We and our partners use cookies to give you the best online experience, including to personalise advertising and content. Data about your interaction with this site and the ads shown to you may be shared with companies involved in the delivery and/or personalisation of ads on this site and elsewhere online.

Nikon D300S vs Nikon D5100

5.79 in
4.49 in
Nikon D300S Digital Camera
Nikon D300S
5.0 in
3.8 in
Nikon D5100 Digital Camera
Nikon D5100
Available colors
Editiorial reviews
25
4.2 out of 5
12 user ratings
5 stars
41 %
4 stars
50 %
3 stars
8 %
2 stars
0 %
1 stars
0 %
Read editorial reviews
34
4.1 out of 5
17 user ratings
5 stars
41 %
4 stars
41 %
3 stars
11 %
2 stars
5 %
1 stars
0 %
Read editorial reviews
User rating
41
4.1 out of 5
41 user ratings
5 stars
34 %
4 stars
46 %
3 stars
14 %
2 stars
4 %
1 stars
0 %
51
3.9 out of 5
51 user ratings
5 stars
37 %
4 stars
29 %
3 stars
23 %
2 stars
7 %
1 stars
1 %

Video Comparisons (1)

powered byYouTube

Full Comparison

Sensor

Nikon D300SNikon D300S
Nikon D5100Nikon D5100
Sensor typeCMOSCMOS
Image sensor formatDXDX
Sensor size0.93 in0.93 in
Effective pixels12.0 Mpx16.0 Mpx
Image ratio w:h3:23:2
Max resolution4288 x 2848 px4928 x 3264 px
Other resolutions
  • 3216x2136
  • 2144x1424
  • 3696x2448
  • 2464x1632
ProcessorExpeedExpeed 2

Image

Nikon D300SNikon D300S
Nikon D5100Nikon D5100
ISO
  • 400
  • 800
  • 1600
  • 3200
  • 6400
  • 100
  • 6400
  • 12800
  • 25600
ISO minimum100100
ISO maximum640025600
Boosted ISO maximum640025600
Maximum image resolution4288 x 2848 px4928 x 3264 px
White balance presets1212
White balance modes
  • Auto
  • Manual
  • Auto
  • Cloudy
  • Direct sunlight
  • Flash
  • Fluorescent
  • Incandescent
  • Manual
  • Shade
Custom white balanceyesyes
Supported image file formats
  • JPG
  • RAW
  • TIF
  • JPG
  • RAW
Photo effects
  • Black&White
  • Neutral
  • Vivid
  • Black&White
  • Neutral
  • Vivid
Image stabilizeryesno
Image stabilization typeNoNo
Supported aspect ratios16:916:9
Uncompressed formatRAW + TIFFRAW
HDRnoyes
AEB/HDR supportyesyes

Optics and focus

Nikon D300SNikon D300S
Nikon D5100Nikon D5100
Lens mountNikon FNikon F
Optical zoom5.8 x3.0 x
Magnification (Crop factor)1.5 x1.5 x
Maximum aperture3.52.8
AF assist (auto-focus assist light)LampLamp
Focus adjustmentAutoAuto
Contrast autofocusyesyes
Autofocus in recording modeyesyes
Focal length multiplier1.5x1.5x
Autofocus
  • Center
  • Spotus
  • Continuous Auto Focus
  • Servo Auto Focus
  • Single Auto Focus
Auto Focus (AF) lockyesyes
Manual focusyesyes
Number of focus points5111
Max number of AF points (incl. assistant)5111
Image stabiliserLens based onlyLens based only
Filter diameter2.64 in2.83 in
Phase detection autofocusyesyes

Screen and viewfinder

Nikon D300SNikon D300S
Nikon D5100Nikon D5100
Screen size3.0 in3.0 in
Articulated LCDnoyes
Screen technologyLCDLCD
Screen dots920000921000
Touch screennono
Field of view100.0 %100.0 %
Live viewyesyes
ViewfinderElectronicOptical
Viewfinder coverage100.0 %95.0 %
Viewfinder magnification-2.0 x0.78 x
Diopter adjustment (D-D)2 - 11.7 - 0.7
Eye relief0.77 in0.7 in
Separate info displayyesno

