D300 Owners Thread - Anything related to the D300!

minnnt said:
John, as i normally shoot with a D750, i have a 24-70 and 70-200. 24mm on an APS-C sensor doesn't make it very wide at all. 'Above cloud 9' was shot on a tripod but the others were hand held. No camera trickery for any of them as tbh i didn't really know how to use it fully so just stuck to my usual aperture priority and adjust to suit. I dialled in +/- exposure as i saw fit and just had a general play.

As for lenses, what are you thinking of? Wide? If so then check out the Samyang range. They're lightweight, manual focus and seem to offer good IQ.

Here's a panorama that i put together in Lr.


Winnats Pass by David Raynham, on Flickr
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Another very nice shot m8, well composed, great light, and love the whispy clouds.(y)

"Trust you to liven up a thread".:D:D

George.
 
I love the D700 and jumping between it and the D300 is a breeze as everything is in the same place, but I have a few weddings to do and thought the extra MP's and ISO would do me no harm..
 
Stu Meech said:
The 18-70 is such a great little lens, for what you pay for it (£70 or so), you get an awful lot with it's handy focal length, non rotating front element, and not f/5.6 at the long end.
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I have just stumbled across this thread. I have outgrown my D5100 and am just considering getting D300s and the 18-70 lens (plus the 50mm 1.8D prime lens). I read a lot of good things about the 18-70mm lens, and how much better it is than that joke of 18-55, as well as the newer 18-105 and 18-135mm. I like the metal lens mount, the distance scale, and the M/A position about it. And the reviews seem that it makes for better quality shots too.
Plus it is nice and wide at the front so will look a lot cooler than my friends' lenses :banana:
And the price... the price!

Anyway, the camera's a tie between D300s and D7000 at the moment, but I'm definitely getting that lens!
 
BunnyPics said:
I have just stumbled across this thread. I have outgrown my D5100 and am just considering getting D300s and the 18-70 lens (plus the 50mm 1.8D prime lens). I read a lot of good things about the 18-70mm lens, and how much better it is than that joke of 18-55, as well as the newer 18-105 and 18-135mm. I like the metal lens mount, the distance scale, and the M/A position about it. And the reviews seem that it makes for better quality shots too.
Plus it is nice and wide at the front so will look a lot cooler than my friends' lenses :banana:
And the price... the price!

Anyway, the camera's a tie between D300s and D7000 at the moment, but I'm definitely getting that lens!
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You literally cannot argue for the price, except for the lack of VR.
 
BunnyPics said:
read a lot of good things about the 18-70mm lens,---, as well as the newer 18-105 and 18-135mm.
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I've been playing with my 18-70 indoors [weather rubbish up here ATM] on my new-to-me D300 --- well pleased....:)

a few bits to note - D300/s owners please chip in/disagree
the 18-70 is AF-S only - not like the 18-55 which has VRII also - you'll need 67mm filters
the 18-105 is 'reputed' to be very soft
the 18-135 doesn't do any better with distortion and colour-fringing

consensus seems to be, IF they are in your budget
18-200 AF-S VR 3.5-5.6............or................. 16-85 AF-S VR 3.5-5.6
check out the reviews online
EDIT ,....http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/16-85mm-vs-18-200mm.htm

still need a 35/1.8 or 50/1.8 though....:)
 
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Yardbent said:
the 18-70 is AF-S only - not like the 18-55 which has VRII also - you'll need 67mm filters
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Stu Meech said:
You literally cannot argue for the price, except for the lack of VR.
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The absence of VR doesn't bother me. Because mine tend to be moving subjects needing sharpness (pet rabbits), I tend to work indoors with reflected flash and quick shutter... and shoot between heartbeats! :)
 
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ok - if indoors, why not start with a 50/1.8 and the 18-70

unless you need the 200mm zooms for another hobby..:)
 
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I had the 50mm f1.8D many years ago but never really used it, when it got stolen I never got round to replacing it.

If you have a 18mm to whatever lens, check the view at 35mm and 50mm, as while the 50mm is seen as a 'standard lens' on a FF camera, on a crop sensor camera it gives a similar view to a 75mm lens on a FF camera. A 35mm lens would give a closer view to a 50mm lens on a FF camera, working out as a similar view to a 52.5mm lens on FF. If there was such a thing. But of course you know all that, just pointing it out for those that don't ;)
 
BunnyPics said:
I have just stumbled across this thread. I have outgrown my D5100 and am just considering getting D300s and the 18-70 lens (plus the 50mm 1.8D prime lens). I read a lot of good things about the 18-70mm lens, and how much better it is than that joke of 18-55, as well as the newer 18-105 and 18-135mm. I like the metal lens mount, the distance scale, and the M/A position about it. And the reviews seem that it makes for better quality shots too.
Plus it is nice and wide at the front so will look a lot cooler than my friends' lenses :banana:
And the price... the price!

