Secondhand Superstar
I want to buy a top-end DX format camera but only need a megapixel count of around 1015Mp. What would you recommend? Harry Drake
our experts at MPB recommend... Until the advent of the pro-grade Nikon D500 in 2016, the D300S was Nikon’s most recent top DX DSLR. Marketed between 2009 to 2014, it had a pro-oriented control layout and great specs. Its 12.3 megapixels are modest by today’s standards, but should prove sufficient.
Nikon D300S
Great handling and Build quality Make the d300s a wise secondhand Buy
Released (year): 2009 Price new: £1500/$1800 Buy at MPB.COM today: excellent: £344/$434 Good: £289/$365
Secondhand examples of the D300S will be at least five years old, but it’s a camera that was built to last. It has a tough, weather-sealed magnesium alloy build, along with pro-style ergonomics and handling. This includes the typical array of buttons on the top plate that replaces the shooting mode dial of consumer-class cameras.
Attractions include a speedy 7fps max drive rate that you can boost to 8fps by fitting the optional MB-D10 battery pack. Other highlights include a top shutter speed of 1/8000 sec, dual Compact Flash and Secure Digital card slots and a high-spec 51-point AF system. The sensitivity range of ISO200-3200 (ISO1006400 expanded) is a bit meagre by today’s standards and although the D300S enables video capture it’s limited to 720p. Still, the D300S can deliver superb image quality for stills under decent lighting.
Key points Premium build
The D300S has a full magnesiumalloy body, complete with weather-seals. It also features an up-market pentaprism viewfinder, high-res 920K 3-inch rear LCD.
Pro-style handling
The shooting mode dial is replaced by an array of quick-access buttons for white balance, quality settings and ISO.
Shutter life
The shutter life, used to gauge the longevity of any camera, is stated by Nikon as 150,000 cycles. At the time of going to press, MPB had several examples with shutter counts between 10 and 30,000.
specs
Sensor 12.3Mp CMOS Raw colour depth 12/14-bit Viewfinder Pentaprism, 0.94x, 100% ISO range (expanded) ISO2003200 (100-6400) Autofocus module Multi-cam 3500DX 51-point Shutter speeds 1/8000 to 30 sec, Bulb Dimensions 147x114x74mm Weight 840g Battery life (CIPA) EN-EL3E, 950 shots