NOTE: This article was first published over at nikonglass (https://goo.gl/82X36F) on the 8th January 2008
I’m currently residing on a remote village on Lesvos Island, Greece, so I’m a fair distance from the hustle and bustle of a fast paced city and my only real interaction with the rest of the world is through my dial up connection. Anyway I’ve been longing for a full frame camera such as the D3 but at 4600€ and only 12MP it wasn’t hard to overcome the initial excitement. Don’t get me wrong, I was just as excited as most Nikon users but considering that my main subject matter is wildlife, I had to refocus on the more affordable and “longer” DX format. So I decided to stick to my trusty D200 and its 400 ISO limit (my personal noise performance limit).
But what about the D300 you ask? Well just like with the D3, I had read most reports and reviews and also scrutinized most of the pics online, but based on those I didn’t see much difference to warrant giving up a great camera such as the D200 for a one stop advantage.
When I later visited Athens though during the Christmas break, I had the chance to try both new cameras and I must say that even though both felt great, the D300 really stood out. And when I say stood out, I mean it really was a lot more than I had believed, WOW! Up until now I thought the WOW factor only belonged to the D3, but I was mistaken, the WOW factor belongs to the D300 as well. The image quality, the high ISO performance, the build quality, the “feel”, the large LCD and especially the great price of 1900€, including the MB-D10 battery pack really made me look at this camera twice – on the third look, I bought it :)
Although the D300 looks the same as the D200, it’s the small differences that really make the D300 shine. The contours are better sculpted so this contributes to the better feel as does the magnesium frame which is of a more rugged and rigid design. Comparing the two bodies, the D300 also has more seals for better weather proofing. The few buttons that have disappeared or have changed are for the better and really make for a better experience when shooting. The bracketing button is gone but can still be accessed by the function button on the front of the camera for those who wish to use it. The AF area mode selector on the back of the camera is reduced to three positions from the four of the D200. This is a good move in streamlining the choices and making it easier to use (more info further down in the AF section). The new interface together with the new positions for the play button and the buttons for enlarging and reducing the photo may at first make you feel out of place, but after a few tries you will get used to the new workings and before you know it the new interface will feel faster and more natural in use. The “feel”, especially with the MB-D10 attached is much better than the D200 and it honestly seems like it’s another class of camera.
The DOF preview button is now customizable! I don’t remember the last time I used the DOF preview, but I do remember thinking that it didn’t really offer me anything since I couldn’t make out what was sharp in my landscapes due to low light levels. So I was glad to hear that the D300 now offers the ability to assign new duties not only to this button, but to the AE-L/AF-L and Function buttons as well. Now I can assign flash value lock to the function button with Custom setting f4, I can disable the flash using the preview button thanks to Custom setting f5 and I can have the metering changed to Spot in an instant by pressing the AEL/AFL button thanks to Custom setting f6. I love this kind of customization and wonder why it wasn’t implemented many years earlier with such great cameras as the F5.
So now I have the two buttons on the front of the camera handling my flash and making all my flash work such a better experience. Other cool customization features which I have been waiting for years are also available. With the use of custom setting f10 I can now reverse the exposure graph so that it reads in the more natural way of starting from minus on the left and gaining positive values towards the right. With f7 I can also reverse the rotation of the command dials so their rotation matches the direction of the graph. So when using Manual exposure mode, rotating either dial towards the right (away from the lens) will add exposure and left (towards the lens) will reduce the exposure. These adjustments add to a more natural way of using the camera. So even if you are used to the old Nikon ways, I urge you to try it and I’m sure you will enjoy the more natural and logical actions involved.
Having used a D2x for a short period, I can say that the D300 with the MB-D10 attached feels just as good. The battery pack design is a large step forward from the D200s MB-D200. What I like most is the ability to quickly remove the battery pack and continue using the D300 for those times when I need a smaller and lighter camera. This is really convenient compared to the D200 where you had to replace the battery door on the body as well as insert the battery. Now with just one action you are ready to go “light”. Power is drained first from the MB-D10 unless otherwise indicated in the Custom settings menu (d11: battery order) and this is the logical way of utilizing the power. I especially like how the top LCD shows the power level of the MB-D10 instead of the combined reading of the D200.On reading the specs on the net in September, I was surprised that the MB-D10 was needed in order to achieve the advertised 8fps performance and later a little disappointed to find out that I also needed to purchase a new type of battery (EN-L4) and charger to get that performance. But thankfully this is not the real picture. The EN-L4 battery option is really intended for those who already have those types of batteries and chargers (D2x users).
