No need for 36MP ... but for clean shadows and more DR

I think that Nikon probably does have better DR on the D700 compared to the 5DII when pushed 7 or 8 stops. But will they encounter the same problem with the 36MP D800? Or does Nikon (using the Sony made sensors) really have a better handle on sensor design than Canon? It will be interesting to see how the D800 sensor performs.

As others have noted, there is so much more to cameras and photography than the ability to push a sensor 7 or 8 stops beyond correct exposure. But it is still interesting.