Nikon D300S vs Sony FX30

      Disclosure: We earn money from the affiliate links to products associated with content in this article.

      Overview

      In this comparison, we will evaluate the Nikon D300S and the Sony FX30, highlighting the advantages of each over the other, discussing their pros and cons, shared strengths and weaknesses, and providing a rating based on their available features and specifications to assist you in choosing the one that best suits your needs.

      Nikon D300S was introduced in November 2009 and Sony FX30 was introduced in September 2022. Let us first list highlights of the models.

      Nikon D300S Highlights

      • 12.3 MP APS-C CMOS Sensor
      • 200 - 3,200 Native ISO
      • 51 Focus Points
      • 3.0" 920k dot Fixed Screen
      • Optical (pentaprism) Viewfinder
      • 7.0 fps Continuous Shooting
      • 1280 x 720 Video Shooting
      • Built-in Flash
      • Wheather Sealed Body

      Sony FX30 Highlights

      • 26 MP APS-C BSI-CMOS Sensor
      • 100 - 32,000 Native ISO
      • 759 Focus Points
      • 5-Axis Image Stabilization
      • 3.0" 2,360k dot Fully Articulated Screen
      • 10.0 fps Continuous Shooting
      • 3840 x 2160 Video Shooting
      • 13 h Video Recording Limit
      • HDR-HLG, S Cinetone, Sony S-Log 3
      • Built-In Wi-Fi
      • Wheather Sealed Body

      Now that we've looked at the most essential specifications and gained a basic understanding of these cameras, we can delve into more details and see the differences between them.

      Pros and Cons

      In this section we present pros and cons of Nikon D300S and Sony FX30.

      PROS

      Nikon D300S

      Sony FX30

      •   Video Capture
      •   51 Focus Points
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus
      •   High Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/8000 sec
      •   Built-in Flash
      •   HDMI Output
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   2 Storage Slots
      •   Orientation Sensor
      •   Video Capture
      •   759 Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus
      •   Animal Eye Detection
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Digital Image Stabilization
      •   Fully Articulated Screen
      •   Touch Screen
      •   High Resolution Screen - 2,360k dot
      •   High Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/8000 sec
      •   High Video Resolution - 3840 x 2160
      •   10-bit 4:2:2 Color
      •   Webcam Functionality
      •   Unlimited Video Recording
      •   High Video Recording Limit
      •   High USB Speed
      •   HDMI Output
      •   Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   Built-In Bluetooth
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   USB Charging
      •   2 Storage Slots
      •   Orientation Sensor

      CONS

      Nikon D300S

      Sony FX30

      •   Low Resolution Sensor - 12.3 Megapixel
      •   200 Lowest Native ISO
      •   3,200 Highest Native ISO
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1280 x 720
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth
      •   No Viewfinder
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Short Battery Life - 570 shots


      And here are some specifications which fall into average criteria and are neither in PROs nor in CONs category:

      AVERAGE

      Nikon D300S

      Sony FX30

      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Screen Resolution - 920k dot
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 7.0 fps
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/250 sec
      •   DxO Overall Score - 70
      •   Weight - 938 g (2.07 lb / 33.09 oz)
      •   Battery Life - 950 shots
      •   Price
      •   Sensor Resolution - 26 Megapixel
      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   32,000 Highest Native ISO
      •   -3 EV Min AF Detection
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Max Shutter Speed (Electronic) - 1/8000 sec
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 10.0 fps
      •   Weight - 646 g (1.42 lb / 22.79 oz)

      Advantage of Nikon D300S

      This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Nikon D300S over Sony FX30.

      Nikon D300S vs Sony FX30
      Contrast Detection for Autofocus vs
      Top LCD Screen vs
      Viewfinder Optical (pentaprism) vs
      Built-in Flash vs
      Longer Battery Life 950 shots vs 570 shots

      Check out other cameras which are frequently compared to Nikon D300S.

      Advantage of Sony FX30

      This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Sony FX30 over Nikon D300S.

      Nikon D300S vs Sony FX30
      Sensor Type CMOS vs BSI-CMOS
      Higher Sensor Resolution 12.3 Megapixel vs 26 Megapixel
      Lower Native ISO 200 vs 100
      Higher Native ISO 3,200 vs 32,000
      Lower Boosted ISO 100 vs 50
      Higher Boosted ISO 6,400 vs 102,400
      Max Image Resolution 4288 x 2848 vs 6192 x 4128
      More Focus Points 51 vs 759
      Touch-to-Focus vs
      Center Autofocus vs
      Animal Eye Detection vs
      Image Stabilization vs 5-Axis Sensor Shift
      Digital Image Stabilization vs
      Screen Type Fixed vs Fully Articulated
      Touch Screen vs
      Higher Resolution Screen 920k dot vs 2,360k dot
      Higher Max Continuous Shooting 7.0 fps vs 10.0 fps
      Average Metering vs
      Higher Video Resolution 1280 x 720 vs 3840 x 2160
      Unlimited Video Recording vs
      Higher USB Speed USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) vs USB 3.2 Gen 1x1 (5 GBit/sec)
      Speaker vs Mono
      Headphone Output vs
      Built-In Wi-Fi via Eye-Fi vs
      Built-In Bluetooth vs
      Lighter 938 g (2.07 lb / 33.09 oz) vs 646 g (1.42 lb / 22.79 oz)

      Check out other cameras which are frequently compared to Sony FX30.

