Call me a back and forth kind of photographer, but I like shooting with the gear that best matches my shooting situations. I started off with a Canon camera when I shot 35mm film; a camera that I got for Christmas from my mother when I was in my mid teens. After my wife and I got married, we decided to take a weekend trip to Sedona, Arizona, to shoot the red rocks and nearby rivers and streams. Upon leaving town I realized the iris in my 35mm lens was hung so we went to the mall to get a new one. When we returned to our trip I had a new Nikon film camera with a few third party lenses.
When the D70 became available I quickly switched to digital for the work flow convenience and speed. Later I bumped up to the D2X and never had any issues. Then the price of the Canon EOS 5D began to drop and the "affordable" full frame was enough to draw me back to Canon. I wanted the high resolution and full frame for my graphics and wedding work and acquired a used 1D Mark II for my sports shooting.
The 5D eventually ran into a problem with the batter terminal and I had to send it off for repair which Canon did for free, minus shipping. Then the shutter went out on the 1D Mark II at about 120,000 actuations (less than half the rated value) and I had to send it to Atlanta to get fixed - $350. Then my 50mm f/1.8 quit focusing and started grinding. I sent it off to Canon and again the fixed it for free minus shipping.
When Nikon released the D300 I moved back over to Nikon. It was the first affordable camera that would shoot 8 fps (with the grip) and the noise control was way better than the D2X. Then came the announcement of the D3 followed by the D700. I sold my D300 and went for the D700.
For my type of shooting the D700 is about 95% perfect. It's about the size and cost of the 5D, has the full frame FX sensor, knock your socks off noise control, better build (in my opinion) and will rack off 8 fps with the grip just like the D300. Because I shoot sports, portraits, weddings and large promotional graphic materials, I need all of these features. If anything, I wish the sensor had a tad more resolution to offer than the 12 MP, but for most stuff it's more than fine. An 18MP would be about perfect if it could hold the noise levels that the D700 currently does at 1600-6400.
So, what is it that Nikon doesn't currently offer that I (ok, EVERY Nikon shooter) want to see? Faster primes with newer technology! We were dying for a revamped 70-200mm for better performance on FX and we finally got it (well, in Nov.). We also recently got an AF-S version of the 50mm which is a tad slow on the AF, but quiet and accurate. Now, we need updates to the 35mm, 85mm and 135mm. I'd love to see an AF-S 35mm Nikkor f/1.4G , an AF-S 85mm f/1.4G VRII N and an AF-S 135mm f/2 VR II N. While we're at it, give us a AF-S 24mm f/1.4G too.
This is one area that Nikon has trailed the pack, especially Canon. They now offer more camera bodies than anyone else, but their lens upgrades are really coming slowly. The old AF D versions are fantastic (if available), but all of these state of the art bodies - especially the D700, D3 and D3X - could use the newer glass.
Nikon, stop worrying about putting HD video in every camera model and calling it "New". If we get a D3s that just adds video I'm going to throw up. Bump the resolution, keep the same noise control, and video then we'll bite - maybe, but adding video and an "s" isn't going to change the minds of that many users.
Canon is far and away the optics leader with regard to speed, IS (VR equivalent) and USM (AF-S equivalent). We need some faster glass with AF-S and the N features. Throw VR into the 85 and 135 and you take a huge lead even if your 85 isn't a 1.2.
I considered moving back to Canon because of the faster glass, but I'm sticking with my Nikon. I love it more than any Canon I've fired and they've always been more reliable, but I'm begging you Nikon, PLEASE give us some newer optics!
Other things I'd love to see:
D700x for $3,200 or less (I'll just keep dreaming. Even if the camera does show up in late 2010, that price is a fantasy)
AF-S 80-400mm f/4-5.6VR II N
AF-S 100-500mm f/4-5.6 VR II N
