[Updated: Added to the table Panasonic GH1's burst speed mode and movie length. The burst speed is 3fps (high) and 2fps (low) while movie length is limited only by the memory size]
I know of some camera owners would be all riled up when someone attempts to compare their cameras to the cameras owned by others. Even an off-hand remark such as “the other camera has a larger resolution than your camera does” could invite a “lecture” about megapixels and why resolution does not always matter.
But not making comparison between camera models — especially if they are new entrants to the market and of the same price range and “class” — is like asking Brazilians not to watch the Brazil team playing in the World Cup final or asking U2 fans not to listen to “No Line on the Horizon”.
So long as it is fair, a comparison won’t be a problem
So when Nikon announces its new “super” entry-level camera, the D5000, it immediately attracts comparison to the Canon EOS 500D. Canon wins some but Nikon also wins in some other areas.
The 500D is stronger in terms of the megapixel count — 15.1 megapixels compared to D5000′s 12.3 megapixels — but the D5000 also has its unique feature, which is the tilt-and-swivel LCD screen.
Five years ago DSLR camera owners would have cried foul if there was any hint of attempts to incorporate compact camera features, such as video capability and vari-angle LCD screen, into DSLR cameras but things have greatly changed ever since.
I’ve been using the feature in my compact cameras and know how useful it is, especially when taking close-up pictures at ground level or overhead in the crowd.
While the 500D’s 15.1 megapixels is a huge advantage, the 5000d’s 12.3 megapixels is large enough for most users.
Here are on-paper side-by-side comparison between the two cameras, with Panasonic DMC-GH1 thrown in to spice up the party.
Canon 500D/T1i vs Nikon D5000 vs Panasonic DMC-GH1
| Canon EOS 500D/Rebel T1i | Nikon D5000 | Panasonic DMC-GH1 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Camera Type | DSLR | DSLR | Micro Four Thirds |
| Sensor | 22.3 x 14.9mm CMOS | 23.6 x 15.8 mm DX CMOS | 4/4" Live MOS |
| 15.1 Megapixels | 12.3 Megapixels | 12.1 Megapixels | |
| Lens Mount | EF/EF-S | Nikon F mount | Micro Four Thirds |
| Crop Factor | 1.6x | 1.5x | n/a |
| Processor | DIGIC 4 | EXPEED | Venus Engine HD |
| Dist Reduction | Filter vibration at power-on | Airflow control system | Supersonic wave filter |
| Anti-static coating | Image sensor cleaning | ||
| Software-based dust-removal | Software-based | ||
| Image Sizes | (L) 4272 x 2848, (M) 3088 x 2056, (S) 2256 x 1504 | (L) 4288 x 2848, (M) 3216 x 2136, (S) 2144 x 1424 | 4:3 (4000 x 3000, 2816 x 2112, 2048 x 1536); 3:2 (4128 x 1752, 2928 x 1952, 2064 x 1376); 16:9 (4352 x 2448, 3072 x 1728, 1920 x 1080); 1:1 (2992 x 2992, 2112 x 2112, 1504 x 1504) |
| RAW | Yes | Yes | Yes (RAW + JPEG Standard, Fine) |
| Movie | HD (16:9) 1920 X 1080p 20fps, 1280 x720p 30fps | All 24fps -- 1280 x 712, 640 x 424, 320 x 216 | AVCHD: 1920 x 1080, 1280 x 720 |
| SD (4:3) 640 x 480 30 fps | Motion JPEG at 30 fps: 1280 x 720, 848 x 480, 640 x 480, 320 x 240 | ||
| Movie Duration | Maximum 29m 59sec or 4GB, which ever comes first | Maximum 5 min (1280 x 720), other resolutions 20 minutes | Limited only by card's memory |
| Movie Format | Quicktime MOV | AVI (Motion JPEG) | AVCHD, Quick time motion JPEG |
| Digital Zoom | N/A | N/A | Up to 4x |
| Sensitivity | Auto (100 - 1600) | ISO 200 to 3200 | Auto, Intelligent ISO |
| ISO 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200, 6400, 12800 | Can also be set to ISO 100 and 6400 equivalent) | ISO 100, 200, 400, 1600, 3200 | |
| Shutter Speed | 30 - 1/4000 | 30 - 1/4000 | 60 - 1/4000 |
| Bulb | Yes | Yes | Yes (up to 8 minutes) |
| Continuous Shot | 3.4 fps | 4 fps | 3fps (high), 2fps (low) |
| Memory | SD/SDHC | SD, SDHC | SD/SDHC |
| Exposure Modes Modes | Auto, Portrait, Landscape, Close-up, Sports, Night Portrait, No Flash, Movie, Program AE , Shutter priority AE, Aperture priority AE, Manual, Auto Depth-of-Field | Program Auto (P), Shutter priority (S), Aperture priority (A), Manual (M), Auto | Program AE, Aperture priority AE, Shutter priority AE, Manual, Auto |
| Picture Styles/Scene Modes | Standard, Portrait, Landscape, Neutral, Faithful, Monochrome, User Defined (x3) | Advanced Scene Modes (Portrait, Landscape, Child, Sports, Close-up, Night portrait, Night landscape, Party/Indoor, Beach/Snow, Sunset, Dusk/Dawn, Pet portrait, Candlelight, Blossom, Autumn colors, Food, Silhouette, High key, Low key) | Portrait, Soft Skin, Outdoor Portrait, Indoor Portrait, Creative Portrait, Scenery, Nature, Architecture, Creative Scenery, Sports, Outdoor Sports, Indoor Sports, Creative Sports, Flower, Food, Objects, Creative Close-Up, Night Portrait, Night Scenery, Illuminations, Creative Night Scenery, Sunset, Party, Baby 1, 2, Pet |
| Focus | 9 AF points (f/5.6 cross type at centre, extra sensitivity at f/2.8) | 11 focus points | Auto Focus |
| F5.6 cross-type at center, extra sensitivity at F2.8 | Live view | Face Detection | |
| AF working range: -0.5 to 18 EV (at 23°C, ISO 100) | AF Tracking | ||
| Predictive AF up to 10 m | |||
| White Balance | Auto, Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Flash, Custom | Auto, presets (12), manual preset, white balance bracketing | Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Shade, Halogen, Flash, Custom 1, Custom 2, Kelvin temp (2500 - 10000 K, 100K steps) |
| Vari-angle Tilt and Swivel LCD Monitor | No | Yes | Yes |
| 3.0" TFT LCD monitor | 2.7" TFT LCD monitor | 3.0" TFT LCD monitor | |
| 100% frame coverage | 100% frame coverage | Approx 100% frame coverage | |
| 920,000 pixels | Approx. 230,000 dots | 460,000 dots |
{ 103 comments… read them below or add one }
Next Comments →
The megapixel difference is by no means “huge”. In fact, it’s pretty much meaningless.
