This article was last updated 13 February 2012
As an entry-level DSLR, the Nikon D5000 offers several features that rank it higher than most cameras its level and price range. Its package stands between an entry-level DSLR like the D60, yet it has most of the technical improvements of the more advanced D90. What sets it apart from most cameras in its range is the ability to record HD videos and the tilting and swiveling 2.7 LCD screen, which offers more room for creative shots and compositions. Its ISO settings ranges from 200 to 3200 and 12.9 megapixels CMOS sensor, the same one found in the Nikon D90.
Although it’s still smaller and lighter than the D90, the Nikon D5000 is built slightly larger than the D40 and D60, mainly to make room for the new swiveling LCD screen. The layout of the button controls is similar to its closest predecessor, the D60, however, there are no buttons for WB and ISO, and these options can be adjusted in the menu. The camera’s EN-EL9a lithium-ion battery can last up to 510 shots on the average, which is more than the D60 but fairly less than the EN-EL3e battery of D90. The built in flash is also similar to the D60 and the D90, and the Nikon 3D matrix metering creates accurate flash exposures.
Like other entry level Nikon DSLRs, the Nikon D5000 has no built-in autofocus motor so it cannot autofocus non AF-S lenses. It’s still possible to use them with manual focus, although this can be tiresome for some photographers. Like the D90, it uses the Multi-CAM1000 AF module with 11 AF points, which is a notch higher than Multi-CAM530AF of the D60. It works best in bright lighting conditions, although it has some difficulty and works slower in dimmer lights. However, the autofocus in Live view mode is limited to contrast-detect and there’s no phase-detect in AF with the live view. However, the live view resolution tends to lose some detail and clarity upon closer magnification.
An improvement from the D60 is Nikon D5000’s Active D-Lighting feature, which automatically adjusts shadows to prevent overexposed highlights. Since it uses the same sensor with the D90, it produces quality images in terms of sharpness, color and white balance, although the sample images shot in incandescent light came out a little warm. The Nikon D5000 has 420-pixel RGB 3D Color Matrix Metering II with Scene Recognition System, which gives an almost perfect exposure. The meter of the Nikon D5000 is one of the most accurate in its range, almost on the same level with the D90 and D300. Other options for the picture control besides the D-lighting is Retouch Menu, trim, monochrome, and red-eye correction to name a few. With Nikon D5000’s 18-55mm kit lens, there’s additional image stabilization with the help of the vibration reduction or VR.
When it comes to noise performance, the Nikon D5000 produced excellent results comparable to the D90. Even at higher ISO 1600 and bad lighting conditions, there is minimal appearance of luminance noise and the details remained intact. From ISO 200 to 1600, images are still very usable. Even those pictures taken at the maximum ISO 3200 are still usable, as long as they’re not underexposed.
The video quality of the Nikon D5000 is also remarkably better than typical point-and-shoot cameras, in terms of details, color and smoothness. It captures video resolutions that start at 320x216, 640x424 to 1280x720 at 24 fps and includes an HDMI output so it can be connected straight to an HD TV. Even though recording can only be done while on Live View, it’s still considered an advantage to shoot with the Nikon D5000 since lenses can be changed so users can shoot at wider angles or prime lenses even at low light.
The major downside to Nikon D5000’s video recording feature is that there’s no autofocus option while shooting. Users will have to autofocus before recording the video, so there are chances that the shot will go out of focus when the distance of the subject changes. Users can still go with manual focus, although this might not be a comfortable idea to everyone, especially for casual photographers. Another downside is the sound quality, and there’s no option to attach an external audio for video. The Nikon D5000 also tends to produce a rolling shutter effect, which happens when vertical objects appear to be slightly tilted and distorted during a panning shot. For those who want better quality in both sound and video, it’s still recommended to buy a dedicated video camera.
The Nikon D5000 also has a great user-interface design and an organized, auto-rotating LCD display during live view. Other notable features include good shutter response, GPS geotagging, and a fast playback display and playback zoom. It has a RAW+JPEG mode and its maximum frame rate is better than other entry-level DSLRs. Although it’s slightly larger and more expensive than its counterparts, the more technically advanced Nikon D5000 is still one of the best DSLR options in its weight, size and level. I hope you enjoyed this Nikon D5000 review.