This guide is little more than camera manual, too brief and skimpy on detail. Much of the contense are devoted to telling me about how to be a photographer rather than helping me be better aquainted with my new camera. The author frequently describes non Nikon equipment as he wanders through topics like poritature, landscapes and sporting shots.

The rest of the book is generic photography 101 material. I was disappointed. The book lacks depth on the D300 features and capabilities. I recently received and read David Busch's D300 book and it is much more in-depth and has very little generic photography 101 in it.

This "field guide" will be discarded in favor of David Busch's D300 guide.

Buying a D300 without firmly knowing the basics of photography is like buying a plane without having had flying lessons; it's nice to look at but you can't do much with it. Two thirds of this book is regrettably filled (padded?)with basic photography lessons that are too entry level for the kind of photographers who would or should purchase the very sophisticated D300 in the first place. To make things worse it even mis-labels the metering control for the D300, and, as noted in another review, is replete with other errors. Starting from page 94 through to the end at page 250 the book covers basics like ISO and shutter speed, lenses, flash, architectural, child, etc. photography in basic terms unrelated to the D300. That means most of the book is devoted to general photography, not the D300. The Magic Lantern Guide series on the D300 is a much better resource, with far more detailed information (and a quick reference wallet card)that goes way beyond Nikon's detailed manual. If you are anything more than a beginning photographer don't waste your money- buy the Magic Lantern Guide instead.

About half this book is devoted to the D300, and is done relatively well. Two criticisms: the other half is generic photography information and the D300 data is not as in depth as I would have liked.

This book seemes to give you a easy reference. Not as in depth as I would like as I learn more. A good place to start with your camera.

I purchased Thomas' book yesterday and I'm returning it today. Like some of the poorer critiques in here, I must concur with them. This little book, if anything, is suited for beginners who have absolutely no clue about the D300 or photography in general. Here are just a few things I noticed while flipping through the book and reading a few pages:
1. In many cases the photography stinks. Granted, it may just be poor photo reproduction, but if I were buying a D300 and saw the pics this professional photographer took with the camera, I'd probably go Canon. Also, why would this guy shoot with third party lenses that no one, at least not I, have ever heard of? If you are writing a book on a Nikon product, shouldn't you use Nikon products all around? If I were Nikon I'd be a little tiffed at this guy.
2. Errors about the cam and photography in general were found. Too many for me to trust the "guide".
3. The author was too general in many of his suggestions. For example, I was looking up how to use the bulb feature and what I'd need to get, such as a good remote cable release. He said (paraphrasing here a bit), that you could buy some gadgets. Well, what gadgets mister?
4. The title of the book is a little deceiving. I'd say half the book is on general photographic techniques that have nothing to do with how to actually understand the D300. I was hoping to get something similar to ML's D300 guide, but this book fell way, way short.

Well, there you have it. I think I am going to learn the ins and outs of my D300 and write my own book.

I found this Nikon D300 Digital Field Guide to be a perfect companion to the D300. It's concise, portable and packed full of great advice to help you take great photos.

The first section starts out with the Quick Tour, which gives you a nice overview to get you started. If this isn't your first DSLR you may not find this as helpful as a dSLR rookie would, but it is filled with the right information to get you familiar with the camera quickly.

The next few chapters are the nuts and bolts of the book. These chapters break down what all of the buttons do as well as tell you about all of the modes and other features. The author describes them in good detail and points you to other sections of the book if the option is described in further detail elsewhere. I found this very helpful. Chapter 2 also has a great description of histograms and how to best use them to help you get the best exposure. Personally, this description of histograms really helped me a lot.

The last chapter in the first section deals in depth with all of the menu screens and options. There are a lot of menus and custom settings and they are laid out in the same fashion as they are on the camera, which makes things easy. The section that covers the Custom Settings also gives you advice on when you might want to use or modify these settings.

One section that I really need to point out is part about the AF fine-tuning. The manual does little in the way of clarifying how this works. The author really goes into detail here explaining how to use this. If you need to fine tune any of your lenses this is the book to buy to figure out where to start.

The second section is comparable to taking a short course in digital photography basics. From describing the different types of lenses and which ones to choose to some great information on general photographic concepts and lighting, this section has it all.

The first chapter in the second section deals with lenses. The author describes each type of lens and its practical applications. He also describes ways in which to use the lens, if not practically, artistically. This is a very informative chapter.

