Nikon D300 Digital Camera Review
Nikon D300 Digital Camera Review
Washington Post, United States
The Nikon D300 updates Nikon’s DSLR line with more resolution on a new CMOS sensor, which promises improved noise reduction. The D300 has many features found on Nikon’s pricier professional model, the D3, including a 51-point autofocus system, Live View, and an EXPEED processor. It’s also the first of Nikon’s SLRs to feature in-camera dust reduction. The 12.3-megapixel SLR retails for $1,799.95 for the body only, putting it between the $999 D80 and $3,499 D2Hs.
The D300 features a huge 3-inch LCD screen with great resolution – 921,000 pixels, more than tripling the typical 270,000 pixels found on most modern DSLR LCDs. It’s meant for the semi-pro or experienced photographer – it doesn’t have the ease of use point-and-shooters stepping up to a DSLR might be looking for. Overall, however, it’s a great model, improving on the earlier D200 with advanced specs and excellent image quality.
The shining gem in this model is the autofocus system – it’s the same one found on the D3, and we like it a lot. With 51 focus points, it’s the fastest we’ve seen, which makes this camera great for sports and action shooting. It has a 6 to 8 frames-per-second Burst mode and its predictive autofocus tracking is speedy.
We put cameras through a battery of image quality testing, and the D300 performed well. Colors are accurate, and the resolution scores were some of the highest we’ve seen on an SLR, meaning the D300 captures an excellent level of detail. The noise reduction also does a good job of supressign the noise in images, even at high ISO sensitivities of ISO 3200.
The camera’s excellent LCD has live view, meaning users can frame their shots on the LCD instead of relying solely on the optical viewfinder. The live view has its quirks, which it does on most DSLRs with this feature, because the mirror in the camera has to flip down to engage the autofocus system, cutting off the LCD in the moment before an image is captured. This leads to some lag, but it’s a common occurrence and shouldn’t be too much of a hassle. For users who prefer framing shots with the LCD, the option is there.
The optical viewfinder is clear and bright with 100-percent view of the recorded image. The D300 features a pop-up flash unit above the lens mount, which can be activated manually using a small flash button on the side of the camera. A hot shoe atop the camera allows for external flashes.
There’s no Movie mode on the D300, but this is typical for DSLRs. The Auto mode automates shooting, but still allows for control over all options except shutter speed and aperture.
ISO settings range from 200 to 3200, and white balance options are more than plentiful (with seven options for fluorescent lighting alone). Shutter speed has a good range of 30 to 1/8000 of a second.
Unfortunately, one flaw of the D300 is that it doesn’t include in-camera image stabilization, which many other manufacturers are now featuring on their newest models. You’ll have to buy a lens that has its own image stabilization, which is often pricier. In addition, the software is inadequate for such a sophisticated camera – users will need to purchase something more substantial, like Photoshop, if they want to do serious editing with their images.
Overall, the D300 is an excellent offering from Nikon, and is a bargain considering the features and excellent image quality. Although it has a few drawbacks, these are more than outweighed by the perks this camera offers. It’s absolutely worth considering if your budget will stretch to the sizeable price.
Add comment April 28th, 2008