Nikon D90 vs D5000 [Archive] - MacRumors Forums

Hls811

Jun 25, 2009, 11:03 AM

Hello,

I was wondering what's the pros and cons of D5000? I mean it's 250$ more that D90 and from what I can see the D5000 is better than D90

Its not necessarily better, its very similiar.

I just upgraded my D60 to a D5000 and considered the D90, the differences I saw between the 2 weren't substantial enough to get the D90, and in the long run would have cost me more.

I am thrilled with the D5000. The only feature I would like to have is the higher resolution screen from the D90, but that wasn't worth the upgrade to me. the D90 also has a 2nd screen for viewing settings, a nice feature and something most seasoned SLR shooters will appreciate since the higher-end cameras all have it.

When it came down to making a decision 3 things swayed me:
1) The swivel screen. While its a novelty to some, I enjoy having it and in the week+ I've had the D5000 I've used it twice, so its worth it.

2) The Extra scene modes. I'm still very amateur when it comes to SLR's. I am learning what I can about manual settings but still like the comfort of the built in modes, and the D5000 just had more. I may never use them all, but they are there just in case.

3) No need for me to re-buy batteries. Coming from a D60, I already purchased my spares and the D5000 uses the same one (although updated, but still compatible).

Again, I don't think the D90 is better - I doubt you'd see a difference in image quality between the 2 simply because the "guts" of the camera are the same. Decide what you prefer.. a swivel screen or a higher resolution screen. A smaller camera or a slightly larger one with a 2nd LCD...
And as most everyone will say - if you still can't decide, go to a store, pick up both and see which feels better for you.

leighonigar

Jun 25, 2009, 11:41 AM

Remember - the D5000 does not have an in-body focus motor.

uaecasher

Jun 25, 2009, 12:00 PM

Remember - the D5000 does not have an in-body focus motor.

what do you mean by in-body focus motor?

88888888

Jun 25, 2009, 12:14 PM

He means that lenses that aren't af-s or af-i won't autofocus on the lenses, which in the long run can be more expensive when purchasing lenses. Lenses with built in motor are more expensive than ones that aren't.

uaecasher

Jun 25, 2009, 12:28 PM

but in nikon site:

"11-point Autofocus System with 3D Focus Tracking
Fast and accurate autofocus delivers razor sharpness."

how is that possible

88888888

Jun 25, 2009, 12:38 PM

d5000 doesn't have the build in motor to auto focus with Non-Af-S lenses.
it's more worth it to go for the d90. more choice of lenses

telecomm

Jun 25, 2009, 01:03 PM

but in nikon site:

"11-point Autofocus System with 3D Focus Tracking
Fast and accurate autofocus delivers razor sharpness."

how is that possible

Not having a built-in motor doesn't mean the camera can't autofocus, it just means it can only autofocus lenses that do have a built-in motor.

ArtandStructure

Jun 25, 2009, 01:04 PM

See here:

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=7785167#post7785167

All the best,

Jesse Widener
Art and Structure (http://www.artandstructure.com)

OCSpersonel

Jun 25, 2009, 02:47 PM

telecomm

Jun 25, 2009, 02:56 PM

if you are an insainly good photographer who does photography for a living, go for the D5000
otherwise, why not just get the D90 that can shoot HD video???
my D50 still takes amazing pictures and its been discontinued

The D5000 is below the D90 in Nikon's product line (the OP has probably mixed up the prices). Both shoot (mediocre, from the sounds of it) HD video.

flosseR

Jun 25, 2009, 03:46 PM

As a D90 owner, I went to a local Photostore and test shot the D5000. Ok granted, I only used it for about 20 minutes but there are a LOT of things different than the D90. The D5000 is more along the consumer line and "pro features" are missing. While the sensor might be the same, a lot of things are not.

I would argue that the D5000 goes more towards the Entry level (D40/60) and the D90 is the little brother of the D300. many people will argue that the top LCD screen, the superior rear LCD screen, the two selection wheels (front and back) and the viewfinder as well as the autofocus motor might not be THE thing to have, but to be honest. I could not live without them...

