the ISO war

Nikon has declare war in the ISO world with their new release of their D3s. 6 figures ISO. Usable at 6400-12800, bold statement!

Now that entry level cameras are so affordable along with the range of consumer lenses that come with these camera, manufacturers are selling them to the masses. And as these young photographers come to realize megapixels doesn't improve their quality (since 6mp can make a decent 8x10 with no problem), the terms 'noise' and 'low light performance' are more widely used nowadays when discussing the latest DSLR that manufacturers seem to release almost monthly.

I believe in maybe two more generations of cameras, the noise performance of the sensors will eliminate the need for fast glass. The f1.2's and f2.8's will be mainly used for the low DOF look and not so much for low light performance. Imagine hand holding at f8 in a candle lit church.