Nikon D5000 In Depth Review

Interface

As a camera marketed to both beginners and enthusiasts, the D5000 offers an interface that strikes a fine line between being user friendly while at the same time being more than robust enough for more experienced photographers. The D5000 does this quite effectively, supplying subtle but effective hints at what various camera settings might do without being so obvious about it that it may turn off experienced photographers. If you know you’re way around a DSLR camera, you’ll be able to pick up the D5000 and make quick work of adjusting various camera settings, likewise, beginners to DSLR photography will be able to use the D5000 and quickly learn what the various camera settings do, and you won’t even need the manual for most of it. Thanks to the supplied Help button, knowledge of any camera setting or adjustment is just a button press away. Taken as a whole, the best praise I can give the D5000 interface is that it doesn’t come off as for beginners, rather it just seems incredibly useful.

If beginners are confused by any particular setting, the Help button provides an instantaneous response without having to refer to the manual.	When necessary, the D5000 simply tells you if the scene is too bright or too dark.
The D5000 offers 2 information display looks, Classic and the above, dubbed "Graphic". A Shutter/Aperture Display dominates the screen making it easy to visualize changes of various camera settings.	Not only can you change the style of the information display screen, but you can personalize it with several color options.

A good portion of your time with the D5000 will be spent with its interactive information display panel, which comes in 2 varieties, a “Classic” version which has a more tech look, and a “Graphic” version which brings a slicker, more designed look. I preferred the “Graphic” version, but either way, both provide your current camera settings in a well laid out and easy to view format, plus the information display serves as a gateway to changing your current settings, like ISO, white balance, etc. By pressing the Information Edit button located at the bottom right of the backside of the camera, the camera user can navigate to the desired setting with the Multi Selector and select it using the OK button. Other cameras like the Olympus E-620 have similar setups, but the D5000 does it much more intuitively, while also appearing far more thoughtfully laid out.

The menu system has the same basic look as most current Nikon cameras, which is fine with me, because it’s both easy to use and well organized. Users can adjust playback and shooting options, customize various camera settings, change camera setup options, and explore a good number of creative options including RAW (NEF) image editing and even stop motion movies. Again it’s interesting how Nikon has managed to walk a nice tightrope between offering enthusiasts a good deal of control over the camera, while at the same time not overwhelming beginners.

Options on the shooting mode dial cleverly show up on the information display.	In addition to the modes provided on the mode dial, the D5000 features a number of Scene options, again helpfully displayed on screen with relevant photo examples for each one.
Changing camera settings is as easy as cycling through the information display's options with the multi-selector.	The D5000 menu system is similar to most recent Nikon DSLRs, and though entry-level, the the D5000 offers a good deal of customization.

If I did have a complaint regarding the D5000 interface it would be that because Nikon has focused on keeping the camera uncluttered on the outside, there is perhaps too much of a need to access the D5000’s Info Display. Experienced photographers might prefer to have dedicated camera setting buttons instead of changing basic settings like white balance, metering, and ISO via a camera menu. Indeed, cameras like the Olympus E-620 do allow for this, but given the likely market for the D5000, simplicity and easy of use are likely better approaches, even it does mean some grumbling from enthusiasts. Yes, you will be accessing the interface frequently, but it’s so well done I doubt few will complain.

Support this site by purchasing the Nikon D5000 at B&H Photo Video. Check the following links for the best prices on the Nikon D5000 camera body and kit lens configurations.

Nikon D5000 Digital SLR Camera (Camera Body) Nikon D5000 Digital SLR Camera Kit with 18-55mm VR Lens Nikon D5000 Digital SLR Camera Kit with 18-55mm & 55-200mm VR Lens

Continue Reading This Review:

1. Introduction
2. Specifications
3. Camera Design
4. Interface
5. Performance
6. Image Quality
7. Playback Options & Video
8. Verdict
9. Image Samples

Continue the Discussion

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