CameraDecision
  • CAMERAS
  • LENSES
  • TOOLS
    • Smart Find
    • 1-on-1 Comparison
    • Size Comparison
  • BRANDS
    • Sony Cameras
    • Canon Cameras
    • Nikon Cameras
    • Pentax Cameras
    • Fujifilm Cameras
    • Olympus Cameras
    • Panasonic Cameras
    • Leica Cameras
    • Samsung Cameras
  • BODY TYPE
    • Mirrorless Cameras
    • DSLR Cameras
    • Compact Cameras
    • Bridge Cameras
    • Waterproof Cameras

Nikon D200 vs Nikon D300 Comparison

x
Camera to replace
Change

Nikon D200

10 MP | APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) CCD Sensor

Nikon D200
CHECK PRICE
CHECK PRICE
Change

Nikon D300

12 MP | APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) CMOS Sensor

Nikon D300
CHECK PRICE
CHECK PRICE
Nikon D200 vs Nikon D300 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing D200 and D300, two Advanced DSLR cameras by Nikon. Both cameras have APS-C sensors but Nikon D200 has a 10.0 MP and Nikon D300 has a 12.0 MP resolution. Nikon D200 was introduced to market in February 2006 and Nikon D300 was launched in March 2008. As you can see, D200 is 2 years older than D300. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon D200 and Nikon D300 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Nikon D200 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2006-02-23
  • 10MP - APS-C CCD Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 1600 ( expands to 3200)
  • Nikon F Mount
  • 2.5" Fixed Type Screen
  • Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder
  • 5 fps continuous shooting
  • No Video Mode
  • 920g. 147 x 113 x 74 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body
  • Replaced Nikon D100 Compare

Nikon D300 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2008-03-12
  • 12MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 200 - 3200 ( expands to 100-6400)
  • Nikon F Mount
  • 3" Fixed Type Screen
  • Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder
  • 6 fps continuous shooting
  • No Video Mode
  • 925g. 147 x 114 x 74 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body
  • Replaced Nikon D200 Compare

Nikon D300 was replaced by Nikon D300S. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Nikon D300S vs Nikon D300
Nikon D300S vs Nikon D200

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon D200 and Nikon D300 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Nikon D200 over Nikon D300
Weight
920 g vs 925 g 5 g lighter
Color Depth
22.3 vs 22.1 higher color depth
Sensor Pixel Area
37.14µm2 vs 30.54µm2 21% larger pixel area


Reasons to choose Nikon D300 over Nikon D200
Max Sensor Resolution
12 MP vs 10 MP 19% more pixels
Max ISO
3.200 vs 1.600 100% higher Max ISO
LCD Screen Size
3" vs 2.5" 0.5 inches larger display
LCD Screen Resolution
922k dots vs 230k dots 300% higher resolution screen
Viewfinder Coverage
100% vs 95% More accurate viewfinder
Continuous Shooting
6.0fps vs 5.0fps 1 fps faster
Dynamic Range
12.0 vs 11.5 higher dynamic range
Low Light ISO
679 vs 583 better High ISO performance
AF Micro Adjustment (Fine Tune)
Yes vs No Adjust each lens for more accurate focusing

Common Strengths of Nikon D200 and Nikon D300
Built-in Flash
Yes vs Yes Useful in low-light
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs Yes Better for flash photography
Viewfinder
Yes (Optical) vs Yes (Optical) Better framing and control
RAW Support
Yes vs Yes Better image quality
Continuous Shooting
5.0fps vs 6.0fps Fast shooting speeds
Environmental Sealing
Yes vs Yes shoot at tough conditions
Timelapse Recording
Yes vs Yes creative shooting
Top LCD Display
Yes vs Yes Help viewing and changing settings easily
AE Bracketing
Yes vs Yes Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Flash Sync Port
Yes vs Yes Connect off-camera flash
Common Weaknesses of Nikon D200 and Nikon D300
In-body Image Stabilization
No vs No No Built-in stabilization
Fixed Screen
Fixed Type vs No No flexible viewing angles
Nikon D200 vs Nikon D300: Physical Specs and Body features Comparison

Size and weight is a big decision factor when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, We are going to illustrate Nikon D200 and Nikon D300 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Nikon D200 has external dimensions of 147 x 113 x 74 mm (5.79 x 4.45 x 2.91″) and weighs 920 g (2.03 lb / 32.45 oz) (including batteries). Nikon D300 has external dimensions of 147 x 114 x 74 mm (5.79 x 4.49 x 2.91″) and weighs 925 g (2.04 lb / 32.63 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon D200 and Nikon D300.