The next chapter is an overview of the basic photography concepts, shutter speeds, apertures, ISO, as well as tips on composition. This is a general overview, while interesting and informative for newcomers to photography; advanced users may not find much new here, but the basics are clearly explained with great photos as examples.

The sixth chapter deals with lighting. It's filled with useful information about different types of lighting equipment and suggestions of affordable alternatives that allow you to achieve professional results on a budget. The lion's share of this chapter is dedicated to using the pop-up flash as well as Nikon's other Speedlights. This includes a description of all of the different flash modes in detail and an explanation of when you might want to use them.

The Real World Applications chapter is pretty cool. It gives different scenarios and different types of photography you might encounter and breaks it down, offering tips and suggestions on what lenses to use and which modes, etc. One of the things I found interesting was that the author did not always follow his suggestions to the T. When he does break from his advice he tells you why he did that. This gives you the idea that although there are general guidelines to each type of photography, you know that you don't have to follow them in every situation. I found this honest and refreshing. The Art Photography section was my favorite. It had some very interesting concepts and gadgets that I had never heard about before, such as TtV or Through the Viewfinder photography.

The final chapter in this section deals mostly with the in camera editing menus. Although I myself don't use these options, preferring to use Photoshop, I can see how this chapter would be of great benefit to someone who just wants to print photos straight from the camera. The rest of the book is filled with tidbits of information such as different accessories available and online resources. Nothing groundbreaking, but it's interesting enough.

I found this book to be well written and very easy to get through. It's very informative and well presented. The full color images in this book are all first rate. This book is perfect for a newcomer to photography and even more advanced users. Though I'm not sure I'd recommend this book for a professional as it may be a little too basic for their needs.

I found this guide to be easy to read, with concise directions. Especially the intro to the D300.
It leads you through a guide to the camera, which is much easier to follow than the manual. And it directs you to the specific area of the book for details, as you go through it.
I really think it is a worthwhile investment to make using the features of the D300 a lot easier and more fun

Being new to the D300 and digital photography in general I found this book to be quite informative. The material was easy to understand and presented in a much more interesting manner than the manual or other books out there.

The real world applications are AWESOME! They provide many interesting insights and tips that many people may not know about. The pictures are top notch and appear in wonderful full color.

I also picked up a copy of David Busch's book and found that although other reviewers rated this book highly that it was bloated with too much uninteresting technical jargon and let's just say his pictures are "uninspired" to say the least.

I recommend purchasing the D300 Digital Field Guide book for anyone who wants to learn about the most important features of the D300 as well as learning different techniques for photography that will carry over into using other cameras as well.

On the other hand, if you want to be bored to tears and look at uninteresting photos maybe the Busch D300 guide will help you out.

In this book the author goes through a detailed description of the D300's many features, controls and settings. Unfortunately, the guide is fraught with errors, and in some instances, lacks details of some specific controls. It is less boring and dry than the cameral manual, however, and for that reason alone, is a good book for the beginning to average photographer.

The second section of the book is where the author is a bit "simplistic", If you are a real beginner, the materials presented from chapter 4 on are adequate references to begin their journey in creative photography. The rest of us will find it to be a review, with maybe a pearl of two here and there.

The book could stand to be re-edited so the errors and omissions could be corrected, with more detail in what effect the various settings have on the camera function (and ultimate resulting images). Part II of the book should either be eliminated, or expanded to meet the level of the more advanced photographer.

Nikon D300
Digital Field Guide
By: Bryden D.

I am the owner of a few Nikon digital cameras including the D70,D2H,D200 & now the D300. This being the case I am quite familar with the dry clipped language used in the Nikon Owners Manuals.
The D300 is an advanced camera with many new technical features that can be some what overwhelming to a new user.
Thomas has written this guide in a away that makes it easy to follow these new features. He points out in clear langusge how the D300 can enhance your photography techniques.
Major sections that I found of most interest are the Upgrades from the D200 and the Quick Tour.
Chapters 1-8 go into details of the camera and how they relate to various real world applications.
Overall - a great little book to carry around for quick reference on photo shoots.,

The amount of features that a D300 has can be overwhelming, especially to someone who is moving up from an entry level Nikon or other brand DSLR. This guide really helps flesh out what the manual gives you with real world and practical examples. The D300 Digital Field Guide is especially great for explaining, and walking through the different custom functions, with easy to read images getting you through the menu. I also think the explanation of all the flash options--the commander mode and how to use multiple flashes--and slow sync operations really will help make using the D300 easier.

