Nikon D300

The Nikon D300 is my main camera, I upgraded from the D40 for the bigger photo sizes and faster burst mode that the D300 offers. The D300 was released in 2007 and has the CMOS sensor which can capture 12 million pixels.

The D300 takes amazing photos and can even take a decent shot up to ISO 1600, which is handy for sports photos on a bad light day. It has superb build quality and robust ‘go anywhere’ feel. Luckily I haven’t dropped it yet, but you get the feeling it would withstand a bump or two.

Like most prosumer/pro DLSR cameras the D300 is rather heavy, not enough to be a problem, however you’d certainly need a camera bag for a day trip. The Nikon branded strap that comes with the camera is useless and digs into the back of your neck after a while. I still waiting for the Luma Loop to be released in the UK, which will solve this issue.

Battery life on the D300 is amazing, I don’t have a spare back up battery for the D300 and so far I’ve never needed one. The camera just shoots and shoots, photographers who use the built-in flash may need an extra battery.

Buttons on the D300 are really easy to use and well placed. Once you’ve familiarised yourself with the camera’s layout, changing settings like ISO, aperture, shutter speed & manual/auto focus can be done without looking.

Overall I’m totally happy with the D300, my next camera will probably be the full frame Nikon D3. For now the price tag on the D3 is above my budget, hopefully in time it’ll come down from it’s current price of £3500 (body only). Having said that… on some days I do miss my little gem the D40, it was light, small and took amazing pictures too.