Brown Hawker

Hi,
I'm feeling foolish, I've brought old technology - a D300s and i'm
finding it a dog of a camera in comparison with the D3, the image quality is so poor. I'm hoping it's an issue with my software that's not working properly at the moment.
Do you D300 guys have to deal with noise and lack of detail?
The AF is fantastic for sure, I've photographed things today that I never thought would be possible, but the image quality......

Tim
D300s, 300mm f/2.8 with 1.7TC, 1/200th at F/10, ISO 450

Tim, I have both the D300 (sold the D2x in favour of the D300??) and D3. The D3 was supposed to be for macro, wide angle stuff and the occasional wedding. However, things have not quite worked out that way. The D3 produces such great images that the D300 hardly gets a look in these days! I only wish there were a few more MPs in the D3...

Great DF shot btw, really like the wing motion.

Tony

Hi Tim

I have a D300 and its not too noisy I thought he D3s autofocus was a lot better then the D300s ?

Oh by the way nice DIF shot

Hi Tim
I think the D300 is an excellent camera and for the money they is nothing to comapre (until the 7D comes out) The AF is great and as long as you use it under ISO400 its brill-use it just as much as the D3 although when the light drop-its the D3 all the way, I guess its down to light and you live in the North!!!

Dave

A fine shot Tim. I like the movement in the wings.

Thanks all for comments.

Ian, they've improved the AF on the new D300s, also the AF distribution on the D300's covers the frame more so it makes sense that they are better for moving objects.

So in summary, D300s and D300 owners have to shoot with greater discipline, but in future I'll stay clear of old model re-releases.

Tim

that's a beauty Tim and Brown Hawkers aren't the easiest dragonfly to capture in-flight.

Matt

Nice capture Tim - the bg is a bit naff mate, but subject clarity and detail are first rate - nice one

I haven't used my D300 in ages - you could have had mine with a battery grip mate!

The D300 images have been slightly soft from the get-go - too thick an AA filter seems to be the consensus of opinion.

It's a great little camera that I've always used at 400ISO as standard, it's delivered some cracking images and has served me well.

But against a D3 it doesn't get a look-in.

But I still use the trusty D2Xs for macro at 100 and 200 ISO - the level of detail retained by the smaller pixels is superb, something that the D300 can't deliver due to its "softness".

Tony - D2X traded for a D300 - you'd didn't

Hi Tim

I don't know much about the dark side of photographic equipment but the D300 can't be all that bad to produce images like this - super sharp with great wing blur!

David

Super capture and the detail on the subject really is quite masterful.

Brett

Cracking shot of a very difficult species, nice one Tim.

Andy...

Yes a great capture, the blurring of the wings matches the BG nicely.

Hello Tim.

Nice NH shot. But the dragonfly is excellent.

Great shot. Very wel done a flying dragonfly.

I use a D3 and a D300. The D300 is a fine camera if used within it's limits. I'll shoot up to ISO 800 but prefer shooting at lower ISO's if possible. The trouble is, we are spoiled by the D3 with it's incredible image quality!

The D300 certainly needs better light levels to bring the best out of it, and slightly more processing than D3 shots I find. But when I'm in Florida the D300 really comes in to it's own and I take probably %75-80 of my shots with it out there.

I won't comment on the D300 as I still use a D200 - but I rarely go above 400 iso, and won't be changing until some Dxxx offers more megapixels at a price I can afford. As for the picture, it is superb of the subject. A better backgound would have been good, but you can't always choose when following a flying animal.

David

Stunning image, I shoot with D300 and it hasn't let me down, doesn't mean I wouldn't mind being able to afford a D3/D3x though !

Drew