Nikon D300 vs Sony A9 III
The Nikon D300 and the Sony Alpha A9 III are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in August 2007 and November 2023. The D300 is a DSLR, while the A9 III is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. The cameras are based on an APS-C (D300) and a full frame (A9 III) sensor. The Nikon has a resolution of 12.2 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 24 MP.
Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Check D300 offers at
ebay.com

Check A9 III price at
amazon.com
Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon D300 and the Sony Alpha A9 III? 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
The physical size and weight of the Nikon D300 and the Sony A9 III are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All size 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 Sony A9 III is notably smaller (21 percent) than the Nikon D300. Moreover, the A9 III is markedly lighter (24 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. A larger imaging sensor will tend to go along with bigger and heavier lenses, although exceptions exist. You can compare the optics available for the two cameras in the Nikon Lens Catalog (D300) and the Sony FE Lens Catalog (A9 III). Mirrorless cameras, such as the A9 III, have moreover the advantage that they can use many lenses from other systems via adapters, as they have a relatively short flange to focal plane distance.
Concerning battery life, the D300 gets 1000 shots out of its Nikon EN-EL3e battery, while the A9 III can take 530 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FZ100 power pack. The power pack in the A9 III can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.
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.

| Camera Model |
Camera Width |
Camera Height |
Camera Depth |
Camera Weight |
Battery Life |
Weather Sealing |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price |
Street Price |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Nikon D300 | 147 mm | 114 mm | 74 mm | 925 g | 1000 | Y | Aug 2007 | US$ 1 799 | ebay.com | |
| 2. | Sony A9 III | 136 mm | 97 mm | 83 mm | 702 g | 530 | Y | Nov 2023 | US$ 5 999 | amazon.com | |
| 3. | Nikon D2X | 158 mm | 150 mm | 86 mm | 1252 g | 3800 | Y | Sep 2004 | US$ 4 999 | ebay.com | |
| 4. | Nikon D2Xs | 158 mm | 150 mm | 86 mm | 1252 g | 3800 | Y | Jun 2006 | US$ 4 699 | ebay.com | |
| 5. | Nikon D40X | 124 mm | 94 mm | 64 mm | 522 g | 520 | n | Mar 2007 | US$ 729 | ebay.com | |
| 6. | Nikon D60 | 126 mm | 94 mm | 64 mm | 522 g | 500 | n | Jan 2008 | US$ 629 | ebay.com | |
| 7. | Nikon D80 | 132 mm | 103 mm | 77 mm | 668 g | 600 | n | Aug 2006 | US$ 999 | ebay.com | |
| 8. | Nikon D90 | 132 mm | 103 mm | 77 mm | 703 g | 850 | n | Aug 2008 | US$ 1 299 | ebay.com | |
| 9. | Nikon D200 | 147 mm | 113 mm | 74 mm | 920 g | 400 | Y | Nov 2005 | US$ 1 699 | ebay.com | |
| 10. | Nikon D300S | 147 mm | 115 mm | 81 mm | 938 g | 950 | Y | Jul 2009 | US$ 1 799 | ebay.com | |
| 11. | Nikon D700 | 147 mm | 123 mm | 77 mm | 1074 g | 1000 | Y | Jul 2008 | US$ 2 999 | ebay.com | |
| 12. | Nikon D7000 | 132 mm | 105 mm | 77 mm | 780 g | 1050 | Y | Sep 2010 | US$ 1 499 | ebay.com | |
| 13. | Sony A1 II | 136 mm | 97 mm | 83 mm | 743 g | 520 | Y | Nov 2024 | US$ 6 499 | amazon.com | |
| 14. | Sony A7 II | 127 mm | 96 mm | 60 mm | 599 g | 350 | Y | Nov 2014 | US$ 1 999 | ebay.com | |
| 15. | Sony A7 III | 127 mm | 96 mm | 74 mm | 650 g | 610 | Y | Feb 2018 | US$ 1 999 | amazon.com | |
| 16. | Sony A9 | 127 mm | 96 mm | 63 mm | 673 g | 650 | Y | Apr 2017 | US$ 4 499 | ebay.com | |
| 17. | Sony A9 II | 129 mm | 96 mm | 76 mm | 678 g | 690 | Y | Oct 2019 | US$ 4 499 | amazon.com | |
| Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders. | |||||||||||
The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The D300 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 70 percent) than the A9 III, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. 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. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.
Sensor comparison
The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.
Of the two cameras under consideration, the Nikon D300 features an APS-C sensor and the Sony A9 III a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the A9 III is 127 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.5 and 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

