Is the D300s still a good camera to consider?

I started into digital photos with a D70s. I kept waiting and waiting to upgrade until a significant step change happend. That was the D300 with a completely different sensor and much better ISO range and noise at hig ISO.

I wouldn't wait for the D400 with better video etc, if you want video get a proper video camera. The only facility I miss on my D300 is a swivel screen for those above crowd shots etc.. Again this is only very limited usage as I can't do without my eye viewfinder. My P&S is useless in bright sunlight, it literally does become a point and shoot as I can't see what I;m shooting as it has no viewfinder.

So unless there is something you definitely need then stay as you are, you will find the D300s much better in lowlight though
--
Bluenose

id like a couple of stops better high ISO ..but other than that Im very pleased with my D300s...I came from Pentax K5..great sensor . really good DR and lowlight ISO..but it would not focus correctly in low light..something my D300s does at ease..even without the focus assist light on...the AF on this thing is pretty well best in class..and beats the Pentax easily

I like the build quality..the feel in my larger hands is good...and Im beginning to know my way around it ..early days.. Ive only had it 3 weeks!!...but the images Ive got from this thing with my VR 70-200 II are outstanding.....so for a while Im looking at glass rather than bodies, as the D300s with be with me a couple more years yet.

I have had D300s before, went to the trashcanon, came back to Nikon with D7K and immediately went back to D300s because it feels better, has better BUFFER and frame rate, better focus. It is a tough decision to make - but I like the D300s better than the D7K

--
WSSA # 165
http://www.johneasterly.com

photojohne said:

I have had D300s before, went to the trashcanon, came back to Nikon with D7K and immediately went back to D300s because it feels better, has better BUFFER and frame rate, better focus. It is a tough decision to make - but I like the D300s better than the D7K

--
WSSA # 165
http://www.johneasterly.com

Click to expand...

thats quite a round trip...what Canon did you try ?..how much better do you feel the Af is on the D300s than the D7000..not that it will affect me ..just interested on your opinion

...Id agree that he D300s feels better in the hand than the D7000....the D7000 uses that same sony sensor as the Pentax K5..so I looked at that first..but IMHO it felt a little cheap to me ...not as good at the K5 build and no where near as good a the D300s..so for now I sacrifice a bit of DR and high ISO..for a really robust and feature full body

Tommot1965 said:

photojohne said:

I have had D300s before, went to the trashcanon, came back to Nikon with D7K and immediately went back to D300s because it feels better, has better BUFFER and frame rate, better focus. It is a tough decision to make - but I like the D300s better than the D7K

--
WSSA # 165
http://www.johneasterly.com

Click to expand...

thats quite a round trip...what Canon did you try ?..how much better do you feel the Af is on the D300s than the D7000..not that it will affect me ..just interested on your opinion

...Id agree that he D300s feels better in the hand than the D7000....the D7000 uses that same sony sensor as the Pentax K5..so I looked at that first..but IMHO it felt a little cheap to me ...not as good at the K5 build and no where near as good a the D300s..so for now I sacrifice a bit of DR and high ISO..for a really robust and feature full body

Click to expand...

I had the Canon 60D and was not impressed because the D300s had spoiled me, D7K takes great pics - but I like the D300s handling much better so here I am back with Nikon

--
WSSA # 165
http://www.johneasterly.com

olyflyer said:

The D300s was announced July 30, 2009 and I had mine before the end of September, less than two months later.

Click to expand...

Same here. Even found it for $100 off MSRP. This was from a local camera store. B&H did not have it in stock at the time and had it listed at full MSRP ($1800).

olyflyer said:

kormendi_adam said:

If you are interested in buying pro DX equipment, the D300s is the way to go.

There might be a D400 (or whatever it will be called) in the pipeline, but currently the D300s is still the number one pro (semi-pro) level DX Nikon produces.

Click to expand...

Actually, it is a pro camera, at least according to Nikon, otherwise you are right.

Click to expand...

And according to Canon, even their 60D is a "pro" camera and qualifies for their CPS program. You can only have one flagship product.. and for Nikon it's the d3x.

RedFox88 said:

olyflyer said:

kormendi_adam said:

If you are interested in buying pro DX equipment, the D300s is the way to go.

There might be a D400 (or whatever it will be called) in the pipeline, but currently the D300s is still the number one pro (semi-pro) level DX Nikon produces.

Click to expand...

Actually, it is a pro camera, at least according to Nikon, otherwise you are right.

Click to expand...

And according to Canon, even their 60D is a "pro" camera and qualifies for their CPS program. You can only have one flagship product.. and for Nikon it's the d3x.

Click to expand...

According to your definition, D3, D3s and every other model except the D3x are consumer models. Nonsense. DX is not FX and there is no such rule. While you can only have one flagship of the same type, you can have many different types and more than one pro model. We are not talking about the Navy, we are talking about cameras.

I don't care what Canon calls the 60D and why, as far as I can see it is not the flagship of their APS-C, but it is up to them. However, before the 7D the XXD was their top APS-C models. Just a side note, the G-series are the flagship of Canon compacts...

photojohne said:

Tommot1965 said:

photojohne said:

I have had D300s before, went to the trashcanon, came back to Nikon with D7K and immediately went back to D300s because it feels better, has better BUFFER and frame rate, better focus. It is a tough decision to make - but I like the D300s better than the D7K

--
WSSA # 165
http://www.johneasterly.com

Click to expand...

thats quite a round trip...what Canon did you try ?..how much better do you feel the Af is on the D300s than the D7000..not that it will affect me ..just interested on your opinion

...Id agree that he D300s feels better in the hand than the D7000....the D7000 uses that same sony sensor as the Pentax K5..so I looked at that first..but IMHO it felt a little cheap to me ...not as good at the K5 build and no where near as good a the D300s..so for now I sacrifice a bit of DR and high ISO..for a really robust and feature full body

Click to expand...

I had the Canon 60D and was not impressed because the D300s had spoiled me, D7K takes great pics - but I like the D300s handling much better so here I am back with Nikon

Click to expand...

Nice trip. Welcome back.

RedFox88 said:

olyflyer said:

kormendi_adam said:

If you are interested in buying pro DX equipment, the D300s is the way to go.

There might be a D400 (or whatever it will be called) in the pipeline, but currently the D300s is still the number one pro (semi-pro) level DX Nikon produces.

Click to expand...

Actually, it is a pro camera, at least according to Nikon, otherwise you are right.

Click to expand...

And according to Canon, even their 60D is a "pro" camera and qualifies for their CPS program.

Click to expand...

Well, according to Nikon the D7000 can only be used as a back-up camera in qualifying for NPS, whereas the D300/D300s are eligible as primary cameras for that. Besides that, well I'm not familiar with Canon's cameras, the D300/D300s certainly is a pro caliber camera.

olyflyer said:

olyflyer said:

And according to Canon, even their 60D is a "pro" camera and qualifies for their CPS program. You can only have one flagship product.. and for Nikon it's the d3x.

Click to expand...

According to your definition, D3, D3s and every other model except the D3x are consumer models. Nonsense. DX is not FX and there is no such rule. While you can only have one flagship of the same type, you can have many different types and more than one pro model. We are not talking about the Navy, we are talking about cameras.

Click to expand...

If you look at the definition of flagship, you'll see there is only one. Not a flagship for different categories.