Nikon D700 12.1MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only)
I have been a faithful Olympus user since the E300. Including the 300 I have owned the E510, E520, and E30. I love the in-camera stabilization and the multiplier the 4/3 system gives me with lenses, but the poor low ISO capabilities frustrate me. It seems most of my shooting is in a gym, theater, or church. Anything above ISO 640 and I am disappointed with the amount of noise.
I tried the D700 and was anxious to see if it lived up to its billing for low light prowess. Unreal is all I can say. ISO 6400 is not only usable, but better than I normally try to salvage at ISO 800 on the E30. I went to the Omaha Zoo this last weekend with my grandchild and shot ISO 6400 constantly in some of the venues like the Aquarium and Madagascar. I am thrilled with the result. I have two weddings to shoot in June and I am anxious to try it out in a church setting. I found the white balance very good. The colors were bright and natural. I found I had very little post processing in CS3. I am using cheap lenses until I can build up my war chest again, but the Nikon 50mm F1.8 is bright and a steal.
I can work the Olympus menu in my sleep, but I found the Nikon menus intuitive and adjusted quickly. I would like a faster way to set the ISO. It may be that I have not read far enough to see a short cut.
I can't part with the E30 yet. I love the rich warm colors of the pictures and Olympus has great digital lenses. I can see that the Nikon will dominate indoors and allow me to shoot discreetly. As I become more adept it may lure the Olympus out of my hands when I am outside.