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|| SportsShooter.com: Member Message Board
My thoughts on the D3 and D300
Debra L Rothenberg, Photographer
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New York | NY | USA | Posted: 12:53 PM on 05.07.08 |
->> well, I still love my beloved D2X with over 300k actuations but I am starting to feel it may be on it's last leg. It's been acting weird.
I got the D3 a little over a month ago but have continued shooting with the D2X unless I knew I needed a higher ISO. Last Friday, I had to shoot Jay Z and Mary J Blige in concert and the D3 ROCKED! I just got the new 24-70mm (thanks Skip and Pat!) and had heard some people had issues with the lens. I had none. The only "complaint" I had about the camera was it's SO fast. I had to put it on "S" since one tap of the shutter took 5 shots. The Daily News ran my image large and I am still receiving compliments. Tack sharp at 1000 ASA.
Now the D300. I had NO intention of buying one since I was unhappy with the D200 and..did I need another camera? I went to B&H on Sunday for a camera STRAP and 2 1/4 negative holders and walked out the door with the D300! (some women love shoes, I love Nikons!). I brought it to a corporate shoot last night along with the D2X to shoot available light and I have to say--I am VERY pleased. I shot at 2000 ASA and I am impressed. I didn't buy the grip since I want the smaller camera and it fits in my bag better, but I am going to have to get the grip-it's just too awkward shooting now without it.
I'll still use my D2X, and will until it goes but these 2 cameras are really nice.
Debbie
PS-the one thing I have noticed about the D300, as well as the D200 that I had-it seems much brighter than the "X". I can shoot the same thing with the SB800 and on the X, it may be at F6.3 whereas the D300, it would be a 7.1 or 8. |
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Richard Cashin, Photographer
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Cambridge | MA | USA | Posted: 1:10 PM on 05.07.08 |
| ->> I have both the D3 and D300. I love the D3 and like the D300. D3 excels at the higher ISOs D300 and the DX format useful on the long primes. D3 handles better, the grip on the D300 is a big improvement over the D200 grip but I find the focus select on it is a bit small and fidgety. The D3 is much faster when shooting RAW or RAW + Jpg, the D300 seems slow when shooting RAW. The screens on both are great but I still always check the histograms. |
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Bob Ford, Photographer
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Lehighton | Pa | USA | Posted: 1:17 PM on 05.07.08 |
->> I also shoot with a D3 and D2x, but use the D3 a lot more.
When I was shooting with a D2X and D2H I would use both about the same. I'd just grab a body and put the 400 on it and put the 70-200 on the other body. I didn't care which camera was on which lens.
Now, I find myself thinking which lens I'm going to use more and I make sure that that lens has the D3 attached. If I have time I will even switch bodies during an event if I find myself using the other lens more.
I'd dump my D2x in a heartbeat if I could, and replace it with another D3. |
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David Gordon, Photographer
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Somerville | MA | United States | Posted: 1:33 PM on 05.07.08 |
->> My company has been a Nikon shop for years, but I could never bring myself to use their equipment, when I had great Canon gear myself. Recently, we picked up a fleet of D3s and I've been blown away.
I am a long time Canon devote who has made the switch. Great color balance, especially at high ISO's. A much improved flash system. And a host of bells and whistles that some day I'll figure out.
My only complaint is that I'm struggling with the reverse zoom. Alas, you can't have everything. |
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Doug Holleman, Photographer
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Temple | TX | USA | Posted: 3:08 PM on 05.07.08 |
| ->> My D300 also seems a big brighter than my other cameras, which is a bonus. Shooting in low light is much better. I guess it just uses a punchier curve or something. The images are nice and crisp. Far and away the best camera I have owned. |
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David Bailey, Photographer
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Flower Mound | TX | USA | Posted: 4:07 PM on 05.07.08 |
| ->> Another vote for the D3 and D300 combo. I had been shooting the D2x and the D300 and then got another D300 and found myself not using the D2x because of the high ISO noise as compared to the D300. Now I have the D3 and WOW! The D2x has been sold (a good camera but it's time has passed.) |
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Walter Calahan, Photographer
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Westminster | MD | USA | Posted: 4:20 PM on 05.07.08 |
->> You should have waited for the D400.