Section 1 is all that is needed. It covers the basics and why you might use them in a more succinct manor than the manual. The lens and photography type sections are fluff. Thinking about separating section 1 and carrying it in my bag as a true D300 field guide.

Excellent read, well written, easy to navigate - this is a must have if you own the D300. As mentioned, in another review, this book is extremely helpful in learning the menus, settings, features FAST.

I found this handbook to be far more useful than the manual that is delivered with the camera. The book describes the camera's features and menus in a logical fashion. I now have a great understanding of the D300's capabilities and can put them to good use.

The first section, Quick Tour, defines the function of each button and allows you the satisfaction of taking pictures immediately. Then Chapter 1 explores each of the controls and displays. Chapter 2 describes the use of each of the settings and automatic photography modes.

The remaining chapters guide you through taking great photos, including exposure, ISO, depth of field, color, light, lens choice, composition basics, and techniques for taking great images in a variety of situations. The final section covers downloading and editing images.

The book is well laid out with many charts, tables and color illustrations. Appendixes and a comprehensive index allow you to find answers to your questions quickly.

Whether you start at the beginning and work your way through methodically or just pick it up and look for guidance on a particular topic, you're going to learn something every time you refer to the book. I did. Well worth the small investment to unlock the potential of your highly capable Nikon D300.

This book is perfect for use in the field. I bought this book specifically because it was a small format book I could take along with me for guidance. When I am unsure what menu settings to use, I take this book out of my bag, look up the options, and make adjustments quickly. When I see an opportunity for a great shot, I can look up specifics about shooting different objects in different environments and read three or four pages of advice, illustrated with awesome full color pictures. This book covers all the digital photography basics. It does include all the settings you need for the practice photos, including aperture, shutter speed, ISO setting, etc. Plus the lens used is listed. This book was a great investment - it's helped me get more comfortable with my D300 and I expect that my pictures are just going to keep getting better as I keep using the book to build my knowledge of the camera and of photography in general.

This guide to the D300 is aimed at the amateur to prosumer digital SLR photographer, and even has some excellent information for advanced users.

It is well-written, well-illustrated, and covers the subject in depth. I recently purchased a D300, and learned many things here that were nowhere to be found in the user's manual. Additionally, the book is the perfect size to fit in my camera bag - whenever I have a question about a setting, this book is conveniently there with me.

The first part of the book explains all of the features and settings of the camera in clear, well-illustrated format. I found the step-by-step instructions and corresponding pictures of the menus especially helpful. The remainder of the book provides basic information on photographic techniques, and specific suggestions for many types of photography. I found lots of helpful suggestions about everything from portrait to macro photography and more. The photography throughout the book is top notch too!

When I bought my D300, I had the best intentions to read through the
manual that came with it - I promised myself that if I was spending
this much on a new camera that I'd really take advantage of its full
potential. But I found the manual to be frustrating and not
surprisingly, boring. My biggest complaint was that the manual
explained the function of a button or setting without ever teaching me
how it would actually affect my photos. So I bought this book hoping
it would increase my understanding of how to use my D300's controls to
get the best possible pictures. I wasn't disappointed. This book
takes you through your camera's settings and menus step-by-step,
explaining not only the function of each setting, but also when you
should use it and how it will make your pictures better - exactly what
I was looking for. It also has a large section that talks about the
basics of digital photography. While I had heard a lot of these basic
rules of photography before, I felt like it was a great refresher
course and I learned some new tips for getting great pics. I
feel more confident using my D300 after reading this book and my
pictures have improved as a result. Highly recommended.

In his introduction, J. Dennis Thomas acknowledges that his book covers much of the same ground as the "D300 User's Manual" from Nikon, but in a manner that's easier to comprehend and more interesting to read. It seemed to me that Thomas didn't quite reach his goal.

Part I of the book starts out with a quick tour of the camera which describes how to set the most basic functions necessary to use the D300, followed by a physical description of each of the controls on the camera. The author then follows up with a slightly longer discussion of the camera's functions, followed by a line-by-line description of each of the camera's menu items. In Part II, the author provides generic discussions of Nikon's family of lenses, photography essentials like exposure and composition, the use of light, a long chapter devoted to snippets on different kinds of photography, like architectural or landscape photography, and then a chapter on viewing and editing images in-camera. There is an appendix which describes a few accessories in the broadest possible terms.

