are two) on the camera back's brilliant 3" scratch resistant monitor is not bad either. The ultimate measure is the quality of results as well as the creative options and degree of control. They could directly assist you with what you want to say, show, express. All cameras do that but I recommend this extraordinary camera because for some it might assist you in doing it better than with an alternative. That is a testable premise but with subjective criteria. Consider renting one if that is a reasonable option. Seeing really is believing in this case. Otherwise there are lots of other cameras to convince you that one will be right for you.

Test your options. For example, Canon offers an excellent body in the same price range, that can be a few hundred dollars more, it usually is not a large difference. The Canon EOS 5D 12.8 MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only) offers full frame capture if we use 35mm film as "normal" coverage. By that I mean, in theory, it can use the same lenses you used in 35mm film photography. Just check to ensure your lenses do not have any vignetting problems, light fall off, in their new application. Canon has made many excellent lenses with conventional 35mm film coverage, super wide angle lenses that you might own that you enjoyed and do not want to duplicate with an expensive wide angle lens for digital capture. But be aware there are differences in coverage and they are not always obvious. The 5D's super chip is terrific but it does not have as robust a body or as modern electronics as the newer D300. There always seem to be trade-offs. Please refer to the many positive Amazon reviews in the link to see why the 5D has also won many followers since 2005. Using your older film based lenses with your digital camera is advantageous regardless of the chip as long as you have coverage and quality.

If you are already a Nikon user, note that the Nikon D300's chip like in the vast majority of cameras has a narrower coverage than the 5D and D3. Thankfully all Nikon lenses are backwards compatible with few caveats. I like the trade off in the lighter weight DX lenses the D300 uses. They suit the format's size and portability advantages that make them appealing where larger formats would be logistically problematic. If the full coverage sensor is critical you would need to move up to the highly praised Nikon D3 12.1MP FX Digital SLR Camera (Body Only) which is three times the cost of a D300 (street price, with Nikon USA warranty). However, you can spend even more on the equally excellent top of the line Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III 21.1MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only) or the first rate Fuijifilm camera, Fujifilm IS Pro Body Only, 12.3 MP Digital SLR Camera with Nikon F Lens Mount, with Pro Body Kit or the impressive, smallest mid-format camera, the Mamiya 645AFD III that is $10,000 (list). It has a Phase One digital back.

Nikon 12.3-Megapixel Digital SLR Camera - Black

...

by doing things as fundamental as "correct" chromatic aberrations and inherent distortions of individual lenses. This camera, which borrowed so much from the flagship Nikon D3 has really pushed the envelope.



There are very good alternatives right now. For those wanting exemplary image quality with much of what the D300 offers but for significantly less money: Canon offers the popular Canon EOS 40D 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only) and Nikon now has attractive pricing for its popular D200, the fine camera that the D300 updated in late 2007 Nikon D200 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only). It has also earned many loyal followers and has a very solid build.



But once in a long while something extraordinary is designed that stands out from a very distinguished and competitive field. I am not regularly gonzo over gear. I will simply address the current field with options for your consideration while your money is still in your pocket. Thinking about the history of photography does not involve ranking accomplishment by merely which tools, the means that were used. But we do each need to make our personal choice. Any of the cameras mentioned here should make you very happy. Only you will know which one in particular matches your needs and desires.



The performance and potential of the D300 camera make it stand out to me. I have less work to do in image editing and the quality of the capture is the best I have seen. There are lots of places to read in detail about all its features including those shared with Nikon's outstanding premium camera, the D3. The D300 is not cheap but is durable and Nikon has been generous for what it offers and for what you can deliver with it. That is its most compelling case, its quality, performance and value. I realize praising engineering is not exciting reading - despite that being Nikon's historical strength - but it is their breakthroughs that I value most in the D300. That includes an entire series of triumphs in interrelated areas including color, tonal nuance, metering for better exposures and more extensive creative controls where you actually get to apply your intelligence and talents. Automated everything is also available but if you are exclusively shooting like that particularly in JPEGs there are many other good cameras to consider buying that will do that well for far less money beginning under $500 including a zoom lens like Nikon D40 6.1MP Digital SLR Camera Kit with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor Lens. In fact all well known brands offer much better cameras than you might expect for their price at the so called entry level but that is another topic. You may be upgrading from one to the D300. That is not a subtle leap beginning empirically and then simply holding each in your hands. It is just not fair or necessary to compare things so wide apart.



