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When was this camera made?
papaoj
Posted 15 years ago
Yesterday I became the proud owner of a brand new Nikon D300s from a recognized major retailer with both brick and mortor and on-line presence. When I opened the apparently factory sealed box I discovered a flyer to enter a sweepstakes contest that ran from 1/1/08 to 4/30/09. This makes me very suspicious that this camera has been laying on the shelf for two years and the store found a sucker to unload old inventory via the web. It begs the questions of (1) is this camera one of the first made and have subsequent builds have improvements not found in this unit, and (2) does it really matter how "old" this "new" camera really is? It would be a real help if there was a way to track the serial number to the actual date of manufacture. Furthermore, the Nikon Software Suite included in the package is copyright dated 2007-2009. I have this product already courtesy of my current D70s and it has been updated at least twice since my original purchase. What recommendations would you alll have - (1) keep the camera and forget age, or (2) return to major retailer and demand a more recent build? I am torn as this is a very major purchase for me...
You may find great answers here, but I would have asked in the D300 group -- more concentrated familiarity with the line.
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Moore Natural Shots
Posted 15 years ago
Check out Dpreview.com. They are a great source for information.
www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Nikon/nikon_d300s.asp
You stated that you purchased a D300s, not a D300.... the D300s wasn't even announced until July 30th.... which is beyond the range of dates you are referring to...
www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Nikon/nikon_d300s.asp
You stated that you purchased a D300s, not a D300.... the D300s wasn't even announced until July 30th.... which is beyond the range of dates you are referring to...
spotted rose [deleted]
Posted 15 years ago
Is it really a D300s? I don't believe they shipped prior to August 2009, but I could be wrong. That'd put the flyer as having been added to the box "late.* Is it a Nikon flyer, or from the vendor?
The date on the Software Suite is accurate, though - considering the introduction date.
The date on the Software Suite is accurate, though - considering the introduction date.
papaoj
Posted 15 years ago
Yes, it is a D300s. That is what is so confusing with the packaging. The flyer is from Nikon advertising a $1000 shopping spree. Why put in out-dated material in a new camera? Likewise the outdated software. I did not expect this from Nikon...
Zeroneg1
Posted 15 years ago
Dont' mind that form it's a pretty standard form that comes with every Nikon body or lens :) I register mine online.
My post will be of dubious use since I can't point to where you can do this.
With some vendors it is possible to determine date of manufacture via the individual unit's serial number. Perhaps not to the exact day but sometimes vendors will publish serial number information that say serial number starting with xyz string were manufactured between Jan-Mar 2009 for instance.
I just don't know if there is a website for Nikon for this purpose. I know there's a site for Nikon lens for this purpose so if your body came with a kit lens you might be able to track it that way.
If I can find the lens site I'll post a link. I randomly came across it a couple of years ago.
With some vendors it is possible to determine date of manufacture via the individual unit's serial number. Perhaps not to the exact day but sometimes vendors will publish serial number information that say serial number starting with xyz string were manufactured between Jan-Mar 2009 for instance.
I just don't know if there is a website for Nikon for this purpose. I know there's a site for Nikon lens for this purpose so if your body came with a kit lens you might be able to track it that way.
If I can find the lens site I'll post a link. I randomly came across it a couple of years ago.
Quick google...
This might have been the site that I was recalling. I don't know if it has information contemporary enough for you ....
www.photosynthesis.co.nz/nikon/serialno.html#28-xx
This might have been the site that I was recalling. I don't know if it has information contemporary enough for you ....
www.photosynthesis.co.nz/nikon/serialno.html#28-xx
Let' take care of the major issue. Is your camera old and stale? No. Is there a difference between the cameras Nikon shipped in August and the camera it is shipping today? Not that anyone knows about and Nikon has not recalled the D300s. Nikon has released one firmware update for the D300s on January 6, 2010. Check the firmware version on your camera, if the firmware is 1.01, then it was definitely manufactured after January 2010. But if the firmware is 1.00, that does NOT mean it was manufactured before January 2010.
Nikon does not have a continuous manufacturing line for ANY of it's low-volume products that I know of. They plan for x number of units over a given period of time, build them and warehouse them, shipping them out as ordered. They may do several production runs in a year or they may just do one production run in a year as planning and demand dictate. And after the D200 fiasco, Nikon's production runs seem to be based on more conservative estimates. (D200 fiasco: Nikon had so many D200 kits warehoused when the D300 was introduced that you could still buy a new D200 two years later, when the D300s was announced. Best Buy was selling them cheaper than the cost of a new D90 body)
Look at it this way, with the current prices, you probably paid $200 less than someone who purchased a new D300s last year.
Nikon does not have a continuous manufacturing line for ANY of it's low-volume products that I know of. They plan for x number of units over a given period of time, build them and warehouse them, shipping them out as ordered. They may do several production runs in a year or they may just do one production run in a year as planning and demand dictate. And after the D200 fiasco, Nikon's production runs seem to be based on more conservative estimates. (D200 fiasco: Nikon had so many D200 kits warehoused when the D300 was introduced that you could still buy a new D200 two years later, when the D300s was announced. Best Buy was selling them cheaper than the cost of a new D90 body)
Look at it this way, with the current prices, you probably paid $200 less than someone who purchased a new D300s last year.
Yep curious myself on a D200 I picked up used. As the D200 spanned Nov. 2005 to mid 2007. That is a significant time span and would like to know just when mine was manufactured.
And going "stale" mentioned above. I can see a camera from non-use and age and could see having a direct impact on usability.
Due to heat,humidity over span of years affecting life of camera. Lubrication dries up?..or adhesives becoming loose or brittle.
If you had a choice between to identical shape camera's with close to same shutter count and knew one was manufactured Dec. 05 and the other was manufactured in Mar. 07. Which would you chose with both at the same price?
So knowing if I had a cam from Nov. 05 or one from 07 is significant to me. And would like to know as well if I ever sell it down the line. What do I tell the buyer when he asks how old it is?
Unfortunately I have searched and to no avail know exactly when as the seller I bought it from says he had it for 2yrs. Which means he bought it after production. So it's anybodies guess how old it really is.
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And going "stale" mentioned above. I can see a camera from non-use and age and could see having a direct impact on usability.
Due to heat,humidity over span of years affecting life of camera. Lubrication dries up?..or adhesives becoming loose or brittle.
If you had a choice between to identical shape camera's with close to same shutter count and knew one was manufactured Dec. 05 and the other was manufactured in Mar. 07. Which would you chose with both at the same price?
So knowing if I had a cam from Nov. 05 or one from 07 is significant to me. And would like to know as well if I ever sell it down the line. What do I tell the buyer when he asks how old it is?
Unfortunately I have searched and to no avail know exactly when as the seller I bought it from says he had it for 2yrs. Which means he bought it after production. So it's anybodies guess how old it really is.
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mo'funk
Posted 15 years ago
Are you sure the box was sealed? From what I was told Nikon doesn't seal their boxes. I've only had two NIkon DSLR and they weren't sealed. I asked the retailer when I got my first one why, and he said that they don't seal. Just make sure you purchase from an authorized dealer.
Also, you can check youtube for unboxing of the D300s. There you will see what is actually suppose to be in the box.
www.youtube.com/results?search_query=d300s+unboxing&aq=0
Also, you can check youtube for unboxing of the D300s. There you will see what is actually suppose to be in the box.
www.youtube.com/results?search_query=d300s+unboxing&aq=0