Nikon's newest entry-level DSLR -- the
D5000 -- has been out and about for just over a month now, which means it's just about time that we checked in with the early adoption crowd to see what kind of vibes are emanating. As Nikon's first
DSLR with an articulating display, this one drew all sorts of attention for its unorthodox design. During
our time with it, we found the display to be more of a gimmick than an aid in most scenarios, but we're interested to see if you agree / disagree. Has the D5000 lived up to your dreams? Are you stoked on the image quality? Have any quirks kept you up at night? Spill it all in comments below, we're all friends here.
posted Jun 5th 2009 11:51PM
1080p movie mode. Oh wait, the Rebel T1i has that! Shame on Nikon.
At the industry stand 20fps... wait
I meant standard. At any rate, iKurt sucks
iKurt is a troll. I have doubts that he even owns the Canon 5D he claims to.
his brother has a t1i, he drools over high end slrs, like the sony a900 and nikon d3x
It's funny who actually post on these "how would you change" threads. It's not even users of the products that post on these threads but instead the haters.
For example "iKurt 5D"
I say this b/c maybe I am a real photographer who actually knows camera and know neither brand is better than the other. Heck I even bought a Sony, new to the field, and still love it. Oooooor iKurt does not even own a camera.
idiot
Maybe you is, maybe you ain't...
I'm a 5d Mark II owner and I could careless. Just use what you have and go with it. Unless you're insecure about Nikon of course......which then, you should probably check your photography skills.
Add an extra jog wheel on the front side of the grip
no jelly video
Turn it into a D90.
/ziiiiiiiiiiing
Change the way the screen swivels to be more like Canon G5. Also, they could make a D90 model that had all the features of a D90 but with a swivel screen, call it a D95!
But since there isn't anything major besides movie mode to make you spend more money for it than the D60, could also make a D60 swivel screen and call it a D65 and throw in the movie mode.
or they could call it the D9500! why, you ask?
because IT'S OVER 9000!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I own a Canon T1i/500D, but it was a hard choice. I have a Nikon FM2 for film that I love, after all.
I agree the siwel screen should be side mounted like everyone else. I wish my Canon that the rotating screen. While taking casually taking pictures of food and products, you really want to try all angles. It is also a pain to bend down to get the right perspects when I could just have rotated the screen to the right angle. All in all, I find a rotating screen quite handy, allowing me to take creative photos.
The main reasons I skipped out on the 5000D is the menu setup. All the options are in the menu and take a thousand button presses, just like in a P&S, even basic ones like WB and ISO. Also, the lack of autofocusing drive is a pain, because I'd love to share autofocus primes between my DSLR and film FM2 (even if it won't AF on the FM2).
Also, check the review sites - the kit lens for the D5000 sucks. The Canon 17-55 IS isn't bad for a kit at all, very usable. I know Nikon suggusted getting a 17-200mm lens; my view is no thanks. I don't need the tele and I like my primes. Though I am seriously jealous of the Olympus f2.8 normal zooms. Niether Canon or Nikon has a good, fast normal zoom under $1000; the Tamron 17-55 f2.8 is sharp alright but loud and lacks IS.
Really, if I wanted a Nikon I really need the D90. But its significantly bulkier than the D5000, which is already slightly bulkier than the T1i. Really a shame, since the D5000 is slightly better than the T1i
*sorry, did not proofread. Should have been:
"Engadget recommended a 17-200mm..."
and
... D5000 seems slightly better in image quality. Actually, I think the D5000 is a leap beyond the D60 in photo quality - the D60 sure can't do ISO 3200 well IIRC
"Also, check the review sites - the kit lens for the D5000 sucks"
That couldn't be any further from the truth. The 18-55 is absolutely fantastic optically, and certainly better than the Canon equivalent. In general, Nikon makes sharper consumer zooms than Canon, and the 18-55 is the sharpest of them all.
http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/18-55-ii.htm
Err, no. The Nikon kitlens sucks just like the canon kitlens.
http://www.dpreview.com/lensreviews/
No the kit lenses are ok but when you combine the powers of the Kit lens with the powers of the 5000 in LV mode you get.... POOP!
The lens is ok man. For the average smuck it gets the job done. I just wish that the lens wouldnt make the 5000 take 3-5 seconds to focus corectly in LV mode.
"Err, no. The Nikon kitlens sucks just like the canon kitlens."
