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Nikon D300s reviews
You can find here the most interesting reviews / ratings from the well-known expert sites about the Nikon D300s Camera. Here are the reviewers:
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- 16 February 2010 - |
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- 0 |
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- 19 December 2009 - |
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- 4 |
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- 04 December 2009 - |
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- 4 |
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- 16 November 2009 - |
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- 4.5 |
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- 22 October 2009 - |
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- 0 |
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- 19 October 2009 - |
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- 4.5 |
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- 05 October 2009 - |
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- 4.5 |
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- 29 September 2009 - |
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- 0 |
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- 27 September 2009 - |
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- 4.5 |
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- 03 September 2009 - |
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- 4.5 |
Imaging Resource 's conclusion / rating - 16 February 2010 |
“ The Nikon D300S brings the enthusiast flagship up to the standards of more recent Nikon models, including the D90 and D5000, as well as taking on the Canon 50D and Pentax K7 with their HD movie modes. Though the upgrade didn't include an increase in resolution, there's no question that the Nikon D300S continues to serve as an excellent photographic tool, one now capable of video as well. Competing designs have caught up with the D300S in terms of overall printed output, and some have surpassed it. That doesn't diminish the Nikon D300S at all, but it does widen your choices a bit.
As for speed, the Nikon D300S is faster, but this greater speed is only available at the camera's 12-bit setting, while both the Canon 50D and 7D are capable of their fastest rates at the full 14-bit setting. We're not able to see much of a difference in JPEG files, at least, so whether it matters to you is an open question.
Save for the Nikon D300S's HD movie mode and dual card slots, there are few compelling reasons to upgrade from the D300, but the D300S is a great choice for the intermediate photographer looking for a more serious photographic tool. The Nikon D300S presents a more capable 720p HD video solution than the D90, but it doesn't quite rise to the level of HD video capture found in the extremely popular Canon 5D Mark II and 7D, both of which can record up to 1080p, and capture a full-resolution still image while recording video. Those looking for an SLR for shooting video might want to consider some of these other options, especially if their needs include 1080p capture.
But I can't help considering the Nikon D300S as a still camera, and in that space it still stands pretty strong. Though autofocus was slower in Auto Area mode, I stuck to Single-point mode and was perfectly happy with the Nikon D300S's autofocus speed. I was even happier with its accuracy shot-to-shot. Overall I found the Nikon D300S an extremely capable camera with a very refined design and a great demeanor, an excellent tool for making great photos quickly... ”
Imaging Resource's rating: |
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- 0 |
Complete review here
HardwareZone 's conclusion / rating - 19 December 2009 |
“ So, do you really need this new camera body? This is the question that most DSLR owners will ask themselves whenever a new model gets launched. To be perfectly honest, if you already own a D300, stick to it. The D300s offers you just minor upgrades, so minor that you may have to think twice (or more) before committing the S$2,999 list price for it.
If you intend to use this as a video camera, and you already have a D90 or D300, ask yourself these following questions: Will you use the video function often enough to justify the expenditure? And does the jelly-like wobbling disturb you? If the answers are yes and no respectively, then by all means, go ahead. If you're looking for a camera solely for still pictures, you may want to consider instead the D300.
What if you're upgrading from an entry level DSLR? The D300s is mostly definitely an ideal candidate, more so if you need the extra video functionality that's able to record in 720p resolution at 24fps.
For what it's worth, the Nikon D300s scores 4 out of 5 in this review, having inherited a large proportion of technology from its D300 predecessor... ”
HardwareZone's rating: |
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- 4 |
Complete review here
RegHardware 's conclusion / rating - 04 December 2009 |
“ There’s something about the shutter sound of Nikons, they just seem more positive and tighter. This, combined with the magnesium alloy chassis, makes the D300s reminiscent of some of those tanks like the F3, from a bygone film age. Indeed, the D300s is nicely weighted, has a good grip, with a great mix of features and fine tuning. The video recording is capable of delivering top quality footage too, right out of the box. By taking some of the best bits from the D700 and improving on the D90's early successes, Nikon has made a pretty good pitch at this level. But maybe we're getting greedy because, given the competition, as far as video goes, it does seem like the D300s is marking time for the company. Where things lead from here will be very interesting indeed... ”
RegHardware's rating: |
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- 4 |
Complete review here
DPReview 's conclusion / rating - 16 November 2009 |
“ The D300S is not the standout product that its predecessor was and unless you find your clients are clamoring for video footage, we can't see much need for existing owners to upgrade. But that shouldn't take away from an absolutely excellent product - a gently polished and refined update of a product that we considered a benchmark when it was released. The EOS 7D may prevent anyone with a foot in the Canon camp from contemplating defection but unless you desperately need that camera's higher resolution, it's hard to overlook the appeal of the Nikon... ”
Complete review here
PhotographyBay 's conclusion / rating - 22 October 2009 |
“ The Nikon D300s is a great camera overall. And, really, it’s hard to find a bad DSLR today. Most DSLRs are really good cameras and many of them are great cameras. Some, like the D300s, are better than others. The D300s occupies the space of a prosumer DSLR very well. It matches up nearly perfect to its intended market.
