Nikon D5000 · Nikon USA product photograph with AF-S DX 18–55mm VR lens; lens is not part of body specifications
Nikon · Nikon DSLR
D5000
A 12.3-megapixel DX DSLR with a bottom-hinged vari-angle screen, 4 fps shooting and 720p video.
- Type
- DSLR
- Sensor
- APS-C
- Megapixels
- 12.3
- Lens
- Nikon F mount
- Video
- 1280 × 720 at 24 fps
- Body weight
- 560 g
What reviewers say
Both praise still-image quality, high-ISO performance and the adjustable screen, while finding live-view focusing slow and movie controls limited. Photography Blog particularly likes the quiet shutter but finds the screen difficult to see in sunlight. Photo Review values beginner features and retouching, yet criticises video audio and suggests the D90 for stronger controls or older autofocus lenses.
From photographyblog.com and photoreview.com.au
Specifications
Report a wrong or missing specImage and sensor
- Camera type
- DSLR
- Sensor format
- APS-C
- Sensor type
- CMOS
- Sensor dimensions
- 23.6 × 15.8 mm
- Effective resolution
- 12.3 MP
- Largest image
- 4288 × 2848
- RAW recording
- Yes
- Standard ISO range
- 200–3200
- Sensor detail
- Nikon DX CMOS; 12.3 million effective and 12.9 million total pixels; approximately 1.5× lens focal-length equivalent; integrated sensor cleaning and Image Dust Off reference data
- Image formats
- Compressed 12-bit NEF RAW, JPEG and simultaneous RAW plus JPEG; maximum 4288 × 2848 pixels; customisable Picture Controls and in-camera RAW processing
- ISO detail
- ISO 200–3200 in one-third stops, expandable down to ISO 100 or up to ISO 6400 equivalent; Auto ISO
- Image processor
- EXPEED
Lens and shooting
- Lens mount
- Nikon F mount
- Stabilisation
- Optical lens stabilisation
- Maximum continuous burst
- 4 fps
- Lens detail
- Autofocus with AF-S and AF-I lenses; no body autofocus motor for screw-drive lenses. Non-CPU lenses require manual exposure without metering; IX and F3AF lenses unsupported
- Autofocus
- Multi-CAM 1000; 11 phase-detection points including one cross-type; -1 to +19 EV at ISO 100 equivalent, 20°C; AF-S/AF-C/AF-A with single-point, dynamic, auto-area and 11-point 3D tracking. Contrast-detection live view adds face, wide, normal and subject-tracking areas
- Shutter
- 1/4000 to 30 seconds in one-third or half stops, Bulb and Time with optional ML-L3 remote; flash sync 1/200 second; shutter tested to 100000 cycles in Nikon's announcement
- Burst detail
- Approximately 4 fps with manual focus, S/M exposure, 1/250 second or faster and remaining settings at defaults; quiet release and interval-timer shooting
- Stabilisation detail
- Optical VR depends on the lens; no sensor-shift stabilisation
- Flash
- Built-in pop-up flash; guide number approximately 17 m at ISO 200, 20°C, or 18 at manual full output; approximately 12/13 at ISO 100 equivalent; accessory shoe, optional AS-15 sync adapter
- Exposure controls
- P/S/A/M, Auto and 19 scene modes; 420-pixel RGB matrix, centre-weighted and spot metering; ±5 EV compensation; three-frame exposure/white-balance bracketing and two-frame Active D-Lighting bracketing
Video
- Highest video resolution
- 1280 × 720 at 24 fps
- Video detail
- Motion JPEG AVI at 1280 × 720, 640 × 424 or 320 × 216, all 24 fps; maximum five minutes at 720p or 20 minutes at lower resolutions; autofocus before recording, manual focus during recording. Photography Blog's introductory 30 fps description differs from Nikon's 24 fps sheet and its later review text
- Audio
- Built-in mono recording; no external microphone input
Screen and viewfinder
- Viewfinder
- Optical
- Screen size
- 2.7″
- Screen dots
- 230,000
- Tilting screen
- Yes
- Display detail
- Bottom-hinged 2.7-inch vari-angle TFT, approximately 230000 dots and 100% coverage; announcement specifies approximately 90° downward swing and 180° rotation; screen can face inward for protection