Agree, in fact if I am to buy which one of the two, I won’t mind the 12.3 Megapixels.
With 15.1MP no one would dare to use ISO above 3200. Thus ISO 12800 is 99% useless.
Agree. The highest I would want to go is 6400.
i am planing to buy one of these cameras. the more or less 3mp is not need for an entry level camera because beginners don’t take pictures for billboards. 12 mp is really big and tilt and swivel lcd monitor sweet.to take videos for me with this is kinda useles but cool to have, 1080 to 720 this is an dlsr it for take pictures not taking videos.
Well, can’t go wrong with any of these. if video is important and budget is not a problem, gh1 is also a good camera
i like canon 500d digic 4 15m and low price
The 2.8 MP difference is nothing, nothing at all. In a double blind large print test no one would be able to tell the difference.
I myself use a Nikon D1H with only 2.7 MP and I get great 8x10s out of it. The only reason I’ve updated is the antiquated controls and features compared to my D200, particularly Nikon’s wonderful CLS.
The real differences between the D5000 and 500D are the noise, dynamic range, color response, screens, AF compatibility and kit lenses.
The extra pixels are nothing, really. Same as the extra ISO range.
Who would need monster size prints and dare to use ISO12800? The difference between both cameras are noise levels which are pretty much the same. If you want ISO 12800 on D5000 you can do trick but the noise level would make your image look like poo-poo.
Also, Digic 4 means nothing since each company has their own name for their processors.
Of course the processors are different. But try to imagine the 500D having Digic III as processor… what a world of difference that would be
Erm what I meant is same generation processors. Of course Digic 4 is better than Digic 3, but Digic 4 is the same as EXPEED or Venus Engine HD etc etc.
In fact D5000 is cheaper than 500D.
looking into both canon 500d and nikon d5000 . still deciding which one to get. they are almost the same. pls advise!
It is entirely up to you… if I was buying a DSLR though, I would go for the D5000 because I like the tilt-swivel screen, interval shooting mode (where you can set the camera to take pictures at several seconds interval)
If you look at the conclusion at dpreview.com, it seems the reviewer has some reservation about the 500D and the D5000 beats the 500D in terms of performance (speed), according to dpreview.
If I had the budget, I would spare myself the agony of choosing between the two and wait for the Pentax K-7 instead
So what’s the big deal about K-7? I kept hearing concerns in the community that Pentax may not be able to survive next year.
The K-7 has an impressive list of features, movies is better than either the 500D or D5000, digital filters, and so on… It will be a pity if Pentax will have to follow the path taken by Konica-Minolta
which one should buy?d500 or 500d?
It’s a tough call. But if you have previously used a camera with articulating LCD screen, you’ll know how useful it is to take pictures at difficult angle. In this case, the Nikon D5000 will be a much more user-friendly camera…
The downside with the D5000 is that it doesn’t have autofocus motor built into the body, limiting the choice of Nikon lenses that could be autofocused when mounted on the camera. For further info, check here under the “usable lens” section
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/Nikond5000/page2.asp
However, they are third party lenses that can be used and can focus when used with the D5000.
On the other hand, the Canon 500D accept all Canon EF / EF-S lenses.
It’s really up to you. It also depends on which camera system you want to build your DSLR gear with. Image quality wise, both are similar.
which is true??
Nikon = all lens are compatible ????
OR
Canon = all lens are compatible ???
Hmm.. don’t know much about Nikon or Canon lens systems but will try to answer:
Canon EOS D500 = compatible with all EF/EF-S Canon lenses (basically, EF lenses are film era lenses, EF-S lenses are digital era lenses). This means that all lens produced from around 1987 till to date are compatible with EOS500 camera or any Canon DSLRs camera.
Nikon D500o = Compatible with most Nikkor lenses with limitation as some won’t autofocus. The D5000 only support all functions (autofocus etc) when using Nikkor AF-S, AF-I lenses (which have built-in focusing motor, if am not mistaken). Bear in mind that there a huge collection of AF-S lenses available
http://www.nikonusa.com/Find-Your-Nikon/Camera-Lenses/index.page
hello – i think i’m going to get the Nikon D5000, they weigh up so close that the cost difference is unjustifiable. the only thing i’m concerned about is that the Nikon doesn’t have the built in AF – will this affect the quality of the images? i.e. will i find the majority of my shots somewhat blurred or not as sharp as the Canon or can this be overcome? i’m new to the DSLR so i’m looking at a good entry level DSLR and after the reading i’ve done i’ve found these two to be the top choice, now i just cant choose between them!
You won’t go wrong with either one. Image quality is the same, the megapixel difference is not significant.
I think you would be pleased with the D5000. The body doesn’t have an AF motor, so focusing will be lens-based but as long as you use Nikon’s AF-S lenses, there won’t be any problem autofocusing.
And there are a huge array of AF-S lenses to choose from. I think the D5000′s swivel LCD screen is a huge plus factor.
