Upgrade Guide
Nikon D5000→Nikon D300
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Strong upgrade
The D300 improves across 3 key areas at a reasonable price gap. Most D5000 owners will notice the difference.
What's new in the D300
-
Weather sealingAdded — fully sealed body
-
Burst rate6fps vs 4fps
-
Battery life~1000 shots (CIPA) vs ~510 shots (CIPA)
Unchanged or similar
-
ResolutionSimilar (12MP)
Suitability by genre
Base scores — computed from verified specs for an enthusiast shooting photo and video. The Upgrade Checker adjusts them for your skill level.
| Genre | D5000 | D300 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | -0.5 | ||
| Street | -1.2 | ||
| Travel | -0.5 | ||
| Wedding & Events | +0.7 | ||
| Documentary | +0.7 | ||
| Sports & Action | +0.8 | ||
| Landscape | +0.3 | ||
| Wildlife | +0.6 | ||
| Casual | -0.9 | ||
| Food | -1.5 | ||
| Macro | -1.0 | ||
| Architecture | -0.6 | ||
| Astrophotography | +0.5 |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | D5000 | D300 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £25 used | £40 used | |
| Released | 2009 | 2007 | ↓ |
| Sensor | 12.3MP APS-C CMOS | 12.3MP APS-C CMOS | |
| Resolution | 12MP | 12MP | |
| Video | 720p/24 | No video | |
| Autofocus | 11-point phase-detect (1 cross-type) via viewfinder; contrast AF with face priority in live view | 51-point phase-detect (15 cross-type) via viewfinder; contrast AF in live view (tripod mode) | |
| Stabilisation | No IBIS (lens-based stabilisation only) | No IBIS (lens-based stabilisation only) | |
| Burst Rate | 4fps | 6fps | ↑ |
| Battery Life | ~510 shots (CIPA) | ~1000 shots (CIPA) | ↑ |
| Weight | 560g (body only) | 905g (with battery) | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | Not weather sealed | Yes | ↑ |
| Viewfinder | Optical pentamirror, 95% coverage, 0.78x | Optical pentaprism, 100% coverage, 0.94x | |
| Screen | 2.7" vari-angle LCD, 230k dots | 3.0" fixed LCD, 920k dots | |
| Mount | Nikon F-mount (DX) | Nikon F-mount (DX) | |
| Memory Cards | Single SD slot | Single CompactFlash slot |
Compare side-by-side
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Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the D300 against your specific genres — not just specs.
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