Thanks for the comments guys, always nice to know people are enjoying them. It really is one of the most redeeming things about Avcanada, seeing what we're all up to across the country and around the world.
Northern, I'll try to answer your questions, and give you a couple ideas that you may or may not already know to improve your shot quality in an economic way. (just wasn't in your email)
So, in a word it depends.
You're going to hear that a lot from me, because depending what you like to shoot, where you shoot, how often you pack your camera gear around with you, will affect what you buy.
Of course shooting top-end gear will provide top-end technical results all other (human) factors being equal. That's why we pay the big dollars for it!
The issue with top-end gear is weight, cost, and the over-kill factor. It's very easy to get pulled into buying a camera that in reality is WAY too much for what you're using it for. That said, top-end gear is built very durable, lasts a long time (lenses, bodies come and go in the digital age), and provides excellent quality.
The D700 is a fantastic camera, the baby brother of my D3 plus/minus a couple things. What sets it apart from the D300 is that is shares the same colour software, programming, and full-frame sensor that is in the D3, and it is the best out there at the moment, hands down (with the 5D coming close from what I hear). I'm not up to speed on the price-point on the D700 anymore, but with all the extras that you DO want, bigger battery/grip, etc, flash, then your lenses on top of that, it's not going to be cheap. I have found over the years that investing heavily in good glass is an excellent rule of thumb, but with the advances in colour software and auto-focus systems these days, it becomes very easy to justify that next price point on the bodies as well.
The advantage of the D700 is that it is a substantial camera, and with the extended grip/battery, you have the balance to use the bigger top end lenses (if you like) which tend to weigh in more than lower end glass. Conversely, if you're packing the thing around on holiday removing the bigger battery/grip makes it much easier to carry. Weight is something I do curse from time to time when I'm not working with the D3.... Being on holiday with it is a commitment!
There are other lower-end bodies than the D700 that will work just as well most of the time for significantly less money. That said the D700 is a wonderful camera used by many pros for a lot less initial investment, and the software really does set it apart.
I can't speak to the 5D as I got out of Canon two years ago when I gave up my 1D Mk II and related suite of lenses for the D3 which was a quantum leap in quality/usability.
Sensors.
Again, depends. Using a full frame sensor is great when you've invested in top notch glass, as you get what you're paying for in the wide-angle sense. If you're shooting a lot of telephoto type things, wildlife, action, etc, then taking a 1.5X penalty on the sensor can actually be an advantage as your 200mm becomes a 300mm which is great. On the other side of the coin, your $2500 14-24mm becomes a 21-36mm... not what you want when you've spent that kind of money.
I'm not sure I'd use anything other than a full-frame anymore, but I do occasionally rent lenses for jobs that require reaching out with bigger zoom than my 200mmF2.8. It gets expensed anyway....! Collecting lenses is something that can take years, and they hold value if taken care of, so if you spend a bit more on a body now, there is always time to add glass when you get the money.
Processing.
The other thing to keep in mind is processing software. This has become VERY important in the digital age, and what you choose can make life easy or miserable. Again, it depends on your style, how much time you want to spend processing. I use Adobe Lightroom 90% of the time now, with Photoshop only very rarely anymore. LR is very easy to use and quick - which is important when you shoot a lot as I do, often taking 1000+ shots in a day on a job. Wading through all that has to be efficient and LR makes it simple. Aperture from Mac is also good and of the same style.
With any of these cameras you'll have the ability to shoot in a number of formats, Jpeg, RAW, TIFF, etc. People get on a RAW kick and shoot in nothing but, however ALL Raw photos must be processed as they are functionally incomplete. While shooting in Jpeg (as I do in most situations with the exception of high contrast or low-light scenarios) is easier in terms of file size, and the pictures come technically "complete," they are generally a poor representation of what you actually shot - therefore processing is very important. It is a fast and easy way to immeasurably improve your photo quality for very little investment.
Here are two photos, both shot in Jpeg, one processed in about 3 minutes, the other not. I did VERY little to these, other than sneak a bit closer, but there is a marked difference. You can see a grey "cast" over the first picture which is a direct result of the camera's software doing the best it can to match what I saw - 99% of the time it fails - badly. It aids in removing the inevitable dust spots as well, cropping if you like, and greatly improving clarity.
- GTL_3034.jpg (445.11 KiB) Viewed 6283 times
- GTL_3033.jpg (474.43 KiB) Viewed 6283 times
Anyway, I hope that helps a bit, I assume that you are aware of the money involved with going the D700/5D route, but while they represent some of the high-end gear, there are a number of mid-line bodies that perform extremely well for the money and should be considered. A good photographer with a good eye and decent technical understanding can take a great photo with anything.
stl