I own a Pentax K-7 and wish that it had a swivel screen.
hi Ashleigh,
i had the same disorienting dilema choosing between Nikon D5000 or Canon 500D, this cameras are very similar but in terms of image quality D5000 can perform better in spite of having less megapixel. Build quality is excellent, Canon feels more like fragile plastic, Nikon´s tech seems more accurate, i had bad experience with Canon´s after some years of use i doubt it´s quality after maybe 10 years of use,maybe i lost the confidence, i think it´s a more comercial brand but has good cameras also.
I studied each one to the bottom and obviously i bought Nikon, now the photos i get from the camera tell me that i really made the right choice, and believe i´m really picky with sharpness, color and light performance. Anyway what´s good for me may not be good for others, so best thing for you is to make your own study of both.
check this technical explanation:
http://www.dxomark.com/index.php/eng/Insights/Canon-500D-T1i-vs.-Nikon-D5000
I looked at both of these in the store, and there is one feature that is making me lean toward the Nikon: Autofocus with LiveView.
I know – it’s a Point & shoot mentality, but my wife is going to be using this camera, she is used to Live view, and is not going to want to manual focus all the time.
Thoughts?
Are there other cameras in this range that have Live view AF?
Hi Robert,
Heard that the Pentax K-x also autofocuses in Live View but I think the D5000 does it better. Furthermore, if one prefers to shoot in Live View, most probably he or she will also prefer a camera with articulating LCD screen.
In this case, the choice is obvious, that is the D5000.
I think you wife is going to like the D5000.
Dear friends, Iam also going to buy a reflex within these two models.After knowing all these comments it’s very hard to take a disition.But one thing is that canon cameras available in italy MADE IN JAPAN and nikon’s are MADE IN THAILAND.Naturaly photografic equipments made in japan are most reliable than others.
Made in Japan does NOT assure quality. If you’ve held a 450D or 500D before, you’ll notice that the Canon body’s plastic is quite flimsy. And it doesn’t quite fit right into our hands too, compared to ergonomically designed Nikons. Comparing both, I would say that the D5000′s body is better built, though cheaper than the Japanese made Canon.
I guess each camera maker has a reputation to keep and will make sure that all their production facilities, be they are in Thailand or China, adhere to a certain standard.
I think the power of perception cannot be underestimated. People tend to trust cameras that are produced in countries where the brand is headquartered or at least, produced in developed countries.
Japan has successfully built a reputation as the producer of quality products but the country too suffered from perception some decades ago… people used to laugh at cars made in Japan. Not many are laughing at Japanese cars now.
And some Toyotas are now produced in Thailand.
But if given the option between a made in Thailand D5000 and a made in Japan D5000, I will of course choose the Japanese version.
Saha, I think, in choosing between the two camera, one should look at whether the features offered by Canon or Nikon suit his or her photographic need. Some people don’t like the swivel screen, so obviously the choice in the 500D.
Several weeks ago, Nikon made two recalls of a certain D5000 batch so I guess newer models are now free of any “defect”. Should you decide to buy the D5000, you should check whether it is not one of the cameras involved in the recalls.
Hi!!
I too am deciding between these 2 cameras, trying to not nit pick too much as it makes you go insane, lol.
Can anyone tell me what the battery life is like with these cameras? the 500d doesnt appear to be as good as the d5000 but did read a review where someone was acheiving between 500-700 shots in a day!
Thanks! =D
Well I’m not sure of the D5000, but I do own a Nikon D90 and the battery life is simply spectacular.
Few months ago on a 2 days trip to Penang, Malaysia, I’ve forgotten to bring my battery charger along with me. I was quite concerned with the battery life but after the trip, I found out that I’ve taken almost 2,000 shots (about 5% of them with built-in flash), and the battery was still half full! I was really surprised.
On another trip to an orphanage, I took more than 2,000 shots in 6 hours and the same thing happened- the battery was still half full. This is spectacular indeed.
In my country Canon provided 3 years parts and labours warranty for 500D, compare to Nikon with 1 year.
So…. Canon if you’re not a careful person?
Hey.Everybody..im goin Crazy.
Which one should i choose?500d or d5000?
My only concern on the d5000 is the Firmware issues/Defect!!!I dont want mine going to the Emergency Room!!!
What i hate about the nikon is the Noise at high ISO!!!its freaking unbelievable compared to the 12.mp Nikon d5000!I think they should put digic5`s on their T1i`s to handle the immense Pixels!!
Anyways im going for Nikon d5000! cant wait to Unbox!!!
i am new to DSLR Photography..so this is gonna be an Experience!!
Hi All, As i said before i chose the Nikon D5000. After taking more than 3000 photos changing every configuration and trying every setting, i found this camera awesome, colors are extremely accurate and real, it has a Nikon AF-S DX VR 18-55, good enough for it´s features, really really sharp, i checked this, you can even see the tiny hair lighten up by the flash, on a baby´s face, it´s unbelievable. can´t wait to buy a NIKON AF-S DX VR 18-200 mm. It´s video is very good, more than enough, just download “virtualdub” put settings(audio/video) to direct stream copy(0% loss) and save as .avi. There you get the video with no freeze frame.Can also use other free software’s to do it. It´s battery is really excellent, I took hundreds of photos all of them inside home and all with flash, if you have a spare battery, during day light you probably will get your 2 x 8GB cards full first than you get your batteries empty, even with flash on medium resolution, of course you must treat them well to avoid charging when it has already 40% charge. I use a Sandisk Extreme III SDHC 8GB card 20MB/s read and write, it´s amazing this thing speed while bursting photos in day light, try it and you´ll see what i mean. Bottom line, D5000 body is way far better constructed than Canon 500D Canon, it also a nice machine but the body it´s like cheap plastic, if you want to take a picture over a bunch of people on D5000 you can flip the screen down, on 500D you can´t see where are you pointing you´re camera, you can also take pictures hiding behind a corner, to capture peoples natural expressions with out being seen, you have 11 points of focus, and you can change it to one, and relocate it on the screen in any position you can choose any position to be in focus, for nonprofessional use it´s an amazing camera, but with the right objectives and flash you can take almost the same quality photos as some professional guys during a race competition, i checked this with two pro´s that only do race pictures, one has a Nikon D300S and the other a Canon 50D or 5D, the Canon guy said Nikon colors are more real because of Nikon technology, but he got Canon cause he can more easily get a battery or charger from another guy when he needs one. D5000 sensor is the same installed on D90, great performance, until now i surely must give it a 5* rate. Of course this is only my opinion. Just as a funny thing, check out the camera from CSI guys, of course it´s an act but it´s a Nikon.