Every equipment guide has to aim at a broad range of users from beginners to professionals, although the Nikon D300 is such a sophisticated machine that it is more likely to be used by more experienced photographers. I suppose that a beginner might find new information here, but only if he didn't want to go through the small print, black-and-white only, manual that comes with the camera. On the other hand, a lot of essential information was not discussed. For example, although the author often refers to options offered by the camera relating to the differences between the JPEG and RAW formats, he never gives a full explanation of the benefits of one format over the other. Another example is in his description of the number of focusing points available in dynamic area mode. Although he describes the difference between 9, 21 and 51 point modes (more points--duh!), he doesn't explain why it doesn't make sense to just use the most points for any occasion. The author doesn't tell you that the more points you select, the slower the camera focuses because it must sample each point for changes in the scene.

There were even a few cases where Thomas included less material then the Nikon manual. He describes a menu item called "Print set (DPOF)" which did not even seem to appear on my D300's menu! After frantically trying to figure out what was wrong with my camera, I looked in the "D300 User's Manual" where I found that this is a menu setting that probably isn't even available until certain other conditions have been set up. (I eventually found the item by scrolling backwards through the playback menu.)

Most of the material in part II is just too broadly brushed to be very useful. A new photographer might learn that there is such a thing as a soft box, but never learn how to use one with the D300.

Some material provided is misleading as in the image that's included with the explanation of histograms that shows the histogram divided into five sections while the D300's histogram is divided into four sections. In other cases, illustrations that would help one understand the discussion were not available, as in the failure to include a screen capture in the discussion of picture controls.

Although this volume may be enough for beginners who don't want to go through the tiny print, flimsy paged "D300 User's Manual" provided with the camera, more serious users would be better off with "David Busch's Nikon D300 Guide to Digital SLR Photography" (even though I must acknowledge that Thomas does provide a better explanation of fine-tuning auto focus lenses).

The reviewer who said this book was packed with errors was being kind. Some sort of technical fact-checking should have been done to fix the multiple errors, goofs, and obvious typos that appear in every chapter of this misguided guidebook.

Some of the errors provide the wrong information, or leave out a crucial fact. For example:

Page 7: Figure QT.4 is labeled wrong. Center weighted mode is labeled as 3D Color Matrix II, Matrix is labeled as center weighted mode.

Page 18: "Press this button and rotate the Main Command dial to change the white balance (WB) setting." No mention is made of rotating the sub command dial to change the bias.

Page 18: Incorrect description of AF-S lenses.

Page 18: "Reflected through a series of mirrors..." Wrong. Although some Nikon cameras do use a series of mirrors, the D300 uses a single front-silvered mirror and a pentaprism. A "series of mirrors" involves a different technology called pentamirror.

Page 27: In the description of the electronic analog exposure display, the author says, "When the bars are to the left you are underexposed; when the bars are to the right, you are overexposing your image." Wrong. It's the exact opposite. There are even plus and minus signs in the viewfinder to tip you off.

Page 28: In explaining exposure compensation value, the author mis-states: "When pressing the Exposure Compensation button and rotating the Sub-command dial, the EV compensation is displayed." Wrong. Just press the button to display the EV compensation. Or press the button and rotate the main dial to change it. The Sub-command dial has no function or use here.

Page 43: White balance bracketing. The author fails to mention that, unlike exposure bracketing, only one shot is taken per bracket set during white balance bracketing. The D300 saves multiple JPEG copies of that shot using different white balances. A rather important distinction, I think.

Page 45: "The focus indicator light in the viewfinder displays when the camera is in focus." Wrong. Actually, it stops -blinking- when the lens is in focus. It does appear when the "camera" (lens, actually) is out of focus.

Page 69: "Image quality, size, and JPEG compression can also be changed by pressing the QUAL button and rotating the Main Command dial." Wrong. You need to rotate the sub command dial to change the image size.

Page 70: The author states about 14 bit depth that "there is much more color information for smoother color transitions in your images." Here, and in Chapter 2, the author seems to have the notion that 14-bit files do nothing but provide extra colors for gradations. Dynamic range means a lot more than that, especially with the D300, where 14 bit provides extra "headroom" in the shadows (but not in the highlights) compared to 12-bit depth.

