High-quality SLR cameras have become affordable. Even Nikon’s newest professional model D300s switches to the comparatively low price of around 1,350 euros to the owner. The camera offers good picture quality and a host of facilities, but the operation part is very complicated.

* Low noise, but vignetting
* Live image for a photographer with experience
* Operation: From absurd to pleasant
* Two memory cards and many ports
* Conclusion: Good but not perfect
* Data

The large 23.6-x 15.8 mm CMOS sensor Nikon D300s supplies at a maximum resolution of 12.3 megapixels photos with pleasing natural-looking colors. The recordings also convinced by high contrast and many, quite recognizable details. However, occurs when using the test kit belonging to the 16-to-85-millimeter lens, a small but very noticeable vignetting in the corners.

The images of the D300 only be from a light sensitivity of ISO 1600 detect slight image noise, the image quality but hardly affected. Even with ISO 3200 images captured are still problems for prints in poster format.

Videos characterized the Nikon D300s up in HD resolution of 1,280 x 720 pixels. Qualitatively move the movies to the same high level as in the photos: natural colors, strong contrasts, lots of details. However, the autofocus is very slow during video recording. The built-in microphone provides a pleasant sound and well-to-understand tone.

The three-inch screen on the back of the Nikon D300s displays a live image and can also be used as an alternative to the optical viewfinder for the choice of subject. The little reflective display with a resolution taken by 920.00 pixels with large viewing angle. The brightness of the display can be adapted as needed.

The D300s offers a Program mode, Aperture Priority, and a time and a manual mode. A fully automatic as there is little available to you as permanently set values for different scenes.

Operation: From absurd to pleasant

The arrangement of the controls of Nikon D300s not convinced – the handling is sometimes very confusing and complicated. Thus, the user must, for example, buttons with the fingers of his left hand and hold to change with the right hand on a wheel white balance, sensitivity to light or recording quality. Since the left hand, but typically keeps the lens, it would be more practical values alone with the right hand can adjust to – as is common with many other SLRs.