Nikon D5000

Reviews

Review Index – (updated 19 October’09)

Photocrati (Field Report)
“In the standard picture style, my photos were slightly soft, so I often set a +1 level for sharpening. Colors were quite bold. For an even more vibrant effect, I switched to Vivid mode; the other picture styles were more suitable for specific subject types such as portraits.”

Wired
“WIRED Swiveling screen. While video settings are minimal, aperture adjustment lets you control depth of field. TIRED Prepare to miss some great shots while you dig though multiple screens to make adjustments. Menus use ambiguous sample photos instead of words, which makes some controls indecipherable. Claustrophobic viewfinder and smallish 2.7-inch LCD.”
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About.com
“The D5000 is one of the best entry-level DSLR cameras I’ve had the chance to use. Much of the technology behind the D5000 is based on the Nikon D300, which is a slightly older, much more expensive DSLR camera. For that technology to have trickled down to the D5000 already is beneficial for beginning and intermediate photographers.”
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NeutralDay
“At this price point there are several competent cameras to choose from, but the D5000 offers 3 compelling aspects: a fast continuous shooting speed, a flip out LCD, and the ability to shoot HD video. Weighing the pros and cons, the D5000 has very little going against it.”
85 – Rating:  

Digicamhelp
“I can sum it up in three words … I love it! It fully met and exceeded my expectations. After using the D5000 for some time now, I am very impressed.”

DPS
“I was surprised at how the ISO 4000 shot retained all the attributes of the lower settings, with a little more noise but still ‘treatable’ in Lightroom but not too well in Aperture. Sadly, ISO 6400 was one of those ‘if you must get the shot’ situations … with pronounced artefacts that I could not remove. Color quality and definition of images shot with the D5000 were beyond criticism.”

LapTopMag
“While we still heartily recommend less expensive DSLRs to photog enthusiasts who don’t want to spend more than $700 on a camera, we strongly encourage you to consider the value of the Nikon D5000. For this price, it contains the same sensor and HD movie recording ability as the Nikon D90 in a more compact body, but costs about $150 less with the 18-55mm lens kit.”
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Trusted Reviews
“The Nikon D5000 is a well made and well equipped mid-level camera ideal for those upgrading from an entry-level DSLR and looking for more features. Performance and handling are excellent, autofocus is quick and reliable, and image quality is very good under most circumstances. Video mode has no AF and the monitor opens the wrong way, but other than that it’s a good little camera.”

ByThom
“Despite some of my criticisms, I actually think I like my D5000 a bit more than my D90. The critical decision point is whether you find the positionable LCD of use, I think, versus the handful of D90 features that the D5000 doesn’t have. For me, only the autofocusing with non AF-S lenses, the 930k dot LCD, and commander mode of the internal flash on the D90 are things that might tip me towards the D90 over the D5000.”
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Photography Review
“Most photographers don’t need a full frame sensor or a pro-level build. Features like frame rate and moisture-sealing are over-hyped in my opinion. The Nikon D5000 is exactly the kind of digital SLR most photographers should be buying. It offers great performance, excellent image quality, solid features and a couple bonuses – HD video and the tilt-swivel LCD. The D5000 is more camera than most people will ever need.”
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Shutterbug
“I do have one very major complaint with this camera, and that’s lack of a viewfinder depth of field preview function. When I teach photography I show this feature to the class and it opens up lots of creative options to those with it, and creates great disappointment in those who realize their cameras are without it. Many beginners do not know it is there, and do not miss it until they know it is lacking.”

Photography Bay
“Overall, I highly recommend the Nikon D5000 to anyone looking for a feature-rich and very capable DSLR on an entry-level budget. There are plenty of great DSLRs on the market – some offer more features and some may be cheaper. Image quality in the D5000 rivals cameras much more expensive than it and, if you buy something cheaper, you’re going to miss out on some cutting edge stuff that only the D5000 offers.”

DPInterface
“The Nikon D5000 is indeed a very capable digital SLR, a joy to use. To summarize, the D5000 essentially take most of the good stuff (autofocus system, image sensor and consequently, good image quality characteristics) from the D90 minus a few features like the in-body AF motor and puts them into a form-factor of a more familiar, less intimidating body of an entry-level digital SLR. For newbies looking to buy their first digital SLR and avid, existing SLR users alike, the Nikon D5000 is a good camera that deserves my recommendation.”

