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For a beginner considering a DSLR, the hottest most talked about Entry-Level DSLR is nodoubt is the Nikon

D5000

. If you are planning to get a Nikon

D5000

, and most likely youwill ask yourself these frequently asked questions:What is the lowest street price in town?What are the advantages and drawbacks?What are the alternate models and price difference?Which one suits me better?Here you shall get a clearer picture as we discuss the must-know information about

D5000

and D90, from a beginner point of view, and the Body only (without considering the kit lensor package).

What is the best price in town?

As in May 2009, the best street price in Penang as below:Nikon

D5000

(Body Only) RM2460Nikon D90 (Body Only) RM3080Nikon

D5000

costs RM2460, the price is pretty attractive for a great Nikon DSLR. However,you may want to consider top up additional 25% (RM620) to leap from a beginner model tothe mid-range model - Nikon D90. Questions are, is it necessary? Is it worth the extra?What are the major differences? These are the subjects that we will look into in a shortmoment.

What’s new in NikonD5000?

Nikon

D5000

the newest DSLR model announced in April 2009. Nikon D90 was announcedin August 2008, which means Nikon D90 is six months older than the Nikon

D5000

. Ingeneral, Nikon D90 has better features and more functions; However, despite Nikon

D5000

is the lower-end model, it still throws a few good punches with many same importantfeatures as the Nikon D90, and even carry some extra features not in the Nikon D90.The main attraction of the new

D5000

is the two axis articulating LCD screen that iscapable of flipping to all direction, which is not available in other Nikon SLR models. This isthe features is used to be exclusive to high-end Compact Camera like the Canon PowerShotG-series. It is also the first, and so far the one and only DSLR featuring two axesarticulating LCD screen. Currently the DSLR that features articulating LCD are the SonyAlpha a300 & a350. However, a300 & a350 both features only single articulating axis withvery limited tilting angle.

Same Image sensor, size, sensitivity & processor

Both Nikon

D5000

and D90 shares a common heart of the image, not only they both usethe same Image sensor with 12.3 million effective pixels, CMOS size, and Sensitivity, theyalso using the same 12 bit Nikon EXPEED image processor and engine. Therefore,technically both cameras should produce identical image quality.

Movie and Live View mode

Movie and Live View are used to be exclusive features to Compact Camera. Both Nikon

D5000

and Nikon D90 are Generation 2.0 DSLR with capable of recording movie, andfeatures Live View.Movie recording in DSLR are relatively new features, rooms for improvements are plentyand not even close to Camcorder quality. Nikon D90 is the first Nikon DSLR features movierecording; it also features a major problem where the Auto Focus is locked during movierecording. Unless your subject is stationary, else it would be an issue.

D5000

fixed thisissue and able to track a moving subject. However, the movie recording still leaves lots of room for improvement for future model. Currently all DSLR are still have very limited videorecording function.Both Nikon

D5000

and Nikon D90 features Live View mode. However, Live View for Nikon

D5000

has a distinct advantage over Nikon D90 with the articulation LCD screen, whichmakes Nikon

D5000

much easier to shoot in a crowded area or trying to squeeze thecamera into hard to reach angle like any Compact Camera. This is also the main sellingpoint of Nikon

D5000Auto Focus and Focus Motor

Both Nikon

D5000

and Nikon D90 features the same 11 area TTL and using the same NikonMulti-CAM 1000 system. The Professional Level Nikon D200 is also using the same AutoFocus System. Both of them Auto Focus can perform equally fast and accurate.One of the Nikon D90 distinct advantages over Nikon

D5000

is the in-Body Focus Motorwhile Nikon

D5000

does not have that. The In-Body Focus Motor is designed to run thefocusing system in older non-AF-S (Autofocus-Silent Wave Motor) or non-AF-I (Autofocus-Internal Motor) lenses with no CPU built into the lens and relies on the mechanical focusingsystem in the Body. Therefore, D90 has better full compatible to wider range of lenses.Many great Nikon lenses are still not yet updated to the new AF-S lens specification.The main drawback of Nikon

D5000

is lack of Built-In Focus Motor, to keep the cost down of course. Same goes with all previous Entry Level Nikon DSLR such as D40, D40x and D60but except D50. Nikon

D5000

will only be optimized on AF-S/AF-I lenses. Non-AF-S/AF-Ilenses in Nikon

D5000

will not be optimized and only manual focus can be used.Many of the great older lenses are still in production. One of the famous old lenses like theNikon 50mm F/1.8D that costs only RM390 offers superior optical design will be fullycompatible with Nikon D90, else the Nikon

D5000

will have to opt for the recently revisedNikon 50mm F/1.4G that costs RM1780. However, Nikon is revising all the previous lensesslowly one by one to the AF-S lens specification. If you stay with only AF-S/AF-I lenses, thenNikon

D5000

should not be a problem.

Continuous Shoots

Continuous Shoots also known as Burst Mode, one of the selectable Shooting Mode. BothNikon D90 and Nikon

D5000

offer impressive frame rate of 4.5fps and 4fps respectively.Nikon D90 is 11% faster than Nikon

D5000

. Either 4 or 4.5 fps is impressive and fast

enough for either Entry-Level or Mid-Range.Just for comparison. Professional Level DSLR, Nikon D300 can do 6-8fps, Nikon D700 can do5-8fps, and Nikon D3 can do 9fps (or 11fps on DX format).

Image Sensor Cleaning System

Both Nikon

D5000

and Nikon D90 features Image Sensor Cleaning. One remarkable sensorcleaning feature in

D5000

is the Airflow Control System (as appear in Nikon D60). Duringshooting, this system will guide dust to a specially integrated filter, and be blown out of thehousing. The Airflow Control System is an additional system which effectively keeps dustaway from the sensor.This is not a feature that you should put weight on it. It is nice to have, but not important.

Viewfinder System

Viewfinder is referring to the small window located at the back of the Body. You capturewhat you see inside the viewfinder. There are two type of SLR viewfinder. Pentamirror, andPentaprism. In case you wonder, neither one will make any difference in the picturecaptured.The viewfinder for Nikon

D5000

uses a Pentamirror. Pentamirror is basically pieces of mirrors arranged or glued together to simulate the effect of Pentaprism, but the drawback issmaller and darker image through the viewfinder. It is cheaper to produce, and lighter thanPentaprism.The viewfinder for Nikon D90 uses Pentaprism which the original design of SLR. Pentaprismmade from a solid piece of glass with specific cut corners to deliver bigger, brighter andclearer image through the viewfinder. It is also more expensive to produce. All Nikon’sProfessional DSLR such as D300, D700, and D3 are using the Pentaprism.

LCD Monitor

Nikon

D5000

is using a small 230,000 pixel TFT LCD on a small 2.7″ screen. The advantageof the Nikon

D5000

is the screen has an articulated LCD monitor despite the low resolutionand smaller LCD.The LCD screen used in D90 offers four times finer with 920,000 pixel TFT LCD than theNikon

D5000

, it is also on a much larger 3″ TFT LCD.

Top Panel LCD Monitor

The Top Panel LCD Monitor is designed to display important setting on a permanent basissuch as Image Quality, Image Size, Focus Point, Bracketing, Battery Life, Number of Shotsleft, Aperture Size, Shutter Speed, Shooting Mode, White Balance, ISO, etc… Unlike themain LCD screen, the Top Panel LCD Monitor draws very little energy to power the screen,and the display is permanently on. It is always useful as quick references without dig intothe Main LCD screen every time.