Nikon D300 - Expert Reviews

Review summary: My first impressions of the Nikon D300 digital SLR camera may rekindle my fondness for Nikon SLRs. It's not a perfect 10, but it's interesting and nicely built, and it performed better than I expected.

Pros: Large, live-view LCD Extensive custom modes

Cons: Live view isn't as easy to use as others Menu system is complicated

Verdict: The Nikon D300 is not a camera that you can simply pick up and run with. Its high resolution, exceptional flexibility, excellent exposure accuracy, and useful Live View function make it worth the effort of working through a longish learning stage. It ...

Review summary: The Nikon D300 is probably one of the most important releases for Nikon so far. Not only does it have a lot to live up to, replacing the much loved and respected Nikon D200, it also ...

Verdict: An excellent value-for-money SLR with impressive image quality and handling. Picture quality is comparable to some of the £2,000+ pro SLRs on the market and there are enough new features and improvements in performance to justify an upgrade from the ...

Review summary: Big, heavy and laden with features, Nikon's 12.3-megapixel D300 is also the best digi-SLR for under three grand we've seen yet. All told, it comes as close to the highest-end Nikons or Canons on the market for thousands less. The three-inch LCD is the ...

Pros: Brightest, sharpest LCD we've seen. HDMI port for straight-to-big-screen viewing. Most comfortable and ergonomic of the quartet.

Cons: CF memory card only. Biggest and heaviest of the quartet.

Review summary: Nikon's successor to the D200 DSLR is a winner. The D300 is full of features to satisfy demanding photographers, while taking great pictures, even at high ISO settings.

Pros: Excellent image quality, high ISO performance, and lens selection ; market-leading LCD screen ; huge feature set

Cons: Menu system requires a lot of scrolling ; ISO control is difficult to reach ; limited customization

Verdict: Nikon's D300 is available has some button placement that's different from its predecessor, the D200

Award: Editor's Choice!

Review summary: If you can afford it, Nikon's high-end DSLR offers superior image quality and speed.

Pros: >Superb overall picture quality, Low-noise images even at high ISOs, Very fast start-up time with no shutter lag, Water- and dust-resistant

Cons: >Expensive even for its class, Steep learning curve, No in-camera image stabilization, Erratic 3D Focus Tracking system, Resolution: 12.3 MP (4288 x 2848 pixels), Size: 5.8 x 4.5 x 2.9 inches, Weight: 1.9 pounds (with CF card and battery), , , , , , ...

Verdict: If you're serious about photography and don't mind spending extra money to upgrade to a serious DSLR, the Nikon D300 is about the best investment you can make. While the 10.1-megapixel Canon EOS 40D and the 12.2-megapixel Sony Alpha A700 are good (and ...