      Common Strengths and Weaknesses

      We already listed pros and cons of each model. However, you may also find useful to look at their common strengths and weaknesses shown side-by-side.

      STRENGTHS Nikon D300S Sony FX30
        Video Capture
        Many Focus Points51759
        Face Detection
        Live View Autofocus
        High Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain)1/8000 sec1/8000 sec
        HDMI Output Mini Type C Full Size
        Environmental Sealing
        Many Storage Slots22
        Orientation Sensor
      WEAKNESSES Nikon D300S Sony FX30
        No Built-in GPS

      Screen and Viewfinder

      Screen

      Nikon D300S and Sony FX30 have 3.0" screens with 920k dot and 2,360k dot resolutions respectively. Nikon D300S has a Fixed screen Sony FX30 has a Fully Articulated screen which makes it selfie and vlogger friendly and generally very useful for video shooting. Sony FX30 also features touchscreen which has advantages such as easy menu navigation, intuitive controls, quick setting adjustment and most importantly a Touch-to-Focus functionality (available only on Sony FX30) allowing users to select a specific point on the screen where they want the camera to focus. This feature can be helpful for achieving precise focus in both photo and video recording.

      Image cannot be displayed

      Sony FX30 with Fully Articulated screen


      Optical (pentaprism) Viewfinder on Nikon D300S

      Nikon D300S has a built-in Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder. It has a 100% coverage and 0.94x (0.63x 35mm equivalent) magnification. There is no built-in or optional viewfinder available on Sony FX30.

      Sensor

      Nikon D300S features a 12.3 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor with dimensions of 23.6 x 15.8 mm and a total area of 372.9 mm2. Its native ISO range is 200 - 3,200 and expands to 100 - 6,400 in boosted mode. Sony FX30 features a 26 megapixel APS-C BSI-CMOS sensor with dimensions of 23.3 x 15.6 mm and a total area of 243.4 mm2. Its native ISO range is 100 - 32,000 and expands to 50 - 102,400 in boosted mode.

      Sony FX30 has BSI-CMOS sensor, short for Backside Illuminated Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor sensor. In traditional CMOS sensors, the wiring and circuitry are located on the front side of the sensor, which can block some of the incoming light. BSI technology flips this design by placing the photosensitive elements (pixels) on the backside of the sensor, allowing more light to reach the pixels. This significantly enhances light sensitivity and improves low-light performance. BSI-CMOS sensors are particularly effective in low-light conditions, as they can capture more light, resulting in brighter and less noisy images. This makes them well-suited for indoor and night photography. BSI-CMOS sensors deliver a higher SNR and reduced cross-talk.


      Here is a sensor size comparison chart where you can see how different sensors compare with each other:

      Sensor size chart
      Sensor Dimensions Area Aspect Ratio Crop Factor
      Image cannot be displayedMedium Format44 x 33 mm1452 mm24:30.79x
      Image cannot be displayedFull Frame36 x 24 mm864 mm23:21x
      Image cannot be displayedAPS-H27 x 18 mm486 mm23:21.3x
      Image cannot be displayedAPS-C23.6 x 15.6 mm368.2 mm23:21.5x
      Image cannot be displayedAPS-C (Canon)22.3 x 14.9 mm332.3 mm23:21.6x
      Image cannot be displayedMicro Four Thirds17.4 x 13 mm226.2 mm24:32x
      Image cannot be displayed1-inch13.2 x 8.8 mm116.2 mm23:22.7x
      Image cannot be displayed1/1.7-inch7.44 x 5.58 mm41.5 mm24:34.7x
      Image cannot be displayed1/2.3-inch6.17 x 4.55 mm28.1 mm24:35.6x

      Photography Features

      Nikon D300S is equipped with EXPEED processor and can take pictures up to 4288 x 2848 resolution. It can also take pictures with lower resolution like 3216 x 2136, 2144 x 1424 with 3:2 aspect ratios. Sony FX30 is equipped with BIONZ XR processor and can take pictures up to 6192 x 4128 resolution.


      Lens Mount

      Nikon D300S has Nikon F lens mount and Sony FX30 has Sony E lens mount. Due to their APS-C sensor their crop factor (also called lens multiplier) is equal to 1.5x. This means that a 35mm equivalent focal length of the mounted lens will be equal to its actual focal length times 1.5.