Many professional photographers are making a living with the D300s, which helps justify the current $1800 price tag, and the D300s is serving them very well. Amateur enthusiasts have an option with the D300s as a professional tool that is within reach of many budgets.
The D300s is not without its flaws though. A couple of downers, which may vary in gravity depending on your needs, are the lower frame rate with 14-bit RAW image capture and the elevated noise at higher ISOs.
There’s no doubt that the D300s is worth recommending with these minor caveats. Whether it bests the Canon 7D is a question that remains to be answered. Stay tuned as I should have a 7D on hand soon to pit head-to-head with the D300s... ”
PhotographyBay's rating: |
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- 0 |
Complete review here
TrustedReviews 's conclusion / rating - 19 October 2009 |
“ While the second card slot and slightly improved performance are welcome upgrades to an already brilliant camera, the new video recording mode and live monitor view are a bit disappointing compared to other premium models. The D300s is still utterly superb and one of the best DSLRs on the market, but don't trade in your D300 just yet... ”
TrustedReviews's rating: |
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- 4.5 |
Complete review here
PhotographyBLOG 's conclusion / rating - 05 October 2009 |
“ If you've read the entire review, you will hardly have any doubts that the Nikon D300s is an excellent camera. Build quality is superb, handling and ergonomics are first-rate, and the abundance of dedicated external controls leads to quick and straightforward operation in the field. The optical viewfinder is up there with the best ones in this class. The 51 autofocus points cover most of the frame, and allow you to focus on whatever subject you deem important, without having to recompose or compromise the framing. 3D focus tracking works as advertised, making the Nikon D300s one of the finest choices for action and sports photography. Image quality is about as good as it gets for a DX-sized sensor, in terms of detail, dynamic range and noise handling alike. Options like capturing multiple exposures in a single photo or being able to control wirelessly slaved system flashes extend the creative possibilities of the camera.
It's all nice and well, but if you are now thinking, “wait, this could all be said about the D300 too”, you are actually quite right. So what does the D300s bring to the table that wasn't available in its predecessor? In our opinion, the most important improvement is the addition of a second memory card slot, which lets you instantly back up your images or helps organise them by allowing you to record NEFs on one card and JPEGs on the other. Another nice addition is the Virtual Horizon, which helps you keep the camera level. The new Quiet mode will surely be appreciated by photojournalists, while the addition of a dedicated Live View button is a sensible choice, even if we found it a little too recessed for our tastes. Finally, the video recording function is something few DSLRs can afford to miss these days, though it's still a bit rough around the edges.
To us it seems that the majority of D300 owners aren't likely to switch to the D300s unless they've been specifically waiting for one or more of the improvements it offers, but everyone else in the market for a capable and high-quality DSLR should seriously consider this camera, which easily earns our 'Highly Recommended' rating... ”
PhotographyBLOG's rating: |
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- 4.5 |
Complete review here
DigitalCameraReview 's conclusion / rating - 29 September 2009 |
“ When Nikon released the D300, working photographers quickly found their new favorite workhorse. The D300S takes the rugged popularity of the D300 and adds some of the bells and whistles from the D90 to give photographers a modest, but much appreciated, upgrade. Current D300 owners might not find the new D300S particularly tempting unless they've been lusting after the ability to shoot video, but I get the feeling that wasn't Nikon's intent. After spending several weeks with the D300S I can't shake the feeling that the D300S was really meant to give current D90 owners a reason to upgrade.
