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Nikon D300 DSLR Lightning Review
Posted by Brian Lam at 10:30 AM on September 14, 2008
The Gadget: Nikon's D300 is a 12.3MP camera with 200-6400 (hi mode) ISO, a 3-inch LCD, 51 autofocus points and a prosumer magnesium body on the fence, but teetering more towards pro than consumer. Inside is a DX-sensor, not quite the FX sensor found in the better D3 and D700 cams. It's not directly competitive with either the cheaper 50D or the more expensive 5D from Canon.
The Price: US$1799 with no lens.
The Verdict:
Having been a Canon fan for quite some time, the D300 blew me away in 4 basic aspects. Shooting gadgets and liveblogs over a few months, it was clear that the Nikon D300, shooting to small JPGs from the hip, had a lot better time resolving white balance and the colours were more saturated (like old Fuji film) without being grotesque. Low light performance was the best I've seen yet; even less grainy in the most recent Apple liveblog then when I used the EOS 1D Mark III, with noticeably cleaner blacks. The 18-200mm kit glass was as good as they say it is for a consumer lens. The 51-point AF system is better than the 40D's, which often couldn't lock on darker objects. The LCD was easily viewable in daylight. And by far, Nikon's menu scheme is modern, whereas many competing cameras are not even close to being this easy to navigate.
I've used the D300 to shoot the most recent liveblog, as I said, and the camera did well but I think it could do better with a faster piece of glass at the 200mm mark (the VR lens I used sits at F5.6 at this focal length). Still, it performed admirably, and is my favourite DSLR to date. (Although I am playing with a D700 right now.)
I also used it to shoot the iPhone 3G in our review:
And some sailing.
Come on, let's be real, this Camera deserves a real review:
I'll not claim to have plunged to the depths of what this camera can do, using in in a very specific and spontaneous way during live events and fast reviews. I've also shot at low res, and have uploaded shots with even more compression. This is not a scientific test by any means. If you're really considering this camera, I recommend reviews by DPreview, DCResource and DigitalCameraInfo (But watch out for the annoying inter-page ads on that last link.)
[D300]
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
tkohrs2002
Posted 11:06 AM 14/9/08
Ok, i look at gizmodo every day and about twice a week there is a camera review, they seem to be either cannon or nikon with a similar name. They all look the same. I never though i would find an electronic that had hardware updates more than Apples laptops.
tkohrs2002
Bodie1550
Posted 11:02 AM 14/9/08
Save some money.
Authorized Nikon USA Dealers
[www.buydig.com]
[www.beachcamera.com]
$1,565.96 Body Only
And check out Adorama, Amazon & B&H
Bodie1550
LazyPanda
Posted 10:44 AM 14/9/08
clean your computer screen!
LazyPanda
rbf2000
Posted 11:29 AM 14/9/08
@tkohrs2002: This updates the D200, which came out over two years ago. Nikon has a lot of other cameras lined at different people, but it's not like these things are coming out every day.
rbf2000
sfokevin
Posted 12:58 PM 14/9/08
Is it me or is there some subliminal advertising embedded in this thread?...
sfokevin
XxRiXoNxX182
Posted 12:58 PM 14/9/08
Suggest* Sorry Chose the wrong Spellcheck
XxRiXoNxX182
XxRiXoNxX182
Posted 12:57 PM 14/9/08
My dad is thinking Of buying a Cannon Rebel, What lens do you guys Snuggest For a Mid range Zoom and Price?
XxRiXoNxX182
b33g33
Posted 1:53 PM 14/9/08
You do know that this camera's been out for close to a year now right?
