Nikon has taken the wraps off its second DSLR to feature HD video. The new 12.3-megapixel D5000 adopts the D90's HD 720p video, features a 2.7-inch articulated screen (230k dot) and has a body only price of $729.99/£719.99/€878. With the 18-55mm VR starter lens that rises to $849.95/£799.99/€972.
Read the full press release:
TOKYO – Nikon Corporation is pleased to announce the newest addition to its family of quality DX-format digital SLRs, the D5000. With a robust feature set and simple operability backed by Nikon’s superlative technology, the D5000 is the ideal choice for both entry-level digital SLR users and those looking for an upgrade to raise their level of photographic expression.
The D5000 features a versatile Vari-angle LCD monitor that can be viewed in normal position flush against the camera back, or swung out and rotated and/or tilted. This unequaled freedom of movement adds a unique level of creativity to Live View shooting, allowing easy viewing from virtually any perspective. When not in use, the monitor can be stowed with the LCD panel facing the camera back, essentially becoming its own rugged monitor cover. Measuring 2.7 inches with 230,000-dot resolution, the monitor provides 100% scene coverage in Live View and assures accurate image review.
The D5000 inherits the same brilliant image quality from Nikon's highly regarded DX-format digital SLR, the D90. Featuring a 12.3 effective megapixel CMOS sensor, Nikon's exclusive EXPEED image processing system, and compatibility with a comprehensive selection of NIKKOR lenses, the D5000 produces highly detailed images that exhibit smooth tonal gradation, outstanding color reproduction, and low noise across a wide ISO sensitivity range. EXPEED also contributes to streamlined handling of advanced imaging features such as Nikon's original Scene Recognition System with Face Detection and Active D-Lighting.
In addition to superior imaging capabilities, the D5000 offers excellent photographic performance thanks to continuous shooting as fast as 4 frames per second, advanced 3D Color Matrix Metering II for outstanding exposure accuracy, 11-point selectable autofocus, and four Live View AF modes, along with automatic exposure and white balance bracketing functions. There is also a new Quiet Shooting mode that reduces mirror cycling noise for quieter shooting in environments where minimal noise is desired.
Ease-of-use is a hallmark of Nikon digital SLRs and the D5000 successfully carries on this tradition, both in form and function. The compact, agile body boasts an intelligent layout with controls sensibly positioned for easy operation, while 19 automatic Scene Modes add point-and-shoot ease for beautiful results in a wide variety of challenging shooting situations. Scene Modes even include example images for each mode to make selection easy for anyone.
Extensive in-camera image control is available using Nikon’s Picture Control System, which allows users to customize key image capture characteristics to suit personal preferences. For additional creative control, the D5000 includes a comprehensive set of in-camera editing functions via its Retouch Menu that enhance photos with a variety of effects — without the need for a computer.
Combining famous Nikon quality and high performance, the D5000 opens the door to a level of creative expression never before possible in a camera so fun.
Nikon D5000 Feature Highlights
New Vari-angle monitor
The innovative Vari-angle monitor swings down approximately 90° and rotates 180°, allowing users to easily shoot from interesting angles in Live View mode. Featuring a bright 2.7-in. 230,000-dot LCD, the new monitor provides a comfortable view from virtually any shooting perspective. The monitor can also be stowed with the LCD panel neatly tucked against the camera back to protect the screen when not in use.
Nikon DX-format 12.3-megapixel CMOS image sensor
At 12.3 effective megapixels, the D5000 produces high-resolution images with outstanding enlargement capability. The high signal-to-noise ratio results in images with extremely low noise even when shooting at high ISO settings. Normal ISO sensitivity is ISO 200 to 3200. For added shooting versatility, a Hi 1 setting increases sensitivity to ISO 6400 while a Lo 1 setting decreases it to ISO 100.
Specially designed EXPEED image processing system
The D5000 is equipped with Nikon’s exclusive EXPEED image processing system. This leading-edge technology provides the power to process the large amount of data generated by the D5000’s 12.3-megapixel CMOS sensor. EXPEED realizes excellent resolution, long tonal scale, and superb color while also making possible fast processing of the D5000’s advanced imaging functions such as Scene Recognition with Face Detection, Live View AF, and Active D-Lighting — all of which demand tremendous processing capability.
Live View shooting
Nikon’s versatile Live View shooting, now enhanced by the D5000’s Vari-angle monitor, can be accessed with one-touch ease by pressing the Live View button. Autofocus with Live View has been further improved by the addition of Subject tracking AF, which automatically locks onto a pre-selected subject and maintains focus on it even if it momentarily leaves the frame. This mode joins three other contrast-detect AF modes with which the D5000 is equipped: Face priority AF (which automatically detects up to five faces in a scene then focuses on the closest face); Wide area AF (which offers a large AF area for optimal handheld shooting) and; Normal area AF (which provides pin-point focusing accuracy for excellent results when using a tripod).
Movie clips with D-Movie
In response to user demand for video shooting capability in digital SLRs, the D5000 includes Nikon’s D-Movie function. First available on the Nikon D90, D-Movie gives users the flexibility to shoot Motion JPEG movie clips in different formats at a smooth 24 frames per second. For high-quality playback on HDTVs, the D5000 produces clips at 1,280 x 720 pixels. Users who want to view on standard computer monitors or upload to photo sharing websites can shoot at 640 x 424 pixels or 320 x 216 pixels, respectively. Because the D5000’s sensor is much larger than that of a typical camcorder, movie clips display superior image quality and low noise even when shot at high ISO settings. Additionally, the D5000’s compatibility with NIKKOR AF-S and AF-I lenses opens up a wide range of possibilities for dramatic expression, from fisheye and wide-angle shots to long telephoto scenes and extreme close-ups.
