| Product: |
Nikon D300 |
| Date: |
31.03.08 (276 review reads) |
| Rating: |
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Advantages: Competitively priced and packed with new features
Disadvantages: None! Any disadvantages would be entirely personal
The Nikon D300 will currently set you back around £1000 in the UK, and that's without the glass on the front. My review here might seem technical to some, but that's not an amount of money most people part with lightly. I don't apologise for putting some basic spec in the review, after all, if you're considering buying this camera, it's exactly what you need to know before getting out your wallet.
If you're after a camera that will take good quality pictures, and allow you minimal chance to alter the settings, then there are other cameras out there that will offer you better value for money.
Either way, I'd never advise buying a new camera, this one included, off the back of reading a review. You should always see that camera in person before making a decision. Visit a good camera store, where the staff should be more than happy to let you handle the camera before parting with any hard-earned cash. Ask to get the camera out of the box, feel the weight in your hand, imagine carrying it around for the day, work out how it will fit in with your lifestyle, and whether it does everything you need it to. Then, and only then, can you really determine if it's the right choice for you.
As I said, my review of the Nikon D300 contains some specifications and technical speak, as well as my own experience of using the camera. I haven't covered everything, as that would take forever, but I've aimed to cover some of the more important and useable features.
***What's in the Box?***
D300 body, including body cap, LCD monitor cover and eyepiece cap
EN-EL3e rechargeable Li-ion battery with terminal cover
MH-18a quick charger and power cable
EG-D100 video cable
AN-D300 strap
Warranty, user manual, quick guide and software and installation guide
***Basic Spec***
Effective pixels - 12.3 million
Image sensor - 23.6 x 15.8mm CMOS sensor
Total pixels - 13.1 million
Image size - 4,288 x 2,848, 3,216 x 2,136, 2,144 x 1,424
File format - NEF (RAW), TIFF (RGB), JPEG, NEF (RAW) + JPEG
Media - Type I and II Compact Flash memory cards (UDMA compliant); microdrives
Shutter speed - 1/8000 - 30 s, in steps of 1/3, ½ or 1 EV, bulb, X250
Release mode - Single frame, continuous low speed, continuous high speed, live view, self-timer, and mirror up
Self-timer - 2,5,10 and 20 seconds duration
Metering method - Matrix, centre-weighted, spot
Exposure compensation - -5 - +5 EV in increments of 1/3, ½ or 1EV
Exposure bracketing - 2-9 frames in steps of 1/3, ½, 2/3 or 1EV
Flash bracketing - 2-9 frames in steps of 1/3, 1/2, 2/3 or 1 EV
White balance bracketing - 2-9 frames in steps of 1, 2, or 3
Autofocus - 51 focus points
Flash mode - Front curtain sync, rear curtain sync, slow sync, red-eye reduction, red-eye reduction with slow sync
Playback - Full frame and thumbnail (4 or 9 images) playback with playback zoom, slideshow, histogram display, auto image rotation, and image comment up to 36 characters
For full and more detailed specifications, please see http://www.nikonimaging.com/global/products/d300/o verview.htm
***Dimensions and Weight***
The Nikon D300 is approximately 5.8x4.5x2.9 inches and weighs around 825g, without the battery. I'd say that ideal camera weight is an entirely personal thing. Personally, I like the weight of the camera. I used to shoot with a much lighter camera, and at first the Nikon seemed heavy to me. However, when I got used to the weight, I found it gave me more stability, not less. I'd recommend the battery pack as an essential extra. It adds some more bulk to the camera, but as well as extra battery life, the trade off is an invaluable extra shutter button for portrait mode. Having quite small hands, I like having the ability to quickly switch to shooting portrait, without having to fumble for the standard button.
The D300 feels sturdy to hold. I wouldn't advise dropping it ... but I did, and it survived without a scratch.
The LCD display is 3" and 922,000 pixels (compared to the D200's 2.5" and 230,000 pixels) and this provides a really clear picture.
***Some Key Features***
The D300 is 12.3 mp (effective pixel) with a CMOS censor. It takes type I and II compact flash memory cards, which don't come with the camera.
Battery life is affected by the elements and how often you use certain features like the LCD display, and as such is very difficult to accurately measure. I've taken the camera out fully charged, and without an added battery pack, and shot over 1000 pictures and still come home with a half charged battery.
One of the main improvements from the D300's predecessor, the D200, is its ability to shoot at a higher ISO, and it handles it incredibly well. There are times I've taken photographs in extremely poorly lit areas and been disappointed with the results. I only wish I had this camera last year, when I went to photograph a Thai boxing match. There's only so much you can do in a dimly lit arena, when your subject is constantly moving. When your aperture is wide open, and your shutter speed as fast as you can make it without under-exposing your picture, you're left with the dilemma of how much to crank up your ISO before the result becomes too grainy. I'm more than impressed with the Nikon D300, not only for its default ISO range of 200-3200 (boost ISO 100-6400), but with the quality of photographs it takes on a high ISO setting. This, for me, is one of the more noticeable improvements in the D300.
The Nikon D300 also has a self-cleaning sensor unit, which was disappointingly not included with the D200. This has been invaluable to me so far. I had a lot of experience shooting with my D200 in Kuwait, and those pesky specs of dust may have improved my Photoshop skills, but they really weren't much fun! I've really noticed the difference since I upgraded to the D300.
In continuous shooting mode, the D300 can handle up to 6 frames per second with built in battery alone. This extra frame per second on the D200 is useful for fast action shots, where the result is part technical skills, part talent ... and a whole lot of luck!
It's taken me a little while to get used to the changes with the autofocus. Instead of the 11 auto-focus points on the D200, the D300 has a whopping 51. If you like to use your autofocus, you should find it pretty nifty, as it means a whole lot less re-framing the picture after locking the focus on a subject.
***To Summarise***
I crossed over to Nikon last year, when I sold my Canon, and bought my D200. Never being quite happy with what I've got, I spent many an hour gazing lovingly at the D2XS on the Internet. Unfortunately, that kind of camera was just a couple of grand out of my price range.
Now, the D300 isn't the D2XS ... but it's oh so much more nearly there! It cost me around the same as my D200 last year, but it feels like a whole different camera. It might be priced out of some people's budgets, but I think it's incredible value for money.
I couldn't be happier with my D300, honestly I couldn't. It does everything I wanted it to do, and it does it well. As a relationship between photographer and camera goes, it's going swimmingly, and I know we still have so much more to do together. All that's left now, is to sit here, flicking between my new photographs, and reviews of Nikon's new D3 ... and wonder ... what's next ...?
This review also appears on Ciao, under the name Jobanjos
Summary: Nikon does itself proud with a camera packed with features and competitively priced!
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