The D300 is Nikon's best dx format pro camera. The picture quality is amazing. Once you learn how to get the most out of the camera, it is very easy to operate. Unless you've used a pro camera before, there will be a bit of a learning curve. I would not recommend this camera for beginners. The D300 can do just about anything you might want a dlsr to do, and it does it very well. I would recommend this camera to anyone who is serious about photography. My favorite new features are, in no particular order: Picture Controls, Active D-lighting, AF fine tune, and My Custom Menu.