Nikon D300 review

A feature-packed semipro DSLR on paper, but how does the D300 perform in the real world?

The 12.3MP Nikon D300 replaces the previous 10.2MP model – the D200 – and sports a plethora of new and improved features, including an incredibly high quality 922,000 pixel, three-inch LCD with Live View, a vast improvement over the D200’s considerably lower resolution 230,000 pixel, 2.5-inch display. Add to that a 51-point AF system, 6fps continuous shooting and HDMI output, and you’re not just looking a slightly tweaked upgrade, but an entirely different beast altogether.

On the surface, the D300 is in-keeping with the styling applied to the rest of Nikon’s range of DSLRs, with a generously sized, ergonomically shaped rubberised grip that is incredibly comfortable to hold, even after a long day’s shooting. The camera’s controls are all dustproof and weather-resistant, which – coupled with a robust magnesium alloy body – adds to the professional build quality. If you do manage to get some dust on the sensor, Nikon’s included a rigorous Dust Reduction system, too. These systems always sound great in the descriptions, but it’s difficult to test them scientifically in the real world; we just have to take the manufacturer’s word for it, normally. On this occasion, however, while shooting an airshow, we did notice some black specks in the sky on a succession of shots – the result of a few lens changes in a dusty environment. We powered up the Dust Reduction system manually and – after one quick cycle – we were presented with clean images once more, so it does its job.

Onto the user interface: something that - in our opinion – Nikon’s always been particularly good at. We’re pleased to report that the D300, despite having an increased number of controls compared to the next model down the chain – the D90 – doesn’t feel at all cluttered or appear daunting. The controls are intuitively laid out, sticking to a similar design as other models in the range, which will help upgraders get to grips with their new camera in no time. Those who are unfamiliar with the brand should have no trouble fathoming the D300’s operations either; on the top of the camera, a large LCD helps you keep track of your current settings, as well as letting you make quick changes to modes and settings using the plethora of dedicated buttons on the body, too.

In front of this, a Mode button lets you quickly alter your shooting mode; just press and hold it while rotating the main Command dial to do so. This might feel a little odd at first to those who are used to a Shooting Mode dial, but seeing as this camera isn’t littered with scene modes (or even an Automatic shooting mode), it would have been a waste of space to dedicate a dial to the P, A, S and M modes it provides.

To the right of this, the Exposure Compensation button is conveniently placed within easy reach of the Shutter Release, with the latter control being surrounded by a Power switch that also activates the top panel LCD’s backlight when rotated.

In the place where you might expect to find a Mode dial, there is instead a Drive mode dial that’s locked in place by default. To rotate it, you need to hold down the Release switch in front and to the left of it while turning it to select your desired mode – an operation that’s easily performed one-handed. In a space-saving move, a mound mounted on top of the Drive mode dial houses three dedicated buttons, providing fast access to the Qual. (image quality), WB (white balance) and ISO settings – all of which can be quickly altered on the top panel LCD by holding down the button of your choice and rotating the main Command dial.

On the back, Nikon’s kept the interface simple, with an unobtrusive row of buttons to the left of the large three-inch LCD that accesses the menu system, control zooming during playback and enter selections in the menus, for example. To the left of the viewfinder sits the Playback and Delete buttons and to the right you’ll find the AE/AF-L button and AF-On button. The former control in surrounded by thin Metering mode dial, with a white line indicating which of the adjacent metering symbols you have selected at the time.

On the front, the switch to the right of the built-in pop-up flash, which integrates a wireless mode for control over external Speedlights, triggers the unit manually and a Flash Compensation button just below this is easily located. A small but easily activated Focusing mode switch towards the bottom of the camera mirrors the placement of the Fn button on the other side of the lens, above which you’ll find a Depth-of-Field Preview button.

With this lot under your fingertips, it certainly feels like Nikon’s thought of everything – all the key settings that you need quick access to are just a button press or two away. You can even quickly format your memory card without entering the main menu system by holding down the Delete and Mode buttons together briefly, releasing them and then depressing them again simultaneously (much easier to do than it is to describe) – a small detail, but one that makes a significant difference.

Like a lot of cameras in this price bracket, the D300 borrows many of its high-end features from its pro-level big brother, the D3, including its highly responsive 51-point AF system with 3D tracking. Couple this with a continuous shooting rate of 6fps (which increases to a blistering 8fps with the optional battery grip attached) and you’ve got a sharpshooter that’s ready for action.

The level of customisation this camera affords the user is incredible, too. Starting with a set of Picture Control presets, you can choose to manipulate the way your images look straight out of the camera, if desired – although we’re not sure we’d be hooking the D300 up to a PictBridge printer on a regular basis – to get the most out of this camera, you’ve really got to shoot RAW. You also have an incredible range of options to tweak and hone just about every detail of how the camera operates, using the Custom Setting menu.

Another asset the D300 has gained through the development of the D3 is excellent performance at high ISOs. While perhaps not quite as legendary as its pro sibling, the D300 is nonetheless currently the best in its class when it comes to noise performance, producing consistently clean results right up to ISO 800, and perfectly usable images across the board, even at the top of the camera’s standard sensitivity range (the expanded settings are best kept for emergencies).

Overall image quality is excellent; incredibly detailed, with faithful colours and neutral skin tones. The camera’s metering system isn’t easily confused by even complex scenes, but if you do need a helping hand in retaining detail in high-contrast situations, the D300’s Active D-Lighting feature works like a charm. There are different levels to choose from and although it takes a little longer for the camera to process and store JPEGs with it turned on, it really does make a difference to your shots.

The D300’s Live View mode is a joy to use, thanks in no small part to the camera’s beautiful three-inch LCD. Sporting the same system as the D3, the D300 offers both Phase and Contrast Detect AF in Live View mode, so it’s possible to focus without losing sight of your subject, as long as you have a tripod handy. You can also – crucially – zoom in by up to 10x magnification to ensure pin-sharp focusing every time, and you have the option of controlling the camera remotely from a computer.

All of the camera’s operations are fast and responsive. In short – it handles like a dream. It’s got a burgeoning feature set, which we were only able to look at briefly in this review, but rest assured, there’s plenty more to discover with the D300. We certainly can’t think of anything significant that would improve this incredibly capable camera, and there can’t be a much better recommendation than that.