Nikon D300 vs D200

The Nikon D300 and the Nikon D200 are two enthusiast cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in August 2007 and November 2005. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The D300 has a resolution of 12.2 megapixels, whereas the D200 provides 10 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Nikon D300		Nikon D200
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Nikon F mount lenses		Nikon F mount lenses
12.2 MP – APS-C sensor		10 MP – APS-C sensor
no Video		no Video
ISO 200-3,200 (100 - 6,400)		ISO 100-1,600 (100 - 3,200)
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 922k dots		2.5" LCD – 230k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
6 shutter flaps per second		5 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
1000 shots per battery charge		400 shots per battery charge
147 x 114 x 74 mm, 925 g		147 x 113 x 74 mm, 920 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon D300 and the Nikon D200? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Nikon D300 and the Nikon D200 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Nikon D300 and the Nikon D200 are of equal size. However, the D200 is slightly lighter (1 percent) than the D300. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. In this particular case, both cameras feature the same lens mount, so that they can use the same lenses. You can compare the optics available in the Nikon Lens Catalog.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

Body Specifications

#		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Nikon D300	147 mm	114 mm	74 mm	925 g	1000	Y	Aug 2007	1,799	ebay.com
2.		Nikon D200	147 mm	113 mm	74 mm	920 g	400	Y	Nov 2005	1,699	ebay.com
3.		Nikon D7000	132 mm	105 mm	77 mm	780 g	1050	Y	Sep 2010	1,499	ebay.com
4.		Nikon D300S	147 mm	115 mm	81 mm	938 g	950	Y	Jul 2009	1,799	ebay.com
5.		Nikon D60	126 mm	94 mm	64 mm	522 g	500	n	Jan 2008	629	ebay.com
6.		Nikon D90	132 mm	103 mm	77 mm	703 g	850	n	Aug 2008	1,299	ebay.com
7.		Nikon D700	147 mm	123 mm	77 mm	1074 g	1000	Y	Jul 2008	2,999	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D40X	124 mm	94 mm	64 mm	522 g	520	n	Mar 2007	729	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D2Xs	158 mm	150 mm	86 mm	1252 g	3800	Y	Jun 2006	4,699	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D80	132 mm	103 mm	77 mm	668 g	600	n	Aug 2006	999	ebay.com
11.		Nikon D2X	158 mm	150 mm	86 mm	1252 g	3800	Y	Sep 2004	4,999	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D100	144 mm	116 mm	81 mm	780 g	370	n	Feb 2002	1,999	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The D200 was somewhat cheaper (by 6 percent) than the D300 at launch, but both cameras fall into the same price category. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.5. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the D300 offers a higher resolution of 12.2 megapixels, compared with 10 MP of the D200. This megapixels advantage translates into a 11 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the D300 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 5.53μm versus 6.11μm for the D200). In this context, it should be noted, however, that the D300 is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 9 months) than the D200, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that at least partly compensate for the smaller pixel size.

The resolution advantage of the Nikon D300 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the D300 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 21.4 x 14.2 inches or 54.5 x 36.2 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 17.2 x 11.4 inches or 43.6 x 28.9 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 14.3 x 9.5 inches or 36.3 x 24.1 cm. The corresponding values for the Nikon D200 are 19.4 x 13 inches or 49.2 x 32.9 cm for good quality, 15.5 x 10.4 inches or 39.3 x 26.3 cm for very good quality, and 12.9 x 8.6 inches or 32.8 x 21.9 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Nikon D300 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 200 to ISO 3200, which can be extended to ISO 100-6400. The corresponding ISO settings for the Nikon D200 are ISO 100 to ISO 1600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-3200.

