A full-frame, 36-megapixel sensor. That's one dense patch of pixels. If there were no other reason to take a deeper look at the Nikon D800, this would still command the attention of the photographic world community for years. Resolutions and tonal range that have been the domain of mega-professional large-sensor/large-format cameras are now available in a sleek, full-frame DSLR.

The only thing worked up is you

Yes, the D800 makes tremendously rich and detailed images. Blow your images up to poster size without sacrificing a speck of detail. Don't even begin to worry whether the EXPEED 3 processor is up to the challenge. It won't even work up a sweat delivering 4 of these monster-size frames per second in continuous shooting mode.

Cinematic video, on demand

Nikon has taken its time in delivering a camera that redefines the deep end of the DSLR video pool. One good look at the specs or the sample videos on their website will show you it's been time well-spent. The Nikon D800 delivers breathtakingly sharp images, even in low light. The dynamic range and extreme low noise profile are positively cinematic. And there's another feature that will have every video shooter in "full drool" mode: uncompressed HD video from the HDMI output, for either critical monitoring or recording to external solid state devices. In addition, a forward-looking (and backward compatible) USB 3.0 port will help you to transfer those large file sizes with blazing speed to computers that are similarly equipped.

Tools for the multimedia artist

There are other things that make this a great camera for the multimedia professional. There's an external stereo microphone mini jack, and audio meter displays for fine-tuning your audio inputs. Microphone sensitivity can be adjusted in up to 20 steps. Adjust the breadth and scope of your productions with a huge array of Nikon FX and DX lenses. And adjust your shot in real-time with simultaneous live view on both the LCD display and an external monitor.

The D800's controls and menu demonstrate Nikon's attention to feedback and detail

Let your thumbs point the way

Careful attention has been paid to the ergonomic experience here. Dedicated buttons for Picture Control, White Balance, Live View and Movie Record are just millimeters away from your natural grip. The 170-degree angle-of-view LCD display has auto-brightness, anti-glare coatings, and a new, enhanced color gamut for critical shot evaluation while on the go.

They kept the best

Of course, Nikon has preserved the best of what you've enjoyed from earlier cameras in this bloodline. Solid magnesium-alloy construction, easy integration with the Nikon Creative Lighting System (CLS), and broad ISO flexibility come standard.

If you're saving your images to onboard memory cards, the D800 gives you the flexibility of both CompactFlash and SD/SDHC/SDXC storage. The video files use industry standard H.264/MPEG-4 Advanced Video Coding wrapped with the Quicktime .MOV file format, for easy integration with popular video editing software.

Resume builder

Whether you're out to shoot large-format, exquisitely detailed landscapes, elegant embroidery on a classic wedding dress, or the next academy-award winning short, the D800 won't leave you empty-handed. It's a professional's tool, in every sense of the word. They've just broadened the scope of what you might call your profession.