D7000 or D300s

Umm I think it depends on your usage, the D7000 has a better sensor so it's the preferred route unless you really need a feature that only the D300s has.
 
D3 is you can afford it, my girlfriend has a D300 though and she says it's just as good as the S version
 
I prefer the form factor of the D7K when gripped, although I had a go with a gripped D300 yesterday and it was pretty nice tbh.
If it was me, I'd go for the D7K as you just can't get better image quality without going FF.
One feature that doesn't seem to get talked about much, is just how good it's auto WB is. it's seriously accurate even compared to my D700, which I presume the D300 has the same gubbins as.
 
Yeah I have a D300 as well, it's been a great camera but tech just keeps on getting better, it's a 2 odd year old design now :p

It'll be interesting to see what the D400 & D800 are like next year.

Oh that's a point, if your just getting in to photography then maybe a 2nd hand D300 would be fine, they are pretty cheap now and leaves more for lenses, the camera bodies devalue the quickest. Then when your really in to it and know what you need you can splash out on a newer body.
 
DanF said:
Yeah I have a D300 as well, it's been a great camera but tech just keeps on getting better, it's a 2 odd year old design now :p

It'll be interesting to see what the D400 & D800 are like next year.

Oh that's a point, if your just getting in to photography then maybe a 2nd hand D300 would be fine, they are pretty cheap now and leaves more for lenses, the camera bodies devalue the quickest. Then when your really in to it and know what you need you can splash out on a newer body.
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I have been into photography for a fair few years now and this camera will be replacing my ageing D40 and D90.
 
Well the D300s and D90 have a very similar sensor so the only way to get an image upgrade will be the D7k. The only thing the 300 has over the 90 is a few features, I guess you'll know if they are important to you.
 
Avoid the D7000 it lacks features for the cost, go for the D300. My girlfriend had a D40X, My dad has a D90 and they were both looking at a D7000 opted for the D300 instead, more value for money

Where exactly are you getting this camera from? Avoid the London Camera Exchange, they're only interested if you're buying stuff. My girlfriend had a problem with her D40X and because it didn't come up with any error codes they weren't interested, in the end she had to take a photo on her phone of the shutter sticking (it was a second hand camera) before they even believed her
 
Jay794 said:
Avoid the D7000 it lacks features for the cost, go for the D300. My girlfriend had a D40X, My dad has a D90 and they were both looking at a D7000 opted for the D300 instead, more value for money

Where exactly are you getting this camera from? Avoid the London Camera Exchange, they're only interested if you're buying stuff. My girlfriend had a problem with her D40X and because it didn't come up with any error codes they weren't interested, in the end she had to take a photo on her phone of the shutter sticking (it was a second hand camera) before they even believed her
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It seriously doesn't, the only noteworthy thing I can think of is the smaller buffer and the fact it uses SD cards may not make it ideal for sports, although a fast card improves things allot.
 
The obly advantage the D300/s has is slightly better focussing, faster write speeds, slightly larger buffer and even mroe solid build quality. I.e., if you shoot sports significantly, or you work in a war zone, then the D300 has serious consideration. Otherwise the D7K wlaks all over the D300. Don't be mistaken, the D7K has outstandign focusing and build quality, and the IQ is 2nd to none.

The images form the D7K are unbelieveably good.
 
I had a similar decision to make and I opted for the D7K with 18-105mm VR kit lens, I’m very impressed with the build quality and images it produces.

I have also added to it a 50mm f1.8 and a 70-300mm VR and I feel I now have the perfect set up as it covers any situation that would arise.
 
I'd actually hesitate personally, The D7000 is nice features wise but it's heritage is very consumer/D90 and I really don't like it's control set compared to the Pro bodies (I'm using 'Pro' here the way Nikon do - D300/s, D700, D3x/s). I can't get on with the lack of physical switches for AF modes, metering etc. but if you've never had them you won't miss them.

I also don't like the size, too small with serious glass (and I also, while I'm being grumpy, don't like battery grips for various reasons, mostly to do with them being pointless bulk enhancing poor approximations of a D3 style grip which are at best OK until you've actually used a D3). Anyhow...

The AF is probably better on the D300s, the CAM3500 system is still current in the D3s and although it's a little slower in the D300s (processor I'd guess) it gets wider frame coverage (FX AF array overlaid on DX field of view at the end of the day).

Unless you have experience of the 'pro' level bodies the D7000 is probably the best bet, if you do though you may find it's prosumer roots annoying.
 
I don't think on paper there is any reason to buy a D300S over a D7000.

But, the D300S is a pro build quality camera, has a 51 point focus system, and slightly faster fps.

But, the D7000 has a better video setup with contrast AF, more megapixels and 'better' image quality.

It's a tough one, but if video is unimportant, I'd be tempted by a used D300/S and spend the difference on lenses...

Personally, I've ignored the D7000 because of it's button layout, and general handling. Once you've used the pro bodies, it's difficult to get used to anything else.
 
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I'd go D300s. While the quality is very slightly better from the D7000 at high ISO and is slightly better for video, the build, AF and form factor/layout of the D300s would sway me. You'd struggle to push either the D300s or D7000 in terms of image quality i.e. you wouldn't be limited by either, but you may well find yourself limited by not being able to swap modes quickly enough on the D7k, or having AF just a tad too slow, and big pro zooms on a D7000 will feel rather silly imo.

You might want to wait for the D400 though, even if you don't go for it, it will push the D300s second hand prices right down.
 
No doubt the D7000 has a better sensor really, I just don't like the body it's in. I'm actually surprised the D300s is as close as it is in those tests, it's wasn't really a fantastic body in low light when it was released.
 
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