|
|
THIS PAGE IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION! |
|
The Nikon D300 |
 |
|
Nikon D300 Page Quick
Links:
click on
any of these links below to fast forward to that
section of the page
Recommended Reviews
The Good / The Bad / The Ugly
Picture Controls
& Curves
Setting_Recommendations
D300 Galleries You Have To See
Recommended Accessories
Scam websites with
fake Nikon D300 Offers
Real D300 Deals and Dealers
|
|
I love my Nikon D300. If you are thinking of getting
a "Semi" professional dSLR and you want
the best money can buy, then look no further. This
is without a doubt in my mind, the best camera in
it's class. I have shot with every "Semi"
professional camera Nikon has offered beginning with
the Nikon D100 and the D300 wins hands down.
I am extremely happy with my
decision to upgrade my Nikon D200. Although I really
enjoyed my D200, I always felt like I was missing a
couple things that would hinder on my photography
and I was always looking forward to it's
replacement. The D300 completely changes this. This
is the first camera that I've had that I can
honestly say that if a replacement came out tomorrow
I would not run to the store to purchase. This
camera really does satisfy me as a photographer.
With this webpage I will try to
give you all of the information I gathered during my
Nikon D300 buying decision. Hopefully this will help
you as much as it did me. Please remember that this
is just my opinion and your mileage may vary.
Here you will find a compilation of everything I believe you
need to make a very informed decision on the D300. No need to
spend all of your time hunting down information all
over
the internet, I've included the what I believe to be
the best advice only. There
is plenty of research on both the positive and the
negative.
If after
reading everything you
still have questions, just drop me an
email and I
will try to help you.
|
Nikon D300 Recommended Reviews
Back to
Top
These are some of the best
reviews that I have found on the internet. All of
your bases will be covered by these four reviews. Each
one offers a different take on the Nikon D300. Some
use scientific tests, other's use personal opinion.
I would not base my decisions on just one review,
but used in combination they are everything you
need. |
 |
Dpreview.com has what might be the most highly anticipated
reviews of any website. Their reviews are extremely
well done. They have the review process down to a
science, literally, they use more scientifically
controlled test than any other website I have found.
If you are into highly precise, detailed reviews
this is the one for you.
Nikon D300 Dpreview.com Review click here
> |
 |
The imaging resource has a
very good and thorough review of the Nikon D300.
Like dpreview.com, they use scientific tests,
although they lean more towards personal opinion
than dpreview.com. I really enjoy this mixture of
personal and scientific reviews.
Nikon D300 imaging-resource.com Review click here
> |
 |
Thom Hogan is a master at writing Nikon Camera
Guides and his
Nikon D300 review is
just as good. His review is based on personal
opinion (which I highly respect) and is very
realistic. Thom writes an amazing Nikon D300 guide
which I consider indispensable if
you are in the process of learning your D300. You can
click here to go to
his Nikon D300 Guide page for details on how to
order.
Nikon D300 bythom.com Review click here
> |
 |
Ken Rockwell has a
good review on the Nikon
D300. His reviews tend to have a lot of personal
opinion in them and some scientific tests. Some people like that, while others
hate it. I for one like them.
I like the way Ken writes to the general public. His
opinions, although sometimes different than the
norm, are on the money most of the time.
Nikon D300 kenrockwell.com Review click here
> |
The Good / The Bad / The Ugly
and the Wanted
Back to Top
The following list contains my personal opinion on
the Nikon D300. You can consider this my summarized
review. When I was deciding to upgrade my D200, this
was the list I came up with after reading the
reviews above. |
|
The Good |
Image Quality
-
With
12.3 Megapixels the pictures are amazing.
High ISO Noise Performance
-
Excellent performance up to 1600ISO.
Shutter Life -
Rated to150,000 exposures
Ergonomics
- You've got to hold it to understand.
It's also very sturdy with the MB-D10 Grip
attached. Has very good balance
with heavier lenses such as the Nikon 70-200mm VR.
