Nikon has today announced that there is a small operational problem with the Coolpix 5000. "...under certain limited circumstances, when turning on your camera with the lens cap on, it is possible for the camera to get a system error and be rendered inoperable.... A firmware upgrade to correct this issue, which can be downloaded and installed easily on your camera, will be available by December 21. Please check back here for a direct link to the firmware download and instructions on how to install it."

Nikon Press notice:

Important notice for Coolpix 5000 owners

If you own a Coolpix 5000, please be aware that under certain limited circumstances, when turning on your camera with the lens cap on, it is possible for the camera to get a system error and be rendered inoperable. A firmware upgrade to correct this issue, which can be downloaded and installed easily on your camera, will be available by December 21. Please check back here for a direct link to the firmware download and instructions on how to install it.

The firmware upgrade will not fix your camera if the problem has already occurred. If this is the case, or if you prefer Nikon to update your firmware, please call 1-800-NIKON-SV (1-800-645-6678) for a pre-paid shipping tag and instructions on where to ship your camera.

We apologize for this inconvenience.