Nikon D200 vs Nikon D300 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Nikon D200 and Nikon D300 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon D200 and Nikon D300.

Nikon D200 vs Nikon D300 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Nikon D200 and Nikon D300 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon D200 and Nikon D300.
Nikon D200 vs Nikon D300 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Nikon D200 and Nikon D300 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Nikon D200 is 5g lighter than the Nikon D300 but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

Also keep in mind that body weight is not the only deciding factor when comparing two interchangeable camera bodies, you have to also take into account the lenses that you will be using with these bodies. Since both Nikon D200 and Nikon D300 have the same Nikon F lens mount and APS-C sized sensors, lenses will not be a differentiator on total size of the system.

Weight Comparison

DSLR Cameras

D200
D300
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

DSLR Cameras

D200
D300
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Both D200 and D300 have weather sealings in their body, making them resistant to water and dust.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Nikon D300's 3" LCD screen is slightly larger than Nikon D200's 2.5" screen.

Unfortunately, both cameras has fixed screens so they don't tilt or flip in directions.
Nikon D200 vs Nikon D300: Sensor Comparison

Nikon D200 has a 10.0MP APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm ) sized CCD sensor . On the other hand, Nikon D300 has a 12.0MP APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Expeed processor.

Below you can see the D200 and D300 sensor size comparison.

Nikon D200 vs Nikon D300 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon D200 and Nikon D300 Cameras


Nikon D200 and Nikon D300 have sensor sizes so they will provide same level of control over the depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture. On the other hand, since Nikon D200 has 21% larger pixel area compared to Nikon D300, it has potential to collect more light on pixel level hence have less noise in low light / High ISO images.

DxOMark Sensor Scores

DxOMark is a benchmark that scientifically assesses image quality of camera sensors. It scores camera sensors for color depth (DXO Portrait), dynamic range (DXO Landscape) and low-light sensitivity (DXO Sports), and also gives them an overall score. Nikon D200 and Nikon D300 sensors have been tested by DxO and the results show that D300 has a better overall score of 67, 3 points higher compared to D200's score of 64.

Model Overall Color Depth Dynamic Range Low-light ISO
Nikon D200 64 22.3 bits 11.5 Evs 583 ISO
Nikon D300 67 22.1 bits 12.0 Evs 679 ISO
Nikon D200 vs Nikon D300 Comparison of Available Lenses
Which camera has more lenses?

Number of available lenses is a big decision factor while choosing your interchangeable lens camera. Nikon D200 and Nikon D300 have the same Nikon F lens mount and currently there are 309 native lenses available for these cameras.

Another important factor is the availability of image stabilization. None of these bodies have sensor based image stabilization so you have to buy lenses with Optical stabilization feature. Currently there are 106 lenses with Image stabilization for Nikon F mount.

Lens Type # of Nikon D200 Lenses # of Nikon D300 Lenses
Standard Zoom 33 33
Standard Prime 21 21
Wideangle Zoom 33 33
Wideangle Prime 48 48
Telephoto Zoom 53 53
Telephoto Prime 45 45
SuperZoom 30 30
Wideangle Fisheye Prime 8 8
Macro Prime 26 26
Perspective Control Prime 11 11
Telephoto Mirror Prime 1 1
TOTAL 309 309

Here are some of the most popular Nikon F Mount Lenses on Camera Decision:

Popular Nikon F Mount Lenses for D200 and D300
Model Coverage Weight Focusing Street Price
Nikon AF Nikkor 70-300mm f4-5.6G Lens Nikon AF Nikkor 70-300mm f4-5.6G
35mm FF 425gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm f1.4G Lens Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm f1.4G
35mm FF 290gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Nikon AF Nikkor 80-400mm f4.5-5.6D ED VR Lens Nikon AF Nikkor 80-400mm f4.5-5.6D ED VR
35mm FF 1340gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Tamron SP 150-600mm F5-6.3 Di VC USD Lens Tamron SP 150-600mm F5-6.3 Di VC USD
35mm FF 1951gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm f1.8G Lens Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm f1.8G
35mm FF 185gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-300mm f4.5-5.6G VR Lens Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-300mm f4.5-5.6G VR
35mm FF 745gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 35mm f1.8G Lens Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 35mm f1.8G
APS-C / DX 210gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 55-300mm f4.5-5.6G ED VR Lens Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 55-300mm f4.5-5.6G ED VR
APS-C / DX 530gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
What types of Photography are Nikon D200 and Nikon D300 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Nikon D200 and Nikon D300 for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Nikon D200 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Nikon D300 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE
Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
No Image Stabilization
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Nikon D200 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Nikon D300 for Street Photography

AVERAGE
Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
No Image Stabilization
No Live-view
Large Body
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
No Image Stabilization
Large Body
Read the details

Nikon D200 for Sports Photography

GOOD

Nikon D300 for Sports Photography

GOOD
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
Average Continuous Shooting: 5.0fps
No Image Stabilization
Focus Points
Read the details
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
51 Focus Points
Good Battery Life: 1000 shots
Average Continuous Shooting: 6.0fps
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Nikon D200 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Nikon D300 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE
Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Large Body
920g
Body Thickness 74mm
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Large Body
925g
Body Thickness 74mm
Read the details

Nikon D200 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Nikon D300 for Landscape Photography

POOR
Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
No Live-view
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Read the details

Nikon D200 vs Nikon D300: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Nikon D200 and Nikon D300, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 63 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Nikon D200 and Nikon D300 scores compare:

Nikon D200
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #65 out of 94 in Mid-size SLR cameras
Ranked #510 out of 1223 in all Cameras
Nikon D300
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #53 out of 94 in Mid-size SLR cameras
Ranked #329 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Nikon D300 has a higher Overall Score than the Nikon D200 and would be our choice if we have to decide between these two cameras.

Nikon D200
Nikon D200
CHECK PRICE

CHECK PRICE

Nikon D300
Nikon D300
CHECK PRICE

CHECK PRICE

Nikon D300 vs Nikon D200 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Nikon D200 Nikon D300
Brand Nikon Nikon
Announced 2006-02-23 2008-03-12
Body Type Mid-size SLR Mid-size SLR
Sensor
Type CCD CMOS
Size APS-C APS-C
Dimensions 23.6 x 15.8 mm 23.6 x 15.8 mm
Area 372.88mm2 372.88mm2
Megapixels 10 megapixels 12 megapixels
Max Resolution 3872 x 2592 4288 x 2848
Max Native Light sensitivity 1,600 ISO 3,200 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity 3200 ISO 6400 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 100 ISO 200 ISO
Min Boosted Light Sensitivity - 100 ISO
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points n/a 51
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Nikon F Nikon F
Number of Available Lenses 309 309
Screen
Type Fixed type Fixed type
Size 2.5" 3"
Resolution 230k dots 922k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Optical (pentaprism) Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Coverage 95% 100%
Viewfinder Magnification 0.63x 0.63x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/8000s 1/8000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization No No
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 12.00 m 12.00 m (at ISO 100)
Max Flash Sync 1/250s 1/250s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 5.0 fps 6.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution None None
Video Formats n/a n/a
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity None None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 920g 925g
Dimensions 147 x 113 x 74mm 147 x 114 x 74mm
Battery Life n/a 1000 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS Optional Optional
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score 64 67
DxO Color Depth 22.3 22.1
DxO Dynamic Range 11.5 12.0
DxO Low Light ISO 583 679
Report a correction Report a correction


FOLLOW US


Most Popular Cameras
Nikon Z7
46 MP | Full frame Sensor | Nikon Z Mount
Sony A6000
24 MP | APS-C Sensor | Sony E Mount
Sony A7 III
24 MP | Full frame Sensor | Sony E Mount
Fujifilm X-T3
26 MP | APS-C Sensor | Fujifilm X Mount
Canon R
30 MP | Full frame Sensor | Canon RF Mount
Sony A6400
24 MP | APS-C Sensor | Sony E Mount
Nikon D5600
24 MP | APS-C Sensor | Nikon F Mount
Nikon D850
46 MP | Full frame Sensor | Nikon F Mount
Top Rated DSLR Cameras
Top DSLR Cameras Under $500
Top DSLR Cameras Under $750
Top DSLR Cameras Under $1000
Top DSLR Cameras Under $1500
Latest Cameras
Fujifilm GFX 100S
102 MP | Medium format Sensor | Fujifilm G Mount
Fujifilm X-E4
26 MP | APS-C Sensor | Fujifilm X Mount
Sony a1
50 MP | Full frame Sensor | Sony E Mount
Leica SL2-S
24 MP | Full frame Sensor | Leica L Mount
Leica Q2 Monochrom
47 MP | Full frame Sensor | 28 mm
Fujifilm X-S10
26 MP | APS-C Sensor | Fujifilm X Mount
Nikon Z7 II
46 MP | Full frame Sensor | Nikon Z Mount
Nikon Z6 II
25 MP | Full frame Sensor | Nikon Z Mount
Copyright © 2021 by CameraDecision
About Feedback Privacy Cameras

Report a Correction