Nikon d300 d300s comparison. Nikon D300s camera review
print version
Related Articles
-
Canon EOS RP Camera Review: Affordable full frame
The laws of the market are such that buyers want to get the highest quality device at the lowest price, and manufacturers want to overestimate it as much as possible. Canon has done the impossible with an affordable full-frame mirrorless camera... -
Review Sony cameras DSC-RX10 II: Luxury all-rounder
In the market for universal prosumer cameras, forgotten during the mirrorless boom system cameras, there has been a clear revival of late. Following Panasonic and Canon, a new version of its photo station wagon was introduced by the company ... -
Canon PowerShot G3X Review: A Versatile Travel Companion
In our time, smartphones have almost completely ousted “soap” cameras (consumers, compact cameras) from the market. But still, on the side of the latter there was one trump card - optical zoom. We've only seen a couple of phones (and... -
Sony World Photo Awards: Russians among best photographers peace
The awards ceremony was held in London recently. international competition photographs sponsored by Sony. As part of the exhibition, the works of the contestants are presented as professional photographs... -
Nikon J4 mirrorless camera review: down with mobileography
Nikon and Canon boarded this train much later than the rest of the competitors. To this day, Olympus, Sony, Panasonic and Fujifilm have mirrorless flagships, but brands widely known for their SLR cameras “please” users, gently ... -
Overview of the Nikon D750 full-frame camera. The Camera You've Been Waiting For
Great things are often expected from the children of geniuses. They have not yet learned to speak properly, and everyone expects a miracle from them. Read on ZOOM - "Nikon D750 from Nikon D700 does not fall far." -
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III: the perfect camera for self-expression?
Two years ago, Sony rocked the photography market with the release of a product with a never-before-seen combination: a compact camera with a large sensor in a new 1-inch form factor. The shake-up for the rest of the photomakers was tangible: they picked up ... -
The first test in Russia of the flagship "SLR" Nikon D4s for 250,000 rubles
It's very difficult to review cameras like the D4s. In essence, this is an exclusively professional tool, highly specialized, sharpened to solve very specific problems. The circle of people who really need... -
Dream camera. Review of the most unusual "DSLR" of the year Nikon Df
The key feature of the Nikon Df, and it becomes clear almost immediately, is none of its characteristics. In fact, they could be anything. Only the price of the camera would change, but its main idea would remain the same. AND... -
First test in Russia: Canon G1 X Mark II flagship compact camera
The second generation Canon G1-X camera (Mark II) was announced two years after the first, in February 2014. The developers have done a lot of work and made a lot of improvements, which is why the new camera has become much more... -
What can a camera for 250 thousand rubles? Testing Hasselblad Lunar
Photography, like many other human activities, can be both a craft and a hobby. Someone earns money this way, someone wants to assert themselves, and someone wants to achieve their creative goal. But, you see, in any of the options ...
The D300S is a professional DX-format SLR in a compact body that empowers photographers who value creative freedom. The compact body houses Nikon's D-movie and built-in photo editing, allowing you to quickly switch between capturing stunning stills and movies with stereo sound*. This camera features an extremely sensitive 12.3-megapixel CMOS sensor and supports continuous shooting at an unrivaled 7 frames per second. CF and SD card slots increase flexibility by allowing you to capture photos on one memory card and movies on another. Nikon's proven 51-point AF system provides more coverage and high sensitivity in low light conditions. Selectable Picture Controls make post-production easy, while the 3-inch LCD screen supports D-movie and two framing modes in the monitor. Encased in a rugged, lightweight, water and dust resistant magnesium alloy body, the D300S will change the way you look at photography.
*Requires a compatible stereo microphone.
12.3 megapixel DX format CMOS sensor. Embedded module self-cleaning matrix reduces the influence of dust to a minimum.
Continuous photography at 7 frames per second (8 fps with optional MB-D10 battery pack).
Function D-Movie allows you to record beautiful high-definition movies with stereo sound*, as well as the function to start and stop editing.
