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Tuesday, November 24th, 2009forum | Posted by Editor - Blog News Service

Review – Nikon D300s

Nikon D300s

Nikon D300s

Review based on a production Nikon D300S

The Nikon D300 made quite an impact when it was first launched – enough to prompt us to conclude: ‘There’s simply no better semi-professional digital SLR on the market.’ And, in many respects, it is still the camera to beat in that class – nearly two years later and it is still able to command essentially the same price as at launch (though the strong Yen has pushed all prices up). And this success appears to have left Nikon unsure how to improve on its APS-C flagship.

Although the many of the additions to the D300S are simply those that we’ve seen appear on Nikons since the D300 arrived (virtual horizon from the D3, movies from the D90), one genuinely new feature is the inclusion of contrast-detection autofocus that operates while in movie mode – a first for a Nikon DSLR. It’s not the quickest focusing you’ll ever see, though, and you’ll also need to make use of the external mic socket if you’re to avoid the distant generator chuntering or asthmatic rodent sounds that autofocus motors seem to so accurately mimic.

The D300S inherits the non-latched memory card door we first saw on the D700, but now with both a CF and SD slot behind it. As you’d expect at this level, the exact behaviour of how the camera writes to the two cards can be defined: use one after the other, write backups to the second card, RAW and JPEG to different cards or split stills and videos. In fact many of the changes make the D300S even more similar to the D700, including Nikon’s now-standard multi controller with separate central button that, on this camera, initiates movie recording when in live view.

The continuous shooting speed has been given a bit of a boost, with the camera now capable of shooting at 7fps using its own battery and 8fps with the MB-D10 battery grip. The settings display screen is now, in line with most current DSLRs, interactive, allowing most shooting settings to be changed more quickly, a couple of extra Active D-Lighting options (‘Auto’ and ‘Extra High’) have been thrown in too. Finally the ‘Quiet’ drive mode first seen on the D5000 also makes an appearance.

However the arrival of the distinctly pro-targetted Canon EOS 7D and the accomplished but more wallet-friendly Pentax K-7 could make Nikon’s gentle refresh of the D300 look insufficient.

Nikon D300S vs. D300 feature and specification differences

720p / 24 fps HD video recording
External stereo sound input
Basic in-camera movie editing
Faster 7 fps continuous shooting (6 fps on the D300)
Dual CF and SD card slots (CF only on the D300)
Quiet release mode
D3 style multi-controller on the camera rear
Interactive settings display screen
Dedicated Live View button (LV is a drive mode on the D300)
Dedicated Info button
Type C HDMI interface (Type A on the D300)
Auto and Extra High Active D-Lighting options
Virtual horizon
In-camera editing (RAW resizing)

Nikon D300S Key Features

13.1 megapixel DX-format CMOS sensor (effective pixels: 12.3 million)
720p HD video
3.0″ LCD monitor (920,000 dots)
Image sensor cleaning (sensor shake)
51 AF points (with 3D tracking)
IS0 200-3200 range (6400 expanded)
7 frames per second continuous shooting (buffer: 17 RAW, 44 JPEG fine, 100 JPEG Normal)
Expeed image processing
Picture Controls – image parameters consistent with all current Nikon DSLRs
Same EN-EL3e battery as D300
72 thumbnail view in playback
14-bit A/D conversion
Super fast operation (power-up 13 ms, shutter lag 45 ms, black-out 100 ms)
Shutter life 150,000 exposures
Multi-CAM3500DX Auto Focus sensor (51-point, 15 cross-type, more vertical coverage)
Auto-focus tracking by color (using information from 1005-pixel AE sensor)
Auto-focus calibration (fine-tuning) now available (fixed body or up to 20 separate lens settings)
Scene Recognition System (uses AE sensor, AF sensor)
Picture Control image parameter presets (replace Color Modes I, II and III)
Custom image parameters now support brightness as well as contrast
Compact Flash UDMA support
Live View with either phase detect (mirror up/down) or contrast detect Auto Focus
HDMI HD video output
‘Active D-Lighting’ (adjusts metering as well as applying D-Lighting curve)
Detailed ‘Control Panel’ type display on LCD monitor, changes color in darkness
New MB-D10 vertical grip fully integrates into body, multi battery type compatible
Buttons sealed against moisture

Conclusion – Pros

Highly competitive image quality at all ISO settings
Excellent high ISO performance with low noise and good levels of detail
Highly configurable Auto ISO function (can set maximum ISO and minimum shutter speed)
7 frames per second continuous shooting speed (8 with battery grip)
Makes good use of its dual media card slots
Sophisticated AF system with effective subject tracking
Excellent build quality with magnesium body and environmental sealing
Good ergonomics, well shaped and comfortable hand grip
Well-placed and configurable buttons
Menu is well organized and quick to use despite its size and the camera’s complexity
Large and bright viewfinder with 100% coverage
(Relatively) quick contrast detect AF in live view
Good quality 720p video output
Easy switch between stills mode, movie mode and live view
Contrast detection available in movie mode
External microphone socket
Useful Active D-Lighting feature protects highlights as well as boosting shadows
Reliable flash exposures
Comprehensive wireless flash control
Wide range of accessories (WiFi, Battery Grip, GPS)
Good battery life
Sophisticated interval timer feature
Comprehensive software bundle
Built-in AF assist lamp
Conclusion – Cons

Unreliable white balance under artificial lighting
Slight tendency to overexpose in contrasty conditions
Rolling shutter effect when shooting video
Occasional ‘grain’ in blue skies, even at base ISO
Contrast detection AF is slow (as it is on all DSLRs)
Internal microphone readily records lens noise
No liveview histogram
Overall conclusion

The D300S isn’t nearly as significant a step forward for Nikon as the D300 was but that in part is a testament to how good the D300 was. When we reviewed it, Phil stressed how difficult he’d found it to find things to criticize so it’s not surprising that Nikon has found it hard to know what to improve. But there are improvements and ones that will be welcomed by certain sections of the photographic community. The ability to shoot movies, although seemingly gimmicky, does appear to be a benefit both in terms of creative options and commercial potential, so shouldn’t be dismissed. The addition of a second card slot and the useful ways in which it can be used also considerably increase the flexibility of the camera.

Image Quality

With a 12 megapixel sensor, it would be easy to think of the D300S as being a touch out-of-date. However, that would be to miss the point, as the difference between 18 megapixels and 12 (20% in each direction), is only of value in certain specific circumstance, especially when you’re talking about 12 very well captured and processed megapixels. And that’s what you get with the D300S – dependable, quality images which it’s very hard to find fault with. The JPEGs may be a little softer than we’d choose but they respond well to the sharpening being pushed up a notch, so it’s just a matter of tuning them to suit your purposes. Processing from raw brings even better results.

Handling

Handling is one of the places that the D300S really shines – both its ergonomics and build quality are first class. Although it’s easy to initially be intimidated by the sheer number of external controls, you soon become familiar with them and find yourself glad of them. Then, thanks to the high level of customization, you can add other features you want direct access to onto the user-definable function buttons on the front of the camera. Furthermore, if you’re unfamiliar with the Nikon way of working (dials and indicators all have positive on the left and negative on the right), the behavior of both can be switched so that it more close resembles the cameras you’re used to.

Although the button changes over the D300 are subtle, they make a surprising difference, not least in terms of making access to video really straightforward. There isn’t universal agreement here about the positioning of the buttons on the camera’s left shoulder (White Balance, ISO and Image Quality), but that’s about the only point of contention, despite us all being familiar with different brands.

The final word

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

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