When Nikon launched the D300 back in August 2007 it's fair to say it spun the world of digital SLRs on its head. Here was a camera of a semi-pro standard that broke the boundaries by offering the consumer unprecedented performance, impressive quality and at a price that may have been something to aspire to, but wasn't completely shocking.

But the digital camera market moves fast, and with long-running rivalry with Canon, more recent Nikon releases, including the pioneering full-frame FX-format D700, and Canon's own EOS 5D Mark II, stole some of the D300's limelight.

The Nikon D300s isn't a radical, complete overhaul of its popular predecessor. Still using the same DX-format, 12.3-megapixel CMOS sensor with its 51-point autofocus system, it's a chance for passionate photographers to be able to kit themselves up with a camera that's already proven itself to be trustworthy, but also have access to bonus features, the most significant of these being its HD movie capture.

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Place the Nikon D300 and the D300s side-by-side and at first glance you'd be hard pushed to notice any difference in design and build. They both measure an equal 147 x 114 x 74mm (although the D300s is just a fraction heavier) and have equally large LCD monitors. Look a little closer at the controls on the rear of the camera body, though, and you will notice changes made to the position of the Live View control and Info button, plus a different directional control pad design.

Unfortunately the control pad on the D300 had a habit of snapping off if used regularly over a long period of time and the choice to replace it with the much sturdier design as seen on the D700 and D3 seems like a wise move. But to make room for this improved control the rubberised grip on the back of the body has been reduced in size, and for longer periods of time without this extra support, it can feel a little uncomfortable to hold.

It's been a bit of a trend over the past year for SLRs to be given the addition of HD video capture. Capturing movies on the D300s with your aperture wide open is certainly a fun experience, especially if you're using a fast lens which gives you a chance to get experimental with your footage. Professional results are easy to achieve and a fairly generous 24fps frame rate means it's a great alternative to a dedicated video camera (especially if you want to trim down your kit). However, it takes a little practice to get this right, especially if you're working with a wide aperture and need to consider focusing more.

Accessing the video feature is easy enough and you can frame your movies using the Live View control on the monitor. It's possible to auto-focus during shooting, but you wouldn't want to do this too much as the sound of the motor gets picked up by the microphone and sounds like a cross between someone sneezing and beat-boxing. This destroys any chance of capturing decent sound through the internal microphone.

As well as being able to carry out basic editing of your movies in-camera by defining the start point and the end point, you can also set the D300s to record video to a different destination than your stills shots. The memory card compartment on the D300s has been redesigned to house both a Compact Flash card and an SD card. As a handy extra feature within the Movie Settings menu it's possible to get a quick overview of the time left for capture on each available card to make sure you have adequate space before you press 'Record'.

Take a look at the control dial on top of the camera body and you'll notice the Live View option, which has been moved to sit next to the LCD monitor, has been replaced with a Quiet Mode option. As well as cutting out beeps (no matter what setting you're in) the camera makes an effort to lower the mirror a little more softly, making the initial shutter sound less obtrusive. This could prove very useful if you're photographing wildlife or want to be a little more discreet at a wedding, although it would still break any silence.

If you're constantly having to edit your shots during post-processing and spend a considerable amount of time straightening your horizons, then you may be interested to hear Nikon has introduced the Virtual Horizon feature already included on the D700. This feature helps you to achieve a dead straight shot and cut down on those wonky landscapes. Just like an internal spirit level, the Virtual Horizon shows you a very clear indication of the angle your camera is set at and is particularly useful if you're not lucky enough to own a tripod with an embedded spirit level bubble.

It goes without saying (as already proven with the Nikon D300) that the handling of the D300s is superb. Efficient with the energy stored on one of its Lithium-ion batteries, it's possible to shoot fairly consistently for well over seven hours. With a generous shutter range of between 30s to 1/8,000 and an ISO sensitivity range between ISO 200 to 3200 (and ISO 100 and ISO 6400 equivalents) it copes well with most natural light situations, although you will undoubtedly receive better low light results with its full-frame sister, the D700.

Already a very reliable camera and now available at some bargain prices, owners of the Nikon D300 will undoubtedly question whether this latest model is worth an upgrade. If you've owned the D300 for over two years now and are serious about your photography it may be worth the reassurance alone to have a spruced-up model you feel comfortable with that can also offer some extra nifty features such as HD movie capture.

However, those looking for a radical difference in performance, improved resolution or better low-light results could be disappointed in the lack of development in the D300s and may be better off sitting tight, or possibly jumping to the next level and going full frame.

A good value semi-pro/serious enthusiast SLR with the added bonus of HD movie capture and some nifty aids for making impressive photography less demanding. Aside from the video features, the D300s isn't radically different to its predecessor, the D300. In that respect, those who are only interested in stills may want to save themselves a large whack and purchase an older model whilst stocks last. Although it was a wise move changing the directional control pad design on the D300s, this means the size of the rubberised grip on the camera body has been reduced. This isn't a problem if you only tend to shoot in short spurts, but for a semi-pro who uses this extensively throughout the day unfortunately it's not as comfortable to carry as it could be. Nevertheless, the Nikon D300s is a reliable and sound performer and should consistently provide you with stunning results.