Dual card slots: CF and SD card slots for increased flexibility when working.
ISO 200-3200: can be increased to the equivalent of ISO 6400 or reduced to the equivalent of ISO 100.
EXPEED Imaging System with 14-bit analog-to-digital conversion and 16-bit image processing helps to achieve great color tones.
Multi-CAM3500DX AF system with 51 points. Ability to select and customize one of the modes with 9, 21 or 51 focus points.
Performance with as little as 0.13 seconds of on-time and a fast shutter lag of 45ms or less.
Quiet Shooting Mode: Ideal for quiet shutter photography due to the significant reduction in camera noise.
Picture Controls simplifies image processing in the camera, allowing you to adjust image settings before shooting and control the sharpening, contrast, brightness, saturation, and hue of images in various color modes.
3" VGA LCD monitor with 920,000 dots with a wide viewing angle of 170 degrees.
Active D-Lighting helps you capture superb high-contrast images by automatically adjusting the tone at the time of shooting.
Durable magnesium alloy body: moisture and dustproof.
Reliable shutter mechanism tested for 150,000 actuation cycles.
Video output HDMI allows you to connect the camera to high-definition video systems.
Intuitive ergonomic design With optimal location buttons provides fast operation and convenience.
In handheld mode, the camera uses fast phase focus (mirror up, camera focuses, and mirror down) and slower contrast autofocus, which is used in tripod mode. In order to perfectly focus on sharpness, it is possible to enlarge part of the frame. The increase is divided into 7 steps and ends with a maximum increase to a ratio of 1:1.
All menu settings, as well as all camera custom settings, can be saved as profiles (menu banks) and named. This is very convenient for multi-purpose use of the camera and allows you to prepare for shooting in a minimum of time by simply loading a saved bank. The HELP button, which displays a text explanation for the selected item, greatly helps in mastering the menu.
The camera performs well in all modes. And although the automatic operation of the exposure did not cause any complaints, you have the opportunity to fit into the histogram even better: thanks to the Active D-Lighting function, the camera makes exposure compensation so as not to knock out the light, providing the camera with a better hit in the histogram. D-lighting settings can now also be assigned by the camera itself, and for lovers of soft tonal transitions, there is an even more powerful value - Extra High.
Shooting with Active D-Lighting slightly increases the recording time of a picture on the memory card and significantly reduces the burst buffer. A simple D-Lighting is also available through the menu, which optimizes the dynamic range after shooting, programmatically. In addition, there is a Custom Picture Control that allows you to adjust settings such as sharpness, contrast, brightness, saturation, and tone. You can also apply filter and toning effects to your liking.
Up to 72 pictures can be displayed simultaneously in playback mode. The information about the captured frame is divided into several pages and includes information about the file, general information(color space, vignetting correction, white balance settings, etc.), GPS data, brightness histogram and RGB channels. Therefore, it is not difficult for the photographer to obtain comprehensive information about the footage without using a computer.
Images are also convenient to delete - you just need to click the delete button again; in Canon cameras pictures are deleted in the same way, only for confirmation you need to twist the wheel, which is frankly annoying if you need to delete several pictures in a row.
Many may have a question, what does the new product look like in comparison with its predecessor - Nikon D300S. Given the huge delay between releases, it can be argued that the D500 is a more powerful and advanced camera. However, what do we see if we compare specifications these two cameras? Let's find out by comparing Nikon D500 and Nikon D300S.