RegHardware
“As a still camera, and let’s be honest, which is why most people will buy the D5000, this model has a lot going for it. You get a good set of features, lots of automation and plenty of manual control for the more adventurous. The articulating LCD screen is a bonus, despite its limitations when using a tripod and it’s relatively low resolution. However, if you’re tempted to trade up for the D5000’s video recording feature, you’ll be disappointed.”
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Personal Computer World
“Anyone who wants to take creative photos or videos, on the other hand, will probably want to trade the D5000’s scene modes and folding screen for the advanced options and better lens support of the D90. This is a decent, sturdy-feeling camera that will take great photos, but we’re just not sure who should buy it.”
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Shutterbug
“I do have one very major complaint with this camera, and that’s lack of a viewfinder depth of field preview function. When I teach photography I show this feature to the class and it opens up lots of creative options to those with it, and creates great disappointment in those who realize their cameras are without it.”

Imaging Resource
“What’s certain is the Nikon D5000’s ability to make superb still images. Its optical viewfinder is a pleasure to use, and you’ll get more straight horizon lines thanks to the built-in grid. The shutter sound is quiet, and single-point AF speeds are fast. For the consumer shooter wanting to move up in terms of functionality and image quality, and still have the familiar interface of the D40/D60 range, the Nikon D5000 is an excellent choice.”

Terry White
“Other then the weird AVI file format that I have yet to get the right editing setting for, there were no surprises here. It was exactly the experience I expected. The D5000 is extremely compact and although it’s smaller than what I’m used to, it still feels good in my hands. I’m sure Nikon’s next line of updates will address some of the limitations.”

MacWorld
“In our lab tests for image quality, the D5000’s photos looked a bit dark and muddied at automatic settings, but improved at manual settings. In my casual shooting outdoors, the manual settings were more consistent, but the Program mode setting often overexposed my images.”
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Steve’s Digicams
“With excellent still image and video quality, class leading burst abilities, and loads of user-friendly exposure settings, the Nikon D5000 is sure to please most any photographer, whether this is your first SLR, or you’re picking up a lighter backup unit. Following closely in the D90’s foot steps, I suspect the D5000 will be a very popular model, and have no problem giving it our highest recommendation.”

PhotographyBlog
“Those who require dual control wheels, more dedicated buttons, a large viewfinder and greater compatibility with older AF lenses will still be better served by a D90 and are therefore advised to save up for the higher specified model. For everybody else, the Nikon D5000 provides much the same functionality and image quality in a smaller, lighter and quieter edition.”
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Digital Trends
“We have no problems recommending the Nikon D5000. That said, if you go this route, you might consider a different lens, such as the 18-105mm bundled with D90. We found the D5000 3x kit lens to be wanting, and really were looking for some extra reach. Nikon DSLRs have a 1.5x digital factor, so the kit glass translates to 27-82.5mm; 27-157mm would’ve been very welcome. It’ll take newbies a little time to learn the details of this camera, after all, the owner’s manual is 238 pages.”
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DCResource
“This is a very nice digital SLR that takes most of the good stuff from the D90 and puts it into a more compact, less expensive body. The D5000 doesn’t support autofocus on that many lenses, so if you have a collection of older Nikkor glass, you may want to consider stepping up to the D90 (it’s only about $170 more). If you’re just getting into digital SLRs and can’t decide whether to go with Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Olympus, or Sony, that’s a tougher question. Each camera has its own advantages and disadvantages, so read as many reviews as you can, and see which one works best for you!”

Pocket-lint
“Overall then, the D5000 is excellent; a feature rich, semi-enthusiast-semi-novice DSLR (if there is such a thing, well, I suppose now, there is) that offers a responsive camera with bags of control in a lightweight (slightly bulky) easy to use DSLR body.”
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Buy-n-Shoot
“Occasionally the D5000 presents images with deep, dense blacks in the lowlights and while this undoubtedly helps contribute to the production of punchier images overall, it does occasionally mean a minor loss of detail within shadowed areas.”
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DigitalCameraInfo
“The Nikon D5000 posted the best image noise performance in our test group, scored very high in our long exposure testing (which combines image noise and color accuracy measurements at shutter speeds from 1 to 30 seconds) and dynamic range. We also found that turning up the high-ISO image noise reduction settings didn’t cause a huge loss of fine detail. We did run into problems with our resolution testing, though. The kit lens handled distortion well, but image sharpness was sub-par (though, it should be noted, not as bad as the Canon T1i).”