Page 82: "e4 Modeling Flash When using the optional SB-600 or SB-800 Speedlight, pressing the Depth of Field preview button fires a series of..." Wrong again. Surprise. This feature, of course, also works with the built-in flash, which is not mentioned.

Page 82: "e7" Ignores that bracketing order also functions for WB bracketing, in a way different from the exposure bracketing described. This is one of the pesky details not copied from the OEM manual.

Pages 83, 84, 85. Incorrectly describes setting of function, preview, and AE-L/AF-L buttons. Readers will be terribly confused when they discover (on their own) that setting certain functions locks out other settings. This is explained on page 304 of the Nikon factory manual.

Page 87: "I recommend taking your camera to an authorized Nikon service center for cleaning." I don't know whether to laugh or cry over this one. Of course readers will be terrified of this simple procedure if the author doesn't know how to do it, either, or provides any instructions. This is a D300 we're talking about, not a D40. Non-snapshooters need to learn how to clean their sensors from time to time, even if automatic sensor cleaning is included in the camera.

Most of the descriptive material about setting up and using the camera appears to be condensed from what is provided in the Nikon manual, with many important options, details, and warnings left out to save space. The Dust off ref photo menu entry description doesn't give you a clue as to when or why you might want to use it. The terrific wireless transmitter or GPS capabilities? Not a clue as to what they do. There's no mention of the absolutely wonderful improvement in handling of non-CPU lens data compared to the D200. Why not?

The lack of detail can be infuriating for someone who wants to learn how to use their D300 from this book. The author says that you can get up to 8 fps continuous shooting when using "batteries other than the EN-EL3e with the MD-D10." What batteries are those? Throughout the book he uses the phrase "a number of" rather than the actual number of something, or recommends going to the Nikon web site to find information you'd expect to find in this book.

I can't imagine that Nikon D300 users would be looking for a "field" guide that is a summary with less information than is found in the user manual, especially since some important distinctions are ignored or left out, and replaced with downright incorrect advice. Avoid this one.

The reviewer who said this book was packed with errors was being kind. Some sort of technical fact-checking should have been done to fix the multiple errors, goofs, and obvious typos that appear in every chapter of this misguided guidebook.

Some of the errors provide the wrong information, or leave out a crucial fact. For example:

Page 7: Figure QT.4 is labeled wrong. Center weighted mode is labeled as 3D Color Matrix II, Matrix is labeled as center weighted mode.

Page 18: "Press this button and rotate the Main Command dial to change the white balance (WB) setting." No mention is made of rotating the sub command dial to change the bias.

Page 18: Incorrect description of AF-S lenses.

Page 18: "Reflected through a series of mirrors..." Wrong. Although some Nikon cameras do use a series of mirrors, the D300 uses a single front-silvered mirror and a pentaprism. A "series of mirrors" involves a different technology called pentamirror.

Page 27: In the description of the electronic analog exposure display, the author says, "When the bars are to the left you are underexposed; when the bars are to the right, you are overexposing your image." Wrong. It's the exact opposite. There are even plus and minus signs in the viewfinder to tip you off.

Page 28: In explaining exposure compensation value, the author mis-states: "When pressing the Exposure Compensation button and rotating the Sub-command dial, the EV compensation is displayed." Wrong. Just press the button. The Sub-command dial has no function or use here.

Page 43: White balance bracketing. The author fails to mention that, unlike exposure bracketing, only one shot is taken per bracket set during white balance bracketing. The D300 saves multiple JPEG copies of that shot using difference white balances. A rather important distinction, I think.

Page 45: "The focus indicator light in the viewfinder displays when the camera is in focus." Wrong. Actually, it stops -blinking- when the lens is in focus. It does appear when the "camera" (lens, actually) is out of focus.

Page 69: "Image quality, size, and JPEG compression can also be changed by pressing the QUAL button and rotating the Main Command dial." Wrong. You need to rotate the sub command dial to change the image size.

Page 70: The author states about 14 bit depth that "there is much more color information for smoother color transitions in your images." Here, and in Chapter 2, the author seems to have the notion that 14-bit files do nothing but provide extra colors for gradations. Dynamic range means a lot more than that, especially with the D300, where 14 bit provides extra "headroom" in the shadows (but not in the highlights) compared to 12-bit depth.

