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Review Summary
2017-04-14T20:00:00
This is the most comprehensive, easy-to-understand manual ever written. I've had this Nikon SLR since it was first marketed, and I am constantly amazed how easy the manual is to understand. Even now, after all these years, I still can't believe how easily it answers my questions. Whoever wrote this manual has to be the most brilliant person ever born. I used to write computer documentaion, and I sincerely wish I was smart enough to have written a manual like this one. The Nikon D5000 was not only a great piece of technology, but this manual made the Nikon D5000 the best camera ever marketed. THANK YOU NIKON FOR BEING SMART ENOUGH TO HIRE THIS PERSON (OR PERSONS) TO WRITE THIS MANUAL. I am eternally grateful!!!! I had the Nikon Coolpix 5400, and to this day I don't understand a single thing about that camera. Every Instruction manual should read as easily as the manual for the Nikon D5000. The person who wrote it deserved to have his or her name put on this manual.
FromM
2010-05-09T21:00:00
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.
T.K
2010-03-20T21:00:00
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.
FRANCINE R.
2010-02-02T19:00:00
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.
CARLTON D.
2010-01-09T19:00:00
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
CHARLES S.
2009-11-06T19:00:00
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 . [...]
sudzmonn
2009-09-28T21:00:00
Every day use for fun. Great quality pictures and camera easy to use. LCD should be higher resolution.
Kulka
2009-09-01T21:00:00
Although this has many more controls than the point-and-shoot cameras I've owned before, it has been easy to learn.
Henry
2009-08-08T21:00:00
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.
Mark
2009-07-22T21:00:00
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.
Darren B.
2009-06-24T21:00:00
mounted on a copy stand, with a 100mm macro + Canon closeup lenses, it makes great macros of tiny insects, plant parts, and ancient coins
Cobra
2009-06-24T21:00:00
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.
DONALD S.
2009-05-31T21:00:00
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.
JOHN T.
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DX
CMOS
15.8 x 23.6mm
12.9 million
12.3 million
DX-format
(L) 4288x2848
(M) 3216x2136
(S) 2144x1424
4 frames per second at full resolution
DX-format
CH: Up to 4 frames per second
CL: Up to 4 frames per second
2.7 in. diagonal
Vari-angle color LCD monitor
230,000 Dots
170-degree wide-viewing angle
Brightness,7 levels
Electronically controlled vertical-travel focal-plane
30 sec. in steps of 1/3
1/2
1 EV
1/4000 sec. in steps of 1/3
1/2
1 EV
Yes
200 in steps of 1/3
1 EV
3200 in steps of 1/3
1 EV
Lo-1 (ISO 100 equivalent)
Hi-1 (ISO 6400 equivalent)
Lo-1 (ISO 100 equivalent) in steps of 1/3 EV
Hi-1 (ISO 6400 equivalent) in steps of 1/3 EV
SD
SDHC
JPEG: JPEG-baseline-compliant; can be selected from Size priority and Optimal Quality
AVI
Compressed 12-bit NEF (RAW)
Compliant with DCF 2.0
DPOF
EXIF 2.21
Programmed Auto (P) with Flexible Program
Shutter-Priority Auto (S)
Aperture-Priority Auto (A)
Manual (M)
Auto
Auto (flash off) Advanced Scene Modes
Portrait
Landscape
Close-up
Sports
Night Portrait
Night Landscape, Party/Indoor, Beach/Snow, Sunset, Dusk/Dawn, Pet Portrait, Candlelight, Blossom, Autumn Colors, Food, Silhouette, High Key, Low Key
420 pixel RGB sensor D Color Matrix Metering II
Center-weighted
Spot
1) 0 to 20 EV (Matrix or center-weighted metering); 2) 2 to 20 EV (Spot metering) (ISO 100 equivalent, f/1.4 lens, at 20 degrees C/68 degrees F)
CPU
+/-5EV in increments of 1/3
1/2
1
Yes
Yes
2 or 3 frames in steps of 1/3, 1/2, 2/3, 1 or 2 EV
Live View [LV] mode
Self-timer mode
Continuous [C] mode: 4 Quiet mode
Movie with sound
Stop motion movie
D-Movie
HD 1280 x 720/24 fps VGA 640 x 424/24 fps QVGA 320 x 216/24 fps
Sun
Shade
Fluorescent
Incandescent
Flash
Preset
Auto
Auto (TTL white balance with 420-pixel RGB sensor) Seven manual modes with fine-tuning; Sun Shade Fluorescent Incandescent Flash Preset Fine Tune by Kelvin Color temperature setting
Yes
2 exposures
Yes
Full frame
Thumbnail (4, 9, 16 or 72 segments)
Zoom
Slideshow
Histogram
Shooting data
Highlight point display
Auto image rotation
Sound playback
D-Movie playback
Calendar
D-Movie playback Thumbnail (4, 9, 72 segments)
Calendar
Hi-speed USB
NTSC
HDMI
Nikon F bayonet mount
AF-S or AF-I: All functions supported.
Type G or D AF NIKKOR without built-in autofocus motor: All functions except autofocus supported. IX NIKKOR lenses not supported.
