Nikon D300S
Encyclopedia
The Nikon D300S is a 12.3 megapixel DX format digital single-lens reflex camera
(DSLR) announced by Nikon
on 30 July 2009. It replaces the D300
as Nikon's DX format
flagship DSLR adding HD video recording (with autofocus
). It has some similarities to the Nikon D700
, with the same resolution, but has a smaller, higher-density sensor.
ePHOTOzine.com said that there was "a lot of scoffing at the release of this camera simply due to its only visible upgrade which is the inclusion of video. But it doesn't look like Nikon have been sitting back on their laurels at all and I think this is a worthy camera to add to the stable."
Digital single-lens reflex camera
Most digital single-lens reflex cameras are digital cameras that use a mechanical mirror system and pentaprism to direct light from the lens to an optical viewfinder on the back of the camera....
(DSLR) announced by Nikon
Nikon
, also known as just Nikon, is a multinational corporation headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, specializing in optics and imaging. Its products include cameras, binoculars, microscopes, measurement instruments, and the steppers used in the photolithography steps of semiconductor fabrication, of which...
on 30 July 2009. It replaces the D300
Nikon D300
The Nikon D300 is a 12.3-megapixel professional DX format digital single-lens reflex camera that Nikon Corporation announced on 23 August 2007 along with the Nikon D3 FX format camera. It replaced the D200 as Nikon's DX format flagship DSLR...
as Nikon's DX format
Nikon DX format
The Nikon DX format is an alternative name used by Nikon corporation for APS-C image sensor format being approximately 24×16 mm. Its dimensions are about 2/3 those of the 35mm film format . The format was created by Nikon for its digital SLR cameras, many of which are equipped with DX-sized...
flagship DSLR adding HD video recording (with autofocus
Autofocus
An autofocus optical system uses a sensor, a control system and a motor to focus fully automatic or on a manually selected point or area. An electronic rangefinder has a display instead of the motor; the adjustment of the optical system has to be done manually until indication...
). It has some similarities to the Nikon D700
Nikon D700
The Nikon D700 is a professional grade full-frame digital single-lens reflex camera introduced by the Nikon Corporation in July 2008 and manufactured in Japan. It uses the same 12.1 megapixel "FX" CMOS image sensor as the Nikon D3, and is Nikon's second full-frame digital SLR camera...
, with the same resolution, but has a smaller, higher-density sensor.
Features
- Nikon's 12.3 megapixel Nikon DX formatNikon DX formatThe Nikon DX format is an alternative name used by Nikon corporation for APS-C image sensor format being approximately 24×16 mm. Its dimensions are about 2/3 those of the 35mm film format . The format was created by Nikon for its digital SLR cameras, many of which are equipped with DX-sized...
CMOS sensorActive pixel sensorAn active-pixel sensor is an image sensor consisting of an integrated circuit containing an array of pixel sensors, each pixel containing a photodetector and an active amplifier. There are many types of active pixel sensors including the CMOS APS used most commonly in cell phone cameras, web...
. - Nikon's EXPEED image processor with 12 or 14-bitBitA bit is the basic unit of information in computing and telecommunications; it is the amount of information stored by a digital device or other physical system that exists in one of two possible distinct states...
processing. - D-Movie mode 720p720p720p is the shorthand name for 1280x720, a category of High-definition television video modes having a resolution of 1080 or 720p and a progressive scan...
, 24 frame/s, AVIAudio Video InterleaveAudio Video Interleave , known by its acronym AVI, is a multimedia container format introduced by Microsoft in November 1992 as part of its Video for Windows technology. AVI files can contain both audio and video data in a file container that allows synchronous audio-with-video playback...
, with contrast autofocus and ability to use smaller apertures. - 16 bitBitA bit is the basic unit of information in computing and telecommunications; it is the amount of information stored by a digital device or other physical system that exists in one of two possible distinct states...
/44.1 kHz stereo sound and external stereo input. Optional manual sound level control. - In-camera movie editing
- Active D-Lighting with bracketing and Auto / Extra High Active options.
- Automatic correction of lateral chromatic aberrationChromatic aberrationIn optics, chromatic aberration is a type of distortion in which there is a failure of a lens to focus all colors to the same convergence point. It occurs because lenses have a different refractive index for different wavelengths of light...
for JPEGJPEGIn computing, JPEG . The degree of compression can be adjusted, allowing a selectable tradeoff between storage size and image quality. JPEG typically achieves 10:1 compression with little perceptible loss in image quality....
s. Correction-data is additionally stored in RAW-files and used by Nikon Capture, View NX and some other RAW tools. - Expanded Retouch menu
- Shutter unit tested to 150,000 cycles.
