Fusing 12
3-megapixel image quality and a cinematic 24fps D-Movie Mode, the Nikon D90 exceeds the demands of passionate photographers
| | | | | Product Description | | Nikon D90 - digital camera | | | | Product Type | | Digital camera - SLR with Live View mode, movie recording | | | | Dimensions (WxDxH) | | 13.2 cm x 7.7 cm x 10.3 cm | | | | Weight | | 0.62 kg | | | | Supported Flash Memory | | SD Memory Card, SDHC Memory Card | | | | Sensor Dust Reduction | <
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"AMAZING!" 2010-04-09
By T. James (UK)
I decided to go for the D90 as my first DSLR. like other people have said, i spent ages, and i mean ages, deciding which camera to get. After owning this camera for several months now, i am delighted to say that it has gone above and beyond my expectations.
The camera itself is so easy top use and even has a help button if your unsure what something is (e.g. changing flash settings, you press one button and it tells you everything you need to know about everything to do with that setting. The buttons are very well laid out and easy to use and the camera feels very comfortable in the hand. and i love how the two dials on the front and rear side of the camera are used for nearly everything, and both work very well.
Being Nikon, both the body and the 18-105 VR lens that i got with the camera, are exceptionally good quality. Everything feels sturdy despite the plastic material that they are mostly made out of. The D90 has the perfect weight, not too light (doesn't feel cheap) not too heavy (doesn't break your neck), I love it!
I am extremely impressed with the pictures that I've managed to get from my D90. I do a lot of long exposure photography and it works really well. In addition to this, the wide array of compatible lenses from Nikon mean that there's something for everything! I'm getting the 70-300 VR soon and the fixed 50mm f/1.8. The 50mm is under £100 on here, and with such fantastic reviews and amazing results, who could resist?
My only issue was me (A 15 year old boy), worrying about the safety of my equipment. So, i searched for a few weeks into camera insurance. I chose a company called 'Glover and Howe' which specialize in photography insurance and i think telescopes. anyway, i pay £35 per year to insure up to £1000 of photography equipment. I chose this company due to the very positive reviews over the interweb. anyway, i am not trying to advertise the company, they just seem like an excellent company who are easy to deal with (don't try and get out of paying up if you make a claim). I highly recommend insuring your gear, it will be worth it if something ever happens.
Very happy chappy overall, best Christmas present EVER!
"I upgraded from a d60 to the d90" 2010-03-24
By Harry Sykes (YORKSHIRE)
The main reason i upgraded to the D90 was because I was in need of a more advanced camera with more advanced capabilitys and compatability. And that , if it is what you want , is what you get.
I dont use the HD video feature because its just another nikon gimmick , but i suppose in the spare of the moment it could come in handy if you havent taken your video camera and want to take a video. The video sound quality is very good and clear , but with any camera video function will never be as good as a true video cameras quality.
The cameras , camera functions are extremely easy to use and follow on from more consumer nikon models such as the D40/60 , just the D90 has more features.
More autofocus points with a 3D tracking feature that works
Live view mode that is easy to use and has a live zoom facility that helps with focusing
autofocus motor that enables the user to use older nikon lenses without the hsm lenses that are used in the D40/60
more features are there , i just cant be bothered to type them all out.
amongst the ocean of features that you behold when you take hold of the D90 you will notice its size , weight and ergonomics.
Nikon are well known for making cameras that are designed to fit your hand , with interfaces (controlls) specifically designed and located so that in relation to the organ using them e.g your thumb or index finger , the controll is always there.
EXTREMELY USEFUL - new led screen on top right hand side of camera
this feature if you are used to lower range cameras without the led screens is even more useful in my opinion than the main screen used to view pictures.
no longer do you need to navigate long menu systems to change a setting like shutter release mode , metering mode , shutter speed , aperature and more. just hold down an easy to locate button on the back or top of the body to select the option category and then use one of the 2 scroll wheels to change the option.
picture quality - exceptional , sharp , colourful , contrasting images. iv printed to A3 size and havnt noticed any distortion of any kind. i imagine that extremely large prints can be made with only minute distortion , but how many times are you going to need to print a picture the size of a wall ? get a hassleblad !
the only shame about the D90 is its cost , but with the new features and controlls youll get , more money from the beautiful pictures you will take with the D90.