However, as it is reviewed here: http://www.franknuernberger.de/blog_fotograf_berlin/?p=432
it is a very capable camera. Still if you have the additional coupe of hundred buck you DO get what you pay for in the D90...

just my 2 c

Westside guy

Jun 25, 2009, 03:58 PM

d5000 doesn't have the build in motor to auto focus with Non-Af-S lenses.
it's more worth it to go for the d90. more choice of lenses

For the vast majority of people, I don't think this matters. Nikon hasn't released a lens that didn't have a built in motor since somewhere around 2003.

The move to in-lens motors is mostly due to the fact that they generally provide much faster AF tracking than in-body motors.

If you really want the widest variety of Nikkor lenses to choose from, you need to buy a higher-end camera like the D300, D700, D3/x.

nizmoz

Jun 25, 2009, 04:06 PM

Hello,

I was wondering what's the pros and cons of D5000? I mean it's 250$ more that D90 and from what I can see the D5000 is better than D90

D90 is better than the D5000. I suggest you look up the specs.

http://www.digitalreview.ca/content/Nikon-D5000-D90-Compared-to-Canon-Rebel-T1i-500D.shtml

nizmoz

Jun 25, 2009, 04:10 PM

if you are an insainly good photographer who does photography for a living, go for the D5000
otherwise, why not just get the D90 that can shoot HD video???
my D50 still takes amazing pictures and its been discontinued

Wrong. The D90 is more if a semi-pro camera while the D5000 is a Novice entry level camera for people who rather use AUTO mode.

nizmoz

Jun 25, 2009, 04:13 PM

For the vast majority of people, I don't think this matters. Nikon hasn't released a lens that didn't have a built in motor since somewhere around 2003.

The move to in-lens motors is mostly due to the fact that they generally provide much faster AF tracking than in-body motors.

If you really want the widest variety of Nikkor lenses to choose from, you need to buy a higher-end camera like the D300, D700, D3/x.

:confused: :eek:

D90, D300, D700, and so on all have access to all the lenses. The D80 and below do not have this ability.

peapody

Jun 25, 2009, 04:42 PM

:confused: :eek:

D90, D300, D700, and so on all have access to all the lenses. The D80 and below do not have this ability.

Sorry, D80 auto focuses all as well.

nizmoz

Jun 25, 2009, 04:45 PM

Sorry, D80 auto focuses all as well.

I stand corrected. But the D80 does not have the built in Focus motor. Also many others things that make the D90 better.

http://www.cameralabs.com/reviews/Nikon_D90/verdict.shtml

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/compatibility-lens.htm

ScubaDuc

Jun 25, 2009, 04:51 PM

But.... If I am not mistaken, the D5000 supports metering with old AI lenses while I seem to recall that the D90 does not.

Is that correct? :confused:

flosseR

Jun 25, 2009, 04:55 PM

ScubaDuc

Jun 25, 2009, 05:28 PM

shamelessly copied from the DPREVIEW forum , and verified in my own user manual:
"According to p 87 of the user manual, The D90 will meter with non-CPU lenses off the central focus point when set to spot metering (manual mode only I would assume). Has anyone tried this?"

Yes, so it should, but there is this footnote (11) on the lens compatibility chart that states "Electronic analog display cannot be used" If I cannot read the exposure, what good is it :confused:

I have a rather substantial kit of legacy AI lenses from the old F3 and F2 years I'd hate not to use :rolleyes:

flosseR

Jun 25, 2009, 06:26 PM

and you think the D5000 will do this?, I highly doubt it.. but of course i can be wrong...:)

OCSpersonel

Jun 25, 2009, 07:27 PM

The D5000 is below the D90 in Nikon's product line (the OP has probably mixed up the prices). Both shoot (mediocre, from the sounds of it) HD video.

OOPS! haha i havent looked at nikons product line since the D90 came out, i just assumed the higher number was more advanced, sorry!

Ruahrc

Jun 25, 2009, 08:06 PM

OOPS! haha i havent looked at nikons product line since the D90 came out, i just assumed the higher number was more advanced, sorry!

Yet ironically your original comment still contains truth. A D5000 in the hands of a skilled photographer can shoot circles around a D3x in the hands of someone who doesn't know what they're doing. A better camera will not make you a better photographer.