LCD - 922,000
dots or 307,000 pixels either way it's beautiful,
sharp and has great colors (make sure you
turn the brightness down to -1).
Live View -
It's one of those things you don't need until you
have it. Then when you do have it, you wonder how
you lived without it. With Live View there is no
more bending over into weird macro shooting
positions. Nikon my back tanks you.
Customization-
The customization is second to none. You can add
your own Picture Controls (curves), change the
buttons and dials to your liking, adjust Nikon's
default settings and much more. The possibilities
are almost endless. This also means that you are
going to have to put more effort into learning the
camera for the first couple of
weeks months you own it.
Durability - A
magnesium alloy body that feels sturdy, rugged and
strong. It's weather sealed (not waterproof)
and I have had no problems with shooting in light
rains.
Autofocus -
Fast and accurate autofocus. With 51 points there is
no need to compose and recompose for focus. The
points are all over the viewfinder. 99 out of 100
times you will find a point exactly where you would
like focus acquired.
Auto ISO-
Every time I use Auto ISO I always think of that
commercial "set it and forget it". It works great,
you set the max ISO and minimum shutter speed that
you would like to use and the camera adjusts itself
accordingly. You simply "SET IT AND FORGET IT". |
|
The Bad |
Low ISO Noise Performance
- Although you definitely have to pixel peep, there
is noise visible at ISO 200. Don't get me wrong,
it's definitely minimal, but it really shouldn't be
there at all.
Flash Sync only 1/250th
- Yes, we've lost the faster flash sync on all of
Nikon's latest offerings. The last model was the
Nikon D40. This is because the D40 was the last
model to have a "half" electric shutter option.
Nikon Capture NX
- Why is this here, this isn't part
of the D300. No you're right, but, to get the best
out of the Nikon D300 NEF (RAW) files, you need this
software. It's slow, unstable and just plain ugly.
Without it though, you're going to have to go
through a lot more tweaking to get the same look.
Oh, it's also only included with the first batch of
Nikon D300, for those of you without it in the box,
it's $149.00.
Tweaking involved to
get good out of camera photos -
Although the Nikon D300 is capable of unbelievable
results (see Galleries you have to see), you will
need to do some tweaking. I did not find one default
setting that gave me satisfactory results. After
some testing, shooting, testing, shooting and
testing again, I am now extremely satisfied. But, I
would to have liked at least one "dummy setting".
Lens Mount
- Some of my lenses fit a little loose on the actual
lens mount. I believe this is the main cause of DBS
(see below). I would like for a tighter fit between
the lens and the camera.
Focus Selector Switch
- This is probably either the worst placed switch or
the easiest switch to change on the Nikon D300. I
always bump it and move it to Manual Focus mode. |
|
The Ugly |
Dead Battery Syndrome (DBS)
- The dreaded Dead Battery Syndrome, this is a very
bad thing. My Nikon D200 had it and my Nikon D300
has gotten it once. It apparently is a
miscommunication between the lens and the camera.
This has only been confirmed with AF-S or HSM
lenses. I have seen no reports with screw driven
lenses. I believe that the mount is the cause of the
problem. People have reported to being able to
reproduce the error by slightly shifting the
problematic lens while attached to the camera. This
small amount of play seems to cause the "short
circuit". There are two fixes floating around the
internet, the first is to use a product called
deOxit. The second is to send it back to Nikon. My
D300 did exhibit DBS with my Sigma 150mm HSM. I
tried deOxit and it has not returned, knock on wood.
Only 2.5 FPS in 14Bit Mode
- Yes, this is definitely an ugly because there is
no reason that I can see for the camera to do this. I personally do
not shoot 14Bit, but seeing that the less expensive
Canon 40D can shoot at 6.5 FPS in 14Bit mode makes
this feature or lack of feature a definite ugly in my book. |
|
The Wanted |
Live Histogram
- The lack of live histogram is a big bummer.
