The D5000 is the latest in a long line of impressive DSLRs from Nikon, delivering great image quality and a powerful feature-set that represents a significant upgrade over its predecessor, the D60.

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  Great image quality with low noise., Fully-articulated screen with Live View., 720p HD movie mode., 11-point AF and viewfinder guides.

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  No AF motor for older lenses., UI slow for experienced owners., Relatively small optical viewfinder., Screen hinged at bottom, not side.

There’s no doubting the abilities of this camera to produce stunning still images ? and moving images ? but it does sit against some tough competitors, including some of Nikon’s own models.

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  Vari-angle screen, build and picture quality

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  Screen resolution, lack of high ISO, price point

The D5000 takes the D3000's ease of use and sprinkles in some of the D90's more advanced features to create a user-friendly but surprisingly sophisticated photography tool. It may not be that pretty, but it handles well and produces reliably good results without the need for much user intervention,...

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  Excellent image quality, Good tonal response and dynamic range, Very impressive high ISO performance, Easy-to-use control system, Feels very fast and responsive in use, Twist and swivel screen useful for certain shooting types, Useful in-camera RAW processing option, Good viewfinder for class with...

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  Control system rather dependant on multiple button presses, Contrast detect AF so slow it's useless for most types of photography (which is often the case on DSLRs), No built-in AF motor restricts lens choice (though most popular lenses do work), Default JPEG output soft (shoot RAW for best...

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.

Though its awesome D90 was the first DSLR to leap into HD video, Nikon took a jump backward with this model. Freshly captured movies look like faded old film. And the inability to autofocus after recording starts nearly guarantees that the clips — which aren’t too sharp anyway — will blur even more.

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  Swiveling screen. While video settings are minimal, aperture adjustment lets you control depth of field.

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  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.

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.

On the surface, the arrival of the D5000 was only a matter of time. According to figures released from Nikon, sales of the entry-level D40, D40X, and D60 cameras account for roughly 80 percent of all Nikon DSLR sales.

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  Good performance, HD video capability, Less expensive than D90

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  Video time limited, No AF for video, Expensive for entry-level

Nikon D5000 SLR camera for the amateur photographer The Nikon D5000 is an interesting digital SLR camera for novices and amateur photographers. This camera is the start of a new segment within Nikon's assortment.

The Good Swiveling LCD. Compact design; a good beginner/travel camera. Good image quality and ISO levels. Relatively fast 4FPS burst shooting. Inexpensive for HD video. The Bad A bit too small; buttons crowded and reduced. Dark viewfinder, no top-mounted LCD. HD video still exhibits "wobble.

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  Swiveling LCD., Compact design; a good beginner/travel camera., Good image quality and ISO levels., Relatively fast 4FPS burst shooting., Inexpensive for HD video.

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  A bit too small; buttons crowded and reduced., Dark viewfinder, no top-mounted LCD., HD video still exhibits "wobble.", Reduced options for remote flashes.

This full-featured D-SLR is small (approximately 5x4x3”) and weighs next to nothing (about 1 lb, 4 oz) sans lens.

Didn't get to use it much because it never focused 100%. Real clear on objects in the background, but couldn't get my actual subjects in focus. Had to purchase a different d5000 (hasn't arrived yet), due to too high a cost for it to be fixed by pro camera dealer.

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  Easy To Use, Tilt /Swivel LCD

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  Lag / Shutter Delay, Poor Image Quality, Small LCD Screen

it's an unattractive camera, top heavy looking, like it just got out if bed. But the handling is as easy as my old D40, with the internals if a D90 and D300s. This one has slipped under the radar for most, but so glad, a new 5100 body in UK is $ 464 but ask, is there a $240 difference between a used...

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  Price in 2013 is a steal

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  No major software step up from D40

THIS IS A GREAT CAMERA FOR SOMEONE WHO WANT'S TO MOVE UP FROM POINT AND SHOOT. MINE CAME WITH 55 - 200MM LENS, YOU WANT TO PURCHASE SOMETHING IN THE 18-55MM FOR EVERY DAY USE. THAT'S MY NEXT PURCHASE.

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  MANY FEATURES, EASY TO SHOOT GREAT PHOTOS FOR EVEN THE LEAST EXPERIENCED PERSON, FEELS COMFORTABLE EVEN WHEN SHOOTING WITHOUT TRIPOD. LOVE THE SCENE SELECTION FOR WHEN YOU ARE IN A HURRY. DID SOME GREAT SUNSET SHOTS AFTER A RAIN STORM WITH BACKLITED FOREGROUND.

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  NONE. CAMERA IS REFURBISHED BUT LOOKS BRAND NEW ALONG WITH THE LENS. ALL THE EXTRA ITEMS WERE IN THIER OWM PACKAGES.

This camera is awesome it takes great pictures of my family i would reccomended it to anyone who likes clear pictures even at night this camera takes pictures clearly and not blury

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  Easy To Use

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  Poor In Low Light

This is a review from a total amateur for other amateurs. To be honest, when I decided to buy a camera, I asked my friends who were into photography and when they explained to me all the technical stuff with those unfamiliar terms to me, I realized those were …

This camera has been a dream of mine to own. it shoots great photos... have not used the video feature yet ... I know others have commented about the poor audio with the video feature ... but I am not interested in the audio.