First, let's look at the passport specifications of the cameras:
| Camera Feature | Nikon D500 | Nikon D300S |
|---|---|---|
| Matrix resolution | 20.9 MP | 12.3 MP |
| Matrix type | CMOS | CMOS |
| Matrix size | 23.5×15.7 mm | 23.6×15.8 mm |
| Matrix pixel size | 4.2µ | 5.5µ |
| low pass filter | Not | There is |
| Matrix cleaning system from dust | There is | Not |
| Image size (px) | 5568 x 3712 | 4288 x 2848 |
| GPU | EXPEED 5 | EXPEED |
| Viewfinder type | Pentaprism | Pentaprism |
| Viewfinder coating | 100% | 100% |
| Viewfinder magnification | 1.0x | 0.94x |
| Built-in flash | Not | Yes, with commander mode |
| Drive interfaces | 1x XQD, 1x SD | 1x CF, 1x SD |
| Continuous shooting speed (fps) | 10 | 7, with battery grip - 8 |
| Buffer size (RAW, 14-bit lossless) | 200 | 30 |
| Duration of Continuous Burst Shooting | 20 sec | 4.3 sec / 3.75 sec |
| Exposure range | from 1/8000 to 30 sec | from 1/8000 to 30 sec |
| Shutter Life | 200,000 cycles | 150,000 cycles |
| Metering sensor | 180,000 pixel RGB sensor 3D Color Matrix Metering III | 1,005-pixel 3D Color Matrix Metering II RGB sensor |
| ISO base value | ISO 100 | ISO 200 |
| Base ISO Range | ISO 100-51200 | ISO 200-3200 |
| Expandable ISO range | ISO 102400-1640000 | ISO6400 |
| Autofocus system | Advanced Multi-CAM 20K | MultiCAM 3500DX |
| Autofocus points | 153, 99 cross type | 51, 15 cross type |
| AF detection | above f/8 | above f/5.6 |
| AF detection range | -4 to +20EV | -1 to +19EV |
| Auto AF | There is | Not |
| Video recording | There is | There is |
| Movie format | MOV, H.264/MPEG-4 | AVI Compressed |
| Maximum video resolution | 3 840×2 160 (4K) @ 24p, 25p, 30p | 1280×720 (720p)@24p |
| Audio recording | Built-in stereo microphone, |
Built-in microphone (mono), External stereo microphone (optional) |
| LCD display size | 3.2″ TFT-LCD | 3.0″ TFT-LCD |
| LCD resolution | 2,359,000 dots | 921,000 dots |
| Rotatable LCD display | Yes | Not |
| Touch LCD | Yes | Not |
| Bracketing | 2 to 9 frames | 2 to 9 frames |
| Built-in GPS | Not | Not |
| Built-in Bluetooth | Yes | Not |
| Built-in NFC | Yes | Not |
| Built-in WiFi | Yes | Not |
| Accumulator battery | Li-Ion EN-EL15 | Li-Ion EN-EL3e |
| Number of shots per battery charge | 1240 frames | 950 frames |
| Charger | MH-25a Quick Charger | MH-18a Quick Charger |
| Waterproof case | Yes | Yes |
| Housing material | magnesium alloy | magnesium alloy |
| USB version | 3.0 | 2.0 |
| Weight (body) | 760 gr | 840 gr |
| Dimensions | 147 x 115 x 81mm | 147×114×74mm |
| Price | 1999 (announced) | 1,799 (at launch) |
As expected, Nikon D500 surpasses the D300S in every parameter - 7 years of technical progress, of course, has created a real gap between the characteristics of the cameras in question. The first major difference is obviously in the sensor technology - the D500 has a 20.9 MP sensor, while the D300S has a 12.3 MP sensor. In addition to the difference in resolution, both cameras have vastly different dynamic range and noise reduction performance. While the D500's high ISO performance has yet to be tested, it's safe to expect Nikon's new camera to be well ahead of its predecessor, both in terms of dynamic range and high ISO noise reduction performance. Even the base ISOs of cameras speak for themselves (ISO 100-51200 vs. ISO 200-3200).
But still, the most significant difference between the novelty and its predecessor lies in the new AF system - 153 AF points (99 of which are cross-type), while the D300S used a 51-point AF system (with 15 cross-type points). In addition to this, Nikon D500 can focus in almost complete darkness, and all thanks to a sensor with a sensitivity of up to -4 E.V., which is unattainable for the D300S with its sensor sensitivity of up to -1 E.V.