Spoken by somebody who's never used it, I'm sure.
dpreview sucks for lens reviews, and nobody except you actually read that review.
... except that Rockwell heeps praise on the Canon 17-55mm IS as well. I generally read SLRGear.com and Photozone.de; comparing this:
http://www.slrgear.com/reviews/showproduct.php/product/1114/cat/11 Canon 17-55mm IS
http://www.slrgear.com/reviews/showproduct.php/product/1154/cat/13 Nikon 18-55mm VR DX
If you look at the graphs, you can immediately see that the Nikon kit has corner sharpness problems at 17mm f3.5, problems that the Canon doesn't have.
Of course, niether are "great" lenses, and obviously both companies have their classics. But calling either one "shit" is probably going too far, on the second thought. The lens doesn't make the image, after all, and these are hardly Holgas.
"But calling either one "shit" is probably going too far, on the second thought. The lens doesn't make the image, after all, and these are hardly Holgas."
Totally agree. The cheap consumer zooms these days are capable of producing spectacular images in the right hands, and anybody who calls them shit doesn't know the first thing about taking a good photo.
articulated screen has to go or atleast be made more useful, the fact that the "arm" comes out from the bottom takes away any usefulness it could've had. besides that get rid of the jello effect(but that's also aimed at canon)
Actually, I prefer the arm at the bottom ;-)
Before I bought my D90, I had a Fuji S9500 with a vertically-swiveling screen.
It was ideal for concerts (lift the camera above the crowd) and wide-angle shots from inside a corner (can't seen the screen otherwise).
I keep a keen eye out forwhat photographers take with them and the ones with battery grips usually have it attached to their 'portrait' camera, not their 'long-range' camera.
Just keep this one around for 'trick shots' and you won't even need a battery pack.
The big problem I have with the bottom-swivel screen is that if you want to have the camera on a tripod and be able to see the screen from the front (for self-portraits, etc), it's useless! By flipping down, your tripod would block the LCD from view.
A swivel screen that allows for a battery grip. Ideally just a tilt screen like the new Sony A380. Other than that any other changes I'd want is why I bough a D90 instead of the D5000.
needs more cowbell . . and . .wait for it . . a palm pre! nah just kiddin but noone had mentioned it
No... no, they didn't.
I'd give one to me.
Higher resolution LCD like the rebel T1i (500D)
AF motor.
There's a reason why this camera doesn't have an AF body motor: Nikon saves that technology for its higher cameras (D90, D300, D700, D3, D3x) because the users of these cameras are more likely to have old AF lenses that need the body motor than someone buying a D40, D40x, D60, or D5000.
That said, I wouldn't mind if they created an attachment of some kind that would allow for those older lenses to focus properly.
Yes, but the Canon T1i DOES have an internal auto focus motor at a comparable price. Why can't Nikon do the same?
Tsen: No Canon body that I know of has a motor for autofocus - EF and EF-S lenses have the motor integrated in the lens, like Nikon's AF-S lens lineup.
However, there is a variation between lenses - cheaper ones use louder and slower motors of some traitional type, which newer and more expensive lenses have USM (ultra-sonic motor) technology (like the S in Nikon's AF-S, which notes SWM, or "Silent Wave Motor") which allows the lens to focus faster and more quietly.
I think if they hit the $899 (CAD) price point ($100 less than current) on release it would be a much better seller. Currently they have a large gap from the D60 ~$550 to the D5000 which is almost double the price. It should really bridge the gap a little better. Other than that I think it's a fantastic camera for what the average user requires, although I wish the video mode looked a little better (no jelly).
I'd put a top panel LCD on it like the D90.
Give it hackable firmware.
You mean make it easy to hack? Wouldn't that take the fun out of it?
Make the video mode not so shitty by giving it the impossible:
- The ability to dismantle the Fed
- 4K FF unlimited record time.
- Selectable shutter angles/speeds.
- 4:4:4 sampling w/ optional Proress 4:2:2 HQ recording
- None of this h.264/AVCHD non-sense these DSLR makers are pushing (actually, just none of this 4:2:0 long-GOP garbage [excluding XDCAM EX])
- Liquid-cooled sensor
- Dual XLR inputs on the bottom
- 24.5MP stills
- X-Ray
The swivel screen's resolution is not good enough.
If that were better, I'd purchase this camera in a heartbeat, but with the 18-105mm lens instead.