      In-Body Image Stabilization on Sony FX30

      Sony FX30 has a built-in 5-Axis Sensor Shift in-body image stabilization (IBIS) with 5.5 stops of compensation. This means that you are still getting vibration reduction when camera is paired with non-image stabilizied lenses. It also works with lenses with optical image stabilization and in combination can achieve even better compensation.

      Connectivity, Battery and Storage

      Built-in Wi-Fi on Sony FX30

      Sony FX30 has a built-in Wi-Fi (Wi-Fi 5, 802.11ac/b/g/n, 2.4/5 GHz) which allows to easily transfer photos and videos from the camera to other Wi-Fi-enabled devices, such as smartphones, tablets, printers, or computers. This eliminates the need for cables and allows for quick and convenient media sharing and social media integration. It gives you the ability to control your camera remotely using a smartphone or tablet. This is particularly useful for taking self-portraits, group shots, or capturing images in challenging conditions without having to touch the camera. Firmware updates can also be downloaded and installed wirelessly.
        Check out the cameras in our database that have built-in WiFi.


      Bluetooth on Sony FX30

      Sony FX30 has a built-in Bluetooth (version 5) which lets you to connect the camera to a smartphone or a dedicated remote control device. This allows you to remotely trigger the camera, adjust settings and controls remotely through a paired mobile app. While Wi-Fi is generally faster for transferring larger files, Bluetooth can be used for small, selective transfers, it can provide real-time information about your camera's battery status, memory card capacity, and other key settings directly on your paired smartphone or smartwatch.
        Check out the cameras in our database that have built-in Bluetooth.


      USB Inputs and HDMI Outputs

      Both models have USB inputs for data transfer. Nikon D300S has a Mini Type C HDMI and Sony FX30 has a Full Size HDMI connector for video signal output.


      Battery

      Nikon D300S comes with EN-EL3e battery pack with battery life of 950 shots and Sony FX30 comes with NP-FZ100 battery pack with battery life of 570 shots.


      External Storage Slots

      Nikon D300S has two card slots - one for SD/SDHC and one for CompactFlash (Type I/II, compliant with UDMA). Sony FX30 has Dual CFexpress Type A / SD card slots.

      Other Features

      Shutter

      Nikon D300S has Electronically controlled vertical-travel focal-plane shutter. Sony FX30 has Electronic Rolling shutter. Shutter speed can go up to 1/8000 sec on Nikon D300S, and up to 1/8000 sec on Sony FX30. Nikon D300S can shoot continuously up to 7.0 fps. Sony FX30 can shoot continuously up to 10.0 fps.


      Focusing

      Nikon D300S has 51 focusing points and Sony FX30 has 759 focusing points. Sony FX30 has detection range from -3 to +20 EV.


      Flash

      Nikon D300S has a built-in flash with maximum range of 12.00 m at ISO 100 and also accepts external flash which can be connected via Hot Shoe or PC Terminal. Sony FX30 has no built-in flash but an external flash may be connected. The fastest flash synchronization speed is 1/250 sec on Nikon D300S.

      Physical Parameters

      Nikon D300S body has dimensions of 147 x 114 x 74 mm (5.79 x 4.49 x 2.91") and Sony FX30 body has dimensions of 130 x 78 x 85 mm (5.11 x 3.06 x 3.33"). Nikon D300S weighs 938 g (2.07 lb / 33.09 oz) and Sony FX30 weighs 646 g (1.42 lb / 22.79 oz).

      Nikon D300S

      Sony FX30

      147 mm

      114 mm

      Image cannot be displayed

      130 mm

      78 mm

      Image cannot be displayed


      114 mm

      Image cannot be displayed

      78 mm

      Image cannot be displayed


      74 mm

      Image cannot be displayed

      85 mm

      Image cannot be displayed

      Size comparisons of Nikon D300S and Sony FX30

      Nikon D300S and Sony FX30 for Different Types of Photography

      We give scores to the cameras for six types of photography based on their features and specifications. Let us see how suitable they are for each type of photography.

