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D3 advantages over D300[/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]
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The Full-Frame Advantage. Both cameras shoot in
DX. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]14mm (or wider) ultra-ultra wide angle views. If you've ever compared the actual angle of view of any
DX camera with the
12-24mm lens at 12mm (Nikon's widest for DX cameras), you'll see that it really only covers the same angle of view as a
20mm, not even an 18mm, lens on a D3. My world starts at 20mm and gets wider from there. This is why I was petitioning for a
9mm f/2.8 DX lens, but even better, Nikon gave us the D3 with existing 13mm,
14mm and
15mm lenses, as well as the new
14-24mm zoom. [/FONT]
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Viewfinder[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Bigger, better, clearer finder.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Electronic bubble level in finder (but the D300 does have a finder grid). [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Less obtrusive AF area highlighting. The AF sensors light up with exactly the right amount of red light in the D3 regardless of lighting conditions, but are dorky black squares in the D300. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Autofocus[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Face detection just works. I use the "all sensors" dummy mode (big white rectangle) and my D3 uncannily and automatically nails perfect focus on my subject's nearest eye. My D300 doesn't, and takes longer to figure out which sensor to use.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]My D3 is always in focus. I never seem to have to wait to acquire focus. Just like my eyes, it just goes. My D300 sometimes takes a fraction of a second too long in the big white rectangle "dummy" AF selector mode, while my D3 just does it.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Both cameras use the same AF sensors, but the D3 has more processing power to interpret the output from the 51 sensors more quickly, and the D3 has bigger motors to focus the lenses faster. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Both cameras are fast enough for my mostly still subjects if you use only one AF sensor at a time, but that's throwing away most of the advantage of the new AF systems. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Manual Focus[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] The D3 has a three-segment null indicator ( > o < ) which can indicate perfect, precise, manual focus.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The D300 only has one primitive "OK" focus indicator dot. The D300's single indicator lights over too broad a range, meaning that it cannot indicate manual focus with sufficient precision for manual focus with fast lenses.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] Modern AF ground-glass focus screens don't show
precise focus with lenses wider then f/2.8; hit the depth-of-field preview with your fast lenses and you won't see any difference until you stop down to f/2.8! [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]High ISOs [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The D3 pounds out sharp and usable ISO 6,400 images, with no excuses, all day and all night. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The D300 has very soft images at ISO 6,400 from all the noise reduction, while the D3 is still sharp and clear. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The D3 also goes to ISO 12,500 and ISO 25,600, which the D300 can't even imagine. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Frame Rate [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The D3 hauls at 9 frames per second, and up to 11 FPS in DX mode if you don't mind losing interframe AF and exposure updates.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The D300 runs at 6 FPS, or 8 FPS with the right grip. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Battery Life [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The D3 has a bigger battery that gives me 3,000 shots per charge. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The D300 only gives me 1,000 shots per charge. My D200 only went 350 shots on a charge.[/FONT]
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Feel [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The D3 has a much better multi-directional rear thumb selector. Specifically, the D3 has a separate center DO IT button, while on the D300 you have to be more dainty in trying to hit the big single selector in the center. [/FONT]
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Sound Recording [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The D3 records and plays sound; just hold the MIC button. [/FONT]
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Data [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The D3 has a second CF card slot, with clever options for using it. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Frame Counter [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]In addition to the usual "shots remaining" counter, the D3 has an additional "shots made" counter on the top LCD and in the finder. It counts up, and just like a motorized film camera, is always one count above the number of frames shot.[/FONT]
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Moron Beep Defaults at OFF[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The D3 is a man's camera: it doesn't beep. It has a beeper, but it remains silent unless you activate it in the menus.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The D300 ships with the idiot beep ON. Please turn it off. Not only is it annoying, but it bothers everyone else around you. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]These cameras let you know you're in focus with a dot in the lower left of the finder. [/FONT]