The reviews speak for themselves , you wont understand untill you have tryed it
"Brilliant value for money" 2010-03-06
By Peter Roxburgh (Dorset, UK)
It is only fitting that my 100th review on Amazon is for my D90.
I bought it at Christmas time to replace my Nikon D40 which I had for 2 years and died on me.
Very pleased I paid the money to go for the D90 rather than the D5000.
I did a LOOOOT of research before I decided on the Nikon D90. Initially it was a fight between Canon and Nikon. I decided to stick with the Nikon as I already had some Nikon accessories. There are some cheaper models of the Canon that will allow quick change for things like ISO settings and so on.
Then it was a fight between D5000 and the more expensive D5000.
The D90 spec was obviously higher than the D5000. But everyone everywhere was advertising the D5000. And the D5000 has the tilt screen and so on.
After all the research I decided that although the D90 did not have the tilt screen, everything else was worth paying the extra money.
The D90 is built better than the D5000. The D90 feels and is aimed at those who are slightly more than just the rich casual photographer. The D90 is aimed much for the 'prosumer' market. People who enjoy photography as an art, a hobby and take it that little bit more seriously than just someone who wants nice holiday snaps.
The thing that really sold it for me (as a budding wedding photographer) was the fact that changing settings on the D90 is really easy. There are dedicated buttons for ISO, Quality, Flash Settings, Picture mode (i.e. self-timer, burst), Exposure compensation.
With the two dial jogs, it is really easy to change the settings. So for example, if you wanted to change the flash settings, you press the dedicated flash button with your left hand. With your thumb you rotate the back jog to change from 'Red-eye' to 'Rear', 'Slow' and so on. And with your forefinger of your right hand you can dial up or down the level of the flash! As easy as that! And the process works similarly for other settings!
For wedding photography this is brilliant, rather than having to dive into a Menu like I used to with my D40.
It has endless other options and features which would be too lengthy for me to write about. One of the other useful feature is 'bracketing'. This is where you set the camera to take a series of photos each at different exposure levels. That way you can quickly take the same picture three times, without having to constantly adjust exposure compensation. Hopefully at least one of them will be the right exposure. Fantastic again for when a Bride is walking down the aisle with her father etc or trying to take photos of a sunset.
The other great thing about going for the D90 over the D5000 is that the AF motor is in the body. So for example, I bought only the body and for the time being I am using the body kit lens from my D40. On the D5000, that would render that lens non-auto focus. However, because the AF motor is in the D90, my D40 lens still has auto focus!
It also worked fine with my Nikon SB-400 flash.
When I bought it, I didn't think I would use the video all that much and in fact was worried that by adding video, Nikon might compromise on the still photography. However, I have found for personal use the video quite fun. There are times when you wish you had a video camera - and now you do!
Sure, the video doesn't autofocus, so I always flick it onto Manual AF and use it that way. The sound and picture quality are fine and I love the option of being able to capture a short video as well as taking stills.
Overall, this is a fantastic camera. If you just want a nice camera for taking pictures when on holiday then I would probably save the money and buy the D5000. However, if you want more from your DSLR and want to develop your photography skills, you want to photograph fast-changing subjects like birds, try new things out or start out in wedding photography etc then this is fantastic camera and gives you amazing value for money.
"D90 Camera - quality" 2010-02-26
By The Horned Dog (UK)
Excellent Camera for the money. In my opinion even better than the intended newer Nikon models because of the robust design and quality feel. Pictures are great with a good lens...
"Having fun" 2010-02-13
By C. A. Cunningham
I spent ages dithering over which camera to get, and finally plumped for this one. Am glad I did. In my hand it feels just right, not too light or heavy, but reasonably solid. Battery life is excellent. The quick start guide was great, the manual a bit repetitive, and not especially useful. The controls very easy to use. The important bit, the picture quality is excellent. I had some slight problems with overexposure initially, but that was due to my playing with settings on the camera, not the camera itself. Having sorted these out, I am now getting some lovely shots with minimal effort. It is a bit heavier than my previous camera, but not enough to cause any problems.
