D5000 is an older body, but one unique feature in this model is the ability to use "Live view" mode AND have full control when shooting in "Manual" mode. I work for an Auction house and shoot thousands of photos under Tungsten studio lights, and this camera , on a sturdy tripod, excels at almost any shooting situation, giving me FULL control of exposure, shutter speed, ISO, etc. while not having to squint through the viewfinder...instead using the articulated LCD to check exposure, then frame and compose the shot. We now have three, including this one, using a fixed 35mm 1.8 Nikkor prime lense...and results are very good with minimal fatigue.
The Nikon D5000 is a fantastic camera. For most people this will take care of all your photo needs. Some of the BEST advice I heard was, DON'T SPEND YOUR MONEY ON CAMERAS! Buy a decent camera body that will fit your needs, but save your money for lenses. Lenses are what will make your camera great and able to do everything you want to. Most camera bodies today are very similar. The reason you are buying a Nikon is because of the amazing lenses that they make. Trust me on this one... SAVE YOUR MONEY FOR LENSES NOT CAMERAS. Ok, I think you get the point. Now back to the D5000 itself. In my title I said it's good because it's a Nikon, but could be better. Nikon makes arguably the best DSLRs. Canon is great as well, but I personally love the feel and ergonomics of Nikons. The D5000 is relatively easy to use, so if your beginning, don't be afraid of this camera. It is a great introductory DSLR. If you're an advanced amateur, advanced hobbyist, semi-pro, or just demand more from your camera, make the jump to at least the D90. In my opinion, the D90 is much better camera for not all that much more money. The D5000 lacks the focusing motor that the D90 has. Which means that all those fantastic lenses that Nikon made 10 or more years ago will not autofocus on the D5000. Only AF-S lenses, or other lenses with internal focusing motors, will autofocus on the D5000. The D90 has an autofocus motor on it. Not a deal-breaker, because Nikon makes many amazing AF-S lenses now. The D5000 has a smaller LCD screen than the D90, but does have the vari-angle. I personally am somewhat torn by this. The problem is that to use the vari-angle, you have to use LiveView, which pretty much sucks, so I wouldn't use the var-angle anyway. If you think that this is something that you need, then by all means do it. But the D90 has a much larger and more color accurate LCD screen that will allow to you to make better determinations about color rendition, focus, and sharpness. This sounds minor, but it is actually a very BIG deal. If you want good pictures, you better be able to tell whether they are in focus or not, how sharp they are, or what your color looks like on that little LCD screen. Because on a smaller LCD you might miss something and then take your pictures home and blow them up on your computer screen and realize that it doesn't look anything like you thought when you checked it on your camera LCD. The GOODS about this camera: -It's a NIKON! Which means you have a great list of lenses to choose from -Reasonably priced -Vari-anlge LCD, although not as large or color accurate as some would like -Easy to shoot The BADS about this camera: -Smaller LCD than most newer DSLRs -No focusing motor on the body (Not a big deal if you just shoot AF-S lenses) -Not as many customizable features as other cameras in the price range -Vari-angle LCD only used in LiveView, which isn't very good Overall, the D5000 is a good camera for amateurs, hobbyist, or just for someone who wants to make the next jump from a point and shoot to a DSLR. If you are thinking about seriously doing any photography more than just shooting casually, I would highly recommend you make the the jump to the D90. The D5000 can give you incredible pictures either way though. There is much more to photography than just a camera. A hammer can't build a house, it's just a tool. A camera can't make fantastic images by itself, YOU have to make them!Read full review
First off, I dont know why it's labeled a "COOLPIX" D5000. Coolpix is usually designated for nikon's point and shoot series. Second, this camera is perfect for beginner photographers. I would not get this with high hopes of using the video recording feature because it shoots 720p, and it is not auto-focusing during video mode. The camera has immense potential to produce beautiful photos, and i've definitely captured images that could rival higher end camera shots. Everything you need to learn about DSLR camera's can start here in this camera. The foundation is definitely here and will allow you to be a stronger photographer. I advise you to use the auto feature, and learn from the automated settings for f-stop, shutter speed, ISO settings, etc. and then move to manual mode and try to mimic the settings. Tweak it to your liking and see if you can get the same results. Once you are able to shoot in manual mode, you can use any camera out there. Another downside that alot of you will probably not encounter is that when you decide to shop for new lenses, there are alot of lenses that aren't compatible with the D5000 because there isn't an in-body motor to power the AF-type lenses. The D5000 only takes "AF-S" DX lenses. If you decide to use other lenses than AF-S, you can still use it, but manually focus. I'm still using the camera, it's been about ~9000 actuations and still has plenty of life left since it's rated to around 150,000 shots I believe. If you can't get the D3100, definitely spring for D5000. the swivel screen is great for weird angles in either video or photo mode. it does get in the way of a tripod sometimes when extended out.Read full review