Very difficult choice … 15.1 MP of Canon 500d seems better, but if you look at detailed reviews, you will notice that all reviews give better ratings to the Nikon D5000 for a better and bigger sensor (same as Nikon D90), a better 11 point focus (against a 9 point focus on Canon 500d) and better low noise pictures in low light conditions. These features are more important to take good photographs than a 15.1 MP res or HD recording (also there in D5000).
Go for a Nikon D5000 body with a Nikon Nikkor 18-105 mm VR lens and you can do 90% of your photography with this combination.
Nikon D5000 has also won the DIWA Gold Award this year (beating Canon 500D and other DSLR’s introduced this year) .. http://www.diwa-awards.com/press/Documents/nikon-d5000-diwa-gold-press-release.doc
Happy Deciding !
rahuldevmehta (at) gmail (dot) com
I just want to thank everyone for their excellent reviews. A toss-up indeed. Im going with the Nikon, only because my 3 other 35mm cameras are also Nikon. Best wishes everyone and Happy Holidays.
Good posts. Glad I found it. Previous mentions of the Pentax K-7 mean I may also look at that. The £50 cash back from Nikon is not to be overlooked though. Might see if any retailers (Jessops etc) drop any prices in a post Xmas day sale for an even better bargain
Ahaaaa, After reading all the post, i’ll buy a nikon D5000 for sure. actually i know nothing about DSLR, i’m learning to be like a pro. ahaa, still 15 here, got 7A 1B for my PMR results in Malaysia. Tomorrow i’ll buy Nikon D5000 at a price around Rm2.9k smething, no need to use my money. daddy’s gonna bought it for me. (: Wish me luck
GO NIKON! *so hyper*
So today (christmas) i got the D5000. I was really hoping for the D90, but its a little out of my price range. This review really helped reassure me that i made the right decision on the Nikon.
Again, THANK YOU EVERYONE! Especially NUNO J!
Once again. I’m to choose between these two cameras. both have wonderful specs and i think it comes down to how it feels in the hand. at the moment im heading to the D5000 , just because of the chunkier build i prefer over the canon. i also think it depends on lens selection . and whether i choose the canon or nikon. im sure their lenses will provide great results. my only problem now is gettin the money to purchase either one of them!!!
hey nuno j. the csi thing i checked it out. good observation. this is the same thing with ncis. not sure which model they use i think its D200 or something like that
Nikon Jon, no problem, no need to thank, hope i helped…..by the way i took some more hundreds of pictures and again i confirm my last statement, play with the ISO ,exposure,flash compensation and you will learn the best settings for each cenario, color temperature, every 50 pics you can find some new original setting that surprises you for a wonderful result with the light you have in that moment, try to memorize each setting, and apply it in each situation ;o).
clarpy101, i couldn´t identify the model but i know those accessories for flash from each side of the objective are pricy but awsome.
Have fun guys.
Hey Nuno J, yeah i bet those accessories are worth a bit of bob. it would be sick to own all that stuff. a dream it is………………..anyway. once i have enough the d5000 (ive made my mind up on the D5000) will do me just fine. armed with a 18-55 and 55-200 im sure it will serve me well as many have told about theirs. all that stands in my way is the cost and getting the money to buy it. im only young so its hard trying to make enough money for a dslr.
i own a 500d and so far, i’ve been happy with it – i was able to get good fireworks shots at ISO 3200, and the grains weren’t too bad, it was just like i were using a film camera. wish i had the swivel screen though.
btw is the 500d more expensive than the nikon d5000? when i went to japan, the nikon was more expensive….
IF REALLY WHAT TO KNOW WHAT IS THE BEST SLR JUST LOOK AT THE SLR OF SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHER USE
ERRATUM!
FOR THOSE WITH DISORIENTING DILEMA IN CHOOSING BETWEEN NIKON & CANNON AND YOU REALLY WANT TO KNOW WHAT IS THE BEST SLR JUST LOOK AT THE SLR OF SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHER USE
which dslr can use for a long time use?not like compact camera.
i wish to buy a d5000 as i am new to the photography field. this one would be user freindly for me with it’s settings. can anyone tell me whether nikon d5000 has a fisheye lense with af capability?(any af-s fisheye) i searched for but i didn’t find.
I’ve done a lot of research about the specs, cons and pros about Nikon D5000 and Canon 500D. I have decided to buy Nikon D5000 tomorrow. Can’t wait to get my 1st DSLR cam. I’ve been longing for it. Thanks for your your posts guys. Best of luck! =)
hi kanishka,
there is a DX format fisheye that will focus on the D5000. ive attached a link for you to check it out. http://imaging.nikon.com/products/imaging/lineup/lens/af/dx/af_dx_fisheye105mmf_28g_ed/index.htm
as you can probably see its 10.5mm f2.8
many mag and ppl says that high mp and iso for canon a waste, but do you think they will do something that will kill themselves?
if want to compare, set both mp to 12.3mp and compare at high iso, sure canon wins.
that’s why ppl say scenery shot use nikon, sporty, wildlife and potrait use canon, cos more details and clearer pix for high mp!
just my opinion anyway.
hi everyone,
ya, i saw that lens before. but it is not a AF-s format lens. so therefore it doesn’t have the auto focus capability with the d5000 as some one commented here that d5000′s auto focus will only work with af-s and af-i lenses. pls do help me. i’m new to photography.
i googled nikon lens fisheye and got this . excellent site
http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/105fe.htm
i know that lens well. but anyone could not tell me whether the a-focus is working with the d-5000. because they have not mentioned that fisheye is a af-s format.
if you look at the picture, it says AF Fisheye Nikkor right on the lens.
As a hardcore Canon fan, I went out and bought the 500D only to have a play with my colleagues Nikon recently. I have to agree, the swivel LCD is brilliant and I really wish my canon had it.
You can argue till the cows come home about which is better, but for useability, I’d have to go with the Nikon to be honest. The only trouble being a Canon fan is that I’ve now bought all my sodding lenses and can’t afford to switch over even if I did want to. It’s a complete pain.
I wish one of the manufacturers would offer a lens swap out scheme so you could trade in your Canon lenses for Nikon or vice versa, then people would be able to swtich. Ho Hum
Ho Hum Amanda
… I brought the Nikon D5000 after 2 Canon’s and I’m pretty happy!
I’m buying my 1st DSLR. After much research can’t decide Nikon 5000D or Canon EOS 500D. Both sound great & very comparable. Using mostly for my children and scenery. Big investment for 1st time. Have tried both out in stores. HELP!!! Want to buy NOW!
Hi confused,
I still think the swivel LCD on the Nikon is a great advantage, especially when photographing children…
Hi Confused,
Read all the previous comments, and i guess you wont be so confused.
In case you missed this feature Nikon D5000 has a children photo mode. When you try to photograph children, the biggest problem is that they hardly stay still, so you must compensate in other ways, first you can use Nikon children mode factory setting, or you can setup your own settings, and work your shot timing, anticipating movements and situations.
On the other hand, colors on Nikon are more true due to Nikon´s technology.
You must consider maybe that your kids may want to take a picture of their father and mother, uncle´s whatever, you´ll see , in this case you need a robust machine, and in this chapter D5000 also win´s. The flip over LCD can be turned to the person you are photographing, this way if it´s a kid you can show him/her their own image and get their attention. My Niece, 2 years old already makes some poses to the camera, and she always want to see each and every photo i take from her, the secret to this: speak a lot with the kids, explain what you are doing, and what you need them to do, make a countdown to the shot, usually they will wait for it to end ;o) funny hã! Get a fast SD card and set the shot mode to burst.
Get also a 200mm,250mm or 300mm objective, you can keep the distance and still take wonderful close ups, and work the depth field.
Canon is also a good camera, but , my opinion, Nikon shows more quality in many levels. Remember, photograph is all about ….Light and what you do with it, and nothing else.
Have a nice choice.
Hi everyone, am new to photography, Thanks to this site i have finally decided to buy the D5000 after a long and painful search.
mine came with an entry kit 18-55 lense, and i need to get now a more advanced lense that can work outdoors shooting objects and people where i can play with the blurred background and get good results and also contains Autofocus for sure, looking for an affordable one doesnt go over 700 $, anyone can help please? thanks
Hi….Since you have already covered 18-55 mm …. You can go for the Nikon Nikkor 70-300 VR Lens … is in the same price bracket. If you want a cheaper alternative, go for a Sigma 70-300 OS Lens for Nikon (around $400) ..
I use to use a manual SLR camera Pentax K1000 for a long time. then for some reason i couldn’t practice it further for around 10 years. Now i am back and i want to buy one digital SLR camera. Which one is best digital SLR…..Pentax, Canon or Nikon…..am very confuse and I want to buy the best one…….Please help
The image quality of the Pentax K-x is good. You may also want to look at Canon’s new camera the EOS 550D or Nikon’s upcoming upgrade of the D5000
Hi There
I’m new to teh DSLR world, yesterday i went to the local shops shopping for my new camera, i really liked the Nikon D 5000, the guy at the camera department told me that i was wasting the money and should be looking at the new Sony A 380 as it was a much better camera, hea said that it was far better than both teh nikon and the Cannon 500d so i went for it, he also said that it had teh full HD recording, anyway long story short when i got back home i soon discovered that the Sony was hardly anything what he described, no HD recording ( no recording at all) and teh photos werent as good as i expected, so this morning i went back and complained to his manager about the crap that the salesguy was feeding me, suprisignly the Manager dediced to swap the Sony A 380 for teh Nikon d5000 with a VR twin lense kit as well as teh extreeme speed * gig card and a $ 100 camera bag at no extra cost, i think i got a pretty good deal. I gues my advise is if you are not sure what to go for just go teh oppsite what the sales guy advises at Harvey Norman in Australia.
Cheers.
Maybe the sales person mistaken it with Sony A550? A550 is a greater dslr with more features than these two. Here in Malaysia also many ppl will say don’t go for Nikon D5000, go for EOS 500D or Nikon D90 instead if possible as D5000 really just can’t compete with these two. A550 is comparable, with HDR features!
Which is better for entry level indoor sports photography? I am a bit unsure of either being decent entry level sports cameras but i love the HD video function on the Cannon with picture taking possibilities while filming. Seems like it has the best of both worlds but FPS is somewhat low for indoor sports photography. Anyone out there have some advice on this because I have about 1000 to spend on a camera and other higher end faster FPS cameras dont seem to have HD possibilities. Any advice is greatly appreciated.
P.S. Mostly taking indoor professional volleyball photographs from shorter distance,
Hi jonathon,
What you need is: a good obective, and above all, a good burst (without flash, means you must have good indoor light) to capture action. Nikon can take more pictures per second than Canon, 4/sec against 3,4/sec, D5000 has the same sensor as Nikon D90 which is an advantage, both Cameras do the job right, Canon may do the job also, but i guess… it´s your choice. Read all the above posts it may help.
