Nikon D5000 DSLR previewed: HD Movies, Hinged LCD, Scene Recognition, Live View, New Battery

Imaging-Resource has a hands-on preview of the Nikon D5000. Most important features: HD Movies, Hinged LCD, Scene Recognition, Live View, New Battery, 12.30 Megapixels, 2.7 inch LCD, EXPEED image processing system, 1,280 x 720 resolution movies @ 24fps, optional GP-1 GPS Unit for geotagging, Auto Active D-Lighting.

Built on a smaller frame, like the D60, the Nikon D5000 takes up the top position in Nikon's consumer SLR camera space, and joins a small set of competing digital SLRs that offer HD movie recording: the Nikon D90, Canon 5D Mark II, and Canon T1i; and though not strictly an SLR, the Panasonic GH1 will also be considered by many looking for an interchangeable lens digital camera.

Since the Nikon D5000's 12.3-megapixel CMOS sensor is said to be the same as the D90's, we expect it to have excellent imaging characteristics. ISO ranges from 200 to 3,200, with a Lo 1 setting of 100 and a Hi 1 setting of 6,400. Nikon's EXPEED image processing system should easily handle noise suppression and image optimization with the somewhat slow four-frame-per-second frame rate.

Buy a Nikon D60 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S DX VR Nikkor Zoom Lens

Check out the D5000 preview at imaging-resource.com