Why no complaints here?

[tri-x1]

I find it interesting that there is seldom, if ever, a complaint about the D300

camera on this forum. Posters here have nothing but good to say about it. I've

had mine for four months and 6,000 images, using a variety of DX, AF and ai

lenses, had no problems and absolutely loves it.

 

BUT, there is at least one major Nikon user forum where, if you believe a very

vocal group of posters, the D300 is a flawed camera and Nikon is trying to hide

that fact. The threads go on and on.

 

It's hard to get a handle on have many complainers there are. Given the number

of D300s that have been sold, it's probably a very small but very loud group.

 

Although the D300 is the main target on that particular forum right now, it

seems to attract complaints about just about everything NIkon--even though it

advertises itself as the premier Nikon user site.

 

Maybe I'm paranoid but I wonder how many of those "complaints" come from users

of other brands who enjoy stirring up some turmoil--especially when the D300 has

received such positive reviews in most circles since it's introduction.

 

I'm sure there are D300s out there with problems. There always is a small

percentage of any new product with problems. But I can't believe it's anywhere

near the "flawed product" level posters on some forums claim.

[garrison_k.]

Why not help us out with specifics? What problems and what forums?

[sal b]

What, you didn't see the <b>"D300 + SB800 = Crap"</b> thread posted today?

[Mike D]

My only complaint with the D300 is that I bought a D2X a couple years ago for a little

less than $5,000. Now it's worth maybe $1500. Since I purchased my D300 for about

$1800, I'm not real happy about my loss on the D2x, especially since the D300 is a

better body.

[ShunCheung]

Wayne:

 

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00OT2O

 

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00OTGJ

 

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00OYX4

[dan_brown4]

I can honestly say I never had a single problem with the N90s, the D100 nor the D200,

and shoot all of them very extensively.

[garrison_k.]

1st generation D70 = Back focus then Blogd. Had two D70's

 

1st generation D2x = Back focus. Had two D2x's

 

1st generation D200 = Banding. Two of them as well.

 

1st generation D300 = Haven't heard a thing.

[hughes]

Michael,

what happened to your D2X to make it redundant I am curious

Steve

[Jerry_]

"What, you didn't see the "D300 + SB800 = Crap" thread posted today?"

 

 

 

 

The "problem" noted above is more likely user error and not the camera. A Nikon speedlight is designed to add "fill-flash" when you are shooting, i.e., make the face shadows lighter. To expect "flash bulb" results in a dark room, with a ultra-wide angle lens .... you are on your own to get what you can with your image.

[kevan_goddard]

At a guess I think Wayne is referring to the numerous threads on dpreview concerning dead battery syndrome on the D300

[tri-x1]

Nikonians is where the major complaints seem to be. Involves camera allegedly showing dead battery when the battery is fully charged. Again, although the treads are long and there are some very vocal posters, it appears to be a relatively small number(compared to the number of D300 users out there) posting and reposting.

 

Modern DSLR cameras have a lot more potential for user error or accidental damage than the film models. For instance: I've never changed a lens on the D300 without turning off the camera first. I suspect that a lot of people haver done it a few times and probably some never turn it off to change lenses.

 

There are some people who seem to have the attitude that "I paid $1,800 for this camera so I expect it to be perfect in every way and user error proof."

[wing8]

I have zero problems after 5 months of D300 ownership.

[lex_jenkins]

Other websites suffer from "piling-on syndrome." One very vocal person who posts hundreds of complaints about a problem can lead the unwary to believe that there are hundreds of separate, individual complaints.

 

Next thing you know, insecure folks who suffer from buyer's remorse begin looking for faults. If they find anything they perceive as a flaw, even when it's operator error from not reading the manual, they'll chime in with irrelevant complaints.

 

The threads get longer and longer as others pile on.

 

Then people who visit one website begin to "report" unsubstantiated rumors on other websites and blogs. Next thing you know these unsubstantiated rumors and statistically insignificant complaints appear high on Google. This perpetuates misunderstandings, misconceptions, disinformation and outright myths.

 

Photo.net has always tried to hold a higher standard and keep unsubstantiated reports to a minimum. This frustrates some folks, who flock to other sites to post misinformation, disinformation, rumors, myths, "statistics" and insecurity-driven piling-on reports.

 

FWIW, Shun has tried hard to maintain a thread with *valid* reports of problems, including soliciting feedback from Nikon in response to valid, substantiated problems. But this isn't enough for folks who simply enjoy complaining loudly and often.

[Ed_Ingold]

Complainers are like rabbits - one can leave a lot of tracks.

[Rene11664880918]

Very interesting topic. I think the Nikon forum in P/N is visited by serious people. Professionals, advance amateurs, people really trying to learn and me.