DPReview
“More importantly, the underlying features are well done, so that it’s easy to get good picture out of – the autofocus is pretty sophisticated, reliable and easy-to-use and in difficult-to-meter situations, the camera’s exposure errs on the side of underexposure, to prevent detail being lost. Overall it’s a very good camera that’s up against some very good competition – whether it lands any knock-out blows is really down to how well it fits in your hand and how well its feature set suits your needs.”
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InfoSync
“The Nikon D5000 cranked out the best image performance in its class, and we can safely deliver this news after putting a good flogging to the Pentax K2000, Canon Eos 500D and Olympus E-620. We strained to find any faults with the D5000’s showing, but came up short, which is a very good thing.”
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Dxomark (As compared to the Canon EOS 500D/Rebel T1i )
“The Nikon D5000 sensor obtains exceptional results for low ISO settings and outperforms the Canon EOS 500D sensor in Dynamic Range and Color Depth. When ISO increases, however, the differences become smaller, but the Nikon D5000 still maintains a slight advantage.”

B&H
“The folks at Nikon also threw in a few features not found on the D90 including an Airflow Control System designed to work in tandem with the camera’s dust-reduction system to prevent dust from lodging onto the imaging sensor; Subject Tracking to further enhance the D5000’s 11-point AF system; and an industry first in APS-format DSLRs, an articulated LCD to make shooting at extreme angles easier. The D5000 can also fire off continuous bursts of up to 63 JPEGs (or 11 RAW) versus 25 JPEGs (or 7 RAW) for the D90.”

LetsGoDigital
“In general, we are very pleased with the Nikon D5000. This kind of DSLR camera, aiming at a wide target group, shows that quality and an appealing suggested retail price can go hand in hand. The potential D90 buyer will possibly get confused trying to make a choice, however, if you compare specifications and if you know what your requirements are, you will make your choice of the right model effortlessly.”
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Review Video @ ShinyMedia

Camera Labs
“It’s not all good news of course: the D5000 is relatively large and heavy for an entry-level model, its viewfinder a tad smaller than the competition, the screen’s hinge position reduces flexibility when mounted on a tripod, the movie mode (like all DSLRs with the facility) has a number of operational caveats, the user interface can be slow for experienced users, and Nikon continues to sell its RAW conversion and remote control software as optional extras.”

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T3
“Just like on the D90, this camera will take brilliant photos under most conditions: The light meter is fab and will help you out of even the trickiest lighting situations. Shoot in RAW mode, and you get photos with glorious dynamic range, enabling you to ’save’ shots in post-processing, even if they are slightly mis-exposed.”
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PCMag
“As mentioned above, the D5000 can produce fantastic-looking HD video—1,280 by 720 pixels (progressive) at 24 frames per second, aka 720p24—but operating the camera in video mode can be tricky. It can’t lock onto a subject and keep it in focus, so if you want to refocus you have to switch the lens to manual focus mode and turn the focus ring by hand.”

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Camera Labs D5000 Video as compared to the Canon 500D / T1i
“Both videos were filmed handheld from the same position using the respective kit lenses zoomed-out; the Canon shows a slightly tighter view due to its slightly larger field-reduction factor. First-up, the Canon EOS 500D / Rebel T1i.”

PCWorld
“In the PC World Test Center’s evaluation of image quality, the D5000’s photos looked a bit dark and muddied at automatic settings, but improved at manual settings. In my casual shooting outdoors, the manual settings were more consistent, but the Program mode setting often overexposed my images.”
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ISO comparisons to the Canon Rebel T1i/500D @ PhotographyBay
“In light of these sample images, particularly the available light shots at the dinner table, I could see either of these cameras opening up new opportunities for capturing usable snapshots that were either not possible before, or ran the risk of being wasted by harsh direct flash from point and shoot cameras. I would have no problem printing 4×6 and 5×7 family and other casual snapshots all the way up to ISO 6400. And seeing how these are consumer-oriented DSLRs, I would expect many of the prints made from these cameras to be smaller rather than larger.”

