Nikon D90 or Nikon D5000

[melissa_meade]

<p>I have read some of the recent posts regarding the D90 and D5000, but am still trying to decipher, for the price, why the D90 would be the better option. Here's my situation; I have been shooting a D70 for 7 years and am ready to upgrade. I don't necessarily need a lot more bells and whistles (I've been very pleased with the D70), but I am interested in more megapixels and the cmos sensor. So if you were upgrading from a D70 and considering bang for buck which would you go for?<br>

Melissa</p>

[ShunCheung]

<p>The D5000 will be a very nice upgrade from the D70. However, the D5000 does not have an AF motor inside the camera so that if you have AF lenses that are not AF-S or its equivalent, i.e. some older AF, AF-D lenses or older Tokina and Tamron AF lenses that have no motor, you will lose AF on the D5000.</p>

<p>There is a section in photo.net's D5000 reivew comparing exactly those two cameras: <a href="../equipment/nikon/D5000/review/">http://www.photo.net/equipment/nikon/D5000/review/</a></p>

<p>Both the D90 and D5000 use SD memory cards, different from the CF for the D70. The D90 uses the EN-EL3e battery that can also be used on the D70, but the D70's EN-EL3 cannot be used on the D90. The D5000 uses a totally different EN-EL9a battery.</p>

[lex_jenkins]

<p>The D90 will autofocus with "screwdriver" type AF Nikkors and compatible third party lenses. The D5000 will autofocus only with AFS Nikkors or compatible third party lenses having the motor built into the lenses.</p>

<p>The D5000 has the movable LCD screen, very handy for unusual positions such as hold the camera overhead in a crowd, tracking while using the video feature or letting others peek at the photos you've just taken. If those aren't priorities for you the fixed screen on the D90 should do just fine.</p>

<p>I tried the D90 for an hour or so in a local shop a few months ago and was very impressed, including with the autofocusing speed and accuracy - and I'm not easily impressed, coming from having used a D2H for five years.</p>

<p>Both the D90 and D5000 are very impressive for the money. I'd choose the D90 because I have some favorite AF Nikkors I'd want to use. But if I was starting from scratch and my priorities included using the video feature for documenting family life, I'd probably go for the D5000. If I was buying a Nikon dSLR as a gift for a first time digital photographer, I'd give 'em the D5000 and a midrange VR Nikkor zoom.</p>

[tommyinca]

<p>Are all the lens you plan to keep AF-S type and does not require the AF driver in the camera body ( ie:yes AF-S, 18-70, no AF-S, 50/1.8) </p>

<p>If not all AF-S, going to D90 is less painfull. The price delta between D90 and D5000 don't buy much lens. </p>

[KyleE]

<p>Is the difference in price between the D5000 and the D90 enough to allow you to buy a better lens than you already have? If buying the D5000 would let you get some good quality new glass too then I would go for that. If not then I would go for the D90.<br>

My personal opinion is that glass is always a better investment than bodies so I balance towards that and if you can still afford the D90 then that is the one I would get. As mentioned above it has the built in AF motor which opens up a whole world of lenses to use.</p>

[mark_drutz]

<p>I chose the D90 over the D5000 because of the lens issue. I already had a 50mm f/1.8 and 85mm f/1.8 that would not AF on the D5000. Also there are many used lenses and less expensive nonmotorized new lenses that will not AF on the D5000. You could easily save the difference in price between the D90 and D5000 by getting one or two of them.</p>

[wpahnelas]

<p>based on what you now know about what's different inside, the key thing for you is to go to the store and hold each model in your hand. only then will you have a keen sense of what distinguishes the two. my thinking is that after 7 years using a D70, a D5000 will be more a lateral move than an upgrade -- unless, of course, you'll be satisfied with more megapixels and a CMOS sensor.</p>

[ShunCheung]

<p>The D5000's sensor, electronics and AF system are far superior to those on the D70. In fact, the D5000 and D90 have exactly the same sensor and AF system.</p>

<p>BTW, the OP can't possibly have used the D70 for 7 years. It first became available in March 2004, a little less than 6 years ago.</p>

[andrew_johnson15]

<p>Hi,<br>

I was stuck comparing the D90 and the D5000 just over a week ago and posted my request for help on here.</p>

<p>I had actually already ordered the D5000, such was my conviction that the variable position screen would be a big advantage and that the rest of the comparisons would be as near as made no difference. However, seeing the comments on here about the smaller and dimmer viewfinder made me think about the effects of this aspect on the various MO's involved with actually taking pictures. These include:<br>

- More AF options through the viewfinder (not all AF options work on the LCD monitor!!) so more shots taken quickly and accurately.<br>

- An optical viewfinder gives fast and ultra precise control over focus (it does with the D90 anyway), so more shots taken quickly and accurately.<br>