FIrst of all, I'm surprised no one has mentioned the ability to zoom while taking video. Seems like that would nearly make it unusable.
This may be a problem with the way it was billed and have nothing to do with Nikon but in David Pouge's NYT review Pouge touted it as a small DSLR, I guess it's small compared to the D90, but has anyone seen Olympus's four thirds cameras (like my e420), or Panasonic's micro four thirds? They make this think look seriously cumbersome.
But for what it's supposed to be, it's a great DSLR. It'll be difficult to beat the PQ at the price point. Even though the video seems like an afterthought, it's better to have marginally useful 720p than tiny unuseful video (like most Nikons).
On a completely different note, I agree with Ypo about Olympus's 25mm f2.8 pancake lens. It's my favorite lens that I've ever used. It makes my e420 the size of a point and shoot and with f2.8 for a kit! Nikon will have to push harder if it wants a chunk of the bridge market from the high end.
What are you talking about? You can zoom while shooting video! Check it...http://vimeo.com/5051159
Canon or Nikon are the only 2 brands to consider...EVER!
----------^^^ "Canon or Nikon are the only 2 brands to consider...EVER!"
Fanboi-tard! You consider ALL options. Just because Olympus or Pentax or whomever isn't worth considering in your (uninformed) opinion doesn't mean it is for everyone.
Less Ashton Kutcher.
Rolling shutter. It's a nightmare. Do not buy this camera to make movies. (Same goes for D90 too)
Smaller body, better design of the controls.
Not make it suck... ie. don't make it a Nikon!
Just kidding, I haven't even seen this thing in the stores yet!
I ended up buying a T1i, but anyone who tells you the Rebels are built better than the Nikons are lying to you. I had a D60 for a short while, and I miss the build quality and ergonomics of Nikons. But as my GF bought me a T1i (not knwing I bought a D60) plus two buddies with Canons (So we can share lenses, one is a wedding pro so a long list of L lenses) I stuck with the Canon, which is a nice kit.
The only thing about the NIkon I would improve would be better video functions, and the weight. I like the D60 for size, and weight was nice. The D5000 just goes too far.
But the Nikons blow away the Rebels for noise on highe ISO's from the reviews put out so far.
after spending about 2 hours in the store testing out both the canon t1i and the nikon d5000, i ended up with the t1i. there was something about the menu system on the nikon that didnt feel as intuitive to me as the t1i did. also, even though the t1i doesnt have a swiveling screen as the nikon does, the resolution on the canon is very high, about twice that of the d5000. every thing else was easily comparible. 12mp vs 15mp, 720p vs 1080p. but very similar quality for both nikon and canon. the sales person swears by nikon, but this time around she couldnt help but sway me in the direction of the canon t1i. really, at the end of the day, it's a matter of brand choice, since both are very similar, save a few differences like resolution for stills and hd movies. so, i guess what i'm saying is, boost the tech specs to make it more like the t1i :)
I actually got my D5000 last week.
I must say that it's an amazing camera!
The only thing i hate about it is the lack of an AF motor inside the camera...
People who complain about autofocus while shooting video should just try the camera... it's not that big of a deal...
I love mine. Wouldn't change a thing. New lens is a *must* - I bought the Nikkor 18-200mm and its fantastic. I shot photos at a political rally two weeks ago and the swivel screen was invaluable. Couldn't have done the work I did without it. This is my first ever dSLR so have I no bias against AF lenses and no money invested in lenses without AF.
I give it a 10.
My wife just bought one for some side jobs, to replace her D50. She has the VR lens, but she is using the nikkor 18-200 that I bought for her for Christmas (and I wear the ugly ties she gave to me).
I did some test footage of the video capability of the D5000 vs. the HMC150 from Panasonic (prosumer camcorder), and the results are not surprising. The D5000 can't handle fast movement until there are manual settings available for it, however, the simple ability to handle any nikon lens over such a huge image sensor (compared to most any camcorder), makes the future really bright for video creators.
I think that the D5000 is interesting because you really have to make a conscious decision between it and the D90, and you have to actually be there and hold both in order to do so. For the money, for the size, and for the convenience of having that swivel-out viewfinder, my wife took the D5000. So, the frame isn't metal - so what? She's never going to use a heavy lens, and she doesn't do anything adventurous, so it is perfect for her.
