Should I do it? Upgrade D200 to D300 (or poss a D700)???????

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nictry

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With the recent price hikes I am wondering whether it is now time to bite the bullet and buy a D300 (can still be had for £850 at Tax free shop and I am travelling next week)

My dilemma is this, I don’t have the greatest lenses (yet) and certainly don’t class myself as a good photographer but want to have the opportunity to utilise the best kit I can afford as my skills/experience increase. I do find the lack of low light performance frustrating with the D200 although my lenses are also pretty slow so the combo will effectively be the same with a D300. I guess the key question is it worth splashing £400 for the D300 (working on around £450 for the D200 s/h value plus £60-70 for the grip) also knowing I need to shell out another £200 for the D300 grip.

I don’t mind someone saying don’t do it or spend the money on glass instead as I am really after honest opinions rather than ‘buy it just cos its better’ views ;) Thanks in advance for any advice/info
 
Glass over bodies anyday - unless you can get an absolute bargain (the only reason I got my 30D instead of saving towards a long prime)
 
The D300 is leagues ahead of the D200 IMO, much better all rounder and worth the upgrade, seems prices are going to go up to, so it could be worth it now, what lenses do you own?
 
whitey said:
The D300 is leagues ahead of the D200 IMO, much better all rounder and worth the upgrade, seems prices are going to go up to, so it could be worth it now, what lenses do you own?
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Lenses are all in my sig :thumbs:
 
If the low light is bugging you on a regular basis, then go for it, but if it isn't then you'd be better spending on new glass.
 
what lens(es) do you use the most? if its the 17-70 maybe a faster lens would suit, if its the fast fixeds (ie not going to get quicker) then maybe a body would be good.

im a newbie btw ;)
 
I had the same dilema just before xmas, wanted better low light performance but in the end kept my D200 and went for the nikon 70-200mm f2.8 vr (when it was cheaper!), best decission I ever made, I get superb performance for what I need and so many more keepers, superb lens!
 
Why do you want the grip?

D300 is a fine camera, I have used one since they first came out, more than impressed.
 
Martyn... said:
Why do you want the grip?

D300 is a fine camera, I have used one since they first came out, more than impressed.
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I found the grip on the D200 balanced it very well and made an assuption the D300 would be similar, having said this I have since seen that battery life appears to be about 300% better so perhaps it is a non-beneficial accessory, at least for the initial period of ownership!
 
nictry said:
I found the grip on the D200 balanced it very well and made an assuption the D300 would be similar, having said this I have since seen that battery life appears to be about 300% better so perhaps it is a non-beneficial accessory, at least for the initial period of ownership!
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Battery life is superb with the D300, I can get 1000 shots no problem.

However if you shoot a high number of 'Portrait' format shots it is worth it for the extra shutter release button.

Not an urgent requirement, as you say.
 
based on your lens collection i would say go for it. You dont own the fastest glass but in the real world there is nothing wrong with it. I upgraded from a D200 to a D300 last summer and there is a hell of a difference.
 
Arrgh, Amazon have 3 in stock for £978 and I know these are scheduled for another price rise very soon so not sure whether just to push the button and order 1 :love: or if I should wait and get a second hand one for a couple of hundred pounds cheaper but could wait a while to pick one up :bang:
 
nictry said:
Arrgh, Amazon have 3 in stock for £978 and I know these are scheduled for another price rise very soon so not sure whether just to push the button and order 1 :love: or if I should wait and get a second hand one for a couple of hundred pounds cheaper but could wait a while to pick one up :bang:
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I have seen 'rumours' of a D400, if true and intended to replace D300, this would usually push the price of the D300 down, however how accurate said rumours are is debatable, and how long an announcement would take to effect the price of the D300 is anybodies guess.

Mind I was waiting for the D700 to drop below £1500 :bonk:
 
Personally, I wouldn't.

Depending on the shooting you do the jump to the D200 to the D300 is either huge or small. For me, it would be small. For you it may be huge (much better AF, 1 - 1.5 stop better ISO), I don't know.

Personally, I'd spend the same money buying a Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 (will work on full frame) or a Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 (won't work on full frame.) You'll have a bit left over that you can buy another prime with. You can decide which lenses you want based on what you normally shoot. You might even want to save for longer and get the Nikon versions.

The D300 was released in November 2007. I wouldn't be surprised (and neither would others who know more than me about this) if a D400 was released within a few months. Now, your budget obviously won't stretch to a D400, but there should be a rash of second hand D300s, and new bodies should decrease in price too. Then again, it will devalue your D200 even further, but considering you're moving up a global reduction in price is a good thing (as long as it hits the D300 and D200 equally.)
 
nictry said:
Arrgh, Amazon have 3 in stock for £978 and I know these are scheduled for another price rise very soon so not sure whether just to push the button and order 1 :love: or if I should wait and get a second hand one for a couple of hundred pounds cheaper but could wait a while to pick one up :bang:
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Well all 3 have gone whilst my indecisiveness got the better of me!!!!!

I have however been puring over the review for both the D700 and the D90, obviously the former being a fair chunk of cash more but blooming puddleduckj got me thinking about the FF and also the potential to be able to pick one up tax free for £1478 which even though £500 more than the D300 is a significant price saving on a new shop bought model (even before the price increases) but TBH I am not sure I will really ever be able to get the best out of such a high spec camera (not to mention I suspect some of my lenses would be useless?) and the D90 although a big step up in terms of high ISO performance seems a step back from a solid build like my D200!

Choices, choices, perhaps I should never have thought about upgrading in the 1st place :gag:
 
I couldn't go back to a consumer camera, like the D90 after moving on to the D200/300 - even though it's great camera it just feels like a toy compared the other two.

If the prices do go up on 1st March then you'll be lucky to get even a secondhand D300 for much under £900 -I've actually been toying with the idea of buying a new one and then Ebaying my current one after the price increase, in the hope it will work out near enough at straight swap - if I could get a tax free one it probably would!
 
Being a bit of a chump when it comes to FF, can someone confirm which of my current lenses would not be of value if I was to 'gulp' buy the D700? The lenses I am particularly attached to are the Sig 10-20, 120-400 and 17-70, the others I guess I could sell to fund a better all round lens (any recommendations gratefully received)
 
nictry said:
Being a bit of a chump when it comes to FF, can someone confirm which of my current lenses would not be of value if I was to 'gulp' buy the D700? The lenses I am particularly attached to are the Sig 10-20, 120-400 and 17-70, the others I guess I could sell to fund a better all round lens (any recommendations gratefully received)
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Your Sig 10-20 would be toast :'(

That's what stopped me going 5D recently. I just couldn't afford the glass outlay in addition to the body.
 
the d300 is a classic you wont regret
i had one but then moved onto the D700 my reasoning was simple

i needed lowlight performance and a true 5omm for concerts

when i tried the sigma 30mm on the d300 i didnt like it,the first time Ive ever used anything but nikkor lens on a nikon....like buying a xk8 and putting a mini engine in.

then when i saw the price of a nikkor 28mm f1.4 was more than the price of a D700 if i could even find one i bought the d700.

personally i would rather have the D700 and just one 50mm lens than anything else.believe me once you've tried it you will never go back.
its also quite a lot cheaper than i paid now.

whatever you buy be quick grays sent me a email with the price increases coming soon.
 
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I would have thought Grays would have been above those sort of scare tactics.

They are using the current market price against proposed RRP, none of them sell at RRP.

The D700 current RRP is £2100, proposed RRP is £2199, they currently sell the D700 at £1700, thats £400 below RRP.

Obviously sales are slow so they are looking to frighten people into buying, cheap trick if you ask me.
 
So if I reason this through (thinking justification for my wife) I can get the D700 for £1478 when the RRP 5 days later will be £2199 (but wonder what the actual selling prices will be?) Hmmmm, will she look at it as the bargain I am :thinking:

However what needs factoring in then is the upgrades to the glass although I guess selling my current lenses may cover some of the outlay? I think I am trying to convince myself here :bonk:
 
Hi Nick,

Just posting after arriving in Italy....

