After researching DSLRs week after week and reading hundreds of reviews, I know there isn't much I can say about this camera that hasn't already been said! So here's my own personal spin (non-technical): my first DSLR was a Sony A100. After being frustrated with the autofocus and wanting to upgrade lenses, yet finding them expensive and hard-to-find, I decided it was time to jump ship and go with either Nikon or Canon from this day forward. I was completely torn between choosing the Nikon D90, the D300 or going with the new Canon 50D. Choosing a brand for lenses seemed almost more crucial to me than the camera itself! In the end, I came to the conclusion that ANY one of these cameras or brands would be completely fantastic in it's own special way. Compare all you want, but they each have something unique that sets them aside and made them a draw in my mind; as a bonus, all were within my price range. The dealbreaker came when I finally got a hold of a Canon 50D in my hands and found that as much as I LOVED the feel of the camera, the menu navigation just didn't click with me as much as Nikon's menu (complete personal preference here). So that made it easier to choose Nikon. Having held both (which I HIGHLY recommend), the D300 felt more solid and secure in my hands. I was hesitant because it does lack the "cheater" settings as I call them, but I took the leap anyways. I have not looked back for a moment! If I didn't have the extra money to spare OR if I wasn't comfortable with my own settings, the D90 would have been just as fantastic! But to me, the D300 is a camera with a lot more potential to learn and expand over the years. I see myself keeping it for many, many years and only ever spending my money on lenses anymore. With the D90, I fear I would have wanted to upgrade the camera again in a few years to something more professional, consequently cutting into my lens fund!

Conclusion: pick a camera today that you would like to keep and grow with; then use all your money in the future for better and better lenses, regardless of what new camera is announced. For me, the D300 is definitely the one: this camera is a keeper so now I can focus the rest of my time and money on building my glass collection!

The Nikon D300 will take well in excess of 1,000 photos on a battery charge - with the standard battery. The quality of photos is strong, though autofocus in limited lighting is underwhelming. Generally satisfied with the value for the money. Arrived undamaged, well packed, on time.

To start I am an a amateur photographer with about two years experience.

I own a D40,which was my first and really enjoy it for family and everyday shooting.Great colors and focus.I then purchased the D80 which I have had

great success with and love it!But when I purchased the D300 there is no

comparison.The 51 point focus is awesome and the color choices are unbelievable! This thing is awesome when it comes to speed and focus.Quick

accurate response time is great for nature and fast moving subjects.

The pictures you take will make you feel like a pro with the very first shots taken.

The menu is so easy to use that it makes ease of changing and getting exactly what you're looking for.There is a lot in the menu but with a little time you'll get it fine because it has a help section.Anyone thinking of going another step up to a pro camera should not look elsewhere as Nikon truly has created a gem!To me this is a five star camera because of performance and the rugged build quality,A+

I've been using the D300 for slightly over a month now and so far I haven't been disappointed in any way with how it's performed. At the beginning I wasn't getting pictures as sharp as I would have liked them but that was mostly my fault and since then I've refined my technique and I don't think I've ever seen sharper results. The camera is fast and paired with a faster CF card you can just keep shooting and never run out of buffer space shooting in raw.

If you're coming from an older camera like the D70s like I did, some of the new features may take some getting used to, the biggest change was the focus points. They did away with Closest Subject, the Dynamic Area focus is now quite complex with options for 9/21/51/51 point 3d area tracking options and the third option is "Big White Rectangle Mode" Ken Rockwell refers to it as such and since I can't remember it's actual name, I'll just refer to it that way. BWRM uses all 51 points automatically and the camera decides what should be the focus point, so far it's worked great for me, the things I want in focus are usually sharp, sometimes it gets it wrong, but since the camera can't read my mind, I don't mind really. Unfortunately the camera can sometimes be bogged down in 51 point mode if there's a really busy scene. The focus can sometimes lag before taking your initial shot but if you choose a mode with less than all 51 points then you'll never have this problem.