Other AF NIKKOR: All functions supported except autofocus and 3D color matrix metering II. Lenses for F3AF not supported
Type D PC NIKKOR: All functions supported except autofocus and some shooting modes.
AI-P NIKKOR: All functions supported except autofocus and 3D color matrix metering II.
Non-CPU: Autofocus not supported. Can be used in mode M, but exposure meter does not function. Electronic rangefinder can be used if lens has a maximum aperture of f/5.6 or faster
1.5
-2.0 to +1.0 m-1
Approx. 95%
(-2.0 to +1.0 m-1)
17.9
Quick-return type
Type B BriteView Clear Matte Mark V screen with focus frame (framing grid can be displayed)
No
Approx. 0.78
No
Nikon Multi-CAM 1000 autofocus module with TTL phase detection, 11 focus points (including 1 cross-type sensor) and AF-assist illuminator (range approx. 0.5-3 m/1 ft. 8 in.-9ft.10 in.)
11
-1 - +19 EV (ISO 100, 20°C/68°F
Single-servo AF (S)
Continuous-servo (C)
Manual (M) with electronic rangefinder
Live View autofocus; Face-priority, wide area, normal area and Subject tracking
Yes
Yes
Yes
AE-L/AF-L button
Half press of shutter-release button (single-point AF in AF-S)
Standard
Neutral
Vivid
Monochrome
Nine User-customizable settings
Portrait
Landscape
Trim
D-Lighting
Color Balance
Image Overlay
Filter Effects
Distortion Control
Monochrome
Stop Motion
Color Balance
NEF (RAW) processing
Quick retouch
Straighten
Distortion Control
Fisheye
Small picture
Red-eye correction
Perspective control Color outline
Yes
Yes
56 at ISO 200 ft.17 at ISO 200m
Yes
No
System Compatibility: Yes
Built-in Commander mode not available
up to 1/200
up to 1/4000
Front-curtain sync (normal)
Slow sync
Rear-curtain sync
Red-eye reduction
1) i-TTL: TTL flash control by 420-pixel RGB sensor, built-in flash, SB-900, SB-800, SB-600, SB-400: i-TTL balanced fill-flash and standard i-TTL flash
2) AA (Auto Aperture-type) flash: Available with SB-900 and SB-800 used with CPU lens
3) Non-TTL Auto: Available with Speedlights such as SB-800, 28, 27 and 22S
4) Range-priority manual flash; available with SB-900 and SB-800
No
Yes
2, 5, 10, 20 seconds duration
Yes
Yes (Includes Daylight Savings Time Settings)
Rechargeable
EN-EL9 Lithium-ion Battery
EN-EL9a Lithium-ion Battery
EH-5a AC Adapter
MH-18a Quick Charger
Yes
510 shots (CIPA)
1/4/2020
Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish
Software Suite CD-ROM
Width 5.0 in. (127mm)
Height 4.1 in. (104mm)
Depth 3.1 in. (80mm)
19.8 oz. (560g)
Nikon 1 year limited warranty
Lab test results just published by independent test lab DxOMark.com (and used with their permission) clearly show that, when it comes to image quality, the Pentax K-xRead more
Tamron has just launched the SP AF17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di II VC LD Aspherical lens and touts it as a compact, high-speed mid-range zoom with a 35mm equivalent range of 26-78mm. The lens was deisnged with a built-in AF motor so it can be used on lower-end...
Outstanding sensor
By T.K
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 r...
View full Review
Love my new Nikon D5000!
By Darren B.
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 f...
View full Review
The Nikon D5000 Dx-Format Digital SLR Camera features an innovative Vari-angle monitor for an exciting new take on photographic expression. It adds a flexible dimension to Live View shooting, which vividly shows your subject in real-time. Now with this freely adjustable monitor, taking great shots and movie clips with Live View is easier and more enjoyable than ever.
Nikon's Dx-format CMOS sensor with 12.3 effective megapixels records all the details of the original scene for breathtakingly lifelike photos. Shadows and highlights reveal exceptional details while a remarkably high signal-to-noise ratio vastly reduces noise - especially important when shooting at high ISO settings.
The D5000 enhances Live View shooting by giving you a choice of different display views. Minimize displayed camera settings when you want an uncluttered view of the scene, or show vital information at a glance for situations requiring a comprehensive readout of settings.
Different types of photos require different focus strategies and the D5000 has the right Live View autofocus mode for any occasion. Whether it's a unique expression, dynamic action, or a small object in a big composition, the four easily selectable modes help you stay focused for sharp results.
The D5000 makes it point-and-shoot simple to acquire clear, tack-sharp photos when composing via the bright, informative optical viewfinder. Whether your subject is off-center, moving fast, or completely unpredictable, the D5000 has the right autofocus solution.
The D5000's normal ISO range of 200 to 3200 can be expanded to cover ISO 100 to 6400, letting you capture the natural ambience of a warmly lit room or vibrant street scene when the use of flash or tripod isn't an option. The extended sensitivity is also ideal for shooting sports, allowing fast shutter speeds to freeze action.