Nikon d300s

Dominik · Mar 4, 2013

Can someone give me a detailed review and their own opinion of the camera!? Is it fast enough for sports like skateboarding, snowboarding or surfing? Is it good for landscape?

dewey · Mar 4, 2013

There are so many reviews out there... but I'm sure you've already waded through them. Just like any body you can find people who love it, and people who don't.

I have a D300s I use only for news and sports and I love it. I'm not afraid to drop it... get it wet, dirty, etc. It just keeps going. Speaking of speed however I'm thinking the lens has a lot more to do with it then the body. The D300s with a 70-200 (or the 80-200) 2.8 you can shoot most night sports without an issue. I shoot a lot of high school soccer at night with it, which is one of the worst sports as far as speed and lack of light. For surfing you'll want something longer... For skateboarding something wider.

It's sensor does fine with landscapes. I've grabbed many an after-storm sunset with it using a variety of different lenses. A lot of landscape only photographers want a bigger sensor... but hey if money was no object right?

It's a great body that you can get for a good price considering the features you get.

Dominik · Mar 4, 2013

dewey said:
There are so many reviews out there... but I'm sure you've already waded through them. Just like any body you can find people who love it, and people who don't.

I have a D300s I use only for news and sports and I love it. I'm not afraid to drop it... get it wet, dirty, etc. It just keeps going. Speaking of speed however I'm thinking the lens has a lot more to do with it then the body. The D300s with a 70-200 (or the 80-200) 2.8 you can shoot most night sports without an issue. I shoot a lot of high school soccer at night with it, which is one of the worst sports as far as speed and lack of light. For surfing you'll want something longer... For skateboarding something wider.

It's sensor does fine with landscapes. I've grabbed many an after-storm sunset with it using a variety of different lenses. A lot of landscape only photographers want a bigger sensor... but hey if money was no object right?

It's a great body that you can get for a good price considering the features you get.

Thank you

Would you recommend the d300s or the new d7100?

Patriot · Mar 4, 2013

I would get the D300s if you can afford it if your mainly using it for fast action. That's just my two cent.

Dominik · Mar 4, 2013

Patriot said:
I would get the D300s if you can afford it if your mainly using it for fast action. That's just my two cent.

Why?

dewey · Mar 4, 2013

I really can't compare it to the 7100. I'm sure the 7100 will handle low light a little better... it obviously has more megapixels, but that just means bigger file size most of the time.

The D300s is more metal than plastic... the 7100 is more plastic than metal. (Forgive me for calling poly carbonate plastic)

The D300s is much heavier, which I need. For whatever reason a big, heavy, metal Nikon is the only body that is comfortable in my hands. Put a grip on that D300s and fill it with batteries. It doubles as a defensive weapon.

For action sports I have found the D300s does better than a D7000. Again - haven't seen or touched a D7100 so I can't say.

For the money I'd buy a nice used D300s, the MBD-10 grip, fill it with rechargeable AAs and have $400 left over for lenses.

dewey · Mar 4, 2013

I also like the control layout of the D300s. The control layout matches up my past cameras like the D200 and it matches up to my D800.

I guess I can't learn more than one layout at a time. LOL!

TheLost · Mar 4, 2013

You are opening up a HUGE can or worms asking D300s or D7100

The D300s is built to PRO standards. The body is very tough and slightly bigger then most DX cameras. It has a larger buffer that lets it sustain a faster FPS longer. It has a few extra buttons that (some say) make it quicker to use. It also has a 7 year old sensor in it.

The D7100 is new.. with a NEW modern sensor (24mp and no low-pass filter). It is weather/dust sealed (more so then the D7000). It has a magnesium top, bottom and back but its wrapped in a plastic body. It's also smaller and lighter then the D300s. Like the D300s it has a 51 point auto-focus system however it has been updated to be more like the D4/D800 system (again, the D300 is basically 7 years old). The D7100 has a limited buffer that slows the camera down once its full.

They are both good cameras (even though nobody has held a D7100 yet

) and i don't think you can go wrong with either. I would try to find a place you can hold both and see which feels better in your hands. I went with the D7000 (and i've pre-ordered the D7100) over the D300s for sports and i don't regret it. The only thing i wish the D7000/D7100 had was an AF-ON button like the D300s.

dewey · Mar 4, 2013

I will agree with I don't think you can go wrong with either... and I also agree on the AF-ON!

Dominik · Mar 4, 2013

Thank you all for your input it means a lot to me!

dewey · Mar 4, 2013

There's a lot of good people on this site... no matter which one you buy you'll find a good home here.

coastalconn · Mar 4, 2013

Besides high ISO the D300 is an awesome camera. I think if Nikon didn't have a D400 up it's sleeves the D7100 could have trumped the D300 in every area except build. The D7100 specs look great with a big exception to the buffer. I'm in the woods, near water, crawling on rocks and sandy beach so the build quality (full magnesium) is very important to me. Also I'm a birder so high frame rate and buffer are the next important thing to me. The D7100 only has a 6 or 7 shot raw buffer which is way too low for sports or wildlife. It does go to 12 shots in the crop mode. I have the D300 (non s) with a grip so I get 8 FPS for about 20 shots. More more casual use I think the D7100 is going to be a fantastic camera for most people! Either way you will have a great camera. The D300 was good enough for Photo of the Year

Just saying....

Dominik · Mar 4, 2013

It's becoming such a hard pick, I want a camera that requires my needs for as long as possible, even if it is older I don't mind it at all. I was going to get an FX camera but I don't have the money for the lenses and I don't want to put it to waist with DX lenses. I rather just have a DX format camera until I have a good job that can support an FX camera with the proper lenses. I'm hoping they release a d400 or any type of upgrade of the d300s, but I will gladly go for the d7100

Usul · Mar 7, 2013

I'm waiting D400, too. I guess if you already have a camera you better wait few months (or 1 year). The price of d7100 will be lower or even they'll release D400 as rumored in first half of this year.