Battery life on a single EN-EL3e seems to be around 400-500 shots with heavy LCD usage which is much better than I thought it would be. Still, I ordered a second battery and the MB-D10 grip so I can continuously shoot without stopping to change batteries. I'll probably do an update to this review once the grip is here.

I don't think I can say anything bad about the camera, it's definitely a step up from the D70s, using the D300 exclusively then trying out the D70s makes the D70s feel like a child's toy. The D70s is still a great camera that I took some wonderful pictures with but I'd never go back to it after using the D300.

In my opinion, the effusive accolades given to this camera were well earned. I was skeptical until I used it. After all, there are lots of good cameras to choose from: Fujifilm, Olympus, Pentax and Sony, not just the leading duo Nikon and Canon. In fact, this review includes good alternatives to the D300 for prospective shoppers of mid and high-end DSLR cameras. I will begin with Nikon's D300 since it was the best choice for me. You are more important than the tool. But if you want to make the best photographs you can and enjoy doing it then the tool can make a difference in assisting you. Some tools are also easier to use and some are built to last longer - camera bodies are no exception - you see the difference in the price tag. The Nikon D300 does not just do more, it does more that you choose it to do in customizable features. It is no longer almost exclusively a question of optical glass configurations determining everything we see that matters when the D300 camera body assists them by doing things as fundamental as "correct" chromatic aberrations and inherent distortions of individual lenses. This camera, which borrowed so much from the flagship Nikon D3 has really pushed the envelope.

There are very good alternatives right now. For those wanting exemplary image quality with much of what the D300 offers but for significantly less money: Canon offers the popular Canon EOS 40D 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only) and Nikon now has attractive pricing for its popular D200, the fine camera that the D300 updated in late 2007 Nikon D200 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only). It has also earned many loyal followers and has a very solid build.

But once in a long while something extraordinary is designed that stands out from a very distinguished and competitive field. I am not regularly gonzo over gear. I will simply address the current field with options for your consideration while your money is still in your pocket. Thinking about the history of photography does not involve ranking accomplishment by merely which tools, the means that were used. But we do each need to make our personal choice. Any of the cameras mentioned here should make you very happy. Only you will know which one in particular matches your needs and desires.

The performance and potential of the D300 camera make it stand out to me. I have less work to do in image editing and the quality of the capture is the best I have seen. There are lots of places to read in detail about all its features including those shared with Nikon's outstanding premium camera, the D3. The D300 is not cheap but is durable and Nikon has been generous for what it offers and for what you can deliver with it. That is its most compelling case, its quality, performance and value. I realize praising engineering is not exciting reading - despite that being Nikon's historical strength - but it is their breakthroughs that I value most in the D300. That includes an entire series of triumphs in interrelated areas including color, tonal nuance, metering for better exposures and more extensive creative controls where you actually get to apply your intelligence and talents. Automated everything is also available but if you are exclusively shooting like that particularly in JPEGs there are many other good cameras to consider buying that will do that well for far less money beginning under $500 including a zoom lens like Nikon D40 6.1MP Digital SLR Camera Kit with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor Lens. In fact all well known brands offer much better cameras than you might expect for their price at the so called entry level but that is another topic. You may be upgrading from one to the D300. That is not a subtle leap beginning empirically and then simply holding each in your hands. It is just not fair or necessary to compare things so wide apart.

The D300's precision is amazing. It is going to spoil me regarding expectations in small camera photography. Want a closer look? Composing or fine tuning sharpening while looking at stunning color in "Live View" modes (yes, there are two) on the camera back's brilliant 3" scratch resistant monitor is not bad either. The ultimate measure is the quality of results as well as the creative options and degree of control. They could directly assist you with what you want to say, show, express. All cameras do that but I recommend this extraordinary camera because for some it might assist you in doing it better than with an alternative. That is a testable premise but with subjective criteria. Consider renting one if that is a reasonable option. Seeing really is believing in this case. Otherwise there are lots of other cameras to convince you that one will be right for you.

