D300 or 5D

Deadhead

Deadhead

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Just found your forum. You seem to be a pleasant, helpful and interested bunch.

I have an Olympus E3 SLR which I haven't used for over 12 months since the Canon G7 arrived. So far so good... The G7 is portable, controllable and gives good results. But... I still hanker for the handling, performance, viewfinder and lens flexibility of an SLR. If we accept for the moment that the four-thirds system is going to be a dead end because of sensor size... It a big if and there are other opinions, I know.

But Canon's money-back deal makes a 5D system attractive if I buy in the next few days. Thing is, I also quite fancy the D300. It seems to boil down to sensor-cleaning versus full-frame. I don't want to get involved in wars of religion, but has anybody here spent some time with both the 5D and the D300 and do you have any opinions you'd like to share?
 
In a nutshell, the D300 is a far more modern unit with very good high ISO performance. The 5D provides for all that is Godlike because it's full-frame.

I was a little surprised that Nikon haven't produced a £1500'ish full frame camera actually. But the 5D is the weapon of choice for many on here and will be my next upgrade. However by the time I can afford it the 5D MkII will be around (hopefully).

Go and have a serious play with both of them in a decent store - take your own CF card and then analyse the results.

HTH

Oh, and welcome to TP by the way... :wave:

Steve
 
I use the D300 and its lovely. I hear so is the 5D.
Although I cant help you the way you want (I have not used both) I can say don't let sensor cleaning sway you.

It might help if you list what your needs are, what you plan to shoot etc etc, and any extra details you can give.
 
i think both cameras are very good it all depends if you do landscapes etc.... then the 5d is full frame, i have the d300 and i still manage to get dust on the sensors its just one of those things, im really happy with my d300 its really good to handle and takes excellent pictures when i tell it to!:lol: I did think about going with the 5d myself but i already had afew top end lens for nikon, so i stayed with the brand . my mate has a 5d and he shoots landscape to and he is very happy with it and said he would,nt go back to olympus since handling the 5d. iso goes down to iso 50 on canon which is handy nikon goes to iso equiv 100 , At the end of the day have a good read up and decide for yourself, cos usually if your a nikon user your nikon recommendation and vice versa. Anyway good luck in your choice.:nikon: :lol:
 
Jelster said:
I was a little surprised that Nikon haven't produced a £1500'ish full frame camera actually.

Steve
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there is a rumour, and it is just a rumour, of a D700, that will basically be a D300 with a D3 sensor....only time will tell, nikon arnt the fastest with releasing new gear.
 
Sadly I don't have a 5D (but would love one) or a D300 for that matter, but last weeks Amateur Photographer magazine tested the pair of them against the 40D. I think it is published on a Tuesday, but I guess you might find somewhere with an old copy still in stock. If not, perhaps there will be details on their website http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk/

The 40D was last wiht 88% (I think) with the 5D scoring 91% and the D300 92%, having said that the 5D still gained the win even with those percentages and given the age of it.

Interestingly the magazine contacted Canon regarding the anticipated 5D Mk 11 and Canon said there wasn't one as the 5D was still competitive. I guess they would say that not wishing to be stuck with unsold stock etc...


Edit

http://www.testreports.co.uk/photography/ap/stock/Model.asp?Model=22526&ModelPage=true
 
I have the D300 but not the 5D. Seems like the choice is between a bit less than a stop of speed and shollower DOF with the 5D and longer reach, wider DOF and better handling and build quality with the D300. Also price is slightly different. I don'd think sensor cleaning matters at all personally. Looks close to me but will be a simple choice to some.

Nikon has more-or-less confirmed the D700 rumours but it will be months. Still if you have the cash to splash and can afford to wait it should be a truly spectacular camera.
 
I have had a few Nikon digital bodies D70, D200 and a D3. I have just changed from Nikon to a Canon 5D.

My suggestion would be to decide what you want to do with the camera, if you are primarily interested in portraiture, landscapes or studio type shots I would plump for the 5D, if you are planning on shooting low light, sports ot general photographs perhaps the Nikon would be more to your taste. This was my dilema last week until I visited Mifsuds and had a play with the 5D.

Now, I would not say the 5D is the B-all and end all, but it suits me and what I want to do photographically, but I would say that the Nikon is more intuitive to use and the controls fit more readily to hand.

So, as the saying goes, you pays your money and takes your chance! but, I would suggest you visit a dealer and have a play with both prior to making your decision.
 
