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Nikon D5000

 
Nikon D5000 front
 
Portability
65
Imaging
52
Features
50
Overall
51

Nikon D5000 summary

Nikon D5000 is Nikon's Entry-Level DSLR camera initially announced on June of 2009. The camera includes a 12MP, CMOS APS-C sized sensor and has a full resolution of 4288 x 2848.

Nikon released this camera to replace the earlier Nikon D60 (Read Full Comparison) and then released the updated Nikon D5100 (Read Full Comparison) as a way to update this model.

The D5000 comes in at #52 out of 80 in Entry-Level DSLR cameras and overall #426 out of 1465 for digital cameras in our database. Please check our Smart camera search to find camera rankings based on your personal requirements.

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Below is a graph of various factors used in the rating system.

Nikon D5000 family

The Nikon D5000 is part of a family of products. You can view the full range underneath.

ModelVisualizeResolutionSensor SizeMax fpsReleased
Nikon-D3500 front thumbnailNikon D3500
D5000 vs D3500
24MPAPS-C5.0 fps2018
Nikon-D5600 front thumbnailNikon D5600
D5000 vs D5600
24MPAPS-C5.0 fps2016
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Nikon-D3400 front thumbnailNikon D3400
D5000 vs D3400
24MPAPS-C5.0 fps2016
Nikon-D5500 front thumbnailNikon D5500
D5000 vs D5500
24MPAPS-C5.0 fps2015
Nikon-D3300 front thumbnailNikon D3300
D5000 vs D3300
24MPAPS-C5.0 fps2014
Nikon-D5300 front thumbnailNikon D5300
D5000 vs D5300
24MPAPS-C5.0 fps2014
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Nikon-D5200 front thumbnailNikon D5200
D5000 vs D5200
24MPAPS-C5.0 fps2013
Nikon-D3200 front thumbnailNikon D3200
D5000 vs D3200
24MPAPS-C4.0 fps2012
Nikon-D5100 front thumbnailNikon D5100
D5000 vs D5100
16MPAPS-C4.0 fps2011
Nikon-D3100 front thumbnailNikon D3100
D5000 vs D3100
14MPAPS-C3.0 fps2010
Nikon-D3000 front thumbnailNikon D3000
D5000 vs D3000
10MPAPS-C3.0 fps2009
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Nikon-D5000 front thumbnailNikon D500012MPAPS-C4.0 fps2009
Nikon-D60 front thumbnailNikon D60
D5000 vs D60
10MPAPS-C3.0 fps2008
Nikon-D40X front thumbnailNikon D40X
D5000 vs D40X
10MPAPS-C3.0 fps2007
Nikon-D40 front thumbnailNikon D40
D5000 vs D40
6MPAPS-C3.0 fps2006
Nikon-D50 front thumbnailNikon D50
D5000 vs D50
6MPAPS-C3.0 fps2005

Nikon D5000 Pros and Cons

Below is a shortlist of upsides and downsides of the Nikon D5000 based on factors which are usually regarded as essential in a camera.

built-in flash
delivers RAW files
includes HDMI out
interchangeable lenses (Nikon F mount)
nice sensor size (APS-C)
screen articulates
screen is selfie friendly
sensor has phase detect AF
supports face detection focusing
you can focus manually
does not have image stabilization
lack of external mic support
lack of headphone support
low battery life (510 shots)
low video resolution (1280 x 720 pixels)
painfully slow continuous shooting (4.0 frames/s)
pixelated screen (230 thousand dots)
screen is somewhat small (2.7")
sensor resolution low (12MP)
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Nikon D5000 Sensor info

The Nikon D5000 is run by the Expeed chip. The sensor dimension on the Nikon D5000 is 23.6mm x 15.8mm (APS-C). The 373 mm² sensor has the capability to capture 4288 x 2848 pixels at aspect ratios of 3:2.

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The CMOS sensor boasts 12MP and features a native ISO range of 200 to 3200. This ISO can also be widened digitally to a high of 6400. RAW format is supported so you have wider margin for error.

The picture underneath shows the D5000's sensor dimensions when compared to other common sizes. The D5000 sensor comes with a crop factor of 1.5 and is presented in green.

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To get a sense of various aspect ratios, you should refer to the visual below.

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Nikon D5000 dimensions

Nikon D5000 weighs about 1.30 lbs (590g / 20.81 oz) and the sizing of the camera is 127mm x 104mm x 80mm (5.0" x 4.1" x 3.1"). The weight of average Entry-Level DSLR camera is 540g and the Nikon D5000 is similar when compared with its competitors.

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Underneath is a shot of the Nikon D5000 next to a soda so you're able to have a feel for its scale.

Nikon D5000 dimensions scale

The top view just below will highlight the button design on the D5000.

Nikon D5000 topview buttons dials

Nikon D5000 Lens info

The D5000 uses the Nikon F mount and has 315 lenses available for sale. Below is a small number of the lenses we have in our database which will work with the D5000.

ModelVisualizeFocal LengthApertureStabilizedWeight
Nikon-AF-S-DX-Nikkor-55-200mm-f4-5.6G-ED lensNikon AF-S DX Nikkor 55-200mm f4-5.6G ED55-200mmf/4.0-5.6 255g
Rokinon-T-S-24mm-f3.5-ED-AS-UMC-Nikon-F-FX lensRokinon T-S 24mm f3.5 ED AS UMC24mmf/3.5 680g
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Sigma-18-35mm-F1.8-DC-HSM-Nikon-F-DX lensSigma 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM18-35mmf/1.8 810g
Sigma-APO-Macro-180mm-F2.8-EX-DG-OS-HSM-Nikon-F-FX lensSigma APO Macro 180mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM180mmf/2.8 1640g
Tamron-SP-45mm-F1.8-Di-VC-USD-Nikon-F-FX lensTamron SP 45mm F1.8 Di VC USD45mmf/1.8 520g
Zeiss-Otus-1.455-Nikon-F-FX lensZeiss Otus 1.45555mmf/1.4 970g
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Sigma-50-150mm-F2.8-EX-DC-APO-OS-HSM-Nikon-F-DX lensSigma 50-150mm F2.8 EX DC APO OS HSM50-150mmf/2.8 1350g
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Nikon D5000 Connectivity

The D5000 has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes
  • Wireless Yes
  • HDMI Yes
  • GPS Yes

Digital cameras which have NFC and Bluetooth support can be controlled wirelessly with smartphones. You can easily copy pictures and sometimes change settings without connecting directly to the camera.

A few applications even stream a Liveview and release the shutter if you are not close to the camera. If the camera boasts a HDMI out, it can be connected to an external screen. Almost all cameras enable you to charge the battery pack through the USB socket.

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Nikon D5000 Video info

The highest possible video quality on the Nikon D5000 is 1280 x 720 and it can capture in Motion JPEG format. 720p is awful by today's requirements. You should really strive for a minimum 1080p quality for video recording. The camera does not offer a mic and headphone jack so you have no control over your audio. It is probably a better idea to look into another model if you need decent audio in your video clips.

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Nikon D5000 Weather Sealing

There is no environment proofing for the Nikon D5000 so you need to be careful in wet and dusty conditions.

Nikon D5000 Display and Viewfinder

The Nikon D5000 includes a 2.7 inch fully articulated display screen boasting a resolution of 230 thousand dots.

It has got a selfie friendly display to get self portraits and group photos if necessary. Sadly the display screen is not a touch screen.

Nikon D5000 screen and viewfinder Google AI Gemini Could Enhance iPhone Experience, Talks Suggest

The ViewFinder details regarding Nikon D5000 are the following:

  • ViewFinder Optical (pentamirror)
  • Coverage 95%
  • Magnification 0.52x

Viewfinders are pretty handy for sunny outdoor conditions which might make the camera display washed out and hard to view.

Nikon D5000 Shutter info

Nikon D5000 has the capability to shoot continuously at 4.0 frames/s. The maximum shutter speed is 1/4000 sec.

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Nikon D5000 Flash and Hot shoe info

Nikon D5000 has got both in-built flash and external flash support. The highest flash sync is 1/200 sec.

Nikon D5000 Autofocusing info

Nikon D5000 has got both Phase Detect AF and Contrast Detect AF. Phase Detection autofocusing is more quicker & accurate when compared with Contrast Detect autofocusing. The camera includes Face detect which makes it helpful for portrait photography.

It includes 11 focus points to pick from. Nikon D5000 has got manual focus if required for low light or you want more precise focus control.

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Nikon D5000 Battery life

The battery life (EN-EL9a) for the Nikon D5000 is designed to last for 510 images based on the CIPA measurements making it less compared to its competition. The average Entry-Level DSLR camera battery life is 589. Pentax K-x has got the best (1900) battery life for this kind of cameras.

Following is a number of Entry-Level DSLR cameras that have the strongest battery life:

ModelVisualizeBattery LifeRAWNFCBluetooth
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Canon-EOS-Rebel-SL3 front thumbnailCanon SL3
D5000 vs SL3
1070 yesnoyes

Nikon D5000 for various categories of photography

The following diagram presents a rundown of the Nikon D5000 for various categories of photography. To check out more, visit the specific paragraph underneath.

Nikon D5000 as a Portrait photography camera

The Nikon D5000 receives a points total of 63 which is very good, meaning that it is a respectable option for portrait photography. Photographing portrait photos leans heavily to sensor dimension, support for RAW photos together with the capability to utilize external lighting.

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manual focus
sensor size is good (APS-C)
offers face detection focus
saves RAW files
sensor resolution low (12MP)

Nikon D5000 Street photography features

Having a above average points tally of 66, the Nikon D5000 is a very decent option to buy for street photography. A decent street photography camera features a perfect balance of picture quality and portability.

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screen articulates
nice sensor size (APS-C)
supports RAW formats
does not have image stabilization

Sports photography with Nikon D5000

A awful sports photography score of 42 means the Nikon D5000 is not acceptable for shooting sports. A camera really should have excellent autofocus and fast continuous shooting for sports photography.

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sensor size is decent (APS-C)
sensor has phase detect autofocus
max frames per second very slow (4.0 frames/s)
lack of image stabilization
low megapixels (12MP)
bad battery power (510 per charge)

Travel photography with Nikon D5000

Portability is very crucial in getting a camera for travel. On the whole, the Nikon D5000 gets a moderate 56 for a travelling camera which makes it reasonably suitable to buy for your travels.

C500 Mark II gets new Cinema RAW Light modes from Canon
built-in flash
screen is selfie friendly
terrible battery (510 shots)
resolution not great (12MP)

Nikon D5000 Landscape photography details

For those who are planning to pick a camera for landscape pictures, the most vital aspect is going to be image quality. The Nikon D5000 and it's reasonable rating of 52 as a landscape camera is reasonably acceptable in the current market.

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has manual focus
interchangeable lenses (Nikon F mount)
sensor size is nice (APS-C)
saves RAW formats
small screen (2.7 inch)
lack of image stabilization
resolution not great (12 megapixels)
not so great battery (510 CIPA)

Nikon D5000 Vlogging highlights

A camera for vlogging preferably should have a moving display, microphone port and preferably image stabilization. Taking everything into account, the Nikon D5000 is somewhat suitable for vlogging as it receives a decent rating of 52.

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screen is selfie friendly
comes with face detect focusing
does not have image stabilization
low res video (1280 x 720 resolution)
lack of mic port

Nikon D5000 Alternatives

If you are searching for alternatives to the D5000, here is a collection of the highest placed cameras that fall into the family of Entry-Level DSLR.

The diagram here shows you a summary of the D5000 vs it's top ranked competitors mentioned earlier.

There are a bunch of cameras you may take into account as alternatives. To browse through a extensive comparison, visit the "compare" link.

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Specifications

General Information
Brand Name
Nikon
Model
Nikon D5000
Class
Entry-Level DSLR
Released
2009-06-12
Physical type
Compact SLR
Sensor Information
Sensor type
CMOS
Chip
Expeed
Sensor size
APS-C
Sensor dimensions
23.6 x 15.8mm
Sensor area
372.9mm²
Sensor resolution
12 megapixels
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio
3:2
Peak resolution
4288 x 2848
RAW files
Highest native ISO
3200
Highest enhanced ISO
6400
Minimum native ISO
200
Autofocusing
Manual focus
AF touch
AF continuous
AF single
AF tracking
Selective AF
AF center weighted
Multi area AF
AF live view
Face detect focusing
Contract detect focusing
Phase detect focusing
Number of focus points
11
Lens
Lens mounting type
Nikon F
Amount of lenses
309
Focal length multiplier
1.5
Screen
Type of display
Fully Articulated
Display diagonal
2.7"
Resolution of display
230 thousand dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch operation
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder
Optical (pentamirror)
Viewfinder coverage
95%
Viewfinder magnification
0.52x
DXO scores
DXO Overall score
72
DXO Color Depth score
22.7
DXO Dynamic range score
12.5
DXO Low light score
868
Features
Minimum shutter speed
30 secs
Fastest shutter speed
1/4000 secs
Continuous shutter rate
4.0 frames/s
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Exposure compensation
Yes
Change WB
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash range
17.00 m (at ISO 100)
Flash settings
Auto, On, Off, Red-eye, Slow sync, Rear curtain
External flash
Auto exposure bracketing
WB bracketing
Fastest flash synchronize
1/200 secs
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Supported video resolutions
1280 x 720 (24 fps), 640 x 424 (24 fps), 320 x 216 (24 fps)
Highest video resolution
1280x720
Video format
Motion JPEG
Mic support
Headphone support
Connectivity
Wireless
Eye-Fi Connected
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB
USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS
Optional
Physical
Environmental sealing
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight
590g (1.30 lbs)
Physical dimensions
127 x 104 x 80mm (5.0" x 4.1" x 3.1")
Other
Battery life
510 pictures
Battery style
Battery Pack
Battery model
EN-EL9a
Self timer
Yes (2, 5, 10 or 20 sec)
Time lapse shooting
Storage type
SD/SDHC card
Card slots
One
Retail price
$630