[PCWorld]

Post your comments for Five Nifty Features in Nikon's D300 Digital SLR here

[mcbarker]

The one thing that's missing from the D300 is a deal breaker for me... On camera image stabilization.

[mrw223]

As a devout Nikon user (currently the D70s), I found that the reviewed features were enough to make me think of making the leap. Still a bit pricey for this retired guy, but maybe when the price drops....

[CDixonM]

McBarker,
Would you please repy with what cameras you think have the best in-body image stabilization? For me, excellent low-light performance would trump this feature, despite the obvious cost advantage when purchasing lenses. For that reason, I am currently leaning toward the Canon EOS 40D, because in the extensive tests done at Digital Photography Review, Canon seems to do quite well. Another reason is the price of the Canon, which is rouhly $400 less than the Nikon.

Any comments would be appreciated.

[mcbarker]

To be honest, I haven't looked at the IS features of other digital SLRs, but I believe that most will be very capable, within limits. I have a lot of money invested in a collection of Nikkor non IS pro lenses, so I'm tied into Nikon. The new D300 supposedly has very good low light capabilities. Its CMOS sensor captures RAW data up to 14 bits per color (as opposed to the 12 bits on most other cameras in its class), which should increase shadow detail in low light situations. The down side of this is that 14-bit image captures will be bigger. I'm currently using a D80, and for my purposes, it gets the job done. I'm guessing that if I wait another year, image stabilization will be included in their new latest and greatest (D400?)

[mrtim]

IMO you won't see sensor-based stabilization from Canon or Nikon in their DSLRs anytime soon. Both those companies have stated several times that they believe optical stabilization (in-lens) gets superior results. Certainly sensor-based stabilization is popular in the POS lines, and it's one of the big features of the Sony DSLRs (from the Minoltas). But for higher end and pro models I think both C and N believe they are on the right track and of course they'd rather you would buy new lenses.

For my part I'm holding off on buying the 17-55mm Nikkor lens, hoping they will come out with a VR version in a year or two.

But don't discount the in-camera ability you get from higher usable ISOs. My new D300 can shoot at 800 ISO with about the same noise as my D70 could at 200 ISO . . . that's two stops of in-camera improvement right there. The early VR lenses only advertised three stops.