D300 Nikon By: Tudor Raiciu, Technology and Science Editor Nikon Packs Advanced Features in the New D300 A direct competitor against Canon’s 40D The second camera on … today order of business is the D300, successor of the D200. Photographers were in awe when Canon’s EOS 40D was announced, but the D300’s specs are even more impressive. First of all, Nikon has replaced the CCD sensor in the D200 with a new CMOS one (most likely the one announced by Sony a few days ago) with 12.3 megapixels. Unlike D3’s 35mm …

The second camera on Nikon’s today order of business is the D300, successor of the D200. Photographers were in awe when Canon’s EOS 40D was announced, but the D300’s specs are even more impressive. First of all, Nikon has replaced the CCD sensor in the D200 with a new CMOS one (most likely the one announced by Sony a few days ago) with 12.3 megapixels. Unlike D3’s 35mm full-frame unit, the sensor found in the D300 retains the DX format, which means that it has a 1.5x crop factor. Similarly to the D3 , the D300 also incorporates the new Expeed processor, which uses 14-bit A/D conversion and 16-bit image processing, making it possible to shoot using high-quality 14-bit NEF (RAW) format. In terms of speed, the D300 reaches six frames per second, 0.5 frames per second lower than the new 40D. However, when used together with the new Multi-Power Battery Pack MB-D10, it goes up to 8 frames per second in continuous bursts of up to 100 shots. This is probably the first digital SLR which needs a power pack for more speed. It’s not a surprise for those who have used film SLRs, but it sure is curious for a digital body. Anyway, together with the power packs the D300 sets a new record for advanced DSLRs. What’s even more remarkable considering the market segment the D300 is aimed at is that it uses the same autofocus module as the D3. The Multi-CAM 3500DX autofocus sensor module features 51 points, 15 of these being cross-type and 36 being horizontal. These sensors can either be used individually or in groups, with the option for Single Area AF mode and Dynamic AF modes using groups of either 9, 21 or all 51 focus points. The system also features 3D Focus Tracking with automatic focus point switching that takes advantage of all 51 AF points as it uses color and light information to accurately track the subject. The Nikon D300…

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