D90 > D300s - Worth the upgrade ?

F1RacerRR

TPF Noob!
Joined
May 3, 2009
Messages
45
Reaction score
0
Can others edit my Photos
Photos OK to edit
Hi I currently own a D90 and am enjoying it. However recently I have had a small windfall and am going to get myself the lens I always wanted (Nikkor 105mm 2.8 macro VR2) as I like macro stuff. I also may get myself a wide angle lens like a 10-20 or 12-24 too. But here's the thing. Part of me really would like to take the next step up in camera too. I don't really want to go as far as the D700 because its full frame and thats a whole new deal with lenses etc.. So the D300s is the one to fit the bill. But my question is, does the D300s offer enough over the D90 to be worth the upgrade ? Bearing in mind that I bought my D90 in a kit with the 18-105mm lens, if I were to sell it, I would have to do so with the lens. So that means on top of the D300s body I would also have to get an all-rounder lens like the 18-200mm. I could save the cost of that 18-200mm lens by keeping the D90 and using the 18-105mm on both. My other lenses are the Sigma 70-300mm and Nikkor 50mm 1.8. So what do you guys think ? Is the 300s worth the extra ?
 
The D90 is a blistering work horse of a camera. I have used it for a long time and love all the reasons I bought it for. Used a D300 - not D300s although both vsimilar - and found not a lot of (if anything) to upgrade for. Both camera at their ISO peak for DX bodies, they look perfect to around iso1000 then quite good to 1600. I simply couldnt see the benefit in extra money. So gave borrowed D300 back and waited and bought D700.

The D90 is a great camera. I dont feel there is enough to justify an upgrade. If i were you I would sell the kit lens and invest in new lens - or wait and by D700 for full frame. I swayed between D90 and D300 for ages because of weather proofing on D300. Couldnt justify the price. Hope this helps.
 
Simply no its not! I would go straight to the D700.

The D90 has the same sensor as the D300 so not worth it!
 
I came from a D60 to a D300 so the difference was IMMENSE. If I had gone with the D90 initially, I may not have upgraded quite as fast (I think I had my D60 for 2 or 3 months). Size, weight, build, etc are all much different, however as far as what you will get out of it, I don't think the difference is worth it for most people. You won't notice as much of a difference as you would with a new lens. I might put the money towards new glass and let the D90 wear out a bit more before you upgrade. Prices may come down in that time as well.

My D300 dwarfs my step-dad's D90 though. Really feels like a serious piece of equipment.

So, do I think it's worth it? Probably not to the average user. Would I do it?- Yes.
 
D90 to D300s isn't much of an upgrade. IF you're looking for a 2nd Dx body to put D90 as a backup, then D300s is a way to go, if not, then go, if you can to D700.
My self, I have no need for Fx thus didn't go that way. I have both cameras and use them both extensively. D90, actually, my wife uses b/c of its size (smaller and lighter) while I'm more on D300s. IQ is both amazing in both high and low ISOs.
Good luck with your decision process.
 
The big difference between the D90 and the D300/D300s is the auto focus module.

The D90 has 11 focus points but only the center one is a cross-type point.
(Multi-CAM 1000 AF module)

The D300/D300s has the Multi-CAM 3500DX AF that isthen DX half in the top-of-the-line D3S and D3X. It has 51 focus points of which 15 are cross-type points.

That alone is worth the upgrade.


Add
  • 14 bit uncompressed or 12 bit compressed RAW (D90 is 12 bit compressed RAW only)
  • 9 auto brackets (D90 is only 3 auto brackets)
  • 1/8000 shutter (D90 is only 1/4000)
  • Metal body (D90 is all plastic, don't drop it or hang heavy lens es on it (AF 80-200 f/2.8D), they rip the screws right out of the plastic: http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...views/195718-broken-nikon-d90-lens-mount.html)
  • Weather sealing (None in the D90)
  • and many other bells and whistles.
 
I love discussions as such, definitely beats Nikon vs Canon :D

KmH, I agree with everything you said on technical bases (can't fight that one :) ) but one thing I'll disagree with you is the reasoning to upgrade & thats where I feel F1 is partially at fault :) - he didn't say what he is shooting or wants to shoot.
If you're a sport shooter, then having a faster AF is definitely a plus. My self, I shoot weddings, I lock and recompose my shot and b/n D70, D200, D300, D90, D300s, (on Canons: 20D, 30D, 5D, 5DM2, 1dM2), never really shot using more then one centered AF point only b/c I lock the focus and recompose.
So, F1R, goes really back to the point what you want to shoot. Here's a crazy example: A body of mine, nut-case hobbyist, will argue till he turns blue that Nikon is best for sports thus he's been jumping from D100 to 200, 300 and now 300s AND Canon is best for in-studio portraits and been going from 40D to 50D and so far stayed on 5D. I'm not telling you to go buy one brand for ONE thing and another for another, but keep in mind your cost & your purpose.
 
Thanks for the replies people.