In terms of underlying technology, the D300 is build around a CMOS sensor, while the D200 uses a CCD imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The Overall DXO ratings for the two cameras under consideration are close, suggesting that they provide similar imaging performance. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

#		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Nikon D300	APS-C	12.2	4288	2848	none	22.1	12.0	679	67
2.		Nikon D200	APS-C	10.0	3872	2592	none	22.3	11.5	583	64
3.		Nikon D7000	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/24p	23.5	13.9	1167	80
4.		Nikon D300S	APS-C	12.2	4288	2848	720/24p	22.5	12.2	787	70
5.		Nikon D60	APS-C	10.0	3872	2592	none	22.5	11.4	562	65
6.		Nikon D90	APS-C	12.2	4288	2848	720/24p	22.7	12.5	977	73
7.		Nikon D700	Full Frame	12.1	4256	2832	none	23.5	12.2	2303	80
8.		Nikon D40X	APS-C	10.0	3872	2592	none	22.4	11.4	516	63
9.		Nikon D2Xs	APS-C	12.2	4288	2848	none	22.2	10.9	489	59
10.		Nikon D80	APS-C	10.0	3872	2592	none	22.1	11.2	524	61
11.		Nikon D2X	APS-C	12.2	4288	2848	none	22.1	10.9	476	59
12.		Nikon D100	APS-C	6.0	3008	2000	none	20.4	9.9	394	48
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The D300 and the D200 are similar in the sense that both have an optical viewfinder. The latter is useful for getting a clear image for framing even in brightly lit environments. The viewfinder in the D300 offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the D200 (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Nikon D300 and Nikon D200 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

Core Features

#		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Nikon D300	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	Y	n
2.		Nikon D200	optical	Y	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	n
3.		Nikon D7000	optical	Y	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	Y	n
4.		Nikon D300S	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	n
5.		Nikon D60	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
6.		Nikon D90	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.5/s	Y	n
7.		Nikon D700	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.0/s	Y	n
8.		Nikon D40X	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
9.		Nikon D2Xs	optical	Y	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
10.		Nikon D80	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
11.		Nikon D2X	optical	Y	2.5 / 235	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
12.		Nikon D100	optical	Y	1.8 / 118	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

The Nikon D300 and the Nikon D200 both have an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the D300 and the D200 write their files to Compact Flash cards.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Nikon D300 and Nikon D200 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

#		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Nikon D300	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Nikon D200	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Nikon D7000	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Nikon D300S	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Nikon D60	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Nikon D90	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Nikon D700	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Nikon D40X	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Nikon D2Xs	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Nikon D80	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Nikon D2X	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Nikon D100	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-

Both cameras feature a PC Sync terminal to control professional strobe lights, which will be appreciated by studio photographers.

Both the D300 and the D200 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The D200 was replaced by the Nikon D300, while the D300 was followed by the Nikon D300S. Further information on the features and operation of the D300 and D200 can be found, respectively, in the Nikon D300 Manual (free pdf) or the online Nikon D200 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Which of the two cameras – the Nikon D300 or the Nikon D200 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Advantages of the Nikon D300:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (12.2 vs 10MP) with a 10% higher linear resolution.
• More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (100% vs 95%).
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 2.5") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (922k vs 230k dots).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (6 vs 5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (1000 versus 400) on a single battery charge.
• More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 1 year and 9 months after the D200).

Arguments in favor of the Nikon D200:

• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in November 2005).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the D300 is the clear winner of the match-up (7 : 1 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Nikon D300 and the Nikon D200 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the D300 or the D200. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

#		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Nikon D300	..	+ +	..	+ +	5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2007	1,799	ebay.com
2.		Nikon D200	..	+ +	..	+ +	o	..	Nov 2005	1,699	ebay.com
3.		Nikon D7000	4/5	..	..	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2010	1,499	ebay.com
4.		Nikon D300S	5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jul 2009	1,799	ebay.com
5.		Nikon D60	..	80/100	..	+ +	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2008	629	ebay.com
6.		Nikon D90	..	+ +	..	+ +	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2008	1,299	ebay.com
7.		Nikon D700	..	89/100	..	+ +	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2008	2,999	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D40X	..	79/100	..	+ +	4/5	4/5	Mar 2007	729	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D2Xs	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jun 2006	4,699	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D80	..	+	..	+ +	o	4.5/5	Aug 2006	999	ebay.com
11.		Nikon D2X	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Sep 2004	4,999	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D100	..	..	..	+ +	o	..	Feb 2002	1,999	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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