Nikon D3000 Review- Jewel or Junk?
What’s the scoop on the Nikon D3000? Now that it has been on the market for six months, what is the word on the street? Is it worth laying down your cash, or is it worthless?
The manufacturer took a chance with this little entry level DSLR… or not.
As an entry level digital SLR, they took a step back in technology from the D5000 which had already been released into the camera market three months earlier. Their gamble was that they could capture the market for the least expensive DSLR. So they came in under the price for the Canon Rebel XSi by a few measly bucks (OK, it’s about $50), as well as beating their own entry level camera (the D5000) by about $150.
In all honesty, their camera is a good one, especially when you consider the price compared to just about anything else on the market. However, let’s take a look at what the buyer sacrifices for that $150.
- 10 Megapixel sensor compared to the 12.3 megapixels of the D5000
- Image sensor is the same CCD as the old D40 while the D5000 has a newer CMOS image sensor
- Fixed LCD screen – the D5000 has a tilt screen
- No Live View – (you guessed it) the D5000 has Live View with contrast detecting auto focus
- No movie mode vs HD movie mode on the “other guy”
- Slower continuous shooting at 3 frames per second vs 4 frames per second
- No exposure bracketing which is also available on the D5000
- More limited image quality settings – JPEG quality only instead of JPEG + RAW
- Lower range of ISO at 100-3200 while the D5000 has 200-6400
It seems like the manufacturer “dummied” this model down just to get the price point under the competition.
Well, no, that is not true, at least the “dummied down” part. The Nikon D3000 is a solid performer, according to all the reviews. Yes, it is made in the image of the older D40, but there is nothing wrong with that, because the D40 was arguably the best entry level DSLR for a long time.
This newer model follows in the footsteps of the D40 in design and ease of use, as well as in image quality. It has earned the highest rating at dpreview, which is “Highly Recommended”. Nikon chose well when they decided which features could be sacrificed in favor of the price point.
Bottom line is that this camera, the Nikon D3000 ain’t no junk. If you read the user reviews, you will find that most buyers are extremely happy with their purchase.
View the entire list of features for the Nikon D3000 at www.digital-photographic-resources.com.
Happy Shooting!
About the Author
I love photography and all things related to it. Cameras, camera gear, and image editing software fascinate me, so I am either buying the newest piece of equipment (or software) or researching my next purchase. I host http://digital-photographic-resources.com to answer many of your camera gear questions.
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