Nikon D300 DX 12.3MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only)

Nikon D300 DX 12.3MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only)

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• Self-cleaning sensor unit magnesium alloy construction with rubber gaskets and seals
• EXPEED Image Processing System and similar Scene Recognition System to that found in the D3
• 3.0-inch LiveView LCD display , new 51-point AF system
• 12.3-megapixel captures enough detail for poster-size photo-quality prints
• In burst mode, shoots up to 100 shots at full 12.3-megapixel resolution
• 12.3-megapixel captures enough detail for poster-size photo-quality prints
• 3.0-inch LiveView LCD display; new 51-point AF system

Buy Now : Nikon D300 DX 12.3MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only)

Brand : Nikon
Category : Electronics,Camera & Photo,Digital Cameras,DSLR Cameras
Rating : 4.3
ListPrice : US $1099.95
Price : US $1099.95
Review Count : 300

Nikon D300 DX 12.3MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only)

• There have been ample reviews, mostly positive, written for this all-around high-quality body since it was first introduced in 2008. I bought one right away as my first digital camera after hanging on to film well into the digital era.I want to comment one of the weaker aspects of this body (and lens lineup) and my main use, that is low-light photography. My previous film experience was with cameras well suited for low light, Leica rangefinders and a Rollei twin-lens. Over my first two years with my Nikon D300 I have used it extensively with high-speed prime lenses, mostly the Nikon 50mm f/1.4, often wide open. And I have often been disappointed by the Nikon seeming to miss focus, even when the subject is stationary.In comparison to the old rangefinders (my main user was a 1948 vintage Leica IIIc) I would say my Nikon misses focus (at wide aperture) more than 50% of the time. While with my older cameras I would put my focusing success at near 100%. With the split image rangefinders or the large and clear screen on the Rollei TLR I rarely missed, even on moving subjects. So I would rate the low-light focusing of the Nikon inferior to the older technology. Nevertheless the lens if very sharp. And for the photos that are in focus the effect is perfect. I can get selective focus and blur the background with f/1.4 and f/2 at close distances.While I have some nostalgia for the older technology, with more accurate focusing, I am overall quite satisfied with the D300. Of course just being digital gives it considerable advantage. Even when focusing is an issue I take so many more photos that after some selection I can get as many well composed ones from the Nikon as I did with film. And I see the results right away.I would also comment that for very shallow depth of focus (as you get with a 50 f/1.4 at close distance) the very focusing mechanism in the D300 may not be adequate to focus perfectly all the time. I do not know the internals of the camera. But the issue may be that the gearing of the focusing within the camera body is not fine enough to step precisely enough. The lenses dedicated to the digital format (which Nikon calls \"G\" lenses) have focusing motors within the lens which may be more precise than the body\'s own motor. I haven\'t tried these lenses for intermediate focal lengths.My final criticism is that these \"G\" prime lenses and the smaller sensor of the D300 (compared with 35mm film dimensions) leaves odd gaps in the focal length selection. The current prime lens lineup is biased to the telephoto side. Sigma seems to be making up the difference to an extent. But we maybe without a good high-speed wide and ultrawide \"G\" lineup (such as Leica has long offered with its M cameras).
• In my opinion, the effusive accolades given to this camera were well earned. I was skeptical until I used it. After all, there are lots of good cameras to choose from: Fujifilm, Olympus, Pentax and Sony, not just the leading duo Nikon and Canon. In fact, this review includes good alternatives to the D300 for prospective shoppers of mid and high-end DSLR cameras. I will begin with Nikon\'s D300 since it was the best choice for me. You are more important than the tool. But if you want to make the best photographs you can and enjoy doing it then the tool can make a difference in assisting you. Some tools are also easier to use and some are built to last longer - camera bodies are no exception - you see the difference in the price tag. The Nikon D300 does not just do more, it does more that you choose it to do in customizable features. It is no longer almost exclusively a question of optical glass configurations determining everything we see that matters when the D300 camera body assists them 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. Note that professional lenses tend to be larger, heavier and are more expensive but for good reasons like larger coverage, performance, speed and build such as the outstanding  Nikon Zoom-Nikkor - Telephoto zoom lens - 70 mm - 200 mm - f/2.8 G ED-IF AF-S VR - Nikon AF-S . For most situations carrying gear, I like the trade off in the lighter weight DX lenses the D300 uses like the surprising performer for the cost  Nikon 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G ED IF AF-S DX Nikkor Zoom Lens . They suit the format\'s size and portability advantages that make them appealing where larger formats would be logistically problematic. However, if the full coverage sensor is critical you would need full coverage lenses and 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). Moreover, 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.

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