MANILA, Philippines--The development of “entry-level” digital SLRs was a welcome relief for so many of us who could only dream of owning a Nikon D3X, which costs almost P400,000 for the body only, or a Canon EOS-D1 Mark IV, which the body alone costs P250,000.
While the more affordable digital SLRs may not possess the sophisticated image processing engines, focusing systems or the tough bodies of their top tier cousins, they could easily outperform most expensive point-and-shoot cameras
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For those who are looking to move up to digital SLR photography, they will be rewarded with so many excellent choices from all major camera makers.
Poster child
The top dog in Nikon’s line of entry-level digital SLR, the D5000.
At first glance, the P45,000 D5000 (the price already includes the bundled Nikkor AF-S DX 18-55mm lens) seems like the poster child for entry-level digital SLR cameras, with its compact size, absence of a settings panel along the top, small optical viewfinder, as well as a low-resolution and below average sized (2.7-inch) preview screen.
But upon closer inspection, the D5000 reveals features that are only available in Nikon’s higher-end models, such as CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) sensor instead of CCD (charge coupled device) that has long been a staple in this range, a 12.3-megapixel sensor, an 11-point autofocus system with 3D focus tracking (the same one installed in the midrange D90), a live-view mode, and the ability to produce fantastic-looking HD video—1,280 by 720 pixels (progressive) at 24 frames per second.
Specification-wise the D5000 is much closer to the D90 (the body alone already costs P47,000 or P62,000 for the kit that includes a Nikkor AF-S DX 18-105mm lens), which has the advantage of having an in-body focus motor (which you will not miss if your lenses, especially the current ones, already have focusing motor built in), a continuous shot of 4.5 frames per second (versus the D5000’s 4fps), a better viewfinder, a larger and better resolution LCD monitor and a depth of field preview.
No setting panel
Considering the compactness of the D5000’s frame, it’s easy to understand why Nikon designers decided to ditch the settings panel—a staple of semi-pro/professional-grade digital SLRs—as well as eliminate a number of direct-access buttons.
By using the interactive display, in combination with the back dial and multiselector, D5000 users may adjust shutter speed, aperture, image size and quality, white balance, ISO sensitivity, focus mode, auto folus area area, metering, D-Lighting, exposure bracketing, picture control, exposure and flash compensation, flash mode and even picture editing—steps that point and shoot camera users are familiar with.
What makes the D5000 also unique from its competitors is its flip-down-and-swivel LCD monitor, which is actually a first among Nikon cameras. It is mounted on an arm that folds down 90 degrees and rotates both left and right. This makes viewing a lot easier whenever you’re holding the camera above your head or near the ground.
Location
But beware: because of the location of the swiveling arm, the user may have difficulty using the LCD screen whenever the camera is attached to a tripod.
Apart from this, another quirk about this LCD screen is its resolution: it only has a total pixel count of 230,000, compared to the D90’s 920,000 pixels or its closest competition, the Canon 500D, which also has 920,000 pixels.
However, you wouldn’t mind these minor quirks considering that at its price range (a quick tour of Hidalgo street in Quiapo, Manila will reveal that this particular model may go for as low as P30,000), the D5000 poses quite a bit of competition for D90, especially since it has an updated version of the Expeed image processor (Auto Active D-Lighting and face-priority AF was improved), as well as enhanced Live View AF, along with a connector for the optional GP-1 hot shoe GPS.
Indeed, if you’re looking for an entry-level digital SLR that possesses powerful features and image quality to match, the D5000 is an excellent choice.
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Published in Philippine Daily Inquirer October 5, 2010.
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