And finally, the D500 will be able to successfully work with teleconverters, providing accurate autofocus even at f / 8, while in the D300S this feature is available at apertures of at least f / 5.6.
The GPUs of the cameras also differ significantly - the D500 uses the latest EXPEED 5, which is 5 generations better than the original EXPEED on the D300S. With a faster processor, the D500 is obviously capable of handling a lot more data. The new camera is capable of not only shooting at faster speeds - 10fps vs. 7fps on the D300S - but also recording better video - 4K video vs. 720p on the D300S. Add to that the huge D500 buffer for 200 RAW images - the predecessor camera only had 30 RAW.
One of the features of the new Nikon camera is also that the D500 lacks a built-in flash. This is the first semi-professional Nikon camera in which the manufacturer decided to abandon it. Perhaps Nikon decided that the D500 did not need it, since the camera is designed primarily for sports photographers and photographers shooting wildlife. In addition, the absence of a built-in flash increases the camera's waterproofness, especially in rainy weather, which significantly improves its all-weather protection.
The switching capabilities of the cameras under consideration also differ - in Nikon D500 there is Bluetooth, and NFC, and Wi-Fi, the D300S does not have any of these wireless data transfer interfaces.
In general, despite the fact that the D500 is a direct descendant of the D300S, their differences are so great that it makes no sense to compare them with each other. Nikon D500 unconditionally surpasses its predecessor in everything!
More useful information and news in our Telegram channel"Lessons and Secrets of Photography". Subscribe!
- It is possible to record pictures first on one card, and when it is full, on another.
- You can duplicate material on two cards at once, which is sometimes an indispensable function for saving pictures in case one of the cards fails.
- It is possible to write RAW and JPEG files to different cards separately.
- You can set the card on which video files will be recorded.
I'll just describe their differences:
The Nikon D300S has increased the speed of continuous shooting without using a battery pack. D300S can shoot at speed 7 fps, could only shoot at 6 fps. Nikon D300s can accelerate and shoot as fast as possible 8 fps, but only when using JPEG format or 12-bit color depth in RAW format, and only when using the optional MB-D10 battery pack or EH-5a/EH-5 AC adapter. To make the camera shoot at 8 fps, one MB-D10 is not enough. You need to use a special holder MS-D10 with 8 AA cells (batteries or accumulators). The MS-D10 holder is included with the MB-D10. Also, 8 fps can be achieved using a larger EN-EL4 battery (from , D2hs, ) or EN-EL4a (from , , D3x cameras), but this requires an additional BL-3 cap (which is not included with MB-D10). In addition, if you purchase an EN-EL4 or EN-EL4a battery, you will have to additionally buy a Nikon MH-21 / Nikon MH-22 charger for it. If you use a regular standard EN-EL3e battery in the MB-D10, then the continuous shooting speed will not change. The MB-D10 battery pack is equally well suited for , D300S and . Personally, I do not like that for these cameras you have to 'dance with a tambourine' to achieve the coveted 8 fps.
Added ‘‘ function when sighting through Live View. The Nikon D3 had the same feature but was not copied to .
Added the ability to use Active in 'Auto' and 'Extra High' modes.
Added video function. True, the D300S shoots only with maximum quality up to HD 1280X720 at 24 fps and a maximum video length of only 5 minutes. Also, 640X424 and 320X216 modes are available at the same frame rate, while the duration of shooting increases to 20 minutes. Unlike its predecessor models - and , the D300S has the ability to shoot video using contrast focusing. The D300S is the first Nikon CZK to have auto focus at all when shooting video (to focus, select Live View 'Tripod' mode and press the AF-ON button when recording video). Video recording is considered to be one of the main differences between the D300 and D300S. Also in the D300S you can find an audio input for using a stereo microphone, and speaker to output sound when watching a video. And in the menu there was a function for very simple video editing.
