Nikon D5000 - whatchathink?

[MotoSook]

I've been casually looking for a DSLR. I like the articulating LCD of this camera. I have an old Canon G1 that has an articulating LCD and it comes in real handy when I want extra elevation or when I have to shoot over a crowd.

I don't think I need all the features of this one, and I won't need the features of the more expensive models.

What I'm I giving up or buying into with this one guys?

Is a body mounted AF motor critIcal? This one doesn't have it on the body, but uses lenses with the motor in the lense.

Help me out fellas. The wifey wants me to get on before graduation at the end of the month.

[gchappel]

The body mounted AF motor is only critical if you are using old af lenses. Most of the new- consumer quality lenses will work fine on the d5000 body.
What camera is best for you, of coarse depends on what you are going to do with it.
I have not shot with the d5000, I use a d3 and d300, but was looking at one for my daughter. (No not a trade)
I think this is a good choice for a $600 dslr. I do not know your level of photographic skills, but I doubt they will be limited by this camera- unless you are doing pro sports or something. Lenses are more important than the body- but for a basic system this will be a good base.
Gary

[ODDJOB UNO]

i am ODDJOB UNO and i approve of this message.


i own juan and im happier than a PIG in POO! my professional photographer amigo/mentor/spiritual advisor(im lil grasshopper) drags my butt all over hell taking pics of anything and everything BIZZARRE!


it will take you awhile to get thru the manual. it does it all and then some more. i got the kit with the 55mm and 200mm lenz(lens).


get a clear stick on cover so ya dont scatch the screen. got a heavy padded strap for it also since its around my neck for hours somedays.


what can i say? it works amazing and the pics are unreal.


get the 20 buck infra red remote also.


me? i just put it on AUTO and machine gun the hell out of it and then come home and delete the crap off.


get a spare battery and memory cards also and you'll be happy.

[Z-man]

I was very interested in getting the D5000 until I found out the following two things:

1. Body is plastic, not metal.

2. There have been BSOD issues with the camera (Blue Screen of Death). A software glitch will render the camera useless. Last I checked, there was no fix for this. But perhaps someone can verify this here?!?

-Z-man.

[MotoSook]

Gary - I won't be shooting anything "pro" level. Any sport shots will be the kids. I figure with a lense mounted motor, it would not render the body useless if a motor craps out. I'd just pop in a different lense.

OJ - how's the articulating LCD holding up? You using it a lot?

As for price, I thought they were more like $800. I haven't don a whole lot of shopping, but where did you find it for $600, Gary?

How much was your kit OJ?

Thanks for the input guys...

[MotoSook]

Doh!

Originally Posted by z-man

i was very interested in getting the d5000 until i found out the following two things:

1. Body is plastic, not metal.

2. There have been bosd issues with the camera (blue screen of death). A software glitch will render the camera useless. Last i checked, there was no fix for this. But perhaps someone can verify this here?!?

-z-man.

[Z-man]

I will verify the BSOD issues before you all abandon ship. It may be already addressed by Nikon.

-Z

[ODDJOB UNO]

Originally Posted by Soukus

Gary - I won't be shooting anything "pro" level. Any sport shots will be the kids. I figure with a lense mounted motor, it would not render the body useless if a motor craps out. I'd just pop in a different lense.

OJ - how's the articulating LCD holding up? You using it a lot?

As for price, I thought they were more like $800. I haven't don a whole lot of shopping, but where did you find it for $600, Gary?

How much was your kit OJ?

Thanks for the input guys...

i think i spent $800 at one of the electronic stores here. both lenses in the case.


unless ya drop the damn thing i really dont see an issue with a plastic body. remember ya add any length lens and the damn thing gets heavy real quick.



what i learned is to get a 200mm lense case on my belt and have the 55mm lense on the body for general use. carrying the big ass case around is a PITA. changing lenses takes about 4 seconds. fiddling with the covers on both ends about another 10 seconds. fairly quick lense change.

[sc_rufctr]

I Like it... Looks good and the screen is clever.
It might be plastic but for what you'll be using it for it should be fine.

[motion]

I just picked one up. Our old D40 is a good camera, but I wanted something, that will last several more years. At first, the plastic body really put me off. But, handling it a bit, with a lens on, you get used to it and it feels normal. I picked up the package with 2 lenses at Costco for $825, which is by far the best deal I could find anywhere. If you're buying a package, make sure its with the Nikkor VR lenses, not some other clone lens without VR.

[gchappel]

Originally Posted by Soukus

Gary - I won't be shooting anything "pro" level. Any sport shots will be the kids. I figure with a lense mounted motor, it would not render the body useless if a motor craps out. I'd just pop in a different lense.

OJ - how's the articulating LCD holding up? You using it a lot?

As for price, I thought they were more like $800. I haven't don a whole lot of shopping, but where did you find it for $600, Gary?

How much was your kit OJ?

Thanks for the input guys...

Camera body is $600 at reliable mail order houses- I use B&H.
Of coarse then you need a lens or two. I would get the 18-55mm VR, and the 55-200mm VR. It you want to spend a little more get the 70-300mm vr instead of the 55-200mm. If you want to spend more- a lot more- on lenses that would be a different topic. You can add lenses at any time- and you will. You will also need at least 2 cards- I use 8gig, an extra battery, a bag to carry all this crap in, a computer to download and print, software to manipulate the images, a printer to actually print them, external data storage to keep your files safe, lighting and flashes, opps you need another bag, etc. A never ending search for the images you see in your head.
But - this will be a good solid start. Enjoy the journey.
Gary

[motion]

I personally don't like switching lenses, so I'll probably sell off the two I have now and get a 18-200. But, dayummmmm, they're something like $750!!!

[Chocaholic]

I've owned that very camera for about 3 months (got the 70 - 300 tele also). Absolutely love it. You can think for yourself (manual), or it can think for you. Easy to use. very reliable, great product. Happy camper. For the price, you can't go wrong.

[Por_sha911]

The refresh speed is fantastic. Four pics per second!

[MotoSook]

Wifey just placed an order for the kit with both VR lenses for $780. Wifey is cool as a polar bear's toe nailed (I'm forwarding the link to this thread.)

Thanks for the input fellas.

[RWebb]

You'll enjoy it - don't worry about the "plastic" body -- I stopped buying the metal ones years ago. Modern camera technology changes so fast that in a few years you'll want a new body.

Nikon bodies are a very high quality & strong matrix of plastics. The pro bodies usually start with a Mg frame (they've used Ti in the past too) and wrap plastics around that.

But the 'amateur' bodies can be dropped onto rocks and still work fine.

That said, they will get my F3 when they pry it out of my cold, dead fingers...

[Zeke]

I looked at the flip out LCD an thought it was cool. Now that I have a Canon 5D (no flip out), I find I use the LCD only for set up. All composing is done through the view finder. The battery lasts a lot longer that way.

Agree that Costco can have some smokin' deals.

[RWebb]

a viewfinder is normally superior to any screen on the back

the flip screen is good for when you are scrunched under the car to get a pic

even better would be a detachable screen with WiFi link...

[Zeke]

Randy, I learned a long time ago to point and shoot with a little wider angle if I couldn't see thru the viewer. I just crop the file to my liking. In fact, I don't spend a lot of time looking thru the thing. Cameras today just about take care of everything for you if you aren't sure.

Nothing like sticking a camera around a blind corner to see what you might see.

[MotoSook]

My wife's online order didn't work out...vendor was trying to pull a "bait and switch" on us with an import model (with no warranty). So we told them to take a hike...


I looked around on the web some more and found some kits (with the two VR lenses) going from $799 to $860. Ritz camera is having a mother's day sale right now, and you can get a kit for $850 shipped (no shipping or sales tax). The local Ritz store had a kit in stock, but they weren't willing to let me walkout for the same price as the web price....

...so I went to Best Buy and got them to beat the Ritz delivered price...$845..out the door.

I'm still trying to get use to the feel of the plastic body. I'd like it to be a steel body, but I don't think it's going to be an issue. The top selector dial looks and feels a little cheap compared to the dial on my old Canon G1. I'm use to the construction of my old film cameras, so the plastic this and that is a little disappointing, but it's the way it is these days....with consumer electronics.

Anyhow, the camera is amazing, features-wise. The features you get in this thing is unreal. We're still learing this thing, but it's going get a lot of use at our house with all the kids and their activities.

I took the camera out to our local Cars and Coffee this morning and here are some pix: