Author Topic: Which is better...Nikon D90 or D5000 (Read 9150 times)

donding · « **on:** January 10, 2010, 12:24 »

Trying to compare camera'a. Which is better the D90 or the D5000? They both are 12mp but the D5000 is a little cheeper than the D90. Just wonder what the difference is. I don't care about the video so if that's the difference then I'd go with the cheeper D5000. Hope someone knows.

elvinstar · « **Reply #1 on:** January 10, 2010, 13:01 »

From what I've read, they have the same sensor. The major difference is that the D90 has the focus motor built into the body so that you can use cheaper, non AF-S lenses. The D5000 requires lenses which have their own focus motor, making them more expensive.

Hope that helps!

donding · « **Reply #2 on:** January 10, 2010, 13:38 »

I was just checking out EBAY and there are quite a few D5000's on there but not many D90's. That is proubably because photographer's perfer the D90 so there isn't as many floating around out there.

elvinstar · « **Reply #3 on:** January 10, 2010, 14:48 »

I see quite a few D90's on craigslist...

LSD72 · « **Reply #4 on:** January 10, 2010, 14:57 »

I would say the D90 just because of the in body focus motor. It opens up a wider variety of lenses for you.

disorderly · « **Reply #5 on:** January 10, 2010, 15:20 »

Quote from: LSD72 on January 10, 2010, 14:57

I would say the D90 just because of the in body focus motor. It opens up a wider variety of lenses for you.

If you're wondering which lenses, I'd put the 85mm F/1.8 and the older 50mm F/1.4 or F/1.8 on the list of must haves. The newest 50mm F/1.4 has a built-in motor (the AF-S version), but the earlier version is cheaper, faster to focus and reputedly a little bit sharper in certain situations. I don't use my 50mm or 85mm primes all that often, but often enough that I'd regret not having the option.

FD · « **Reply #6 on:** January 10, 2010, 17:07 »

Quote from: disorderly on January 10, 2010, 15:20

If you're wondering which lenses, I'd put the 85mm F/1.8 and the older 50mm F/1.4 or F/1.8 on the list of must haves.

You must have missed the post of Patrick here some days ago. We did a test of the Nikon 50 and the equivalent Sigma a couple of years ago, and the Sigma, although cheaper, was much better (sharper) in studio light. Those were controlled conditions: same image, same lightboxes, cam (D200) on tripod. The difference was very visible.

donding · « **Reply #7 on:** January 10, 2010, 17:27 »

Quote from: disorderly on January 10, 2010, 15:20

Quote from: LSD72 on January 10, 2010, 14:57
I would say the D90 just because of the in body focus motor. It opens up a wider variety of lenses for you.

If you're wondering which lenses, I'd put the 85mm F/1.8 and the older 50mm F/1.4 or F/1.8 on the list of must haves. The newest 50mm F/1.4 has a built-in motor (the AF-S version), but the earlier version is cheaper, faster to focus and reputedly a little bit sharper in certain situations. I don't use my 50mm or 85mm primes all that often, but often enough that I'd regret not having the option.

What lens would you recomend for an all around lens? The one that mainly is all attached to that camera for all those on the spot candid shots.

FD · « **Reply #8 on:** January 10, 2010, 17:42 »

Quote from: donding on January 10, 2010, 17:27

What lens would you recomend for an all around lens? The one that mainly is all attached to that camera for all those on the spot candid shots.

18-125 sigma : I did all my landscape/architecture/model shots with it till July 2009.

disorderly · « **Reply #9 on:** January 10, 2010, 17:48 »

Quote from: donding on January 10, 2010, 17:27

What lens would you recomend for an all around lens? The one that mainly is all attached to that camera for all those on the spot candid shots.