 

I see a lot of people with equipment problems but they come to look for a solution and not to talk bad about their equipment. As long as people know that the chances are higher that they are not using the equipment the right way than the equipment having the problem itself, you won't get that much complaining!

 

Also I think this place is really special. There are not people fighting with each other or a war between Canon and Nikon users. There are not even jokes around here, I think I am the only clown or should I say the funnier member!? But every one else is learning to live with me!

 

I think it is just nice to find a peaceful place like this on the web. Let's keep it that way! Rene'

[sngreen]

I had '0' problems with D200 and '0' problems with D300. I see many somewhat provocative posts (and from the same posters) at dpreview but usually ignore them - they reveal nothing. As this cuckoo, who just touched the big camera in a strange light,

 

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1022&thread=27042642&page=1

 

And will continue doing so in *any* forum,

 

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1022&message=28134983

 

Did not pay so much attention to Nikonians, but from what I have seen many posters had just bought their first digital cameras and expect wonders. The site name "Nikonians" sounds legit, so what not post there? The answers do usually point to the obvious - read the manual.

 

As for photo.net, I think the mood and overall atmosphere here is very fine. I like the idea of having technical and artistic discussion on the same site, and that perhaps prevents the real trolls and fanboys from finding audience here. When there is problem (or confusion) I see the threads do not remain abandoned and the responses are helpful. Can't complain.

 

- Sergey

[sal b]

Gerald:

 

I wasn't defending the OP who wrote the "D300 + SB800 = Crap" thread. Perhaps I should have used an emoticon to express irony.

 

The point was, people on photo.net *do* complain about the D300, whether it's warranted or not.

 

I personally think the problem with complaint threads include totally unreasonable expectations, plus a general lack of experience and knowledge about photography.

 

People evidently have enough money to buy any type of equipment and then expect it to function *as they think it should,* irrespective of what the manufacturer designed, built, and documented in manuals.

[shuo_zhao]

>> "Involves camera allegedly showing dead battery when the battery is fully charged."

 

That's true w/ generic batteries. In fact, the camera will even refuse to be turned on.

[mharris]

I have two D300s, one of them started acting goofy. I don't think I'll blame Nikon though because the one acting goofy fell out of my truck. Damn thing still worked, the flash mount was bent in and the focus assist lamp stopped working. One tough camera.

[mharris]

I have one generic battery and mine works with it.

[jose_angel]

I have been following some "D300 issues" and talked about it with several relevant persons in the Nikon european stage, dealers and staff. I have some conclusions:

 

There are some issues related to the D300, as with all kind of products, minimal in percentage. By comparison, the D300 is a far more succesful product than the D200.

 

The D300 product is one of the most reliable and with lower complaint level in the current market from the seller point of view. The D3-D300 return account is minimal in comparison with high complaint level products like the Mark III (looks to be the winner) and others.

 

Looks like all kind of problems are mixed and converted to a unique one. I`m pretty sure that this mix includes possible real defects, user`product ingnorance, lack of experience, hidden intentions and more. A faulty item+unexperienced user=a defective product.

 

I have noticed that very very few users report tons of problems in lots of units.

 

Defective D300s I know has been sucessfully fixed by our local Nikon repair center. This problem is the one related in this forum.

 

And probably the most important, there is a bitter competion between manufacturers, sometimes very subtle, in hands of local sellers or fools who want their own benefit, very prone to start rumours and subtle campaigns against whatever. Moderators have a hard work here to tell what is a sincere post and what is trap.

 

It`s funny that we are many users highly dissapointed with odd things like the underwater usefulness of their 70-200, or reporting SB800 underexposure problems when shooting the Koln Cathedral, or don`t consider our top class pro zooms good enough pixel by pixel for brick wall shooting. This are also complaints, thought.

[jose_angel]

...the emoticon: :>)

[gabriel_afana]

************

"What, you didn't see the "D300 + SB800 = Crap" thread posted today?"

 

 

The "problem" noted above is more likely user error and not the camera. A Nikon speedlight is designed to add "fill-flash" when you are shooting, i.e., make the face shadows lighter. To expect "flash bulb" results in a dark room, with a ultra-wide angle lens .... you are on your own to get what you can with your image.

**************

 

Nope...I started that thread. Read it through and you will see its actually a flaw in the D300 and the D3. It has been addressed in the D3 by a firmware update - it has not been fixed yet in the D300.

 

So thats a bug in the d300 for sure

[tim_knight]

Complainers are like rabbits - one can leave a lot of tracks.

 

Edward, I like your quote. When they are chased by a dog they also like to run in a circle.

[rarmstrong]

I've had my D300 for 5 months and shot about 3500 images...no problems at all! And I agree, this forum is a great place to learn about my equipment and even better, to learn how to be a better photogropher. I thank PN and all of you for that!