D3 and D300 AF modues ARE the same

tomoo1000 said:

MMuddler said:

Phillip, Did you try the micro focus adjustment with your big Sigma
lens? Wondering if the camera recognizes a 3p lens and gives you
opportunty to record an adjustment that automatically sets up on each
subsequent time you mount that lens.
--
Marabou Muddler
http://mmuddler.smugmug.com/

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Hi Marabou no I didn't in all honesty it didn't enter my head as all
the images appear to be sharp the only lens that was a little wonky,
was a ten -year-old nikkor 24-50 that I use for time lapse
photography and that has spent most of its life outside and is a
little wonky on all my bodies.

Unfortunately for me I am still constrained by my NDA which is very
frustrating considering the images and comments posted by other
professionals that have had the opportunity to use these cameras.

I am very impressed with the D300 in fact so impressed that I have
actually cancelled my D3 order in preference for two D300 (of course
I'm fortunate enough to get priority ordering on the NPS scheme) I
will be getting a D3 but not probably until late next year as for my
type of shooting a crop camera is preferable especially with the high
pixel density.

Phillip

--
NPS Member

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• OMNISCIENCE

Ray Ritchie said:

My bottom line is that I believe the Nikon engineers probably made
the D300 AF as close to the D3 as they could, given their other
constraints such as price and weight, but it won't surprise me or
disappoint me if the D300 is somewhat slower under some conditions. I
don't understand why the paranoia is running so rampant here without
any real quantitative information - we'll know the answers in another
four weeks.

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Leonard Shepherd said:

Nikon have said since the launch the modules are identical. This
includes physical size.

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M Lammerse said:

Yes, the flash measuring light/focus assist light is infra-red on the
SB-600 and 800.

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Juergen said:

M Lammerse said:

Yes, the flash measuring light/focus assist light is infra-red on the
SB-600 and 800.

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No, that's not correct, it's not infrared.

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Juergen said:

When active these lights throw a (mainly) vertical dark-red/black
pattern so the camera's center sensor has some contrast and the
camera can set the distance.

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Bill Dewey said:

In fact, I spoke to a Pro just today who has extensively used both D3
and D300, a Nikon Rep as well, who very plainly stated quite a
different story, that the D300 is significantly faster than the D200,
faster than the D2, and certainly with AF-S lenses they saw no
noticeable difference to the D3.

What does all that prove? Well, that I can find just as many folks
to refute your "impressions", and that is what they are,
"impressions", just another data point, and most certainly not
definitive.

I am certainly not casting aspersions on you, your veracity or your
motives, simply pointing out that others have been reporting quite a
different story. And when I couple that with the insanity it would
take for Nikon to release the D300 with AF that did not at least
match the current D2 series, well, just doesn't pass the "smell test".

The next few weeks will tell for sure.

Now, if you can show me some verifiably proof of the differences
between the DX and FX versions of the module in the performance area,
you might change my mind. Until then, your speculation and
impression is no better than mine.

dave veneri said:

Greg Terzian said:

I tested both cameras extensively at the photo expo and discussed
this subject in great detail with Nikon personnel. I'm not sure
where the original poster got his information, but both the D3 and
D300 use the SAME EXACT autofocus module. Further, I saw no real
difference in autofocus performance. I'm no noob either- I am a pro
sports photographer that uses a D2xs and D200 with many pro lenses,
so I know what I'm looking at.

Those of you that ordered a D300 and are concerned about autofocus
speed need not worry.
--
http://www.screamandfly.com
My Personal Weblog: http://weblog.screamandfly.com

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--
Bill Dewey
http://www.deweydrive.com

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Juergen said:

Leonard Shepherd said:

Nikon have said since the launch the modules are identical. This
includes physical size.

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Where exactly have they?

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Bill Dewey said:

Thanks for chiming in Philip. For some strange reason it is the
experience of folks like yourself, who have actually had the
opportunity for real world use, that I put more stock in.

What is very encouraging to me as well, but not surprising after the
D200 situation, is that Nikon kept things correct for the Sigma
lenses.

tomoo1000 said:

While the couple of days I had both cameras I couldn't see any
difference in focus speed with AFS/AFI/HSM lenses the HSM lens was
particularly important for me as I use the sigma f5.6 800 prime a lot
the d300 seemed both faster and more accurate than my d2x d200 D1x
and a few other Nikon digital bodies I have.

Phillip.

Ps from what I was told both be focusing modules are exactly the same
the only difference is the housing that they are fitted into one
housing for the 35mm sensor one housing for the cropped sensor.

--
NPS Member

One's life is not measured by the two dates upon your tombstone, but
how you lived the dash in between them

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--
Bill Dewey
http://www.deweydrive.com

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M Lammerse said:

The focus assist light is to support in dim/bad lighting situations
with or wihtout the use of the (on-board flash unit. The D3 has no
focus assist light, the D300 has.

