Review The D3000 is the new entry-level DSLR from Nikon and it’s aimed at the complete beginner with high-performance ambitions. It replaces the best selling D60 and marks a much needed and anticipated upgrade. The basic kit includes an 18-55mm lens and comes in at £429, stirring up competition for its main rivals the Canon EOS 450D, the Sony A330 and the Olympus E520.
Flash kit: Nikon’s D3000
At 126 x 97 x 64mm and weighing 485g, the D3000 retains the design and overall build of the D60. While keeping the 10.2Mp DX-format CCD sensor of previous entry-level models, Nikon has also introduced some handy new features and raised the specs to match some of its higher-end models. A case in point is the inclusion of Nikon’s flagship EXPEED image processing technology and the very useful on-board auto sensor cleaning system.
Among the shooting options available is an intelligent Guide Mode. This is an ideal function for newcomers, this is substantially different from a typical auto exposure mode. By selecting Guide Mode, you access a menu that prompts you to make decisions on the image composition and then makes the right settings for the results you had in mind. Quicker than reading a manual, it offers a much simpler way for the novice to familiarise themselves with the Camera’s capabilities as well as time-honoured photographic techniques for pics just like a pro, sort of. Read the rest of this entry »
Review You’ve got to hand it to those marketing bods who are constantly on the lookout for a gap in the market. Not so long ago, digital SLRs were neatly divided into high-end/entry-level models, but now, consumer DSLRs come in a variety of specifications aimed at specific groups of users. Nikon’s D5000 is a good example. It’s described as an “upper entry level” DSLR, which means that it offers more than a budget DSLR, but just a little less than a mid-range model. So does the D5000 fill a gap or fall between two stools?
Nikon’s D5000 DSLR
Despite its model number, the D5000 sits firmly between Nikon’s D60 and D90 models, and Nikon clearly hopes that potential D60 buyers might be tempted to trade up to the D5000. However, the company also clearly desires that potential D90 purchasers will not be persuaded to trade down to the D5000 – hence, the carefully selected features and specifications.
The D5000 offers HD recording and Liveview operation and it uses the same 12.3Mp (effective) 23.6 x 15.8mm DX Format CMOS sensor as the D90, as well as the same 11-point AF system. Naturally, the D90 has a few cards up its sleeves, including a Pentaprism-based viewfinder, a 3in LCD screen composed of 920,000 dots, slighter faster continuous shooting speed (4.5fps compared with 4fps) and a built-in autofocus motor. Read the rest of this entry »
