D300 First Impressions - Replies & Piccies

Phil T

Phil T

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Phil Tufnell
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After mucho soul searching wondering whether to opt for a used D2Xs or D300 & having borrowed a D2Xs for (only) an afternoon I got to play with the D300 last night.
Awesome is the only word for it.
Highlights:
Human recognition system - the 51 point AF mode searches for human skin tones & auto-focuses on that (can be disabled obviously). And it really does work!
Colour rendition - new CMOS sensor is unbelievably clear - amazing colour reproduction
Burst rate - 8 fps with battery grip attached, 5 fps without
Auto focus - 2 types of lock-on mechanism (movement sensor and shape-tracking) is fabulous. The D300 (and D3) has a stored database of c.60,000 images that it can refer to to identify what you are focusing on & lock on to that shape.
Ergonomics - perfect for both me (big hands) and better half (small hands)
Menus - redesigned in English so instead of C1, C2 etc it actuall lists Normal, Vivid etc
D-Lighting - automatically compensates for highlights & lowlights without losing mid-tone range; very effective.
Noise - very little even at ISO3200. Not an expert in this but it looks significantly better than the D200 & D80.
Walked away with the D300 body (£1,299), grip (£256), battery (£40) & bag (£40), Nikon Capture NX (£30) & 2 free Nikon mugs for £1,450; huge smile on face, looking forward to giving it a real world test
Thanks to all who advised this route - I'm very pleased to have gone with the brand new technology instead of the declining one. Anyone who's still unsure - go have a real good play, then buy one!
Not sure how many others already have one but if there's anything I can try & answer from using it just let me know - I'll try & run tests as you ask.
Only one question left - do I now sell the D80 or the D200, or keep both as back-ups!?!?!
 
Thanks for the review Phil, I am seriously considering the D300 + grip at the moment and it is interesting to read your comments. Ideally I'd like a D3 but the price is a bit too much at the moment.

Out of interest, are you using the EN-EL4a (as in the D2x) in the grip or two EN-EL3's, as I understand it you can only get 8 fps using the larger battery or AA's. Am I right?

Looking forward to reading a more in-depth review and picture samples, particularly at higher ISO.

Digital Depot in Stevenage are holding a Nikon open day this Saturday with the chance to try out the D3 and D300, I'm going to take my D200 and a few memory cards to try and do some comparison shots. John Clements from Nikon will also be there so it should be an interesting day.
 
The grip is very well designed - one EN EL3 (same as D200/D80) inside (slides in from side - 2nd battery in the normal place in the camera body) so the grip attaches flush to the underside instead of sliding up into the body (as with the D80). It will take one EN EL3 but has a separate slide that will take 8xAA batteries. This is a very well thought through piece of kit. You're right about the 8fps - you only get this with the grip attached.
Have fun on Saturday!
 
Phil T said:
.
Only one question left - do I now sell the D80 or the D200, or keep both as back-ups!?!?!
Click to expand...

You can never have to many backups....or am I just paranoid

Enjoy the camera
 
Sounds like a good choice - I'm sure you'll be very happy with it.:) If I were you I'd sell the D80 (to put towards more glass etc,) and keep the D200 as backup.

Enjoy!:D
 
Phil T said:
The grip is very well designed - one EN EL3 (same as D200/D80) inside (slides in from side - 2nd battery in the normal place in the camera body) so the grip attaches flush to the underside instead of sliding up into the body (as with the D80). It will take one EN EL3 but has a separate slide that will take 8xAA batteries. This is a very well thought through piece of kit. You're right about the 8fps - you only get this with the grip attached.
Have fun on Saturday!
Click to expand...

so you have to take the grip off to change the battery in the camera? Is that not going to be a real PIA? Also is there a chance the grip will become slack with continual taking off and on? I'd want the grip if/when I get a D300 but this does not sound like a great piece of design at all - but do convince me - I haven't handled one yet.
 
Congrats Phil, it looks like a great bit of kit.

One test I'm interested in seeing is a 100% crop of ISO 3200 compared to ISO 3200 and ISO 1600 on the D200 to see how much the noise handling has improved. :thumbs:
 
Congratulations Phil. Im in the same s/h D2X vs new D300+grip at the moment. Im very much starting to lean towards the D300 option now. How do the ergonimics with the grip compare to the D2X? Any chance of some shiny pics?
 
