This modestly priced DSLR offers ever-more-affordable HD.

By Chuck Gloman

Nikon recently released the D5000, a 12.3 megapixel DX Format (1.5 lens crop factor) DSLR that shoots 720p/24p video through a 18-55mm VR zoom lens and lists for only $850 (with an estimated selling price of just $629). For that pittance, you get a swiveling 2.7" LCD screen (a first for Nikon), Live View (seeing your image on the LCD), a self-cleaning CMOS sensor, and use of Nikon’s vast selection of lenses. Using the same 12.3 megapixel sensor as the more expensive D90 (which also shoots HD video), the D5000 is very capable stills camera, but I will only focus here on how the D5000 handles video.

Being a “Nikon person,” the first thing that struck me about the D5000 was its small size. As it weighs in at around 2 lb., you can shoot with this camera all day and not get fatigued. If feels very light in your hands, almost as if it were a toy camera and not a semi-professional tool.

You have only three options when shooting video onto the internal SD card: high-definition 1280 x 720, standard definition 640 x 424, and 320 x 216 — all in 24 frames per second. There are a few caveats when shooting in video with a still camera: your shots in 720p are limited to only five minutes (which is standard for most video-capable DSLRs) and up to 20 minutes for the lower resolutions; mono sound which picks up too much camera handling noise; and a DSLR frame which makes shooting video without a tripod an awkward affair.

There are some great features with the D5000, such as a tilting and swiveling LCD screen that allows you to get shots from odd angles (although it's only a third as sharp as the 920,000-pixel screen on the D90); AVI video files which are playable/editable in almost all video editing software programs; manual control of exposure and focus in the video mode; a wide range of usable ISOs (200 – 3200); HDMI, USB 2, and A/V video output; and real high-definition video from a still camera.

The various camera modes do not change the image's look when shooting video except the Scene Mode. Within Scene, you have: a food setting, silhouette (which darkens the subject), high-key (which is too bright indoors), low-key (too dark), night landscape, party indoors (my favorite), beach/snow (if I go to either I’ll let you know), sunset (which makes everything very orange), dusk/dawn (which also works well indoors), pet portrait (don’t ask), candlelight (for that soft orange look), blossom (I couldn’t find any this time of year and I noticed no change), and autumn colors (which does what the name implies).   

I shot video with the D5000 only in the 1280 x 720 mode. The other modes are obviously of lesser image quality and I believe most users will be shooting in HD. On my indoor shoots, I illuminated my talent with LED lighting against a black background. The image in the LCD screen looked slightly overexposed and the end result was more overexposed that I would have liked, although still usable. An example of my first test is illustrated here:

Note that the image is exported in 16x9 and isn’t as sharp as a still photograph. I then changed the scene file to candlelight because I wanted a warmer shot but I did not notice any real change. The sound quality is very clear but, as I mentioned earlier, it picks up a significant amount of camera handling noise. I would also like more control of ISO and exposure when shooting video. The ISO and shutter can be set at anything, and it does not affect the video.

My outdoor footage looked much better with more ambient exposure, but the audio was still muffled with too much wind noise. In my first outdoor example under cloudy skies, the image is properly exposed:

When the sun came out again nothing had changed except the model had a little more highlight on her face. Like with the D90, when you move the camera too fast the image tends to look funky and jitter.

We have to face facts: the D5000 shoots very nice video, but audio should be recorded with a separate system (or use the internal microphone only if the camera will not be touched anytime during the shot). As others have suggested, this camera would be perfect if we had a 30 fps or 1080p option, as offered by Canon. But if you need an inexpensive form of high-definition video and 720p/24p is acceptable, you won’t find a less expensive DSLR option that has optics of this quality.

Chuck Gloman is the program director of the TV/Film Department as well as a member of the faculty at DeSales University. He may be reached at chuck.gloman@desales.edu.

Nikon D5000

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