19 Scene Modes
Scene Modes empower users to obtain great looking shots in a variety of situations with point-and-shoot ease. These modes adjust exposure, white balance, Active D-lighting, and Picture Control settings depending on the selected mode. Six commonly used modes can be selected using the D5000’s mode dial, while the remaining 13 are accessed by setting the mode dial to SCENE then simply turning the command dial to make the selection. To assist in determining the best mode, the D5000 displays a sample photo as each mode is selected. Newly added modes are Pet portrait, Candlelight, Blossom, Autumn colors, Food, Silhouette, High key, and Low key.
Scene Recognition System with Face Detection System
In order to accurately adjust exposure and white balance as well as assist autofocus, the D5000 utilizes a 420-pixel RGB sensor to analyze color and illumination over the entire scene milliseconds prior to exposure. This allows the D5000 to better evaluate scene content, resulting in improved exposure for better image quality while also boosting autofocus performance. Additionally, the D5000 detects human faces using its Face Detection System.
Active D-Lighting
The D5000 incorporates Nikon’s Active D-Lighting function to vastly improve details in the shadows and highlights of high-contrast scenes. Like the Scene Recognition System, Active D-Lighting utilizes the 420-pixel RGB sensor to analyze a scene then adjust exposure to achieve images that closely resemble what the human eye sees. During processing, this function also restores details in areas of the image that exhibit image loss. There are six Active D-Lighting settings — Auto, Extra high, High, Normal, Low, and Off — along with a bracket mode that allows users to shoot one image with Active D-Lighting and one without.
11-point AF system with Multi-CAM 1000 autofocus module
Employing 11-point autofocus driven by Nikon’s Multi-CAM 1000 autofocus module, the D5000 delivers fast, precise focus over a wide area of the frame when shooting through the optical viewfinder. Four versatile AF modes are available: single-point AF for stationary subjects, especially ones that are off-center; dynamic-area AF for moving subjects; auto-area AF when you want the D5000 to automatically determine the proper focus method and; 3D-tracking (11 points) AF for maintaining focus on subjects even if the composition changes.
Picture Control System
The Picture Control System of the D5000 gives users the ability to customize key image capture characteristics to suit personal preferences. Six settings are available — Standard, Neutral, Vivid, Monochrome, Portrait, and Landscape — along with the ability to create up to nine custom Picture Control settings.
Photo editing
After shooting, the D5000’s newly expanded photo editing functions allow for in-camera retouching, lessening the need for a computer to enhance or modify images. The D5000 introduces several new editing options under its Retouch Menu, including Soft Filter, Perspective Control (which helps correct distortions in perspective), and Color Outline (which creates monochrome outlines of objects in images by eliminating color and tonal gradations). Each editing function is applied to a copy of the image, with the original left unmodified.
Nikon Integrated Dust Reduction System
Dust reduction is handled by the Nikon Integrated Dust Reduction System. This is a comprehensive solution that reduces generation and accumulation of dust and also provides measures to remove dust. A key element of the solution is the Airflow Control System, which directs dust away from the image sensor. The system also includes an image sensor cleaning function that activates automatically when the D5000 is powered on. This vibrates the low-pass filter (located in front of the sensor) to free it from dust.
Nikon D5000 Other Features
On-demand grid lines both when shooting via the optical viewfinder and in Live View mode.
Extensive playback options that allow viewing of images one at a time or in batches of 4, 9, and 72 as well as Calendar view that organizes images by shooting date and time. A histogram display is also available that shows exposure data for a magnified area of the image.
Direct HDTV connectivity via built-in HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) connector.
Highly durable shutter unit tested to 100,000 cycles.
Compatible with all NIKKOR AF-S and AF-I lenses that have an autofocus motor.
Built-in flash with a guide number of approx. 17/56 (ISO 200, m/ft., 20°C/68°F) and support for Nikon’s i-TTL flash control.
Support for the Nikon Creative Lighting System when using SB-900 or SB-800 Speedlights, or the SU-800 Wireless Speedlight Commander.
Long-lasting Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL9a that provides up to 510 shots per charge. (CIPA standard, with AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR and flash fired at full power once every other shot.)
Compatible with the optional ML-L3 Wireless Remote Control. There are two shutter release modes available when using the control: Quick mode for immediate triggering of the shutter release and Delayed mode, which delays triggering for two seconds.
Compatible with the optional GPS Unit GP-1, which automatically appends longitude, latitude, altitude, and time information to the EXIF data of each image.
Compatible with the optional Remote Cord MC-DC2, which enables remote shutter release and time (bulb) exposures.
Includes Nikon ViewNX image browsing and editing software, which lets you organize, label, and select images as well as perform NEF (RAW) image editing adjustments and conversions.
Image data from the D5000 can be used with optional Nikon Capture NX 2 photo-editing software, which features patented U Point® technology and powerful tools for quick and easy photo editing, including enhanced NEF (RAW) Editing.