CNET
“As long as you don’t get as hung up as I did on its operational quirks or have high expectations of shooting video, there’s plenty to like about the Nikon D5000–especially if you’re most interested in its core aptitudes of a wealth of features, speedy shooting, and high-quality photographs for the money.”
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DigitalCameraReview
“In the end, the biggest complaint I have with the D5000 isn’t related to performance or features – it’s all a matter of positioning. The D5000 should be a direct (though slightly improved) replacement for the D60, but in reality it fits better in the Nikon line up between the D60 and the D90. If the D5000 was $100 cheaper I’d have an easier time accepting it as a replacement for the D60. As it stands now, the D5000 is a great camera that isn’t quite sure if it’s an entry-level camera or a “prosumer” camera.”

TechRadar
“All in all, the Nikon D5000 is a well thought-out DSLR with something for everyone. Its 720p video recording mode is not as versatile as that of the Canon EOS 500D, but the addition of extra features, like the innovative Scene Recognition System and articulated LCD screen are enough to make the Nikon D5000 a very desirable camera.”
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DigitalRev Video Review

PhotoReview
“Imatest showed resolution to be up to expectations for a 12-megapixel camera – but only for NEF.RAW images (which were converted to TIFF format in Nikon View NX software). JPEG image files recorded resolution levels slightly below expectations in our Imatest tests. The default conversion settings in Nikon View NX emphasised the slight colour shifts in skin hues we found in JPEG files.”
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Engadget (As compared to the Nikon D90)
“Would we recommend this over the D60? Without question. Essentially, you’re getting a D90 sensor wrapped in a less sturdy / professional body for a few Benjamins less than Nikon’s first DSLR to shoot HD video — a fair compromise, if you ask us. Would we recommend this instead of the D90? Depends on your needs. If you’re just looking to snap a few good shots of your kid playing baseball, the D5000 will do your memories proud enough; if you’re hoping to make a few bones from shooting portraits and the like, you’ll appreciate the D90’s rigidity, top-mounted LCD, higher resolution LCD monitor and far superior kit lens (if you go the kit route).”

GoodGearGuide
“The Nikon D5000 is one of the most impressive digital SLR cameras on the market. Not only can it be used as a fully fledged D-SLR with manual settings, but it can shoot movies and also be used in a similar way to an advanced compact or a point-and-shoot camera. Its user-friendly features and built-in hints make it a very easy model to use, and it’s also not a big camera, so it won’t be too hard to carry on outdoor adventures and overseas trips.”
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Hands-on preview video by WDC

Hands-on preview video by MegaWhatTV

Hands-on preview video by ShinyMedia

ePhotozine (First Look Preview)
“My only concern with this camera is that there’s little that appears to be new in it. It’s the same sensor as the D300 and D90, same processor, same video system as the D90 and this makes me wonder whether costs have been cut to ensure company longevity.”

LetsGoDigital (Hands-On Preview)
“The Nikon D5000 digital SLR camera also offers more possibilities when it comes to image editing. The famous D-Lighting of Nikon already offered beautiful solutions, but with the integrated Picture Control System, Retouch menu and built-in filters, digital photography becomes even more creative, even without having to use a computer. The Nikon D5000 is a full DSLR for the amateur, and when looking at the specifications, it will be interesting to see how the competitors react to this introduction.”

DPReview (Hands-On Preview)
“So here we have a camera that genuinely seems to sit above the D60 (rather than continuing in parallel until the stock runs out), and below the D90. Like the baby Nikons, the D5000 doesn’t have an autofocus motor built into the body but does gain a tilt-and-swivel LCD.”

PhotographyBlog (Hands-On Preview)
“There are a few downsides which may put off the consumer/family audience that the D5000 is mainly targeted at. These include the high price tag, which is certainly competitive with the Canon EOS 500D / Rebel Ti1, but still a serious investment for the casual user. The lack of a dedicated video button is a strange omission on a supposedly family-friendly camera, as is the continued absence of autofocus during movie recording, and the video quality is only 720p.”