d90 vs d5000

wgp1987 · Jun 5, 2009

Since nikon has released the d5000 it has really sparked my interest. everyday at work i walk around the store taking pics, playing with all the functions, and i am really starting to enjoy using it. The main thing is i tell myself if i went nikon i would only buy a d90 (mainly bacause of the AF motor). From my comparison of the d90 vs the d5000 i cant justify the extra cost of the d90 from an image quality standpoint. The aspects of both cameras image quality seem to be the same .... on paper. is there anything im missing? as far as image quality is concerned .... ?

PhotoXopher · Jun 5, 2009

Depends I guess.

What the D90 has that the D5000 does not:
Commander mode to control wireless flash (SB600, SB800, SB900)
Top mounted LCD
Dual command dials
Internal focus motor
4.5fps vs 4fps
Optional battery grip
Some direct access buttons for frequently used features

If any of these will help with your photos, then yes - there's quite a difference - if not, go with the D500. However for the cost difference on one lens alone you can make up the difference in camera body and have a lot more to grow with.

wgp1987 · Jun 5, 2009

N0YZE said:
Depends I guess.

What the D90 has that the D5000 does not:
Commander mode to control wireless flash (SB600, SB800, SB900)
Top mounted LCD
Dual command dials
Internal focus motor
4.5fps vs 4fps
Optional battery grip
Some direct access buttons for frequently used features

If any of these will help with your photos, then yes - there's quite a difference - if not, go with the D500. However for the cost difference on one lens alone you can make up the difference in camera body and have a lot more to grow with.

i do love the dual contraol dials and top mounted lcd, same as my 30d! wont make or break the camera for me. .5 fps not a big deal .... surprised nikon doesnt make a vertical grip for the d5000? i didnt look into that. the d5000 has a awsome function button that you can custom set and my main complaint about the d40 and d60 doesnt have direct ISO control .... but you can set that function button to control it! that vertical gri could be a deal breaker for me. i thought it would be sick to have a multi angle lcd and a vertical grip. would have been nice! doesnt mean they cant make on tho?

PhotoXopher · Jun 5, 2009

I'm sure someone will make one, but I doubt it will be Nikon. If they do the shutter release will most likely be infrared controlled (like a wireless remote), much like the aftermarket grips for the D40.

Edit: Looks like Targus already has one out but it's not listed on their Targus USA site.

If the D5000 feels great to you and you like the feature set, it's an awesome camera and the people I know that have one really enjoy it. Then again everyone who has a D90 loves it too

wgp1987 · Jun 5, 2009

N0YZE said:
I'm sure someone will make one, but I doubt it will be Nikon. If they do the shutter release will most likely be infrared controlled (like a wireless remote), much like the aftermarket grips for the D40.

Edit: Looks like Targus already has one out but it's not listed on their Targus USA site.

lol kool .. any downfall to that infared?

PhotoXopher · Jun 5, 2009

Not really... it works, but it's an extra step (have to set the camera to remote mode when you use it) and if I remember correctly there's no 'half press' to focus. There's a little infrared sender you flip open on the grip that aims at the sensor, so technically it's two steps I guess, but it only takes a minute tops.

I'm not 100% sure the D5000 version requires it, but from the looks of it (no pins) it would.

Also, this was from an ebay auction and they note:
NOTE: UNFORTUNATELY THE VERTICAL SHOOTING FROM THE BATTERY GRIP DOES NOT WORK

So I'm thinking this isn't really FOR the D5000 afterall, sneaky crooks!

DScience · Jun 5, 2009

Although I cannot comment on specifics, i'll just give my opinion.

The D90 with kit lens is $1300 and the D5000 is around $850.

There is no doubt the D90 is a better camera, and is meant for more serious photographers. The D5000 is really aimed at the consumer market for people who really want to take shots using live view. The D90 is meant for serious enthusiasts who are not ready to spend several thousands.

Also, considering the D5000 does not have a focus motor, that in itself made the decision for me.

wgp1987 · Jun 5, 2009

DScience said:
Although I cannot comment on specifics, i'll just give my opinion.

The D90 with kit lens is $1300 and the D5000 is around $850.

There is no doubt the D90 is a better camera, and is meant for more serious photographers. The D5000 is really aimed at the consumer market for people who really want to take shots using live view. The D90 is meant for serious enthusiasts who are not ready to spend several thousands.

