Thread: Nikon D5000 Digital Camera

For the keen photographer, the leap from a prosumer model or compact to a fully-fledged SLR can be a daunting one. Thrown into the world of interchangeable lenses and manual controls, the learning curve can be steep, not to mention the price tag harder on the bank balance.

Nikon ventured into the world of the consumer-SLR a while ago and, with the likes of the D40 and D60, successfully proved it was possible to offer enthusiastic photographers the chance to work with a powerful and flexible SLR model without needing to necessarily take a course in photography to understand how to get the best results from it.



Placed in Nikon's marketing line to sit snugly somewhere between the D60, D90 and more recently the D3000, many have compared the D5000 - a 12.3-megapixel camera with HD video capability and vari-angle LCD - to Canon's EOS 500D, albeit significantly cheaper.

For those who have already built up a collection of Nikon lenses it's possible to purchase the Nikon D5000 as a body-only package, although there are some reasonable kit bundles on offer too. Nikon has always tended to come up trumps in respect of SLR body design and this ergonomical model is no different. Comfortable in the hand, the D5000 weighs a reasonable 560g (although of course this rises considerably once a lens is mounted) and feels robust.