D300 vs D7000

[trynforpar]

I currently own a D300 and D700 and was looking to sell the 300 for a D7000 but before I do I wanted input. Are there any advantages with the 7000 over the 300 or would I be making a terrible mistake by selling the D300.

 

[jdhdiggs]

I'd say you'd be making a change I wouldn't make. The 300 and 700 use the same cards, same batteries, same grip, similar controls/handling etc...

The 7000 would be a new purchase / learning curve for all of that.

The only things you would really gain is video, higher rez, and better high iso.

 

[Uncle Pug]

I miss my D300. Plus going back and forth between the D700 and D7000 has lead to mistakes.

 

[frdjohns]

Unless you plan to take video with your DSLR what would be the point?

 

[sjd996]

I currently have all 3 (D300, D7000 and D700).

Feel, control layout etc are very similar between the D300 and D700, they use the same cards, batteries etc. You loose that by swapping the D300 for a D7000.

For sports/wildlife, the D7000 has a smaller buffer (less shots), slower card write time (may just be my cards), and much slower frame rate (my D300 is gripped).

What you gain is more resolution, more pixels on target with your longest lens, and noticeable improvement in ISO. The D7000 is also smaller/lighter and therefore easier to use as a lightweight 'travel' camera.

Depending on what you shoot, it may be a good or bad move...

 

[will.todd]

Have you had a chance to try out a D7000 at a store?

 

[sv1cec]

Personally, I would never do that. I had the D700 and I was looking for a second body. I went through a D40X and a D90, both of them bought new. The differences between the D700 and the other two cameras (autofocus, place of controls, etc) made me sell both and settle on a D300. If I ever was to sell my D300, I would only replace it with a D300S or another D700, but I seriously doubt if the wife would ever approve such a change. So I am pretty happy with what I have.

 

[Patrick]

I currently own a D300 and D700 and was looking to sell the 300 for a D7000 but before I do I wanted input. Are there any advantages with the 7000 over the 300 or would I be making a terrible mistake by selling the D300.

I would get a D300s over a D7000 anytime... The controls, the build, the durability it's all a bit better... Unless you need the 4mp more, the better ISO performance I would leave the D7000 alone.

You might get an cheap D300s second hand and use it for like a year or two/three untill the D400(s) is cheaper and get better value per buck than with the current D7000 up/downgrade you're doing.

 

[trynforpar]

Thanks for the responses from everyone and I especially appreciate the comparisons. I'll stick with the 300 for now.

 

[camerapapi]

It is only natural that when a new camera hits the market NAS begins to work becoming an annoyance. I am going to say right off that no new camera makes anyone a better photographer. Sears' tools do not make better mechanics!
The advise you have received here is very valuable and you do not want to change ergonomics when you have two cameras which are pretty similar in handling. Now, if you need video that is a different story. Even if you need video you could be better served by the D300s and on regard to noise, you cannot do much better with the D7000 compared to the D700.
Stay with your D300 and I say that not knowing the type of photography you do. Just having your cameras with the same ergonomics makes a tremendous difference when it comes to using both at the same time.

William Rodriguez
Miami, Florida.

 

[sv1cec]

Just having your cameras with the same ergonomics makes a tremendous difference when it comes to using both at the same time.

Amen! I wish someone had told me so, when I started out looking for a second body.

 

[Jonathan F/2]

I had 3 D7000 bodies, went back to the D300S. The D300/S is solid and reliable. I think QC on the D7000 is sporadic. Great sensor though!

Plus having the same battery system with the D700/D300 is great not to mention control layouts being similar. I can even use the same batteries with my D3!

 

[mneary]

I currently own a D300 and D700 and was looking to sell the 300 for a D7000 but before I do I wanted input. Are there any advantages with the 7000 over the 300 or would I be making a terrible mistake by selling the D300.

I may be in the minority here, but I switched from a D300s to a D7000 and for me, the D7000 is better in almost every way!

Some things I like about the D7000:

- better resolution and high ISO
- smaller & lighter, better for traveling
- U1/U2 settings allow me to switch from landscape to action mode at the flip of a button, without diving into the menu to switch memory banks
- the new AF button combines all the focus modes in one location, very cool!

As far as I can tell, the AF system is equivalent, too - with the D7000 possibly a little better.

Cheers

Mike

 

[ashman]

This is totally subjective, its not about which is a better camera, rather which is the better camera for you. Both my sons play football in the summer and fall, I have very specific needs for shooting sports that the D300 meets and the D7000 would not, that does not mean the D300 is automatically a 'better' camera. If I wanted to do video I am out of luck as the D300 has no video capability. A few points jump out at me though with respect to the D7000 technical specs when compared to the D300/s, the smaller buffer, fewer focus points and general size, don't work for me, but that doesn't mean they might not work for you. We all have requirements and certain photographic needs, some are more specific then others and often we grow beyond what our current camera offers and upgrade. The funny thing about the D7000 is that in my opinion, its kind of a hybrid, its an upgrade from a D90 but not exactly a total upgrade from a D300/s its more of a lateral jump from a D300/s. People posting about the D7000 VS D300/s often also confuse things further by talking about the D700 which is a completely different animal and, in my opinion, should not be discussed along with a D300/s or D7000 since FX is a different ballgame altogether, again, in my opinion.

 

[mneary]

... A few points jump out at me though with respect to the D7000 technical specs when compared to the D300/s, the smaller buffer, fewer focus points and general size, don't work for me, but that doesn't mean they might not work for you. ...

You are correct about the fewer focus points - 39 vs 51 - but having made the switch from D300s to D7000, I can assure you that the D7000 AF is at least as good as the D300s AF!

The 39 points in the D7000 system cover more area than the 51 points of the D300/D300s, and allow for better tracking of moving subjects.

As for buffer size - yes, you can get fewer frames into the D7000 buffer, but with a fast card the difference becomes pretty academical! With a SanDisk Extreme Pro UHS-I card, the D7000 writes at the same speed in MB/s as the D300s, so the only difference in buffer depth is due to the larger file size of the D7000. Keep in mind the D300s can't shoot faster than 2.5 fps in 14 bit mode! In 12-bit mode, I can get 15 frames into the D7000 buffer - not far behind the D300, right?

I shoot a lot of action and have yet to lose a shot because the D7000 wasn't ready to shoot. It's a fantastic little camera, and the IQ I can get from it is simply in a different league from the D300 :smile:

Cheers

Mike

 

[Ed-Gein]

I see about an equal amount of claims as to which is better, 51 vs 39. Seems to me it is probably as good as the 51pt af. just maybe works slightly different

 

[GregR]

PLEEEEASE don't become another victim of the megapixel war.

Bottom line: if you are sure that making the swap will give you better pics all round, then go for it. But if you're not sure, save yourself the trouble.

 

[trenchmonkey]

It's WAY more than just MP ^ Dynamic range, stop better High ISO...
really sets the bar for DX. There's no comparison once one takes the time to
learn the new AF system. My keepers are approaching 95% with the D7K :biggrin:
ISO5000 is so good, I can leave the D3 home in poor light...and keep the "reach".
Try THAT with the D300/D300's :tongue: (I've had 3 of each, IQ ain't even close)

 

[ashman]

When I shoot sports with the D300, I am in continuous focus mode and I have my thumb on the AF-ON button keeping the AF engaged, the I only have to hit the shutter release button when I want to take shots. Can you do the same setup on the D7000? There is no AF-ON button so is it possible to have this config?

AM

 

[Ed-Gein]

You can either do a half press to constantly focus or assign the ae lock button to behave as af-on.