Oh, and thanks for posting all the iPhone pics. I was wondering when Gizmodo would start covering this.
b33g33
Screen Name
Posted 2:56 PM 14/9/08
works great, I did this shot with it-
[flickr.com]
Screen Name
keithhat
Posted 2:40 PM 14/9/08
Stunning camera for the price. I have owned one for almost 1 year, but I am selling it. Why? Just picked up the D700 and 24-70 2.8 FF lens. This is another step above the D300 in picture quality and speed with a 2x price to match.
keithhat
Scaramanga
Posted 2:31 PM 14/9/08
I own a D300, as well as a 5D (and waiting on the side-lines between a D700 and a 5DII), but you can't argue that for a DX/APS-C crop the D300 is the best camera in the world. It really is a Pro-APS camera.
Scaramanga
fusiongt
Posted 6:54 PM 14/9/08
Why not cover something like the new D90 or the relatively new D700? The D300 is old news and if you were going to get it, you'd have gotten it by now.
fusiongt
xThadd
Posted 10:52 PM 14/9/08
@fusiongt:
I bought one last week.
xThadd
mercaders20
Posted 12:49 AM 15/9/08
@chris.evans: [www.dpreview.com]
mercaders20
chris.evans
Posted 12:36 AM 15/9/08
Would also be cool if you guys compared lenses from different makers. There doesn't seem to be even photo websites that compare lenses based on distortion, price, aberration, and other things us techies care about.
chris.evans
chris.evans
Posted 12:35 AM 15/9/08
You know what would be the best thread possible?
Compare the D300, D700 and D90.
The D300 uses a Sony sensor, the 700 and 90 a new nikon sensor. They are telling people the 90 sensor is like that of the 700 for low light; yet it's dx.
This is some important shit for those of us shelling out money for d300's, d3's, and d700's.
I would write that review if I had free time, an in at Nikon, and didn't have a job I love: because it's what people want to read.
:)
chris.evans
15sunrises
Posted 1:21 AM 15/9/08
@chris.evans: Not sure if you're actually serious, but just look up "lens comparison site" in google and you'll get a bunch of different sites.
15sunrises
citizensmith
Posted 1:26 AM 15/9/08
@sfokevin:
Yeah, this wasn't a camera review, it was a poorly put together excuse to post a bunch of iphone photos.
citizensmith
bobdobbs
Posted 2:41 AM 15/9/08
@chris.evans: Where did you get that? Everything I've read says the D90 and D300 use the same sensor.
bobdobbs
plwh888
Posted 3:29 AM 15/9/08
yeah, another excuse for iphone . . .
plwh888
dandaman247
Posted 5:25 AM 15/9/08
@XxRiXoNxX182: a rebel? Like the original rebel...uhhh...why??
get the xsi if your going with the rebel line.
dandaman247
renditionman
Posted 7:57 AM 15/9/08
I own this camera and it is a great piece of equipment but remember that the camera is as good as the lens. Put a crap lens on it it and it's like putting gold bracelets on a pig. I use the 17-55 2.8, 70-200 2.8 and 105 mm macro and get some stunning performance out of my D300. The 300 mm is a great lens but you have to have arms like a lowland gorilla to get it up on a tripod.
renditionman
aural
Posted 1:53 PM 15/9/08
The D300 is one of the best cameras I've used... I wouldn't be surprised to see a D400 soon with some upgraded specs because the D90 is going to cannibalize some D300 sales.
aural
15sunrises
Posted 5:28 PM 15/9/08
I absolutely love how in the d300 review, there are more pictures of the iPhone than of the camera. Next up, a review of the brand spanking new Canon 30D, with 70 pictures of the iPhone!
15sunrises
chris.evans
Posted 6:34 PM 15/9/08
@15sunrises: DPreview is ok, but really lacks reviews peole want to read when shelling out the big bucks, I don't see many expensive lenses there. 300mm f/2.8, etc. Many of the lenses are not compared to other makers. (olympus, sony, nikon, canon, etc)
Maybe because these sites only review the items when the people buy them, because they do not do professional 'shoot-out' articles and request test units from companies? I don't know.
chris.evans
Denver_80203
Posted 2:58 AM 16/9/08
@aural: It's called the D700
Denver_80203