Sure, there are plenty of photojournalists who will appreciate the SDHC card slot on the D300S because it means they can use the built-in card reader on their laptops when they're out in the field. Likewise, I'm sure more than a few working pros are eager to shoot HD video with their DSLR. However, consumers (not pros) are the ones who have really embraced DSLRs with video capabilities. The overwhelming success of the D90 meant that Nikon needed to give D90 owners an obvious choice for their next camera purchase, and the D300S is that camera. Entry-level DSLRs make up about 80 percent of Nikon's DSLR sales, and Nikon would love to see some of those consumers spend some extra cash on higher-end bodies.
Regardless of whether you're a seasoned professional who needs a rugged DX-format camera or merely a shutterbug looking for the next level of photographic equipment, the D300S is a very attractive camera. The D300S combines high-speed performance, exceptional image processing, rugged build quality, and great video capabilities in a very familiar package. Add to that Nikon's extraordinary collection of lenses, fantastic speedlights like the SB-900, and a huge variety of accessories and the Nikon D300S becomes the obvious centerpiece to a top-quality photographic kit... ”
DigitalCameraReview's rating: |
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- 0 |
Complete review here
CameraLabs 's conclusion / rating - 27 September 2009 |
“ With the D300s, Nikon’s taken the already highly capable D300 and further enhanced it with a number of features – some expected, others less so. The inclusion of a movie mode was a predictable, although welcome upgrade, and the microphone input a very useful addition. The Virtual Horizon and Quiet mode are minor but handy gadgets, and we’re also pleased to find Live View now relocated from the Release dial to its own button, allowing you to easily select drive modes whether composing with the screen or viewfinder.
By far the most useful new additions are the dual memory card slots, allowing you to backup images or organise RAW and JPEGs on separate media. These are arguably the D300s’ key highlight (and indeed key differentiator with rivals), equipping it with facilities not normally seen outside of much more expensive professional DSLRs. It’s slightly disappointing the 1fps boost in continuous shooting wasn’t measured in our tests, but the camera’s still very fast.
So once again a very strong camera has become even better, but unlike its predecessor, the D300s now has a direct rival from Canon. The EOS 7D is targeting exactly the same high-end cropped-frame market as the D300s and shares a great deal in common with Nikon’s latest. Crucially it also sports a number of key benefits including 50% more pixels and Full HD movie recording with adjustable frame rates.
Indeed by recycling the still and video capabilities of the year-old D90, the D300s comes across as standing still in some important regards when its arch rival ploughs forward. To be fair, Nikon makes no attempt to hide the fact the D300s is simply an enhanced version of an earlier model and not an entirely new camera - it is after all called the D300s, not the D400. But the important point is it's now up against a brand new rival at much the same price point.
Certainly if you’re influenced by Megapixel count and need 1080p video or different frame rates, then the Canon already looks like the better bet, but of course these figures don’t tell the whole story. We’re yet to test a final production sample of the 7D so can’t pass final judgment, but we do know what the D300s offers right now, and it remains a highly compelling camera.
One thing is for certain: Nikon no longer has the top-end cropped-frame DSLR market to itself. But regardless of how the 7D measures-up, the D300s will remain a superb photographic tool which is a joy to use, and ideal for the high-end enthusiast or pro wanting a backup body. It easily comes Highly Recommended, but unless you’re 100% committed to the Nikon system, be sure to compare very closely with the EOS 7D... ”
CameraLabs's rating: |
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- 4.5 |
Complete review here
Pocket-lint 's conclusion / rating - 03 September 2009 |
“ And so the D300s marks a neat upgrade to the D300, but the £1499.99 price tag might mean you think twice about upgrading. Because, if you already own the D300, then unless you desperately need the HD video capability, the slightly improved frame rate or the stereo audio capability, then the D300 would probably be perfectly adequate. If you’re buying into the Nikon DX system for the first time, or are trading up anyway, then on balance, the extra couple of hundred quid (the D300 popularity means it still retails for around £1300, though you’ll find it for less by shopping around) might make sense.
The Nikon D300s updates the excellent D300 as Nikon’s flagship DX format DSLR. While superficially very similar to the D300, there are major additions “borrowed” from other models such as the virtual horizon system introduced on the D3 and HD movie capture from Nikon’s D90.
Another stunning new Nikon DX format DSLR that combines the performance and handling panache of its predecessor with HD video and other neat toys that may just make it worth your reaching for your cheque book... ”
Pocket-lint's rating: |
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- 4.5 |
Complete review here
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