Nikon D300s 12.3MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II Lens

Comment

I have a lot of nikon dslrs, including full frame models. I kept buying newer models, falling for the hype of mega-pixels equal quality, only to load larger file sizes onto my crowded computer hard drive, but not better than I shot with my older models. When I checked on the soon to be scarce new-in-box D300s, and found that I could get this camera for just over half price, I impulsively grabbed one. The was a great disission on my part. I have had this camera for one month today, and have shot several thousand exposures. The metering in this camera kills my D7100, and the more managible files are not a problem. I will use my full frame cameras indoors where I expect to use high ISOs, but my everyday, never leave home without it camera is now the old "outdated" D300s.

Show more

Comment

The D300s is the best camera in the DX format available today. The camera is extremely accurate and fast in autofocus mode and shoots a fast 6 fps. Compared to D90 or lower, this model focuses VERY fast. Sometime with my D90 I literally watch it go into and out of focus as its trying to lock on the object. The D300s just blasts into focus as quick as can be. Two cards, one CF, one SDHC make recording in both RAW/NEF and JPEG much easier to manage (recording one format to one card, the other to the other card, you get to pick). And dont worry if do not have a CF card reader, the included USB cable makes connecting it to your PC or Mac as ease as connecting the USB to the camera and to the PC/Mac-no reader necessary. The controls are a bit much for a prosumer user but the good news is you can learn them over time and still shoot great shots right out of the box. The PSAM dial is there and works wonderful--although unlike the D90/D60/D40 it is located on the right side of the camera via the MODE button and the command dial. I actually like this setup better. Please note, there are no consumer "scene modes" (auto, fast, night, macro, etc.) but the "P" mode (program mode) is the only "auto everything" setting you should be using anyway, and it works very well. For the pros, this camera is built like a tank--its fits and feels well in the hand and has enough mass to counter any long lens balance. The bottom line on this camera is WOW! Having said all that. If you are deciding between the D300s and the D90 or its follow-on camera (due within months after this review is being written) and cost is a factor, then youve already made your decision; go with the D90. If cost isnt an issue and faster focus is important, go with the D300s. The D90 takes pictures nearly as good as the D300s for half the price. The D90 has a harden plastic body. The D300s has a magnesium alloy body and is weather proof. The D90 has about the same height and width of the D40 and D60 but is thicker. The D90, just the like D300s has the top control LCD to see your settings. However, the size of that top LCD is smaller on the D90 and you really cant read most settings unless your under 30 years old, this is NOT an issue with the D300s, so bring your reading glasses at hand if you go with the D90. Recommendation: You will love this camera if DX sensors are the size you prefer. Its the best thing Nikon offers today. I will say this, however, unlike virtually everyone else Ive spoken with, the D300s is a big change from the D300 and the D200. It is a lot more modern design and the controls are improved for the better and the LCD preview screen on the back is much better. Like all Nikons, the D300s video feature isnt very good. One thing many people do not realize is that AutoFocus does NOT work in Video mode. So you have to lock down the focus and then shoot. If the subject moves out of range, you have to stop, refocus and start shooting again. This is what film makers do, not consumers. So dont buy a DSLR (today) for its video capabilities.

Show more

Comment

I bought a Nikon D90 back in October of 2009 from Amazon. It was a step up from a Nikon D50. I thought the D90 would meet my needs but it fell short in focus speed and the ability to support my growing desire for HDR photography. I finally broke down and bought the D300s when I was able to get it from Amazon during a "short" window sale price of $1449. Boy, am I am happy I broke down and bought this camera! The D90 doesnt hold a candle to this camera even though it share a lot of the same components. One of my favorite features is using the programmable button to select bracketing, and this camera supports from 3 to 9 EVs as compared to only 3 with my D90! Wow! If you are a serious amateur photographer trying to decide between the D90 or D300s, spend the extra dough and spring for the D300s. I promise you wont regret it. The 51 point focus system is sooooo much faster and accurate than the 11-point D90. Also, the camera controls are far superior to the D90 for making changes to the shooting/focusing settings during shooting. No more taking the camera down from your face to make changes, thus missing that perfect moment or composition. Finally, stepping up from 1/4000th to 1/8000th shutter speed is a huge difference! Assuming you have enough light and a fast enough lens, the extra shutter speed allows you to stop motion and see things youve never seen before. Im a true convert on the D300s and feel confident that I wont miss another photo moment due to focus or exposure limitations. BTW ... I am a Sigma lens convert and all of the Sigma lens work flawlessly with the D300s. After having owned and used Nikon, Tamron, and Sigma lens, Ive found that Sigma is by far the best lens for the money. I hope Sigma maintains a lower market share so that I can continue to own great lens for half the costs of those overpriced competitors. :)

