D300 on its last legs, what next?

<p>Hi all!<br>

It's been years since I posted here, and I'm hoping the more experienced photogs could give me some equipment advice. I have been very happily shooting with my D300 during this time, so much that it's physically quite worn out - the mount is giving me issues, as is the battery compartment. Most of the rubber on lenses and camera is either worn smooth or have just plain fell off. Heck, my 16-85 lens barrel is held together by sticky tape. So, I'm thinking this might be a good time to move to a new camera, or even a new system. I'm down to one dx zoom and a few fx primes, so I'm open to switching brands.</p>

<p>Things I'm looking for in my next camera - Able to have the same/similar Af-On focusing. A dpad of sorts for selecting/resetting the focus point fast is important. Good flash system - I use the sb600 in nearly every daylight shot for fill, its awesome.<br>

<br />Would be nice to have something that weighs less than the D300 - budget max about 2k usd for body + 24-135mm (equiv) lens. I'd like to keep the sensor size at APS-C (or larger but will defo consider m4/3 if the AF is up to par with the d300), don't really care for megapixels, less than 12 would be great. Video: not important. Weather resistance ala D300: would be nice.</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

<p>i would recommend the nikon d7200.<br /> it comes with a 18-140 for aprox. €1600 on amazon.<br /> http://www.europe-nikon.com/en_GB/product/digital-cameras/slr/consumer/d7200<br /> <br />it is similar in size but not that heavy.<br /> seems to be a camera you could enjoy.<br /> give it a test (especially in regards of the af-on button .. )</p>

<p>just my initial thought.<br /> you could also think about buying used, if the af on button is mandatory.<br /> i do not know if there is a custom setting for the d7200 that would make the af e, af l button a af on button.<br /> someone else here might give you better advice.<br /> its a start though :)</p>

<p>edit:<br>

nikon d7200, manual page 286, you can assign af-on to the af-e/af-l button</p>

<p>If you do not mind "older technology"you could also consider buying a D300S , works almost the same as your D300 , is a bit faster on the framerate without the battery pack ( MB10 ) . And you are already used to the controls....<br>

If you look hard you might find a brand new one, otherwise a good used one with a low number or clicks on it might been had at a good price too, and that would leave you some budget for extra good glass to accompany it.</p>

<p>If you want DX, I`d just buy anything from the current market. D7200, maybe.<br />If you want it now and you like standard zoom ranges, I`d switch to FX. Maybe a D750.</p>

<p>But if you`re not in a hurry, I`d wait a bit more to see what`s next. Fuji should update the X-Pro. Nikon will release a D5 soon. This could give us an idea of what`s on manufacturers` mind. I wonder if full format mirrorless cameras will be the new standard.</p>

<p>if the d5 comes with an e vf, i trash my gear this instant and go buy a hasselblad and too many rolls of film :)</p>

<p>Having a few FX primes and only one very worn DX lens, now may very well be the ideal time to switch to FX, if that is something you have considered.</p>

<p>I would recommend against getting a new D300S unless it more or less costs what a used goes for. You have the more modern D7000 and the D7100 too on the used market, so an unused D300S should not hold much of a price premium over a used one. B&H retails new grey market D300S for the same price as non-grey market D7200, which in most aspects is a better camera. The US distributed D300S costs USD 1 700, which is way too much today. It is 800 more than a new D7100, which in comparison represents better value for money.</p>

<p>Keep in mind that the current D7200/D610/D750 uses SDHC memory cards so you need a least a new memory card as well.</p>

D7200. Brilliant AF system, and compared to the D300 you'll be amazed by how noiseless the high ISO (400 to 6400)

image quality and dynamic range capacity at all sensitivity settings.

<p>I have to agree with the others here. If you want to stay with DX go with the 7200 but if you want to go FX, the 610 or 750 should do nicely. As for budget, you can fit any of these into that amount I suspect, especially if you consider used gear.<br /><br />Rick H.</p>

<p>I think the D7200 should be excellent for your type of work. It is a bit smaller than the D300 and should have similar weather sealing, but much improved image quality and somewhat improved AF. And you avoid the cost of switching systems. Don't worry about the 24MP ... it will do nothing but good for telephoto work (you might be amazed at the detail you can get from these systems in daylight). If you want to shake weight, the 300mm f/4E PF AF-S VR Nikkor has lost almost half the weight of its predecessor the 300/4D, and has much improved AF capability.</p>

<p>If you need high fps capability (beyond 6fps) then the D7200 doesn't have this feature, but the cost of switching to the 7D II with lenses would be quite substantial as well.</p>

<p><em>if the d5 comes with an e vf, i trash my gear this instant</em></p>

<p>I would sell my gear and quit photography, most likely. ;-) </p>

<p>If you're thinking of switching brands, then you need to figure in the cost of lenses and flash, and that's going to cost a lot more than the camera body for any reasonably comprehensive and quality kit.</p>