The D300's precision is amazing. It is going to spoil me regarding expectations in small camera photography. Want a closer look? Composing or fine tuning sharpening while looking at stunning color in "Live View" modes (yes, there are two) on the camera back's brilliant 3" scratch resistant monitor is not bad either. The ultimate measure is the quality of results as well as the creative options and degree of control. They could directly assist you with what you want to say, show, express. All cameras do that but I recommend this extraordinary camera because for some it might assist you in doing it better than with an alternative. That is a testable premise but with subjective criteria. Consider renting one if that is a reasonable option. Seeing really is believing in this case. Otherwise there are lots of other cameras to convince you that one will be right for you.



Test your options. For example, Canon offers an excellent body in the same price range, that can be a few hundred dollars more, it usually is not a large difference. The Canon EOS 5D 12.8 MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only) offers full frame capture if we use 35mm film as "normal" coverage. By that I mean, in theory, it can use the same lenses you used in 35mm film photography. Just check to ensure your lenses do not have any vignetting problems, light fall off, in their new application. Canon has made many excellent lenses with conventional 35mm film coverage, super wide angle lenses that you might own that you enjoyed and do not want to duplicate with an expensive wide angle lens for digital capture. But be aware there are differences in coverage and they are not always obvious. The 5D's super chip is terrific but it does not have as robust a body or as modern electronics as the newer D300. There always seem to be trade-offs. Please refer to the many positive Amazon reviews in the link to see why the 5D has also won many followers since 2005. Using your older film based lenses with your digital camera is advantageous regardless of the chip as long as you have coverage and quality.



If you are already a Nikon user, note that the Nikon D300's chip like in the vast majority of cameras has a narrower coverage than the 5D and D3. Thankfully all Nikon lenses are backwards compatible with few caveats. I like the trade off in the lighter weight DX lenses the D300 uses. They suit the format's size and portability advantages that make them appealing where larger formats would be logistically problematic. If the full coverage sensor is critical you would need to move up to the highly praised Nikon D3 12.1MP FX Digital SLR Camera (Body Only) which is three times the cost of a D300 (street price, with Nikon USA warranty). However, you can spend even more on the equally excellent top of the line Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III 21.1MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only) or the first rate Fuijifilm camera, Fujifilm IS Pro Body Only, 12.3 MP Digital SLR Camera with Nikon F Lens Mount, with Pro Body Kit or the impressive, smallest mid-format camera, the Mamiya 645AFD III that is $10,000 (list). It has a Phase One digital back.

Nikon 12.3-Megapixel Digital SLR Camera - Black

...

by doing things as fundamental as "correct" chromatic aberrations and inherent distortions of individual lenses. This camera, which borrowed so much from the flagship Nikon D3 has really pushed the envelope.





There are very good alternatives right now. For those wanting exemplary image quality with much of what the D300 offers but for significantly less money: Canon offers the popular Canon EOS 40D 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only) and Nikon now has attractive pricing for its popular D200, the fine camera that the D300 updated in late 2007 Nikon D200 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only). It has also earned many loyal followers and has a very solid build.





But once in a long while something extraordinary is designed that stands out from a very distinguished and competitive field. I am not regularly gonzo over gear. I will simply address the current field with options for your consideration while your money is still in your pocket. Thinking about the history of photography does not involve ranking accomplishment by merely which tools, the means that were used. But we do each need to make our personal choice. Any of the cameras mentioned here should make you very happy. Only you will know which one in particular matches your needs and desires.





The performance and potential of the D300 camera make it stand out to me. I have less work to do in image editing and the quality of the capture is the best I have seen. There are lots of places to read in detail about all its features including those shared with Nikon's outstanding premium camera, the D3. The D300 is not cheap but is durable and Nikon has been generous for what it offers and for what you can deliver with it. That is its most compelling case, its quality, performance and value. I realize praising engineering is not exciting reading - despite that being Nikon's historical strength - but it is their breakthroughs that I value most in the D300. That includes an entire series of triumphs in interrelated areas including color, tonal nuance, metering for better exposures and more extensive creative controls where you actually get to apply your intelligence and talents. Automated everything is also available but if you are exclusively shooting like that particularly in JPEGs there are many other good cameras to consider buying that will do that well for far less money beginning under $500 including a zoom lens like Nikon D40 6.1MP Digital SLR Camera Kit with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor Lens. In fact all well known brands offer much better cameras than you might expect for their price at the so called entry level but that is another topic. You may be upgrading from one to the D300. That is not a subtle leap beginning empirically and then simply holding each in your hands. It is just not fair or necessary to compare things so wide apart.





