There’s no doubt that the image quality is stunning, but the D300 is also heavy, pricey and sophisticated to the point of being overpowering. And, with the arrival of Nikon’s full-frame pro SLR, the D3, can you justify investing in the smaller DX format (and lenses)?

If you need a great digital SLR camera and the price is no issue, the Nikon D300 will exceed your needs. I won’t call it a compelling upgrade for happy D200 owners, but it sure wouldn’t hurt if you’re in the market for something even better than the D200.

All things considered, Nikon has done a really impressive job with the D300. They 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.

But ultimately the D300 remains a superb DSLR and one of the best we’ve tested at Camera Labs – it’s certainly a model we can Highly Recommend. But unless you’ve already bought into the Nikon system, we’d advise closely comparing it to the rivals mentioned above. The D300’s features may on the whole be a step-ahead of the competition, but you may not personally need them, in which case your money is better spent on a cheaper body with better glass.

Visibly better photo quality and slightly improved performance make the Nikon D300 a significant upgrade over the D200 and an excellent all-around choice.