Page 82: "e4 Modeling Flash When using the optional SB-600 or SB-800 Speedlight, pressing the Depth of Field preview button fires a series of..." Surprise. This feature, of course, also works with the built-in flash, which is not mentioned.

Page 82: "e7" Ignores that bracketing order also functions for WB bracketing, in a way different from the exposure bracketing described. This is one of the pesky details not copied from the OEM manual.

Pages 83, 84, 85. Incorrectly describes setting of function, preview, and AE-L/AF-L buttons. Readers will be terribly confused when they discover (on their own) that setting certain functions locks out other settings. This is explained on page 304 of the Nikon factory manual.

Page 87: "I recommend taking your camera to an authorized Nikon service center for cleaning." I don't know whether to laugh or cry over this one. Of course readers will be terrified of this simple procedure if the author doesn't know how to do it, either, or provides any instructions. This is a D300 we're talking about, not a D40. Non-snapshooters need to learn how to clean their sensors from time to time, even if automatic sensor cleaning is included in the camera.

Most of the descriptive material about setting up and using the camera appears to be condensed from what is provided in the Nikon manual, with many important options, details, and warnings left out to save space. The Dust off ref photo menu entry description doesn't give you a clue as to when or why you might want to use it. The terrific wireless transmitter or GPS capabilities? Not a clue as to what they do. There's no mention of the absolutely wonderful improvement in handling of non-CPU lens data compared to the D200. Why not?

The lack of detail can be infuriating for someone who wants to learn how to use their D300 from this book. The author says that you can get up to 8 fps continuous shooting when using "batteries other than the EN-EL3e with the MD-D10." What batteries are those? Throughout the book he uses the phrase "a number of" rather than the actual number of something, or recommends going to the Nikon web site to find information you'd expect to find in this book.

I can't imagine that Nikon D300 users would be looking for a "field" guide that is a summary with less information than is found in the user manual, especially since some important distinctions are ignored or left out, and replaced with downright incorrect advice. Avoid this one.

This brief overview barely scratches the surface of what an advanced digital SLR like the Nikon D300 can do. It's barely half the size of the manual that comes with the camera. How could it be anything else?

There are much, much better guides to the new Nikon D300 camera, each of which doesn't stop at telling you how to make settings and use features, they tell you why. Thom Hogan's "Complete Guide" has more information in any chapter than you'll find in this entire Digital Field Guide, but it's an e-book. The best choice, though, is probably the Nikon D300 Guide to Digital SLR Photography by David Busch. Like the Digital Field Guide, it, too purports to provide a mixture of features and setup instruction with photographic advice, but does a much better job with both.

The Field Guide is weakest in explaining the Nikon D300's features, which is odd, because that's what you buy a camera specific book for. This is most obvious in the section on the complex and often confusing Custom Setting menu. The Digital Field Guide allots only 11 pages to this menu, mostly a rehash of the menu entries and their options that you'll find in the Nikon manual. The Busch book, in contrast, devotes 43 pages to an exhaustive analysis of how these settings should be used, and augments that with an additional 12 pages of tables with recommended Custom Setting Menu Bank and Shooting Menu Bank settings for Studio, Portraits, Long Exposures, Sports Indoors, Sports Outdoors, Landscapes, and Bracketing.

Interested in learning about the D300's exciting new capabilities, like Live View, the MB-D10 battery pack, or sensor cleaning? You'll find anything from a sentence or two to a couple pages on these topics. Mystified by autofocus or want to know the difference between phase detection and contrast detection? Busch covers that in nearly 20 pages. The Digital Field Guide's entry-level camera approach doesn't have room for that much detail. Instead, we're given such gems of insight as "Metering mode dial. This dial is used to choose the metering mode. Turn the dial to the desired mode. You can choose Matrix, Center-weighted, or Spot metering." Wow. A new D300 owner would never be able to figure that out on their own.

One of the strengths of the Nikon line is the huge number of lenses available. Busch devotes 40 pages to that, including detailed lens by lens recommendations about what should go in your kit. The Digital Field Guide breezes through the topic in 14 pages.

