Dear Michael,
Thank you for your well documented opinion, leading to the conclusion that the Sony A900, with respect to format, resolution, quality and price, is the very best camera in the world.
To be honest, I have foreseen this conclusion when you announced to test this new born purchase on your trip to the south of the south, from where you took such excellent pictures, thank you for that! And for a part I share your conclusion; there must be a balance between price and quality.
At this place you expect a HOWEVER, and here it is.
The however is not a reaction out of confusion, annoyance, frustration, or even greed.
One important issue you have not mentioned is the position of the ALREADY EQUIPPED moderate photographer, the one who choose his or her camera (many) years ago, and who was wise enough to invest the biggest part of the spendable money over the years in prime glass instead of a body that nowadays has to be replaced every two years. I happen to be one of those people who started ages ago with a Nikkormat with one-lens-only, the terrific 55mm f/3.5 Micro Nikkor. Every 5 years another body; when new or better lenses appeared it meant addition of the glass inventory. By now I am more than happy with four primes, 2.8 or faster, and three fantastic ditto zooms, the 14-24 being one of them, all regularly used on the D700 and the F5, among some MF equipment.
What good does it do for me to know that the A900 Sony is almost-as-good as the D3X, but a much better price/quality performer? I will certainly not e-bay my glass and bodies to start all over again with Sony! What if in two years, to name one, RED decides to buy itself into the 35 mm market with a splendid 40 MP camera with Leica mount to couple the best glass available to their best body available, for only a couple of thousands, should I start all over again?
What I do, and what many with me do I think, is wait and see what Nikon comes up with as their second best high pixel, moderately priced camera.
All of my colleagues who write CANON where I wrote Nikon, are already pleased with the D5 Mk II, and I am absolutely sure that they too will not sell any Canon equipment in favour of Sony.
In other words, I am fascinated that a new boy on the professional block came with an excellent product for a very affordable price, but it can be as such; as a new, beautiful product, without to be compared to, or praised above other beautiful products.
Only for the starters who have to decide what the brand name of their new outfit will be this is very interesting and a very good reason to take Sony into their considerations.
Not for us.
Bas