Plain English review of Nikon D5000

NeilL

http://www.goodgearguide.com.au/review/digital_cameras/nikon/d5000/300787

I notice at one spot they compare this and the Olympus E620. That registered with me. I think with this camera Nikon has its sights not only on the Canon XSi, as has been said elsewhere in this forum, but also the Olly and perhaps more so. All these cameras unarguably have a respectable place in the DSLR lines and with their small size, feature sets and gimmicks are designed to entice a sizable proportion of the vast population of digital snappers beyond their compacts. Note: prices are AU$

Personally I doubt how broad the appeal of this incarnation of DSLR (the 'tween' DSLR) will be in the long run. I think lens-changing will never have much appeal to the shooting masses. The power, finesse and unfussiness of compacts like the Canon G series will have that market for breakfast in the future.

kpmedia

I'm of the opinion that most of these cameras are geared towards dainty petite ladies and children only. Normal-size males hands are too large to operate these tiny devices with any kind of comfort.

Toshido

no the tweeners are more alike to the powershot S series. I started with the s1 then the s3.\

Large optical zoom, manual controls With the firmware hack shooting in RAW

This line if DSLRs are great for occasional users and basic amateurs looking at experimenting with SLR or looking for low inital entry price into this class camera.

Again such as me with the Rebel XT.

NeilL

kpmedia wrote:

I'm of the opinion that most of these cameras are geared towards dainty petite ladies and children only. Normal-size males hands are too large to operate these tiny devices with any kind of comfort.

Yes, true of many anglosaxon male hands in the (over?)developed West. But there are other male hands eg Japanese, Chinese which are on average maybe not so big, and there are more of 'em!

NeilL

Toshido wrote:

no the tweeners are more alike to the powershot S series. I started with the s1 then the s3.\

Large optical zoom, manual controls With the firmware hack shooting in RAW

This line if DSLRs are great for occasional users and basic amateurs looking at experimenting with SLR or looking for low inital entry price into this class camera.

Again such as me with the Rebel XT.

Yep, you are possibly right, I don't know that field of camera very detailed. Whatever, I think the tween DSLRs are a flash in the pan. I think the medium future is hybrid still-vid FF DSLRs, and nearly all that in compacts for the masses without lens changing but with restrictions of versatility, creativity and resolution (sensor size).

kirbinster

NeilL wrote:

Yep, you are possibly right, I don't know that field of camera very detailed. Whatever, I think the tween DSLRs are a flash in the pan. I think the medium future is hybrid still-vid FF DSLRs, and nearly all that in compacts for the masses without lens changing but with restrictions of versatility, creativity and resolution (sensor size).

Wow why is everyone attacking this poor camera. It sounds like a D40 on steroids, and I really miss my D40. I currently have a D80 and a D300 - but I could take very good pictures with the D40 and its light weight and small size were a big plus. I think I'm going to get one of these to have an extra body. The IQ should be much better than my D80 too!

Cygnus Studios

Doesn't the new D5000 suffer from the same lack of motor drive as the D40/60?

Tim Kamppinen

Cygnus Studios wrote:

Doesn't the new D5000 suffer from the same lack of motor drive as the D40/60?

Yes, which is unfortunate. I don't see why Nikon is so determined to make miniscule cameras. It's not like you can take a D5000 (or a D40 for that matter) and shove it in your pocket when you go out to the bar. I upgraded from a D40 to a D90 and the way I transport and use my camera hasn't changed at all, except that the D90 fits my hand much better and has better/more controls and a larger LCD, focusing motor, etc. I really don't understand how anyone could think that the D40/60/5000 is better because of the size. It's still a bulky rectangular chunk of plastic. If you want compact get a tiny point and shoot and really take it everywhere. If you want an SLR, choose based on features, price, whatever, but don't pretend that a camera being slightly smaller and lighter makes a big difference, because it just doesn't.

swintonphoto

Well I do have the E-620, I am a male, and I bought it instead of the E-3 in large part because of the compact size. I shoot professionally and have greatly appreciated the benefits of a compact camera when shooting a wedding for 8 straight hours. Put the battery grip on and it is the perfect size

kirbinster

Took this today with the D5000 I just picked up and my 18-200VR lens at ISO800:

Mav

kirbinster wrote:

Took this today with the D5000 I just picked up and my 18-200VR lens at ISO800:

That's a nice shot.

As a n00bie to SLRs, I went with the D90. I chose that one on the basis that I thought it would be a long time before I could justify two bodies and you can't really upgrade the body, just the lens. Besides, it's only money The point being, I agree that the tween market for DSLRs seems like one niche too many.

For the record, after only 3 months I do now want to buy a cheap body for when I go dirt biking so that I won't be crying when land on it and break it

cdub

kirbinster wrote:

Took this today with the D5000 I just picked up and my 18-200VR lens at ISO800:

aahhh, there's the problem right there: D5000 = uneven horizons.

I kid, I kid...

Entry DSLRs are too small for my hands too, though the 'pro-sumer' Nikon DSLRs - D300, D700 - are rather bulky too (at least the D700 is - a full pound heavier than Canon's 5DII).