Nikon’s introduced a new player in the entry-level D-SLR that records 720p HD video, the 12.3-megapixel D5000 using the same DX sensor as the Nikon D90–some are calling it the D90 lite.
Nikon seems to have included some advance camera functionality in this new model including:
- 3D Color Matrix Metering II with EXPEED image processing;
- 4 frames/second continuous shooting;
- Dust Reduction System;
- Quiet Release Mode;
- Swivel Screen;
- Live view;
- Nikkon AF-S interchangeable lenses; and
- Interoperability with the SB-900 and SU-800 flash units.
With a kit price of around $850 this will probably be a popular seller for Nikon putting thousands upon thousands of new photographers and video editors out in the field. ;-)
Both Nikon and Canon seem to feel that there’s an expanding market here.
Personally I feel when you combine functions such as this there’s always compromises. I’d rather have dedicated devices that are specialized at what they do–video and still images. But then, maybe I’m a dinosaur. :-)
I’m with you, Earl. The combination doesn’t seem to fit. At any rate, I guess that it was pretty much inevitable that this would happen. They had to have an answer to Canon’s camera. I see that they’ve moved to the 4 digit models now. I was wondering how they were doing to handle that. They have D40 – D90. The D200-300 (pro-sumer models), and the single digit professional models (D2x, D3, D3x). I guess that 4 digits was the only place to go unless they started with some weird nomenclature like Mark 1 II Ds, or some such nonsense. ;-)
I think this camera will have some success – it is certainly versatile. I like the flip out screen, can’t tell you how many times that would have come in handy for ground level shooting.
@Paul: From a marketing viewpoint for Nikon this camera makes perfect sense for those buyers wanting a do-it-all device. It will probably do a decent job at both stills and video.
@Mark: Yea, that flip out screen and single button live view would be neat for ground level or macro work.