Comments about Nikon Nikon D5000 DX-Format Digital SLR Camera Body, 12.3 Megapixel, 720p HD Movie Mode:

Excellent alternative to the D90 especially since the two share identical sensors.

Excellent buy as a kit on special with the indispensable 70-300mm Nikon VR lens.

Ken Rockwell's review influenced my decision and I am very pleased with the results.

I would recommend to serious budget-minded photographer.

Please see two pictures attached - Original, and after cropping, brightness, contrast, and sharpness slightly enhanced.
Pictures was taken in shaded area of porch with diffused daylight reaching the subject. Dove and male companion were in the process of building a nest.

Comments about Nikon Nikon D5000 DX-Format Digital SLR Camera Body, 12.3 Megapixel, 720p HD Movie Mode:

I bought this camera for my daughter and son-in-law, as they are soon having a baby. This is their first real digital camera. But as Brent found out, this is more than just a family camera. It's very fast and can follow his nephews at their sports events due to its great image stabilization and high ISO. The fast shutter speed helps a lot too. The pictures he showed me were crystal clear. Today, I could not not go to Cole's basketball game, but Sarah and Brent went. Brent caught a shot of his nephew, Cole, making a basketball shot at his 6-year old league game! I was able to see it afterall! Now he looks forward to learning more about photography and the Nikon D5000 camera, although I have to say that the photos he has already taken makes him look like a "Pro" already! I think you're always a winner with the Nikon D5000 camera.

Comments about Nikon Nikon D5000 DX-Format Digital SLR Camera Body, 12.3 Megapixel, 720p HD Movie Mode:

Bought this camera for my daughter with the 55-200 lens and her pics look as good or better than mine taken with my D90 with a Tamron 18-270mm lens. She has taken great portraits, great action shots of flying seagulls ( apparently the autofocus will track moving objects if you hold the shutter release button halfway down ). No luck with macro with this lens but a 18-55mm lens is on the way with macro attachments. She is also happy with the movie mode ( which is not available with the D3000 ). I was skeptical at first but the swivel LCD is a very handy option, especially if your using a short tripod. Live view is nice, also not available with the D3000. If your looking for a starter SLR I would definitely recommend spending a little extra for the D5000 ( we tried the D3000 and sent it back because the view finder did not work ). If you need to bracket photos for HDR shots then upgrade to the D90. Adorama had the best prices, and no problems when we had to send back the D3000.

Comments about Nikon Nikon D5000 DX-Format Digital SLR Camera Body, 12.3 Megapixel, 720p HD Movie Mode:

I am into Macro as well as landscapes,I have had the D-60 for about a year but when I saw the D-5000 I had to have it and am getting aquainted with it. I love the fold out view screen. I put my tri pod on the ground and took a level shot of mushrooms using it to view the shot and focus. helps keep the dirt off your face. lol

Comments about Nikon Nikon D5000 DX-Format Digital SLR Camera Body, 12.3 Megapixel, 720p HD Movie Mode:

I've only had it about 5 days now but what a blast. I've gotten birds in flight , portraits of grand kids and landscapes too.The scenic mode on this is fantastic. I'll be trying it tonight in my telescope with the swivel monitor and live view .[...] I got the D5000 body with the 18-105mm dx vr lens and I so very happy with the combo . [...]

Comments about Nikon Nikon D5000 DX-Format Digital SLR Camera Body, 12.3 Megapixel, 720p HD Movie Mode:

Every day use for fun. Great quality pictures and camera easy to use. LCD should be higher resolution.

Comments about Nikon Nikon D5000 DX-Format Digital SLR Camera Body, 12.3 Megapixel, 720p HD Movie Mode:

Although this has many more controls than the point-and-shoot cameras I've owned before, it has been easy to learn.

Comments about Nikon Nikon D5000 DX-Format Digital SLR Camera Body, 12.3 Megapixel, 720p HD Movie Mode:

I am quite satisfied with the performance of my D5000. Most of the photos I have attempted have come out very well. We have 5 dogs in our family; so they are a prime subject for my camera. The results have been most satisfying.
It was disappointing that I had to return the camera to Nikon for a recall; hence, the 4 Stars rather than 5.

Comments about Nikon Nikon D5000 DX-Format Digital SLR Camera Body, 12.3 Megapixel, 720p HD Movie Mode:

I am a former owner of both the Nikon D40x and D80. Loved them both as well. Why did I get the D5000? Well, my Nikon D40x was a bit small, but great for travel. My Nikon D80 with battery grip was awesome, but more heavy for travel, hiking, etc... So I went for the D5000 for it's larger and heavier than the D40x, but lighter and smaller than the D80. And of course, it has the ability of the D90, in a more cost effective, smaller camera. I also insisted on having the grid lines and bracketing for HDR. The D5000 is a perfectly capable camera that can match the big boys in most catagories.

Comments about Nikon Nikon D5000 DX-Format Digital SLR Camera Body, 12.3 Megapixel, 720p HD Movie Mode:

mounted on a copy stand, with a 100mm macro + Canon closeup lenses, it makes great macros of tiny insects, plant parts, and ancient coins

Comments about Nikon Nikon D5000 DX-Format Digital SLR Camera Body, 12.3 Megapixel, 720p HD Movie Mode:

Have other Nikon's including a D80 so I wanted an alternative to the D90. This was it. Very pleased with the body. Great value with the bag and extra battery.

Comments about Nikon Nikon D5000 DX-Format Digital SLR Camera Body, 12.3 Megapixel, 720p HD Movie Mode:

I bought a Nikon D40 back in December '08 and started learning about digital photography. The D40 is a great camera, but I quickly discovered its limitations. For example, the D40 has no grid in the viewfinder, and I'm especially prone to taking photos with a slight tilt to the right. When the D5000 came out, I saw that it has all of the features I missed in the D40 but was still reasonably priced. The D5000 has the lens grid, bracketing, faster continuous shooting, Live View, and a lot more control in the software.

The biggest advantage is the tilt screen. As I kept trying new shots on the D40, I was annoyed that I always had to use the viewfinder, which required some uncomfortable body contortions. However, the flip screen makes all of those shots easier. The resolution of the flip screen isn't great enough to do really tight focusing, but I can usually trust the AF for that.

As for the video, that affected my purchasing decision very little. If I want to take videos, I'll use a real video camera. On the D5000, video is just a nice-to-have feature.

The D5000 is probably not the last camera I'll ever buy, but right now, while I'm still low on the digital-photography learning curve, it's exactly what I need. In fact, for beginners who want to progress quickly, I would skip over the D40 and get a D5000.