Of course, if you don’t mind paying, go ahead and buy them. Personally, I don’t see the value in them. As it is, the D300 can do 6fps easily and I think this will suit most needs. Thankfully you can still have access to 8 fps without the need to buy the extra battery and charger. The MB-D10 battery pack comes with an AA holder which can produce that performance when using alkaline, lithium or rechargeable batteries. I searched my camera bag and found a set of freshly charged Duracell NiMH 2300mAh batteries and the D300 constantly produced 8fps. The meter shows them nearly empty from the start but they last for quite a while (500shots). For those who need 8fps and a longer lasting battery, you may want to invest in the EN-L4 battery/cap and charger.
The 100% viewfinder is definitely a big plus but when looking through it, I can’t help but wish the view was larger and brighter (though still an improvement over the D200). I also like how I can switch off everything and have a clear view without anything distracting in the way.
The new 3in screen with its true VGA resolution is fantastic and really a pleasure to use. There is also a navigation window (only shows up temporarily) within the main preview window when zooming into the picture so you don’t get lost. At first you might find it in the way and a little irritating but once you get used to it you will appreciate its usefulness.
The ISO range on the D300 goes from 200 ISO to 3200 ISO bumping the base ISO of the D200 one stop. Although the majority of subjects might benefit from this, a lot of photographers would rather a base ISO of 100 or even lower. Studio photographers prefer low ISO ranges as do nature photographers. Shooting a water stream at 200 ISO is harder and will certainly produce a less attractive result than at 50 ISO. Thankfully the D300 offers a 100 ISO option. The reason this is an option is because the image quality drops (less dynamic range) compared to the 200 ISO which produces the best measured results. So the 100 ISO will come in handy for those times when a slower shutter speed is needed.
Well I had seen most of the pics available on the net and knew it performed well and I kind of figured that my 400 ISO limit with the D200 will climb to 800 ISO with the D300 which is still a respectable one stop advantage. But after acquiring the camera my results show that 1600 ISO is most probably my new quality limit. This was quite unexpected and has come as a great surprise! What is also surprising is that 3200 ISO is quite acceptable for a lot of low light / nighttime work. Compare that with my maximum upper limit of 800 ISO with the D200 and you start getting the picture what this new camera can do. So now I have 400 ISO set as my base ISO for all my wildlife shooting and will go to 1600 ISO if needed without worrying about noise. So far I have noise reduction turned off and don't use it. This is one great camera!
The D300 sports a CMOS sensor and at 12.3MP can produce excellent quality files measuring 4288x2848 pixels. This size can print at 24x36cm at 300dpi with no interpolation. You can print at A3 sizes if you reduce the resolution from 300 to 240 dpi and if you need larger than A3, the files interpolate very nicely. Of course the quality is only as good as long as the sensor stays clean, and specs of dirt and dust have been a constant problem for DSLR owners. Other makers have provided solutions for a while, but Nikon have only now introduced their first system with the D300. I am a bit skeptical as to the advantages of such a system weighed against the extra cost and possibility of malfunction, but it sounds like good practice to use it often. It may mean though that more visits will be required to replace the sticky bits but given the short life expectancy of DSLRs, this might be a moot point. Apparently the way it works is by vibrating the anti-aliasing filter which is directly in front of the sensor, so any loose particles will fall onto the surrounding sticky side walls (I wonder if this may affect the traditional way of cleaning sensors - swab sticking to the sticky side walls).
Another great thing about the D300 (apart from now being a pro caliber camera), is that it even has some key advantages over the D3. Of course these are in respect to my shooting style and preferences, others will certainly disagree. For starters the built in flash is a great asset to any photographer and the real power of the built in unit is its ability to drive two groups of SB-800/600s while in Commander Mode, eliminating the costly need for an extra flash. Other advantages for a large number of photographers (particularly wildlife and sports) are the smaller pixels that are packed into the DX sensor and the crop factor. Both go hand in hand and can transform a medium telephoto into a long telephoto and can also produce fine detail better than the D3.
