D300 & what I have just experience! (RE-TRACTED)

This morning I decided to call into Jessops in Gloucester to look at the D300 they had delivered this morning. 1st thoughts after handling it was not bad & a great viewing screen.

I then asked if I could give it a little test run to see how it performs, this was agreed. The D300 was then fitted with a sigma 105 macro lens. I then attempted to track moving customers around the shop using auto-fucus plus customers walking past the shop outside, this was using a selection of its focusing modes. Outcome sadly was "What a load of rubbish", very slow, trouble locking on to moving subjects within a shop with a long time delay in focussing, to much delay if I was to track a bird in flight & pointless as it struggled to lock on. Also I got the shop keeper to stand in the middle of the shop to wave his hand about in the air at a reasonable speed & also at a slow speed from side to side, I got him to do this to see if I could track his hand & lock on to it at the same time, the camera struggled big time, the shop keeper also had a go, the outcome was that we both agreed that the camera struggled to lock on to moving subjects & was very slow at bringing objects into focus.

I then focused around the shop on rigid shelf stock that were set at different focusing distances, again a slow delay in focusing on each of the items selected. I asked to go outside where the sunlight was brighter, the same occurred outside as it did inside, outside I found that the bigger the subject it focused much quicker than inside, still a slight delay though. I tried tracking an overhead seagull in flight, result, it missed! On this note I think I will keep to my D2X & leave the D300 well alone, I was going to buy it & now I am glad I tested it our first. Negative feedback I know but after what I experienced I can only be honest

Was this a dodgy camera or are they all like this?

Hi Vincent,

I haven't tried the D300 yet, so i can't say that you're wrong, but your report does seem to be quite different to what I've heard from other sources regarding it's focussing accuracy. To be honest, the Sigma 105 mm macro is probably the worst lens to test the focus speed and accuracy with. Using an AF-S (Nikon) or HSM (Sigma) lens would give much faster and precise focussing, and may show the D300 in a more favourable light. Also, nearly all macro lenses are notorious for hunting back and forth when focussing, due to the specialist task they are designed for (I nearly always manual focus when doing macro photography).

Cheers,

Dan.

Hi Daniel

Maybe not the best lens to test it with but it should still be quick enough on a shelved shop item 15ft away & on people outside in the street at a distance on a bright morning. My D2X with a sigma 105 attached is lightning compared to this D300, very noticible

Anyway, I left a bit disappointed especially as I went in to buy one especially after hearing all the great reviews on it.

Money now saved

Hi strange that mine is much better than my D2x in all focusing modes of course you have not said what focusing mode the d300 was in I suspect it was 51point 3D with colour tracking. It will be looking for a main colour to lock on to.

Phillip.

I did try with all focusing modes Phillip, I went through the menu area & selected different focus settings before the lens was attached. Also using a selection of focus areas too.

I will take the 400mm down there later today & try again, just in case it was a dodgy lens.

Hi Vincent


The focus modes do need playing around with to get the best results,I've been using mine this morning on hen harriers and gadwell in flight using AFc and 51 points selected and the middle of the three focus modes on the back set and it locked on with greater success than my D2x with a much better hit rate,the focus does sound a bit slow when the lens does not focus but using it this morning with the 500 afs it was great!!I would take your 400 in and have a good play first before deciding,Also the qualityup to at least 800 iso is a lot better with far less noise than before.

Cheers


Craig


www.craigchurchill.co.uk

Hi Vincent I would give it to go with your 400, I find I'd prefer the 21 point dynamic in AF-C with the little switch on the back in the middle of three settings and A4 set to short in the menu the normal settings I found was too long and I actually thought there was something wrong with it at first with it set to the off position it refocuses instantaneously just like the D2x I won't be getting rid of my D2x though because the image quality is better at iso100, I am finding though that you don't have to do really processed the image is coming out of the d300 just crop and sharpen them and then post that's all I'd been doing.

Phillip.

Hi Phillip, I am just about to leave to give the D300 another test run using my lenses. The menu on the D300 will be tweaked & so will the buttons on the back of the camera to see if what I experienced earlier with the macro lens is repeated.. You mentioned the image quality is better on the D2X at ISO100, I thought with new technology being used the D300 would be better on image quality especially at the lower end of the ISO. Higher end, yes, as I have read great reviews at high ISO settings, lower end now makes me wonder if it would be a good move to stick with the D2X & wait for the D8X or even the D9X

Back soon

Hi Vince,

I've had a D300 for over a week, and two of them for the last four days. The AF is better than the D2x and much better than the D200. Image quality at the low end of the ISO range is comparable but at the high end it leaves the older cameras for dead!
The battery grip is better built than the D200 version was and, with it, the D300 leaves the D2 range way behind!
the Sigma 105mm is the last lens I'd use to try out an AF system!!

Ian

Looking forward to the result of your next text, Vincent. For me too, it has to track much better than the D2x, otherwise there does not seem to be a good enough reason to buy it.

Hi Paula it definitely tracks better than the D2x today is the first day that I have had some decent light to really try it out and I have to say I was quite surprised how much better than my d2x it really is.

Phillip.

Hi All

I re-tract my original comments, it was definately the lens (Sigma 105) that was at fault including my lack of experience thinking that this would operate with the lens I tested it with. Silly me

OK someone here is going to say "Told ya so"

When I connected it to the 400mm it change like the British weather & yes, a big improvement than the D2X As for the feel of the camera with the 400mm attached, it did feel fumbly as to the bulkyness of the D2X

Did I buy it?
Nope
Will I?
Dunno Now

Thanks all for putting me staight, it was the feedback received that made me go back to try it again.

Hi Vincent

Good news!!
I must admit its not the same as using the D2X not as solid and as I don't have the grip yet its tiny in my hand but the results are great!
Glad you saw a little of what it should do, its just a case of will it do what you want it to and any better than your D2X??


Craig
www.craigchurchill.co.uk

All very interesting and I look forward to seeing some results taken with the tracking and without.
I have only just got used to the D2x and now what?!