That what I was kind of thinking Don. I have a D7200. I didn't think a D3s was really any better. Why do people think they are still that valuable? I would think between $500- $1000 tops... I may be off but...
Yes, it obviously depends on what you're shooting, and your preferences. The D7200 has more MP and a built-in flash and better video options. So why do people think the D3s bodies are still valuable?
The D3s offers 9 fps, and a good buffer. It's high ISO performance is good. I don't worry about 8000, it usually cleans up well. For me, shooting sports and events, that's terrific. The D4 and D4s didn't offer enough of an upgrade for me to change. The D3s continued to make more sense.
The D3s has its memo button, which I love. It's so useful to be able to quickly append audio cues to a photo.
The D3 body is also a pleasure, for me, to use. It fits my hands well and there's a tactile quality to it, like it's well-made and solid, durable. It's a pleasure to hold and use. It balances well with big glass.
The D3s battery life is, in a word, awesome. I'll get 10,000+ frames off a charge. I literally never worry about running out of battery life in a day.
The D3s is my fastest focusing camera. It just seems to drive lenses faster. Faster than my D810.
12MP is sufficient. The last wire service I worked with wouldn't accept photos larger than that.
The D3s is weather-sealed and tough. Mine has been drenched in blowing rain, used in near-freezing temps, pelted with dust, caught in billowing clouds of grimy exhaust, blasted by ketchup, showered by champagne, baked for hours in direct sun, accidentally bashed into equipment and walls, accidentally kicked, thrown around in luggage. I often worry about the treatment it gets. But it just keeps working.
Why do people think they are still valuable? Because they have earned their reputation as great cameras.