Greets
I’ve been having a hard time myself, trying to decide between the Nikon D5000 and the Canon 500D. But I think I’ve made my decision and I’ll stick to the Nikon. It’s cheaper as well.
If only money weren’t an issue and I could just buy the Nikon D90. All my problems would be solved.
Hi there,
This is a great site and very informative. Have already decided on Nikon D5000 though. Nevertheless I wish to hear advices from experience photographers. I’m holding on to Lumix LX3 which serve really great pictures but I hope to get one DSLR. And I’m new to it.
Between Nikon D90 and D5000. I read reviews and people are saying those who want to get D90 because they know they need it. For those who undecide between the two, should go for D5000 instead.
I kinda understand but which to get more feedbacks.
Cheers
Hi guys, i would like to know , if i’ll buy nikon5000d with 18-55mm lense, then do i need to buy 55-200mm lense?
And also i want to know do i need some special flashlight?
Please give me advise guys…
thanks
^ Pit,
I have a D5000 with 18-55 and 55-200 which came kit (AUD1350 Dec 09). I bought the SB-400 in addition with some UV filters and warming filters.
The 55-200 is cheap, sharp, light and compact enough that you can carry it around in the bag. 90% of the time I use the 18-55 though, it’s all you really need for everyday stuff. I’m a plane spotter so I tend to need the longer focal length to get the required zoom.
Here’s an example of the use of the 55-200mm: http://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs395.snc3/24024_373795243169_544083169_3867818_6357979_n.jpg
Note the specs on it though:
Taken at 7pm (Sydney Time. Sunset at 7:04pm) – it was actually a lot brighter, just used manual mode.
200mm f5.6, 1/400, ISO200
Cropped to 946×630 from 4288×2848
The SB-400 is small and cheap (AUD150), and can flip up to do BOUNCE FLASH which is key to indoor photography. It’s also a good compliment to the camera for fill flash for outdoors increasing flash range, and has a fast recycle time so you can take more pictures with flash in a given time. Most importantly – it doesn’t drain your camera batteries – leading to more photos per charge.
But remember: you don’t need it if you don’t shoot indoors regularly or use fill flash often. The onboard flash would do.
If you do indoors without flash, get the 35mm f1.8 instead. Costs a bit more than the flash, but is around 4 stops better than the 18-55. But it is a fixed lens, so there is no zoom – it forces you to be not lazy.
that picture above isn’t the greatest photo I have obviously. the crop really stretched its limits and its blurred/soft.
here’s a few better ones:
http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs257.ash1/18450_220599863169_544083169_3299820_3382740_n.jpg
http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs257.ash1/18450_249584863169_544083169_3449894_5979010_n.jpg
http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs184.snc3/19150_305133933169_544083169_3635447_704623_n.jpg
This one had it held at 8 seconds in the front yard.. See the passing car? Tripodded of course.
http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs279.ash1/20643_320886513169_544083169_3690166_7115199_n.jpg
GET THE FACTS STRAIGHT Just so everybody knows…this review is bias to Nikon and gave false information about Canon in thier review. Maximum image size in the 500D is 4752X3168…not 4272 X 2848…did they forget that a 15 megapixel camera shoots larger than a 12? Thats a fairly big mistake to post and then claim you are a reviewer.
lol lol lol. 4752 x 3168 is not even 20% larger than 4272 x 2848. Canon is being ridiculous in squeezing 18 MP in its 1.6x cropped sensor (7D, 550D) which makes its high ISO so bad. Even 15MP is a little too much IMO.
Loads of Megapixels is not synonymous of image quality, it´s like a powerful engine on a car with weak suspension, problem here is how your camera processes the light that the sensor is receiving, Nikon has far better technology than Canon (always had, period) concerning image capture, color etc etc, remember, you take a picture, and your camera grabs it to RAW or JPEG (if you set to do so), RAW is the true image grabbed by the sensor, and JPEG is an algorithm processed from the true image, that´s why you can set the mode to RAW+JPEG with different JPEG levels of quality, two pictures in one shot.
Canon processes the grabbed image in the camera software to JPEG better? yes,maybe! but check the real image RAW, even for the new 550D 18MP, compared to Nikon D5000 (same sensor as D90 with some tech also from D300) and you´ll see the awesome quality and true color of raw image on D5000, plus, Nikon offers o specific PC software to convert this NEF(RAW) images to JPEG, but now the converting software is much more powerful than the one on the camera, this software knows VERY well the technology used to generate those RAW images, and this is what we want, a perfect image that we can turn to whatever we want. Like in music, it´s better to have a full audio file or a good MP3 file? ok, depends on the purpose, but with a perfect full audio file i can do whatever i want, with a good MP3 file quality is what it is. Nikon gives you a Gold bar to make a gold neckless, Canon just gives you the gold Neckless. Nikon bets on RAW, Canon bets on JPEG, now you choose. If you guys doubt what i mean check the D5000 12MP against 18MP from 550D
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos550d/page25.asp
And then check compared RAW D5000 with 500D:
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos500d/page24.asp
Of course both cameras are good, we are only explaining the tiny differences between them with the intention to help. Anyway i think Canon pursuits popularity too much by specifications and in this process misses some essential points.
Greets
Hi Nuno J,
Are you working for NIKON? you seem to know everything about NIKON.
But you gave me a good idea, i may ask for some Nikon Sponsor support, because of my replies
But i guess you´re right ……perhaps i gave the wrong idea, “the seller thecnician”!!!!. of course not meant to. Sorry
Greetz
Hi Nuno,
You are right, they should give some incentives for your effort.
Nah, if i can help people not to go through the “crazy choosing dilemma” between the D5000 and 500D (now 550D) like i did until the last second, that would do just fine for me.
