Well Wayne,
if this is the case, you are probably not the right user for the D800E and I would really consider selling this "bad" camera and further enjoy you tech cam.
A final word to print sizes - I cannot get any longer impressed by these numbers being thrown around when it comes to how big you can print, since I have seen stunning results from 10MP cameras printed 3x2m (how much is that in inch?).
And WRT to comparing - it is 40MP against 36MP, so it is not so odd as comparing 80MP to 36MP - right?
lets not read things into that are not intended, and were not stated. I only offered a different perspective ... I assume you might agree not everyone is like you? Your post basically stated that something about the d800 gave you more opportunities to create more images, and I stated I didn't find that to be true in my case.
I certainly understand their are many shooting styles and end goals when creating images, and for many a dSLR fits them much better. But that doesn't mean everyone should fit that mold, does it? So I simply offered a different point of view coming from a long time MF shooter ... both film and digital since the first 16mp Kodak DCS back.
I never said the d800 was a "bad" camera. I just stated I struggle getting what I want out of the files (I'm not alone in that) and I haven't found any opportunities as of yet to choose using it in place of the DF/IQ180 (and that's not a tech camera, tried that and until they get good LiveView I won't try it again). That doesn't make it bad ... but if both are ready to go, then the reason I would take the Nikon is it offered me something that I needed and couldn't get out of the MF. There are many circumstances I can think of (ISO, telephoto reach, macro, Live view focusing, exposures over 45 seconds are a few reasons the Nikon would be prefered). Shooting more images isn't a reason, since I"ll probably create about the same number of images no matter which system I'm using. The Nikon isn't "faster" for me to use.
If I find myself only rarely doing so it doesn't make much sense to keep the system. In those circumstances the NEX delivers pretty dang good results and actually accomplishes a goal the Nikon really doesn't although ... small and light. As I said my Nikon bag is only 3 lbs lighter than my PhaseOne DF bag. My NEX bag however, even with the Zeiss primes is substantially lighter.
As far as your statement that you saw "one" large print that managed to look "OK" from a 10 mp camera so printing large isn't worth putting in the discussion ... I'm not really sure what to say to that. I print hundreds of images each month through my store and I have seen hundreds of customers try to stretch their poor resolution images to well past the breaking point. (I also have hundreds of images from lower res cameras myself). A
rare image can really go a long way .. usually because it has no real detail to speak of. But the difference between a 40x60 from a d800 and a 60 or 80mp digital back is readily apparent in a vast majority of images. That doesn't make the d800 prints bad, they just aren't as clean. Go to 90" and even the IQ180 images struggle to look "clean" and not digital.