Adam Rowney said:
I use the D300 and its lovely. I hear so is the 5D.
Although I cant help you the way you want (I have not used both) I can say don't let sensor cleaning sway you.

It might help if you list what your needs are, what you plan to shoot etc etc, and any extra details you can give.
Click to expand...
Landscape photography is what I do mainly. Plus some candids & the odd portrait.
Need to be able to carry any kit on an all-day ramble.
 
EdBray said:
I have had a few Nikon digital bodies D70, D200 and a D3. I have just changed from Nikon to a Canon 5D.

My suggestion would be to decide what you want to do with the camera, if you are primarily interested in portraiture, landscapes or studio type shots I would plump for the 5D, if you are planning on shooting low light, sports ot general photographs perhaps the Nikon would be more to your taste. This was my dilema last week until I visited Mifsuds and had a play with the 5D.

Now, I would not say the 5D is the B-all and end all, but it suits me and what I want to do photographically, but I would say that the Nikon is more intuitive to use and the controls fit more readily to hand.

So, as the saying goes, you pays your money and takes your chance! but, I would suggest you visit a dealer and have a play with both prior to making your decision.
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damm good post sums it up well:clap:
 
Yep, that sums it up rather nicely. Depends on the subject and since it is landscapes and portrait then the 5D is spot on. It's a lovely handling camera for those.

It's certainly no sports camera!
 
Having used both the ergonomics of Nikon swayed it for me. along with cost, but I laready have nikon lenses though.

In my experience....

5d=full frame, different colour rendition, awful ergonomics (for me), great with noise, sharper than nikon, no weather sealing (not that it helped with my d200 mind you!) more expensive!

d300=weather sealed, good ergonomics for me, I can use captureNX, a good balance between what i need for landscape & work, the availability & price of stupid wide-angles. 17 or 16mm on the 5d is still not as wide as the sigma 10mm is on my d300.

I had to make this decision this week and in the end I went for the d300. Mostly on a cost basis. A 5d + a decent wide-angle was a lot more expensive than my d300!
 
I just find I really like the shots I get with my d300... they're just nice looking... something about the colour rendtion and how it handles highlights and lowlights, it seems to keep detail in teh darks and not look ugly when blown out. Biggest negative for me is the shots come out softer than I hoped for... still very nice though, the transition to sharp and bokeh is wicked too.
 
Gandhi said:
Having used both the ergonomics of Nikon swayed it for me. along with cost, but I laready have nikon lenses though.

I had to make this decision this week and in the end I went for the d300. Mostly on a cost basis. A 5d + a decent wide-angle was a lot more expensive than my d300!
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Doesn't the Canon cash-back scheme change this around? On the Interweb it appears that I can get a 5D plus 24-70 f2.8 for a net £1799 whereas a D300 + 24-70 f2.8 would cost £1980. Or, there again if you swap the 24-70 for a 28-200 the 5d becomes £1379 and with an 18-200 the Nikon is £1393.

Of course all this means that if its the Canon, I have to do the business in the next few days, before the cash-back runs out.

Decisions, decisions...
 
hmm, i doubt the 28-200 would do your 5d justice intruth, never used one, but your looking at a semi pro camera and could probably do with the pro lenses.
 
fletch5 said:
hmm, i doubt the 28-200 would do your 5d justice intruth, never used one, but your looking at a semi pro camera and could probably do with the pro lenses.
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Even as a general-purpose, carry around, stick on the front when you don't quite know what the day's gonna bring lens - the 5D would be wasted with the 28-200?
 
Just a heads up guys, went into Jessops and haggled the price on a 300D today (not for me I'm a Canon man) walked out Manages special price body only (came with batt+charger) £900.00, Bargain, my Father is a happy man.
 
I use both of these cameras, if it is wildlife/bird photography/some sports, the D300 is my choice due to the magnification increase the sensor size gives. For general purpose photography (everything else) the sheer quality of the 5D with 24-105mm f4 lens is amazing.
 
Deadhead said:
Even as a general-purpose, carry around, stick on the front when you don't quite know what the day's gonna bring lens - the 5D would be wasted with the 28-200?
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yes it would. as anyone who know whats what around here invest in the best glass possible and then the body next. good glass is always worth hanging on to but you can always upgrade the body as time goes on
 
Well, I personally can't stand the erganomics of canons... Everything is in the wrong place for me. My advice is, if you feel the price difference is negligible, go and have a play with both and see which you like the best.

I shall most definitely be going for a D300 when I get the cash as I already have nice enough DX glass to hand.
 
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