Nikon D300:An all weather camera.
Singing in the rain
First, let me start with a disclaimer. I’m not advocating that you use your camera the way that I use mine. You have to do you and let me do me. 
Now, on with the show:
When I had my Nikon D2x, since it was Nikon’s flagship camera at the time, I used to take it out into the rain, and, snow, humidity, whatever. I figured that if they said that it was sealed against the weather, then it dang will better be, and it was! It was a great camera. Unfailing. Well, the D300 comes from good lineage! Nikon says of the D300:
Rugged magnesium-alloy construction: Along with advanced dust and moisture protection and a durable shutter mechanism: The D300 has been tested to 150,000 cycles making it the perfect choice for photographers who demand high performance and agility.
Hmmm: Advanced dust and moisture protection. Well, that sounds like a challenge to me. I’ve seen a few places where people talk about the weather proofing of the D300, but didn’t see where anyone had actually tried it. I saw on Luminous Landscape where Michael Reichmann talked about his experience on his Antarctic trip and how well the Nikon cameras did as a group in some tough conditions, but never had I seen any direct experience.
Three of the last four weekends, it has rained in Charlotte and I took advantage of every one of them. When I say rained, I mean it rained! The type of rain that would have you soaked in less than a minute or two. Unrelenting rain. Downpour! Perfect. I simply put on my boots, went out, found a place to take pictures, and let Nature have its way with me and my camera. I was not concerned about the camera, but was a little concerned about the lens. Both came through the ordeals just fine.
It was quite comical, to me at least, to see people cruising by in their cars, slowing down to see what moron was out shooting in heavy rain. Well, that moron was me. I was happily shooting away. Water was running over and off of my camera in small streams, down my forehead, around and through my eyes. I kept the sunshade on the lens and the camera pointed downward so as not to have to dry the lens … that would have been kind of tough anyway because there was barely a strip of dry cloth on me anywhere. I was soaked. Next time, I could use a rain poncho for myself! However, I’m pretty waterproof.
Anyway, it was a fun time in the rain. The temperature was about 70 degrees (21 degrees C for my Metric friends) and the rain was nice and warm. So, three times in a row, the D300 proved itself under less than ideal conditions … as did the Tamron 18-270mm! Well done, guys!
No. I do not use any type of cover over the camera. I guess that you could say that I trust Nikon’s statement! So far, no leaks and no dust on the sensor in a whole year! Not a speck of dust that I can see! I had thought of doing something about shooting in the rain for SoFoBoMo, but I cannot trust that it will rain a lot in may or June!
I envy you. For everything. For the temperature, the weather, the state of the vegetation at your place and for the sealing of your camera.
Hm, maybe I should consider getting a rain cape or something similar for my Canon. Should do the job, but certainly sounds more of a nusiance than a genuine weather sealing.
Hello, I found my way here through the SoFoBoMo blog sphere. Impressive water protection you had there! My guess is that not much would have survived those conditions. My gear is definitely not waterproof, but it has done well while I’m trying to cover it up except when I take the photo. A little wet seems to work. Kind of a photographer’s Russian roulette, I guess…
Did you dance and splash in the puddles?
I’m glad to hear that… I got a D300 after my D80 failed me, most likely the result of spending 5 hours hiking in the rain at Mount Rainier. My Ebony of course was fine; I just set it out to dry after I got home, but the D80 was pretty much history.
So I replaced it with a D300, because it rains a bit here.
I haven’t had a chance to test it yet, but now I know not to worry 
Nice post Paul
I don’t want to stir the flames of the Nikon vs Canon debate too much here but I too read Reichmann’s article about his Antarctic venture awhile back and how many all of the Canon systems went belly up, as did the lone Leica, due to a variety of factors but mostly to the moisture and humidity. None of the Nikons failed. Reichmann, singing the Canon true believer’s party line said this was due to the fact that there were many more Canon systems on the trip than there were Nikons and that this statistical fact accounted for the number of Canon failures versus the number of Nikons that failed. ???? Am I missing something here?
All I can say is that I’ve used Nikon’s since 1977 in environments ranging from the rain,muck and mud of Alaska to the salt water conditions of the Red Sea, Micronesia, Indonesia, the Solomon Islands, as well as the Caribbean, and have never experienced any problems. And my experience in the above mentioned oceanic environments includes both above and underwater use of my SLRs. Nikon builds ‘em like tanks and they should be used accordingly! As someone once said, the camera is a tool, not a jewel. Keep on “singing” in the rain Paul.
@John: I remember the post and his statement, but that’s OK. He just had to prove to himself that he didn’t buy a non weatherproof camera.
@Rakesh: I’m sure that you’ll have plenty of good times, no matter what the weather, with your D300. It’s quite a rugged and capable camera. As John so aptly quoted: The camera is a tool, not a jewel! They are meant to be used!
It had better, I have lots of outings planned for this spring, summer, and fall…