many others weren't as lucky :-/ I also considered buying the D600 but after having read all the horror stories (permanent sensor damage caused by the oil and Nikon just keeps cleaning the sensor every time, not getting rid of the problem), I guess I'll be waiting for the D610.
scratch that - just ordered a D600 from Digifuchs. The price was just too tempting - a 24 megapixel full frame from Nikon for 1449.- is insane. Let's hope I'm lucky with the sensor. I had two D800s (sold them when I changed my career - and got an M9 for the money, with which I've been having a love-hate relationship ever since) and neither of them ever had any oil issues.
Sony just released the a7 and a7r which is mirrorless and with an adapter could use all your Nikon glass. The a7 which is planning to be sold for around 1700 CHF, is 24 MP.
I don't want mirrorless plus I just don't do EVF. I worked with DSLRs both professionally and as a hobby for the last 20 years and that's not going to change any time soon.
I've always been a DSLR shooter. Apart from that: Sony might be great for entertainment electronics but they're changing their camera mounts every 3 years or so.
High-ISO (and 800 is apparently considered high by Leica...) IS pretty lousy on the M9, no doubt about it. But these things aren't intended for shooting furniture in dimly-lit rooms
I disagree because this whole diffraction argument is really subjective. Some see it as a big deal and others completely opposite. There are many well known photographers who couldnt care less about it. Ansel Adams shot alot at f/64 for example. Yes he shot on 8x10, where resolution is plentiful, but nevertheless he was at the limit. Stating that there is never a need to go beyond f/8 or suggesting that if you dont know the calculations of DOF like the back of your hand then you shouldnt own a 24MP camera, is, in my opinion, a little bit closed minded..
Sony have not changed their mounts however. They have supported the A mount since 2006, and have introduced the E mount (APSC - and FF versions) in recent years. Both are still active and have not been changed / swapped out.
But the answer to this is very simple: anything below 640 is useable for color pictures (make that 400 if you shoot stock), anything below 1250 is fine for b/w.
A mount is not dead. Sony have released a statement on this recently and will be releasing A mount cameras next year. They have released 3 - 4 new A mount lenses this year so this rumour is very unlikely.
With the release of the A7 and A7r they have just announced 5 FF lenses for the E Mount (known as FE). They have released a roadmap for 15 new FE lenses over the next 3 years, 5 per year.
Plus with adapter all FF glass can work on any NEX APS-C or new FE Mount FF cameras.
FF DSLRs these days allow you to shoot easily up to 3200 ISO, if not higher with minimal noise or colour degradation. Might not be so suitable for Stock photography though, depends on your final product need, but suggesting not to shoot over 640 for colour is a little crazy, unless the camera you are using is severely limited in this regard.
Roadmap here, adapter there, rumours etc. :-) I can put anything made since 1963 on a Nikon FF camera. And Leica M goes back even further. For me, part of an ecosystem that I feel comfortable with is continuity and Sony et al. just don't offer that. I'm sure you can still use A-Mount lenses in 5-10 years but then it's over. While cameras come and go, lenses can be used for decades if maintained properly, so please don't feel offended when I say thanks, but no thanks here.
I have absolutely nothing against Sony and some of their mirrorless cameras probably offer image quality comparable to top-notch DSLRs.
Sure no worries and certainly not offended. A mount does go back to approximately 1985, so Sony A mount cameras go all the way back to the Maxxum Minolta glass that can be used for the last 30 + years.
With Sony NEX (E Mount), anyone can use a Zeiss 1962 lens or any other legacy lens, including Nikon and Canon, for that matter.
We are heading toward a future where the mount will no longer matter. Future cameras will utilize any mount, and therefore glass in any mount will be used for as long as it works.
I know - with an adapter. Adapters degrade image quality and they hardly ever offer a satisfying shooting experience as they don't typically translate all the lens's functionality.