Just like London's busses, you spend ages waiting for a new camera release from Nikon, then two come along at once.

But generally, as long as the bus gets you to your destination within a reasonable amount of time, you don't mind the wait. And so it is with the latest heavy hitting duo released by Nikon shortly before the Christmas rush.

Launching the flagship D3 at the same time as the second in the range D300 seemed like a risky strategy, with the possibility that one camera might outshine the other. Not so with this pair. As it seemed that the double launch has delivered twice the amount of media hype for the Japanese company.

Nikon seldom disappoints with its high-end cameras, and the D300 is no exception. It packs a serious punch and will fit as snuggly in a pro's bag as it will in a serious amateur's.

The camera weighs in at a cool £1,299 for the body only and is advertised for £1,699 with an 18 – 200mm lens. This is serious money, but the specs make it a real contender for those with a bit of dough lying around.

A massive 12.3 megapixel sensor will leave even the byte-crazed billboard photographer gasping for air. The camera also boasts a 51 point autofocus sensor and a high-resolution 3-inch LCD monitor, combined with the astounding battery life of its predecessors.

Nikon will not have it all its own way, however, and its closest rival must surely be the Canon EOS 5D, which features a full frame sensor and an extra half a megapixel of punch.

But the Canon is at least £200 more expensive and has much slower frame rate, making it a less desirable camera for sports and wildlife snappers who wants as many clicks per second as they can get.

Where the Nikon has come on in leaps and bounds, however, is an area in which it had been lagging far behind its rivals, and that is in camera noise generated in low light. The new CMOS sensor performs spectacularly under all light conditions and can generate detailed and disturbance free images even by candle light.

Overall the camera is a winner, and if you have the budget, you won’t be disappointed.

Nikon D300 for Sports

Where the D300 really comes into its own though, is when it is take to a sports field. The fact that it has a smaller sensor size than the D3 means that the focal length of lenses are increased by about a third.

This allows the photographer to get closer in on the action and makes for more dramatic pictures.

Add to this the continuous shooting mode at 6 frames per second (which can be increased to 8 with an optional battery pack) and you have a camera that even the paparazzi will take seriously. The buffer holds roughly 50 large Jpgs before it is full, and even when filled to the brim, can download them all to the card in under a minute. The quick frame rate, and decent buffer size will make the camera an ace choice for sports photographers, and in that respect it can be seen more as a replacement for the D2Hs than for the D200.

Nikon D300 - Key Features

•12.3 megapixel DX format CMOS image sensor. Built-in self-cleaning sensor unit minimizes the effect of dust.

• 6fps continuous shooting (8fps with optional MB-D10 battery pack with lithium-ion battery EN-EL4a or 8 AA batteries).

• ISO 200-3200: extendable up to ISO 6400 (equivalent) and down to ISO 100 (equivalent).

• EXPEED image processing engine with 14-bit A/D conversion and 16-bit image processing for superb tonal gradation.

• Advanced Scene Recognition System combines the camera’s metering and AF sensors for precise exposures and sharply-defined images.

• Multi-CAM3500DX 51-point AF system. Individually selectable or configurable in 9-point, 21-point and 51-point coverage settings.

• Quick response with approx 0.13 second power-up and 45 millisecond shutter release time lag.

• Picture Controls streamline in-camera image processing by enabling customization of image parameters before capture, and offer complete control over sharpening, contrast, brightness, hue and saturation in various color modes.

• 920,000 dot 3-inch VGA LCD monitor with wide, 170- degree viewing angle.

• Live View with Autofocus lets you compose images using the LCD monitor. Two modes are supported: Handheld or Tripod.

• Active D-Lighting enables superior high-contrast images by automatically applying tone compensation at the moment of capture.

• Durable, magnesium alloy body: water and dust resistant.

• Improved battery performance: sequential power supply between camera’s EN-EL3 rechargeable lithium-ion battery and the (optional) Multi-Power Battery Pack. HDMI video output interface enables connection to high-definition video systems.

• Intuitive ergonomics with optimized button placement for fast and comfortable handling.

• Lightweight Magnesium alloy body.