He is right in that the D7000 captures the same amount of light as the D800's DX crop (the not normalized values). But not on the whole sensor size, which is what matters.
He further claims that if you downsize to a small print size the d880 is better. He also writes that if you size to what he calls "a 16Mp print" (sic!) the D800 "starts to show its weakness", but forgets that the D7000 does it even more noticeable. The truth is that the D800 is better at all comparable print sizes from the D7000. To compare the cameras you need to normalize the print size (or web image size).
He does not seem to have a clue about what he is talking about or then he is just an arrogant DX fan boy trying to prove that his D7000, or other DX camera, is the best knowing it is not the case.
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Kind regards
Kaj
http://www.pbase.com/kaj_e
WSSA member #13
It's about time we started to take photography seriously and treat it as a hobby.- Elliott Erwitt
Thanks for the flattering description in the last paragraph
That article has three very important implications:
1. Had manufacturers avoided going too far with the megapickles (24mp aps-c anyone?) then we'd probably have smaller sensors that rival full frame. The D700 for example is a 7-year old technology and yet the D800 can't touch it in terms of pure pixel-level quality. Surely they could have already done that level of quality with aps-c by now.
- Who consistently prints larger than 16mp? I've seen billboard-sized prints from a point and shoot camera and I have seen a video of a 12Mp Nikon image printed 5 storeys high.
- Sensor size has got nothing to do with light gathering capability at all. It's a myth.
It is only the size of the sensor that determines how much light falls on the sensor. With technology improvments you can improve the quality of the individual pixels (or pickels as you scientifically put it

), but the advantage of sensor size remains. We are already that far in Bayer sensor technology that it would be very hard if not impossible to get the same quality out of a DX sensor than a modern full frame sensor (and then there would again be room to improve the full frame sensor as well).
You keep talking about 16 MP prints. This does not tell anything about print size, Print size is expressed in length units times length units.
For optimal quality with for instance a good Epson printer you need to print at 360 dpi (360ppi file) , the print quality is even slightly improved with 720 ppi. Based on this you can calculate how many pixels you would need to get an optimal print at different sizes.
If you only print small you do not need that many megapixels, but the larger sensor will give you other advantages such as increased dynamic range, less noise, better control of DOF etc. The advantage with billboards is that they typically are at a distance where you can't get up close to se how good the print is.
Sensor size definitely has to do with light gathering. you need to read up on physics 101.
Kind regards
Kaj
http://www.pbase.com/kaj_e
WSSA member #13
It's about time we started to take photography seriously and treat it as a hobby.- Elliott Erwitt