Re: the autofocusing, having an internal AF motor can be nice if you have a large stock of old lenses, or would have interest in purchasing older lenses used at very good prices and getting superior optical quality from them. Otherwise, it is highly unlikely Nikon will ever make another non AF-S lens in the future, thus if you only intend to buy recent or new lenses, lack of an internal focusing meter will not really be a problem. My D80 has an internal screw-drive focusing meter and it can autofocus using older lenses.

Ruahrc

peapody

Jun 26, 2009, 12:38 AM

I stand corrected. But the D80 does not have the built in Focus motor.

Sorry, the D80 has a built in internal focus motor. That is why it is able to auto focus AF lenses...be careful of your absolute statements!

I'd have to agree with westsideguy. These days nikon is pushing out newer technologies and while you are limiting yourself in the lenses you can use with the D5000, some of the top notch lenses out there have incorporated VR and dust reducing technologies that are desirable anyway. I can see the limitations for D5000 users if they are looking to get legacy lenses or perhaps lower cost AF lenses such as the 50mm 1.8.

leighonigar

Jun 26, 2009, 05:37 AM

But.... If I am not mistaken, the D5000 supports metering with old AI lenses while I seem to recall that the D90 does not.

Is that correct? :confused:

No. Good God. This isn't that hard. The D200, D300, D700, D3, Fuji S5 Pro etc. have everything, they can meter with old manual lenses. They can also autofocus with AF and AF-D lenses as well as the AF-I and AF-S lenses with internal motors.

The D100, D70, D50, D80, D90, Fuji S2, S3 have a motor and so can autofocus with Af, AF-D, AF-I and AF-S lenses. They cannot meter with non-electronic lenses like MF AI and AI-S ones.

The D40, D60, D5000 have no in-body motor and so can only focus with AF-S and AF-I lenses, they will not meter with manual focus lenses (barring the odd AF-P or chipped nikkors).

If the OP doesn't know what this means then I'll wager the D5000 will do a fine job.

uaecasher

Jun 26, 2009, 02:04 PM

i bought the D90, and I'm very happy with it :D

leighonigar

Jun 26, 2009, 02:55 PM

i bought the D90, and I'm very happy with it :D

Great Stuff!

uaecasher

Jun 27, 2009, 03:24 AM

Great Stuff!

indeed!

here is some pics from my d90:

http://s375.photobucket.com/albums/oo194/gupshupp/

cutsman

Jun 27, 2009, 07:43 AM

2 other major differences that make the D90 better than D5000 (other than the whole AF motor thing)...

a) 2 command dials for adjusting shutter speed and aperture independently

b) wireless flash commander mode which lets you trigger an external flash unit using the body's pop-up flash

hogfaninga

Jun 27, 2009, 08:46 AM

The D90 does not meter with AI lenses. They will work on it, but won't meter which is important to many people. I don't know about the D5000 (no interest in it), but I highly doubt a consumer body (like the D90 which is a consumer body) has that feature.

Edit: Sorry I just read the whole thread (one of my pet peeves and I did it) and Leighonigar did a good job stating it.

nizmoz

Jun 27, 2009, 11:38 AM

Sorry, the D80 has a built in internal focus motor. That is why it is able to auto focus AF lenses...be careful of your absolute statements!

I'd have to agree with westsideguy. These days nikon is pushing out newer technologies and while you are limiting yourself in the lenses you can use with the D5000, some of the top notch lenses out there have incorporated VR and dust reducing technologies that are desirable anyway. I can see the limitations for D5000 users if they are looking to get legacy lenses or perhaps lower cost AF lenses such as the 50mm 1.8.

I just checked and you are right it does. The Biggest difference is the D90 has a CMOS and the D80 doesn't.

leighonigar

Jun 27, 2009, 06:59 PM

I just checked and you are right it does. The Biggest difference is the D90 has a CMOS and the D80 doesn't.

Sounds like you're suggesting a CMOS sensor is inherently a feature.

nizmoz

Jun 27, 2009, 10:55 PM

Sounds like you're suggesting a CMOS sensor is inherently a feature.