Yes, the flash measuring light/focus assist light is infra-red on the
SB-600 and 800.
The focus assist light in the D300 is not infra-red

Michel
--
~ Light is eveything ~
http://www.fotopropaganda.com
http://www.pbase.com/photopropaganda

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dave veneri said:

You cant drink first then come and post here.....i'll say it for the
LAST time! It was NOT just me!!! can you read??? there were 4
other people who saw the same thin that replied during the last post!
I dont care who had both cameras in their hand, the d300's were
SLOWER than the d3's AGAIN for the more dense of you, There were 4
other people who were at the show and posted the same results. Now
do yourself a favor, save the sarcasm and take a cold shower for god
sakes.

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dave veneri said:

If BOTH sensors are the SAME then why put a focus assist on one and
NOT the other?????

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M Lammerse said:

Juergen said:

Leonard Shepherd said:

Nikon have said since the launch the modules are identical. This
includes physical size.

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Where exactly have they?

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Juergen,

I haven't seen it either being mentioned by official Nikon statement
(on paper!)
However when I askd the question if the focus system is the same of
the D3 and D300, I got the answer that the D3 is faster in focussing,
despite using the same modules.

I'm not sure if it is a good comparison, but maybe you can compare it
a bit with computer/graphic chips. There are lots of chips similar,
but delivering totally diffrent results by small modifications of the
chip and what is done with the information produced with the chip.

Michel

--
~ Light is eveything ~
http://www.fotopropaganda.com
http://www.pbase.com/photopropaganda

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dave veneri said:

If BOTH sensors are the SAME then why put a focus assist on one and
NOT the other?????

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• OMNISCIENCE

M Lammerse said:

M Lammerse said:

D300 use the SAME EXACT autofocus module.

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Indeed, indeed sharing the same module. However the Nikonman in Osaka
stated that the D3 focusses quicker than the D300, there is more than
only the focus module. Well I'm not a sports shooter, I can be wrong
of course. Just wondering if the Nikonman was also wrong Besides
this I did not try out the D300, just hold it. The D3 however I can
state clearly that focussing is very very fast and acurate.

M Lammerse said:

Those of you that ordered a D300 and are concerned about autofocus
speed need not worry.

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I ordered a D3, however I heard that the D300 focus speed is similar
to that of the D200, which is not bad at all.

Michel
~ Light is eveything ~
http://www.fotopropaganda.com
http://www.pbase.com/photopropaganda

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dave veneri said:

OK so here is the fifth person that saw/ heard something about the d3
being faster than the d300!!! So AGAIN, it was NOT just me!! Im
only one guy at the booth for 3 hours trying to help out with my
observations, and to boot, I have bill calling me chicken little!
lol, come on give me a break, if i were the only one id expect you
guys to blast me, but im not, so please lets try (if we care) to get
some clarification as to why now 6 of us, have experienced this? My
pro buddy has a call into nikon since he uses their stuff and
evaluates for them too.....If I find out i'll post.

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Kerry Pierce said:

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1039&message=25310408

dave veneri said:

You cant drink first then come and post here.....i'll say it for the
LAST time! It was NOT just me!!! can you read??? there were 4
other people who saw the same thin that replied during the last post!
I dont care who had both cameras in their hand, the d300's were
SLOWER than the d3's AGAIN for the more dense of you, There were 4
other people who were at the show and posted the same results. Now
do yourself a favor, save the sarcasm and take a cold shower for god
sakes.

Click to expand...

--
my gallery of so-so photos
http://www.pbase.com/kerrypierce/root

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knickerhawk said:

dave veneri said:

OK so here is the fifth person that saw/ heard something about the d3
being faster than the d300!!! So AGAIN, it was NOT just me!! Im
only one guy at the booth for 3 hours trying to help out with my
observations, and to boot, I have bill calling me chicken little!
lol, come on give me a break, if i were the only one id expect you
guys to blast me, but im not, so please lets try (if we care) to get
some clarification as to why now 6 of us, have experienced this? My
pro buddy has a call into nikon since he uses their stuff and
evaluates for them too.....If I find out i'll post.

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You have to admit that there's grounds for skepticism about your
knowledge and bias when in your first post you note that the rep
claimed that the bigger sensor in the D3 accounted for the
difference, you don't know why there'd be a focus assist lamp on the
D300 but not the D3 (ouch!) and you openly admit to wanting "to make
love to a 1DsII"!

Personally, I accept that you were honestly recounting your
experience at the show. I'm skeptical of the value of your
observation given the preproduction nature of the cameras you used
and the clueless guidance you were given by the rep, but it could
turn out that you're right. It also could turn out that several
well-established posters here who have the opposite experience could
turn out to be wrong.

We'll know more soon enough.
--
My photos: http://www.pbase.com/imageiseverything/root

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dave veneri said:

I agree totally....and get this. since I have no idea why one was
faster than the other the rep probally spoke out of his a$$ but i had
caught him off guard when i handed the camera to him and put him on
the spot.....but again, just so I can sleep...lol There were more
than a few people who posted here that saw the same thing....Im the
one though who has been more vocal about it.....

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