Nikon D300 DX 12.3MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only)

The D200 was a big step forward for Nikon, the 'baby D2X' certainly gave the competition a thing or two to think about. Its big problem was the fact that Canon was still a generation ahead in the noise stakes, managing to consistently deliver clean images despite megapixel jumps. With the advent of the D300 however Nikon has conclusively removed this disparity and if anything stepped ahead of Canon (mostly thanks to its chroma based noise reduction delivering more film-like grain rather than color blotches).
Nikon D300 DX 12.3MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only)

Engineered with pro-level features and performance, the 12.3-effective-megapixel D300 combines brand new technologies with advanced features inherited from Nikon's newly announced D3 professional digital SLR camera to offer serious photographers remarkable performance combined with agility.

Similar to the D3, the D300 features Nikon's exclusive EXPEED Image Processing System that is central to driving the speed and processing power needed for many of the camera's new features. The D300 features a new 51-point autofocus system with Nikon's 3D Focus Tracking feature and two new LiveView shooting modes that allow users to frame a photograph using the camera's high-resolution LCD monitor. The D300 shares a similar Scene Recognition System as is found in the D3; it promises to greatly enhance the accuracy of autofocus, autoexposure, and auto white balance by recognizing the subject or scene being photographed and applying this information to the calculations for the three functions.