TaoTeJared, good link, and better than any single post on this topic. I am confident that your will help him make a much better decision. I was feeling bad that no one had answered him because I experienced that myself in another forum where i was the new guy.

I think it depends on what you are shooting lamourlamorgue, how large the prints are, and much cropping you anticipate, or normally make. Without this knowledge no one can give you really good advice.

I love my D300, but also use a D5100, D7000, and Sony A55 depending on what I am shooting and the lens I want to use with it. For portrait, and action work with F4 - F6 speed lenses on action shots the D300 is probably the best of my cameras and it tracks subjects very well, but some people think the D7000 is functionally just as good. The buffer in the D300 is outstanding and the fps good. If you are willing to use indirect flash - I like to multiple flashes using reflectors fired with remotes, then low light lenses and high ISO cameras are less of a concern for you. I seldom use my D300 over ISO 640, maybe up to ISO 800 in a pinch, while the D7000 works fine up to ISO 1250 for me most of the time when I need an ISO that high. The controls on the D300 are easy to use and my favorite, but there are special my menu setting in all the Nikon dSLRs if you take the time to learn how to use them.

If you do take low light shots without flash you have to consider the D7000. If you do low light wildlife shooting in the early morning or late evening consider the D7000. If you have normal daylight the D300 again is the better camera. If you use big telephoto lenses at F10 and F11 you definitely want a D7000. If you shoot at F11 using non AI 1000mm and up lenses for stationary wildlife take a look at the translucent technology; you still have to focus, but you no longer have mirror vibrations and sometimes handhold them for systems that use in camera VR.

If you take a lot of pictures of little kids the D5100 is a great camera and it works well with the old F Mount lenses as well as the translucent mirror-less lenses except for vibration which forces the use of shooting with a delay or mirror lockup. But is not a choice for your non motor lenses.

If you shoot landscapes you are going to find yourself wanting more pixels no matter what you buy, unless you get a D800 which is a marvelous camera, but not an experience

I am guessing but think you will be hard pressed to find a better all around camera than either the D300 or the D7000. I like the D300 best, but less mega pixels and not as good in low light without flash, but it is a joy to use otherwise and the price looks right with a two year warranty. I could add other thoughts but think this is the meat.

The D700 has it all, great controls, low light, good tracking, but does not have the mega pixels in the center that you want if shooting small birds and want the extra reach you will probably want that you will get from the APS-C format. But on portraits is rocks because you get a shallower depth of field.

You will love either camera. My experience is that the longer it takes to make a decision the surer you can be that all the choices will work for you, so pick one and have fun with it. Good luck! :D

This is peaty much the same question as another thread that was just discussed. I think you will find all of peoples thoughts there.

http://nikonrumors.com/forum/topic.php?id=1393

So, I shot four years on a D60, and 33k clicks in, shutter froze.
It was time for a new DSLR anyway.

I was going to wait until the D600 came out, then consider a used D700 or new D600.
But then I thought to myself: I'm a college student. As much as I want a camera with uber high ISO and video, I don't need it. I prefer using flashes/studios.
Nor should I really be spending much on a camera.

So I looked, and I can get a good condition used D300 + an aftermarket warranty for less than $700.
Aftermarket warranty for two years, I'd expect a shutter to die/main-board to burn out in that time, I could get them replaced via the warranty then.

I will love the speed/physical controls/AF-Motor/AF of the D300 series that doesn't come with cheaper bodies though.

The AF motor is an absolute necessity.

I was often frustrated with the lack of a top LCD, AF motor, speed, and external controls on my D60.
I've considered a D7000, but I've grown used to the snappiness, heft, and size of my N90s, so I'd like the digital equivalent, which is the Dx00 series.

I don't need video, so it's not a big deal, nor is switching to CF memory.

However, I would like a FF for the wide angle bit. I could get everything I want in one package as a D700, speed/controls/FF/AF, but the only inhibition is price.

Is it worth it to go for a used D300 + 2 year aftermarket warranty for $700, or wait until D600 is released and possible used price drops of D700? If it was around $1k I could justify it to myself.
My lenses are all FX, so there's no requirement for DX.