The Nikon D300s - Cheapest PRO camera in 2025?

It was built for professional photographers and it STILL competes with the latest mirrorless cameras in 2025. This is an excellent 2nd camera body, especially if you can find one for under $200USD.

If you have one or thinking about getting one, leave a comment and I'll try my best to help

Specs:
+ 12 megapixel CMOS Crop Sensor
+ 51 autofocus points
+ ISO range 200-1600 (boost to 6400)
+ 7 FPS
+ 2 Memory card slots; 1 CF and 1 SD
+ 3” lcd screen
+ VIDEO RECORDING

Lenses I recommend:

My camera equipment:

**This video contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links and purchase something, I'll receive a small commission.**

[markus-thirty-o]

Right on time when I just bought a D300s too!

[markmeador]

I have owned my D300 for 10 years. Previously I had a D200. I don’t need a newer camera, this one is great. My only complaint is the weight but I will live with it.

[nakhonsisean]

Just ordered a D300s! Excited to try it out! I'm new to digital cameras, have been shooting film for 50 years, will be fun trying something new!

[jimpap]

Agreed with all your review of the D300 love mine had it since new and still is in excellent condition. Done a few studio shoots with this camera and results were exceptional.

[michaelaiello]

Thanks for another great video! I really enjoy your work. I have the d300 and use it regularly. No need for the video in the d300s. Its handling, performance, and image quality are all wonderful.

[antennaleo]

Thanks for making the video. The D300s was my first DSLR, and I loved its shutter sound and the way it felt in my hand. Since then, I’ve switched to a mirrorless system, but nothing quite matches the experience the D300s gave.

[Alan]

If you are an experience guy, D300 or D300s are still good tools. You can have a tele without using a 2x converter and keep the quality of your lens and less weight.

[pzkw]

Thanks, great video! I own a D300s and I fully confirm what you said. Btw, although owning much more modern cameras I still prefer the unique handling, the unbelivably brilliant pics out of camera and the robustness of my beloved D300s😉😊

[johnnyquid-xjkk]

One of my favorite cameras. Got the 35mm 1.8 and it does a great job.

[akmmonirulislam]

I used Nikon D300S with 18-200mm f:3.5-5.6 lens for eight years. It's an excellent one.

[Steve-qihc]

Buy the D3, D700 and D300s for under $1, 000. Use them for still photography. The limitations on them is cropping. I like the D300s because it uses SD cards.
If you want video use your cell phone.
Another great video thanks.

[nevillegutterson]

I don't have a Nikon D300 s but I do have a Nikon D300 which I love to use every opportunity possible

[d.r.martin]

Though not in the same league, the 300's precursor the 200 remains a remarkable bargain for those who want to get into classic Nikon on the cheap. It's particularly beloved for its magical CCD sensor; don't make em like that anymore.

[timmaidens]

I like the D300S and the D7000. If your lens is up to it, the extra 4 MP's of the 7000 do make a small but noticeable difference. However, when shooting wide open, the 300S's autofocus is more accurate.

[jimmyhawke]

Build quality of the D300s is way better than the D7000

[Kinnup]

I own a Nikon D300S. The crop suits my landscape photography. I don’t bother with the video. Still gets used today.

[atvo]

I recommended this camera for a friend of mine about a year ago alongside a Tamron 17-50 VC and and AF-D 70-210 f4 all for roughly 250 dollars. For that price, she's got a very complete and capable system with plenty of room to grow with. It's cumbersome and a bit intimidating to look at its huge body and controls but for me, those say "I'll be up for anything you ask of me!". And sure it did. I actually put the camera for a test with a football match before I delivered it to her - and damn that big fat pro motor drove my 80-200/2.8 better than my newer D750. AF-D lenses are dirt cheap nowadays and that motor can make the most use out of them.

I always recommend the D300s and similar cameras like the D700, D800, D750 to beginners. They're made to fulfill every role a working professional ask of them - once the user knows its ins and outs, they simply fit the needs of a demanding photographer better than any mirrorless cameras designed for a lower-level audience, say a Sony a6700 or Fujifilm X-S20. Their technologies or lack thereof don't overwhelm their users and let users appreciate the technology behind cameras and make them more adaptable to making their cameras work in certain conditions - let's say if I want to shoot sports, I'll use AF-C d9, while AF-S is better for portraiture. Tracking systems on mirrorless cameras are good, yes, but they also make their users reliant on automation - they sometimes still misunderstand the shooter's idea, and ones with experience guiding the AF on DSLRs will know how to use alternative modes.

[dct]

For video recording, you need a gimbal or tripid regardless of body unless you're using MFT. That includes the newest mirrorless bodies as well top to bottom.

Lens stabilization is specifically for standing still, that's why high end lenses come with a panning stabilization function. So if you're not using the right lens, you will get shaky footage.

Video is meant to be shot on a gimbal, tripod, or stabilizing rig, not handheld. This is why video cameras are designed to be shoulder carried. Even tiny sensors like in the iPhone which are far better than any big sensir camera, still shake. You need a tripod, gimbal, or stabilizing unit or stable platform.

Biggest issue you're having is the lens choice. It's not the camera body. When properly used, the D300s will be more stable than a bunch of caneras that came out up until the late mirrorless ones, b/c you won't get micro jitters due to IBIS being on or off. IBIS is overrated. If it weren't Arri would have it. IBIS is for stills although people force it for video, same as autofocus. Way too many folks force autofocus.

Also adjust your AF speed. You have several options. You need to limit the AF system to get it to stabilize, otherwise it'll just be all over the place. Imagine a small box in the center of your frame. Just use those AF points. I think you can still widen the AF points on the D300s. If you're focusing on something at the edges of the frame, why? You don't need every AF point. Adjust the AF lock so it's not so erratic.

[dct]

The Lo. 1 adds contrast. It's intended for jpeg shooters or people who like to minimize editing in post production. Nikon is different from all brands.

When Nikon did extended iso, they did it at the sensor level. Other brands do it after the image is processed. Same for noise. Like the D200, and D2x were the first ones I recall given noise reduction at the sensor level for each color array separately. That's also why you turn on Mode III at max extended high iso to fix the color shift. Mode I turns off the 4th color array.

Nikon did away with the different color modes. I think to fix hot spots, but I can't recall. I remember it having to do with astro photography.


The lo 1 is really for jpeg. Basically the D300s is editing your raw file in camera, by lowering the exposure slider 1 stop, boosting contrast slightly, and sharpness slightly. Again other brands like Canon back then didn't do this. That's why they stayed 1 step behind Nikon. Nikon was not playing by the same rules 😅 Even back then Nikon was editing Raw files in camera.

Now everybody is doing it. So this imo further proves why you don't really need to shoot Raw, especially if you get your exposure correct or are within 2stops, no more than -5.

Turn on ADOBE RGB so the highlights can be saved a bit more. You'll clip a channel but if you stay in sRGB, you'll clip all the channels and be unrecoverable. Today's software makes AdobeRGB worth using. Before it was iffy.

[Hexlord]

Bought it brand new back in 2009... time flies.

Indeed a good camera, although I sold it off and replaced it with the D700.