Photography features

Nikon D300SNikon D300S
Nikon D5100Nikon D5100
Shooting modes
  • Auto
  • Manual
  • Aperture priority
  • Auto
  • Manual
  • Movie
  • Program
  • Scene
  • Shutter priority
Camera shutter typeElectronicElectronic
Minimum shutter speed30.0 s30.0 s
Maximum shutter speed1.0 s1.0 s
Shutter priorityyesyes
Aperture priorityyesyes
Manual exposure modeyesyes
Number of exposures23
Exposure compensation plus55
Exposure compensation minus-5-5
Expousure compensation steps
  • 1/3
  • 1/2
  • 1/3
  • 1/2
Auto exposure lockyesyes
AE EV steps
  • 1/3
  • 1/2
  • 2/3
  • 1
  • 1/3
  • 1/2
Continuous shootingyesyes
Self-timer delay
  • 2
  • 5
  • 10
  • 20
  • 2
  • 5
  • 10
  • 20
Histogramyesyes
AE frames
  • 2
  • 3
  • 5
  • 7
3
WB Bracketing
Yes
Yes
Subject / scene modesnoyes
Flash sync speed1/250s1/200s
Built-in flashyesyes
Flash range1212
Flash modes
  • Auto
  • Manual
  • Slow Sync
  • Flash OFF
  • Redeye Reduction
  • Slow Sync
External flash connection
  • Hot shoe
  • PC terminal
Hot shoe
External flashyesyes
Continuous drive7.0 fps4.0 fps
Scene modes
  • Beach
  • Documents
  • Fireworks
  • Museum
  • Portrait
  • Self-portrait
  • Sports
  • Spotlight
  • Backlight
  • Beach
  • Candlelight
  • Children
  • Close-up
  • Dawn
  • Dusk
  • Food
  • Landscape
  • Night landscape
  • Night portrait
  • Party
  • Pet
  • Portrait
  • Snow
  • Sports
  • Sunset
Self-timeryesyes
Metering modes
  • Multi
  • Center-weighted
  • Spot
  • Multi
  • Center-weighted
  • Spot
Manual settingsyesyes
Self-timer options
  • 2
  • 5
  • 10
  • 20
  • 2
  • 5
  • 10
  • 20
Speed (JPEG)7.0 fps4.0 fps
Speed (RAW)7.0 fps4.0 fps
Exposure bracketing0.3 - 1.0±EV0.3 - 0.5±EV

Videography features

Nikon D300SNikon D300S
Nikon D5100Nikon D5100
Maximum resolution1280 x 720 px1920 x 1080 px
Video recordingyesyes
Recording resolutions
  • 640 x 424
  • 1280 x 720
  • 640 x 424
  • 1280 x 720
  • 1920 x 1080
HD typeHDFull HD
Supported video file formatsAVI
  • H.264
  • MOV
  • MPEG-4
Analog signal format system
  • NTSC
  • PAL
NTSC
Camera playback
  • Single image
  • Slide show
  • Thumbnails
  • Highlights
  • Movie
  • Single image
  • Slide show
  • Thumbnails
Max frame rate (highest resolution)24.0 fps30.0 fps
Motion JPEG frame rate24.0 fps30.0 fps

Audio features

Nikon D300SNikon D300S
Nikon D5100Nikon D5100
Built-in microphoneyesyes
Microphone typeStereoMono
Voice recordingyesyes
Audio systemMonoStereo
Supported audio file formats
  • AAC
  • WAV
LPCM

Design

Nikon D300SNikon D300S
Nikon D5100Nikon D5100
Body typeSLRSLR
Body materialAluminum-magnesiumPlastic
Colour of product
  • Black
  • Black,Red
Black
Anti-dust systemyesyes
Environmentally sealedyesno

Dimensions

Nikon D300SNikon D300S
Nikon D5100Nikon D5100
Weight29.1 oz17.99 oz
Width5.79 in5.0 in
Height4.49 in3.8 in
Depth2.91 in3.1 in

Storage

Nikon D300SNikon D300S
Nikon D5100Nikon D5100
Compatible memory cards
  • CF
  • Eye-Fi
  • MicroDrive
  • SD
  • SDHC
  • SDXC
Dual memory card slotsyesyes
Memory slots21
Storage types
  • Compact Flash Type I
  • SD
  • SDHC
  • SD
  • SDHC
  • SDXC
Camera file system
  • DCF 2.0
  • DPOF
  • Exif 2.21
  • DCF 2.0
  • DPOF
  • Exif 2.3

Power

Nikon D300SNikon D300S
Nikon D5100Nikon D5100
Power source typeBatteryBattery
Battery life (CIPA)950660
Battery technology
Lithium-Ion
Lithium-Ion
Number of batteries supported11
AC adapter includedyesyes

Connectivity

Nikon D300SNikon D300S
Nikon D5100Nikon D5100
HDMIyesyes
HDMI ports quantity11
HDMI connector typeMiniMini
USB version2.02.0
Microphone portyesyes
WirelessEye-Fi ConnectedEye-Fi Connected
DC-in jackyesyes
Remote controlyesyes
PictBridgeyesyes
NFCnono
Wireless network (Wi-Fi)yesyes
Firewirenono

Other features

Nikon D300SNikon D300S
Nikon D5100Nikon D5100
Timelapse recordingyesyes
GPSnono
Orientation sensoryesyes
Frameyesyes
Tripod mounting supportedyesyes
On Screen Display (OSD) languages
  • DUT
  • ENG
  • ESP
  • FIN
  • FRE
  • ITA
  • JPN
  • KOR
  • RUS
  • ARA
  • CHI
  • CHI
  • CZE
  • DAN
  • DEU
  • DUT
  • ENG
  • ESP
  • FIN
  • FRE
  • IND
  • ITA
  • JPN
  • KOR
  • NOR
  • POL
  • POR
  • RUS
  • SWE
  • THA
  • TUR
Image editing modesRotating
  • Resizing
  • Trimming

Pros & Cons

Pros
      Cons

          Often compared with Nikon D300S

          Often compared with Nikon D5100