I was looking for a good replacement for my F100 (silver, so) and now that Nikon finally released a version for the general public of the D3, a true digital 24×36.
Three things to remember:
-Stunning image quality even at high sensitivities, where the treatment of very high quality grain gives a “picture”;
Excellent exposure even in the worst conditions I could take pictures at dusk perfectly exposed and detailed;
-Using relatively complex (although read the label) but the grip is rather easy if one has the habit of using a Nikon SLR. Menus very rich, but no function “gadget”. The small flash is handy lead for the shadows (it is not on the D3!)
Sure, it will never be the device of beginning I have recently been compared with a Sony Alpha 200: we sailed for miles over quality, but it is more impressive (and expensive). Tip: do not expect a 24 megapixels: the images are already huge and large sensor allows a surprising sensitivity. By cons, attention to quality goals! It never forgives.
In short, a tool for pro!