A CMOS sensor is better than the older sensor the D80 has. That is a major upgrade imho for Nikon.

leighonigar

Jun 28, 2009, 06:41 AM

A CMOS sensor is better than the older sensor the D80 has. That is a major upgrade imho for Nikon.

Clearly that particular CMOS sensor is better than the CCD in the D80; it is newer. To claim that any CMOS sensor is better than any CCD is nonsense.

http://www.dalsa.com/corp/markets/CCD_vs_CMOS.aspx

nizmoz

Jun 28, 2009, 10:31 AM

Clearly that particular CMOS sensor is better than the CCD in the D80; it is newer. To claim that any CMOS sensor is better than any CCD is nonsense.

http://www.dalsa.com/corp/markets/CCD_vs_CMOS.aspx

Oh then how come all the "good cameras" have CMOS's and not CCDs if you think a CCD is better in some cases? Never seen it. Quit trying to make the cheaper cameras look better when they aren't. :rolleyes:

uaecasher

Jun 28, 2009, 10:41 AM

some photo's from my D90 :D

http://mozymac.com/images/DSC_0373.JPG

http://mozymac.com/images/DSC_0378.JPG

http://mozymac.com/images/DSC_0038.JPG

http://mozymac.com/images/DSC_0010 1.JPG

leighonigar

Jun 28, 2009, 02:03 PM

Oh then how come all the "good cameras" have CMOS's and not CCDs if you think a CCD is better in some cases? Never seen it. Quit trying to make the cheaper cameras look better when they aren't. :rolleyes:

Idiocy. Loads of cheap webcams have CMOS sensors. The old EOS E30 had a CMOS sensor, compared to any modern CCD SLR it's junk, the D70, D80 put out better images. Most of the current DSLRs do indeed have CMOS sensors, I guess they must be cheaper for current applications.

I'm not saying that CMOS sensors are worse at the high end, just that there is a good range of quality of both types and saying 'a CMOS is better' and ending it there is wrong.

nizmoz

Jun 28, 2009, 02:31 PM

Idiocy. Loads of cheap webcams have CMOS sensors. The old EOS E30 had a CMOS sensor, compared to any modern CCD SLR it's junk, the D70, D80 put out better images. Most of the current DSLRs do indeed have CMOS sensors, I guess they must be cheaper for current applications.

I'm not saying that CMOS sensors are worse at the high end, just that there is a good range of quality of both types and saying 'a CMOS is better' and ending it there is wrong.

So you are saying the D70 and D80 put out better images over a D90? Sorry but please give me some of that you are smoking seriously. :rolleyes:

D80 vs D90. CCD vs CMOS. The D90 is much better in this area as the CMOS shows it in all the tests. Reason why all the past Nikons were not great in High ISO performance or any CCD camera for that matter because it used a CCD and not a CMOS.

This is why Canon cameras clearly shine in this area.

HBOC

Jun 28, 2009, 03:25 PM

So you are saying the D70 and D80 put out better images over a D90? Sorry but please give me some of that you are smoking seriously. :rolleyes:

D80 vs D90. CCD vs CMOS. The D90 is much better in this area as the CMOS shows it in all the tests. Reason why all the past Nikons were not great in High ISO performance or any CCD camera for that matter because it used a CCD and not a CMOS.

This is why Canon cameras clearly shine in this area.

Canon has been producing their own CMOS sensors for years now. That is why they may have had a one up in the "pro" line, but now Nikon is catching back up.

I do believe a lot of cameras with CCD sensors (even in P&S's) used Sony chips. I think now most manufacturers have their own in house R&D for CMOS chips..

chewbaccacabra

Jun 28, 2009, 03:35 PM

Love the LCD on the back of my D90 (used my father's D80 quite a bit and the difference is striking). That makes it worth it to me over the D5000.

toxic

Jun 28, 2009, 04:00 PM

Oh then how come all the "good cameras" have CMOS's and not CCDs if you think a CCD is better in some cases? Never seen it. Quit trying to make the cheaper cameras look better when they aren't. :rolleyes:

CMOS is not inherently better than CCD. it is simply for the case of photographic sensors (specifically for SLRs), CMOS has, for whatever reason, a much better implementation.

leighonigar

Jun 28, 2009, 05:10 PM

Abstract

Jun 28, 2009, 06:23 PM

Yeah, CCD is potentially better. Too bad we get better images from CMOS on DSLRs. Too bad the CCDs used in consume more power, get hotter (think "amp glow" in long exposure shots), and are more expensive than CMOS. The switch from CCD to CMOS was one of the reasons why the D300's battery power lasted so much longer than the D200. Even if CCD technology finally enabled it to produce less noise than CMOS, I think CMOS is always going to be arond in the DSLR (and micro-4/3s) world, because MOS is cheaper to produce, and which camera company doesn't like that?

It has also been said that CMOS may not do nearly as well on point and shoots, which is why people haven't moved on to CMOS point and shoots yet. Canon is planning to, but who knows how that will turn out?

kubota99

May 7, 2010, 08:16 PM

I stand corrected. But the D80 does not have the built in Focus motor. Also many others things that make the D90 better.

http://www.cameralabs.com/reviews/Nikon_D90/verdict.shtml

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/compatibility-lens.htm

Sorry, wrong again, the D80 DOES have the built-in focus motor.

I have mine right next to me, and it clearly does have the motor.

If you have trouble understanding what the motor is, look at a D80 body, under the D80 logo, their is a "kill" switch that enables Manual or Auto focus for the MOTOR in the body.

K99

MorganK

May 7, 2010, 08:22 PM

I have a D90 and love it. My main reason for going with it over the D5000 is that my glass from my D40 would work on the D90 as well. I could buy the body for the D90 and get a better camera for the same price as a D5000 kit. So it was just logical for me to get the D90 and use the same lenses I already had instead of investing in new ones. I am VERY happy with my D90!

puckhead193

May 8, 2010, 12:23 AM

I was considering both but was leaning towards the D5000 because of price. Once the sales person handed me the D90 I was sold. It feels so much more solid in my hands and I also have the built in motor for non-AF lenses.

M-5

May 8, 2010, 01:40 PM

I own a D5000 and I really enjoy it. It can do pretty much anything a D90 can and can produce the same images.

The D90 is a really great camera however, and you might be willing to spend the difference to get the extra features. It does feel more solid in the hand (not to say that the D5000 doesn't). And I never had a problem with my screen on the D5000, but when I used my friend's D90 I saw just how much better that screen is. I should also note that the info that's shown on the screen such as Aperture, Shutter Speed, and ISO are a little more intimidating than on the D5000, so if you're relatively new to DSLRs, you might be more interested in the D5000.

Another thing is the built in focus motor that the D5000 doesn't offer. I was originally considering the D40, because I just didn't have the money to spend on a camera and lens, but then I decided to spend a little more for the D5000 since I knew it would produce the same results as a D90, even though I couldn't afford the D90.

PsyD4Me

May 8, 2010, 01:44 PM

D90 is a nice prosumer product, but for pro I stick with canon and their lenses

Westside guy

May 8, 2010, 03:17 PM

D90 is a nice prosumer product, but for pro I stick with canon and their lenses

This seems like a silly comment to throw in - it adds to the "Nikon D90 vs D5000" discussion how, exactly?

BTW I can't see anything that doesn't have mirror-lockup as "prosumer". Right now I don't know that Nikon has anything that is truly prosumer - it seems like the line jumps from the consumer stuff (D90) to better-than-prosumer territory (D300s, D700). Because of price those cameras might be called "prosumer", I suppose, but there's very little to point at and say "see, that camera doesn't have feature X that Nikon's D3/D3x has" - FPS isn't significantly lower, they have the same 51-point autofocus, etc.

fulcrum.1995

May 8, 2010, 06:31 PM

the D5000's built in flash cant act as a CLS flash trigger so if you want to buy external flashes, the D5000 doesnt support wireless off camera flashing unless you buy a SB-800 or SB-900 as well as another offering.

Supports faster flash syncing in conjunction with an SB-600 or SB-900

It is missing the apeture dial and many shortcut buttons.

D90s work with AF lenses as well as AF-S