Do you have a Nikon D5000 on hand that won’t turn on even with a fully charged battery? You may not be alone. Nikon has issued a service advisory for the hot new entry level DSLR camera
Posted in Digital SLR Cameras on July 17th, 2009. No Comments.
People pay great attention to image quality when making DSLR camera purchasing decisions. High ISO noise is one aspect of the image quality matrix. It is uncommon to see high ISO noise performance comparisons by shooting a scene with different cameras and compare the resulting images side-by-side at actual pixel resolution. Sounds simply enough, right? In reality, there are many complications.
Each camera has its own default settings. One may choose to perform more in-camera noise reduction (NR) than others by default. Some cameras have user controllable NR settings but others may only allow user control to certain degree. With NR, there is always a trade-off between noise level and image details.
Not only NR settings, sharpening, contrast, dynamic light optimizer or D-lighting settings can also affect noise levels.
The cameras may meter the scene quite differently and have exposure biases. Even if you choose the same ISO, aperture, and shutter speed, the images from one camera may appear darker or lighter compared to others. Exposure affects noise levels.
Cameras have different sensor sizes, sensor aspect ratios, and different pixel counts. Should the tester try to match the field of view or the magnification at 100% view (each image pixel is displayed as one pixel on a display)? Viewing an image at 100% magnification on a display is rarely useful for practical purposes. Typically the images are output to devices such as a display or a printer with a specific size. IMO, the comparison should be done with test shots matching the field of view in either horizontal or vertical direction. To make the comparison easy and fair, image from camera with higher resolution should be re-sized to match the magnification with lower resolution camera when viewed at actual pixels.
Bearing these complications in mind, here are some comparisons of Canon EOS Rebel T1i (500D) and Nikon D5000 high ISO noise performances by PhotographyBay.
- Nikon D5000 vs. Canon Rebel T1i – ISO Comparison
- Canon Rebel T1i vs. Nikon D5000 Review – ISO Comparison Part II
Just recently, I also talked about the Canon EOS Rebel T1i (500D) vs. Nikon D5000 high ISO noise comparison done by Camera Labs. What is your conclusion after reading the above high ISO performance comparisons?
Posted in Digital SLR Cameras on June 10th, 2009. No Comments.
Previously, we compared the spec sheets of two hot new entry level DSLR cameras: Canon EOS Rebel T1i (500D) and Nikon D5000. If that is enough for you to make a decision between the two, it would be too simple. The spec sheet should be considered a starting point for potential buyers to evaluate their needs against the specs. What follows next should be the verification of real world performances against your expectations.
For some people, the image quality, especially the high ISO noise performance is very important. So how well do they match up against each other? Camera Labs did the tests as part of their full review of the Canon EOS Rebel T1i (500D). They also included the Olympus E-620 in the comparison.
The Nikon D5000 has a top ISO of 6400 while the Canon has top ISO of 12800. You would have thought the Canon have a better high ISO performance, wouldn’t you? Well, it turns out Canon’s marketing department may be a little too much into gimmicks. The Nikon D5000 appears to have won the noise competition handily above ISO800. The ISO6400 image from Nikon D5000 appears to have less noise and more details than the Canon’s. Perhaps Nikon should have made the ISO 128000 possible on the D5000. It wouldn’t be worse than the Canon’s.
Read: Canon EOS 500D / T1i vs Nikon D5000 vs Olympus E-620 High ISO Noise
Posted in Digital SLR Cameras on May 19th, 2009. No Comments.
With this coupon, you can take 10% off a single item at a Bestbuy store. Sony DSLR cameras, lenses and flashes are excluded from the deal but there are other photography goodies you can buy, including the hot new Nikon D5000.
The D5000 + Nikkor 18-55 f/3.5-5.6G VR kit is currently available for $849.95 at Amazon, $849.99 at Bestbuy. With 10% off, it becomes $765, only $35 more than the body-only price without the coupon. Bestbuy doesn’t appear to have the body-only option yet.