Hope you enjoy it, i'm sure you will get your moneys worth out of it! I'd sell the D80 and keep the D200
 
Why did you pay £30 for Capture NX. Mine came with a free keycode for Capture NX as do all D300 & D3 cameras.
 
I am very happy with the D300 up to now and have a grip on order which should be here this week. Not had much of a chance to get out with it yet this week. Work getting in the way again! I was wondering about the Capture NX. Mine also came free with the D300. I am a bit gutted as I had already bought it about six months ago for £100. Its about time they bundled it with their cameras.

Chris
 
Having tested out both the D3 and the D300 the other week...I must say both cameras are out of this world. If I had the money I would go for the D3 the best DSLR on the market !

Iam thinking about buying the Nikon D2Xs in the new year. But, with the price of the D2Xs I could buy two D300 cameras...

Has anybody heard about a new Nikon flashgun...SB1000 !
Rumour has it that Nikon is bring a new SB flashgun out for the D3 nad D300.

Paul
 
Thanks for the comments guys.
Some responses:
"so you have to take the grip off to change the battery in the camera? Is that not going to be a real PIA? Also is there a chance the grip will become slack with continual taking off and on? I'd want the grip if/when I get a D300 but this does not sound like a great piece of design at all - but do convince me - I haven't handled one yet."

Fair comment - I guess it depends on the kind of shooting you do. This design works better for me as I can't imaging shooting more than 5-6 hrs without having a break to change batteries etc anyway, so personally this doesn't worry me.

"One test I'm interested in seeing is a 100% crop of ISO 3200 compared to ISO 3200 and ISO 1600 on the D200 to see how much the noise handling has improved"

Happy to do this - I'm no expert so if you could suggest subject, conditions & camera settings to use I'll do my best over the weekend.


"Congratulations Phil. Im in the same s/h D2X vs new D300+grip at the moment. Im very much starting to lean towards the D300 option now. How do the ergonimics with the grip compare to the D2X? Any chance of some shiny pics?"

Ergonomics are great for both small & large hands - the feel is the same as the D200 (rubberised for good grip) & better than the D2Xs (IMO). Piccies below...


"Why did you pay £30 for Capture NX. Mine came with a free keycode for Capture NX as do all D300 & D3 cameras."

Sorry the prices I quoted in brackets in the OP were the standalone prices rather than what I actually paid - they do ship with NX free but only for December (so I was advised by one of the LCE staff there on the night)

Piccies here....

From L to R: 300, 200, 80:
IMG_0525-copy.jpg


Same order from above:
IMG_0527_copy.jpg


Ditto:
IMG_0529_copy.jpg


300 (L) & 200 (R):
IMG_0530_copy.jpg


300 underside & grip:
IMG_0534_copy.jpg


Lastly:
IMG_0536-copy.jpg


Hope this helps...
 
Phil, quite a collection you've got there :thumbs:

The ISO 3200 test...

What about a grey card lit by a strong light source with an object standing on it casting a shadow. That way the 100% crop can show the noise of the well exposed grey card plus the noise in the shadow regions as well.

Reports/reviews seem to be varying about how much the noise has improved and the sample shots seem to vary just as much so it would be nice to see some shots where the conditions they were taken under were "known" if you see what I mean.
 
paul cull-pearce said:
Has anybody heard about a new Nikon flashgun...SB1000 !
Rumour has it that Nikon is bring a new SB flashgun out for the D3 nad D300.

Paul
Click to expand...

One post on Nikonians by someone who read far to much into what he wanted to hear doesn't constitute a rumour ;)
 
That's very helpful for me.

I've recently decided to get back into serious photography, (moved 2 years ago and it's taken this long to get truly get settled with moving 2 businesses as well, what with setting up a new customer base and all that.)

I've always been a Nikon man and all my current equipment is 35mm.

I have decided however to go digital(got rid of the darkroom stuff a while ago) and was considering a D200 but having held a D300 and reading your comments above I think the D300 is the way to go.

Fortunately I already have Photoshop CS3 Extended(through work fortunately) and just got Lightroom to play with.

Now lets get the money together.

Just take me a little longer to save the extra as I want it with the grip and a couple of lenses.

I'll then see how it works with my non AF glass before I decide what to do with that.
Looks at his 500mm cat lens with 2x and 3x convertors longingly
 
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