- Viewfinder detail
- Pentamirror; approximately 95% coverage, 0.78× magnification with 50mm f/1.4 at infinity and 17.9 mm eyepoint
Connections and design
- Battery life (maker's claim)
- 510 photographs
- Body weight
- 560 g
- Release detail
- Nikon Japan records first sale on 1 May 2009; global announcement on 14 April 2009
- Recording media
- One SD/SDHC card slot
- Ports
- Hi-Speed USB, HDMI Type C, NTSC/PAL analogue video output and accessory terminal for optional MC-DC2 remote or GP-1 GPS; optional ML-L3 infrared remote
- Wireless connections
- No integrated wireless networking; optional GP-1 GPS unit
- Battery life detail
- EN-EL9a; up to 510 CIPA photographs with AF-S DX 18–55mm VR and full-power flash on alternate shots
- Charging
- External MH-23 charger; optional EH-5a adapter with EP-5 power connector
- Dimensions
- Approximately 127 × 104 × 80 mm
- Weight detail
- Approximately 560 g excluding battery, SD card and body cap
- In the box
- EN-EL9a battery, MH-23 charger, DK-5 eyepiece cap, DK-24 eyecup, UC-E6 USB cable, EG-CP14 audio-video cable, AN-DC3 strap, BS-1 shoe cover, body cap and Software Suite CD-ROM
Pros and cons
Pros
- Vari-angle screen for low and high shooting positions
- Exposure, white-balance and Active D-Lighting bracketing
- Interval timer and quiet shutter-release mode
Cons
- No autofocus during movie recording
- Autofocus requires lenses with their own motors
- Low-resolution 2.7-inch screen
Closest rivals
Model | Type | Sensor | Megapixels | Lens | Video | Body weight | Released |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DSLR | APS-C | 10.2 | Sony A-mount | – | 450 g | Jun 2009 | |
| DSLR | APS-C | 10.2 | Sony A-mount | – | 490 g | Jun 2009 | |
| DSLR | APS-C | 14.2 | Sony A-mount | – | 490 g | Jun 2009 |
Sources
- nij.nikon.com/products/lineup/slr/d5000/spec.html
- nij.nikon.com/products/lineup/slr/d5000
- nikonusa.com/p/d5000/25452/overview
- nikon.com/company/news/2009/0414_d5000_01
Photo: Nikon USA product photograph with AF-S DX 18–55mm VR lens; lens is not part of body specifications
- D5000 with raised built-in flash and attached lens: Nikon official exact D5000 camera photograph; attached lens/optional hardware pictured
- D5000 rear with LCD folded inward: Nikon official exact D5000 camera photograph; attached lens/optional hardware pictured
- D5000 rear with LCD facing outward: Nikon official exact D5000 camera photograph; attached lens/optional hardware pictured
- D5000 elevated front camera view with attached lens: Nikon official exact D5000 camera photograph; attached lens/optional hardware pictured
- D5000 oblique view with longer attached zoom lens: Nikon official exact D5000 camera photograph; attached lens/optional hardware pictured
- D5000 articulated LCD in portrait orientation: Nikon official exact D5000 camera photograph; attached lens/optional hardware pictured
- D5000 articulated LCD lowered in landscape orientation: Nikon official exact D5000 camera photograph; attached lens/optional hardware pictured
- D5000 front with LCD lowered and facing forward: Nikon official exact D5000 camera photograph; attached lens/optional hardware pictured
- D5000 with optional attached Nikon Speedlight and lens: Nikon official exact D5000 camera photograph; attached lens/optional hardware pictured
- D5000 high front angle with attached lens, April 2009 release: Nikon official exact D5000 camera photograph; attached lens/optional hardware pictured
- D5000 front oblique with attached lens: Nikon official exact D5000 camera photograph; attached lens/optional hardware pictured
- D5000 opposite front oblique with attached lens: Nikon official exact D5000 camera photograph; attached lens/optional hardware pictured