Show more

Comment

After much research I moved from a Nikon D70s to the D300s. I was very happy with the D70s however I needed a larger pixel count for the large prints I prefer to make (13x19"+). I agree with many pros that have advised that you dont need more than 8MP if you are producing 8x10s or even 11x14 full frame in most cases. If you go beyond that print size or crop severely for 11x14s, then a larger pixel count is where you need to be. The D300s has been a perfect camera for me. I certainly put it in the prosumer category. It should not be your first camera. If you shoot mostly Auto or like to point and shoot, the D300s is not for you even if you have the money. It is very full-featured/complex camera and to get good pictures and your moneys worth you need to be willing to invest the time to learn its many modes and capabilities. It is capable of shooting great pictures in very low light or in fast moving scenes with its wide ISO range, very low noise and advanced focus system. The ergonomics feel just right to me unlike many Canons I have tried. It has good balance and a very solid feel (metal frame). I shoot often with a Nikon 70-200mm f2.8 VR that is heavy and a good grip and balance is important for me. I have found the color and resolution to be superb. I easily get professional (saleable) 13 x19" prints working through Lightroom 2.5 and Photoshop CS4 to a Canon Pro 9000 MkII printer. The D300s many focus, white balance and color modes are a great help in a rapidly changing shoot. I have programmed several custom settings for both studio and outdoor work. Its great to be able to shift multiple camera settings with one button push. The "Info" button alone should keep you from buying the D300 vs D300s. The dual memory card setup is also great. I switch between using the second card as a backup for important shoots to using it in overflow mode when Im out for a long shoot. I shoot RAW most of the time and the safety of the overflow mode keeps me in the shooting flow so I dont have to stop, lose the mood and change memory cards. I often add a power grip when Im using multi-Speedlight set-ups with a remote commander. The Nikon Remote Commander can draw down the main battery over the course of a long studio shoot. Otherwise the battery will easily do a full day and hundreds of shots. The Info button instantly shows you battery condition as a % in both the main and power grip. Nice upgrade so you dont have to look at a little battery icon and guess. I am very happy with the D300s and highly recommend it if you are looking for a solid, pro-level camera. It has performed flawlessly for me. Amazon (B&H Photo) remains perfect for me with great price and on time delivery.

Show more

Comment

The easiest way to describe a cameras functional success is to understand the photographers use and background in my opinion. So to begin, I would like to mention that I am a part-time professional photographer. I mainly shoot weddings, but have also done portraits and pet photography. I have a full time job, and enjoy doing photography in my free time as a source of creative expression - and also a bonus paycheck. Now, onto the camera. This is the 3rd Nikon DSLR that I have owned. I got into the digital landscape early with the D70 despite the doubt from friends and family. I then upgraded to the D80, while still at college as it was a nice upgrade, but affordable for a college student with serious photography ambitions. When I started to get serious with wedding photography a few months ago, I spent weeks browsing Amazons reviews for Nikon DSLRs. I finally settled on the D300s and am glad I did. I love the camera. Its fast, easy to use and provides plenty of personalizing the functions to suit my needs. This customization is by far the biggest plus of the camera. Having set my camera for quick bracketing, it allows me to not worry about exposures or the details at a wedding when capturing the moment. The setting dials allow for quick switches between priority modes as well as controlling the aperture and shutter in manual mode. The body feels secure in my hands and the weight is very manageable. Nikon should also be given credit for their battery design as I can shoot for an entire wedding (6+ hours) on just half a battery - negating the need to worry about multiple backups. The dual card slots are also great as the D80 recorded to SD whereas the D300s records to CF primarily, and my SD card selection was already pretty big. Being able to save files to the SD as a backup of the CF image is a great tool, although I primarily use the SD card to record any video. The video in itself is a nice bonus, but by no means should you consider this as a stand alone video camera. Focus is manual and controlling the exposure can be difficult. It does take nice video at 720p, but there are better cameras out there for video. All in all - it has been a fantastic purchase and I have loved using it with no plans of upgrading in the immediate future. I highly recommend this camera.

