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Review: Nikon D300 DSLR


Macworld Rating
4.5 out of 5 Mice, Mar 17, 2008

Pros
  • Large, live-view LCD
  • Market-leading LCD screen
  • Extensive custom modes
  • Excellent image quality, high ISO performance, and lens selection
  • Huge feature set
Cons
  • Live view isn't as easy to use as others
  • Menu system requires a lot of scrolling
  • Menu system is complicated
  • ISO control is difficult to reach
  • Limited customization
body only, $1,800; with 18mm-135mm Nikkor lens, $2,200

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Review: Nikon D300 DSLR


The last few months have brought updates to all of the major midrange digital single-lens reflex cameras (DSLRs). Nikon’s offering in this category is the D300, an updated version of the successfulD200 (). While the D200 was a good camera, its images shot at high ISOs suffered from noise. In the D300, Nikon has fixed that problem, installed a 12.3-megapixel sensor with built-in dust cleaning, implemented 14-bit analog-to-digital converters, widened the ISO range, and added a slew of new features.
Nikon D300
Nikon's D300 is available has some button placement that's different from its predecessor, the D200.
The most obvious change between the D200 and D300 is the larger LCD on the back of the newer camera. While 3-inch LCDs are not unusual on the current crop of midrange DSLRs, you won’t find another camera with a LCD as good as the D300’s. With its very high resolution (920,000 dots) and technology that obscures the on-screen pixel grid, the D300’s LCD is silky smooth and reveals fine details that are lost on other DSLRs. No LCD is color accurate (and the D300’s is no exception to this rule), but checking focus on the D300’s LCD is a simple act.
To fit the LCD onto the back of the D300, Nikon had to move some buttons from their familiar locations. If you’re upgrading from a D200, you’ll find some controls in new places. Fortunately, there’s logic to the D300’s design—it actually makes more sense than the previous control layout.
Like other Nikon DSLRs, the D300 is a sturdy, comfortable camera built to refined tolerances. Though not fully weatherproof like the Olympus E-3 (), the D300 has sealed ports and covers, making it durable in harsh climes. As with previous Nikon DSLRs, shooting with the D300 is enjoyable. The camera fits well in the hand and has a secure grip. Almost all of the essential controls are easily accessed while looking through the viewfinder.
Note that I said “almost.” You can change shooting mode, exposure compensation, program shift, and exposure lock using your shutter finger or thumb. But changing ISO isn’t as quick; you must press a button on the left side of the top of the camera. While the viewfinder shows all of the status information you want, the camera’s design forces you to take your eye away from the viewfinder to effect an ISO change. Nikon still thinks of ISO the way film photographers do—you set it once for an entire roll of film. Digital shooters use ISO alongside shutter speed and aperture as a third exposure parameter.
Nikon includes every feature you want for everyday shooting (including two- to five-step autobracketing, and two drive speeds), as well as features that you won’t find on other DSLRs. JPEG shooters will appreciate the in-camera image processing that allows for customizing a huge range of image parameters. The D300’s built-in intervalometer provides everything needed for creating time-lapse sequences. The feature list goes on and on, and almost all of the features are things you’ll actually use.
Nikon’s menuing system is cumbersome and not easy to navigate. To help with the interface, the D300 provides a customizable menu page where you can group frequently-used options. The front of the camera has two handy programmable buttons, but Canon's EOS 40D () is more flexible with its three custom user modes.
Nikon did a good job with the live view option in the D300, which lets you use the LCD as a viewfinder. The D300’s Live View offers both normal autofocus (which temporarily disables the LCD) and contrast-detecting autofocus, (which doesn’t disable the LCD, but is so slow that it’s only practical with tripod shots). The contrast-detecting autofocus lets you choose any point on the screen as your focus point—a nice touch.
Nikon D300 back controls
The D300 features a stellar 3-inch LCD.
With its 14-bit sensor and new image processing engine, the D300 produces excellent images all the way up to 3,200 ISO. Nikon's been behind in high ISO shooting, but with the D300, they're at the top of the pack, right alongside Canon's 40D.
The D300 is speedy, with a burst rate of around 6 frames per second and a big buffer for continuous shooting.
Owners of HDTVs can take advantage of the D300's HDMI port, so you can connect the camera to a HDTV and preview the camera's images. The D300 has support for 1080i HDTV.

Macworld’s buying advice

The Nikon D300’s excellent image quality, high ISO performance, robust feature set, and sturdy build make it a DSLR to seriously consider. There’s no doubt about it—the D300 is a great DSLR.
[Ben Long is the author of Complete Digital Photography fourth edition (Charles River Media, 2007).]

Macworld Lab Results

Performance (New)

ExposureGood
ColorGood
SharpnessVery Good
DistortionGood

Performance

Battery Life (minutes)273.5
Image Quality ScoreGood
Image Quality, Color52.6
Image Quality, Color--Adjusted61.5
Image Quality, Color--Auto43.6
Image Quality, Distortion66.5
Image Quality, Distortion--Noise70.9
Image Quality, Distortion--Noise Reduction72.3
Image Quality, Distortion--Sharp Interpolation58.9
Image Quality, Exposure46.9
Image Quality, Exposure--Flash39.7
Image Quality, Exposure--Normal49.9
Image Quality, Overall48
Image Quality, Sharpness54.1
Number of Batteries1
Number of Shots500

Type

Typeslr

Image Processor

Effective Megapixels12.3 megapixels
Image sensorCCD
Image format
  • RAW
  • JPEG
  • TIFF
White balance0
Image stabilizationLens-dependent

Lens Features

Lens Model18-135mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor ED lens
Maximum Optical Zoom5 X
Maximum Wide Angle18 mm
Maximum Telephoto200 mm
Lens mountInterchangeable
Focus featuresYes

Viewfinder and LCD section

LCD screen size3 inches
ViewfinderOptical

Exposure Controls

Maximum shutter speed8000 second
Minimum shutter speed30 second(s)
Exposure settings0

Storage

Memory type
  • CompactFlash (CF) Card
  • Microdrive

Flash

Flash characteristics
  • Flash Slow Sync
  • Yes

Connectivity

Interface connectionNo

Power

Battery TypeLithium Ion Battery

Dimensions

Width5.8 inches
Height2.9 inches
Depth4.5 inches
Weight47.2 ounces

Warranty

Warranty information1 Year Limited

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