With 24MP, the A9 III offers a higher resolution than the D300 (12.2MP), but the A9 III nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 5.94μm versus 5.53μm for the D300) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the A9 III is a much more recent model (by 16 years and 2 months) than the D300, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units.
The resolution advantage of the Sony A9 III implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the A9 III for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Nikon D300 are 21.4 x 14.2 inches or 54.5 x 36.2 cm for good quality, 17.2 x 11.4 inches or 43.6 x 28.9 cm for very good quality, and 14.3 x 9.5 inches or 36.3 x 24.1 cm for excellent quality prints.
The A9 III has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.
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 Sony Alpha A9 III are ISO 250 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 125-51200.
In terms of underlying technology, the D300 is build around a CMOS sensor, while the A9 III uses a Stacked CMOS 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 assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

| 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. | Sony A9 III | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/120p | 25.4 | 14.7 | 3243 | 96 | |
| 3. | Nikon D2X | APS-C | 12.2 | 4288 | 2848 | none | 22.1 | 10.9 | 476 | 59 | |
| 4. | Nikon D2Xs | APS-C | 12.2 | 4288 | 2848 | none | 22.2 | 10.9 | 489 | 59 | |
| 5. | Nikon D40X | APS-C | 10.0 | 3872 | 2592 | none | 22.4 | 11.4 | 516 | 63 | |
| 6. | Nikon D60 | APS-C | 10.0 | 3872 | 2592 | none | 22.5 | 11.4 | 562 | 65 | |
| 7. | Nikon D80 | APS-C | 10.0 | 3872 | 2592 | none | 22.1 | 11.2 | 524 | 61 | |
| 8. | Nikon D90 | APS-C | 12.2 | 4288 | 2848 | 720/24p | 22.7 | 12.5 | 977 | 73 | |
| 9. | Nikon D200 | APS-C | 10.0 | 3872 | 2592 | none | 22.3 | 11.5 | 583 | 64 | |
| 10. | Nikon D300S | APS-C | 12.2 | 4288 | 2848 | 720/24p | 22.5 | 12.2 | 787 | 70 | |
| 11. | Nikon D700 | Full Frame | 12.1 | 4256 | 2832 | none | 23.5 | 12.2 | 2303 | 80 | |
| 12. | Nikon D7000 | APS-C | 16.1 | 4928 | 3264 | 1080/24p | 23.5 | 13.9 | 1167 | 80 | |
| 13. | Sony A1 II | Full Frame | 49.8 | 8640 | 5760 | 8k/30p | 25.4 | 14.8 | 3363 | 97 | |
| 14. | Sony A7 II | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 24.9 | 13.6 | 2449 | 90 | |
| 15. | Sony A7 III | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/30p | 25.0 | 14.7 | 3730 | 96 | |
| 16. | Sony A9 | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/30p | 24.9 | 13.3 | 3517 | 92 | |
| 17. | Sony A9 II | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/30p | 25.0 | 14.0 | 3434 | 93 | |
| Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age. | |||||||||||
Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. The A9 III indeed provides for movie recording, while the D300 does not. The highest resolution format that the A9 III can use is 4K/120p.
Feature comparison
Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the A9 III has an electronic viewfinder (9440k dots), while the D300 has an optical one. Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The viewfinders of both cameras offer the same field of view (100%), but the viewfinder of the A9 III has a higher magnification than the one of the D300 (0.9x vs 0.63x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Nikon D300 and Sony A9 III along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

