Digital Camera Reviews - Customer reviews - Nikon D300 DX 12.3MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only)


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

List Price:
Our Price: $1,599.99
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Refurbished Price: $1,249.95
Used Price: $1,000.00


Average Customer Rating: -

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Offers (14)




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Spotlight customer reviews:

Name: Patrick R. Ward
Location: Philadelphia, PA USA
Date: 2008-11-19
Customer Rating: -

Summary: almost perfect, for now
Comment: The Nikon D300 was the camera that convinced me to complete my migration from Canon's EOS Digital system. My previous main body was a Canon EOS 20D. I liked that camera, but had become frustrated by its small rear display and lack of a sensor dust-removal system. I have a collection of manual focus Nikkor lenses from my film days, and I tested the Nikon waters a few years ago by purchasing a D40 to experiment with those lenses. Using the manual lenses on the D40 was less than satisfactory (no metering), but I did find myself turning to the D40 regularly over the following months. I preferred its treatment of highlights and noise to that of the Canon - the Nikon approach to image processing undoubtedly results in a more "film-like" result.

Anyway, back to the D300 - The display is gorgeous - HUGE compared to the Canon 20D. The image processing is superb: low noise until ISO 1600, but the noise that is there is not unpleasant (unlike the blotchy results I would get from the Canon at those speeds). The grip feels great in my hand. The viewfinder display is very usable. I don't find myself accidentally adjusting the exposure compensation as I often would on the Canon. Auto-bracketing: check. Matrix metering with AI-S lenses - Woo Hoo!

I could not be happier with this purchase. Great value.


Name: J. Childs
Location: Southern Calif
Date: 2009-09-19
Customer Rating: -

Summary: a dream camera come true
Comment: I am not a professional photographer or a techie, but I do appreciate good photography and good quality photographic equipment. I wasn't that thrilled with my Nikon D80 and I was very pleased with my Nikon D200 which I was able to buy new for $720.00 (What a deal!.) BUT the desire for this Nikon D300 kept nagging at me as I read more and more reviews. The best review ever is from The Imaging Resource (google it). So, I sold my Nikon D80, Nikon D200, and 3 prime lenses to pay for this new camera. I also purchased David Busch's Nikon D300 Digital Field Guide, which is very helpful. You will read all about this camera in many other reviews. I just want to say that color is accurate, Build quality is awesome, User friendly. Very little nose at high ISO. I think my favorite aspect is the four separate shooting menus. They are very user friendly (even for me), independent of each other, and you can always reset it to default if you think you are getting lost. I felt very safe navigating through all the menus. I use it with the Nikon 16-85mm VR lens (approx $600). Yes, you can take good photos with it right out of the box. Of course, you have more control over exposure, depth of field etc as you learn more about the camera. This is my advice. If you have the money, $1700 approx, buy this camera body! It is the finest camera body you can buy without going to full frame, which is immensely more expensive. Go ahead and buy Nikon kit zoom lens and upgrade to a more expensive lens down the road if you want to. In the digital world, it is the camera body that is crucial for accurate color rendition etc. As far as the lens goes, Nikon doesn't make a crappy lens. I find the VR (vibration reduction) lens very helpful because I don't like to use tripods. It is a bit on the heavy side compared to D80 because it is solid Magnesium Alloy body. If you want light weight, buy a compact. In the Nikon D300 manual, Nikon clearly states to never touch the sensor at all in any way. If you can't get the sensor dust off by blowing or by the built in dust vibration system, than make sure that a very qualified Nikon authorized person does it. (this goes for all digital SLR cameras). My previous film cameras were Minolta SRT 102, Leica Rangefinder M2, Contax with Zeiss lens, so I have owned some of the best. This new Nikon D300 DX digital camera does not disappoint me. I am going to get a lot of enjoyment out of it. Jean


Name: John McPhee
Location:
Date: 2008-06-26
Customer Rating: -

Summary: Nikon D300 Deserves Its Accolades: A Genuine Classic
Comment: 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.


Name: BCinDC
Location: Sterling VA
Date: 2008-01-01
Customer Rating: -

Summary: A great camera, better than the hype
Comment: I received my D300 from Amazon during the first wave of deliveries, right after Thanksgiving. I had used a D80 for almost exactly one year (15k pictures) and though I really liked that camera, the D300 blows it away.

The other reviews here cover everything I can think of: it is an excellent, fast camera - the controls and ergonomics are excellent, the picture quality is excellent, the AF and and exposure modes are excellent - and nearly everything is adjustable.

I really can't think of anything I am unhappy about with the camera...ok, I wish the ML-L3 infrared remote from my D80 worked with it, but... this is REALLY a nitpick.


Name: .
Location: San Francisco, CA
Date: 2008-03-19
Customer Rating: -

Summary: D300 vs D80
Comment: I wrote a review of the D80 after I had used it a fair amount. The D80 was OK, but definitely did not warrant all of the praise that people heaped on it.

The D300 is a usable camera. First, the noise has been greatly improved at higher ISOs. I shoot a lot of available light and indoors, and I no longer fear going over 400 ISO, as I did with the D80. I get usable shots every time at 1600 ISO. That's plenty fast for any indoor shots as well.

The D300 is well sealed. I shoot in a humid climate (San Francisco fog), and the D80 would get moisture in the body. The D300 is tight as a drum.

The review screen is amazingly bright and clear. Again, a vast improvement.

I would recommend the D300 highly to anyone. This is coming from someone who gave the D80 only 3 stars. There is no comparison between the two cameras.




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