Teamed with a 70 - 300mm lens some of the wildlife shots I am getting are superb, again with little effort. Very impressed.
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Buy Cheap Canon EOS 1000D EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 (non IS) Lens Kit 
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"Great camera" 2010-03-06
By Joshua Nunn
I bought my 1000D a few months ago, and I haven't looked back.
Canon's 18-55mm lens doesn't get the best reviews, and it is designed as a kit lens. But i haven't got much against it. There was discussion about having IS lenses and image blur. But I haven't had any situations where i've got blur and not known where it's come from. In low light or for bigger zoom lenses IS is worth looing into, but for an 18-55mm lens it's not essential.
The body is solid and well designed. It feels like a quality product that won't fall apart in a hurry. The in-built flash unit is powerful and is even better than the one on the 450D.
The interface and 'software' is very user friendly and you will quickly find your way around and be able to manipulate all the settings. Even though it is simple to use, there are a lot of advanced functions that you can develop into using probably years after starting out.
The battery pack lasts a good month on one charge even with frequent use (including with flash) and the charger is well designed and not bulky at all.
Alhough the camera is pretty solid, you'll want to buy a camera bag pretty soon after you get it. That way you're prepared for rain, snow, dust etc. and you can carry it around much more easily. After looking through Jessops' range and trying bags out for size etc. I went for the Lowepro Nova 160 AW All Weather Shoulder Bag for Digital SLR - Black (Lowepro Nova range) and I would highly recommend these bags to anyone. I went for the 170 size which fits the camera with a zoom lens attached, plus an extra lens, flash unit, dustcaps, charger & powercable with more room to spare. The rain cover is very well designed and feels safe. Definiely a great bag for any SLR.
When uploading the pictures onto a computer, I use a card reader which is more convenient than using USB cables. The pictures are great quality, and can be zoom-ed or cropped to an impressive scale. I am yet to experiment with .raw format, but the camera is capable of that too.
Bottom line; A great camera for a first DSLR, the 18-55mm lens works a dream. Compatible with most Canon lenses, so expect to grow with this camera. The interface is user-friendly and straightforward.
"Canon D1000" 2010-03-04
By Mr. P. E. Sleet (Luton, England)
This is quite simply a brilliant camera. As a novice, picking up a DSLR can be daunting at first, however it is like anything, the more you use it the easier it gets. The camera is lightweight and sturdy and feels like a proper camera. The pre-programmed functions are great and are simple to use with very good results. The manual and RAW settings really bring this camera to life and you can create some very good pictures indeed. If you are thinking about moving up from a compact digital, then this is a great first purchase...master this and the world is your oyster
"Canon 1000D - Great camera!" 2010-02-26
By Sarah Portlock (Prestatyn, N Wales)
I treated myself to the Canon 1000D kit complete with the EF-S 18-55 kit lens for Christmas (my 'To Me, From Me' present) and I'm not disappointed. I wouldn't describe myself as a photography buff at all and prior to buying this camera used a neat little Canon Powershot compact. So why change? Having initially pooh poohed the idea of a Digital SLR as far too complicated and too much of a 'serious' camera for me, I was persuaded otherwise by someone who had the Canon 500D and having been persuaded that it was just as easy to use as my point and shoot with full auto settings (and it was when I tried it) I was won over by the difference in quality of the photos. I did some research via 'Which' and the Canon 1000D came out tops as a 'best buy' in terms of picture quality and ease of use. In fact most of the digital SLR's came out with top ratings for ease of use so don't be put off as I was by the fact that it looks a 'serious' camera. Picture quality is excellent, the kit lens supplied takes great shots and there is a full auto set-up which makes it as easy to use straight out of the box as your compact digital 'point and shoot' camera, but the possibilities are endless and I can guarantee you will end up taking some really professional shots. Another tip - buy the 'Dummies' guide specifically for this make/model by Julie Adair King - if shutter speed, exposure and ISO all sound FAR too technical this great book will help to make sense of it all in a very easy to follow, no-nonsense kind of way. Yes you can keep it on the 'auto' setting and take great pictures with it but as Julie says with this camera, that's like having a Porsche but never actually taking it on a road! Go for it, you'll be glad you did!
