If the powerful D3 is way out of your budget, then you might want to consider the other new release of Nikon: the D300.

It looks a lot less bulky and gets rid of some of the more extreme specs, but retains a lot of the good stuff from the D3. It’s still 12.1-megapixels but uses a DX format CMOS sensor this time around. ISO range is cut in almost half now to just 200-3200, but retains the live view and gorgeous 3-inch LCD monitor. It’s also the first Nikon DSLR that’s equipped with a self-cleaning image sensor so you won’t have to trouble yourself with maintenance.

It’s a few seconds—or should I say milliseconds—slower than the D3. But, hey, for a DSLR that’s a lot less with almost the same features as its high-end sibling, it’s a great deal. It’s pegged at $1799 for the body only and ships in November as well. It’s still expensive, especially for the average Joe, but with the bar set even higher by these new DSLRs, I can’t wait for the next generation of cameras to come out and prices to drop.

For complete details, download the specs sheet.