SORRY! Which FX body?

if you get the D3s now and the d700s/d800 has the same sensor and low-light performance in the fall, or whenever it comes out, will you regret getting it?

the sensible choice is probably the d700, but with FF, i think you have to ask yourself why you want it if you dont need it. for me, the answer would be that extra stop (or two) of high-ISO. for others, it might be full compatibility with older nikkors.

it's a hard choice as the d700 is close in price to what the d300 was when it came out.personally, i think a d300/d700 combo makes a lot of sense, and if you dont shoot weddings, is there really a compelling reason to get the d3? but i dont think you can go wrong with any of these choices really. sorry if that's not helpful, but it's kind of a personal thing.

Eric.... Thanks! I think the FX with better ISO performance will be useful for me coz I love shooting at night. My D300 I use it up to ISO 800 so anything above will help. Night photography is what like most after avian.
Regrets? Nope! I never look back!
You are right, at my local store they are giving me the D700 for the exact amount I paid for my D300. The store manager already called me twice to see if I will go get it. :)

NAS is incurable, isn't it? I might be missing something here, but to me night photography is done on a tripod and hence I don't see a reason to use high ISO - in fact, I do all my night shooting at ISO 200. So what is your real reason for needing an FX camera - or is it merely a want? The D700 seems to be the prudent choice - then again, it's your money.

rene, if i had the cash i would get the D3s. that's a shoot-the-moon type move, but will come in handy if you are actually shooting the moon. or in moonlight. lol. other than that, the d700 makes more sense than a d3 since you already have the grip and L-bracket. there are no 'wrong' choices here, though, since these are all capable bodies. you know what you are getting into.

Dieter... I agree! well, my NAS is not really that advance but let's not get into that...
Yes! I use a tripod but many, many, many times a year here in japan i am in a situations when the tripod would be not the right answer:

Well, I am waiting for the D400 that allegedly will have the back-illuminated Exmor R sensor delivering ISO performance at par with the current FX cameras. I am now heavily invested in DX lenses and have acquired what I need - no reason for me to take another hit by changing format. I will never spend the premium for the 24-70 and currently Nikon has no other option for a versatile walk-around FX lens.

Also, many times a year, I find myself walking in BEAUTIFUL european cities and all I have is a body with a fast prime coz i hate to carry a tripod when I am relaxing. those are the times I wish I had an FX body with a better ISO.
I have been shooting SLR's since 1982 so let's just assume that I already know why I wand an FX body.
So let's go back to my question..... Which FX body? Thank you!

I have a D700, but not the others. It's a great camera, and the least expensive of those you mention.

The other two bodies are much larger. I've found that I only ever like the larger body or vertical grip when shooting bike races or other activities where I have to shoot endless hours of verticals. Otherwise, I almost always prefer the smaller body. Even without a vertical grip, the D700 is not exactly small or light.

Since I mostly shoot live action, the ~95% viewfinder is not a problem, it's possibly a benefit. [I tend to frame too tightly anyhow.] I don't understand the memory card door issue. I think it works just fine, perhaps one of the last things I would complain about.

Here are the issues that I see:

1. The AF points are clustered much too close together. I have a love/hate relationship with this body and this is 90% of the hate. It's countered by the high-ISO performance that I need. If the D700s/D800 fixes the AF arrangement, I'll dump the D700 in a heartbeat -- it bothers me that much.
2. If you've built your lens selection around DX, FX throws everything off. For the way that I shoot, DX works better with available lenses. E.g., a 28-70mm f/2.8 on DX is nearly a perfect lens for shooting stage work from the front row. There's no FX equivalent. If shooting from the back of a theater on DX, a 70-200 works pretty well. On FX, a 70-200 tends to be too short. YMMV here, and probably will.

Hi Rene,

Since you already have the D300 which is a great camera, I'd wait a little longer to see if a D700 replacement arrives soon with the D3s sensor. The best reason to change bodies is to take advantage of the most recent technology. If I were in your position and considering the age of the D700 I'd be waiting to see what the next FX body specs are and hope it's a smaller D700 shape body with the upgraded sensor from the D3s and maybe some other improvements on your list of perferences. Best Wishes!