Next step up from Nikon D70 - D300?

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adam_dynamic

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Hey,

I'm busy scouring the internet for as much information as I can find, I'm hoping someone here might be able to help me by sharing their experience also?

I have a Nikon D70 at the moment, I've had it for years and like it but I'm looking to step up a grade. I have owned a D2X in the past and loved the portrait grip and having buttons for things that my D70 required menus for, I found the higher ISO values almost unusable though and it was slightly heavier than I would have liked. Does the D300 suffer from these problems? Is it a big enough step away from my D70 to justify the expense? Is there another candidate for an upgrade that I've completely overlooked? (my budget is sub-£1000).

Any insights on this would be appreciated, thanks in advance for your help!

Adam.
 
I went from a D70 to a D300S. It's significantly better in every way. For the first time the results feels a bit like a film to me and, for the first time, I am happy with digital. Mind you, you need the right lenses to take advantage of it

The autofocus system is mighty - this alone is worth the extra over a D90

I am slightly tempted to have a play with an FX camera now...

Nick Froome
 
well the d300 has far better build far better af, and iso is great upto 1600 and 3200 is fine as long as you dont crop to much, but is defo heavier than the d70.
if you dont want video go for a d300 for about £500/600 and kep the rest or buy a new lens. or maybe look at a d7000. not as heavy as d300 af is nearly the same as the d300, iso is better than the d300/s
 
Look out for a D7000 would be my suggestion. The D300 is more solidly built, does have more direct controls and a larger buffer but in any other way the D7000 beats it hands down.
 
vrapan said:
Look out for a D7000 would be my suggestion. The D300 is more solidly built, does have more direct controls and a larger buffer but in any other way the D7000 beats it hands down.
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Agreed. In every way but build and buffer the D7000 is streets better.
 
vrapan said:
Look out for a D7000 would be my suggestion. The D300 is more solidly built, does have more direct controls and a larger buffer but in any other way the D7000 beats it hands down.
Click to expand...

Hey,

Thanks for all the replies! The D7000 is an interesting option actually and one I hadn't actually considered (possibly put off by the 'consumer' tag attached to it by Nikon). From briefly researching it online it seems that the D7000 is better in low light/high-ISO settings than the D300 (which is probably the feature most important to me) and seems to be an alloy body rather than the plastic D70 I'm using at the moment?

I'm not sure about the HD video - I've got no desire for video in my camera and it seems to have been the feature the D7000 was marketed on? Apart from that my only hesitation is the 'consumer' tag and whether the camera is 'pro quality' (I can't see professional photographers having much use for HD video which makes me question why the D7000 or the D300s for that matter have it?)

However, unless I can afford a D700 (I can't) it may actually be the best next step?

Again, thanks for the help! I think I need to keep doing research, if anyone has any further suggestions please feel free to let me know.

Adam.
 
Adam, I use a D7000 professionally all the time. It more than replaces my D700.
 
The d7000 beats the d300 in terms of iso but the d300 is wonderfully built and for me, I could not go back to my old d90 ad I am so used to the extra buttons. Plus I prefer the larger size. Have a feel of all of them.
 
adam_dynamic said:
Hey,

Thanks for all the replies! The D7000 is an interesting option actually and one I hadn't actually considered (possibly put off by the 'consumer' tag attached to it by Nikon). From briefly researching it online it seems that the D7000 is better in low light/high-ISO settings than the D300 (which is probably the feature most important to me) and seems to be an alloy body rather than the plastic D70 I'm using at the moment?

I'm not sure about the HD video - I've got no desire for video in my camera and it seems to have been the feature the D7000 was marketed on? Apart from that my only hesitation is the 'consumer' tag and whether the camera is 'pro quality' (I can't see professional photographers having much use for HD video which makes me question why the D7000 or the D300s for that matter have it?)

However, unless I can afford a D700 (I can't) it may actually be the best next step?

Again, thanks for the help! I think I need to keep doing research, if anyone has any further suggestions please feel free to let me know.

Adam.
Click to expand...

It is only part alloy built, I think the back plate is still plastic. Having said that it is better built than either the D70/D90 though definitely not as well built as the D300 or even the similarly priced K-5 :) sorry I am a convert can't help myself with a shameless plug :p
 
adam_dynamic said:
Hey,
(I can't see professional photographers having much use for HD video which makes me question why the D7000 or the D300s for that matter have it?)
Click to expand...

Check out Neil Van Niekirk's wedding videos - he's a pro wedding photographer who integrates photos and video shot on a D3100... the results he gets are very good...

http://vimeo.com/neilvn

I went for the D7000 from the D70 as well... it's a bit of a difference, but SO worth the upgrade...

D3100 video example here... http://neilvn.com/tangents/2010/12/15/nikon-d3100-video-capability/
 
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I bought the D7000 with the intention of using it as a primary body until the new range came out. I'll then have it as a top quality backup.
 
it depends on what you want to do with the camera.

D7000 and D300s is good camera.

I'm in the same boat last month when choosing the two camera but end up getting the D7000 because it does a good job and what I want to do. D300s is very very good for sports or high burst speed and buffer if thats what you do mainly.

If burst and speed is everything for you then get the D300s otherwise D7000 is a good option and cheaper as well.

So many people get put off with the D7000 because is a consumer camera so they think is cheap and crap camera compare to the pro.
 
Most people I know that have been told I spent 800£ on my K-5 say I am crazy because this is a money only pros spend... I doubt that many people would consider the D7000 as a crappy consumer camera :)

I think in these very specific forums we lose a bit of perspective because these are mostly are frequented by pros/enthusiasts and not your average guy who would like a bit more than his compact can deliver.
 
Surprised no one has mentioned Dynamic Range, the D7000 (and K5) are the best cameras this side of FF for this.
 
how often have you dropped a camera ? Maybe the D7000 won't stand up to to being dropped as many times as a D3 but is this really a likely scenario ?

D7000 will give you unbelievable low light performance and you can now get grips which are almost a clone of the genuine nikon version (to give you the portrait handling) for about £50.
 
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I went from a D70 to a D7000 back in January the difference is night and day....I have certainly found that pictures I thought were okay I took with my D70 look very average now.

A lot of people like the D300 for the build quality and I often read about the "extra controls"...I am not sure what those are but the D7000 has the two user defined settings which the D300 doesn't which is a major bonus and I would probably negates any control advantage the D300 may have elsewhere.

The D7000's buffer is a major weak point if that matters to you....if you buy the latest SDHC cards it does help a bit.
 
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