....I can confirm that the D300 is no longer available at Dixons TF @ Heathrow. They did have the D90 and D700 readily available.

Must dash!

All the best,

Steve
 
Cheers Steve, so looks like I really am going to have to consider the D700, damn you Andy for planting that seed ;)

sdb123 said:
Hi Nick,

Just posting after arriving in Italy....

....I can confirm that the D300 is no longer available at Dixons TF @ Heathrow. They did have the D90 and D700 readily available.

Must dash!

All the best,

Steve
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I have the D200 and the D300 and the D200 hardly gets a look in any more. For me a least as a motorsport photographer everything about the D300 is better!!
 
ive checked my regulars i cant find a S/H D700 or d300 anywhere i was surprised the price went to £1500 thats a real bargain.

grays are usually a bit more expensive but they only sell really good stuff and are reliable.

personaly i would sell all the sigma lens buy the D700 and a nikon 50mm thats how i started.
i also used my nikkor mf lens to start with as you can programme them in to the camera and the 28mmE lens worked real well on it.

if your near oxford your welcome to come and have a go with mine if you like.
 
ditchdigger said:
ive checked my regulars i cant find a S/H D700 or d300 anywhere i was surprised the price went to £1500 thats a real bargain.

grays are usually a bit more expensive but they only sell really good stuff and are reliable.

personaly i would sell all the sigma lens buy the D700 and a nikon 50mm thats how i started.
i also used my nikkor mf lens to start with as you can programme them in to the camera and the 28mmE lens worked real well on it.

if your near oxford your welcome to come and have a go with mine if you like.
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The 1478 price is tax free from Dixons at H'row and I am there Monday so could pick one up then.

I am starting to do the maths on selling my lenses and then buying a WA and a Tele for the D700 and I believe I need to spend around £14-1500 to get the lenses I need (probably a 28-75 Tamron and a Nikon 70-200VR) and as you say keep the 50mm for lowlight. Selling my lenses would probably bring in around £850-1000 so the outlay on lenses will be around £500 plus the expense of the D700 (selling D200 etc.) another £1k so all in £1500 to move to FF totally?

Sounds like a silly niggle but just 2 things bother me, 1/ no true walkabout lens and 2/ the loss of 200mm range on the tele (which is probably part of the reason I want to upgrade) as I love wildlife photography but the light issue for 6 months of the year is such a pain
 
well i didnt buy everything in one go waited for special offers or s/h

dont realy like zooms but ive kept my 35-70

and my 28-105 which i think is a great lens for daytime use is that not a walkabout lens maybe?
 
Well all good plans and that.......thanks to MPB photographic I have just purchased a D300 with only 79 actuations in minty mint condition and it should be with me Friday :woot:

Now I just need to pass my beloved D200 onto another fellow forumite so look out for it on the classifieds some time soon :thumbs:
 
nictry said:
Well all good plans and that.......thanks to MPB photographic I have just purchased a D300 with only 79 actuations in minty mint condition and it should be with me Friday :woot:

Now I just need to pass my beloved D200 onto another fellow forumite so look out for it on the classifieds some time soon :thumbs:
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I wondered why it had not appeared on their site, nice one ... now with the money you saved those 17-55 f2.8's are the dogs :D
 
congrats ime sure you will like it

i see the d200 still fetches a good price as well so you will be quids in:)
 
Martyn... said:
I wondered why it had not appeared on their site, nice one ... now with the money you saved those 17-55 f2.8's are the dogs :D
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Funny enough I am just looking at one at the mo, I think today could be an expensive one for me :lol:
 
nictry said:
Funny enough I am just looking at one at the mo, I think today could be an expensive one for me :lol:
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Sharp lens ... anyway welcome to the D300 owners club :woot:

I nearly had the D700 that was on there Friday, but I could not get hold of my financial controller in time to clear the purchase :D
 
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