Yes, I went for the D3. Bought it on Wednesday and shot two weddings with it (Friday and Saturday). Conclusion? I made the right choice (thank God!).
It seems that the hype, is for once, all true. Everything about it is super fast and as expected the low level of noise is just incredible. I used a full range of ISO settings up to 3200 and the images are crisper than my D200 at every level, being almost ready to print straight from the camera (already saving me hours of photoshop tweaking).
All as it should be. But I've already discovered a couple of other major assets that I hadn't realized.
Firstly (and I apologise for those who already know about all of this) the auto ISO mode allows you to set a maximum ISO rating, along with a minimum shutter speed.
This I discovered, truly brings a third dimension into the auto capabilities of the camera and is perfect for moving through indoor / outdoor situations ie: Bride and groom exit down the aisle (ISO 2000) then out of the church into bright sunshine (ISO 200). All done without having to fumble around with settings (never easy whilst walking backwards) or having a second camera clattering around my neck.
Secondly, there are four pre-programed settings, which can be easily accessed through the menu.
This is better than it sounds when you realize that it can be programmed to flick between FX at a medium file-size setting, and DX at a large file-size setting. (Both settings result in a decent medium sized file, perfect for high res 9x6 inch prints).
This means I can effectively use it to zoom in or out at the press of a button, doubling my lens lineup and even turning my primes into zooms!
I Can't wait to discover more about this incredible piece of kit!
So THANKS to those who helped sway me towards the D3 with their helpful experience and advice. And COBBLERS to those who rolled their eyes when I dared to ask the naive question 'D3 or D300?' Telling me it was: 'too big' (I now use one camera instead of two), 'too expensive' (worth every penny), 'wouldn't make me a better photographer' (maybe not, but I now have the opportunity to make shots that were previously impossible) and (my personal favourite): I should 'buy another D200' instead! (erm...?)
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