- Quiet shutter mode.
- Live view mode with dedicated Live View button
- 3.0-inch 920,000-dot resolution VGA TFT LCDLiquid crystal displayA liquid crystal display is a flat panel display, electronic visual display, or video display that uses the light modulating properties of liquid crystals . LCs do not emit light directly....
- Dual slots for CompactFlashCompactFlashCompactFlash is a mass storage device format used in portable electronic devices. Most CompactFlash devices contain flash memory in a standardized enclosure. The format was first specified and produced by SanDisk in 1994...
(Type I) and Secure DigitalSecure Digital cardSecure Digital is a non-volatile memory card format developed by the SD Card Association for use in portable devices. The SD technology is used by more than 400 brands across dozens of product categories and more than 8,000 models, and is considered the de-facto industry standard.Secure Digital...
, SDHC compatible memory cards. Backup, overflow and RAW/JPEG separate mode. - Continuous Drive up to 7 frames per second and 8 frames per second with optional MB-D10 battery grip.
- The maximum speed when shooting 14-bit RAW files, however, is only 2.5 fps.
- Faster startup, shutter release and autofocus time
- 3D Color Matrix Metering II with Scene Recognition System.
- 3D Tracking Multi-CAM 3500DX autofocusAutofocusAn autofocus optical system uses a sensor, a control system and a motor to focus fully automatic or on a manually selected point or area. An electronic rangefinder has a display instead of the motor; the adjustment of the optical system has to be done manually until indication...
sensor module with 51 AF points. - Nikon F-mountNikon F-mountThe Nikon F-mount is a type of interchangeable lens mount developed by Nikon for its 35 mm SLR cameras. The F-mount was first introduced on the Nikon F camera in 1959, and features a three lug bayonet mount with a 44 mm throat and a flange to focal plane distance of 46.5 mm...
lenses. - i-TTLThrough-the-lens meteringThrough-the-lens metering is a photographic term describing a feature of cameras capable of measuring light levels in a scene through their taking lenses, as opposed to a separate metering window...
flashFlash (photography)A flash is a device used in photography producing a flash of artificial light at a color temperature of about 5500 K to help illuminate a scene. A major purpose of a flash is to illuminate a dark scene. Other uses are capturing quickly moving objects or changing the quality of light...
exposure system with built-in wireless CLS (Nikon Creative Lighting System) control.
- Virtual horizon.
- File formats: JPEGJPEGIn computing, JPEG . The degree of compression can be adjusted, allowing a selectable tradeoff between storage size and image quality. JPEG typically achieves 10:1 compression with little perceptible loss in image quality....
, TIFF, NEF (Nikon's RAWRAW image formatA camera raw image file contains minimally processed data from the image sensor of either a digital camera, image scanner, or motion picture film scanner. Raw files are so named because they are not yet processed and therefore are not ready to be printed or edited with a bitmap graphics editor...
, 12 or 14-bit compressed or lossless compressed), AVIAudio Video InterleaveAudio Video Interleave , known by its acronym AVI, is a multimedia container format introduced by Microsoft in November 1992 as part of its Video for Windows technology. AVI files can contain both audio and video data in a file container that allows synchronous audio-with-video playback...
(Motion JPEG). - Up to 950 (CIPA) shots on a single EN-EL3e (7.4 V, 1500 mAh) rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery.
- Built-in flash covers 16 mm
- Dedicated center Direction pad button.
- Dedicated Info button.
Reception
The Nikon D300S has been tested by a number of independent reviewers, receiving generally favorable reviews. Digital Photography Review concluded in its extensive review: "The D300S is not the standout product that its predecessor was and unless you find your clients are clamoring for video footage, we can't see much need for existing owners to upgrade. But that shouldn't take away from an absolutely excellent product – a gently polished and refined update of a product that we considered a benchmark when it was released."ePHOTOzine.com said that there was "a lot of scoffing at the release of this camera simply due to its only visible upgrade which is the inclusion of video. But it doesn't look like Nikon have been sitting back on their laurels at all and I think this is a worthy camera to add to the stable."