Of course all the above posts are only my opinion, and it worth what it worth, read it and make your judgment.
Reading the posts here with great interest. I have both Canon (for compacts) and Nikon (for DSLR). In general my impression is that Canon DSLRs have better/higher specs and is usually the first one to come up with a new model. Nikon’s DSLRs are mostly better in terms of ergonomics, build quality (at least feel that way), wider dynamics range and low light (high ISO) IQ. I have the Nikon D70s and recently bought a D5000 to keep up with the new features. Really like the folding LCD as it can at least fold the screen inside for protection if you don’t care about the convenience factor.
A word about megapixels: MP is not equal to optical resolution. More MP will increase sampling resolution, at the same time it will increase noise (less light sensing area per pixel on the sensor). At what point it will work against you depends on the sensor size (more MP on a compact is bad and more MP on a full frame DSLR is good) and your lens (a better lens will make more MP good and a bad lens will make the MP go to waste). Also it depends on how large you will print your photos (using 200 to 300 dpi). This is like when you have a car that can go 120 MPH and another one can go 200 MPH. When the speed limit is 65 or 70 MPH they will perform at the same level on the street.
As for the AF motor in the body, Nikon D5000/D3000/D40/D60 do not have an AF motor in the body and AF will not work for older Nikon lenses (the AF-D ones from the 35mm film era – but you don’t want use them for the wide angle b/c they are not wide anymore. For telephoto the added range is good but without VR they are not great either). Canon does not have a AF motor either but all their lenses have AF motor built in. Nikon has quite a few AF-S lenses already, especially for the beginner and is in the process of replacing/refreshing their lens lineup. Take a look here at the AF-S lenses from Nikon and see if you can find the ones you need (http://www.nikonusa.com/Find-Your-Nikon/Camera-Lenses/index.page).
Another thing to keep in mind: Nikon lenses are mostly more expensive than the Canon counterparts if you want to expand beyond kit lenses.
The bottom line is that your decision really depends on what you need to do with the camera and how comfortable when you are holding it. Go to a store and test which one feels better. As for HD video forget about it on both the Canon and the Nikon at this level. The best one for HD is the Panasonic GH1 with the kit lens specially optimized for HD (AF on zooming and quiet). Better yet get a cheap camcorder and it will be 10 times better than your 500/550D/D5000.
Finally the Canon 500/550D and Nikon D5000/D90 are all really good cameras that will make the majority of the beginners happy most of the time.
Here is a more detailed comparison of 500D/D5000 from dpreview.com with links to detailed reviews for both:
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/compare_post.asp?method=sidebyside&cameras=nikon_d5000%2Ccanon_eos500d&show=all
Also the 500D LCD is better than the one on D5000:
fixed 3.0″/920k dots vs Swivel 2.7″ 230k dots
As of this moment, D90 price drop has stopped me from buying EOS500d / D5000.
Assuming kit lens cost around RM250.
D5000 = RM2888 – 250 = RM2638 for body only
EOS500d = RM2700 – 250 = RM2450 for body only
D90 body only = RM2500 (average)….
How to decide?
i don’t really know about D5000 . but i really know about D90 and 550D. i have compared those two images quality. of course 550D is better when i crop 100% for both images. so, D5000 and 500D will be going the same situation..
Isn’t there a big diference between the 30fps video recording @ 720 on the canon 500d vs 24 fps @ 720 on the Nikon D5000?
I’m getting one of these cameras. I have a flip for videos, so that is not a big deal. The mega pixel difference isn’t a deciding factor. Honestly, I just want to know which camera would be more worthwhile to get. As of now, I’m leaning towards the nikon. I would open to any opposing arguments.
Well, now is the battle between D90 and 550D, but sure 550D beats the D90 this round unless you need the top lcd…
Something that hasn’t been talked about is the huge difference between the lcd-quality of the D500 and 5000D. I own a 500D and looking at the lcd is like looking at a printed photo, while the images on my friends D5000 are very pixelated. Strange no one mentioned this before. But, the tilt window is indeed a great advantage… luckily the Canon D600 will have one too.
Either which camera you’ll buy, you ‘ll be very pleased!
Well personally, I wouldn’t waste my time checking the photos on camera. That means time wasted in taking more pictures with the chance of a better photo than the one you were wasting your time checking…….
Don’t forget the Nikon D3100 – that will be interesting to review
Hi,
I’ve read all posts above but still undecided if it’s going to be D5000 or 500D. I want to go with Nikon as overall I feel D5000 could offer me more than the 500D. Only concern is the recalls this model had last year. Does anyone know do I need to worry about this now.
BTW Teds cameras in Melbourne giving the 500D $100 cheaper than the D5000.
Maybe you should consider waiting for the Nikon D7000 instead, and compare it with the new Canon 550D. It shouldn’t be a long wait now for the D7000
Difference in Image quality between D5000 and EOS500D is negligible.
You will be happy and satisfied with either of these cameras.
Just forget the resolution of the LCD screen . Its just there for convenience. It should be the quality of optical view finder and image quality you should concentrate on.
Even forget that it shoots a HD video. If you want to shoot HD Video go buy a decent camcorder which is much much cheaper.
So How to choose the best camera for you ?
Simple. You have to hold the camera in your hand, take a few shots and decide the one you want. Its like Harry potter’s wand. Soon you hold the camera you will know the one you want.
Most important of all: Once you buy any particular camera stop reading reviews.
THANKS SKOLLER ,YOUR OPINION IS MOST RELEVEN I HAVE EVER READ.
