Nikon D300S Digital Camera: user guide, user guide and feedback

The result of the planned upgrade of the D300 was the appearance of the Nikon D300S camera . The feedback from professionals shows that such a decision of the manufacturer should be called a marketing move rather than a necessity. The fact is that the previous modification is still topical and is in great demand in the European and American markets.

Key differences from the predecessor

In comparison with the previous modification, the new camera has several principal differences. In particular, it increased the speed of work. The device has a connector for connecting an external microphone, a direct start button for video shooting, an HDMI slot, and two additional memory slots (CF and SD cards). In addition, the user is able to record video with a resolution of 1280х720 in HD format with automatic contrast focusing. There are a few interesting innovations. More details about the novelty will be discussed later.

general description

The model has a one-piece case made of magnesium alloy, which is why the low weight and high strength became characteristic features of the Nikon D300S camera . Reviews of the owners of the device indicate that with minor drops it will not suffer. Another interesting feature of the new items are quite large buttons, which are convenient to press even in gloves. In other words, the developers envisaged the possibility of exploitation in cold weather conditions, which is very important for our country. Rubber gasket significantly decreased and remained only in the place of influx under the thumb. Operation with two memory cards is carried out as they are filled in the order established by the user. If you need to store very important frames, they can automatically be saved in different formats on both drives. In connection with the appearance of the Info buttons and direct start of the video shooting, the model lost the memory lock with the memory card compartment. Be that as it may, its accidental discovery is excluded.

The user can edit the captured photos and videos without connecting the Nikon D300S camera to the computer . Lenses from the arsenal of the manufacturer, in turn, allow you to achieve a variety of creative effects.

Ergonomics

The device is very comfortable in the hands. Feedback from the owners of the model indicates that even a beginner will not think about which button and where he is, after a few days of using the camera. Especially easy in terms of ergonomics to get used to the device will be the owners of other Nikon mirror models. Soft rubber, which hugs the body, protects the device from slipping out of hands. Even with the use of overall lenses to work with the camera and transport it is very convenient, and thanks to the small weight of the hands do not get tired.

Menu

A greater degree of congestion can be called a characteristic feature of the Nikon D300S camera menu. Parameter settings are very wide. The user can save them as profiles and call them full names. Thanks to this preparation for shooting requires a minimum amount of time. The HELP key helps to understand the learning of the menu, because it is able to bring a textual explanation to any of its points. Especially relevant this feature will be for novice photographers.

Display and viewfinder

The model is equipped with a liquid crystal LCD-display with a high resolution of 920,000 pixels for instant viewing of footage. The angles of its view are about 170 degrees. Despite the lack of anti-reflective coating, even on sunlight the information remains readable. In addition, the device has an additional monochromatic screen. It is highlighted in green and serves to enable the photographer to quickly evaluate the main parameters of the survey. It also displays information on the status of the battery charge, the recording format, the amount of available memory and some other nuances.

Viewfinder Nikon D300S can boast a one-hundred percent coverage of the frame, as well as vivid comprehensive information about the shooting. It should be noted that for most competitors of the model this feature is not typical. Beginning users can be confused by the rather large amount of information displayed here. As for displaying the frame of the viewfinder itself, it shows a cropping grid and information on how much memory is full.

Main characteristics

In the heart of the camera lies the CMOS matrix, whose effective resolution is 12.3 million points. In conjunction with the proprietary processor EXPEED, it allows you to create sharp and rich photos, which are characterized by a minimal amount of digital noise and a fine gradation of hues. The sensitivity in the standard mode ranges from 200 to 3200 units, and in the extended mode - from 100 to 6400. The focus system consisting of 51 points, compared with the previous modification was slightly improved. In this case, the developers have provided the possibility of manual and automatic focusing Nikon D300S. Instruction to the device, in turn, will allow you to easily understand the virtual electronic level, introduced in this model, designed to facilitate landscape photography.

The camera is equipped with a rechargeable battery with a capacity of 1500 mAh. As practice shows, its resource is usually enough to create up to one thousand pictures. Experts call such an indicator very impressive, because not much of what camera can boast of something like that.

Modes

Feedback from experts and owners of the device indicate that the Nikon D300S model has excelled in all modes. The only feature in this regard can be called not quite their usual switching. In particular, instead of the customary PASM wheel, a special locking button is used here. It allows you to activate the single-frame (P), low-speed serial (CL), high-speed serial (CH) and silent (Q) shooting modes. The user has the ability to apply tinting and filter effects to his taste. Among other things, it is impossible not to mention other functions with flexibly adjustable parameters.

Video shooting

As already noted above, compared to its predecessor, the novelty has improved video recording capabilities, the level of which corresponds to modern cameras. Whatever it was, its frequency is far from being the strongest side of the Nikon D300S. It is 24 frames per second. In this case, the so-called floating gate effect becomes more noticeable. The device is able to create videos in HD format with a maximum resolution of 1280x720. The length of the video file is limited to twenty minutes. The developers also provided a sighting mode on the LCD screen, during which all the shooting information, a composite grid and a live histogram are reproduced. Filmed under poor lighting or shallow depth of field, the rollers look just fine. This is achieved primarily for a good matrix. In all other respects, the quality of video recording corresponds to the majority of modern analogous devices.

Conclusion

To summarize, it should be noted that the modification of the Nikon D300 was and still is such a great camera for its price category, that it did not require any special improvements. Whatever it was, Japanese engineers managed to improve the image quality and speed of the Nikon D300S, as well as expand the functionality of the device. These features combined with a relatively low cost make the device very popular in the modern market.