The D3 is not a "convertible" like the D300, so its gigantic size is a given for any job. On the other hand, the D300 can be transformed into a lighter package with one step. Very convenient for a lot of folks, though personally I prefer the larger body of the D3. Still, the D300 gets a plus for being a "convertible". The D300 sports the newly introduced dust reduction system which only time will tell how much of a real advantage this can be, but having used the camera now for a few months under some very dusty and dirty conditions I can honestly say that the D300 has remained clean when I honestly thought that I would have to clean the sensor. I feel the cleaning is really working (I have it set so that it self cleans at startup and shut down). Last but not least, the decent price. At only 1900€ (with MB-D10) this is the best buy on the market at the moment.
Although a pro-caliber camera, there are still some things that could have been done differently, better or not done at all and totally replaced by something else. What follows are just some of the minor negative points that I came across.
Coming from the D200, the autofocusing on the new camera certainly feels much better and a lot more accurate. And the more I use it, the more I realize that there really isn’t any comparison between the two bodies. The old 11 point system of the D200 was quite OK for most work but the autofocusing supplied with the D300 is way ahead in every respect. Compared to the D2x the focusing under good lighting conditions feels about the same but as soon as the light level starts to drop, the D300 starts to shine. I think most of the positive feedback from the AF system can be attributed to the less hunting, especially in low light, which would also help speed things up in the AF department. Also impressive are the new 3D-tracking technology and Scene Recognition system (more on those later).
Although I haven’t used any instruments to measure the differences, I get the feeling that the autofocusing motor for screwdriver lenses has more torque than the D200. I say this because my AF 80-400mm VR lens, which is one of the slower lenses in the Nikon line-up, seems to focus faster on the D300. Mind you the 80-400VR is still a slow focusing lens but compared to its previous performance on the D200, it does feel as if the new camera is driving the lens with more confidence, where before hunting was more frequent. As mentioned at the start of this paragraph, I didn’t measure any of this in a lab, but autofocusing definitely feels better with a lot less hunting and I’m sure all new users of the D300 will be left with the same impressions.
In the Custom Settings menu, option a3 will help professional photographers or others who shoot a certain way, to setup the autofocusing in the best way suited for their style or subject. So a sports photographer who frequents a bike track might select the 9 point system or if shooting soccer the 21 point system or if shooting birds the 51 point system. The 3D system can be impressive but under true working conditions can get fooled a lot so is only recommended for easy scenes as described further down. To the new owners of the D300, I recommend avoiding the 51 point 3D AF system until first having used the other options so as to get better acquainted with the new AF technology that the new camera provides. Starting off with the 9 point system for a few hours or days will give you the chance to understand its abilities and shortcomings. Then select the 21 point system, use it, progress to the 51 point system and then use the Auto system last.
On the back of the camera there is a selector with three options: Single point AF (great choice for 90% of situations – static subjects), Dynamic Area AF (great for action and most non-stationary subjects) and Auto (impressive but limited). Lets forget about the Single point AF and Auto options so we can concentrate on Dynamic Area AF. With Dynamic Area AF the photographer selects the initial AF point and as long as the camera is in Continuous shooting mode, it will track the subject using 9, 21 or all 51 points. Any of those can be selected manually or automatically. Dynamic Area AF is intended for subjects that are non-stationary – let’s take a closer look:
9 point AF system: Usually the quickest and most accurate autofocusing is rewarded to single point AF systems. Amongst the options in the Dynamic AF Area modes, the 9 point seems to be the closest thing to spot focusing. The nine points are grouped tightly and due to the less coverage you may need to work harder at being more precise with lens placement as you follow your subject. This system is recommended for predictable action such as runners, bikes, cars, or anything else that is moving towards or away from the camera or is moving across the frame such as in panning. There is a good reason for preferring fewer points. The camera needs to crunch the data coming from all points, so crunching data for 9 points will be done quicker compared to 51 points, so the less points, the faster the focusing and this is noticeable in the field. I personally shoot a lot of wildlife and have found that the 9 point system is pretty good at tracking small birds in bushes amongst the many interfering branches and other obstacles (Custom setting a4 set to normal). That is of course with an AFS lens (eg AFS 70-200mm), since the effectiveness of the Dynamic AF modes are less capable with slower and less responsive lenses such as the AF 80-400mm. I find the 9 point system good for subjects that are small in the frame and that are some what predictable in their movements.
