D90/D300s question

Davidoff · April 4, 2010

Hi. I need to buy a camera soon, as my D70s stopped working. The camera I really wanted is the D700, but because of it's price and my lack of FX lens ( just a 50mm ) I'm sticking with DX.
Everything I read about the two top DX cameras says that the imaging sensor is the same. All of them but one. On dpreview's test, the side-by-side comparisson is very clear. The D300s is sharper. I'm talking about the raw examples.
Is this the case or did dpreview mess up the comparisson ?
I'm very interested in finding out from someone who has both because even though I'd love all the extra pros of the D300s, if the image quality is indeed the same... I'd probably spend the 600€ difference on another lens and lighting equipment.

ziggy53 · April 5, 2010

Davidoff wrote:

... Everything I read about the two top DX cameras says that the imaging sensor is the same. All of them but one. On dpreview's test, the side-by-side comparisson is very clear. The D300s is sharper. I'm talking about the raw examples.
Is this the case or did dpreview mess up the comparisson ?
...

I believe that the Nikon D90/D300/D300S all share very similar sensors, but they are not identical. At very least the D90 has a slower readout because of fewer channels connecting the imager to the support electronics. The D300S is slightly different from the D300 just because of the on-chip electronics required to support video. (The D300 probably cannot be firmware upgraded to support video.) The D300S may also have some "tweaks" from Nikon as part of constant improvement.

I do believe that all of these cameras can produce essentially identical image quality if shot under identical conditions with identical lenses and careful attention to technique. If you look at a broad spectrum of test samples and one sample stands out as different, that should just show you that the consensus is probably the more accurate depiction of the reality and the standout is just a sample variation. That doesn't mean that DPReview "messed up", it just means that something was different in the testing. It's very likely that the variation was due to a particular lens/camera pairing and that different copies, but the same identical models of each (camera and lens), would produce different results.

Ever since dSLRs hit 6 MPix (or so) we have been able to see sample variations in lens quality and focus accuracy that were not plainly visible before. A small sampling of any single lens/camera combination should not be used to define absolute quality across an entire line of products.

In other words, don't sweat the DPReview difference between these cameras. They should all be capable of producing extremely similar images. Look at the entire feature set and, if the D90 meets your needs, confidently purchase that model.

Zerodog · April 5, 2010

I had a D90 and moved up to a 300s and noticed that a lot of images, especially of something moving were sharper with the 300s. My guess is the auto focus system. Also low light stuff, ISO 3200, seems better as well. It seems that many tests show the D90 and 300s are the same in this area. But again in real world situations ,hand held, I think it is the autofocus system giving the 300s the edge. This is just what I have noticed. Maybe my technique is better? Maybe the weight of the camera makes me hold it steadier? Not sure.

But I haven't regretted the switch at all.

Mitchell · April 5, 2010

They have the same sensor, but that's about it. The AF, processing and build quality of the D300 are far better than the D90.

What happened to your D70? Is it irrepairable? I'm looking for a dead D70 for parts.

Davidoff · April 5, 2010

I'm am aware of all the advantages of the D300s, but I'm not sure if I need them more than... say... 2 pocketwizards and an apollo softbox, for example.

My D70s had a number of issues. Sometimes it didn't write on cards, wouldn't let me format them and I had to use recovery software sometimes. It had a stuck pixel. Then it fell on the floor and the repair wasn't worth it.

Thank you Ziggy and Zerodog

Ed911 · April 6, 2010

I think a couple of the most important advantages of the D300/s over the D90 have been overlooked...pro featured controls on the body of the camera versus menu driven selections on the D90, and the CAM3500 focus system.

As far as image quality goes, all three cameras will produce pictures that will look the same at similar print sizes. If you have to look at a 100% crop to see slight variations in image quality...then in the real world, there is no difference. How many prints will you be doing at 30x40...and even then the viewing distance will take care of any slight imperfections.

And you certainly can't overlook the CAM3500 focus system when comparing the D90 and the D300/s. I can understand why someone would get more keepers with the D300s over a D90 in some situations. The CAM3500 focus system is world class...and wasn't implemented in the D90. I had a D200 and got rid of it as soon as the D300 came out...It had the CAM1000 focus system...very noticeably second rate after you use a camera with the CAM3500 focus system. Many more keepers, especially where motion is concerned...like with moving children.

So, get the D300/s...is you want the best features. You won't regret it. And, the controls are very similar to the D700...so, if you are considering moving up to that camera...once you learn how to operate a D300/s, you will have no trouble with a learning curve when upgrading to a D700.

I often forget how handy the D300 on camera controls are until someone hands me their low end DSLR and asks for assistance...and I start looking for this button or that and, bummer, they're not there.

Hope this helps...

Caspian · April 7, 2010

I also recently upgraded from the D90 to D300s and have found the D300s to be a more well built camera overall. Also, the D300s has seemed to provide better low light performance, broader dynamic range, and sharper focusing. I have also found that the weight helps to balance out longer lenses without using the grip all the time. While the two cameras use the same sensor, the electronics processing the images is different, which I think accounts for the improvements at higher ISOs and broader dynamic range.

D90/D300s question

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