Anyway, the camera's a tie between D300s and D7000 at the moment, but I'm definitely getting that lens!
Click to expand...

I think I'm the only one on here who didn't rate the 18-70mm lens when I was using the D7000. I preferred the output from the 18-55mm lens until I went to the Sigma 18-50mm f2.8 and then the Tamron 28-75mm f2.8.

Some nice example of the capabilities of the 18-55mm on Flickr and the newer version is possibly better?

https://www.flickr.com/search/?text=nikon 18-55
 
question .... how mant shots are you getting on average from your inboard EN-EL3e

Im using the LCD - a few flash experiments indoors, and check the histogram after each exposure --- so heavy usage..?

BUT whereas some [!] reviewers are quoting 1000+ - i am only getting a 100+...........:(

battery status in the menus shows ''0=new''
 
Don't use mine much now but on the D300 and D700 it is probably around 1000. Only use lcd to review and not to shoot. When I do airshows I can easily rattle off 600 and it still half full.
 
I didn't have the D300 for that long before I had to replace it with the D300S, but my batteries last about 500-700 images, and even then the battery is not normally fully flat. If your only getting about about 100 images, unless you are doing long exposures in minus temperatures, then it sounds like something is wrong with the camera and/or battery.

I have used 3rd party batteries that have worked well, but when they go, they just seem to stop working.
 
redhed17 said:
..............., then it sounds like something is wrong with the camera and/or battery.

I have used 3rd party batteries..........
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:(

batteries are [supposedly] Nikon originals
 
how long does it take you to fully charge your EN-EL3e
from flat - using a mains original Nikon Quick-charger MH-18a .............thanks
 
Have a look at the Nikon 16-85mm too. Brilliant lens and perfect used examples are usually easy to find. Metal mount, fast AF, VR II and great IQ!
 
minnnt said:
Not sure on the charging bit but I can get bout 1k shots without too much effort.
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??
took 42 shots yesterday - battery has dropped to 63%
I've browsed the counterfeit images on the Nikon site - my batteries are both Genuine

however i have read this elsewhere ............
''...After two years they will likely exhibit reduced capacity (run time on a charge). My EN-EL3's were basically toast after about 4-5 years....''
 
minnnt said:
If i were you then i would pick up a couple of Ex-Pro batteries for it. They're really good quality and well priced.
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thanks - i was going to buy 2 Duracell - but these are 2 for £22.54 - so ordered - fingers crossed...:)
 
minnnt said:
If i were you then i would pick up a couple of Ex-Pro batteries for it. They're really good quality and well priced.
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David - delivered today - quick
charged and 'Menu-battery'' shows 100%

the Nikons supplied with the camera never rose above 93% fully charged - possibly way too old...?

thanks for the tip.....:)
 
minnnt said:
Now go and give 'em a good test. They may take a few charges to give full capacity.
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thanks again for the tip --- the EX-Pro batteries [altho i bought the non-white version] seem to be holding their charge just great

just downloaded and Updated [with a bit of trepidation] the latest Firmware v1.11...........:banana:
 
love my 18-70 used it for flying owls yesterday, but for wide angle l love the nikon 12-24, great for close up reptiles/fish through glass too
 
First time out with my £160 D300 on Saturday. As bang for buck goes it's up there with any camera kit I've ever bought, still one hell of a lot of camera for very little cash these days. Feels bomb proof too. As a camera to hammer the shutter life at running events without adding life to my FF bodies I don't think I could have done any better for the amount spent.

Even with the 85mm 1.8 (not the quickest to AF in the world) I had a 95% hit rate from 900 photos of runners.

Southwick Country parkrun #293 by Chris Harrison, on Flickr

Southwick Country parkrun #293 by Chris Harrison, on Flickr

https://www.flickr.com/photos/harry_s/sets/72157681733571536/
 
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ukaskew said:
First time out with my £160 D300 on Saturday. As bang for buck goes it's up there with any camera kit I've ever bought, still one hell of a lot of camera for very little cash these days. Feels bomb proof too. As a camera to hammer the shutter life at running events without adding life to my FF bodies I don't think I could have done any better for the amount spent.

Even with the 85mm 1.8 (not the quickest to AF in the world) I had a 95% hit rate from 900 photos of runners.

Southwick Country parkrun #293 by Chris Harrison, on Flickr

Southwick Country parkrun #293 by Chris Harrison, on Flickr

https://www.flickr.com/photos/harry_s/sets/72157681733571536/
Click to expand...

I used to have a D300... oh, wait.......
 
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