"Everything I hoped for, and more" 2010-02-24
By Tom Cat © (Earth)
Although I'm normally friendly with technology, I found entering the world of digital photography to be an initial minefield of strange terminology and numbers! I had to buy a DSLR more out of need than will - a combination of University assignments and my own projects which required a powerful but, still, user friendly camera. After much deliberation, the EOS 1000D was a superb choice.
The most obvious point I'd want to discuss is why you would want to choose this camera over others of a similar price. As a bit of 'first time' advice, I found going to a shop and handling the cameras for themselves completely invaluable to my final choice. With this in mind, the EOS 1000D was undoubtedly the most user friendly of the bunch, and in the short time I've owned the camera, refrains from puzzling me too much. Though if in doubt, this package contains 3 CD-ROM's packed with Help information and guides, as well as the standard Instruction Manual and even a little 'Quick Guide' you could slip into a pocket!
When it comes to anthropometrics, the Canons of all the price ranges were far more comfortable to hold than the other models - in particular, the Sony Alpha series which had a very flat grip. To add to this, all the important buttons are within reach on the EOS 1000D without having to change your gesture, so once you learn what the buttons do, you can snap away without changing your position.
Finally, I saw the EOS 1000D as much more of an investment given that the majority of products in the shop I bought this from sold Canon-compatible products. Most DSLR's these days have universal accessories, but I found the overall service from Canon excellent. The box contains everything you could possibly need - even a UK and European 2-Pin power adapter, for when you go abroad. The icing on the cake is the way in which the dust-caps from the Lenses clip on to each other, so you don't lose them. Pure logic! The only thing missing of course, just like any other digital camera, is an SD card. Its good to know that the fairly new SDHC cards are compatible with this camera, too.
If you're a Mac user like myself, taking photos off the camera is as simple as installing a light Utility program and just transferring the data. Of course, I find the Mac OS X 'Image Capture' program to be even simpler.
One of my friends has a Canon that exceeds 14 megapixel, and even he said the 10 megapixel of this camera produced better results because the pixels were more spread out (apparently, the latest cameras aren't as fine as the pixels are too compact). With still being a beginner, I can only account for the fact that this camera produces wonderful shots, and the included lens kit is just ideal for every day use. The most important thing from my perspective is that I'm undertaking all my projects with ease - photo shoots have been efficient without any hitches, photographing artwork for animations is perfect... What more can I say?
Only issue I've had is the pricing - I've noted how the RRP has changed a number of times recently, which led me to buying it from the store were the price didn't change. I'm not sure why Canon would allow this too happen; one theory could be the weak pound/VAT, but who knows.
"replacement" 2010-02-21
By Brian Stattersfield (London SE22 8TJ)
I have found this camera is a good replacement for my film EOS camera, plus it is much more easier to use as you can see the results straight away.
The service that I recieved from Amazon was exccellant as it has allways been and their prices usually beat most dealers, and delivery is nearly allways delivered before the due date.
Most gratefully
Brian Statterfield.
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"Very good camera" 2010-04-01
By Don Pelayo (Asturias)
This is a superb budget D-SLR camera at the cheap end of the market.
I bought as a replacement for my 350D mainly as the 350D is now mostly used for time lapse and remote shooting so needed a new SLR for my main work.
I assumed it would just be a case of having more pixels but this really is a generation or two advanced over the 350D.
The build quality is excellent but the screen is the most striking, it's huge , 3 inches and I like the ability to change colors, the green mode is fantastic for night time.
Is very light and well balanced and it handles very well.
Live view is a useful addition (which I doubt I'd use a lot as it does slow operation down) but it uses a lot of energy.
Image quality is much better than the 350D. Less noise and with the extra pixels it appears much sharper, ideal for me as I shoot with a fish eye a lot and so need to crop in sometimes.
Another addition over the 350D is sensor cleaning which I hope will reduce the dust issues creeping into my 350D. Overall, very pleased so far.