The D300's precision is amazing. It is going to spoil me regarding expectations in small camera photography. Want a closer look? Composing or fine tuning sharpening while looking at stunning color in "Live View" modes (yes, there are two) on the camera back's brilliant 3" scratch resistant monitor is not bad either. The ultimate measure is the quality of results as well as the creative options and degree of control. They could directly assist you with what you want to say, show, express. All cameras do that but I recommend this extraordinary camera because for some it might assist you in doing it better than with an alternative. That is a testable premise but with subjective criteria. Consider renting one if that is a reasonable option. Seeing really is believing in this case. Otherwise there are lots of other cameras to convince you that one will be right for you.





Test your options. For example, Canon offers an excellent body in the same price range, that can be a few hundred dollars more, it usually is not a large difference. The Canon EOS 5D 12.8 MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only) offers full frame capture if we use 35mm film as "normal" coverage. By that I mean, in theory, it can use the same lenses you used in 35mm film photography. Just check to ensure your lenses do not have any vignetting problems, light fall off, in their new application. Canon has made many excellent lenses with conventional 35mm film coverage, super wide angle lenses that you might own that you enjoyed and do not want to duplicate with an expensive wide angle lens for digital capture. But be aware there are differences in coverage and they are not always obvious. The 5D's super chip is terrific but it does not have as robust a body or as modern electronics as the newer D300. There always seem to be trade-offs. Please refer to the many positive Amazon reviews in the link to see why the 5D has also won many followers since 2005. Using your older film based lenses with your digital camera is advantageous regardless of the chip as long as you have coverage and quality.





If you are already a Nikon user, note that the Nikon D300's chip like in the vast majority of cameras has a narrower coverage than the 5D and D3. Thankfully all Nikon lenses are backwards compatible with few caveats. I like the trade off in the lighter weight DX lenses the D300 uses. They suit the format's size and portability advantages that make them appealing where larger formats would be logistically problematic. If the full coverage sensor is critical you would need to move up to the highly praised Nikon D3 12.1MP FX Digital SLR Camera (Body Only) which is three times the cost of a D300 (street price, with Nikon USA warranty). However, you can spend even more on the equally excellent top of the line Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III 21.1MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only) or the first rate Fuijifilm camera, Fujifilm IS Pro Body Only, 12.3 MP Digital SLR Camera with Nikon F Lens Mount, with Pro Body Kit or the impressive, smallest mid-format camera, the Mamiya 645AFD III that is $10,000 (list). It has a Phase One digital back.

Nikon 12.3-Megapixel Digital SLR Camera - Black

...

magnifying eyepiece that gives you a bigger view at the expense of eye relief.
(3) picture controls: allow you to dial in settings in-camera and create great looking JPGs without any post-processing.
(4) built-in GPS support is wonderful: I am able to geotag all my photos on trips and display them on Google Maps when I get home. This is also an essential tool for surveying or scientific work.
(5) live view: perfect for macro and landscape work. It is designed to be used on a tripod for slow and methodical pictures, not for over-the-head grab shots on NFL sidelines.
(6) The camera can use pretty much all Nikon glass made since 1959. I take great pleasure in using a 40 year old Nikkor 28/3.5 to shoot infrared on the D300.
(7) The CAM3500 is truly amazing - I have only begun to appreciate it. I recently used the 3D focusing to track tiny cave swallows against a cliff wall. I watched the focus point dance all around the viewfinder as it perfectly tracked the tiny birds. Wow!


The main weaknesses:
(1) NEF (RAW) image quality in Lightroom is very good, but to get the very best skin tones and overall quality you still must process in Capture NX, which is clunky.
(2) this is NOT a good camera for a beginner. You will quickly become frustrated with the complexity. The camera is like a manual transmission car - it leaves all the decisions up to you, so you can't rely on it to "think" for you. If you are new to photography you will be much better served by a more consumer-friendly Nikon or Canon body.

