... The image quality of the D300 rivals the best DSLRs with an emphasis on smooth low-noise images at the expense of some details at high-ISO. While colors and white-balance are oversaturated and warm by default, picture controls and custom white-balance are flexible enough to produce more realistic-looking images. ..."

... There's no denying the Nikon D300 is a highly capable DSLR which will delight enthusiasts and satisfy the demands of pros looking for a backup or 'budget' body. Certainly no-one does ergonomics like Nikon and despite a handful of annoyances, it's also the most feature-packed DSLR of its class. But there's also no denying it's also comfortably more expensive than many rivals while not delivering significantly better image quality. ..."

... Here's a surprise (at least it was to me): the D300 has more dynamic range than the D200 and D2xs. Measurably more. Whereas most of the previous Nikon DSLRs all were in the 7 to 7.5 stop range of usable dynamic range, I'll put the D300 squarely in the 8 stop usable range, perhaps even a bit more than that, especially if you're shooting NEF (Imatest reports a full stop difference between a raw file converted in Lightroom and an in-camera JPEG, all else equal). Still not Fujifilm S3/S5 range, but clearly better than the D200. ..."

... All things considered, Nikon has done a really impressive job with the D300. The made a lot of promises, and the D300 has delivered on them. It keeps up perfectly with its closest competition, the EOS-40D, and surpasses it in several areas. Whether you're upgrading from an older Nikon SLR, or want something "nice" for your first foray into digital SLRs, then the Nikon D300 is a camera that I can highly recommend."

... The D200 was a big step forward for Nikon, the 'baby D2X' certainly gave the competition a thing or two to think about. Its big problem was the fact that Canon was still a generation ahead in the noise stakes, managing to consistently deliver clean images despite megapixel jumps. With the advent of the D300 however Nikon has conclusively removed this disparity and if anything stepped ahead of Canon (mostly thanks to its chroma based noise reduction delivering more film-like grain rather than color blotches). ..."

... If you need a great digital SLR camera and the price is no issue, the Nikon D300 will exceed your needs. Those requiring a faster frame rate and greater autofocus speed should consider a D3, provided they can handle the extra size and weight. ..."

... My first day on the ice with the new Nikon D300 at the ready goes surprisingly easily. The camera is easy to operate and lies well in the hand. Despite two layers of gloves, I am still well able to operate the controls. Fortunately, the control buttons remain unchanged in respect to those I am familiar with on the D2X. ..."

... Using a DX-format CMOS image sensor, the D300 produces exceptional images. My daylight and flash still-life shots were superb, with accurate colors and more than adequate flash coverage. Shadows were true to life, with no under- or overexposure. ..."

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... For about $3000 less (over the D200 which it replaces), the D300 offers Nikon's current best AF module, which is also featured in their top professional model, the D3. With the Multi-CAM 3500 and the ability to capture 8 fps, the D300 also replaces the D2H and D2X as Nikon's top DX-sensor DSLR suitable for action and sports photography. ..."

... Although the lack of in-body stabilization can be a big liability for certain users, and its interface not quite as streamlined as I'd like, these negatives are more than offset by the great performance and class-leading photo quality delivered by the Nikon D300-earning it an Editors' Choice."

... The autofocus system is straight off the pro Nikon D3 and is amazing. It has 51 points and is the fastest we’ve seen. The Nikon D300 is well suited for sports shooting with its 6 to 8 fps Burst mode (depending on whether the battery grip is attached), and quick predictive autofocus tracking. ..."