Test your options. For example, Canon offers an excellent body in the same price range, that can be a few hundred dollars more, it usually is not a large difference. The Canon EOS 5D 12.8 MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only) offers full frame capture if we use 35mm film as "normal" coverage. By that I mean, in theory, it can use the same lenses you used in 35mm film photography. Just check to ensure your lenses do not have any vignetting problems, light fall off, in their new application. Canon has made many excellent lenses with conventional 35mm film coverage, super wide angle lenses that you might own that you enjoyed and do not want to duplicate with an expensive wide angle lens for digital capture. But be aware there are differences in coverage and they are not always obvious. The 5D's super chip is terrific but it does not have as robust a body or as modern electronics as the newer D300. There always seem to be trade-offs. Please refer to the many positive Amazon reviews in the link to see why the 5D has also won many followers since 2005. Using your older film based lenses with your digital camera is advantageous regardless of the chip as long as you have coverage and quality.

If you are already a Nikon user, note that the Nikon D300's chip like in the vast majority of cameras has a narrower coverage than the 5D and D3. Thankfully all Nikon lenses are backwards compatible with few caveats. Note that professional lenses tend to be larger, heavier and are more expensive but for good reasons like larger coverage, performance, speed and build such as the outstanding Nikon Zoom-Nikkor - Telephoto zoom lens - 70 mm - 200 mm - f/2.8 G ED-IF AF-S VR - Nikon AF-S. For most situations carrying gear, I like the trade off in the lighter weight DX lenses the D300 uses like the surprising performer for the cost Nikon 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G ED IF AF-S DX Nikkor Zoom Lens. They suit the format's size and portability advantages that make them appealing where larger formats would be logistically problematic. However, if the full coverage sensor is critical you would need full coverage lenses and move up to the highly praised Nikon D3 12.1MP FX Digital SLR Camera (Body Only) which is three times the cost of a D300 (street price, with Nikon USA warranty). Moreover, you can spend even more on the equally excellent top of the line Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III 21.1MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only) or the first rate Fuijifilm camera, Fujifilm IS Pro Body Only, 12.3 MP Digital SLR Camera with Nikon F Lens Mount, with Pro Body Kit or the impressive, smallest mid-format camera, the Mamiya 645AFD III that is $10,000 (list). It has a Phase One digital back.

This is the perfect camera for an advanced amateur.

The main strengths are:

(1) the excellent ergonomics and design: the camera controls are perfectly laid out. This makes the camera feel very fast and responsive. Everything about the camera is designed to allow you to change settings quickly and effortlessly. An example: the auto-ISO feature changes completely how you shoot in quickly changing lighting. Think about shooting sports in a stadium where half the field is covered in shadow - with auto-ISO you can set your parameters and then forget about the camera and just worry about catching the action. It also features endless customization which is great when you have to live with your camera day and night - if something in the interface annoys you, just change it to what you like.

(2) 100% viewfinder: a pleasure to use. Framing is perfect and the size of the image seems huge. No, it's not like an F6 or D3, but it is the best cropped-sensor viewfinder to date. You can buy a magnifying eyepiece that gives you a bigger view at the expense of eye relief.

(3) picture controls: allow you to dial in settings in-camera and create great looking JPGs without any post-processing.

(4) built-in GPS support is wonderful: I am able to geotag all my photos on trips and display them on Google Maps when I get home. This is also an essential tool for surveying or scientific work.

(5) live view: perfect for macro and landscape work. It is designed to be used on a tripod for slow and methodical pictures, not for over-the-head grab shots on NFL sidelines.

(6) The camera can use pretty much all Nikon glass made since 1959. I take great pleasure in using a 40 year old Nikkor 28/3.5 to shoot infrared on the D300.

(7) The CAM3500 is truly amazing - I have only begun to appreciate it. I recently used the 3D focusing to track tiny cave swallows against a cliff wall. I watched the focus point dance all around the viewfinder as it perfectly tracked the tiny birds. Wow!

The main weaknesses:

(1) NEF (RAW) image quality in Lightroom is very good, but to get the very best skin tones and overall quality you still must process in Capture NX, which is clunky.

