The Nikon D300 is a 12.3-megapixel professional DX format digital single-lens reflex camera that Nikon Corporation announced on 23 August 2007 along with the Nikon D3 FX format camera. It is designated by Nikon as the ultimate in DX format performance . It is quite similar to the D700, with the main difference being that the D300 uses a DX sensor instead of an FX sensor. It offers both high resolution and high speed (being able to capture 6 frames per second, and 8 frames per second with the addition of an optional MB-D10 battery pack). As with most Nikon DX-format DSLRs, the Nikon D300 and MB-D10 are manufactured in Ayuthaya, Thailand. The D300 was officially discontinued by Nikon on September 11, 2009, replacing it with the Nikon D300s, released July 30, 2009.

The D300 has not only a built in autofocus motor for all Nikon autofocus-lenses, but includes CPU and metering for older Nikon F-mount AI/AI-S lenses. Additionally, like the Nikon D3, D3X, D700 and D300s, the D300 supports PC-E lenses.

Features

• Nikon DX format CMOS sensor
• 1.5x field of view crop
• 12.3 megapixel sensor
• Magnesium alloy weather sealed body
• Nikon F-mount lenses
• Active D-Lighting (3 levels)
• 3D Color Matrix Metering II, using a 1005 pixel RGB sensor. Including matrix, center weight, and spot metering with AI and AIS manual focus lenses produced since 1977
• Automatic correction of lateral chromatic aberration.
• Retouch menu includes filter type, hue, crop, D-light, Mono (Black and White, Cyanotype or Sepia).
• Multi-CAM 3500DX autofocus module with 51 sensors in normal mode; Single Servo and Continuous Servo focus modes, advanced focus tracking modes, selectable Single Area AF, Dynamic area AF, Group Dynamic AF, and Closest Subject Priority Dynamic AF
• Live View Mode
• Built-in Sensor cleaning (using ultrasound) helps to remove the dust from sensor
• Six frame-per-second continuous shooting for up to 100 JPEG, up to eight frame-per-second with optional MB-D10 battery grip with eight AA batteries, EN-EL4 or EN-EL4a battery installed.
• 3.0 inch 921,600 dots LCD display (640 × 480 VGA, 307,200 RGB pixels resolution)
• 10-pin remote and flash sync terminals on camera

• GPS compatible
• EN-EL3e lithium-ion battery 7.4V/1500 MAH offering up to 1800 shots per charge, according to Nikon; with advanced battery information available in camera menus.
• ISO 200–3200, selectable in 1/3, 1/2 or 1 stop increments. Additionally ISO 100 and ISO 6400 available with ISO Boost. Selectable in camera ISO noise reduction, applied in post-processing.
• Built-in Speedlight offers balanced fill-flash with Nikon's i-TTL flash system, and can fire in commander mode for wireless off-camera firing of other speedlights; controlling up to two groups of speedlights with individual exposure compensation.
• File formats include JPEG, TIFF, NEF (Nikon's raw image format compressed and uncompressed), and JPEG+NEF (JPEG size/quality selectable)

Reception

The Nikon D300 was announced on August 23, 2007. Outdoor Photographer, Shutterbug Magazine, and the UK magazine, "What Digital Camera" presented initial 'First Look' reviews. Imaging Resource and Photocrati also did their own initial reviews. DCR and Camera Labs have full reviews of the D300. Digital Review Canada compares it to the older Nikon D200. Popular Photography named the Nikon D300 for their official "Camera of the Year 2007" award. The magazine also reviewed the camera, and noted at that time that Nikon Capture NX software was packaged with the camera; more recent packages include a 30-day trial version.

Accessories and Software Upgrades

MB-D10 Multi Power Battery Pack

The MB-D10 is an optional accessory battery pack that provides a vertical grip as well as additional shutter release and autofocus buttons, command dials and focus point selection control.

The MB-D10 allows the D300 to be powered by an additional EN-EL3e battery or AA batteries. An optional carrier is available which allows for an EN-EL4 or EN-EL4a battery to be installed instead. The camera can be configured to assign priority to either the internal EN-EL3e battery or the MB-D10 grip such that the other battery is used only when the primary battery is dead.

The D300 can shoot 8 frames per second with the MB-D10 & AA/EN-EL4/EN-EL4a battery installed, otherwise the camera is limited to a 6 frames per second 'shooting' mode. The MB-D10 is also compatible with the D700 but not the D200.

'D2X Mode' and firmware upgrade

On January 15, 2008, Nikon released three additional picture control modes for the D300 which emulate the D2X/D2XS color modes I, II and III.

On February 14, 2008, Nikon released a firmware upgrade which resolves an issue where vertical banding can occur when long exposure noise reduction is enabled for shutter speeds of 8 seconds and slower.

Notes

1. Kenrockwell.com: Nikon Lens Compatibility
2. Kenrockwell.com: Nikon 24mm PC-E Compatibility
3. Photocrati: Nikon D300 Review

External links

• D300 Nikon global site
• D300 Nikon USA site
• Nikon D300 Operation Manual