"Snappy Shooter" 2010-03-28
By M. Jones (GB)
I have used a Canon SLR camera since 1984 with excellent results. It was a 35mm film camera. When I saw what this digital camera is capable of, I realized that I had persevered for too long with the old technology.
It is so quick and easy to use. Results are instant -- instantly stored or instantly disposed of -- which allows a professional style technique as regards shooting. Many more pictures of each subject can be taken and with the large screen you can choose the picture you want to save.
It's just perfect.
"Another Winner From Canon" 2010-03-27
By C. Hillary (Durham)
I am a keen amateur photographer of many years and have been a very satisfied owner of an earlier Canon EOS 350D model for about 5 years.
I thought it was time to upgrade.
My first impressions are that the 500D is a huge step forward.
The camera is very well built and specified and produces excellent results for both the novice using the Auto/Pre-Programmed modes as well as providing ample flexibility for more experienced photographers.
The review screen is exceptionally clear and the layout of functions easy to understand and use.
The included EF-S 18-55 mm lens is sharp, well balanced with the camera and the Image Stabiliser works well giving good results in a greater range of photographic conditions. This lens shows significant improvement over my current Sigma zoom lens.
I am very happy with the purchase and would have no hesitation in recommending this camera.
"Fantastic entry level DSR" 2010-03-11
By R. Rendle (UK)
Gorgeous screen, with beautiful icons and menus (the pictures dont do it justice), the quality of the build of the machine, the brilliant beginner stock lens and the HD video recording ability make this Canon an absolute must buy for beginners. I've only just got into photography and the learning curve of this professional looking camera is not as steep as I imagined it would be at first.
Anyone considering getting this: just do it. Its phenomenal, and you wont regret it for a second, even if your just going to use the stock 18-55mm lens.
"Cannon 500D" 2010-03-09
By res boy (uk)
This camera is a typical cannon, easy to operate with very good performance, very pleased with results to date.
However, be careful with non cannon lenses some do not have chips which operate the lens mechanism.
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"My 1st Digital SLR Camera" 2010-02-25
By A. Gray (Staffordshire, UK)
First and foremost I love this camera. I had never owned a digital SLR before so I was therefore looking across the market. I looked at the Canon EOS450D & Canon 1000D models. These cameras looked really good but £450 for the Canon EOS450D was a lot of money when buying a SLR camera for the very first time. I therefore decided to purchase the Sony Alpha A230L. It's very similar to the Canon 1000D model but the Sony A230 has IS (Image Stabilising) built into the camera rather than into the lenses. Meaning that if you wanted to, you can buy a non IS lens with the Sony A230 as the IS is built into the camera. The purchase I made on this camera was one of the best purchases ever! It's amazing. The quality of the pictures is un-real. I've been taking photos of my pets recently & they look great. I can't wait to show the pictures off to my family & friends. So, if you're like me and buying a SLR camera for the first time... you won't be disappointed with the Sony A230!
"sony alpha" 2010-02-21
By John Blackburn (uk)
This is my first purchase for a dslr, the build quality is excellent, the controls are well laid out, extremely user friendly, picture quality is great.
If I had to rate this dslr It would 5 out of 5.
"Very Pleased" 2010-01-31
By M. Reynolds (Hampshire, England)
I purchased this product for my wife, for Christmas, partly swayed I admit, by the £50 cashback offer. I read the other reviews and was content that I was buying the correct product for someone who had experienced SLR cameras in the past and wanted to get back into that detail of photography. Suffice to say that my wife is very pleased with the camera, finding it user friendly with impressive results.
"Sonly Alpha 230L feedback" 2010-01-09
By Mr. Sean P. Gaffney (UK)
Bought this as a Christmas present - so far, am 100% satisfied with the purchase. Not knowing anything about SLRs, I've found the options on this to be very useful. Apart from manually adjusting all the aperture and focal settings, camera has a series of preset options useful for landscape, night, portrait, sunset etc. which is good for getting a feel for what the camera can do.
Only 4 stars because the standard 18-55 lens doesnt really do anything spectacular - to really use the camera properly, you need at least one more lens.