I suppose the common sense is to save the money that the D300s body would cost and buy a nice lens instead. But when has common sense ever prevailed where hobbies are concerned :)

KmH: Some good points there and sure makes the case. If anything it would really be worth keeping the D90 if I choose to get the D300s.

I'm not really up to getting the D700. I have this sneaking feeling that Nikon are going to replace this very soon, maybe even before the end of the year. The D700 is an oldie compared to the D90/D300s and some stockists even have it deleted off their lists now. I know that means nothing, but I`d hate for fork out for the D700 and then Nikon announce a D700s or D800.

IgsEMT: This isn't really a Nikon vs Canon thing. I'm sticking with Nikon and only focusing on (no pun intended) whether to bother with the D300s or not.
But I shoot pretty much everything. People, landscapes, Close-ups/Macro which I like in particular. I don't limit myself to a particular area.
Besides Im sure both Nikon and Canon are seriously good in all areas.
I dunno what made me go with Nikon in the first place. Probably the yellow stitched strap :lol:.

I think what I`ll do is visit the shop with all options open. See what it all amounts to and if I want to give up the D90 to recoup some money back. Then decide if to forego the D300s at the expense of a lens or not.
But if I do buy a few lenses it makes it harder for me to upgrade to full frame in the future. But I think I wont be doing that until or unless I start making money from photography.
 
As a few have said - a really good debate :) with some really interesting points.

In as few words as possible - I would rather have a D90 with 3 good varied lenses than a D700 with the kit lens. I found the fun in the lenses!

I started out with a D90 and 2 yrs on I still have it - and a growing wedding and event photography business too. I invested in a couple more lenses over the years and now have a D700 - simply because I needed the full frame for better ISO performance (now regularly shoot to 3200+ instead of 1600). But i only just bought that in the last month - so if you look at my site you will see every shot taken on my D90 with different lenses. Although KMH stated all the benefits to the D300s over the D90 - I dont feel they would have benefited me any way near as much as buying more lenses - which I did.

I realise Nikon may stop the D700 soon - this also doesnt bother me in the slightest. Especially as i am on a budget and buy most things 2nd hand - D90, D700, 85mm 1.8, 70-200mm 2.8, 50mm 1.4, -> all used equipment - but all great equipment. As most/all hear agree, the D700 is really something and has new brought a lease of life to my passion for getting out and shooting. I realise some feel it neccesary to keep bang up to date, but not me.

Oh, and the lens I went for knowing I would sometime go fullframe was the nikon 50mm 1.4 which was amazing on the D90, but blew me away on the full frame.

Whatever you choose though, hope you enjoy it ;)
 
Last edited:
F1, the only reason why I mentioned Nikon and Canon is to emphasize that some ppl might say that shooting something specific requires specific gear (like my body who shoots portraits only with Canon while sports with Nikon). I think Newcastle said it well regarding specific models.
 
IgsEMT: What you said about the Canon and Nikons and their use in Portraits and Sports respectively.
Weird that you say that because I notice at all the F1 events that pretty much all of the photographers are using Canon's and it doesn't get much quicker than F1.

In fact it irks me a little to see so many Canon's everywhere when you see journalists and photographers on TV. Its like Nikon is the photographic equivalent of Betamax :)
 
I'm just paraphrasing my nutty buddy. Advantage that I have is that I can dip into his lens collection (thats probably larger then B&H) and not worry that he won't be w/o specific lens. I'm a Nikonian, been that way since went digital and have no regrets. I can't comment on specific reasons why you see more Canons then Nikons, maybe they get better price from Canon rather then Nikon. As for IQ, if you send it to print to a REAL LAB and not your local pharmacy, you won't tell the difference b/n the two brands.
 
If the D90 is limiting you then yes the D300s is an amazing upgrade and 100% worth every penny. If the D90 currently fulfills your needs then no it's not worth the upgrade.
 
IgsEMT: What you said about the Canon and Nikons and their use in Portraits and Sports respectively.
Weird that you say that because I notice at all the F1 events that pretty much all of the photographers are using Canon's and it doesn't get much quicker than F1.

In fact it irks me a little to see so many Canon's everywhere when you see journalists and photographers on TV. Its like Nikon is the photographic equivalent of Betamax :)
Someone made an image of all the area where all the photographers were stationed for one of the Superbowls, and it looked like it was just a sea of big, long, white Canon lenses.

They blew up the image and went back and counted all the white and black (Nikon) lenses.

There were more black ones than white ones in the image, they just weren't as noticable. :thumbup:

Sports shooters made a mass exodus from Canon here a couple of years back when Canon was shipping flagship, top-of-the-line, bodies with an AF system that didn't work.
 
Someone made an image of all the area where all the photographers were stationed for one of the Superbowls, and it looked like it was just a sea of big, long, white Canon lenses.

They blew up the image and went back and counted all the white and black (Nikon) lenses.

There were more black ones than white ones in the image, they just weren't as noticable. :thumbup:

Sports shooters made a mass exodus from Canon here a couple of years back when Canon was shipping flagship, top-of-the-line, bodies with an AF system that didn't work.

thats funny
+1 for Nikon :D
 

Most reactions

New Topics

Back
Top