Bottom line: after a few weeks of getting the D300 dialed in to your liking, you will quickly forget about the camera completely and concentrate on your images, which is, after all, the whole point.

Nikon 12.3-Megapixel Digital SLR Camera - Black

...

magnifying eyepiece that gives you a bigger view at the expense of eye relief.

(3) picture controls: allow you to dial in settings in-camera and create great looking JPGs without any post-processing.

(4) built-in GPS support is wonderful: I am able to geotag all my photos on trips and display them on Google Maps when I get home. This is also an essential tool for surveying or scientific work.

(5) live view: perfect for macro and landscape work. It is designed to be used on a tripod for slow and methodical pictures, not for over-the-head grab shots on NFL sidelines.

(6) The camera can use pretty much all Nikon glass made since 1959. I take great pleasure in using a 40 year old Nikkor 28/3.5 to shoot infrared on the D300.

(7) The CAM3500 is truly amazing - I have only begun to appreciate it. I recently used the 3D focusing to track tiny cave swallows against a cliff wall. I watched the focus point dance all around the viewfinder as it perfectly tracked the tiny birds. Wow!





The main weaknesses:

(1) NEF (RAW) image quality in Lightroom is very good, but to get the very best skin tones and overall quality you still must process in Capture NX, which is clunky.

(2) this is NOT a good camera for a beginner. You will quickly become frustrated with the complexity. The camera is like a manual transmission car - it leaves all the decisions up to you, so you can't rely on it to "think" for you. If you are new to photography you will be much better served by a more consumer-friendly Nikon or Canon body.



Bottom line: after a few weeks of getting the D300 dialed in to your liking, you will quickly forget about the camera completely and concentrate on your images, which is, after all, the whole point.

Nikon 12.3-Megapixel Digital SLR Camera - Black

...

magnifying eyepiece that gives you a bigger view at the expense of eye relief.


(3) picture controls: allow you to dial in settings in-camera and create great looking JPGs without any post-processing.


(4) built-in GPS support is wonderful: I am able to geotag all my photos on trips and display them on Google Maps when I get home. This is also an essential tool for surveying or scientific work.


(5) live view: perfect for macro and landscape work. It is designed to be used on a tripod for slow and methodical pictures, not for over-the-head grab shots on NFL sidelines.


(6) The camera can use pretty much all Nikon glass made since 1959. I take great pleasure in using a 40 year old Nikkor 28/3.5 to shoot infrared on the D300.


(7) The CAM3500 is truly amazing - I have only begun to appreciate it. I recently used the 3D focusing to track tiny cave swallows against a cliff wall. I watched the focus point dance all around the viewfinder as it perfectly tracked the tiny birds. Wow!








The main weaknesses:


(1) NEF (RAW) image quality in Lightroom is very good, but to get the very best skin tones and overall quality you still must process in Capture NX, which is clunky.


(2) this is NOT a good camera for a beginner. You will quickly become frustrated with the complexity. The camera is like a manual transmission car - it leaves all the decisions up to you, so you can't rely on it to "think" for you. If you are new to photography you will be much better served by a more consumer-friendly Nikon or Canon body.





Bottom line: after a few weeks of getting the D300 dialed in to your liking, you will quickly forget about the camera completely and concentrate on your images, which is, after all, the whole point.

Nikon 12.3-Megapixel Digital SLR Camera - Black

...

to take wonderful wildlife photos. And D300 excels at low light condition. Under daylight, it shoots photos bright (compared with the darker photos of D80) and the colour more natural (compared with the more vivid and deeper shades of D80). Sometimes I prefer to have darker photos so I activate the useful active D-lighting feature to adjust the contrast. As for the white balance, the available colours for adjustment is impressive. When pressing the shutter button to shoot, despite the camera's heavier weight, the handshake effect is actually reduced. Perhaps it is the mechansim or the centre of gravity that makes this happen. The continuous high speed shooting (6 fps) allows me to capture the egret take-off easily. Yes, I admit I have not used the live view extensively - the bright big viewfinder is simply alluring. Also, I haven't studied the manual word by word - I flip through a few pages only. But that's because most buttons are so user friendly, you can guess and shoot.