Overall, delighted with the purchase and looking forward to many hours of happy snapping :)
"Sony Alpha A230 DSLR" 2010-01-01
By Mr. Jack Roots (England)
The Sony Alpha A230 is such a good DSLR for so many reasons.
If you need a camera that takes extremely sharp and vivid photographs, that is also easy to handle then this is your camera! You will find the process of manual photography so much easier with it on board help system, this helps you understand what each setting does and what it does to your picture.
The lens (18-55mm) is perfectly suitable for a beginner or even a professional, it has reasonable zoom capabilities and also very strong focus. Using the DSLR and its features will enable you to create your own personal photographs and not just holiday snap quality, actually using the focus and zoom correctly for the environment you are in, this will make your pictures look a whole new world better and will show more talent in your work. This is why I would recommend this camera to someone who is maybe starting an A level photography course of some sort.
Looking more at the settings now, lets say you're not that into photography at this point and are still learning the ropes, in which case you can use a number of settings to achieve amazing pictures by doing nothing complicating, such as (Auto) this is a common setting which is on pretty much every camera (Apart from SLR's) and is used so that the camera does everything for you, E.g. setting up the armature and ISO, also focus and shutter speed. (There will only be auto focus if you set your camera to AF not MF)
There are also other settings which are more relevant to where you might be such as: Portrait, Landscape, Macro, Sports Action, Sunset, and Night Port./View. Also there are settings named as "P", "A", "S", and "M" these are for more manual settings where you might like to keep a particular setting (For more experienced photographers)
One of the more fun features is the choice of colour scheme (Theme) of the camera, pick from black, pink, white and light brown. Also being able to save your pictures to a Sony Pro Duo memory stick or an SD card, and be able to choose where they are saved)
Another thing people like to know is how heavy a camera is, and honestly this is not very heavy, easy to carry around or keep around your neck with the provided Sony Alpha strap.
I can promise you this is a very good camera which allows the owner to create amazingly sharp and vivid photos as soon as they get it out of the box!
Hope this helps.
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"Good but the colours come out weird" 2010-04-01
By Norman Niemer (London, UK)
It was an upgrade from the D60. The sensor is the same as the d90/d300. If you wonna get better than that you gotta splash out the cash for the d700 which is also much heavier. The case is lower quality than d90/d300 but that's what makes it cheaper which is a fair trade-off for me. It also doesn't have as many buttons but I don't actually need them as most of the things are accessible in the quick settings menu (which the d90 seemed to be missing or at least I couldn't find it easily). It also has auto exposure bracketing which the D60 didn't (the D3000 doesn't have it either but not sure) which I tend to use a lot for HDR photos. The vari angle screen is actually quite useful also. So overall I'm quite happy with it. The video mode doesn't seem that great but only used it once and in any case I don't really care about it (never watched the videos I took). Now there are two things which quite annoy me about the camera. 1) it doesn't happen too often, but sometimes it just turns itself off and you have to leave it off for a while. Now I don't know if it was because the weather was too hot but there are a lot of people who complain about the F EE error or so, you'll find it in other reviews. It appears it could be a problem when you use the camera with a kit lens (which I don't I'm using the Nikkor 18-200mm). I'm not getting the exact error but it still doesn't take photos. 2) and more annoyingly, sometimes the colours, especially the yellows in sunsets or at night look really weird. It doesn't seem to produce a nice orange yellow but a nasty green yellow [if somebody knows how to fix this, feel free to comment!]. Some people say they can't see what I mean but it does annoy me. It's kind of hard to explain and sometimes I don't even seem to be able to fix it in PS. Now my old canon compact cam always produced really awesome colours. Even the D60 didn't produce such a nasty yellow and overall the colours sometimes seemed better on the D60. Oh and one last thing, Nikons in general seem to overexpose a bit which reduces colour saturation so quite often I'm at -0.3 or -0.7. Now I've never had a canon dslr but the colour thing makes me wonder if maybe i should have gotten one. Friend of mine has a canon and I really like the colours but he always complains that the background blur in the nikon photos is better than on the canons.
