The Nikon D3000 is a new entry-level 10.2 Megapixel DX-Format DSLR, the Nikon D300s is a bit higher located, replacing the current D300, and bringing video to the enthusiast SLR photo camera.
Nikon D3000 feature set:
- 10.2 Megapixel DX-format (APS-C) sensor
- Ultrasonic dust reduction system on the sensor
- Sensitivity: 100-1600 ISO + Hi (ISO 3200 equivalent)
- Shutter speeds: 30s – 1/4000s (and B mode)
- Continuous shooting: 3 fps
- Auto focus: 11-point AF
- Metering: 420-pixel 3D Color Matrix Metering II
- Active D-Lighting Image enhancement, for good low light and high light rendition
- Nikon Guide mode: provides in-body user assistance
- In-camera image editing (Trim, D-Lighting, Color Balance, Filter Effects, Monochrome, Stop Motion, Color Balance, NEF (RAW) processing, Quick retouch, Small picture, Red-eye correction, Color Outline, Miniature Effect, Before and After)
- Viewfinder: 95% coverage, with 0.8x magnification (Eye-level pentamirror single-lens reflex)
- Built-in Flash: GN 12 (@ ISO 100)
- Flash sync speed: 1/200s
- 3.0″ LCD screen (230,000-dot VGA)
- Memory card slot: for SD/SDHC
- 485g
The Nikon D3000 is going to be the smallest DSLR made by Nikon. Small is beautiful, small is strong selling argument for entry-level.
See also the Nikon D3000 slideshow.
Nikon D300s feature set:
- 12.3 Megapixel DX-format (APS-C) sensor
- Ultrasonic dust reduction system on the sensor
- Sensitivity: 200-3200 ISO + Lo-1 (ISO 100 equivalent) + Hi-1 (ISO 6400 equivalent)
- Shutter speeds: 30s – 1/8000s (and B mode)
- Continuous shooting: 7 fps
- Movie modes: HD 1280 x 720/24 fps VGA 640 x 424/24 fps QVGA 320 x 216/24 fps (sound with built-in microphone & optional external stereo mini-pin jack (3.5mm diameter))
- Auto focus: 51-point AF (&5 cross-type zones)
- Metering: 1005-pixel 3D Color Matrix Metering II
- Active D-Lighting Image enhancement, for good low light and high light rendition
- In-camera image editing (Trim, D-Lighting, Color Balance, Image Overlay, Filter Effects, Monochrome, NEF (RAW) processing, Red-eye correction, Resize, Edit Movie)
- Viewfinder: 100% coverage, with 0.94x magnification
- LiveView, with specific modes for hand-held and tripod
- Built-in Flash
- Flash sync speed: 1/250s
- 3.0″ LCD screen (920,000-dot VGA)
- Memory card slot: for SD/SDHC and for Compact Flash I (no type II, no MicroDrive)
- HDMI output, USB Hi-speed
- 840g
You will notice the arrival of dual card memory slot capacity (SD + CF), but this comes with the loss of thick CompactFlash (type II) compatibility. You can now forget about MicroDrives (but they are quite old now).
Of course, nobody can miss the presence of HD video capture, with contrast detection AF. This has the potential to make this camera able to really do some video in a usable way even though this is still a promise to be confirmed by facts.