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Compared to ordinary digital cameras with their LCDs and/or electronic viewfinders the advantage is that there is no time lag in the image; it is always correct as it is being “updated” at the speed of light. This is important for action and/or sports photography, or any other situation where the subject or the camera is moving too quickly.

In addition to that, D5000 allows the user to record videos at a resolution of 720p (HD).

My camera came with a whole package that was available as a deal at the time. So it came with:

• Camera body (Built-in Flash)
• Lenses (Nikkor AF-S 18-55mm and AF Zoom-Nikkor 70-300mm)
• USB cable, charger, Battery
• 4GB memory card
• Guide Book
• Software CD

I started experimenting with the different modes and scenes, and the more I played with it, the more I felt that it was the camera to have. I have been excessively taking photographs in the past with point-and-shoot digital cameras (much to the annoyance of the household) but nothing, nothing could prepare me for what Nikon D5000 had in store.

Consider a night, pitch black – you’re standing on the terrace of your house overlooking the street below. The only source of light is a street lamp that bathes the nearest house in an orangish light. The light is so dim, in fact, that your camera’s view finder is currently showing nothing but pitch black darkness. And then consider, this shot (taken of a flag fluttering in the breeze) from a Nikon D5000 (scene: candlelight).

Exactly! The best thing about this DSLR is how its different scene settings and modes can help the photographer take advantage of the little light available. I have found my camera adjusting in all kinds of lights – artificial and natural – providing me with results that I cherish to have on a memory card.

Apart from Auto, Auto (Flash Off) and the P, S, A, M modes, there are 19 auto-exposure scene modes namely:

1. Night Landscape (Reduce noise in night scapes)
2. Party/Indoor (Take full advantage of indoor lighting)
3. Beach/ Snow (Bright photography)
4. Sunset
5. Dusk/Dawn (Preserves weak light dawn or after sunset)
6. Pet Portrait
7. Candlelight (Make use of little light, candlelight)
8. Blossom (For fields of flowers, orchards)
9. Autumn Colours (For enhanced reds and yellows)
10. Food
11. Silhouette
12. High Key (Add light, brighten image)
13. Low Key (Enhance highlights in dark images)
14. Portrait (For soft, natural skin tones)
15. Landscape (Vivid landscapes in daylight)
16. Child (Clothing, background are vividly rendered)
17. Sports (For “freezing” motion)
18. Close Up (Close-up shots of minute details)
19. Night Portrait (For portraits in low light)

Nikon D5000 – No flash mode

Nikon D5000 – No flash mode

Nikon D5000 – Scene: Low Key

Nikon D5000 – No flash mode

Nikon D5000 – Scene: Indoor

Nikon D5000 – Scene: Silhouette

Nikon D5000 – Auto Mode: Children

Nikon D5000 – Scene: Dawn/Dusk

Nikon D5000 – Scene: High Key

Nikon D5000 – Scene: Dusk/Dawn

Some photography samples from Nikon’s website and other sources around the World Wide Web (Click the image for original link):

At the simple press of a button, you can also start recording video. Nikon D5000 provides three options: 1280 x 720 pixels, 640 x 424 pixels, and 320 x 216 pixels. See a sample here of a video shot with Nikon D5000 on YouTube

Other statistics:

Size and weight: Approx. 127 x 104 x 80 mm. and weighing 560g without battery, memory card or body cap.

Image Sensor: 23.6 x 15.8 mm CMOS sensor

Dust Reduction System: Image sensor cleaning, Image Dust Off reference data (optional Capture NX 2 software required)

Media: SD (Secure Digital) memory cards, SDHC-compliant

Frame Coverage: Approx. 95% horizontal and 95% vertical

Self-Timer: Can be selected from 2, 5, 10 or 20 seconds and from 1-9 shots

Nikon D5000 has a variety image file types available like RAW, FINE, Basic, Normal etc. and then further variations of these as well. A normal image goes up to 2MB maximum, while FINE can reach 7MB and RAW and its variations can reach file sizes of 14MB and above. It allows the user to capture large (4288 x 2848)*, medium (3216 x 2136)* and small (2144 x 1424)* images.

* All measures in pixels.

So, if this is the camera you want, you can purchase it here at Nikon’s official website.

References: Nikon D5000 at Nikon Website, Wikipedia article on DSLRs