allan_crookes

<p>I guess each newer camera that comes out is basically an update from a previous model so don't ever expect a completely NEW model, just an updated or refined model.<br>

I own a D300 too and just bought a D600 and even after just a couple of shoots and not knowing what to expect, I'd say without a doubt that the D600 is quite a good camera. I used some of the settings I though might apply to the D300 and applied them to the 600 and they seem ok, but studying the resultant images I can say the quality of the shots is noticably better. When you magnify images the quality just stays there a lot longer, even when the images are set at about the same size as the D300's. How can I put it? The D600's usage of pixels seems better than the D300, maybe more accurate. Of course this will differ from lens to lens and session to session but it was definitely noticable at first glimpse. I bought a 24-120mm lens for mine and although it was not my overall first choice, mainly because they didn't have the one I did want (24-70mm), I was pleasantly surprised to see just what the 24-120 could do for me. I also have a 70-300mm lens tucked away that I used on the D300 with some reasonably good results. I was going to try it out yesterday but in my eagerness to get out the door and click away, I simply forgot it, so it remains to be seen as to how good it can perform. Here's hoping...</p>

<p>The D300 is a great camera and I will NEVER regret the day I bought it, some 4 years ago, as it has given me no end of experience on a higher level than I had ever been used to, even over the D80 I had at the same time. It just performed virtually flawlessly and made some hard shots easy and I will always think of the D300 as the camera that opened my eyes in the world of DSLR's. I doubt that I could have gambled on a better camera to get me up and running in a higher level of digital photography,, but the D600 is defintely in another class. Full frame sensor alone is worth the update to... At one time I did entertain thoughts of a D800 but reading between the lines, it may well be far too much camera for me, and 36MP, well I could never take full advantage of that in a month of Sundays. It may well be a fact that the D600 turns out to be the more user friendly of the two overall, as on a few reviews/previews it appears that the D600 is but a whisker behind in some departments and ever a whisker ahead in others than the D800,, the major difference being 36 vs 24MP,, but I don't own a D800 so I can't make too many comments without that experience.</p>

<p>If you or any others are "thinking" of getting a D600 and you are the current owner of a D300 or even some later cameras, I certainly couldn't say "Naaa it's not worth it", because I don't think that's true at all... I am just one owner though and no pro at the art of cameras or photography. I just appreciate good results and the 600 looks like it may well pay off...</p>

<p>It appears that like many other top shelf Nikons and no doubts Canon's and all the others,, you pay lots of dollars for a good camera but that's only the beginning. The glass you put infront of the camera is the expensive and the "telling" part of the equation.. I'm going to start saving for more glass...</p>

<p>All I can say is that my D600 takes some nice shots. I took it out for its first shoot this morning, and with the 24-120mm it shoots very impressively. I'm not talking "technically" here (what's on paper or the internet), I'm talking real world stuff. Conditions were a little overcast at times but otherwise sunny and although the 24-120mm may not be the perfect all-rounder, it sure performed well for me today. I left the 70-300mm lens behind, simply forgot to take it, and I really wanted to give that a go, as I have shot some fine pics with it on the D300, even though it's not highly rated by some. I had an earlier 24-120mm DX on the D300 and I thought it under-performed so was a little reluctant to go for the new FX 24-120mm but I was assured by the local Nikon specialist at the time that it is a well matched lens for the D600 and would really perform...</p>

<p>I'm going to have to get some more lenses come the new year but for now these two lenses will have to do... I'm sure they will get my feet off the ground for now...</p>

<p>I just picked up my D600 yesterday and kind of wondered how much you'd save if there was no video in it. Probably not much but just personally, if I wanted to record video, that's what video cameras are for. Then again, most video recorders take stills, don't they.? Yes, it's time for payback. They've gotten away with it for too long now...</p>

<p>I doubt very much if I will ever use the video recorder in any of the electronics devices I have, including Sony Walkman, iPod Touch, Samsung cellphone, a couple of point 'n' shoot cameras and the D600...</p>

I am experiencing similar problems. It seems to happen whenever I change something physically eg - lens, battery. The camera seems to reset itself (maybe it is supposed to) in the settings, especially focus area. I try to auto focus and all sorts of strange things will happen. To cut a long story short, I have to go through the menus and re-choose the AF area. I normally have it on Single Area but it changes to other settings by itself and in the viewfinder, I see multiple focus areas, which did annoy the snot out of me for a while, as quite often it might focus on something other than what I was intending to shoot. It would be at this point I noticed it had changed. At higher magninfication and with closer objects, it manifested itself in a very similar way to what you described.

The answer in my particular case... When changing either a battery or the lens,,, make sure your settings are where you want them. Check first, shoot later... By the way, I have the extra battery grip MB-D80 and have two batteries in it. It uses one battery at a time and automatically switches over to the other when either the battery goes flat or you take it out, so just why it seems to change settings is a bit of a mystery to me. Other than that, it performs flawlessly so I live with it now...