Nikon D3000 preview...
The Nikon D3000 is the company’s latest entry-level DSLR, featuring 10.2 Megapixels and an easy-to-use control system aimed at DSLR beginners and those wanting to upgrade from a point-and-shoot camera. Announced in July 2009, it’s the successor to the popular D60, and sits below the D5000 in the current Nikon range. The major new features are a larger 3in screen, an 11-point AF system and a new Guide mode for beginners.
Like earlier Nikon entry-level DSLRs, the D3000 shares a number of features with its predecessor. At its heart is the same 10.2 Megapixel DX-format CCD sensor used in the D60, not to mention the D40x and D80 before that. This measures 23.6x15.8mm and delivers 3:2 aspect ratio images with a maximum size of 3872x2592 pixels. As before, there’s the choice of two lower resolutions, and the option to save in three different JPEG compression levels, along with the RAW format.
As we’ve seen on the models prior to the D3000 which share the same sensor, it’s certainly capable of delivering good quality results, but inheriting this older component means there’s no Live View nor video recording facilities on the D3000. The lack of a movie mode isn’t unusual for an entry-level DSLR, but the absence of Live View is. Apart from Sony’s cheapest Alpha A230, most of the D3000’s major rivals (including Canon’s year-old EOS 1000D / Rebel XS) feature Live View, and while the feature is still shunned by many traditionalists, it’s important for many of Nikon’s target audience who are upgrading from a point-and-shoot model. The cheapest Nikon body with Live View remains the D5000, which also features a movie mode.
Nikon D3000
While you won’t be composing with the D3000’s screen, the monitor itself has enjoyed an upgrade, increasing from the 2.5 inches of the D60 to a 3in model. Like other entry-level DSLRs, the screen resolution remains 230k pixels and it’s also fixed in position.
The optical viewfinder remains the same size as the D60 with 95% coverage and 0.8x magnification, but one glance through it reveals one of the D3000’s other major upgrades: an 11-point AF system. This shares the same Multi-CAM 1000 AF module as the D90 and D5000, and is significantly more sophisticated than the basic 3-point system of the earlier D60.
Note like the D5000, D60, D40x and D40 before it though, the D3000 still doesn’t feature a built-in AF motor to drive older lenses. So lenses without their own built-in focusing motors become manual focus only. Like those other bodies, you’ll need an AF-S lens from the Nikkor range to enjoy autofocus, but luckily that includes most of the options aimed at D3000 owners.
Since it uses the same AF module as the D90 and D5000, Nikon’s clearly seen no reason not to re-use the same focusing screen too, which means the D3000 inherits the very useful on-demand LCD gridlines in its viewfinder as those models. This is particularly useful since there’s no Live View grid option to fall back on.
Nikon’s headline feature for the D3000 though is its new Guide mode, which helps DSLR first-timers to choose their shooting mode and achieve the results they’re after, such as a small depth of field, or freezing fast action. Nikon’s DSLRs were already some of the most beginner-friendly around, and this enhancement only makes them better in this regard. That said, Sony is also making big in-roads in the beginner-friendly stakes with the user interface on its latest A230, A330 and A380 models.
Wrapping-up the D3000’s other specifications, most remain the same as the D60 before it: the same DX 18-55mm VR kit lens, the same 3fps continuous shooting speed, same Airflow anti-dusts system, same Active D-Lighting options, same metering, same shutter speed range and flash sync-speed and the same ports, which means still no HDMI output on this entry-level model.
The D3000’s battery is the slightly newer EN-EL9a though which Nikon claims is good for 10% extra shots: 550 per charge. Nikon is also now stating the longevity of the D3000’s shutter block, which is rated to 100,000 actuations.
The Nikon D3000 is the company’s latest entry-level DSLR, featuring 10.2 Megapixels and an easy-to-use control system aimed at DSLR beginners and those wanting to upgrade from a point-and-shoot camera. Announced in July 2009, it’s the successor to the popular D60, and sits below the D5000 in the current Nikon range. The major new features are a larger 3in screen, an 11-point AF system and a new Guide mode for beginners.
Like earlier Nikon entry-level DSLRs, the D3000 shares a number of features with its predecessor. At its heart is the same 10.2 Megapixel DX-format CCD sensor used in the D60, not to mention the D40x and D80 before that. This measures 23.6x15.8mm and delivers 3:2 aspect ratio images with a maximum size of 3872x2592 pixels. As before, there’s the choice of two lower resolutions, and the option to save in three different JPEG compression levels, along with the RAW format.
As we’ve seen on the models prior to the D3000 which share the same sensor, it’s certainly capable of delivering good quality results, but inheriting this older component means there’s no Live View nor video recording facilities on the D3000. The lack of a movie mode isn’t unusual for an entry-level DSLR, but the absence of Live View is. Apart from Sony’s cheapest Alpha A230, most of the D3000’s major rivals (including Canon’s year-old EOS 1000D / Rebel XS) feature Live View, and while the feature is still shunned by many traditionalists, it’s important for many of Nikon’s target audience who are upgrading from a point-and-shoot model. The cheapest Nikon body with Live View remains the D5000, which also features a movie mode.
Nikon D3000
While you won’t be composing with the D3000’s screen, the monitor itself has enjoyed an upgrade, increasing from the 2.5 inches of the D60 to a 3in model. Like other entry-level DSLRs, the screen resolution remains 230k pixels and it’s also fixed in position.
The optical viewfinder remains the same size as the D60 with 95% coverage and 0.8x magnification, but one glance through it reveals one of the D3000’s other major upgrades: an 11-point AF system. This shares the same Multi-CAM 1000 AF module as the D90 and D5000, and is significantly more sophisticated than the basic 3-point system of the earlier D60.
Note like the D5000, D60, D40x and D40 before it though, the D3000 still doesn’t feature a built-in AF motor to drive older lenses. So lenses without their own built-in focusing motors become manual focus only. Like those other bodies, you’ll need an AF-S lens from the Nikkor range to enjoy autofocus, but luckily that includes most of the options aimed at D3000 owners.
Since it uses the same AF module as the D90 and D5000, Nikon’s clearly seen no reason not to re-use the same focusing screen too, which means the D3000 inherits the very useful on-demand LCD gridlines in its viewfinder as those models. This is particularly useful since there’s no Live View grid option to fall back on.
Nikon’s headline feature for the D3000 though is its new Guide mode, which helps DSLR first-timers to choose their shooting mode and achieve the results they’re after, such as a small depth of field, or freezing fast action. Nikon’s DSLRs were already some of the most beginner-friendly around, and this enhancement only makes them better in this regard. That said, Sony is also making big in-roads in the beginner-friendly stakes with the user interface on its latest A230, A330 and A380 models.
Wrapping-up the D3000’s other specifications, most remain the same as the D60 before it: the same DX 18-55mm VR kit lens, the same 3fps continuous shooting speed, same Airflow anti-dusts system, same Active D-Lighting options, same metering, same shutter speed range and flash sync-speed and the same ports, which means still no HDMI output on this entry-level model.
The D3000’s battery is the slightly newer EN-EL9a though which Nikon claims is good for 10% extra shots: 550 per charge. Nikon is also now stating the longevity of the D3000’s shutter block, which is rated to 100,000 actuations.
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