      Landscape Photography

      Nikon D300S

      Sony FX30

      GOOD
      80
      •   Screen Resolution - 920k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing
      GOOD
      83
      •   Touch Screen
      •   High Resolution Screen - 2,360k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing

      Sports Photography

      Nikon D300S

      Sony FX30

      GOOD
      70
      •   3,200 Highest Native ISO
      •   51 Focus Points
      •   Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Screen Resolution - 920k dot
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 7.0 fps
      •   Battery Life - 950 shots
      •   2 Storage Slots
      •   Orientation Sensor
      GOOD
      80
      •   32,000 Highest Native ISO
      •   759 Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   Face Detection
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Touch Screen
      •   High Resolution Screen - 2,360k dot
      •   No Viewfinder
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 10.0 fps
      •   Short Battery Life - 570 shots
      •   2 Storage Slots
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Wildlife Photography

      Nikon D300S

      Sony FX30

      AVERAGE
      66
      •   3,200 Highest Native ISO
      •   51 Focus Points
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Screen Resolution - 920k dot
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 7.0 fps
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Battery Life - 950 shots
      •   2 Storage Slots
      •   Orientation Sensor
      GOOD
      80
      •   32,000 Highest Native ISO
      •   759 Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   Animal Eye Detection
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Touch Screen
      •   High Resolution Screen - 2,360k dot
      •   No Viewfinder
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 10.0 fps
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Short Battery Life - 570 shots
      •   2 Storage Slots
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Portrait Photography

      Nikon D300S

      Sony FX30

      GOOD
      79
      •   51 Focus Points
      •   Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Screen Resolution - 920k dot
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/250 sec
      •   Orientation Sensor
      EXCELLENT
      90
      •   759 Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   Face Detection
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   High Resolution Screen - 2,360k dot
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Street Photography

      Nikon D300S

      Sony FX30

      GOOD
      77
      •   51 Focus Points
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 920k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 938 g (2.07 lb / 33.09 oz)
      EXCELLENT
      88
      •   759 Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Fully Articulated Screen
      •   Touch Screen
      •   High Resolution Screen - 2,360k dot
      •   No Viewfinder
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 646 g (1.42 lb / 22.79 oz)

      Travel Photography

      Nikon D300S

      Sony FX30

      GOOD
      75
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 920k dot
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1280 x 720
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 938 g (2.07 lb / 33.09 oz)
      •   Battery Life - 950 shots
      EXCELLENT
      87
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Fully Articulated Screen
      •   Touch Screen
      •   High Resolution Screen - 2,360k dot
      •   High Video Resolution - 3840 x 2160
      •   High Video Recording Limit
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 646 g (1.42 lb / 22.79 oz)
      •   Short Battery Life - 570 shots

      Evaluations

      We evaluate Nikon D300S and Sony FX30 and give them scores of 68 and 84 out of 100 recpectively. We also give separate scores for 7 different categories according to the available features and specifications some of which are listed below. These evaluations are relative and may change each time a new camera is added to the database.


      Nikon D300S

      Sony FX30

      OVERALL
      68
      OVERALL
      84

      Sensor

      Nikon D300S

      Sony FX30

      AVERAGE
      66
      •   Low Resolution Sensor - 12.3 Megapixel
      •   200 Lowest Native ISO
      •   3,200 Highest Native ISO
      •   DxO Overall Score - 70
      GOOD
      73
      •   Sensor Resolution - 26 Megapixel
      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   32,000 Highest Native ISO

      Photo

      Nikon D300S

      Sony FX30

      AVERAGE
      67
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   High Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/8000 sec
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 7.0 fps
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/250 sec
      GOOD
      81
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   High Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/8000 sec
      •   Max Shutter Speed (Electronic) - 1/8000 sec
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 10.0 fps

      Video

      Nikon D300S

      Sony FX30

      BAD
      7
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1280 x 720
      EXCELLENT
      88
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   High Video Resolution - 3840 x 2160
      •   10-bit 4:2:2 Color
      •   Webcam Functionality
      •   Unlimited Video Recording
      •   High Video Recording Limit

      Focusing

      Nikon D300S

      Sony FX30

      GOOD
      82
      •   51 Focus Points
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus
      EXCELLENT
      90
      •   -3 EV Min AF Detection
      •   759 Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus
      •   Animal Eye Detection

      Screen and Viewfinder

      Nikon D300S

      Sony FX30

      GOOD
      73
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Screen Resolution - 920k dot
      EXCELLENT
      88
      •   Fully Articulated Screen
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   High Resolution Screen - 2,360k dot
      •   No Viewfinder

      Connectivity

      Nikon D300S

      Sony FX30

      GOOD
      78
      •   HDMI Output
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth
      EXCELLENT
      96
      •   High USB Speed
      •   HDMI Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   Built-In Bluetooth

      Battery, Storage and Physical

      Nikon D300S

      Sony FX30

      GOOD
      74
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 938 g (2.07 lb / 33.09 oz)
      •   Battery Life - 950 shots
      •   2 Storage Slots
      GOOD
      73
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 646 g (1.42 lb / 22.79 oz)
      •   Short Battery Life - 570 shots
      •   2 Storage Slots


      For a full specification list please go to the specifications page:

      Amazon Affiliate Disclosure
      ZKelectronics is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for website owners to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon (.com, .co.uk, .ca, etc) and any other websites that may be affiliated with Amazon Service LLC Associates Program.