Depends a lot on your budget. My favorite's the Nikon 24-70mm F/2.8 for anything involving people. If I'm shooting landscapes, it's the 17-55mm F/2.8. Neither one is exactly inexpensive, but the quality's worth it. A little too much chromatic aberration on the 17-55 on a sunlit day, but that's easy to fix in Adobe Camera Raw. You do shoot raw, don't you?

donding · « **Reply #10 on:** January 10, 2010, 17:51 »

Quote from: disorderly on January 10, 2010, 17:48

Quote from: donding on January 10, 2010, 17:27
What lens would you recomend for an all around lens? The one that mainly is all attached to that camera for all those on the spot candid shots.

Depends a lot on your budget. My favorite's the Nikon 24-70mm F/2.8 for anything involving people. If I'm shooting landscapes, it's the 17-55mm F/2.8. Neither one is exactly inexpensive, but the quality's worth it. A little too much chromatic aberration on the 17-55 on a sunlit day, but that's easy to fix in Adobe Camera Raw. You do shoot raw, don't you?

Of course Raw....thats the only way

FD · « **Reply #11 on:** January 10, 2010, 18:01 »

Quote from: disorderly on January 10, 2010, 17:48

My favorite's the Nikon 24-70mm F/2.8 for anything involving people.

I'm using the equivalent Canon on the 5DII but I found it a bit short for portrait (Full Frame).

disorderly · « **Reply #12 on:** January 10, 2010, 18:05 »

Quote from: FD-amateur on January 10, 2010, 18:01

I'm using the equivalent Canon on the 5DII but I found it a bit short for portrait (Full Frame).

Not an issue for the original poster, since both the cameras he's considering are DX.

UncleGene · « **Reply #13 on:** January 10, 2010, 18:07 »

Quote from: donding on January 10, 2010, 17:27

What lens would you recomend for an all around lens? The one that mainly is all attached to that camera for all those on the spot candid shots.

My new favorite all-around one is less expensive Nikon 16-85. It is quite slow, but the range is perfect, and it is pretty sharp

donding · « **Reply #14 on:** January 10, 2010, 19:23 »

It appears the D5000 doesn't have the information thing (don't know what it called) at the top of the camera......I don't know if I could photograph without that. It's on my D200.

The variable angle monitor would be nice, but then on the other hand if for some reason the camera was knocked over or hit, I would think the monitor would be broken. That wouldn't be so great.

I don't think I could use the live view, I'm so use to looking through the viewfinder and when someone asks me to take a picture of them with their point and shoot I really sound stupid because I don't know how to operate it or use it with that live view.

elvinstar · « **Reply #15 on:** January 10, 2010, 19:32 »

Quote

What lens would you recomend for an all around lens? The one that mainly is all attached to that camera for all those on the spot candid shots.

I love my Tamron 28-75 f/2.8

Much cheaper than the Nikon version and produces very nice results.

I also think that you'll get used to seeing f-stop and shutter speed on the rear LCD very quickly if you go with the D5000.

donding · « **Reply #16 on:** January 10, 2010, 19:37 »

What I wish is that I was back in Dallas Tx where I could actually go to a Ritz Camera and compare the two, but here in the boon docks of Alabama there isn't anywhere that I could do that. Maybe in Birmingham four hours away.

donding · « **Reply #17 on:** January 10, 2010, 19:43 »

Quote from: elvinstar on January 10, 2010, 19:32

Quote
What lens would you recomend for an all around lens? The one that mainly is all attached to that camera for all those on the spot candid shots.

I love my Tamron 28-75 f/2.8

Much cheaper than the Nikon version and produces very nice results.

I also think that you'll get used to seeing f-stop and shutter speed on the rear LCD very quickly if you go with the D5000.

Tamron makes some decent lens don't they? I've never tryed them

UncleGene · « **Reply #18 on:** January 10, 2010, 21:18 »

Quote from: elvinstar on January 10, 2010, 19:32

I also think that you'll get used to seeing f-stop and shutter speed on the rear LCD very quickly if you go with the D5000.

For me D90 won mainly because of commander mode of internal flash - for D5000 I'd need to by SU-800 == bring them on the same price level.

elvinstar · « **Reply #19 on:** January 10, 2010, 21:20 »

Quote

Tamron makes some decent lens don't they? I've never tryed them

Yes, they do. I love the one that I have and am thinking about getting a used 70-300 that I found on craigslist. At $130, it's quite a bit cheaper than the nikon!

donding · « **Reply #20 on:** January 10, 2010, 22:05 »

Quote from: UncleGene on January 10, 2010, 21:18

Quote from: elvinstar on January 10, 2010, 19:32
I also think that you'll get used to seeing f-stop and shutter speed on the rear LCD very quickly if you go with the D5000.

For me D90 won mainly because of commander mode of internal flash - for D5000 I'd need to by SU-800 == bring them on the same price level.

I'm leaning more towards the D90. Even though the body is more expensive I think the fact that it has the AF motor built into the camera body, I could pick up cheeper lens that won't really work well with the D5000, so in the long run I think it will be cheeper.

eyeCatchLight · « **Reply #21 on:** January 11, 2010, 11:34 »

I'd take the D90. I have it and I am totally satisfied. It is a big step ahead from the other bodies like D60, etc., and I'd say it comes close to the D300. For some of the newer things like the flash options, it is very good, it has all the options needed for full operation of the external flashes: it can operate remote flashes without buying the wireless trigger (I don't remember its name), it can detect all the information the flash transmits, such as which color foil you put on the flash for WB, and more. Some of these options are only included in the D90, D700 and D3, not even the D300 can command all of those things.
The image quality is very good, and you can use it with lenses without motor. You can buy the motorless f1.8 50mm for something like 100$ or so.
I think the only thing the D5000 has that the D90 doesn't have is the tiltable LCD screen. When you use Live View it might come in handy, holding the camera overhead. However, LiveView for now is a no-option, it is so slow, so I never use it except in special situations.

donding · « **Reply #22 on:** January 11, 2010, 12:02 »

Quote from: simsi on January 11, 2010, 11:34

I'd take the D90. I have it and I am totally satisfied. It is a big step ahead from the other bodies like D60, etc., and I'd say it comes close to the D300. For some of the newer things like the flash options, it is very good, it has all the options needed for full operation of the external flashes: it can operate remote flashes without buying the wireless trigger (I don't remember its name), it can detect all the information the flash transmits, such as which color foil you put on the flash for WB, and more. Some of these options are only included in the D90, D700 and D3, not even the D300 can command all of those things.
The image quality is very good, and you can use it with lenses without motor. You can buy the motorless f1.8 50mm for something like 100$ or so.
I think the only thing the D5000 has that the D90 doesn't have is the tiltable LCD screen. When you use Live View it might come in handy, holding the camera overhead. However, LiveView for now is a no-option, it is so slow, so I never use it except in special situations.

I wouldn't care about the live view, I doubt I would use it and as for the tilt LCD screen I would think it could be something that could easily damaged because it comes away from the body. I think I will end up going with the D90 even though it is a little more and it has more options and the fact one can buy the cheeper lens with the AF motor being built into the camera body

donding · « **Reply #23 on:** January 11, 2010, 12:05 »

I assume it takes the same flash card as the D200 right? and what about the battery? are they the same or different? Sure would be nice to have that extra battery if needed.

eyeCatchLight · « **Reply #24 on:** January 11, 2010, 12:24 »

Quote from: donding on January 11, 2010, 12:05

I assume it takes the same flash card as the D200 right? and what about the battery? are they the same or different? Sure would be nice to have that extra battery if needed.

Not having used the D200 I don't know. It uses an SD card, I bought a 16GB for not much money and it is fast enough for bursts. The battery is this one:
http://www.nikonusa.com/Find-Your-Nikon/Product/Batteries/25334/EN-EL3e.html

It is good for around 850 photos in the advertisement. I haven't counted the actual no. of shots, but it really does stay very long. I bought two of them a year ago, and they are still very good.

Simone

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Author Topic: Which is better...Nikon D90 or D5000 (Read 9150 times)

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