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| Click photo for more images of the Nikon D300. |
Nikon could have played it safe. By just tweaking its highly rated D200, the company could have come out with a camera priced closer to Canon's new 10.1MP EOS 40D ($1,300, street, body only). Instead, the engineers went wild, revamping everything from the viewfinder to the sensor, adding live view, and taking such pro-level features as the 51-zone AF system from the new Nikon D3 ($5,000, body only).
The result: the new 12.3MP D300 ($1,800, body only).
Now, after our Lab and field tests, it's clear that Nikon made the right decision. We're so convinced of it that the editors of Pop Photo named the D300 The Camera of the Year 2007 -- and in the face of heated competition in the middleweight DSLR class from the just-as-new 10.1MP Olympus E-3 ($1,700, body only) and 12.2MP Sony Alpha 700 ($1,400, body only).
From the outside, the D300 looks a lot like the D200. But what's on the inside pushed the D300 to new performance records in the Pop Photo Lab:
• It's the first DSLR to earn an Excellent image quality rating from ISO 200 all the way up to ISO 3200.
• It sports the fastest (and most sophisticated) AF we've tested so far.
A major factor in the D300's stellar image quality is the new Sony-made 12.3MP (effective) CMOS sensor that captures RAW data with up to 14 bits of color per red, green, and blue channels. Most other DSLRs in this class only provide 12 bits per channel. This gives the D300 an advantage in reproducing fine color gradations, shadow details, and wider dynamic range. But it also increases the file size of images recorded in the 14-bit mode (selectable over normal 12-bit RAW).
To handle this tsunami of data, Nikon turned to the D3's new high-speed EXPEED image processor. Not only does it move RAW data, but it also works its noise-reduction, dynamic-range, and color-algorithm magic on stored JPEGs.
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What's Hot
• Excellent image quality from ISO 200 to 3200.
• 51-zone AF that's super-fast and sensitive in low light.
• Sharp 3-inch LCD with live view.
• Shoots up to 100 JPEGs at 6 fps.
• HD video output from HDMI cable.
What's not
• No built-in image stabilization.
• Blackout time in live view when using Phase Detection AF.
• No interchangeable focusing screens.
Who's This For?
Advanced shooters who crave pro performance. Pros who want a backup body for the D3.
Competitive Set
• Sony Alpha 700
• Olympus E-3
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Results from the Pop Photo Lab show how well this works on Fine-quality JPEGs:
• Excellent image quality, ISO 200-3200.
• Excellent color accuracy, ISO 200-1600.
• Excellent resolution, up to ISO 6400.
• Noise levels, Extremely Low at ISO 200 to only Moderate at ISO 6400.
The only reason the D300 didn't earn an Excellent image quality rating at ISO 6400 was the higher noise levels in shadows.
Since the EXPEED processor leaves RAW data pretty much alone, other than applying some data compression or converting 14-bit color to 12-bit to save space (all options you can select), RAW files processed in the supplied ViewNX software don't get the full benefit of the processor's noise-reduction savvy. As a result, noise ratings for RAW images are noticeably higher than for JPEGs when using that utility. However, our test results confirm that the noise reduction algorithms in Nikon's RAW converter, Capture NX version 1.3, match or exceed the noise reduction capabilities of the EXPEED processor.
In the past, Nikon charged extra for Capture NX, while other manufacturers included a solid RAW converter with their cameras. Now that's finally changed. NX now ships with Nikon's D300 and D3, allowing advanced exposure, white balance, and lens-distortion correction, D-lighting and sharpening tools, and the powerful U-Point technology (with an assortment of filters) inherited from Nik Software, Inc.[Nikon originally stated that Capture NX would be included in the software bundle. That was updated after we went to press. A trial version is included, and the full version of Capture NX is available for $129 street price.]
Bang, Bang, Bang
If you're a sports photographer and photojournalist, then you might want to stick with the amazing low-light image quality and burst capacity of Fine-quality JPEGs, and leave RAW (or RAW + JPEG) to those who can accept the hit to burst capacity and have time to process the files later. After all, the D300 captures up to 100 Fine-quality JPEGs at 6 frames per second (tested with a 16GB Kingston Elite Pro 133X CompactFlash card).
At 6 fps, the D300 gulps down 19 RAW files, two more than the Canon EOS 40D. While the Canon, with its 6.5 fps up to 160 images, outguns the Nikon in JPEG mode, the D300 has slightly more data to process due to its higher-megapixel sensor, which delivers 5-10 percent more data than the Canon. You can boost the D300's burst rate to 8 fps with the MB-D10 Multi-Power Battery pack or an AC adapter.
The Sony A700, which has a sensor with similar resolution, stores more RAW files (up to 20) and JPEGs (unlimited depending on card speed and capacity) but at 5 fps.
The EXPEED image processor also cuts startup time (Nikon claims 0.13 sec), enables true HDTV video output (via an HDMI connector), and serves up dynamic-range enhancements in the Active D-Lighting controls. When turned on, Active D-Lighting manages high-contrast scenes by preventing blown-out highlights without blocking up shadow details, much like Sony's Dynamic Range Enhancement. For NEF RAW files, Capture NX software must be used to apply D-lighting adjustments.
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