Nikon D3000 Preview

Are you writing your holiday wish list already?

I have came across D5000 lately, but since my budget is relatively low, I am gearing up for a least expensive DSLR but with a good personality.


Nikon gives us their latest entry-level compact DSLR. I kept thinking whether I will buy D60, but my online buddies are telling me to try the D3000 instead. Trying to be a guinea-pig this time.

See the full specifications here

It is supposed to be the successor of the the successful D60.

More from Cameralabs.com

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.