21 point AF system: After using the 9 point system for a while, the 21 point will seem similar but with a wider range of coverage. The 21 point system is good for when the subject is larger in the frame such as people close up or when the movement of the subject is non-predictable. The erratic movements of a soccer player or a wild animal might be tracked easier by the larger 21 point system.
51 point AF system: The 51 point system is a different ball game. The area of coverage is nearly 2/3 of the frame and acquisitions sometimes can seem to take some “noticeable” time. The AUTO version of this system does not indicate on what its focusing on while the 3D version does. The 3D version also seems more capable as well (depending on lens, subject and framing). I feel that both versions work better with normal to tele lenses than with wide angle lenses – especially the AUTO version. This may be because longer lenses throw the background out of focus easier. The intention of the 51-point Auto system is to let the subject wonder within the frame as you concentrate on the composition instead of trying to track the subject by keeping the lens centered on it.
51point AF with 3D tracking: The 3D-tracking option uses scene recognition technology to follow the chosen subject within the frame. This new technology uses color, brightness and other information obtained from the 1005-pixel RGB sensor to analyze the subject prior to capture and applies the results to achieving greater accuracy in AF, AE and AWB control. The primary objectives of this technology are subject identification and subject tracking. Initially the camera tries to identify the background from the foreground and then the people (if any in the frame) by their color and other parameters. At this point the camera analyzes the position and size of the person. This information is used to focus on the person in the Auto mode. Even if the subject you are tracking moves out of the 51-point AF range, the subject might still be tracked based on the information coming from the larger 1005-pixel RGB sensor.
The 51-point 3D tracking technology is a bit of a hit and miss situation especially when shooting complex scenes that have busy backgrounds or that are made up of low contrast parts. On the other hand it is very impressive in well defined and easy compositions such as BIFs (birds in flight), portraits and other “stand out” subjects against neutral backgrounds (eg: tennis player, people in a studio setup, motor-racing etc). The key is, if your subject is well defined, the 3D tracking sensor can find it. Even eyes (human and animal) seem to be tracked by the sensor even though Nikon engineers claim that no such technology has been utilized so this success must be attributed to the contrast and color part of the scene recognition system. Apart from action I also find the 3D-tracking technology useful for semi-stationary subjects as well. I can focus on my subject with whatever point is already selected and then as I recompose the sensor will track the initial focus point across the screen. If the subject happens to move the camera will detect it and follow it while focusing. Pretty cool stuff but still quite limited in its use. This technology is certainly a step in the right direction, but I feel it has to mature a bit more. Obviously the next generation of Nikon cameras will have a more mature version available so the future is looking bright.
The fact that you have a focus mode selector on the front of the camera, an AF area mode selector on the back and other options within the menu system can overwhelm most users. I like to simplify my life so I have eliminated the use of the front selector by leaving it on Continuous focus all the time. Thankfully most of my lenses have an easy to use manual focusing override switch (M/A) which is more convenient for those rare occasions that it’s needed. In the menus I have selected 9 points as my standard Dynamic range AF system of choice. (update: I now have the 21 point option selected as my standard choice). So when I’m out shooting I can easily just select one of the AF area modes (single point, 9 point and 51 point Auto) in an instant with the thumb of my right hand. I don’t seem to ever use the first option of Auto and usually have the middle option of 9 points selected for most of my photography. When I have a static type of subject I might switch to single point if the other area modes don’t help. There are a lot of options for customizing focusing to your personal liking but some experience with the system will ensure you choose what’s best for your style. As I gain more experience with the new AF technology I will be posting my findings here on the blog, so keep checking.
Ok so after reading my user report on the D300, D200 owners are still asking whether to upgrade or not. To cut down on my incoming mail, my answer is this: The decision just like anything else in life is yours to make. I offer my opinions in the form presented so as to help my fellow photographers in forming a better picture based on their needs and nothing else. Here are some more thoughts on some more key areas where the D300 seems to have an advantage over the D200.
Overall the build quality of both the camera and pack are first rate and I believe that anyone who gets the chance to handle the new D300 will immediately fall in love with this camera. Four months ago I honestly believed the D3 was king, but I now place the D300 slightly above the D3 for two simple reasons: the price and the crop factor for both of which I feel are important to my wildlife photography. I also should point out that from my understanding; the D300 is not a D200 replacement, but a D2x replacement. Both the D300 and D3 are professional bodies serving the two formats - pick your format and you will have the best camera available.
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