Mastering the Nikon D300

1.4. EXPEED Image Processor

The EXPEED microprocessor found in the D300 is a new invention for Nikon's newest DSLRs (Figure 4). Not only does it compress and transmit the RAW image data, but it also performs noise-reduction, dynamic-range, and color-algorithm adjustments on stored JPEGs.

The EXPEED does what it implies, by moving data off the sensor chip with "extra speed." The D300 needs that speed because, not only can it shoot in the normal 12-bit color depth that other cameras use, but it also has a 14-bit mode that captures sixty-four times the color information.

Plus, the name sounds extra cool. Most of the major camera brands are creating names like this. For instance there's Sony's Bionz, Canon's Digic, or Pentax's PRIME image processors. ...