Catering to resolution junkies, Nikon's D800 comes with a 36.3-megpixel, full-frame sensor that captures stills and video at a 7,360 x 4,912-pixel resolution.

Like Canon's Mark III, users can shoot at full HD and have improved audio and storage features; however, the D800 can shoot at only 60 fps in 720 HD mode.

Along with a 91,000-pixel RGB metering system and a 51-point autofocusing system, this new SLR includes several crop modes, including a 1.2x setting and a 1.5x DX setting — both of which still offer high-res, 15.4-megapixel imaging.

The D800 has also been outfitted with many intuitive settings, such as advanced sense recognition mode, which was designed to improve light metering by factoring in color and brightness against elements such as the human face or other background objects.

The ISO range is not as dynamic as some of the other comparable cameras that hit the market this season, but still delivers from 50 ISO to 25,600.

The D800 has a 0.12-second startup time and can shoot up to 4 fps in full HD or 6 fps in DX mode when using the compatible MB-D12 battery pack. Also new to this model, the D800 has a built-in flash that works with Nikon's Creative Lighting System.

The Nikon D800 comes in a body-only configuration for $2,999.