| 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. | Sony A9 III | 9440 | n | 3.2 / 2100 | full-flex | Y | 1/80000s | 120.0/s | n | Y | |
| 3. | Nikon D2X | optical | Y | 2.5 / 235 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 5.0/s | n | n | |
| 4. | Nikon D2Xs | optical | Y | 2.5 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 5.0/s | n | n | |
| 5. | Nikon D40X | optical | n | 2.5 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
| 6. | Nikon D60 | optical | n | 2.5 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
| 7. | Nikon D80 | optical | n | 2.5 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
| 8. | Nikon D90 | optical | Y | 3.0 / 920 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 4.5/s | Y | n | |
| 9. | Nikon D200 | optical | Y | 2.5 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 5.0/s | Y | n | |
| 10. | Nikon D300S | optical | Y | 3.0 / 920 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 7.0/s | Y | n | |
| 11. | Nikon D700 | optical | Y | 3.0 / 922 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 8.0/s | Y | n | |
| 12. | Nikon D7000 | optical | Y | 3.0 / 921 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 6.0/s | Y | n | |
| 13. | Sony A1 II | 9437 | n | 3.2 / 2100 | full-flex | Y | 1/8000s | 30.0/s | n | Y | |
| 14. | Sony A7 II | 2400 | n | 3.0 / 1230 | tilting | n | 1/8000s | 5.0/s | n | Y | |
| 15. | Sony A7 III | 2359 | n | 3.0 / 922 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | Y | |
| 16. | Sony A9 | 3686 | n | 3.0 / 1440 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 20.0/s | n | Y | |
| 17. | Sony A9 II | 3686 | n | 3.0 / 1440 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 20.0/s | n | Y | |
| Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one. | |||||||||||
One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The D300 has one, while the A9 III does not. While the built-in flash of the D300 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.
The A9 III has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing. This characteristic will be appreciated by vloggers and photographers who are interested in taking selfies. In contrast, the D300 does not have a selfie-screen.The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the A9 III is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).
The Nikon D300 and the Sony A9 III 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.
The D300 writes its imaging data to Compact Flash cards, while the A9 III uses CFexpress (type A) or SDXC cards. The A9 III features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the D300 only has one slot.
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 Sony Alpha A9 III and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

| 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. | Sony A9 III | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | full | 3.2 | Y | - | Y | |
| 3. | Nikon D2X | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
| 4. | Nikon D2Xs | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
| 5. | Nikon D40X | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
| 6. | Nikon D60 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
| 7. | Nikon D80 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
| 8. | Nikon D90 | Y | mono / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
| 9. | Nikon D200 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
| 10. | Nikon D300S | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
| 11. | Nikon D700 | Y | - / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
| 12. | Nikon D7000 | Y | mono / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
| 13. | Sony A1 II | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | full | 3.2 | Y | - | Y | |
| 14. | Sony A7 II | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
| 15. | Sony A7 III | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 3.1 | Y | Y | Y | |
| 16. | Sony A9 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | Y | |
| 17. | Sony A9 II | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 3.1 | Y | Y | Y |
It is notable that the A9 III offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the D300 does not provide wifi capability.
Both cameras feature a PC Sync terminal to control professional strobe lights, which will be appreciated by studio photographers.
The A9 III is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Sony. In contrast, the D300 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the D300 was succeeded by the Nikon D300S. Further information on the features and operation of the D300 and A9 III can be found, respectively, in the Nikon D300 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A9 III Manual.
Review summary
So what is the bottom line? Is the Nikon D300 better than the Sony A9 III or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Advantages of the Nikon D300:
- Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
- Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
- Longer lasting: Can take more shots (1000 versus 530) on a single battery charge.
- Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
- More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (70 percent cheaper at launch).
- More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in August 2007).

Arguments in favor of the Sony Alpha A9 III:
- More detail: Has more megapixels (24 vs 12.2MP), which boosts linear resolution by 40%.
- Better image quality: Is equipped with a larger and more technologically advanced sensor.
- Richer colors: The sensor size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
- More dynamic range: Larger sensor captures a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
- Better low-light sensitivity: Larger sensor produces good images even in poorly lit environments.
- Broader imaging potential: Can capture not only stills but also 4K/120p video.
- Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
- More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
- Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.9x vs 0.63x).
- Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
- More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (2100k vs 922k dots).
- More flexible LCD: Has a full-flex screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
- Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
- More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
- Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/80000s vs 1/8000s) to freeze action.
- Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (120 vs 6 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
- Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
- More compact: Is smaller (136x97mm vs 147x114mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
- Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 223g or 24 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
- Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
- Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
- More legacy lens friendly: Can use many non-native lenses via adapters.
- Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.2 vs 2.0).
- Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
- Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
- Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
- More modern: Reflects 16 years and 2 months of technical progress since the D300 launch.
If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the A9 III is the clear winner of the contest (27 : 6 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro 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 Sony A9 III place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listings 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 says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the D300 and the A9 III in practical situations. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.
Expert reviews
This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera 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.

