Is the Nikon D3s still a contender?

[Larry]

I have the opportunity to buy a used D3s at a very good price.

Is this camera still near the front of the pack?

[Morkel Erasmus]

It depends on your needs.

I for one plan on using my D3s for a long time still...my thinking at this stage is only to upgrade once the D5 (or D4s) comes out. I would rather get the D800 for high res landscape stuff now, and still use the D3s for my wildlife and nocturnal shooting.

The 12.1mp files of the D3s print up REALLY well to large sizes, the quality of the FX sensor is just awesome.
Yes the D4 apparently delivers the same performance at 16mp.
Yes the 1DX looks like a great step forward for Canon in the high ISO department.
Does that make the D3s obsolete? If you believe marketing drivel - yes. If you have ever shot with the camera - no.

I regularly see great images that are made with "older/obsolete" cameras like the 1Dmk3, 1Dmk2N and D2X.

If you can get a good price - go for it. It's one helluva camera.

[Leo Theron]

DITTO MORKEL

D3 user...

[Henk Coetzee]

Does that make the D3s obsolete? If you believe marketing drivel - yes. If you have ever shot with the camera - no.

Thanks for saying that Morkel. It often seems to me that the marketing people no longer sell a camera on its strengths but rather by injecting the slightest degree of existential doubt about the previous generation. All that you need to do is to introduce words like "game changer" (William Webb Ellis was one, the 1DX/D5/K5/A77 etc. aren't) and "revolutionary" (Che Guevara was one of those) and introduce the slightest degree of doubt that your current gear has been superseded and that you will never take a good photograph again.

[swainsons]

Are you serious???

[Larry]

Ok. Ok.

I bought the D3s.

Can't wait to use it seriously, and the 24-70 arrives in the post tomorrow.

I have a wife who loves me, a son who is starting to sleep through the night (10 weeks old) and I have a D3s! Happiest man alive tonight!

[Morkel Erasmus]

Ok. Ok.

I bought the D3s.

Can't wait to use it seriously, and the 24-70 arrives in the post tomorrow.

I have a wife who loves me, a son who is starting to sleep through the night (10 weeks old) and I have a D3s! Happiest man alive tonight!

Congrats! I have a son who is 1 week old, and he sleeps better than our 18-month old daughter
The 24-70 loves the D3s, and the D3s loves the 24-70...enjoy!!!

[Larry]

Congrats! I have a son who is 1 week old, and he sleeps better than our 18-month old daughter
The 24-70 loves the D3s, and the D3s loves the 24-70...enjoy!!!

Congrats. And thank you

[Ernst]

What???? You have a baby that sleeps through?? I'm not jealous of the D3s and 24-70, but on actually getting some sleep... I would pay good money for that!!!

[Morkel Erasmus]

What???? You have a baby that sleeps through?? I'm not jealous of the D3s and 24-70, but on actually getting some sleep... I would pay good money for that!!!

Ernst, I've found that people who say "my baby sleeps through" often have different meanings of "sleep through". Apparently (and I didn't know this) the baby waking up to feed or get a bottle doesn't count and they still "sleep through" as long as they don't wake up screaming or being awake for extended periods through the night. This is rubbish IMHO, cause in my book waking up = waking up no matter for what purpose.

My kids...well they don't sleep through. And they don't just wake up for "bottie" either. Eish.

[kobuspotgieter]

Who that own a D3s want to "sleeps through" ? That machine is made to take pictures at night !!

[Larry]

We seem to have drifted very far of topic here......

James will some nights have a feed around 8pm and we don't hear a peep till 5am.

This isn't every night but we are getting there.

[Larry]

I wish I could stay up every night taking pictures but I sadly still have to go to work in the morning to earn the money to pay off the D3s. (cheap they are NOT)

The weekend will be along soon and the night work will happen.

[Morkel Erasmus]

Who that own a D3s want to "sleeps through" ? That machine is made to take pictures at night !!

Kobus, now THAT is how you bring a thread back on topic in style...

[Ernst]

Hahha! Well done Kobus and Larry!

With all the demands with babies and toddlers, sometimes night time is the only time LEFT for taking photos and especially for doing the post processing!

Nowadays I try to take photos that don't NEED any post processing - which should be possible when using a Nikon D3/D3s/D4 or Canon 1D?/5dMK3! (Yeah right!) LOL

[Larry]

Ok. So the jury is back in.

The D3s is a machine. I am very impressed.