Hopefully it's just a firmware update away.
Virtual Horizon
- I would love to see this trickle down from the D3
to the D300. Hopefully it's part of the same
firmware update that would bring us Live Histogram.
Softer Mirror Slap
- I would love some sound/vibration dampening done
to the mirror slap. It's just too loud. |
Picture Controls & Curves
Back to
Top
Customization of the
D300 Picture Controls and custom curves are probably
two of the best features the camera offers. Below you will find some
Picture Controls and Curves which I use on my D300. You can download and install them free of charge.
Some are more subtle than others. My favorite is the
Fuji
Velvia 100F, but it's a bit too
saturated for portraits. I have yet to come up with
a good portrait curve, as soon as I do I will post
it here.
I have also uploaded My
Custom Curve, which is very close to the Fuji S Reala but with a little more mid tones. The best part
of this is that nothing is permanent if you shoot
NEW (RAW). You can always change it later in Capture
NX to a curve of your liking.
Creating your own is also extremely easy and it
helps your photography achieve new levels of
creativity. To learn how to load the curves using
Capture NX click on this
a
TUTORIAL: Custom Picture Controls and Curves with
Nikon Capture NX (a big thank you
to
monte12345 from dpreview.com forum who was the
first to explain how this process worked).
If you've created curves and you would like me to
post them here,
email me and I will be glad to do it. |
 |
|
Fuji
Velvia 100F Simulation Curve
click here
to download the D300 curve.
click here
for installation tutorial
|
 |
|
Fuji
S Reala Simulation Curve
click here
to download the D300 curve.
click here
for installation tutorial
|
 |
|
Agfa Optima Simulation Curve
click here
to download the D300 curve.
click here
for installation tutorial
|
 |
|
My Custom Curve
click here
to download the curve.
click here
for installation tutorial
|
Recommended Accessories
Back to
Top
The following accessories I
highly recommend for your D300. I can not live
without them and they enhance my photography
experience ten fold. |
 The Nikon MB-D10
grip is probably the best accessory you
can buy for your D300. With the grip your D300 will
be able to shoot a blazing 8fps if you use the correct
batteries.
I purchased it, not really for the fps but for the
camera's stability with large lenses. When the grip
is installed the camera feels solid. It does add to
the weight, but when I use big lenses like the
70-200mm it helps to counterweight the lens.
The fit and finish is amazing. The only gripe I have
is the multi-selector on the grip is a little too
small for functional heavy use. |
Lowest Prices |
 A remote trigger and tripod is
vital if you want the best image quality your D300
can offer.
A Nikon MC-30 is the least expensive genuine option.
I am completely happy with mine. If you need a timer
control for Time Lapse photography then go with the
MC-36. The MC-36 is the top of the line when it
comes to remote triggers, but get your wallet ready,
it's not cheap.
The best wireless option that doesn't break the
wallet is the Phottix Wireless Remote. For only
$50.00US you can have a wireless and wired remote.
My Phottix has worked up to 50 feet away and is a very
valuable option if you photograph jittery critters. |
Lowest Prices |
The best Nikon D300 guide
available is Thom Hogan's "Complete Guide to the
Nikon D300". This is a must have tool. After reading
this you will know your D300 inside and out. The
secret to good photography is knowing you equipment.
Click here to go to
his website for more information.
If you have any other Nikon dSLR camera, you will
also find a guide for it on his website as well. |
Lowest Prices |
The GPS function of the D300 is great. I use it
extensively with my real job as a Marine Biologist.
It allows me to have GPS coordinates automatically
embedded in my image files. This is great so that I
know the exact location of where I took the picture.
I love the PC-Mobile Cable. I ordered it from China.