| Camera Model |
AP score |
CL score |
DCW score |
DPR score |
EPZ score |
PB score |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price |
Street Price |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Nikon D300 | .. | + + | .. | + + | 5/5 | 4.5/5 | Aug 2007 | US$ 1 799 | ebay.com | |
| 2. | Sony A9 III | 4.5/5 | .. | .. | 91/100 | .. | .. | Nov 2023 | US$ 5 999 | amazon.com | |
| 3. | Nikon D2X | .. | .. | .. | + + | .. | .. | Sep 2004 | US$ 4 999 | ebay.com | |
| 4. | Nikon D2Xs | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | Jun 2006 | US$ 4 699 | ebay.com | |
| 5. | Nikon D40X | .. | 79/100 | .. | + + | 4/5 | 4/5 | Mar 2007 | US$ 729 | ebay.com | |
| 6. | Nikon D60 | .. | 80/100 | .. | + + | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Jan 2008 | US$ 629 | ebay.com | |
| 7. | Nikon D80 | .. | + | .. | + + | o | 4.5/5 | Aug 2006 | US$ 999 | ebay.com | |
| 8. | Nikon D90 | .. | + + | .. | + + | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Aug 2008 | US$ 1 299 | ebay.com | |
| 9. | Nikon D200 | .. | + + | .. | + + | o | .. | Nov 2005 | US$ 1 699 | ebay.com | |
| 10. | Nikon D300S | 5/5 | + + | .. | 82/100 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Jul 2009 | US$ 1 799 | ebay.com | |
| 11. | Nikon D700 | .. | 89/100 | .. | + + | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Jul 2008 | US$ 2 999 | ebay.com | |
| 12. | Nikon D7000 | 4/5 | .. | .. | 80/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2010 | US$ 1 499 | ebay.com | |
| 13. | Sony A1 II | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | Nov 2024 | US$ 6 499 | amazon.com | |
| 14. | Sony A7 II | 5/5 | + | 4/5 | 82/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Nov 2014 | US$ 1 999 | ebay.com | |
| 15. | Sony A7 III | .. | + + | 4.5/5 | 89/100 | 5/5 | 5/5 | Feb 2018 | US$ 1 999 | amazon.com | |
| 16. | Sony A9 | 5/5 | + + | 4.8/5 | 89/100 | 5/5 | 5/5 | Apr 2017 | US$ 4 499 | ebay.com | |
| 17. | Sony A9 II | .. | .. | 5/5 | 90/100 | 5/5 | 5/5 | Oct 2019 | US$ 4 499 | amazon.com | |
| Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available. | |||||||||||
The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

