2009 Customer Choice Awards in Digital Cameras

+ I have had the D100 since its first release and over the years have seen Nikon change its range, I very nearly brought the D200 but found that Nikon would soon be releasing the D300 so decided to wait. In September 2007 again very nearly brought the D200 as wanted to get my hands on a new camera but held back. I'm so pleased as in November 2007 the Nikon came through and what a piece of kit, this camera was well worth the wait. The one very bad point on my D100 was the camera was not very forgiving, if you made a slight error when taking a photo you paid highly for it, as I’m a complete novice when it comes to taking photos I more often than not managed to get it so very wrong. Even my young daughter on a Fuji 5m camera would take photos that made mine look as though it had been taken with an instamatic. I even sent the Nikon back to make certain there was nothing wrong with it as it was becoming embarrassing but every time the camera came back with no problems, so the conclusion was I’m rubbish at photography. Now with the D300 even me who struggled at times with the D100 found a new lease of life in taking photos as it's virtually impossible to get it wrong and even if you do the camera does a very good job of making a badly taken photo look good. The ease of use of the camera makes you want to take photos of everything in sight; the images are very clear and so sharp every time you press the shutter button. I can recommend selling everything that isn’t bolted to the floor for this camera especially if you’re like me someone who enjoys taking photos and really wants to capture a memory as it should be, this camera is amazing for the price, it again will be a number of years before I need to upgrade

- It's still quite a heavy camera and no where to attach a shutter release cable, you’re going to need a remote control or the remote lead

+ Super high ISO quality, a step up from the D200, built like a tank, go to weight training before buying, particularly if you use the MB-D10 grip and the pro f2.8 nikkor lenses like the 17-55 or 70-200. 8fps and a fast auto focus make this a dream sports camera. Although with so many settings it can be a different camera to different people.

- For a inexperienced digital photographer this camera would be a nightmare, the very thing that makes it great for experienced users,i.e all the settings and modes, would have other users out of their depth. Not the camera to upgade to from say a compact digital.

+ Excellent quality my 20th Nikon to date and by far the best image quality in digital, equalling that of Hasselblad on film

- No capture NX included

+ I have used this camera for only a few weeks and am very satisfied. Nikon has made an excellent product. I won't bother writing about the various technical features. Those are already amply detailed in the camera description. Here are a few first impressions that I have of the camera: You can change ISO very quickly and it goes up to 3200. Very useful. There are many playback features such as zooming in close on an image and navigating around in it. A big improvement over previous models. The new playback screen is much bigger and has great resolution. You can live preview on it. There are several focus options, including the 51 point focus. You can press help on any menu item and it will explain what that item is clearly and easy to read. The menu is easy to navigate and easy to use. The 421 page User's Manual may seem daunting at first, but it's very clearly written and has several ways to cross-reference what you are looking for The camera is comfortable to hold, has a solid feel and all of the controls are within easy reach. Shooting mode, ISO and most other controls can be easily changed without going into the menu. All the above are features, but the most important benefit is excellent and sharp images.

- There a steep learning curve for all of the possibilities of this camera; it's obviously not designed to be used in automatic or "scene" modes - there are no "scene" modes to be had. (Although with custom menus one could create such if desired). It is possible to charge the battery, attach a lens, and shoot right out of the box; however the real power of the D300 lies in knowing all of the controls available and applying those controls to achieve the desired results. The physical feel of the machine is one of solidness; I've added the external battery grip (which allows the entire machine to function off of 8 AA batteries, as well as Nikon camera batteries) and the balance, for my hands, is as good as I've ever had in a camera. (The external grip also bumps the frames per second from 6 to 8 when using AA's or some Nikon camera batteries.). I've not weighed the D300 with my 16-85mm VR lens, SB800 flash and external grip w/batteries, but it's heavy. There is no "stealth mode" with this camera; the shutter is loud, and putting it into continuous shoot mode will certainly attract attention..