Nikon D5000

The D5000 is the latest in a long line of impressive DSLRs from Nikon, delivering great image quality and a powerful feature-set that represents a significant upgrade over its predecessor, the D60. Like many of today’s new DSLRs, the D5000 borrows a great deal from a higher-end model in the range, in this case the D90, but repackages it in a more affordable form factor with at least one key advantage in its favour.
While arch rival Canon continues to increase resolutions, Nikon has sensibly stood still with the D5000, equipping it with exactly the same sensor as the D90. It’s sensible because while the Canon EOS 500D / Rebel T1i features three extra Megapixels, the D5000 delivers what we regard to be superior image quality overall. Set the Canon to 100 ISO with a decent lens and it will out-resolve the D5000, but use the standard kit lenses or increase the sensitivity much beyond 200 ISO and the D5000 takes the lead.
You can see examples of this in our Real Life Resolution and High ISO noise pages: Nikon struck a great balance between number of pixels and real-life performance with the earlier D90, and the D5000 inherits that. The D5000’s kit lens may not have the reach of the D90’s DX 18-105mm VR, but it also remains a decent performer for the money. So in terms of image quality, the D5000 matches the D90’s output and therefore becomes one of the best at its price point.