- Optical viewfinder is much clearer than any LCD panel ever invented, including the ones on the D5000 and D90, so again it is easier to use when composing an image, especially in bright light, so again - more shots taken quickly and accurately. I know that rear mounted LCD monitors are big features today - and give massive enhancements to menu operations - but for optical quality the best of them are very poor when compared to a good optical viewfinder.<br>

After reading the comments on here I went to a shop which had both in stock and would let me play with them with charged batteries (Jessops, UK). The advantages of the D90 which had been mentioned were all born out. The ease with which you gain more control with the D90 stood out to me as well. I was also surprised how similar they were in size but how much more physically strong the D90 was. It seemed such a no-brainer to me that I bought the D90, along with an 18-200 Nikkor, there and then and cancelled my mail order when I got home.<br>

In my own personal opinion therefore:<br>

> If you want a high quality DSLR but will be doing mostly point and shoot, but also want a good level of creative options, then get the D5000.<br>

> If you want a serious DSLR which will give you an exceptionally high level of well designed creative control, and the choice is between a D5000 and a D90, then the D90 wins by a good margin.<br>

(After having said all this I may get shot down in flames, by myself, at some later date as I progress through the discovery process with the D90, but it doesn't look like it at the moment).<br>

Good luck.</p>

[ShunCheung]

<p>This is Andrew's thread from a week ago: <a href="http://www.photo.net/nikon-camera-forum/00VRts">http://www.photo.net/nikon-camera-forum/00VRts</a></p>

<p>It is an excellent idea to find the actual cameras and try them yourself. Like all Nikon small consumer bodies that use the small EN-EL9(a) battery, a lot of the controls on the D5000 are burried in the menu. The D90's viewfinder is certainly better; however, if someone can tolerate the D70 for 5+ years, you should be able to tolerate anything.</p>

[Matt Laur]

<p>Having scanned the above, I don't think I saw anyone mention the fact that the D5000 is missing the ability to use its pop-up flash as a CLS controller. The D90 (which does have that feature), can let you take a strobe like an SB-600, and use it (and more) with great flexibility as a smart optical slave. This, for many people, is simply never going to be an issue. But some people who try it find themselves sure they'd really miss that creative control. <br /><br />I've seen a fair number of threads, here, from people who've purchased entry-level Nikon DSLRs, then stumble across the Strobist site, and then get cranky because their camera can't do that stuff without buying radio triggers, etc. This is a feature that your D70 <em>does</em> have, and which you might miss if you stop short of the D90. Just make sure you're aware of that little gotcha.</p>

[melissa_meade]

<p>Thank you so much for all of the GREAT responses.<br>

Shun Cheung - I guess I was a little off on the time frame, I knew it had been at least 5+ years. I had to chuckle at your comment "if someone can tolerate the D70 for 5+years, you can tolerate anything". Thank you, and Tommy Lee and Lex Jenkins for pointing out the AF and AF-S lenses; I will be using my current lenses which are AF Nikkor until I can afford to upgrade those as well.<br>

Matt Laur - thank you for your post regarding the CLS controller. I DO use that feature with my D70 and yes, it would definitely be a loss if I downgrade in that area.<br>

Andrew Johnson - I am definitely wanting to upgrade the overall look of my photography and gain better control of creative images.<br>

William Pahnelas - thus the battle I am currently in: based on my skill level, which purchase makes more sense (although, the lense issue and the CLS controller are huge factors)? I definitely want more megapixels and the cmos sensor. I have honestly considered keeping my d70 and simply upgrading my lenses and flash. <br>

Which leads me to Kyle Evans and Mark Drutz responses. Maybe upgrading glass is the better choice for me, but then I immediately go back to wanting more megapixels and the cmos sensor.<br>

Based on all these responses it sounds like the D90 wins hands down. This information helps me tremendously. Thank you all very much for taking time to educate me.</p>

[akira]

<p>Melissa, if you are satisfied with your D70, you won't be disappointed by the optical viewfinder of D5000 (virtually the same size). But once you look into the viewfinder of D90, you would never want to look into that of D70 or D5000 (they would start to seem too tiny).</p>

<p>In short, yet another vote for D90.</p>

[dpbours]

<p>D90, for the in-body AF motor for the older lenses (half of my lenses are not internally focussed) and the better viewfinder. The strobe use of the D90 is nice, but chances are you'll never use it...</p>

[mark_drutz]

<p>Melissa, I think you may of misunderstood me. I recommend the D90. I have one and I love it. My point about the lenses is that the D5000 limits your lens selection. This may not be a problem for causal photographers, but it can be a serious problem for more serious photographers. That was the main reason I bought the D90 over the D5000 and why I recommend it to you.</p>