No sooner do we chat up the DSLR race and examine how hot the category is getting then along comes Nikon turning up the heat once again.
It was just a couple of weeks ago that Canon and Olympus introduced new models aimed at the more entry-level shooter that both pack a ton of interesting new features into these more compact DSLR body designs we are seeing today. Canon intro’d the new EOS Rebel T1i and Olympus debuted the E-450.
Well, this week it was Nikon’s turn as the company unvieled the D5000, a 12.3 MP DSLR that also features the ability to record HD video.
In addition the D5000 features a versatile 2.7-inch Vari-angle LCD monitor that, as Nikon explains, “encourages shooting with a fresh perspective.“ A one-button Live View activation now features Subject Tracking autofocus (AF), which automatically locks onto a moving subject. Nikon explains that even if the subject leaves the frame and returns, Subject Tracking AF maintains focus, a truly terrific feature for those familiar with the frustration of shooting fast moving children and pets. In addition to Subject Tracking AF in Live View, the D5000 features Face Priority AF, which automatically detects up to five faces in a scene and focuses on the closest subject; Wide Area AF, which offers a large AF area for optimal hand-held shooting; and Normal Area AF, which provides pinpoint accuracy when shooting with a tripod.
The D5000’s aforementioned D-Movie Mode allows users the ability to record HD movie clips (1280 x 720) at a “cinematic“ 24 frames per second with sound. Add 19 auto scene modes and several new in-camera retouch features (Soft Filter, Perspective Control, etc) and a compact body design and this space gets more intetesting on a weekly basis. Expectan MSRP of $729 (body only) and $849.95 (AF-S NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR lens).
Nikon also added a new lens, the AF-S DX-NIKKOR 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G ED, a compact and lightweight new 2.4x zoom lens that offers a focal length of 10 to 24mm, creating a picture angle ranging from 109-degrees to 61-degrees (FX-format equivalent of 15-36mm) making it ideal for a variety of applications including restrictive interiors, architecture and sweeping landscapes.
The new lens features Nikon’s compact Silent Wave Motor (SWM) technology for quiet, fast and accurate autofocus performance and an advanced optical formula, featuring two extra-low dispersion (ED) glass and three aspherical lens elements, “renders stunning images while minimizing distortion, a common problem with ultra wide-angle lenses,” Nikon adds.
