Remember to set CFN d4 to ON so your files start at the last number you shot so you'll not have duplicate file numbers on your hard drive. ADR , which is ON by default as it should be, raises the noise levels, which is better than not having ADR and getting blocked-up shadows or highlights.

Indeed, certain tripod heads with quick release levers on the back will prevent you from opening and twisting the LCD at all, including most Manfrotto designs.

As with the D90, each uninterrupted movie shot at 720p is limited to 5 minutes duration and 20 minutes for all other resolutions (the D7000 can do 20 min movies). The Command and Mode dials are easy to operate with your right thumb, and the power switch and shutter fall naturally under the influence of your index finger. size and - especially - the 230,000-dot resolution of the screen makes it difficult to judge focus (the D90's three-inch, 920,000-dot monitor is obviously better for this). Remember also the trouble with quick-release mechanisms on most tripods, which gets in the way of the swivel screen, requiring you to flip the screen before locking it down to the tripod. The Nikon D5000 also has the Integrated Dust Reduction System, with a four-frequency ultrasonic motor to shake dust from the sensor, as well as the Airflow Control System, which works to move dust away from the sensor with shutter release.

Video playback looks good, sharper than I've seen from other, smaller digital cameras, but I'm not sure it's "broadcast quality.Of course the Nikon D5000 is an SLR, so Live View and video recording are add-on features, more than anything else. As far as connectivity goes, there are USB/VideoOut and Mini HDMI ports as well as an accessory terminal for the connection of a wired remote or a GPS unit, all sheltered behind a door on the left side of the camera, when viewed from the back. We've provided some Nikon RAW (NEF) samples for you to download (thumbnail images shown below are not 100% representative).

It's like pianos: a 9-foot Bösendorfer may be better piano than the upright at the local bar, but if you can't play the piano, you won't get good music out of any of them.

on thing I can't understand: why in this review camera specifications and shooting menu says two different things? We've taken a closer look at the image quality and dynamic range impact of the move to a Stacked CMOS global shutter sensor. Nerd sites and specs can't tell you this, but try to go out and shoot them, and with Canon, it's tougher to get the camera to go. What clearly makes the Nikon D5000 great is its excellent overall performance as a still camera, and its excellent image quality.

Metering Range 1) 0 to 20 EV (Matrix or center-weighted metering); 2) 2 to 20 EV (Spot metering) (ISO 100 equivalent, f/1.Getting great pictures comes from knowing how to "play" your camera's settings and paying attention to the lighting.