For the most part, with the D300, Nikon has stuck with the tried-and-true body design and interface of the D200, offering a body-only box of the D300 as well as two kits: one with a DX 18mm-135mm f/3.5-5.6G ED AF lens (27mm-202.5mm equivalent with the camera’s 1.5x crop factor) and one with a DX 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR lens (27mm-300mm equivalent). CNET tested the latter kit, and tell us-

“As for photo quality, the D300 delivers great results, with a visibly superior noise profile to the D200 as well as to the Sony DSLR-A700 (which uses the same sensor). At their best, photos are sharp, with excellent exposures, accurate colors, and broad tonal ranges. Flash with the SB-800 Speedlight unit especially showed off how well the metering system works, with none of the harsh, overexposed look that I frequently get on the most difficult shots. (For more details on the photo quality, click through the slide show.)

Although the lack of in-body stabilization can be a big liability for certain users, and its interface not quite as streamlined as I’d like, these negatives are more than offset by the great performance and class-leading photo quality delivered by the Nikon D300–earning it an Editors’ Choice.”

The Nikon D300

Nikon D300 DX 12.3MP
Our Price: $2,449.95

Average Customer Rating: Average rating of 5.0/5Average rating of 5.0/5Average rating of 5.0/5Average rating of 5.0/5Average rating of 5.0/5
Buy a Nikon D300 DX 12.3MP

D300 Features
12.3-megapixel captures enough detail for poster-size photo-quality prints
Kit includes 18-200mm f3.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S VR DX Nikkor zoom lens
3.0-inch LiveView LCD display; new 51-point AF system
In burst mode, shoots up to 100 shots at full 12.3-megapixel resolution
Self-cleaning sensor unit; magnesium alloy construction with rubber gaskets and seals

Suggested D300 Accessories
Nikon 85mm f/2.8 PC Micro Nikkor Manual Focus Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras
Nikon 24mm f/2.8D AF Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras
Nikon 28mm f/2.8D AF Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras
Related ItemsNikon MB-D10 Multi Power Battery Pack for Nikon D300 DSLR Cameras
Nikon 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 G ED-IF AF-S VR DX Zoom-Nikkor Lens
TechPower Premium Battery for Nikon D300 Digital Camera

Nikon D300 DX details

Includes Nikon 18-200 Zoom Lens / Auto and Manual Focus and Exposure Modes / CompactFlash Memory Card Slot / Video HDMI and USB outputs

TTL full-aperture exposure metering Integrated Dust Reduction System with self-cleaning ultrasonic sensor unit minimizes degradation of image quality due to dust particles

Two LiveView shooting modes, Hand-held or Tripod is perfect when shooting in a studio, remote situations or from challenging angles

Picture Control settings give photographers dramatically advanced color control with 4 preset options - Standard, Neutral, Vivid and Monochrome, as well as 9 customizable settings.

The bottom line: Visibly better photo quality and slightly improved performance make the Nikon D300 a significant upgrade over the D200 and an excellent all-around choice.