GRIN |
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David Bailey, Photographer
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Flower Mound | TX | USA | Posted: 4:32 PM on 05.07.08 |
| ->> Yeah, or the D3x... |
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Jeff Stanton, Photographer
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Princeton | IN | USA | Posted: 4:37 PM on 05.07.08 |
->> Debra, a woman who loves and collects Nikons is a rare bouquet, indeed.
My D300 is a major step up for me since I was using a D2H from work with a stiff-action 80-200 2.8 AFS.
I posted two D300 images I shot this week, both at available light. They have been tweaked per our production here.
http://www.sportsshooter.com/imager/d300samples/ |
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Bill Ross, Photographer
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Colorado Springs | CO | USA | Posted: 6:21 PM on 05.07.08 |
| ->> Having a D3 and D300 in your bag is one helluva nice "One-Two Punch"... I shot a local rock band recently and I was amazed on how well they both did. The D3 is certainly a cleaner image at higher ISO's than the D300 but it [D300] did well. The D3 with that 14-24 is awesome. I put the 24-70 on the D300 and It worked great. I goofed on a few images but over-all I love these new Nikons. |
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Debra L Rothenberg, Photographer
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New York | NY | USA | Posted: 9:57 PM on 05.07.08 |
->> Walter and David,
don't be teasing me. I REALLY wanted a D3 that wasn't full frame. I bet they announce it soon since I just bought one |
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Mike Ullery, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Piqua | OH | USA | Posted: 10:49 PM on 05.07.08 |
->> Debbie,
I don't know about the DX-D3. Since I began using my D3 a couple of months ago, I have fallen in love with wide-angle photography all over again. In particular, my Nikon 14mm f2.8 rectilinear lens. I used it a lot on my D2/D200 cameras but since going back to full-frame shooting, I love it even more. I also like the fact that my 70-200 is back to "normal." On the DX cameras, I always felt that some things got too close for the lens. (Yeah, I know...that means they were too close :) Anyway, I love it.
Mike |
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Eric Canha, Photographer
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Not Listed | MA | United States | Posted: 12:31 AM on 05.08.08 |
->> Debbie,
I don't shoot much in the form of concerts or theater. I just shot 2 days of Beauty and the Beast and was brought to my knees by what my D3 was able to capture! The colors and DR are to die for. Up until now I've always (95% of the time) had to kick in a little fill but not anymore. No more washed out colors, yea!
I agree with you that I would love to see Nikon come out with a DX version that was built into the D3 chassis, thus avoiding the phantom battery/faulty grip/dirty contact issue. I've had the problem with a D200 from day one and don't want to deal with in on a 2nd body.
Nikon, a D3X is nice but a D3h would be nicer ;) |
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Debra L Rothenberg, Photographer
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New York | NY | USA | Posted: 8:59 AM on 05.08.08 |
| ->> I have been searching for the download to make the D300 like the D2X...does anyone have that link? I can't seem to find it on the nikon site |
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Kevin Novak, Photographer, Assistant
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Bel Air (Baltimore) | MD | USA | Posted: 9:27 AM on 05.08.08 |
->> Debra,
Try this link. I has both the Mac and Win downloads. Not sure what OS you're running.
Kevin
http://tinyurl.com/5gpxqx |
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Ian Halperin, Photographer
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Plano(Dallas) | TX | USA | Posted: 9:44 AM on 05.08.08 |
->> Like Bob, I now think about which camera/lens combo I shoot with. I have the D300 and D2Hs. The different in color between the two is shocking, especially indoors, in mixed lighting.
At this point, for my needs, I would buy a second D300 before a D3. |
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