D300: Impressions from a D200 user (pt1)

I’m currently residing in a remote village on Lesvos Island, Greece, so I’m a fair distance from the hustle and bustle of a fast paced city and my only real interaction with the rest of the world is through my dial up connection. Anyway I’ve been longing for a full frame camera such as the D3 but at 4600€ and only 12MP it wasn’t hard to overcome the initial excitement. Don’t get me wrong, I was just as excited as most Nikon users but considering that my main subject matter is wildlife, I had to refocus on the more affordable and “longer” DX format.

So I decided to stick to my trusty D200 and its 400 ISO limit (my personal noise performance limit). But what about the D300 you ask? Well just like with the D3, I had read most reports and reviews and also scrutinized most of the pics online, but based on those I didn’t see much difference to warrant giving up a great camera such as the D200 for a one stop advantage.

When I later visited Athens during the Christmas break, a few weeks ago, I had the chance to try both new cameras and I must say that even though both felt great, the D300 really stood out. And when I say stood out, I mean it really was a lot more than I had believed, WOW! Up until now I thought the WOW factor only belonged to the D3, but I was mistaken, the WOW factor belongs to the D300 as well. The image quality, the high ISO performance, the build quality, the “feel”, the large LCD and especially the great price of 1900€, including the MB-D10 battery pack really made me look at this camera twice – on the third look, I bought it :)

Body and pack: Pro quality
Although the D300 looks the same as the D200, it’s the small differences that really make the D300 shine. The contours are better sculpted so this contributes to the better feel as does the magnesium frame which is of a more rugged and rigid design. Comparing the two bodies, the D300 also has more seals for better weather proofing. The few buttons that have disappeared or have changed are for the better and really make for a better experience when shooting. The pretty useless bracketing button is gone but can still be accessed by the function button on the front of the camera for those who wish to use it. The AF area mode selector on the back of the camera is reduced to three positions from the four of the D200. This is a good move in streamlining the choices and making it easier to use (more info further down in the AF section). The new interface together with the new positions for the play button and the buttons for enlarging and reducing the photo may at first make you feel out of place, but after a few tries you will get used to the new workings and before you know it the new interface will feel faster and more natural in use. The “feel”, especially with the MB-D10 attached is much better than the D200 and it honestly seems like it’s another class of camera.

Customizable buttons
The DOF preview button is now customizable! I don’t remember the last time I used the DOF preview, but I do remember thinking that it didn’t really offer me anything since I couldn’t make out what was sharp in my landscapes due to low light levels. So I was glad to hear that the D300 now offers the ability to assign new duties not only to this button, but to the AE-L/AF-L and Function buttons as well. Now I can assign flash value lock to the function button with Custom setting f4, I can disable the flash using the preview button thanks to Custom setting f5 and I can have the metering changed to Spot in an instant by pressing the AEL/AFL button thanks to Custom setting f6. I love this kind of customization and wonder why it wasn’t implemented many years earlier with such great cameras as the F5. So now I have the two buttons on the front of the camera handling my flash and making all my flash work such a better experience.

The best customization feature ever
Other cool customization features which I have been waiting for years are also available. With the use of custom setting f10 I can now reverse the exposure graph so that it reads in the more natural way of starting from minus on the left and gaining positive values towards the right. With f7 I can also reverse the rotation of the command dials so their rotation matches the direction of the graph. So when using Manual exposure mode, rotating either dial towards the right (away from the lens) will add exposure and left (towards the lens) will reduce the exposure. These adjustments add to a more natural way of using the camera. So even if you are used to the old Nikon ways, I urge you to try it and I’m sure you will enjoy the more natural and logical actions involved.

The MB-D10 battery pack
Having used a D2x for a short period, I can say that the D300 with the MB-D10 attached feels just as good. The battery pack design is a large step forward from the D200s MB-D200. What I like most is the ability to quickly remove the battery pack and continue using the D300 for those times when I need a smaller and lighter camera. This is really convenient compared to the D200 where you had to replace the battery door on the body as well as insert the battery. Now with just one action you are ready to go “light”. Power is drained first from the MB-D10 unless otherwise indicated in the Custom settings menu (d11: battery order) and this is the logical way of utilizing the power. I especially like how the top LCD shows the power level of the MB-D10 instead of the combined reading of the D200.

On reading the specs on the net in September, I was surprised that the MB-D10 was needed in order to achieve the advertised 8fps performance and later a little disappointed to find out that I also needed to purchase a new type of battery (EN-L4) and charger to get that performance. But thankfully this is not the real picture. The EN-L4 battery option is really intended for those who already have those types of batteries and chargers (D2x users). Of course, if you don’t mind paying, go ahead and buy them. Personally, I don’t see the value in them. As it is, the D300 can do 6fps easily and I think this will suit most needs.

Thankfully you can still have access to 8 fps without the need to buy the extra battery and charger. The MB-D10 battery pack comes with an AA holder which can produce that performance when using alkaline, lithium or rechargeable batteries. I searched my camera bag and found a set of rechargeable Duracell 1800mAh batteries which I use for my flashes. I installed them and the camera showed a half charge. I then proceeded to test its performance and it clocked in at 7.5 fps on average. I presume alkaline or lithium batteries might perform better. So now my rechargeable batteries have gained new duties by providing my high speed shooting needs.

Update: I just used a freshly charged set of Duracell NiMH 2300mAh batteries and the D300 constantly produced 8fps. The meter shows them nearly empty from the start but they last for quite a while (500shots). For those who need 8fps and a longer lasting battery, you may want to invest in the EN-L4 battery/cap and charger.

Viewfinder
The 100% viewfinder is definitely a big plus but when looking through it, I can’t help but wish the view was larger and brighter (though still an improvement over the D200). I also like how I can switch off everything and have a clear view without anything distracting in the way.

Screen
The new 3in screen with its true VGA resolution is fantastic and really a pleasure to use. There is also a navigation window (only shows up temporarily) within the main preview window when zooming into the picture so you don’t get lost. At first you might find it in the way and a little irritating but once you get used to it you will appreciate its usefulness.

Last words
Overall the build quality of both the camera and pack are first rate and I believe that anyone who gets the chance to handle the new D300 will immediately fall in love with this camera. Two weeks ago I honestly believed the D3 was king, but I now place the D300 slightly above the D3 for two simple reasons: the price and the crop factor for both of which I feel are important. I also should point out that from my understanding; the D300 is not a D200 replacement, but a D2x replacement. Both the D300 and D3 are professional bodies serving the two formats - pick your format and you will have the best camera available, no matter which you pick.

PS1: I will be updating this blog with more info on the Autofocus system and the image quality soon, so keep checking.
PS2: I advise you to set Custom setting f9 to Release locked instead of Enable release so you can’t fire the camera when no card is inserted.

Click here for part 2

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