The more you understand it, the less you will want any other DSLR
I am beginning to agree to this advertising statement from Nikon. I put this baby through some portrait shoot today, and shot some 150 pics. While I'm still far from understanding it inside out, initial impressions are that this is something no nikon user could have imagined 5 months ago. I'm not going to bore people with the usual specs, you should know them if you managed to find my blog. This is purely my personal opinion, coming from the nikon d70.
Build and ergonomics
The d70 feels like a toy next to this thing. The softer, stickier rubber used on the already well sculpted body ensures a very comfortable grip. The MB-D10 is almost indespensible if one shoots portrait orientation often. The battery grip, I believe, is the most well made grip ever. (don't know about the F6's grip though). It's revolutionary design means that it has a slimmer profile, and batteries are loaded just like the pro bodies. Solid, with no creaks and hardly any movement even when I mounted the d300 + grip + 80-200 f2.8 on a tripod via the grip's tripod socket. Yes.. it's the closest thing to an integrated grip as I can imagine.
Viewfinder is 100%. Real 100%. Users of D200/D80 would not find any difference in size, but the 100% is CRUCIAL to framing portraits. I can now be confident that I cropped off the body parts at appropriate positions. I can now be confident the space around the subject is just right. Put it shortly, I can frame the shot just like I would crop it in post process.
The LCD
No need to shoot tethered to a laptop on commercial shoots now. Enough said.
The Colours
I loaded up the D2XModeI for a portrait shoot today. While amatuer models would tweak the rendition for a more punchy look, it screws up skintones, making people look jaundiced. This mode got me very natural skintones. Smooth and detailed, replicated pretty darn close to what my eyes perceive. Awesome. No more orangy arms, or magenta faces. Just like I want it to be.
The CAM3500DX 51pt AF module
51pt dynamic 3D tracking may not be the most accurate method for sports, but it is pretty darn useful for portraits. I could concentrate on composition while the model strolls down the road. No need for the subject to stay in selected focus point. The camera takes care of it all, and you could actually see the AF points light up wherever the face is. Something like face-detection on point and shoots. Cool stuff.
Handling and feel
I remembered how intrigued I was when I moved from FZ30 to D70, and as I move to D300, I was equally stunned. Employing a 'soft' spring on the shutter release buttons, I can almost trigger the camera by instinct. I can take a picture before I actually realise it. Wow.
I am beginning to agree to this advertising statement from Nikon. I put this baby through some portrait shoot today, and shot some 150 pics. While I'm still far from understanding it inside out, initial impressions are that this is something no nikon user could have imagined 5 months ago. I'm not going to bore people with the usual specs, you should know them if you managed to find my blog. This is purely my personal opinion, coming from the nikon d70.
Build and ergonomics
The d70 feels like a toy next to this thing. The softer, stickier rubber used on the already well sculpted body ensures a very comfortable grip. The MB-D10 is almost indespensible if one shoots portrait orientation often. The battery grip, I believe, is the most well made grip ever. (don't know about the F6's grip though). It's revolutionary design means that it has a slimmer profile, and batteries are loaded just like the pro bodies. Solid, with no creaks and hardly any movement even when I mounted the d300 + grip + 80-200 f2.8 on a tripod via the grip's tripod socket. Yes.. it's the closest thing to an integrated grip as I can imagine.
Viewfinder is 100%. Real 100%. Users of D200/D80 would not find any difference in size, but the 100% is CRUCIAL to framing portraits. I can now be confident that I cropped off the body parts at appropriate positions. I can now be confident the space around the subject is just right. Put it shortly, I can frame the shot just like I would crop it in post process.
The LCD
No need to shoot tethered to a laptop on commercial shoots now. Enough said.
The Colours
I loaded up the D2XModeI for a portrait shoot today. While amatuer models would tweak the rendition for a more punchy look, it screws up skintones, making people look jaundiced. This mode got me very natural skintones. Smooth and detailed, replicated pretty darn close to what my eyes perceive. Awesome. No more orangy arms, or magenta faces. Just like I want it to be.
The CAM3500DX 51pt AF module
51pt dynamic 3D tracking may not be the most accurate method for sports, but it is pretty darn useful for portraits. I could concentrate on composition while the model strolls down the road. No need for the subject to stay in selected focus point. The camera takes care of it all, and you could actually see the AF points light up wherever the face is. Something like face-detection on point and shoots. Cool stuff.
Handling and feel
I remembered how intrigued I was when I moved from FZ30 to D70, and as I move to D300, I was equally stunned. Employing a 'soft' spring on the shutter release buttons, I can almost trigger the camera by instinct. I can take a picture before I actually realise it. Wow.
8fps is just ecstacy. I have no use for it now, except maybe to draw some unwanted attention. But knowing that you have such an option is a definite boost to one's confidence.
Oh yes, I've asked this question many times but seldom will people answer me. There IS a noticable improvement in focusing speed when the 8 AAs are loaded. Add that to the inherent improvement over the D70, my all AFD arsenal of lens just got more responsive.
AF Fine tuning
I can now ensure that my lens won't back/front focus. They are now TACK sharp. You won't think this is important until you start shooting 12mpx files. This is the way to ensure every single ounce of detail is squeezed out of your prized lenses.
A point to note though, there can be compatibility problems with 3rd party lenses. My d300 cannot tell a tokina 12-24 from a tamron 17-50... but very very luckily, both my lenses require the same compensation. Phew!
Metering with non-cpu lens
Shot with my AIS 50mm f1.4 indoors. It can matrix meter, and do ITTL flash. No problem. Turning the aperture ring automatically updates the camera. DOF preview is also possible. The large viewfinder makes manual focusing easier, though it's still a far cry from the prism split screens on the FM. But I no longer need to guess the exposure with my 50mm. Every single shot is well exposed, vibrant and colourful. I now know how optically wonderful this lens actually is.
Extras extras extras!!!
The more I read into the thick manual, the more surprises are revealed, all contributing to making the D300 one of the most customizable camera ever built.
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