(This comment is sent via e-mail, re-posted here. – Ed)
Its like Star-wars. The world is always divided between the forces of light and darkness. Canon guys are the Luke Skywalkers of this world. While the Nikon people are the Darth Waders. The fight between them are always on and will continue for ever. So you can choose a Canon or be lured by the dark side of Nikon. (Canon exposure is too good while Nikon takes fantastic low light snaps)
I’m basically a Nikon guy myself (I upgraded from D40 to Nikon D90). I’m not a professional and my little knowledge comes from use of the cameras. Though I have a Nikon I borrow my cousin’s Canon 550D cause it is too good a camera. And I love to try both. (I can hear many of you crying foul! ) Yes switching between the cameras can be a real pain where the controls are concerned. But my cousin has a few expensive lenses that I can not afford and obviously can’t use on my camera.
The selection problem is like comparing between a motor bike to a scooter. Or a sedan and a SUV. While one has some advantages it will have other disadvantages. So unless you hold the camera and test it you won’t be able to decide. What I’d add is if your friends or cousins have DSLR’s try the cameras you like for a couple of days and make your own choice. Always keep in mind that Canon guys swear by Canon and Nikon guys by Nikon.
thanks for the comments this was really helpful, im in much dilemma also of which one to buy the d5000 and canon500d..after reading the reviews now ive decided to go for nikond5000.. considering also that 8 out of 10 people i know prefers nikon dslrs’ ..thanks
i bought nikon D5000 based on this forum.But i hate nikon D5000 personally.I replaced it with Canon eos 550D. From what i have seen I prefer even Canon eos 500d instead of nikon D5000,the color reproduction and details of D5000 is not clearer than 500d after going through thorough settings .I compare both D5000 and canon 500d using their basic kit lenses 18-55..Canon 500d have clearer details and color reprodution is better than nikon D5000.I did not compare their Vedio quality.
Raj,
An opinion is an opinion, and worth’s what it worth’s, cameras are like wines, what tates good to one person may taste bad to other, the color your eyes see have frequences, so, a good color for your eyes may not be a good color for my eyes, i mean, the closest to what i think that is a true color. Besides this, technical tests reported Nikon colors to be always more true and close to reality than Canon, This has always been the strongest point on Nikon, so NO way you can get better colors on Canon, all bench tests indicate the opposite not to talk about Professional opinions, Canon may be sometimes more sharp but not more colourful.
In your brain like in cameras, there´s a receiver sensor and a lens, in your brain you have your eyes and in your camera you have an Objective, and this element will guide the light to the sensor. the Nikon D5000 comes with a 18-55mm VR, and this is a budget lens, it does average on normal photo, and is surprisingly sharp on macros, you can see the hair on a baby face, so, my advice would be for you to buy a Nikon AF-S DX 3,5-5,6/16-85 VR , and a Nikon AF-S DX 1,8/35 G , or if you´re rich a Nikon AF-S 2,8/14-24 ED. The D5000 sensor is the same sensor you have on the D90 and D300, so you must learn how to bring up the best on the camera, Objectives quality increase with the price.
Anyway you can´t compare a 550D with the d5000 12,3MP, 550D it´s an 18MP cam, ok it replaces 500D 15,1MP but it´s a new release and most of all a huge upgrade.
About D5000 check Ken Rockwell site.
Remember, who has the technology wins the extreme quality prize at PRO level, that´s why Nikon D3S is the Queen on EISA AND TIPA. In fact i think you did the right choice on 550D, this one it´s better than D5000, and brands apart, you must always follow what suits you best ;o)
ok thanks
@Farr and Young: I am planning to buy Nikon D7000 or canon eos 7D. which one will be better , i am considering image quality,color reproductioon, sharpness and details.I am not considering vedio.Please help me to choose before christmas.
Thanks in advance
Raj,
a USA excelent photographer “Nasim Mansurovs” says:
A Camera is just a tool:
What happens if you give the best set of painting tools to someone who does not know how to paint, and an ordinary, much inferior set of tools to a good painter? Who is going to have a better painting? The same rhetorical question is valid for photography – if you get a better camera, does it necessarily mean that you will take better pictures? No
I really recommend you to take a look on Nasim blog (Nasim Mansurov
is a professional photographer based out of Denver, Colorado):
http://mansurovs.com/dslr-purchase-guide
http://mansurovs.com/nikon-vs-canon-vs-sony
http://mansurovs.com/photography-tips-for-beginners
The topic of Canon vs Nikon, for example, always comes up between photographers. Nikonians look at some of the Canon cameras and want more megapixels, while Canonites look at some of the Nikon cameras and want less noise. Lens debates between these two brands are also endless… At the end of the day, the question you should be asking yourself is, how much better would your pictures get if you picked one brand over another (or switched from one brand to another). Most likely, the change would be very insignificant. You gain one thing and lose another. What if one brand comes up with a breakthrough product tomorrow. Are you going to switch or regret your purchase decision?
Concerning D7000 and EOS 7D, they are from different classes, D7000 has canon rival D60, so For the EOS 7D you should consider Nikon D300S.
If you own the 550D you may choose EOS 7D, it´s a logical option, though the 7D has reported some AF problems, noise, and image quality problems, it´s also a PRO SLR camera format, and D7000 a SLR only.
18MP vs 16,2MP on Nikon…but MP is not everything, be aware MP nowadays is a sales flag, High MP is nice if noise is well controlled otherwise it´s better to have a softier image with no noise, you can work after with adobe lightroom 3, for example, I guess you wont get the best of both worlds.
I personally would buy the new D7000 and then spend the extra money on a top objective, D7000 has more 20 focus points with 39-point (9 cross type) TTL phase detection with 3D focus tracking which is an advantage i consider important, also a Dual SD slots …but if you still own the canon 550D i guess your better choice is EOS 7D, and then stick to the brand you choose, otherwise changing brands has a high cost and it´s not very good for your learning.
As i say, Nikon is made by Photografers and Canon is made by Engineers.
Think of your camera as your tool for the job. Without good technical skills and creativity, no matter what camera system you use, you will never be able to capture anything good.
If you are after MP and perhaps a little bit of sharpness, choose Canon.
Next Comments →
{ 3 trackbacks }