CameraFly

Camera Reviews from Amazon.com

• March 5, 2010
  Perfect for new dSLR owners

  

  This is my first digital SLR camera so I don't have many other points of reference. However, coming form a point and shoot world, the Nikon D5000 has proven itself to be an excellent entry point for me.
  
  Used to being able to slide a camera into my pocket, I was concerned about the size of the camera. However, the Nikon D5000 is very light compared to some of my friends' SLRs, and this makes the camera very portable. My first trip out was to the zoo, and I quick adjusted to the form factor and found it very easy to carry and use. My only complaint in this department is the strap that comes with the camera. The standard Nikon strap was uncomfortable for me, and a bit cumbersome but that is certainly a matter of personal opinion so your mileage may vary.
  
  The Auto, and Scene settings will be familiar to anyone who has used a digital camera in recent years and result in great shots with very little effort. The real power of course is in manual mode, and even my experiments there have yielded some really nice results.
  
  All the various features can be a bit overwhelming. The manuals are just "ok" I'm afraid, so you woudl be well served to grab a book or one of Nikon's Camera School videos to help you along. In fact the Nikon website has all the basic "getting to know your camera" videos for the D500 for free.
  
  If you are hoping to use some of your old Nikon lenses with this camera, be aware that there is no focus motor in the body. The D5000 makes use of motorized autofocus lenses, so keep that in mind.
  
  All in all, a fantastic entry-level camera, with great features at a great price.

• February 23, 2010
  Best value Nikon DSLR

  

  What a joy it has been using this Nikon D5000 for the past 9 months. I specialize in street and beach photography and was suffering from neck and shoulder pains after toting my old D2x around all day. My D5000 generally wears an 18-200VR
  making this a very light combo indeed. Although it is in no way a normal choice for a professional I can buy 5 of these before I get into D3 territory pricewise. It doesn't have the weather sealing that the pro models have, but where I live it doesn't rain!. The shutter is consumer grade but has now clicked 81,000 times and shows no signs of giving up. I ratchet up the color tone to vivid and shoot mainly JPEG's in Normal file size. I do some occasional studio work, both nude and portraiture
  and I would defy anyone to tell the difference between my D2x results and those of my D5000, all shot in NEF and put through Nikon Capture. With the 17-55mm attached it does feel out of balance with such a weighty lens, but again I have tended to use this combo only in the studio. Battery life has been extraordinary and I have often passed the 700 exposure mark before putting in a freshly charged one. The somewhat flimsy build quality - compared with metal cased pro bodies - is a problem that is easily overcome. For just [...] bucks Camera Armor make a tough silicone skin for the D5000 and it works a treat for me. if you are on a budget, or just downright mean, like me, this camera offers great picture quality and ease of use.
  A steal at the price.

• February 16, 2010
  You will not find a better DSLR in this range!!!

  

  Go ahead and get this over the D3000 and under the D90. This thing is easy to use if you don't know what you are doing and has all the options if you do. You can really take pro pictures as an amateur. I bought the 18-55mm kit and added the 35mm F/1.8 lens for $189. I use the 35mm for most everything around the house and the 18-55mm will get it done when out sightseeing. I bought the Patriot 8gb class 10 SD card and it is super fast with this camera at a very cheap price tag of $26.