"A great upper entry level DSLR" 2010-03-31
By Barry Ross (England)
I approach this review from the perspective of a recent owner of a Nikon D60 needing replacement due to damage. I reviewed the D3000, D5000 and D90 as possible replacements and glanced at other offerings from Canon, Sony etc., just in case but was not tempted away from Nikon. I use it with a Nikon 18-200 VR lens, not the kit lens.
The D3000 is the entry level direct replacement of the D60. The D5000 offered a real step up from the D60 in several areas. Firstly, image quality was most important to me and secondly some additional new features would be welcome while keeping within a reasonable budget. I didn't like the price or weight of the D90.
Let's get some concerns out of the way. There had been a recall on some non UK sold serial numbers and this can be easily checked on the Nikon website and was not an issue with the one I purchased. The only other possible downside was the reported size of the viewfinder. This was not an problem at all.
The only possible issue in my book is the swing out LCD which is very handy for certain photographic situations but can catch on the neck strap when closing if care is not taken. Would I now rather do without it? In balance, no as it is too useful.
Various reviews highlight the shared technology with the D90 and D300 and point to similar image quality to these models. This indeed appears to be the case in my opinion and with a surprising low light capability. It certainly has much better capability in this area than the D60 which was no slouch. The 11 point TTL autofocus is a welcome addition over the D60's 3 point autofocus. The body is only a little bigger and heavier than the D60.
The movie function, while only manual focus, is a great bonus feature delivering High Definition quality clips that will come in very handy from time to time. So much so that I have sold my video camera.
OK, so there is a lot to grasp in the manual with all the features of this camera that is no surprise. Either leave it on Auto and gradually learn to use the features over time or perhaps buy a more readable after market user guide for the D5000.
All in all a great camera for the price. I recommend it.
"A perfect purchase" 2010-03-12
By J. Barley (Stockport, UK)
I had been thinking of buying a DSLR for a while and had initially narrowed my shortlist down to the Canon 1000D, Nikon D3000 and Sony A350 (from what I had read the first generation of Sony DSLRs are better than the newest generation, so the A350 was in my price range!)
However, I was lucky enough to receive a little bonus from work which I thought I'd put towards the camera, and so expanded my thinking to include upper-entry level cameras, so started to research the Canon 450D and Nikon D5000.
Every review I read gave almost matching scores, with the Nikon coming out slightly on top regarding image quality. A couple of work colleagues who are in to photography quite seriously both then said they used Nikon, and so I went into a local camera shop to have a feel of the various cameras in my hands. The chap in the shop told me that the Nikon VR kit lenses were of a much higher quality than the Canon IS kit lenses, so that sealed the deal for me really.
I can safely say that I have made a fantastic decision. The D5000 is easy to use straight out of the box, and takes great photos on auto if all you want is to point and shoot. Where the camera excels though is when you start to take control, and the various scene modes and auto options allow you to do this at your own pace all the way through to fully manual.
Although not to everybody's taste, I have used the tilt screen a few times so far with live-view to take shots on a tripod at funny angles, yes the auto-focus is almost prohibitively slow whilst using live-view, but if you only use it for a minority of specialist shots and you know it's limitations it does the job well. I used mine for a couple of shots of scenic sunsets where the camera was too high to see through the viewfinder.
I can't really fault the D5000, if you are looking for a true entry level camera the D3000 is probably the way to go, but for a high quality camera between entry level and professional which is compact enough to carry around on a daily basis, the D5000 is an excellent choice.
"Birthday gift to self" 2010-03-09
By G. Farrell (Bath, UK)
Have been saving for a new camera since I did a digital photography course and discovered why I couldn't take the photos I wanted with my digital camera.
Love my dslr, it does everything I want it to do and more.
"Truely Awesome" 2010-03-03
By Mr. Bejan Hooshiar (UK)
This camera is amazing in so many ways, its defently worth every penny. I use it to take pictures of the stars and it does a exteamly good job of it. I would recommend the camera to anyone who needs a DLSR camera.
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Buy Nikon D5000 Digital SLR Camera (18-55 mm VR Lens Kit) Now
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