Nikon D3000 Takes the Place of the D40 and D60 - How Does the Nikon D3000 Compare to the D5000?

The new D3000 is Nikon's attempt to continue the corner on the "cheapest entry level DSLR" market. It comes into the market place at a cool $599, which includes the camera and the 18-55 mm kit lens. That is very attractive, considering only a few short years ago, the price of the D40, a 6-megapixel camera was just short of $1000 when it came onto the camera scene. Technology improvements and obviously competition have had their effects on lowering the price of the most inexpensive DSLR cameras.

But there is already an entry level camera in the Nikon stable. It is the Nikon D5000. So what are the differences between these two cameras, and which one is the better buy?

Starting with the basic specifications that always get the headlines, the D3000 has a 10.2 megapixel image sensor compared to the 12.3 image sensor of the D5000. While many people are driven to buy the newest camera with the most megapixels, it is not as significant a difference as the marketers would have you believe. A 10 megapixel image is capable of producing monstrous prints of just about any size you would want.

Other differences of note are listed here:

(D3000 listed first) vs (D5000 listed second)

• Sensor size: 10.2MP vs 12.3MP - slight Advantage D5000
• LCD: 3.0" with 230K pixels vs 2.7" with 230K pixels - tilt LCD screen - slight Advantage D5000 because of the tilt screen
• Live View: no vs yes - Advantage D5000
• Continuous frames: 3fps vs 4fps - slight Advantage D5000
• Video: no vs Yes 1280 x 720 (720p) 24 fps with mono sound - Major Advantage D5000
• Price: $599 vs $729 (both cameras have the same Kit Lens included) - your call based on the above features
• Image quality: equal - Advantage D3000

From the differences listed, the Clear Advantage goes to the D5000. However, one must consider their own needs. The price difference is about $130, and the major feature causing that price difference is the Video capability of the D5000. So, the bottom line will be the whether or not the buyer has a desire for Video in their camera. Many folks who are moving up from a point and shoot digital camera have become accustomed to having that capability. However, camera purists will be looking for a camera that has two things, The first is the ability to change lenses as shooting requirements change (hence the DSLR), and the second is the ability to control the cameras shooting setup by manually selecting the priority mode, such as Aperture or Shutter speed.

Are you willing to spend an extra $130 for the video capture feature?

Since this is a brand new release, many reviewers will compare the Nikon D3000 and D5000. A more visually pleasing comparison is available at http://www.digital-photographic-resources.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Wayne_Rasku

New Nikon D3000 - Nikon D3000 Takes on Canon Rebel XSi

A few years back, Canon was the first to release a sub-$1000 camera with the Rebel 300D. Nikon followed quickly with the Nikon D40, and subsequent releases of Canon and Nikon entry level DSLRs have been able to increase the technology and lower the prices of these highly regarded cameras with each new release. Both Canon and Nikon have had terrific track records in the area of user satisfaction.

So how has Nikon sweetened its pot with the new D3000? There have been some very significant improvements over the extremely popular D40 which has now been discontinued from production. There are also a few improvements over the D60, which is also getting older as camera years go. Here are a few of the improvements over the Nikon D60:

• LCD panel is improved from 2.7" to 3"
• Autofocus has been upped from 3 point recognition to 11 point recognition
• 3D AF processing
• Starting price is $599 (includes kit lens)

With respect to the Canon Rebel XSi the beginning price point is even lower for the Nikon than it is for the Canon, even though the Canon XSi price tag has been reduced since the release of the Rebel T1i with its newer processor and video capability. Some things to consider as you ponder your camera buying decision.

1. Neither the Nikon D3000 nor the Canon Rebel XSi have video, so if you must have video in your DSLR, you are going to need to spend a bit more to get to the next level, either the Nikon D5000 or the Canon Rebel T1i.
2. Both cameras produce excellent images. This has been true with all the entry level cameras from Nikon and Canon - award winning image quality.
3. Both models allow the use of the interchangeable line of lenses designed for these and much more expensive DSLR cameras. Other lens manufacturers also produce quality lenses for Canon and Nikon that may be less expensive.

Whether you are leaning toward the Nikon D3000 or the Canon Rebel XSi, you will be happy with your choice. The Nikon vs Canon debate will go on no matter which one you choose, but once you make your purchase, you can join in the discussions and fun on forums and camera clubs.

There is a much more comprehensive comparison at http://www.digital-photographic-resources.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Wayne_Rasku

Nikon D3000 Digital SLR