Check D300 offers at
ebay.com

Check A9 III price at
amazon.com
Other camera comparisons
Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just use the search menu below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.
- Canon S120 vs Sony A9 III
- Canon SX50 vs Nikon D300
- Canon T7 vs Nikon D300
- Canon XC10 vs Sony A9 III
- Nikon D300 vs Nikon Z6 III
- Nikon D300 vs Sony A77 II
- Nikon D300 vs Sony A99
- Nikon D300 vs Sony RX1
- Olympus E-M5 III vs Sony A9 III
- Panasonic FZ82 vs Sony A9 III
- Sony A6000 vs Sony A9 III
- Sony A7R III vs Sony A9 III
Specifications: Nikon D300 vs Sony A9 III
Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.
| Camera Model | Nikon D300 | Sony A9 III |
|---|---|---|
| Camera Type | Digital single lens reflex | Mirrorless system camera |
| Camera Lens | Nikon F mount lenses | Sony E mount lenses |
| Launch Date | August 2007 | November 2023 |
| Launch Price | USD 1,799 | USD 5,999 |
| Sensor Specs | Nikon D300 | Sony A9 III |
| Sensor Technology | CMOS | Stacked CMOS |
| Sensor Format | APS-C Sensor | Full Frame Sensor |
| Sensor Size | 23.6 x 15.8 mm | 35.6 x 23.8 mm |
| Sensor Area | 372.88 mm2 | 847.28 mm2 |
| Sensor Diagonal | 28.4 mm | 42.8 mm |
| Crop Factor | 1.5x | 1.0x |
| Sensor Resolution | 12.2 Megapixels | 24 Megapixels |
| Image Resolution | 4288 x 2848 pixels | 6000 x 4000 pixels |
| Pixel Pitch | 5.53 μm | 5.94 μm |
| Pixel Density | 3.28 MP/cm2 | 2.83 MP/cm2 |
| Moiré control | Anti-Alias filter | Anti-Alias filter |
| Movie Capability | no Video | 4K/120p Video |
| ISO Setting | 200 - 3,200 ISO | 250 - 25,600 ISO |
| ISO Boost | 100 - 6,400 ISO | 125 - 51,200 ISO |
| Image Processor | EXPEED | Dual BIONZ XR |
| DXO Sensor Quality (score) | 67 | .. |
| DXO Color Depth (bits) | 22.1 | .. |
| DXO Dynamic Range (EV) | 12.0 | .. |
| DXO Low Light (ISO) | 679 | .. |
| Screen Specs | Nikon D300 | Sony A9 III |
| Viewfinder Type | Optical viewfinder | Electronic viewfinder |
| Viewfinder Field of View | 100% | 100% |
| Viewfinder Magnification | 0.63x | 0.9x |
| Viewfinder Resolution | 9440k dots | |
| Top-Level Screen | Control Panel | no Top Display |
| LCD Framing | Live View | Live View |
| Rear LCD Size | 3.0inch | 3.2inch |
| LCD Resolution | 922k dots | 2100k dots |
| LCD Attachment | Fixed screen | Fully flexible screen |
| Touch Input | no Touchscreen | Touchscreen |
| Shooting Specs | Nikon D300 | Sony A9 III |
| Focus System | Phase-detect AF | On-Sensor Phase-detect |
| Manual Focusing Aid | no Peaking Feature | Focus Peaking |
| Max Shutter Speed (mechanical) | 1/8000s | 1/80000s |
| Continuous Shooting | 6 shutter flaps/s | 120 shutter flaps/s |
| Electronic Shutter | no E-Shutter | up to 1/80000s |
| Time-Lapse Photography | Intervalometer built-in | Intervalometer built-in |
| Image Stabilization | Lens stabilization only | In-body stabilization |
| Fill Flash | Built-in Flash | no On-Board Flash |
| Storage Medium | CF cards | CFexA or SDXC cards |
| Single or Dual Card Slots | Single card slot | Dual card slots |
| Connectivity Specs | Nikon D300 | Sony A9 III |
| External Flash | Hotshoe | Hotshoe |
| Studio Flash | PC Sync socket | PC Sync socket |
| USB Connector | USB 2.0 | USB 3.2 |
| HDMI Port | mini HDMI | full HDMI |
| Microphone Port | no MIC socket | External MIC port |
| Headphone Socket | no Headphone port | Headphone port |
| Wifi Support | no Wifi | Wifi built-in |
| Bluetooth Support | no Bluetooth | Bluetooth built-in |
| Body Specs | Nikon D300 | Sony A9 III |
| Environmental Sealing | Weathersealed body | Weathersealed body |
| Battery Type | Nikon EN-EL3e | Sony NP-FZ100 |
| Battery Life (CIPA) | 1000 shots per charge | 530 shots per charge |
| In-Camera Charging | no USB charging | USB charging |
| Body Dimensions |
147 x 114 x 74 mm (5.8 x 4.5 x 2.9 in) |
136 x 97 x 83 mm (5.4 x 3.8 x 3.3 in) |
| Camera Weight | 925 g (32.6 oz) | 702 g (24.8 oz) |

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