Nikon D300 Tips, Tricks and Camera Settings

This is a compilation of tips, tricks and recommended settings for the Nikon D300, and is based on various discussions in forums and other D300 sites.

How to calculate the equivalent ISO - On the D300, ISO values above 3200 are represented in the EXIF as a specific number of stops above ISO3200. The formula to use in calculating the equivalent ISO for say, 0.3 over 3200 is given by the formula 3200 * 2^0.3 = 3939.66212 (thanks to Andrew DB’s post), which is approximately ISO 4000. You can always use Google Calculator to help you with the calculation - to find out what the equivalent ISO for 1 EV above 3200 is, just enter 3200*2^1= in the Google search box, like this, and the answer is ISO 6400.

Want to know whether your old Nikon / Nikkor lens is compatible with the D300? - This post by LilKnytt has a link that points to a Nikon Lens Serial Numbers site where you can determine the year of manufacture and type of your lens by serial number, and other lens construction details and features. Basically, if your lens is an AI Nikkor lens or a lens type manufactured after the AI series, you can use it on your D300 (but check your manual first). AI Nikkor lenses (see this Nikon Camera and Lens Compatibility Chart for details) were manufactured in 1977 to mid 80’s. In conclusion, it’s reasonably safe to assume that any lens manufactured by Nikon on (as long as it’s an AI lens - designated as Type Ai lens at the Nikon Lens Serial Numbers site) or after 1977 is compatible with your D300. Of course, this summary is still subject to speculation, because if you look carefully at the Compatibility Chart, you’ll notice that pre-AI lenses CAN be mounted on the D40 / D40x, so who knows?

Nikon D300 Camera Settings Spreadsheet - Because the Nikon D300 is such a complex camera to setup, DWM at Nikoninans.org has created a spreadsheet that lists all the available settings. You can record the value that you’ve specified for each setting for future reference.

UDMA CF Cards? - The Nikon D300 is able to take advantage of the blazingly fast write speeds of UDMA CompactFlash cards such as the SanDisk Extreme IV which utilizes Mode 3 to achieve I/O speed of 40 MB/s. Pradipta shares a link to a a site explaining the specs behind UDMA cards.

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Nikon D300

	Nikon EN-EL3e Rechargeable Li-Ion Battery for D200, D300, D700 and D80 Digital SLR Cameras Price: $34.95
	David Busch's Nikon D300 Guide to Digital SLR Photography Price: $18.54
	Nikon BM-8 LCD Monitor Cover Price: $8.75
	Nikon D300 DX 12.3MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-135mm AF-S DX f/3.5-5.6G ED-IF Nikkor Zoom Lens Price: Too low to display
	Nikon D300 inBrief Laminated Reference Card Price: $10.49
	Nikon D300 DX 12.3MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S VR [Vibration Reduction] DX Nikkor Zoom Lens + Lexar Pro 4GB CF Memory Card + Extra Nikon EN-EL3e Battery + Nikon SLR Gadget Bag Price: $2,349.95
	Nikon D300 Digital Field Guide Price: $10.70
	MA-B (36 Inch) High Quality Remote Shutter for Nikon D1, D2, D300, D200, D100, D1X, D2Xs Price: $15.99
	Introduction to the Nikon D300 Price: $16.95
	Magic Lantern Guides: Nikon D300 (Magic Lantern Guides) Price: $13.57

sandisk extreme iv

	SanDisk 4 GB Extreme IV CompactFlash Card ( SDCFX4-4096-901 ) Price: $61.99
	SanDisk 8 GB Extreme IV CompactFlash Card ( SDCFX4-8192-901, US Retail Package ) Price: $115.99
	SanDisk Extreme IV - Flash memory card - 8 GB - CompactFlash Price: $99.99
	SanDisk 4 GB Extreme IV CF Card with FireWire Reader Bundle Price: $144.89
	SanDisk SDCFX3-4096-901 4 GB Extreme III CompactFlash Card (Bulk Package) Price: $29.99
	Sandisk 4GB EXTREME III SDHC SD Card (SDSDX3-4096, Static Pack) Price: $22.52
	SanDisk 4 GB Extreme III SDHC Card with MicroMate USB 2.0 Reader (SDSDRX3-4096-A21, Retail Package) Price: $29.95
	SANDISK SDSDRX3-4096-A21 EXTREME(R) III SECURE DIGITAL CARD(TM) (4 GB) Price: $38.78
	SanDisk SDCFX3-4096-901 4 GB Extreme III CompactFlash Card (Retail Package) Price: $36.98
	SanDisk Extreme III - Flash memory card - 4 GB - CompactFlash Price: $47.57

Tags: Nikon D300, sandisk extreme iv