<p>Whatever new camera you buy will most likely be an improvement on the D300, because that's the nature of digital photography at the moment. Any current DSLR will almost certainly focus faster, have better metering, have more pixels, be lighter and have higher ISO and IQ ability. Not to mention offer Live View that's actually useable! Handling and other facilities are a matter of personal taste and needs, and I'd hesitate to choose a camera for someone else. The D7200 does appear to fit your needs though. It wouldn't hurt to give one a try at your nearest retailer.</p>

<p>Waiting for "what's next" is crazy if your current camera is on its last legs. There's always going to be a better camera just down the road, and greener grass in the next field.</p>

<p>What do you photo? Match the gear to the use.</p>

<p>Kent in SD</p>

<p>Some excellent recommendations here. I might also add, if you have the MB-D10, a D700 as it works with that model as well as the D300. That's what I went with when the shutter in my own venerable D300 died (for the third time, after over 600,000 shots--I do a lot of pro boxing, clubs, live music, etc.).</p>

<p>The D700 is dirt cheap right now, if you use the MB-D10 and shoot action you can get the full 8 frames per second, you'll get better high-ISO performance than your D300 (although not, of course, as good as the D7200 and other newer cameras), it's quite rugged and built to a hard wearing standard, and it is laid out very similarly to your D300 so all the controls will be in familiar places. Plus, it has the AF-ON function you want and the pixel count is right--and you have some FX lenses for it already.</p>

<p>I'm not sure how Nikon USA is doing it, but here in Britain we can order small bits--like body rubber panels, zoom/focusing rings, etc.--direct from Nikon UK at quite reasonable prices, and replace them ourselves. You might see if you can do the same thing where you are.</p>

<p>A lot of good advices about upgrading, better camera's , FX etc. BUT the op writes he is looking for :</p>

 

<blockquote>

<p> keep the sensor size at APS-C (or larger but will defo consider m4/3 if the AF is up to par with the d300), don't really care for megapixels, less than 12 would be great. Video: not important. Weather resistance ala D300: would be nice.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>This is the main reason why i referred to a D300S (12mp or LESS , no video weather resistance), otherwise i agree that a D7200 , or even some FX camera ( D610 maybe) would be a better choice..</p>

<p>As other suggested as well...Nikon D7200! Just a few notes from the DPreview, the juicy part of the review:<br>

"<em><strong>The D7200's image quality is excellent, both in JPEG and Raw</strong>. Even against the Samsung NX1's technologically more advanced BSI-CMOS design, the Nikon's Raw performance is extremely impressive, with the sensor contributing impressively little in terms of read noise</em><em>. <strong>In fact it's pretty safe to say this is the best performance we've yet seen from an APS-C camera</strong>. If your primary interest is stills then this one of the first cameras you should be considering, in this class.<strong> Both high ISO noise, and low ISO</strong></em><strong> dynamic<em> range, performance are currently unmatched by any competitor</em>.</strong>"</p>

<p>"Most of the rubber on lenses and camera is either worn smooth or have just plain fell off. Heck, my 16-85 lens barrel is held together by sticky tape"<br /><br />Around here, that's what we call "broken in." If rubber is worn down or fallen off, so what? That doesn't keep it from being usable. I've been shooting Nikon for 40 years and with the exception of one beat-up 28 prime that is held together with gaffer tape and an FM body with a jammed shutter, I have never ever worn out a lens or camera body. And there was a time when I was shooting daily for newspapers and really abused some of my gear. What are you doing with your gear that it could get to the point of being trashed?</p>

Well, one thing that will trash your camera is if the shutter dies. My D300 is on its fourth. The first two times it died, I had it repaired. The

most recent one, they wanted nearly £450 to replace it and you can buy a second hand D300 (no s) for under £300. So it made no

economic sense to repair it. As I'd been wanting to move to full frame - I've had most of my lenses forever, so all but a couple were FX - I

chose to jump to the D700.

<p>Short of another D300 or switching to Canon (the 7D2 is a lot newer than the D300 series), the D7200 is pretty much as close as Nikon will currently sell you, short of a D810 in DX crop mode. Their low-ish MP/high robustness options tend to be in FX these days - though a used D700 isn't much bigger than a D300 and is roughly as robust. The D750 is actually lighter than a D300, and faster (if you've not been using the grip), but the handling is more D7000-ish if that bothers you. You may make up the weight in FX lenses, of course, but then the 18-35 f/1.8 isn't exactly featherweight. You might struggle to get lenses with the D750 in your budget, though. Good luck.</p>

<p>Consider a New D7100 with DX Lenses + 50mm f1.8 and or 35mm f1.8. Just about a good as a D7200. IMHO.</p>

<p>+1 for D300s</p>

<p>if you honestly dont need more than 12mp, and you are happy with the d300, then a d300s makes sense. save the rest of your budget for lenses.</p>

<p><em>if the d5 comes with an e vf, i trash my gear this instant and go buy a hasselblad and too many rolls of film :)</em> - Norbert Wabnig<br /> <em>I would sell my gear and quit photography, most likely. ;-)</em> - Ilkka</p>

<p>LOL... Hmmm, <a href="http://www.sony.net/Products/di/en-us/products/dkw5/index.html">I think we can chat again after some months...</a> Not sure if Nikon wants to keep making another D3 update also on the D5... ;D</p>