Nikon D800: Hey, Who Moved My Cheese?

Nikon D800

 Wow! 36MP and one of the best performing sensors we have ever seen, the Nikon D800 is a game changer.  Some are saying it's too much camera.  It's not.  In a few years, 36MP won't seem like a lot, and if you buy the D800 now, it 's likely you won't need an upgrade for a few years.  The question I'm asking myself is: Do I need this camera NOW? 

Like many others, I'd been waiting anxiously for the D700 replacement for a LONG time.  It never came.  Instead of taking Canon's approach of making smaller, evolutionary changes to their product lineup, Nikon has chosen to take a revolutionary step up.  The thing is, when I examine my needs (how I shoot, and what I shoot for) I don't really need the D800 now.   

To me, the D800 is more like a medium format camera in a smaller, lighter sized body.  I would have to employ medium format techniques and the best lenses to maximize the potential of the D800.  That means I would have to slow everything down, maybe use a tripod, and use heavier, 'professional' lenses.  It's also a touch slow at 4 frames-per-second out of the box.  There's a DX mode, which looks useful for someone transitioning out of their cropped Nikon bodies, but it's not a reason why someone buys this camera.

The D800 would really suit a variety of commercial photographers: like wedding, portrait, product or nature; where the subject isn't very active, and the end result requires very high resolution with a very high dynamic range.  For travel and adventure, I need a camera that is more versatile.  My D7000 is lighter, shoots at a higher frame rate out of the box, and gives me more than enough resolution for stock photography and magazine prints. 

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