Nikon D300 DX 12.3MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only) Review
Friday, August 28, 2009
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Nikon D300 DX 12.3MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only)
The D300 isn't the newest kid on the block, but it's a great camera. I've been shooting mine for a few months now and I love it (bought it used/refurb at Fred Miranda's).
I'm really not much of a brand fanboy, having shot Pentax and Canon also, but overall I'm pleased with the D300. I'll list some pros and cons:
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Pros:
+ Good control scheme. I found I liked it better than Canon 40D, but not as good as the Pentax K20D. Most of your most important functions are found on external controls or customizable (to a degree) butttons.
+ Good image quality, especially with good glass and shooting technique. This is true of many cameras, though. I do like the D300 jpeg output, though...pretty nice
+ Nice build quality. Everything feels secure, no flexing, etc. I have not shot with the camera in very cold weather. I have encountered no serious problems or worries with the camera.
+ Flash commander is nice, lots of AF options are nice, lens tuning if you need it, great high-res screen on the back. The AF is great once you learn the nuances of the various modes.
+ Customizable shooting banks and a custom menu.
+ autoISO is awesome and trounces Canon's implimentation.
+ A great 100% viewfinder.
+ Camera seems pretty darn accurate at matrix metering.
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Now, some cons:
- The rear control pad doesn't have a seperate, raised "enter" button like the D90 does -- you have to press/click the entire pad down -- sometimes this results in you accidentally pressing (left or right) instead of the click. Not a huge problem - I learned to just click->right through menus, as it acts like an "enter" press.
- Noise is pretty good, but don't expect miracles -- You need good exposure for high ISO. If you want to shoot in darker scenes with great high ISO, get a D700. The D300 is good, but frankly I can't tell a huge difference between its noise performance and the 40D, especially in prints. I generally try to keep ISO maxed at 800, unless I know I'm gettling decent light, then I'll hit around 2000 max.
It's a good camera, but don't expect noise miracles.
- There is no option to press "Fn" and return immediately to the top-level item in "My Menu", unlike the D90. Minor quibble.
- It's not free :-)
There's really a lot to like about the D300, and very little to dislike. The rear pad click is probably the most annoying because you run into it all the time, but it's only a real problem when you don't use right-click as your enter key.
Otherwise, great camera. I hope it lasts me many years.
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