D300S removed the blocker opening the compartment for memory cards, which was in the D300. Now the memory card cover opens in the same way as on . Some buttons have changed. Appeared on D300s 'LV' button to quickly switch to Live View mode, on the D300 this mode was selected on the control tower. Added convenient 'Info' button, the same as on , and with it a new interactive display (can display data on a black or white background, depending on the lighting). And most importantly, the central button of the joystick was made separate. On the D300, it was sometimes inconvenient to press the central button of the joystick. On the D300s, the center button is just as convenient as on and .
In the new chamber appeared silent shooting mode 'Q'('Quiet' - 'Quiet'), which is selected by the wheel on the control tower. In turn, the 'LV' mode disappeared from there, which is now turned on with the 'LV' button near the joystick.
The D300S has the ability to use immediately 2 memory cards 2 different types of SD (SDHC) and CF. The D300 only worked with one CF card. Of course, various possibilities have been added for writing data to memory cards.
Only one of the specified methods of operation is selected.
Added face detection function on the footage, with the ability to instantly enlarge this part of the picture.
Face detection function. The picture is taken from the official Nikon website.
Image quality improved slightly, but there was no such dramatic change as when switching from Nikon D3 to Nikon D3. You can see a synthetic comparison.
You can find information that cameras use a different matrix: IMX021 for D300 and IMX038 for D300s (as well as for and). But information varies from source to source. Based on the data from the instructions for the cameras, we can conclude that the Nikon D300s has the same sensor as the Nikon D300 and differs from the sensors installed in and (easy to determine by total). But most sources agree that the D300s uses the IMX038.
The picture in Live View mode on the Nikon D300 slowed down noticeably (there is also a similar problem). On the D300s in Live View mode, the picture is displayed normally.
Nikon D300S uses HDMI type 'C', D300 uses type 'A'.
The menu is slightly different, besides, Nikon D300s can edit the captured material, including RAW files.
It is very strange that the D300S not cured of a serious illness, which the D300 had. Both cameras become very slow when shooting at 14-bit color depth, with a maximum burst rate of a miserable 2.5 fps. For example, a Nikon D3 from the same era chewed 14-bit RAW at 9 fps without any problems. And, which was released between the D300 and D300S, coped with this task without problems at a speed of 8 fps. By the way, the disease with brakes from processing 14-bit RAW files was transmitted (cannot accelerate to 7 fps, works at 6 fps) and (cannot accelerate to 5 fps, works at 4 fps).
My experience
For me, the only major innovations in the D300S were: the ability to work with 2 memory cards, a slight improvement in image quality and an adequate central joystick button. It may seem strange, but just because of one single button, using the D300S is much more convenient. On the D300, I was constantly annoyed by this stupid button that you press while pushing the entire joystick into the camera body, and in the end you can’t press it (instead, one of the joystick directions is pressed).
Nikon D300S is still the best cropped reporting camera. No offense, but all of these are a class below, do not accelerate to 8 frames per second in any way, have a meager buffer, do not have such a durable case and professional management like Nikon D300S.
Attention quote.! This text once came to my mail. The spelling and punctuation of the original has been retained.
“Good afternoon Arkady. I own the BEST Nikon camera ever. And you still haven't reviewed this camera. In general, I think that you should have done a review only on her and EVERYTHING. The rest of Nikon cameras are not even worthy of public attention. There is only ONE best camera and that is the Nikon D300s the best camera for true alpha males! 7 frames per second, the best, 2 CF + SD slots, super ergonomics, shooting 720p video clips, really working ISO3200, 51 autofocus points scattered from edge to edge of the frame (and not knocked down in the center like in. A lot of little things for photos can be found on Aliexpress.
D300S officially discontinued.
‘B.u.-shnuyu’. Nikon D300S sell one and a half to two times more expensive than Nikon D300. Personally, I think that when choosing between the D300 and D300S, the photographer should think 10 times whether he should pay extra for video shooting and a few more small improvements.
Results
Nikon D300s - one of the best Nikon cameras DX ever issued. Many years later, at the beginning of 2016, Nikon D300s received a full-fledged continuation - Nikon D500.