Not to mention the free Capture NX software accompanying the camera. I must admit I need only a handful of the many features of Capture NX eg adjusting the brightness of a tiny region of the photo, increasing the intensity and sharpness of the photo etc. It is at such a professional level that makes the picture perfect.

Some people emphasize again and again about sharpness of the image and focusing speed. However, I find the colours, contrast and exposure even more important in my consideration. Take a sunset photo and I see amazing colours of the dusk on the photo! Also, I won't need to worry whether my 20-year old Nikon lenses can be incompatibale with D300. They just fit and focus steadfastly and accurately on the object (albeit not as fast as the new Nikon AF-S lenses.) To top it all, the old manual lens can have autoexposure on D300 but not on D80. As for the flash, both D80 and D300 built in flash serves most of my purposes. D300 exposure program is so intelligent that sometimes the flash output is not as bright as I want, so I just use flash compensation.

With my D300, I can carry it everywhere and experiment with creative shots. But don't worry about my D80, I intend to keep it, especially when the trip is tough and long. After all, that is when I need to move fast and light! D300 is awarded the TIPA 2008 best expert camera - one it fully deserves. Plus, its price has gone down to an attractive level. It is a camera I don't want to go without!

Nikon 12.3-Megapixel Digital SLR Camera - Black

...

to take wonderful wildlife photos. And D300 excels at low light condition. Under daylight, it shoots photos bright (compared with the darker photos of D80) and the colour more natural (compared with the more vivid and deeper shades of D80). Sometimes I prefer to have darker photos so I activate the useful active D-lighting feature to adjust the contrast. As for the white balance, the available colours for adjustment is impressive. When pressing the shutter button to shoot, despite the camera's heavier weight, the handshake effect is actually reduced. Perhaps it is the mechansim or the centre of gravity that makes this happen. The continuous high speed shooting (6 fps) allows me to capture the egret take-off easily. Yes, I admit I have not used the live view extensively - the bright big viewfinder is simply alluring. Also, I haven't studied the manual word by word - I flip through a few pages only. But that's because most buttons are so user friendly, you can guess and shoot.



Not to mention the free Capture NX software accompanying the camera. I must admit I need only a handful of the many features of Capture NX eg adjusting the brightness of a tiny region of the photo, increasing the intensity and sharpness of the photo etc. It is at such a professional level that makes the picture perfect.



Some people emphasize again and again about sharpness of the image and focusing speed. However, I find the colours, contrast and exposure even more important in my consideration. Take a sunset photo and I see amazing colours of the dusk on the photo! Also, I won't need to worry whether my 20-year old Nikon lenses can be incompatibale with D300. They just fit and focus steadfastly and accurately on the object (albeit not as fast as the new Nikon AF-S lenses.) To top it all, the old manual lens can have autoexposure on D300 but not on D80. As for the flash, both D80 and D300 built in flash serves most of my purposes. D300 exposure program is so intelligent that sometimes the flash output is not as bright as I want, so I just use flash compensation.



With my D300, I can carry it everywhere and experiment with creative shots. But don't worry about my D80, I intend to keep it, especially when the trip is tough and long. After all, that is when I need to move fast and light! D300 is awarded the TIPA 2008 best expert camera - one it fully deserves. Plus, its price has gone down to an attractive level. It is a camera I don't want to go without!

Nikon 12.3-Megapixel Digital SLR Camera - Black

...

to take wonderful wildlife photos. And D300 excels at low light condition. Under daylight, it shoots photos bright (compared with the darker photos of D80) and the colour more natural (compared with the more vivid and deeper shades of D80). Sometimes I prefer to have darker photos so I activate the useful active D-lighting feature to adjust the contrast. As for the white balance, the available colours for adjustment is impressive. When pressing the shutter button to shoot, despite the camera's heavier weight, the handshake effect is actually reduced. Perhaps it is the mechansim or the centre of gravity that makes this happen. The continuous high speed shooting (6 fps) allows me to capture the egret take-off easily. Yes, I admit I have not used the live view extensively - the bright big viewfinder is simply alluring. Also, I haven't studied the manual word by word - I flip through a few pages only. But that's because most buttons are so user friendly, you can guess and shoot.