To answer the question of what they could do to make it better, as far as a still image camera, I honestly don't know. That's not my background, but compared to the D50, or my coworker's Canon Digital Rebel from a few years back, the images are far better and extremely easier to take. The low-light abilities without using a flash are amazing - I mean, really amazing. Just the other day, somebody was showing me the low-lighting shots they took with their D700, and then my wife bought the D5000, and I'm serious - it was taking comparable (to me) shots.
In all, the D5000 could use a metal frame, but I think that it is not necessary for the target consumer. Also, I was a little upset to find that the RAW images were not supported on her mac, but the patch came out yesterday (hooray). Maybe, since it is in every other consumer-end phone and camera, it would be good to have GPS built-in. It is schticky, and not really that useful, but I think it is neat in iphoto. Anyway, that's my 2c. Great camera, and not much more to ask for as of June 2009.
entry level hahhaahah........ canon t1i doesnt even get 24 fps.......... unless
It needs a display on the top.
The screen needs to hinge from the side instead of the bottom, so you can use it with the camera on a tripod.
Make it cost $350 so that I can afford it :)
Bigger viewfinder.
LOVE the camera.... Just wish CANON made it. Won't buy another Nikon EVER!.
Nikon support/repair has screwed me over 3 times.... Save yourself the trouble!
* High resolution LCD like the D90
* Swivel at the side instead of the bottom like most other cameras (Its a crazy idea to have it at the bottom)
* Manual focus for videos
You guys help me decide. My wife's graduating from college and wants an SLR. She doesn't know much about photography right now, but we're enrolling her in a class. She wants to take photos of landscapes. I know she'll be using it for birthday parties and other kid stuff, so I know low light and IS are very important. She'll probably never be taking fancy Macro shots. I don't see her really using the articulating screen much at all. SO, I'm currently looking at the D5000 vs the T1i. (with kit lens)
What do you guys like best?
Should I be considering the sony 350? Oly E-620? Other?
Thanks
Indoor Photos
---------------------------
Personally I'd invest in a flash unit (regardless of any unit you get)...onboard flash is crap for indoor shots, IMO. Bounce flash is great for natural-looking shots.
* SB-400/ SB-600 for Nikon.
* FL-36R / FL-50R for Olympus (both wireless capable)
and/or cheap Metz units like the 48 AF-1 (get the Olympus version) that can do wireless.
Wireless Flash
------------------------
Olympus have the edge here because their cam bodies let you use their flashes wirelessly with their entry cams, controlling output from various flash units from the LCD. Nikon you have to buy the D90 or higher to act as wireless controller (or alternatively buy the SB-900 or SU-800 remote commander plus any additional flash units you want to control off-camera). Expensive. Wireless flash is cool if she wants to get more creative lighting indoors and strobist-type portraits. If she doesn't, ignore what I said.
I like the in-body stabilisation of Olympus, meaning every lens is stabilised, but Nikon's in-lens has its benefits, too. Olympus kit lenses are second to none.
I'm generally not a fan of Canon's entry-level stuff (their higher-end is nice), so excuse the ignorance and non-recommendations. If you decide between the Canon and Nikon, I'd be personally spending on the Nikon. I use both Nikon and Olympus and have not been a fan of Canon's more smeared look with their entry-levels...their kit lenses have traditionally been throwaways, too (but I understand they are improving).
Comparisons
----------------------------
A good comparison of all these three can be found here (in Spanish):
http://www.quesabesde.com/noticias/canon-eos-500d-nikon-d5000-olympus-e-620-comparativa,1_5248
(the T1i is known as the D500 in some markets)
Download the full-size samples (and view them full size 1:1) and see that Olympus suffers in shadow detail but has great lenses when the light is half-decent. Canon's performance I felt to be the most lacking overall (whether that is lens and/or processing), though both are better than Olympus in lower light and/or high ISO.
My opinion
----------------
* I think nothing beats Nikon at the entry-level for low noise / ISO performance and decent AF.
* I think nothing beats Olympus for kit lens performance, enthusiast ergonomics and features (including depth of field preview, best anti-dust, direct-button access, mirror lock-up, anti-shock, etc), cam size and JPEG quality at the entry level. Olympus is not the low-light / high ISO beast of your dreams; its big weakness. Quality and consistency of its lenses are its strength.
I use both for the best of both worlds.