Show more

Comment

I started with the D40. Obviously, theres no comparison between the two performance wise, so let me stick with functionality. First, one of the things that drove me crazy with the D40 was having to navigate menus to change key settings like the meter, autofocus type, autofocus method. With the D300s, those settings are now at the flick of a switch on the camera body which is exactly what I was looking for in my next camera. And that is the key difference between the D300s and the more basic offerings. I didnt use the pre-programmed settings for portrait, landscape, etc. on the D40 and didnt want them. Bam! Theyre gone now. Now, heres the downside. Ive had the camera for a few months now and am still trying to learn how best to use all of the controls. While I have many of them down, there is a lot to learn. I have found that as the specs point out that noise starts creeping in at 800 ISO or so, but you learn how to live with it. The big debate going on now is when will a replacement for this arrive like a D400. Well, with the events that have unfolded, we dont know what the impact will be. I was surprised to see the price start heading up after I made my purchase. Regardless, if you are in the market for a camera like this and are OK with the price, go for it. I dont think you will be disappointed. If shooting high ISO is a big deal, then this may not be your best choice. However, the need for high ISO is partially driven by the lenses you choose. As far as cameras go, I really love the D300s. It was everything I was wanting and more.

Show more

Comment

I bought a D300s a few months ago. I like it. I like the way it handles, and I have been getting some great pictures. It was a choice between D90 and this model, but what swayed me to springing for the more expensive camera was its full compatibility with older Nikon lenses. I have several older lenses, even one AI conversion, and it does work superbly with them. You can record all your old lenses (AI or AIS) in its memory, and it will work fully with these lenses - except of course autofocus. The older autofocus lenses will work 100%. If you dont have old Nikon lenses, you would have to decide for yourself if the extra features of the D300s are worth the money. I think Ken Rockwell is right about sugesting that you should move up to the D700, but the additional $1000 was tough for me to justify. (The D700 has a full frame sensor.) Since this is my first digital SLR, I had to get used to the images not being perfectly sharp when you magnify the image a lot. You see square pixels, not a smooth line. In retrospect, I might have gone the extra grand for the D700 to improve on this characteristic. But, Im still happy with the D300s. If you dont have Nikon lenses already, I would consider the D90 or the D700 first.

Show more

Comment

I am a committed amateur photographer since 1980s. This is absolutely a dream camera for enjoy taking pictures. Reviews are many and some very long. I just can say that the camera has a robust body and thats important for me because I carry my camera everywere and I need not to worry that it is going to get damage. It is a little bit heavy but you get used to it fast ... feels like a "real camera for real photographers". Has pleanty of "gadgets" for taking pictures as you wish: program, speed, aperture ... manual....etc. Flash "bracketing" is gorgeous !!!!! . Remember: DX is 1,5 FX .... that means: a 50 mm DX lens = 75 mm FX lens .... ok, I agree: THIS IS NOT A HIGH QUALITY VIDEOCAMERA, do not expect to put in one device your camera + videocamera (just give Nikon some time ...), This is a Dream Camera that let you record some videos when you dont want or not have your videocamera close to you. Ahhhh, Battery: For me its oK, it gives me more than 300 pics, 2 - 3 days of heavy use. Last: Owners manual is BIG so get ready to read and practice a lot to enjoy the investment in this dream toy.

Show more

Comment

So i bought this camera as an upgrade to my D300. ive been in love with the D300 for as long as i had it even while using a D3 in college. ill spare a review of the original and just talk about the D300s. the camera is amazingly built even better than the original, and thats saying a lot. everything about it gives me confidence in holding it. the image quality is phenomenal, with no noise, amazing dynamic range, and great ability to restore shadows and highlights in RAW files. the SD card slot also helps a great deal. i can now shoot the JPG files to it, and look them over on the macbook pro, which has an SD slot, then edit the RAW files on my desktop. having a dedicated live view button is nice, and allows you to remain in your shooting speed (S, CL, CH). you simply press the multi-selectors center button to start a movie. speaking of which, the image quality is fantastic, and focusing is very easy even when recording, since the screen is bright and very sharp. as for the file size of the videos, i was unable to find any information online, so ill post it here for you reading. for a 30 second clip at 720p, you can expect file size to be up to 90MB, depending on the subject. the one unfortunate thing, and you cant save your settings from a D300 and import them to the 300s. overall, after having the camera for 3 days, and already using it on a serious shoot, i have to say its an even better camera that i was expecting and there is nothing about it i feel like its missing.

Show more

Comment

I purchased this camera to replace my Nikon d80. This is a solid performing dSLR. The entire frame is metal and durable I am convinced it could take a few falls though I never tested it. It is also sealed to be weather proof another feature I did not test, but I did use it in conditions with sand and mist such as the beach with little issues. It can take pictures very quickly as long as your memory card has the speed to handle it. I am told if you add the battery pack to this camera it will shoot another frame per second quicker. Though this camera is dated where picture quality may not be as ideal as needed, the camera itself is very capable and would make a great durable spare. Keep in mind the camera will add a bit of extra weight and space to your bag.

Show more