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Sports Camera- D3 or D300?

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jacqth

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Which one do you think is better sports camera? Which one will focus/track faster?

I am talking about soccer and night time high school football. I have a D300 pre-ordered but I am not sure if it is the right choice. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

thanks,
jacq
--
http://jacqth.zenfolio.com/
 
LilKnytt said:
From what I understand the D3 will focus faster. But this is at this
point only speculation as no one's timed them that we know of.
Click to expand...
Hi, Lil

Just wondering why anyone would say the D3 will focus faster than the D300 since both cameras have the identical AF system? It seems to me that they should be pretty much the same, no?

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AAK said:
LilKnytt said:
From what I understand the D3 will focus faster. But this is at this
point only speculation as no one's timed them that we know of.
Click to expand...
Hi, Lil

Just wondering why anyone would say the D3 will focus faster than the
D300 since both cameras have the identical AF system? It seems to me
that they should be pretty much the same, no?
Click to expand...
Hi, I would tend to agree - but some have suggested that the D3 seems to focus faster. Don't ask me, I've not been near either camera. Like I wrote - the is only speculation as it would seem most who're getting to test are out testing the D3. Until someone actually times them.......

Lil

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I have read the same speculation about the AF being faster on the D3 and some of the arguments seem logical. But indeed lets see what they do side by side before making conclusions. On the basis of night shooting there is no need for speculation. The D3 is going to win hands down. You're simply going to get cleaner shots at higher ISOs with the D3. If you're doing that much night shooting it may be worth considering the D3. If high ISO is not an issue then the D300 certainly may be the perfect vehicle for sports photography.
--
Derbez
 
... at least as far as which is better is concerned. Nobody has tested them back-to-back, and it also VERY much depends on your uses. If your lenses are a little short for what you're shooting, maybe the extra "reach" the D300 will give may be important. Long glass is expensive. Football and motorsports require reach.

If you shoot in dark barns and focal reach isn't as much of an issue (ie/ basketball) I'm guessing you'll do better with a D3.

As for AF... hmmmm... they both will utilize the Multi-CAM3500 AF system. Which is better... 3500 or 3500? I would suspect they're very similar if not a match, especially if you end up using the EN-EL4a with the D300 and grip.
 
Night football, basketball, night baseball, night tennis, etc. This makes the D3 the obvious choice for a sports shooter - and the big boys signed up a long time ago (or have one in their possession as a demo model). Sports need high shutter speed under sometimes dim light. A bad combination. High ISO was meant for sports.
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Steve Bingham
http://www.dustylens.com
 
I would say the D3 would be the better sports camera for low light events. Focus tracking will be very close though, with the D3 being only marginally faster since its frame rate is 9fps and the D300 w/grip is 8fps.
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B. Barker
Dallas, Texas U.S.A
 
Nobody can doubt that D3 is better camera for action picture, but its price, 2.78x D300's price, makes difficult which to choose, I'll do it by the lenses I have (DX or FX), in my case 50% each :o)))))
Happy choose.
--
Don't give up.

 
My 2 bits, I love the intrigue of the new camera specs as much as anyone else, and the question you ask is only fair, .... but all being said. Why not wait to see them in your hands and take a few lenses with you when they are on the shelf? Unless, you are getting in your request before the lines to get them build to big?

From all the reading they do seem to have the same AF system. 3500 Multicam FX
51 point 15 cross point etc...

I would expect both to be exceptional. I have always been impressed with Nikon's AF systems in their equipment. It boggles the mind that they continue to increase the AF speeds and accuracy. Kudo's to Nikon.

Personally, I am waiting to see what takes place in a year. I have always shy'd away from first releases of products.

Good Luck and happy shooting.
 
You may want to think about which lenses you own. The sports you are talking about all want a pretty significant telephoto and the D3 will not have the extra apparent magnification from the crop factor. For example, it will take the 600mm lens on the D3 to get the same field of view as the 400mm on the D300.

I'm not saying this should be your only consideration in making a selection, but if you don't have long enough lenses for the D3 for sports, you need to consider the expense of getting longer telephotos with the D3.
--
John
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As long as your D300 uses a MB-D10. The body will not make a difference.
--
Does the right to your opinion prove your intelligence or confirm your ignorance
 
The crop factor is one big consideration since I am kinda in a budget constraint mode. I could always use the extra money to get the 200-400mm if I am lucky. I could be wrong but from what I've been reading I am getting a D2X for less than $2k. Thanks all for your input.

regards,
jacq
--
http://jacqth.zenfolio.com/
 
jacqth said:
The crop factor is one big consideration since I am kinda in a budget
constraint mode. I could always use the extra money to get the
200-400mm if I am lucky. I could be wrong but from what I've been
reading I am getting a D2X for less than $2k. Thanks all for your
input.
Click to expand...
That's a reasonable summation. The high points that you're missing from the d2x is the integrated grip, perhaps better weather sealing and, probably, a stronger AF motor in the body. The stronger AF motor doesn't matter with AF-S lenses.

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The D2x and pro camera bodies have a lmore powerful motor to drive non afs lens, and that likely to be the same of the D3.

The af system might have the same number but are slightly differ suffix DX verses FX and therefore the DX one might be slight down tuned. This is not an uncommon think with nikon.

Bottom line is, as no one has a product cameras we can only guess...
--

A camera is a black box you can capture light in. A DSLR is a black box you can capture light in and see the light
 
jacqth said:
Which one do you think is better sports camera? Which one will
focus/track faster?
I am talking about soccer and night time high school football. I have
a D300 pre-ordered but I am not sure if it is the right choice. Any
input would be greatly appreciated.

thanks,
jacq
--
Click to expand...
If you shot low-light sports the D3 is probably best. Otherwise the D300 is a lot of bang for the buck.

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jacqth said:
I could always use the extra money to get the 200-400mm if I am lucky. I could be wrong but from what I've been
regards,
jacq
Click to expand...
To me that makes the most sense. Get the D300 and use the extra torwars teh 200-400. Puttin you money into glass is always the smarter plan. Plus the 200-400 is one of the sweetest lenses Nikon makes. It's on my list....someday.

--
The past is only the future with the lights on. (+44)
 
IMHO...

For day time sports, D300 provides longer reach with similar mega-pixel.

For low light sports (e.g. indoor), D3 provides excellent high ISO IQ.

Both cameras share the similar CAM3500 focusing unit. In terms of calculation speed, they should be identical. However, the AF in D3 should be marginally faster since those 3500 sensors are bigger in size than those in D300 due to FX vs DX.
jacqth said:
Which one do you think is better sports camera? Which one will
focus/track faster?
I am talking about soccer and night time high school football. I have
a D300 pre-ordered but I am not sure if it is the right choice. Any
input would be greatly appreciated.

thanks,
jacq
--
http://jacqth.zenfolio.com/
Click to expand...
--
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Nick Wong said:
However, the AF in D3
should be marginally faster since those 3500 sensors are bigger in
size than those in D300 due to FX vs DX.
Click to expand...
I don't think this is quite the case. It's my understanding that the two camera's literally have the same size focus sensor and in the D3, that sensor only covers the middle of the frame while in the D300, it covers most of the frame.
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John
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