Buying a D300, yay or nay!?

SilverPenguin · 19 Nov 2008 at 21:10

Is this slightly insane...I'm off to Florida for two weeks next week and I'm taking my 200-400 with me (600 will be too impractical for this visit) and I'm half tempted to pick up a D300 at duty free on the way out. If they have it in stock I should be able to get it for around £760 tax fee. I've been toying with the idea of a second body for a while and the crop factor of the D300 will make it ideal for travel with the 200-400 (effectively giving me back a 600m).

If all else fails and I decide I don't want to keep the D300 I could always sell it on again and not take much hit thanks to saving on the VAT.

Or am I being irrational? lol

pabloB · 19 Nov 2008 at 21:52

SilverPenguin said:
Is this slightly insane...I'm off to Florida for two weeks next week and I'm taking my 200-400 with me (600 will be too impractical for this visit) and I'm half tempted to pick up a D300 at duty free on the way out. If they have it in stock I should be able to get it for around £760 tax fee. I've been toying with the idea of a second body for a while and the crop factor of the D300 will make it ideal for travel with the 200-400 (effectively giving me back a 600m).

If all else fails and I decide I don't want to keep the D300 I could always sell it on again and not take much hit thanks to saving on the VAT.

Or am I being irrational? lol

It's a fantastic camera but wouldn't it actually be cheaper buying in the states? I know the exchange rate isn't as good but stateside I think Nikon are still sold pretty cheap?

ConTRo13R · 19 Nov 2008 at 21:54

OMG that camera is amazing!

I never hang around these parts of the forum as im not a photo buff though i use this camera for my second job! it is totally overkill for what i do lol but my god is it amazing!

SilverPenguin · 19 Nov 2008 at 21:56

I actually think there isn't too much of a saving at the mo, plus I don't think Nikon UK would service it. However I just spoke to a friend of mine about 20 mins ago and he has said he'll buy it off me when I'm back in the UK for what I pay, if I decide not to keep it. So I'll get it anyway now and see how I get on.

ConTRo13R said:
OMG that camera is amazing!

I never hang around these parts of the forum as im not a photo buff though i use this camera for my second job! it is totally overkill for what i do lol but my god is it amazing!

Not as good as my D3 though, which the D300 will be a backup to. I'll be interested to see the high ISO of the D300 though.

pabloB · 19 Nov 2008 at 21:58

SilverPenguin said:
I actually think there isn't too much of a saving at the mo, plus I don't think Nikon UK would service it. However I just spoke to a friend of mine about 20 mins ago and he has said he'll buy it off me when I'm back in the UK for what I pay, if I decide not to keep it. So I'll get it anyway now and see how I get on - being used to my D3 and the high ISO performace that's what I'm worried about the most really, that i've been spoilt. Although in Florida there is no shortage of sun lol

Hehe Well enjoy the new toy - I think you'll be impressed!

A.N.Other · 19 Nov 2008 at 22:00

I've had a play with a friend's D300 (he also uses it as a second body to a D3 - having swapped from a 40D and 1DII when the D3 came out) and I have to say I was very impressed. It is a fantastic camera and in terms of bang for buck, is probably as good as you'll get at the moment.

I don't know how much cheaper you'd be getting it in the States, but if the money's burning a hole in your pocket, then I doubt you'd be disappointed with it.

SilverPenguin · 19 Nov 2008 at 22:02

I won't be getting it in the states. I'll get it duty free in the UK so I can use it out there. At the current exchange rate I think duty free will be cheaper than the states.

I want to see some %100 crops from the higher ISO's to see how it compares to my D3.

A.N.Other · 19 Nov 2008 at 22:27

SilverPenguin said:
I want to see some %100 crops from the higher ISO's to see how it compares to my D3.

Surely some are available through google?

Messiah Khan · 20 Nov 2008 at 08:54

SilverPenguin said:
I won't be getting it in the states. I'll get it duty free in the UK so I can use it out there. At the current exchange rate I think duty free will be cheaper than the states.

I want to see some %100 crops from the higher ISO's to see how it compares to my D3.

While the high ISO performance on the D300 is better than on say a D40, I suspect once you have been used to the ISO performance of the D3 you may be dissapointed by that of the D300. I see your point about the crop factor making up for the lost focal length, but I would be more inclined to get a D700 instead. At least this way you know the ISO performance will be the same as the D3, the focal length and dof will be the same etc and all you will lose is the extra length which you could regain by taking a 1.4X, 1.7X or even 2X converter. Just my 2p.

SilverPenguin · 20 Nov 2008 at 09:48

Messiah Khan said:
While the high ISO performance on the D300 is better than on say a D40, I suspect once you have been used to the ISO performance of the D3 you may be dissapointed by that of the D300. I see your point about the crop factor making up for the lost focal length, but I would be more inclined to get a D700 instead. At least this way you know the ISO performance will be the same as the D3, the focal length and dof will be the same etc and all you will lose is the extra length which you could regain by taking a 1.4X, 1.7X or even 2X converter. Just my 2p.