I suppose that if you are an absolute beginner and want an introduction to the Nikon D300 that is more concise and less detailed than the thick manual that came with the camera, this book will serve. On that basis, it deserves three stars. If you're a supertechnoid and want to know how many milliamps the LCD draws, the Thom Hogan e-book is the ultimate reference. But if you are a serious photographer who wants to know the whys and wherefores of using the Nikon D300, you owe it to yourself to purchase the Nikon D300 Guide to Digital SLR Photography instead.

There are so many errors in this book that I can't even recommend it for the beginner photographers it is aimed at. It's amazing that a field guide for an advanced camera would lack depth. If a Nikon D300 is your first camera or digital camera, you may find the first three chapters on setup helpful, but anyone who knows a little photography should steer clear.

First, this is a tiny book with only about 234 pages of actual information. A typical Magic Lantern Guide provides roughly twice as much information. The rest of the book is filler, with listings of accessories, camera specifications, online resources, glossary, etc. There simply isn't room to explain everything you need to know in the space available.

Worse, a precious 70 pages are wasted with beginner-level descriptions of how to take snapshots of "real world applications." If you think you can learn how to take sports photos, landscape photography, macro pictures, travel, or wildlife photography in four pages each, go ahead and follow the author's questionable recommendations. But, I expect that most Nikon D300 owners would be either looking for something a little more advanced or, perhaps, favor dropping this material to allow room for advice on using the camera's features.

Unfortunately, this book isn't suitable for beginners because it is riddled with errors, which range from incorrect descriptions of how to use D300 features, to absurd general photography advice. For example:

- We're told about the Quality Button: "Press this button and rotate the Main Command Dial to change the image size and quality." Sorry, but if you want to change the image size from L, to M, to S, you must rotate the Sub-Command Dial.
- About the focus ring, the author says, "With some lenses, such as the Nikkor AF-S lenses, you can manually adjust the foucs at any time." That simply isn't true. I suggest the author mount any AF-S lens that lacks the M/A-M switch (if he owns one), such as the original 18-55mm zoom, and try to manually adjust focus with the lens set in the A position.
- The author notes, "As with wide-angle lenses, telephoto lenses also have optical aberrations, such as perspective distortion." Even a beginner photo class will teach you that apparent perspective distortion is most certainly not an optical aberration. The author should Google "coma," "spherical aberration," or "chromatic aberration" to learn what an optical aberration is.
-The section on filters is a total mess. The author recommends using UV filters to filter out the UV light that digital sensors are immune to. We're told that ND filters "can also be used to slow down your shutter speed" (Amazing! My D300 requires using the main command dial.) The description of how polarization works is wrong and makes no mention that, for proper effect, the Sun should be 90 degrees off the lens axis, nor what types of reflections don't respond to polarization at all. The IR filter description is wrong, too.

These errors do a disservice to beginners, who have no way of knowing where the mistake lies in claims like "small to medium umbrellas lose about a stop and a half to 2 stops of light" or in "continuous lighting, also known as hot lights."

If you're a serious D300 owner, I recommend looking elsewhere. On the plus side, the photos in this book are all first rate.

I got my D300 a couple of months ago. I upgraded from a Canon Rebel and I was in over my head! The D300 had so many buttons and features that I didn't know where to start.

I just received my copy of the D300 Digital Field Guide and I have to say that I'm ecstatic. This book is so much more helpful than the stuffy old manual. There is so much more to this camera than I realized and it's all lined out right here in this little book.

The information is simple and informative enough for a beginner, but still has quite a few tricks and tips for more advanced users. The full color photos are great and there are tips and ideas on a wide variety of subjects.

The chapters on the menus were the most helpful, there are things in the menu system that I didn't even know existed (and they're important things!).

I have to say I whole-heartedly recommend this book for anyone who wants a better understanding of their camera and photography in general.

This is my 2nd book I have purchased from the Digital Field Guide series. I previously bought Creative Lighting System and it helped me get pass a lot of hurdles and frustration. This was written with quality and care.

Now J. Dennis Thomas has written the guide for the D300 and WOW, how does this guy know so much about the gear he writes about. He must seriously take hundreds of hours out of his life to really get in and learn the nuts and bolts of any piece of equipment he lays his hands on.

Not only are these books from this author in depth, but they are NOT dry text book reads. You can tell a lot of life experience goes into these field guides so enjoy.

If you want to do more with your Nikon gear, then you really need to read what J. Dennis Thomas has provided out there. He provides the tools to operate quality equipment so do yourself a favor and read the Nikon Digital Field Guides.