[brj]

Were you actually using the D300 itself, or just looking at images that someone else took?

I haven't used the D300 in particular, but based on my own D80, the Nikons have a ton of options that will affect color - menu settings for vividness, saturation, white balance, etc..  Your impressions could alter quite dramatically with the chance to tweak the menus to your personal settings (or just back to the defaults if someone was going to far overboard).  There are even a bunch of in-camera post processing utilities that could alter the output, although I've never bothered with them myself.  FWIW.

[Danny Kaey]

oh, the D300 is outstanding...

have a look...

http://dannykaey.smugmug.com/

it's just that I feel as having acted as beta-tester...

haven't had a chance to read the entire thread here, alas, my 2nd D300 body is on its way to being exchanged... regardless of my impression of the camera, this is utterly unacceptable - suffice is to say I will never play guinea pig again and wait 6-8 months before buying another "new" release product off the bat (first one developed a problem with the rear display flashing in and out; the second one after 2 months of use now developed electrical issues, turning itself on/off at will, etc.)

I am pissed!

 

Well I was seriously looking at the D-300 with the grip option, but after looking at a few dozen pics shot thru one I now think I'll just go ahead and buy the Fuji S5pro. The colors are much better with the S5, and black is really black with it. Whites are similar, and better than the Nikon in everyway. And all my S3 setups will work with it.
gary