I was thinking the ISO may not be as good I hope but Florida is bright so may never need to use it at really high ISO. The thing that started the idea off was getting 'extra reach' using the crop sensor so taking a second FF camera doesn't really appeal (I'll be taking my 1.4x anyway but adding that to a 200-400 with a crop sensor is even more reach again..mmm yum). Now my friend has said he'll buy the D300 off me it's not really an issue anyway now I can just sell it to him when I get back

D.P. · 20 Nov 2008 at 10:20

SilverPenguin said:
I actually think there isn't too much of a saving at the mo, plus I don't think Nikon UK would service it. However I just spoke to a friend of mine about 20 mins ago and he has said he'll buy it off me when I'm back in the UK for what I pay, if I decide not to keep it. So I'll get it anyway now and see how I get on.

Not as good as my D3 though, which the D300 will be a backup to. I'll be interested to see the high ISO of the D300 though.

I'm saving my pennies for a D300 (probably the D400 or D800 by the time I have the money).

Many D3 users own a D300 as a back up since the D300 is almost the same as the D3 but with the crop sensor. The same handling, auto focus system, a very solid body.

At base ISO and when not diffraction limited, the D300 gives images very very close to the D3. Very similar Dynamic range as well. The difference comes when upping the gain but the D300 is still one of the best cropped sensors for noise.

I think the 200-400 and D300 combo would be sweet. I don't think you will be disappointed or annoyed using the D300 and 200-400 @ 400 against the D3 and 600, considering the hassle of the latter.

Bluelion · 20 Nov 2008 at 13:33

Echoing Messiah's words - I think you will be a bit disappointed with the D300's high ISO output. I'm happy with it up to ISO800, but then things seem to go rapidly downhill from there possibly in part due to user error and expectation).

I've been dreaming about owning the D3 myself to pair up with the D300. I've lost count of the number of times in the recent dull weather where I've wanted to be up at ISO1600 to get decent shutter speed. I'm holding off at the moment though because:
(a) my camera skill isn't good enough to justify the D3's cost
(b) I'm hoping that the D3x isn't too far off, will be around 18Mp full frame and have similar high ISO properties at the D3.

ps. I'd show you some high ISO images of the D300 with the 200-400, but I'm currently in a minor disagreement with my service provider concerning bandwidth

SilverPenguin · 23 Nov 2008 at 22:18

Well I've got a D300 put by for me to collect for the sum of £787. I'm defo selling it on to my friend when I get back though, it's all agreed now. Will be handy to have the crop sensor though as with the 200-400 and my 1.4x that will get me up to a good quality, handholdable f5.6 850mm (effectively) with VR without the bulk of the 600mm - which I would take if this was an out and out wildlife photographic trip.

ricky1981 · 23 Nov 2008 at 22:37

I've got a D300 and D700 and there is a world of difference in higher ISO performance but I do use the D300 when I want the extra reach and it makes a good backup. When I get a D3 I will sell it on..... probably

SilverPenguin · 23 Nov 2008 at 22:40

I'm hoping I won't need the higher ISO too much as it's much brighter in Florida. What ISO would you go up to on the D300 before you start to push it in terms of too much noise? (and the same with your D700, so I have an idea of your expectations compared to mine)

I'm probably going to see what the D3x brings, if it has a 10 or 12mp crop mode that would suit me nicely

ricky1981 · 23 Nov 2008 at 22:46

Anything above 800 on the D300 is really pretty noisy and I prefer 400 or less as even 800 is noisier than I'd like. On the D700, generally I stick to using auto iso up to a max of 800 and change that to a max of 1600/3200 if I am expecting low light. 3200 is quite noisy but a combination of noise ninja and not blowing prints up too large still gives very decent results in most cases.

This link has a good comparison that matches up very well with what I get

http://www.cameralabs.com/reviews/Nikon_D700/noise.shtml

SilverPenguin · 23 Nov 2008 at 22:55

Cool thanks, that's surprising that you don't really like ISO 800. I thought the D300 was better than that! I usually stick to below 2000 on my D3 but wil go to 3200 if needed so it sounds like your roughly the same as me with noise levels.

That link says with a bit of noise reduction work you can get D700 images at ISO 25,600 to resemble ISO 3200/6400 on the D300!! That's not very good (for the D300 lol).

ricky1981 · 23 Nov 2008 at 23:16

800 is okay but I still have to do some tweaking which isn't great when you're just taking random photos for holidays for example

robmiller · 23 Nov 2008 at 23:32

The D300 is a step ahead of anything else in the DX world though, to be fair. It's got a stop or so on the D2X easily, it's just also a stop or so behind the D3 and D700.

D.P. · 24 Nov 2008 at 08:45

robmiller said:
The D300 is a step ahead of anything else in the DX world though, to be fair. It's got a stop or so on the D2X easily, it's just also a stop or so behind the D3 and D700.

Agreed, it is about 1-1.5 stops behind the D3D700 and 1 stop ahead of the nearest Competitors (Canon 40d maybe). Perhaps 1.5-2 stops ahead of Canon 50D.
At least 2 stops ahead of the Sony A900.

And of Course, Nikon's noise removal approach usually preserves details better than the competitors.