I am considering upgrading a from a D7000. At first I was looking at a used D3s currently running around $4000 - $4500. However after looking at the D800 spec's it seems to me that a New D800 would be a better deal. $1000 cheaper for newer technology, I can still use the SD cards I have and the same battery. The only downsides I see are a lower fps and no built in battery attachment for vertical shooting.
Any one else considering the same, what decisions did you make?

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Lots of folks have been lusting after the D3s for a long time and now it's becoming more affordable. I predict it won't command $4K prices much longer, but that depends on just how good the D800 and D4 are...

The D3s is still a VERY good camera. I wonder how many folks would buy a D800 if they dropped the price of the D3s to $3K...

D700 l N90s l AF-S 16-35 f4 l AF-S 24-85 f3.5-f4.5G VR l AF-S 70-200 f2.8G VRII l AF-S 50 f1.8G l AF-S 300 f4 l TC-14EII l 2x SB600 l Autometer IIIF.
https://www.facebook.com/tony.johnson.photography
http://www.eyesonboulder.com
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>LI wonder how many folks
>would buy a D800 if they dropped the price of the D3s to
>$3K...
>
>

The D3s and the D800 are VERY different cameras. When I *need* my D3s, the D800 simply won't do. I shoot 80% sports and 20% fashion/portrait, etc. The D800 will see sports use for me, but my D3s will still be my primary tool for a lot of that shooting. Especially at night or indoors.

At this point, I am really on the fence about whether to sell a D3s or keep them both. Much of that will be determined by the ISO performance of the D800.

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Webpage: http://www.ptfphoto.com

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I just looked at your Nikonian's gallery. If that is representative of your work, then I see little downside to the D800 for you. Both cameras would give you extended ISO performance, build quality, etc. The D800 will have a warranty, and have some nice new features for you.

Only you can determine whether you have the glass and other necessary things you need to support the 36MP pictures.

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Webpage: http://www.ptfphoto.com

Visit my Nikonians gallery.

Thanks for the reply, my gallery is not really representative. Although I am posting in the my name the camera is really for my son, who is in his 2nd year of a photojournalism degree. he has been selected for a very prestigious internship this summer and wants the D3s.
Here is a link to his work. (and some of mine)
http://adambirkanphoto.blogspot.com/
http://sambirkan.zenfolio.com/p1018402955
http://sambirkan.zenfolio.com/p657196679

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Based on what I just saw there, I would ask if you've considered the D3x. The D3s would be a second choice, and the D800 a third choice. If I was carrying my camera in hostile environments, I would want a full pro body. Period. Some of the subjects here deserve more than 12MP too.

The D4 comes closer to ideal, but the higher MP count of the D3x would be pretty high on my list.

Just the way I see it.

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Webpage: http://www.ptfphoto.com

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For me the decision is based on what type of shooting is primary. For landscape/nature/scenic photography the D800 is perfect. If photojournalism/wedding/people, then the D3s.


Best,

Chuck

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I am curious as to why you think the D800 will be your goto for sports ... I mean since it has a much slower continuous shutter release ...

thanks
___________________________________________________________

Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one. - A. Einstein

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>I am curious as to why you think the D800 will be your goto
>for sports ... I mean since it has a much slower continuous
>shutter release ...
>
>thanks

Frame rate is not critical to me. It's helpful, but not critical. I grew up shooting sports with a manual winding film camera and was lucky to get a shot off every 2-3 seconds, and have it be in focus.

Far more important to me, is the ability to crop. The ability to crop and still have a significant amount of pixels means I can forgo buying VERY expensive longer telephoto lenses. The D800's ability to crop will mean I don't have to buy a 400/2.8 (which saves me ~$10,000), and I don't have to consider the 600/F4 (which saves me about ~$12,000). That's $22k I don't have to spend in glass, merely because a $3k camera will allow me to crop reasonably cleanly to those magnifications.

It's excellent ISO performance means I can use the camera in places I can't use anything I own other than my D3s cameras. That is a HUGE bonus for me.

The fact that it will also act as a primary fashion/studio camera also is yet another bonus, and saves me from spending $15k on the Pentax 645 I had been considering.

For me, this is the best bargain to come along from Nikon EVER.

------
Webpage: http://www.ptfphoto.com

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Awesome reasons ... I was thinking along the same lines ... Meaning cropping might save me thousands. I am thinking about upgrading my 70-200 vr1 to a vr2 just for this purpose.


Thanks for the info.

__________________________________________________________

Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one. - A. Einstein

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I think you should just go ahead and buy him a D3s and 24-70 2.8....yep thats definitely the best idea for what he wants to do. He will pay you back with all that internship money.

OK, so based on everything here I think the D800 is the way to go. And you can buy a D3s with your first real paycheck.

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The d7000 already does a better job than the d800 for what he needs.