Some things to keep in mind about the first 2 images up there:
1 - The D2X has the ability to "crop" the image by choosinga smaller MP format. Just like the D200, the D2X has a 1.5x magnification factor, BUT when you choose 6MP on the D2X it is actually using a smaller (cropped) portion of the sensor - only 6MP of it instead of the full 12MP, at which point it becomes an even greater magnification - I think it's actually 2x (making the 400mm equivelant to 800mm!).
2 - In the 2nd shot, the exposure was for the shadows, which makes any middle tone to lighter tones go fairly light - reducing the richness of the image you see in the first shot. Had you been on the other side of the branch/sun/eagle (the sun behind you), and forced to expose for the highlights (like the 1st shot), the sky would have been a rich blue, the foliage a rich green, etc.

I hear people saying they don't like the D2x as much as they thought they would because of noise in shadows - I guess when you pack more pixels into the saem area something's gotta give, huh?

I STILL want one... >:-(

-Lew ;-)