But ultimately it's up to you. There really is no perfect cam, just the perfect compromise for your dollar and your needs.
Good luck!
If in your price range. I think you should buy a D90 w/ kit (~$1300). If your main concern is low light and IS, it's got both covered along with having a much more decent range 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6 lens. The from my experience and photo reviews the Nikon slightly performs better than Canon, even the 40D, at High ISO settings. Sony, Oly, Pentax are very good cameras but they don't even come close to Nikon and Canon in high ISO performance. I've shot completely usable pics at ISO 1600 and for web/small prints even 3200 is great. High ISO is great for indoor and night photography without use of a flash and the IS on the 18-105mm helps a lot with slower shutter speeds. IMO the build quality of the D90, even though a not magnesium body, is in a completely different ballpark than the T1i. It just feels so much more stable and comfortable in my hands. I like the heft, though she may not. Best for her to go to a store and just play with the cameras to see what she likes the best. The D90 has much more "pro" features and IMO makes for a much better experience.
You may think now that the swivel won't be of much use, but trust me, she'll come to love it. The D5000 and T1i are great cameras. In my opinion the D90 is well worth the upgrade if you can afford it. The kit lens performs very well and has so much more usability than the 18-55mm kits on the hobbyist end of the camera lines. And yes, the Nikon's menu system may seem overwhelming and tedious at first, but it's fantastic and the customization it allows is far more than Cannon. Ken Rockwell has a great article on his website, http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d90/users-guide/index.htm the "My Menu" is great. Also the D90 has in-camera retouching, I believe the D5000 does also, not sure about Canon.
Yes, the T1i is 15 megapixels. Yes, the T1i shoots 1080p. But... the 12.3 megapixel sensor in the D90 (I believe the D5000 would have the same) performs better in the low light you say is very important. Honestly you won't be able to tell the difference unless you have both and compare shots side by side, but I doubt you'll ever need to print a 15 megapixel photo either. And the 1080p is a completely useless marketing gimmick, but the Canon can shoot 720p much longer (Nikon is 5mins at 720p).
I hope this helps.
1) give it the kit lenses of the quality of the Olympus E-520/ E-620 (though the 18-55 is not bad, really)
2) give it the Pixel Mapping feature Olympus cams have had for at least the past 5 years (fix hot / dead pixels without warranty service, which are a fact of life for all digital cams)
3) don't give it the high ISO performance of the Olympus cams :)
4) give it the size and fully articulating LCD of the E-620, though the one it has is not bad
5) give it the best anti-dust of the Olympus DSLRs, not the joke Nikon alleges it has
6) give it a far more sensible price. I think it's priced stratospherically now and it's only a matter of time...
7) give it direct buttons (a la E-520 / E-620) that allow you to avoid looking away from the finder to the LCD to change common shooting parameters. As it is now, it's very baby-ish, as Nikon has tended to be in their entry levels (along with others)
Yeah, you like Olympus. We get it.
The flip screen is going to be a great device for someone who might be using it for doing remote shooting. I have sevearl times wanted something so I didn't have to try and view the back display or look through the viewfinder.
You should be able to shoot videos for the length of the amount of space left on your SD card---NOT a damn 5 minute cap on the videos you shoot. That's the only thing I have really dis-liked about my purchase.
Give it a least a few features that the much lower price Olympus E-620 has:
1) Depth of field preview (620 has two modes Viewfinder & LiveView, D5000 none)
2) Side swivel articuated screen
3) Live Histrogram
4) Wireless flash control
5) Optional battery grip
6) WB and Exposure Compensation preview
@benny
Your wife doesn't know photography, but knows she wants a SLR? How is that?
Use the best camera you can borrow. When you outgrow it, get a slightly better camera.
The point is, a better camera won't make you a better photographer. Take the class. And, with the money you saved by NOT buying the latest and greatest "Look ma! I'm a real photographer now!" camera, you can go to the bookstore and read/buy books about photography, art, and creativity. Books and taking pictures will make you a photographer, cameras and internet forums will not.
I would like to have the following features in D5000:
1. An extra dial or buttons to have some more control, espacially for WB and ISO.
2. Pentaprism instead of Pentamirror.
3. A larger viewfinder.
4. Higher resulation LCD.
2, 3 and 4 effects what I see not the picture itself, so can be compromized. But more control
atleast for the basic things like WB and ISO are absolutely necessary.