DPReview - Nikon D300

DPReview have (finally) published a comprehensive review on Nikon's new D300. This camera is already proving a very popular camera for underwater photographers and from the conclusions of the DPReview review it is easy to see why:

Nikon's biggest problem now will be bettering the D300; it raises the bar to a new high, and represents the state of the art despite strong competition from the likes of Canon, Sony and Olympus. There's simply no better semi-professional digital SLR on the market.

Alex

Bummer.....now I'm going to have to get one.

How can the D300 weigh less than the D200 when measured in grams but more when measured in pounds?

Weight (no batt) 825 g (1.82 lb) 830 g (1.8 lb)

830g is 1.83 lb. You would have to have pretty sensitive hands to pick up the difference either way!

Alex

I did it I did it I did it!

I am so wracked by guilt for spending so much money......placed the order for the camera and some lenses.....placed my order for the S&S housing strobe and ports......

I think I will go out and dig a hole for my grave in case my wife finds out..... Hey perhaps she might forgive me....it not like I spent it on hookers as if I were a Governor...

I did it I did it I did it!

 

I am so wracked by guilt for spending so much money......placed the order for the camera and some lenses.....placed my order for the S&S housing strobe and ports......

 

I think I will go out and dig a hole for my grave in case my wife finds out..... Hey perhaps she might forgive me....it not like I spent it on hookers as if I were a Governor...

Tsk Tsk... I foresee a For Sale thread in your future. lol.

Hooray!!! It's finally arrived... My SUBAL D300 housing arrived today and I can't wait to play!

Next weekend is Lembeh & Raja Ampat... only 7 more sleeps...

it not like I spent it on hookers as if I were a Governor...

If you were a Governor, the total amount you expend on your rig, only buy a couple of hours of this girls dude... that´s pricey ah?

I´m glad about the DPreview article, mine should arrive by the end of spring break!! whoo hooo!!! (my D300 not my hooker...)

Hmmm...I suppose 10hrs worth for that amount of money is a lot to spend (on hookers)

Her rate was 1000 an hour or something like that eh?

Only problem reported on D300 so far is low contrast, as Alex pointed out on my first post of D300 pics using modified d200 nexus housing. I thought I was doing something wrong and/or using too high ISO. But, many users found same issue too.

Solution is find (or generate one) PICTURE CONTROL file (like PICCON01.NCP...) & upload to camera (D3 or D300) & select as per situation. I found few good files & tested & just got back from Diving. I will post samples & files.

Sam

sam, don't the picture control files only affect the jpeg files, and not the raw files?

I would think the best way to improve contrast is to make the adjustments in a raw editor, what do you think?

scott

Scott,

Yes, picture control is for jpg files & I used it as I take most of my pics in jpg.

For raw editor, I think it takes time to learn how to use tool first & I find I can

'pre-setup' in Adobe lightroom & it makes adjustment a lot easy and quick.

Nikon capture NX(comes with D300) is still good, too.

Sam

Has anyone done much diving with the D300 regardless of housing? Anyone tried the "Live View"? I have played with it on land. Seems like it could have some use underwater. Take the shot and immediately depress the shutter again to put it back in LV? Maybe for macro in manual focus mode? I have noticed that in Live View sometimes the shutter fires right away and sometimes it has a slight delay and I can't figure out why.

Andy

I've received my new Nikon D300 and have played with it some topside, including firing my DS125 strobes triggered off the popup flash - i don't see ANYTHING wrong with the pictures it takes. Will get to get it "wet" in a couple of weeks and of course will post a link.

My first attempt at using Live View left me thinking - hey, this is way too convoluted to use underwater but maybe with a little more practice?

Has anyone done much diving with the D300 regardless of housing? Anyone tried the "Live View"? I have played with it on land. Seems like it could have some use underwater. Take the shot and immediately depress the shutter again to put it back in LV? Maybe for macro in manual focus mode? I have noticed that in Live View sometimes the shutter fires right away and sometimes it has a slight delay and I can't figure out why.

 

Andy

I just spent 2 weeks playing with the D300 in a Ikelite housing in North Sulawesi. Some of the images from the trip can be seen here:

http://www.daveharasti.com/Sulawesi08/index.html

One of the reasons why I bought the D300 was for the new 'live view' functionality. However, I have been very disappointed with the live view feature and after trying it out a couple of times in Sulawesi on small macro critters such as pygmy seahorses and featherstar shrimps I ended up giving up. There is to much delay between the mirror dropping up and down and I was often missing the shot as the animal will have moved during the live view focusing process. The other issue is that I found it more difficult to steady the camera without holding the viewfinder/housing against my face.

So in all I've given up on live view for now and will continue to use the standard viewfinder as its much easier and more accurate for framing.

hey Dave,

have you noticed any difference between using the D80 vs the D300 underwater, or any difference in the image quality?

I currently use a D80 underwater, I have a D300 for topside but I haven't decided yet whether to house it..

btw, I love your website, I'm definitely a big fan of it. Great photos you just put in the north sulawesi gallery! I was just in lembeh/bunaken in february, your photos brought back some nice memories, esp. the pair of harlequin's at police pier, aren't they such characters?

Scott

It's here! It's here! ....Well some of it.....

Adorama took kinda long to finally ship the D300 body..... it comes in 2 days but I got everything else.

I got my UW gear...except for the Athena 105VR Macro Port / Focus gear and the Inon 45 degree viewfinder

I also ordered the wrong zoom gear for my Sigma 18-50 F2.8 EX Macro HSM....got the non HSM one (too small)

Still, I had a great time fooling around with the UW gear. Geez....It's HUGE & HEAVY! I have seen and lifted these DSLR housings a couple of times but forgot just how big and heavy they are! It feels kinda intimidating.... I am going to have to take it to the pool a few times before my upcoming trip.... A week long Western Caribbean Cruise followed by a week in the Bahamas on a liveaboard and then Bodrum, Turkey (Diving the Med on the way home for a week)...all back to back

Anyway, here is it pieced together.....the focus light was just put on to check out the heft...

Hey!!! That's my Camera !!! LOL

Hey!!! That's my Camera !!! LOL

LOL.... Yeah...I saw from your sig as well.....pretty much the exact same set.... I had a look at your blog. Some fantastic shots!

Just wondering, how negative is your rig? I assume you are using the same stix arms? 6" and 9"

LOL.... Yeah...I saw from your sig as well.....pretty much the exact same set.... I had a look at your blog. Some fantastic shots!

 

Just wondering, how negative is your rig? I assume you are using the same stix arms? 6" and 9"

Hi!!!

Thanks for the compliments. I actually changed website recently. Now I am in http://nunosanches.com/journal (the rest of the site still under construction).

The rig is only slightly negative. What I do with the 105VR is that I use the Stix Collar in the Flat Port. Works like a charm!!!

Pic of my rig as well: