I suspect most D300 users will know about this site but just in case.... its called Nikon digitutor

and has some great demos of how the D300 features work, some other current models are covered, as the modern camera has so many features its nice to be reminded how to use them by someone demonstrating.

As an aside, I wonder how many owners are using the 4 configuration banks, and did you know you can copy the config file from the memory card ( asuming you did a save config) to your hard drive, put it on a card, then load it in the camera , I have a few variations that I'm experimenting with but end up loosing the thread, I think its a senior moment kind of thing. 

http://www.nikondigitutor.com/eng/d300/index.shtml

Bob

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AKA The Best Photographer in the world 20th-21st September 2008

Nikon D300

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Thanks Bob

Didn't know about the site, but i'll certainly take a look.  Only had my D300 for about 6 weeks and need to learn more about the settings.

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The reason that Santa is so jolly is that he knows where all the bad girls live!!!

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Graeme Mather:

Thanks Bob

Didn't know about the site, but i'll certainly take a look.  Only had my D300 for about 6 weeks and need to learn more about the settings.

I have only had mine 3 months and an getting there now, do you use the A,B,C,D memory banks available, I found reference to it on another site, prior to that I was always making changes to basic setup not knowing I could have 4 setups stored and just select the closest to my needs and make minor adjustments as required. The D300 is so configurable its real boys toy ( yes and girls, I know).

Bob

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AKA The Best Photographer in the world 20th-21st September 2008

Nikon D300

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Thanks for the link, I did look at it before buying the camera.

I've had my D300 a few months now.  I do use the shooting menus, well, I've just started, but it was one of the features that I really liked.  I've always had a reset on my cameras and am used to using it, so having 4 is great. 

I'm actually reading Thom Hogans book right now and have set up another custom called "Sports and Events".  In this I've set picture quality and Jpeg modes to suit event photos where you want to print straight from the camera or card, and where I might require lots of high speed shooting.  Also I'm testing the auto ISO feature which I've never used before but could prove great at certain events if it works!

My Default setting is the RAW files, maximum image quality, no in camera processes, for me to spend time processing when I get home.

I shall eventually set up a HQ sport/wildlife setting which will be based on RAW files but allow for the high speed shooting, and also a night time setting which will incorporate different noise reduction capabilities etc.

 

There is SO much to customise and learn though.  I've tried to stick with things as they came and as I don't get on with them/get used to them, look for a way to change them.  Command dials is an example, they were backwards for me.  Now I've changed them. 

Perhaps this thread could continue as a tips thread?  When we find something really useful or learn something about the D300? 

I do recommend Thom Hogans D300 Guide though, it explains so much in detail. I've learned tonight for example, why my exposures seem to be different to what I expected.

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Martin said "I do recommend Thom Hogans D300 Guide though, it explains so much in detail. I've learned tonight for example, why my exposures seem to be different to what I expected."

.......................  and ...

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AKA The Best Photographer in the world 20th-21st September 2008

Nikon D300

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Had mine since November and have been getting used to shooting with it - generally getting good results, but I may look at configuring a couple of the shooting menus for landscapes (RAW, Vivid colour) and night (RAW, noise reduction).  Great idea about using this for tips for we d300 users.  So what was the difference in your exposures Martin?

Andrew.

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Andrew Fuller's DCM Gallery

...and...you'll have to buy the book

Basically I didn't realise that the FOCUS mode also influences teh way that the METERING mode works.  There are loads of combinations but for example:

In single point focus mode and evaluative metering the camera will tend to bias towards the lower half of the scene and cause what I thought was (initially) the camera over-exposing the scene.  Saying that it never actually blew any if the highlights out. 

I didn't realise as well that the camera has a sort of scene recognition that it takes into account when metering.  It's clever stuff but you need to work with it. 

 

This will make you laugh...I reached page 360 last night and guess what's on this page?

"One of the first things that you'll need to do is mount a lens on the D300..."

Really.  I waited until page 360 before doing this did I...

 

 

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Martin, I'm glad you find Thom's book useful. I agree it is hard going in e-book form. Wish it was a normal book. I have read through it all once, and am now reading through it again, because I forgot what I read earlier.LOL. Old age also doesn't help. For me the most important lesson was to set sharpening to 0 when you are using higher ISO's. I now have only one setting with sharpening set to +3, and use this for JPG's straight to printer. (Very rarely use this)

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Time for a tip.

Experiment with the settings below the standard of ISO200 for this camera.

L 1.0 is like ISO 100 and in low light I think it produces better detail than ISO 200, but if there is bright light in the frame it will be blown out so use only in suitable lighting conditions. My test shots were into a hedge to shoot a bird ( feathered type ) so with nothing to blow the shot out the image at L 0.1 had less noise and better detail, allowing some sky and cloud in at the top blew the sky to white. But in low light its a better setting.

Bob

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AKA The Best Photographer in the world 20th-21st September 2008

Nikon D300

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anyone point in the direction of the Thom Hogan book via a link. Had a look on Amazon but couldn't see it listed.

Many thanks

http://www.bythom.com/nikond300guide.htm

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martin_hurton:

http://www.bythom.com/nikond300guide.htm

 

thanks Martin

I loaded the bank settings he gives on a file with the book, by pure chance I looked in the image coments section and found the entry to be Copyright 2008 Thom Hogan and the time zone to be a US one. So mind if your using settings given to you by someone else at least those two should be checked.

Bob

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AKA The Best Photographer in the world 20th-21st September 2008

Nikon D300

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Bob,

thanks for the link to the microsite - I hadn't found it before. I knew that there were things about the camera I hadn't got to grips with yet. Having read this thread I now realise that there are LOTS of things I haven't worked out.

One of those is continuous autofocus/panning/following moving subjects. There's a very useful short clip showing how it all works on the site. This is really timely as my project for this weekend for my course involves practicing just those things. I have a small boy who loves football lined up as my model. Hopefully I'll learn something and he'll get a few pics he likes so we'll all be happy!

Cheers, Eileen

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Hi Eileen, that function is one that causes me a few problems because of the number of options you have to turn on to have it work correctly. I have a new puppy ( not quite the same a wee boy) and practice trying to keep her in the frame. I suppose if you were using it regularly for sports events etc it would, like other settings become fairly easy. Please let me know how you get on with it, I find it works pretty well on  Hermie.

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AKA The Best Photographer in the world 20th-21st September 2008

Nikon D300

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