The D300 from Nikon updates the successful D200 design with a new 12.3-megapixel sensor, improved auto focus, and a 3-inch LCD with razor-sharp , 921,000-pixel resolution for $1799 (lens not included). This camera is aimed at the serious amateur and professional market, a notable step up in price and performance from Nikon’s more consumer-oriented D90, which retails for about $900.
 
The D300 camera body is evidence of its serious nature. Festooned with buttons, the complex play of dials, switches and controls will be off-putting to the uninitiated. It’s also a large, quite heavy camera (1.82 lbs/ 825 grams), built with robust body and weatherproof seals to better handle the elements.

Both the viewfinder and the LCD screen are bright and clear. The former offers 100% field of view and 0.94x magnification. The LCD is a significant step up from the older D200, with the new 3-inch screen delivering a striking 921,000-pixel high-resolution image for crystal clear shot composition, image playback and menu browsing.

One of the major draws of using a Nikon camera is access to the large body of compatible lenses. The D300 is fully compatible with all DX, D- and G-type AF Nikkor lenses, as well as limited compatibility with other lines. Since the D300 has no image stabilization system in the camera body itself, you’ll have to use stabilized lenses (Nikon calls them “VR” for Vibration Reduction) if you want this anti-shake feature.

One improvement that really impressed us on the D300 is the significantly enhanced auto focus system. The D300 uses 51 points to focus accurately, and delivers  lightning-fast response. The camera also boasts an “official” ISO range from 200 to 3200, with an extended range from  ISO 100 to ISO 6400. The  12 white balance presets includes a staggering seven settings for different types of fluorescent bulbs. Even the shutter speed range caters to photographers seeking maximum flexibility, starting at a motion-freezing 1/8000 second and stretching to a full 30 seconds, plus Bulb to keep the exposure going as long as you hold down the shutter.

The D300 adds Live View, the system that allows SLR photographers to compose a shot on the LCD screen instead of peering through the viewfinder. This is one feature that doesn’t live up to our needs or desires: it’s slow, clumsy, and impractical for shooting action scenes. To be fair, while several manufacturers have flirted with SLR Live View, we have yet to see an implementation we really admired.

Performance (read in-depth lab performance at Digitalcamerainfo.com)
The D300 triumphed in our lab tests. It excelled in resolution, image noise levels (for both manual and auto ISO settings), white balance (though it struggled a little when automatically compensating  for tungsten illumination), low light and dynamic range. The D300 color accuracy wasn’t as spot-on as some other cameras we’ve seen, but it was still excellent.

We were particularly impressed with the speed of this camera. It’s blisteringly fast to startup, with negligible shutter-to-shot delay and the ability to fire off up to 5.8 frames per second in continuous shooting mode.

Comparisons (read in-depth comparisons at Digitalcamerainfo.com)
We compared the Nikon D300 head to head with the Canon EOS-40D, the less expensive Nikon D80, the professional grade Nikon D3, the Olympus EVOLT E-3 and the Sony Alpha DSLR-A700.

Overall, the D300 showed itself to be an extremely good value for the $1,799 the body will set you back. Against all the comparison cameras, barring the D3, it had better auto focusing, faster burst modes and a superior viewfinder. Considering the competition at the same price point, the D300 shows itself to be an excellent camera, running circles around the competition.