Also, considering the D5000 does not have a focus motor, that in itself made the decision for me.

i feel the same way ..... but if you it get the same image quality then i could look past that at the price point and functionality

blash · Jun 5, 2009

N0YZE said:
Depends I guess.

What the D90 has that the D5000 does not:
Commander mode to control wireless flash (SB600, SB800, SB900)
Top mounted LCD
Dual command dials
Internal focus motor
4.5fps vs 4fps
Optional battery grip
Some direct access buttons for frequently used features

If any of these will help with your photos, then yes - there's quite a difference - if not, go with the D500. However for the cost difference on one lens alone you can make up the difference in camera body and have a lot more to grow with.

Even if you could technically live without most of those, two of them make the D90 the hands-down correct choice:

1) Commander mode for flashes - eventually you will buy a flash and at that point you WILL need to take the flash off-camera! The D90, an amateur camera, allows you to do this whereas the D5000, aimed at soccer moms who think that they need an articulating screen and live view (ahem, features carried over from point and shoots) does not since those soccer moms are never going to set up indoor lighting scenarios with flashes.

2) AF motor - take advantage of Nikon's multiple AF primes with wonderful image quality and are dirt, dirt cheap compared with the hundreds or thousands you need to pay for AF-S versions of good, fast glass. Again, it's a feature that makes sense for the amateur D90, and one that doesn't make sense for the grandparents who are never going to take off the lens that came with the camera.

And everything else will just make your life easier (dual command dials for instance). So you really gotta ask yourself - are you in it for the art or are you in it for Facebook?

blash · Jun 5, 2009

wgp1987 said:
i feel the same way ..... but if you it get the same image quality then i could look past that at the price point and functionality

Image quality depends on glass, not the sensor. You will want to buy another lens after you buy the body - again, the D90 will be able to handle the cheap AF primes while the D5000 will not.

Remember that a lot of people go DSLR's for reasons that seem completely foreign to those of us who have been using SLR's for some time now since we forget the horror that was point-and-shoots: bad battery life, shutter lag, start-up delays, what you see is NOT what you get... it's not just about the image quality. Nikon's first imperative in the low-end consumer DSLR's is to let people get these features common to all DSLR's, not to provide professional-level image quality, which is harder to provide when it really relies on the lens and not the body.

epp_b · Jun 5, 2009

The extra controls, AF-motor and DOF preview would make the D90 well worth the extra cost for me.

wgp1987 · Jun 5, 2009

epp_b said:
The extra controls, AF-motor and DOF preview would make the D90 well worth the extra cost for me.

did you guys know i have a 30d? basiclly same controls as the d90.

ugh, fine you got me. i love the feel of the d90. a little bit smaller than my 30d but bigger than an xsi. its almost perfect in my hands. i liked that the d5000 is small. the reason i was thinking about going with the 5000 over the 90 is when i am going to invest serious money into equipment i would step up to a d300/700/3/3x ......... im trying to justify this to myself. i like the d90 but i figured the xtra cash i would save i could put towards a macro lens! the lenses i like from nikon have the af motor. so it wasnt a huge concern. the d5000 is smaller and easy to use so when i let someone else use my camera their heads dont explode off their shoulders. and would be a great backup camera to my d700 when i got that. not sure what to do! ugh

PatrickHMS · Jun 5, 2009

No matter WHAT camera body you have, there is always something better, either here, or on the way.

After doing a lot of looking and handling camera bodies, I seriously wonder, at least for me, for the DX frame camera bodies, if there is anything really worth the extra money (for the features it has for the additional cost) of anything more than the D80 / D200 (especially for the D200's BB price of $599.00). For what they cost over the D80 and D200, the limitations of the D90 and D5000 just don't do it for me. Why was D90 (someone at a Nikon retailer just told me that it was pretty much soon to be discontinued, why so quickly if that is true?), why does D500 not have AF motor in body?

I decided to stay with D80 / D200, and build my lenses, for which I now have a pretty nice collection.

Am I really missing anything I really need by not having D90 or D5000 ???
Think I am pretty much set on camera bodies and glass, at least until I get a hankering for a full frame camera body...

But, no matter WHAT camera body you have, there is always something better, either here, or on the way.

LOL