(2) this is NOT a good camera for a beginner. You will quickly become frustrated with the complexity. The camera is like a manual transmission car - it leaves all the decisions up to you, so you can't rely on it to "think" for you. If you are new to photography you will be much better served by a more consumer-friendly Nikon or Canon body.

Bottom line: after a few weeks of getting the D300 dialed in to your liking, you will quickly forget about the camera completely and concentrate on your images, which is, after all, the whole point.

This is one heck of a camera. I have had Nikons (F5, F, 8008, F4), Canons (Rebel), Leica (M3, IIIc), and Hasselblad (500 CM) and I think this is the best I've had in terms of feel, features, and picture quality. I'm slowly putting it through its paces and find the camera to be responsive and easy to use. I thought that I would be intimidated by the controls, but am picking things up pretty quickly. It's getting me back into photography and makes it all fun again!

I own a Nikon D80 for 11 months and then went to a photo shoot with friends. One of them let us try his new D300. And the consequence? We said we will buy it soon and I took my D300 home 1 month ago.

Nikon D300 has such a beautiful LCD 3" monitor. I can't help staring at the bright images it displays. And to a not so young person like me, its viewfinder is a gift. I suddenly find myself seeing much more in photo composition. The buttons are all at the right place, especially the OK button where I can simply press the centre of the multi selector. True, the camera is bigger and heavier than D80. The first day I found this a bit uncomfortable. However, once I get used to it, D80 seems to be too light and too small!

As for photo quality, it is clearly more superior with noise reduction performing beautifully - especially when you shoot at ISO 1600. Its autofocusing system is much faster. I put the same old AF lens to D80 and D300 and the difference is apparent. D80 has already allowed me to take wonderful wildlife photos. And D300 excels at low light condition. Under daylight, it shoots photos bright (compared with the darker photos of D80) and the colour more natural (compared with the more vivid and deeper shades of D80). Sometimes I prefer to have darker photos so I activate the useful active D-lighting feature to adjust the contrast. As for the white balance, the available colours for adjustment is impressive. When pressing the shutter button to shoot, despite the camera's heavier weight, the handshake effect is actually reduced. Perhaps it is the mechansim or the centre of gravity that makes this happen. The continuous high speed shooting (6 fps) allows me to capture the egret take-off easily. Yes, I admit I have not used the live view extensively - the bright big viewfinder is simply alluring. Also, I haven't studied the manual word by word - I flip through a few pages only. But that's because most buttons are so user friendly, you can guess and shoot.

Not to mention the free Capture NX software accompanying the camera. I must admit I need only a handful of the many features of Capture NX eg adjusting the brightness of a tiny region of the photo, increasing the intensity and sharpness of the photo etc. It is at such a professional level that makes the picture perfect.

Some people emphasize again and again about sharpness of the image and focusing speed. However, I find the colours, contrast and exposure even more important in my consideration. Take a sunset photo and I see amazing colours of the dusk on the photo! Also, I won't need to worry whether my 20-year old Nikon lenses can be incompatibale with D300. They just fit and focus steadfastly and accurately on the object (albeit not as fast as the new Nikon AF-S lenses.) To top it all, the old manual lens can have autoexposure on D300 but not on D80. As for the flash, both D80 and D300 built in flash serves most of my purposes. D300 exposure program is so intelligent that sometimes the flash output is not as bright as I want, so I just use flash compensation.

With my D300, I can carry it everywhere and experiment with creative shots. But don't worry about my D80, I intend to keep it, especially when the trip is tough and long. After all, that is when I need to move fast and light! D300 is awarded the TIPA 2008 best expert camera - one it fully deserves. Plus, its price has gone down to an attractive level. It is a camera I don't want to go without!

As a professional wedding photographer in today's marketplace it is difficult to keep pace with technological improvements and remain profitable. Not many of us can afford to replace a $5,000- $8,000 camera annually.

I have used Nikon Cameras since the NIKON F was introduced. We use multiple photographers in my wedding business and I have never been happy with our photo sharpness and quality since we migrated from the medium format Hasselblad film cameras to the Nikon D100, D70, D200; Fuji S2, S3; and Canon 20D, 30D, XT, XTi cameras. With the advent of the D300 we see a major improvement in linearity of the image quality at both ends of the characteristic curve, there is much better control of the shoulder (highlights), and we see more detail more faithful color reproduction and much less noise in the toe, (dark areas) and picture to picture variation minimization. It has been difficult to get matching exposures when taking multiple flash photos of the same subject taken seconds apart. Finally, we have a camera that reliably an repeatedly reproduces the subject we are photographing brides, grooms or the Gymnast portraits we shoot!

Our on photo-journalistic bridal photographs are much more controlled, with improved control of the detail in the whites of the gown. The Fuji S3, and the Nikon D200 showed improvement in this area, but the D300 is a big step up from it's look-a-like the D200.

Focus is another area that Nikon has improved tremendously with the adoption of 51 focus points. This was my chief reason for changing back to NIKONs from the my Canon Cameras. I purchased Canon's best quality lenses, yet I still had to take additional photos with my Canon cameras to assure that my focus was where I want it. Formal Groups in churches can be difficult, as the camera wants to focus on the background instead of the group. One other interesting note, is that we get many more closed eyes with the Canon 580 strobes than we do with the Nikon SB800. I wonder if the infrared frequency of the Canon autofocus system is more visible to some people than is the Nikon infrared system. I do know that we get less closed eye shots with the Nikon than we do with the Canons which my assistants use.

Prevention of over exposure of mens faces, causing a Pillsbury dough boy look due to camera metering subject failure when using available light or flash wedding to take pre-wedding portraits is another area that Nikon has trumped Canon with the D3 and D300 metering improvements.

The Nikon D300 is a great wedding camera which has improved my available light ceremony photography, at ISO 3200.... with minimal sensor noise.

I love using this camera, and highly recommend the D300.

I am a technology geek. An early adopter. I also work in the outdoors, shooting wildlife photographs. I used to use film cameras, and unfortunately was spending far more money in developing costs than groceries! So I made the early move to digital with a little point n' shoot Olympus. Many times I was so frustrated that the camera was almost thrown overboard. Then came the Nikon D70, a digital SLR. I was hooked. I loved being able to shoot 6 MP shots, 3 frames a second. Being able to preview pics and throw away what I didn't want. But soon my D70 was looking long in the tooth so to speak, so I began researching and prowling around for a new camera. My boss also used to shoot a D70, and had just made the jump over to a Canon D40 as the lenses were cheaper. Me, I'm a pretty loyal guy, so I gave the D300 a hard look.

I looked at many websites and forums that compared the top DSLRs. And I kept coming back to the D300. Even Macworld gave it their recommendation, so I went online and bought a package that included a D300, a 70-300 VR lens, a 2GB card and shipping for 1999.99. The camera arrived, and here are a few observations after only a few days use:

1. This is a heavy camera. Very solid. Heavier than my D70, but the weight is balanced feeling.

2. SPEED!!! Wow! I am using a Lexar 2GB 300x card, and when I hit burst rate the other day, I shot nearly 13 frames in about 2-3 seconds.

3. LCD display is incredible! At 3" in size, it really enables you to get a good feel for how the camera is operating. Live View is a new feature for when you are using a tripod or having to hold the camera at strange angles---it seems to really work well.

4. In camera processing---some features that I used to wait to process in Photoshop I can do in the camera now (red-eye reduction, etc.) Very helpful.

Now for the things I don't like (which is a very short list at this point):

1. Getting CF cards that really take advantage of the camera's lightning speed are expensive!

2. Lenses for this camera are expensive!

3. Owner's manual leaves something to be desired in explaining how to use the camera.

I am an intermediate user, and so I feel a bit lost trying to figure out all the options of this camera and how to best utilize them. But fortunately for you and me, there are lots of books, websites, etc, to help you take this Ferrari and use it to its' fullest extent! If I had to choose a camera again, I would DEFINITELY buy the Nikon D300 again.