The main reason I chose it over the genuine Nikon
MC-35 is that the PC-Mobile cable allows a larger
GPS unit selection . I use it with a Garmin 60CS and
it works flawlessly. The Nikon MC-35 is a higher
quality build, but it's also 4 times as
expensive. I have had no problems with my PC-Mobile
and I have taken it all over the planet. |
Lowest Prices |
Scam Websites and their
fake Nikon D300 offers
Back to Top
This is
probably the most important section if you are
getting ready to purchase a new Nikon D300. Here you
will find the some of the lowest scum of the
photographic world.
WARNING!
This is not a complete
list and there are probably thousands of more websites
that are scams. Just because
it is not on this list, does not mean it's a real
deal!!
Be a smart consumer, research the business before
you hand over your hard earned money, or better yet,
purchase from any of my trusted dealers at the
bottom of this page. Check resellerrating.com ,
although I do have to warn you, I believe many of
the reviews are fake. Go with your gut feeling and
follow that online shopping golden rule - If it's to
good to be true, it isn't true!
Click here to scroll down to the real camera
dealers. |
 |
Preferredphoto.com is offering the Nikon D300 for
$1,383.00. This seems like a
legitimate discounted price, but it's not. You can
almost always tell by looking at the cost of the
accessories. They are selling an "Extended Life
Battery" for
$219.99 . This is probably the
same Chinese battery you can get on Ebay for
$14.50. STAY AWAY!! |
 |
Soniccameras.com is offering the Nikon D300 for only
$939.00 This is a classic bait
and switch. You order, you get an email to call back
to confirm, they try to up sell you by
stating the camera comes with only the body
and that all accessories are extra. As soon as you
refuse the extra accessories your Nikon D300 is
backordered until the ends of time. Don't fall for
this! STAY AWAY!! |
 |
Lensesnmore.com (more obviously stands for SCAM) is
offering the Nikon D300 for an amazingly low price
of
$1,199.00 . How can this be you
ask, well they are obviously making back all that
lost profit on their memory cards. Here they have a
whopping 128MB Compact Flash card for only
$69.99.. These cards are
available on Ebay for
$4.95. |
 |
BBroadwayphoto.com is one of the oldest scammers on
the web, and their Broadway Musical "LE SCUM
D'INTERNET" is still going strong. They are offering
the Nikon D300 for
$1,381.00 with FREE Shipping.
STAY AWAY!! This is just one more
scam!! How do I know? They are
selling a 4GB Compact Flash card for
$349.00 . For comparison, the
top of the line Sandisk Ducati is only
$109.00 at BHphoto.com for a
4GB card or
$239.00 for an 8GB version I
just purchased an 8GB Ritek 233X Compact Flash card
from Newegg.com for
$35.98 and it works great on my
D300. |
 |
86photovideo.com is just one more of these scammers.
They are offering the Nikon D300 for an unbelievable
price of
$1,049.00. A second look shows
the reason behind such a great price. They offer a
1GB Professional ULTRA-HIGH SPEED Error Free Compact
Flash for only
$179.99. Or if that's not a
good enough deal for you, they also offer an
"Extended Life" battery for your D300 for only
$199.99. STAY AWAY!! |
 |
onewayphoto.com is your one way ticket to scamsville.
They are offering the Nikon D300 for
$999.00. Oh if it were only
true! But hey, look at the bright side, although you
aren't going to be getting the D300 for
pennies on the dollar, you can purchase a Brand New
Chinese POS Fluid Head Tripod from them for only
$299.00. STAY AWAY!! |
Real Deals and Dealers
Back to
Top
You don't have to worry about your purchase if you
buy from one of these dealers. They are all Nikon
authorized dealers and have the best customer
support available. I will always update this with
the lowest prices available. If you are ready to
purchase please click through these links, I will
get a commission and it helps me maintain this
website. |
 |
Adorama.com is one of my favorites. |
 |
Amazon.com has one of the strongest customer support
policies in the business. |
 |
Bhphoto.com is one of the largest photography
dealers on the planet. If they don't sell it, then
it's not available. |
|
|