The deal is brought to you by the USPS Mover’s Guide. I guess if you go to your local postal service office and pickup the Change of Address package, you may be able to find a print version of the coupon. But you don’t have to. There are many places who have the online version for you to download and print.
The coupon is good until June 30, 2009.
Disclaimer: Don’t blame me if it doesn’t work. 
Posted in Deals on May 16th, 2009. No Comments.
When the Nikon started shipping the Nikon D5000 a while ago, it was only available as a body+lens kit. For people who don’t want the kit lens, Amazon is now shipping the Nikon D5000 body only for $730. The two lens kit with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR and 55-200mm f/4-5.6G VR is also available for $1100.
Check availability of Nikon D5000 body at:
Posted in Other on May 15th, 2009. No Comments.
Canon announced the EOS Rebel T1i (500D/Kiss Digital X3) earlier (March 25) than Nikon D5000 (April 14), but somehow Nikon beat Canon in getting their camera out to consumers just a few days earlier. With both cameras targeting consumers, the ensuing battle between the digital imaging giants Canon and Nikon is going to be interesting to watch.
For consumers, making decision may be difficult since there is no such thing as perfect camera. Manufacturers carefully balance features and marketing needs to maximize profitability. They also study competitors to make sure their product is competitive in the market. Knowing your exact needs will help you make a good decision. Knowing the exact differences between the cameras will help you to evaluate your needs against the cameras’ features.
To get it started, you can look at the very detailed DPReview previews for both camera: Canon EOS 500D (Digital Rebel T1i / Kiss X3 Digital) and Nikon D5000. There is also a side-by-side comparison of the specifications. The gadget blog Engadget has a post about the two cameras as well. The following is a quick summary of each camera’s advantages.
Canon 500D wins
- More pixels – 15.1 vs. 12.3 megapixels on Nikon D5000
- Better videos – 1080P vs. 720P on Nikon D5000
- Better RAW file – 14 bit vs. 12 bit
- Larger and denser LCD screen: 3.0″ vs. 2.7″, 920K vs. 230K dots
- Wider ISO range: 100-12800 vs. 100-6400
- Depth of focus preview button: yes vs. no
- Viewfinder magnification: 0.87x vs. 0.78x
Nikon D5000 wins
- Tilt/Swirl LCD screen
- Faster continuous shooting speed: 4 frames per second (fps) vs. 3.4fps.
- Advanced scene modes
- Built-in filter effects and in-camera editing
- Better AF sensor: 11 vs. 9 point, with AF assist illuminator vs. none (uses built-in flash), slightly better AF sensitivity, 3D tracking
- Wider exposure compensation range; +/- 5EV vs. +/-2EV
- Better flash range: 17m vs. 13m
- Cost: ~$50 cheaper
Posted in Digital SLR Cameras on April 30th, 2009. No Comments.
Amazon is now selling the Nikon D5000 and Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR Lens kit
If you’d like to get your hands on one to get a feel of it but cannot, Engadget has a dozen of photos from all possible angles for your to check it out.
If you are getting serious about photography, you may want to consider the D200. The $600 Bestbuy deal we mentioned a while ago appears to have come back again. The D200 has none of the ~20 scene modes that D5000 has. So you are forced to learn the real elements of the photography: ISO, aperture, shutter speed, etc.
Gadget blog Gizmodo reported based on an anonymous insider tip that Bestbuy will have the Nikon D5000 on the shelves after this Friday, ahead of the official release date of May 1st. If you cannot wait to get your hands on it, you should start to check stores around your location.
In case you are looking for some pro grade gear, it might be too late for a great deal: the $600 Nikon D200 sale seems to have been over, the price just went back to $799.99. It might still come back though, since the sale has been on and off for a couple months.
Posted in Digital SLR Cameras on April 20th, 2009. No Comments.