Not to mention the free Capture NX software accompanying the camera. I must admit I need only a handful of the many features of Capture NX eg adjusting the brightness of a tiny region of the photo, increasing the intensity and sharpness of the photo etc. It is at such a professional level that makes the picture perfect.





Some people emphasize again and again about sharpness of the image and focusing speed. However, I find the colours, contrast and exposure even more important in my consideration. Take a sunset photo and I see amazing colours of the dusk on the photo! Also, I won't need to worry whether my 20-year old Nikon lenses can be incompatibale with D300. They just fit and focus steadfastly and accurately on the object (albeit not as fast as the new Nikon AF-S lenses.) To top it all, the old manual lens can have autoexposure on D300 but not on D80. As for the flash, both D80 and D300 built in flash serves most of my purposes. D300 exposure program is so intelligent that sometimes the flash output is not as bright as I want, so I just use flash compensation.





With my D300, I can carry it everywhere and experiment with creative shots. But don't worry about my D80, I intend to keep it, especially when the trip is tough and long. After all, that is when I need to move fast and light! D300 is awarded the TIPA 2008 best expert camera - one it fully deserves. Plus, its price has gone down to an attractive level. It is a camera I don't want to go without!

Nikon 12.3-Megapixel Digital SLR Camera - Black

...

grip also bumps the frames per second from 6 to 8 when using AA's or some Nikon camera batteries.).

I've not weighed the machine with an 18-200 VR lens and external grip w/batteries, but it's a heavyweight and I would recommend a different strap than the Nikon supplied strap that comes with the camera body.

There is no "stealth mode" on this machine as there is on my Canon G-9 P&S; the shutter is loud, and putting it into rapid fire mode at 8 fps will get the attention of those around you.

The camera will be happiest with high speed compact flash cards - Extreme IV's, Ducati's, or other cards of that ilk. Slow cards, especially if one is capturing NEF+jpg fine images will slow the write buffer down. Plan on getting 4 gig or 8 gig cards - they fill up rather quickly.

I will let others comment on the images this camera can record - I've not had enough field experience yet to give an intelligent opinion. However, I will say that the camera (again) is not designed for shooting on automatic, out of the box. This machine requires input from the operator to function well. Also this machine requires good lenses to maximize it's potential; the 18-200 VR Nikkor that works so well on my D70S seems softer on the D300.

Heavily recommended for:

Those who have Nikon cameras and have maxxed out the possibilities with those machines and are looking for greater challenges. The D300 will support Nikkor lenses made since 1959 (although the ones made before 1977 may need a minor, inexpensive modification to fit on the D300). Not all older lenses, of course, support auto-focus.

Those who have other camera brands but who have not yet invested large sums in glass or accessories.

Those who wish to become involved in photography at a serious level; this machine requires investment of both time and money.

Not recommended for:

Well heeled users who are looking for an expensive point-and-shoot or all-automatic machine.

I am massively pleased with the D300 (good thing, considering the cost of one of the machines for a non-pro photographer!).

My only real gripe is the cost of the machine - and the "hidden" costs associated, such as faster CF cards, better lenses, upgrading camera bags (this is a large beast and what my D70S fits into comfortably won't hold the D300 with grip and lens attached).

However, at the level that the D300 plays in it is comparable in price with it's counterparts and (currently) it's feature set is well above the competition. Of course, that latter part will change - no one camera model stays on top for very long.

HTH

Nikon 12.3-Megapixel Digital SLR Camera - Black

...

but more on that later).
The Matrix Metering used in this camera is the best I've used bar none, it is extremely accurate and it really will make you a better photographer (or some say a lazier photographer, lol).
I don't have to say much about the image quality of the D300, there are plenty of examples floating around the net, suffice to say it is very, very good.

Now, I do have a negative. Capture NX. It is a resource hog, also in my subjective opinion it can be an unintuitive nightmare. That doesn't mean that the images that it produces aren't any good, in fact they're great, if you want the most out of the camera (CA elimination and Auto D-Lighting) you will need capture NX. I also use Lightroom, Apple Aperture and Adobe RAW, oh how I wish that I could tap the CA and D-Lighting in those programs - it would mean that I could avoid Capture NX completely. But I can't.

Now there are some around here who would toss irrelevant comments at me for such a knock (Capture NX is free! or some such nonsense), but the reality is that many don't own an application such as Aperture or Lightroom, they really need this software to get the most from their camera purchase, which is not an insignificant dollar amount. I thank Nikon for finally realizing that Capture should come bundled with it's camera, but there is still some work to be done regarding it's performance in terms of speed of use and it's huge resource requirements. As a serious photographer I can't bear the thought of the horrendous time wasted waiting for changes to occur to my image in NX, but when some of the cameras best features will only be achieved through NX, it seems I don't have a choice.

I was tempted to drop the rating to four stars because of the software, considering I can't do four point five stars; but A)It's harsh on the camera, and B)Giving the camera four stars is like bait to the Nikon fanboys, if you don't believe me look at some of the flaming in those four star reviews. They would probably just add a dose of unnecessary idiocy to a simple question; Is it a worthy purchase? Yes, yes it most certainly is.

Nikon 12.3-Megapixel Digital SLR Camera - Black

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of my dogs and used the same lens and camera along with the SB-800 and the shots were also crips and clean.

Again, I would highly recommend this camera for those who want to step up from a point and shoot or from an entry level D-SLR. The reason why I jumped straight into tha "semi-pro" D-SLR like the D300 is because friends of mine who purchased an entry level D-SLR often wished they had ponied up more money and bought a D-SLR with more features (actually lack of fast fps was often cited as a complaint).

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means is I can shoot without a flash in more situations and maximize the flashes capability when I do use it.
Another feature of the D300 is Active D-Lighting. This feature allows you to preserve the details in high contrast images such as those with a bright sky and a darker foreground by expanding the dynamic rang of the image.This saves you from spending lots of extra time making adjustments to each image later in post processing at home.
I have now shot about 10,000 images with the D300 and I find the build quality to be solid as a rock. The camera is a bit on the heavy side, but not so much so as to be uncomfortable. The large LCD display is much brighter an easier to see than that of the D200 and the addition of 'Live View", the ability to see through the lens on the LCD screen, makes composition and focusing in awkward positions much easier.
Overall, although the D200 and D300 share many great features and look very similar, the D300 is a much more serious Pro-sumer camera which is very well suited for the rigors and wide ranging needs of both the Amateur and Professional Photographer.

Nikon 12.3-Megapixel Digital SLR Camera - Black

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means is I can shoot without a flash in more situations and maximize the flashes capability when I do use it.

Another feature of the D300 is Active D-Lighting. This feature allows you to preserve the details in high contrast images such as those with a bright sky and a darker foreground by expanding the dynamic rang of the image.This saves you from spending lots of extra time making adjustments to each image later in post processing at home.

I have now shot about 10,000 images with the D300 and I find the build quality to be solid as a rock. The camera is a bit on the heavy side, but not so much so as to be uncomfortable. The large LCD display is much brighter an easier to see than that of the D200 and the addition of 'Live View", the ability to see through the lens on the LCD screen, makes composition and focusing in awkward positions much easier.

Overall, although the D200 and D300 share many great features and look very similar, the D300 is a much more serious Pro-sumer camera which is very well suited for the rigors and wide ranging needs of both the Amateur and Professional Photographer.

Nikon 12.3-Megapixel Digital SLR Camera - Black

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means is I can shoot without a flash in more situations and maximize the flashes capability when I do use it.


Another feature of the D300 is Active D-Lighting. This feature allows you to preserve the details in high contrast images such as those with a bright sky and a darker foreground by expanding the dynamic rang of the image.This saves you from spending lots of extra time making adjustments to each image later in post processing at home.


I have now shot about 10,000 images with the D300 and I find the build quality to be solid as a rock. The camera is a bit on the heavy side, but not so much so as to be uncomfortable. The large LCD display is much brighter an easier to see than that of the D200 and the addition of 'Live View", the ability to see through the lens on the LCD screen, makes composition and focusing in awkward positions much easier.


Overall, although the D200 and D300 share many great features and look very similar, the D300 is a much more serious Pro-sumer camera which is very well suited for the rigors and wide ranging needs of both the Amateur and Professional Photographer.

Nikon 12.3-Megapixel Digital SLR Camera - Black

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means is I can shoot without a flash in more situations and maximize the flashes capability when I do use it.



Another feature of the D300 is Active D-Lighting. This feature allows you to preserve the details in high contrast images such as those with a bright sky and a darker foreground by expanding the dynamic rang of the image.This saves you from spending lots of extra time making adjustments to each image later in post processing at home.



I have now shot about 10,000 images with the D300 and I find the build quality to be solid as a rock. The camera is a bit on the heavy side, but not so much so as to be uncomfortable. The large LCD display is much brighter an easier to see than that of the D200 and the addition of 'Live View", the ability to see through the lens on the LCD screen, makes composition and focusing in awkward positions much easier.



Overall, although the D200 and D300 share many great features and look very similar, the D300 is a much more serious Pro-sumer camera which is very well suited for the rigors and wide ranging needs of both the Amateur and Professional Photographer.

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comparable with Fuji's Velvia film, and that's a lot! This gives you the advantage of reduced post-production, since you are capable of tweaking pictures in-camera that will suit your taste (It did for me)

- Active D-lighting. DSLR's tend to have problems with highlly contrasted subjects (Subjects with ample dynamic range), and this is one of the many reasons why many pro's still use film (because it will deal better with high contrast). The ADL function in the D300 does allows me to capture contrasty subjects under difficult light conditions, reducing highlight blowout in the picture, while preserving shadow detail.. It really works. It allows me to use digital for shot's that would have required film or in-camera filtration!

- Splendid ISO range!! Now I can take pictures in very low light conditions that would have been impossible with my D70 because of the high noise inherent to a high ISO. The D300 does manage high ISO noise like no other camera I've used in the past! ISO 1600 images are very very clean (ISO3220 is clean, HI-1 mode (ISO 6400) is too noisy for me)! This is great news! This also means I don't have to lug a tripod for low light shots (unless I were doing landscape work; In such case, I do use a gitzo tripod for every shot I take, which takes me to the following point):

- Mirror up mode! I didn't have this feature in my D70, and I love to be able to raise the mirror when doing tripod shots (Landscape) in order to gain maximun sharpness by minimizing vibrations.. Also included are Live view mode (It allows you to see the subject in the camera LCD while composing the picture, instead of using the viewfinder. I use this feature when the camera position won't allow me to see through the finder, and it really helps).

- The D300 autofocus is very reliable (3D autofocus mode is realy helpful when tracking moving subjects). Very high frame per second count ( Up to 8 FPS with the accessory grip).

- Weather sealed. I live in a tropical part of the world, where things can get pretty damp and wet, and the D300 is all about getting pictures, and I don't have to worry about the weather!!

- 14 bit RAW is the way to go if you are interested in the highest image quality and rich tonal gradations. My D300 gives me that option! with my D70, i had to work with an inferior 12 bit Raw file... I usually shoot RAW (14 bit) + JPG (You NEED a a 4 Gigs CF card as a minimum, since the files tend to be big..)

- Last, the camera allows me to save the combination of settings i need tuned for specific purposes. I have a menu bank tuned for portraits, another menu bank for landscape, another for low-light conditions and another one for highlly saturated images! This is just wonderfull!! For example, let's say I am doing tripod work and I need to change the camera setting for portrait work, and I need to do it FAST, instead of browsing all the settings I need to change, I just select a menu bank tuned for portraits, so I don't loose my time changing setting by setting!

On the minus side:

- Nikon didn't implement a release timer when using mirror up mode, which seems foolish to me, since a timed release AND mirror up, when used on a tripod, are the way to go in order to reduce vibrations... this forced me to buy a release cable, and this leads me to the next point:

- The cable release for this camera is of the 10 pin family, and it is expensive, compared to the 15$ IR release I used on my D70...

- As much as I've become in love with Active D-lighting, there are times when i need to turn it off. This happens when I shoot for silhouttes (heavy backlighting) since I WANT a deep, textureless black ( silhouttes are meant to look like that) and the ADL function will try to preserve shadow detail, creating a murky grey instead of a deep black.


To sum it up, this camera is great!! My jaw still falls wide open whith amazement with the images coming out from the D300...

One final point: I HAD an EOS 35mm film camera, because I no longer feel that 35 mm film gives me superior quality when compared to my beloved D300!!! This camera is THAT GOOD!

Nikon 12.3-Megapixel Digital SLR Camera - Black