I recently purchased my Nikon D5000 to take photos of my newborn baby and youth activities at my church. This camera works great for shooting up close and indoors. In low light situations it works good without the flash on as long as the target is not moving very fast. Shutter time is slower in a dark room but came be over come by switching to manual focus. The VR function of lens works very well. I would not buy a lens that does not have the VR feature! Along with this camera I purchased a 55-200mm VR lens. This is a must have for the majority of my shooting. I attended a college graduation recently and was sitting around 150' from the stage. I was still able to get crisp and clear shoots of people on the stage with the flash turned off. Overall the camera is was I expected and then some. I have no used the video feature yet but am looking forward to getting to use it. If you are looking for a good (not great) DSLR camera I would not hesitate to buy a D5000!Read full review
I had been searching for several months for the Nikon D5000. I would see it as a bundle with camera, 1 lens, and case (if lucky you got a 2gig memory card)for $700.00 plus tax. But with this dealer I got so much more, and the cost was $200.00 more than any other place I had looked. I received 3 lens, tinted lens, 2 tripods (one very small), every lense has a case, a 16 gig memory card, memory card case, a soft carrying case, a hard carrying case, cleaning kit, and other items i cant even remember. I love the camera. Still trying to learn how it works, but you can not go wrong with this item. It is awsome and a great deal. My boyfriend states that I am "Frugal" in my spending, but even he could not argue with the cost of the camera. I love it and look forward to many years of use with this Nikon. I will also do business with this dealer again when I start looking for other lens for my camera.Read full review
I belong to the generation of serious amateur photographers striving to regain or surpass with digital equipment the control I had with the Nikon equipment I used 40 years ago - without paying for professional-level equipment and also while coping with the far-sightedness of age. The read-out on the large monitor of the D5000 is a boon for me, but it's taking awhile for me to adjust to level of mindlessness this camera affords. I feel like I'm fighting with the camera for control, just as I used to with the first fully-automated point-and-shoot cameras that came out many years ago. Still, overall, I think it's a great camera - light-weight and full of wonderful features. I can get something useable in every situation, maybe not high art, but pretty good, and I'm optimistic that the D5000 and I will learn to collaborate better with more practice - mine of course.Read full review
This camera was a big step up for me, but I am enjoying learning to use it. It is easy to use the basic functions - on, off, zoom, auto-focus, review, delete, etc., and I have been very impressed with the quality of the photos (very crisp, good color, etc.) The one thing I do not like is the manual settings. So far I have not been able to sync them to produce the effects I desire, and taking good night time shots is virtually impossible. I am going to need to take a class to learn how to maximize the full potential of the camera.
I had a hard time deciding between the Nikon D5000 and the Canon T1i. I wanted the T1i for the 15 megapixels, but the movable LCD and live view on the D5000 won me over. I have done a lot of concert pictures where I had to hold my camera overhead and hope that I got a shot. I have a very large collection of perfect photos of the band except that their heads are cut off. The rotating LCD screen with Live View allows me to hold the camera high overhead and still frame up my shot. I was a little concerned about how sturdy the screen assembly would be, and also a little worried about the plastic body. I am happy to say that both are surpassing my expectations. The camera is easy to use, and feels good in my hands. Needless to say, you must be careful with the LCD screen, but it feels solid. It can be set to face into the camera for protection of the screen, or turned around to face you like other cameras for easy and safe viewing. I think that it is a lot of camera for the money. You get the same electronics as some of the expensive professional cameras in a solid, lighter body. I have found it more user friendly than the Nikon D80 that served me well as my previous camera. So far, I am very happy with this camera. Having spent some years as a professional photojournalist, I think that I can do anything with this camera that I want to do without spending thousands. To sum it up, this is a good entry level camera capable of professional results. It works fine on "auto", but will do much more depending on the knowledge of the operator. From what I have seen in the D5000, Nikon is still leading the way with new cutting edge technology, and keeping prices low enough for us all to enjoy the art of photography and the progress that the high end pros enjoy.Read full review
This camera was my choice for my first "real" DSLR camera. I am glad that I chose it. I am still learning everything about it and the potential is great. The resolution (12.3 MP) is pretty good. I was told to not spend all of my $$ on the body, but to put it towards lenses instead. The LCD screen is a handy little attribute but I am not much for the Live Mode. I cannot compare this with another camera except for my point and shoot Kodak (I absolutely loved that camera. There is no way i can compare those bc they are 2 different categories of a camera. This camera is perfect for someone who is just starting a hobby or first time purchasing a dslr camera. It will take some time to learn everything and it is inexpensive. I LOVE NIKON! ;0)
I was going to purchase the D90 but Bought the D5000. I didn't need all of the features of the D90. I like the new rotating/ angle screen. It is light weight and easy to hold. I like all the features. They are easy to use. I think the only things I don't like about this camera is that it doesn't have a fireworks mode and the life of the battery goes way down when the live mode is used. Over all it is a great camera and I am very satisfied with my D5000!
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