Peter Spiro
Senior Member
My rating of this as an "excellent" value partly derives from the fact that I bought it used very cheaply ($300) so I couldn't resist it. I got it as a backup camera after I already owned a Nikon 5400. After reading the negative reviews here, I would not have bought it for full price.
Now that I own it, I find that many of the criticisms are are excessive (and may be due to the fact that most of the previous posters paid a lot more for their cameras).
Color straight out of the camera is not quite as natural as the 5400, but with a little bit of post-processing it can be excellent. There is a tendency for highlights to be blown out in bright sunlight, in which case it is advisable to use some exposure compensation. On the plus side, resolution of fine details is excellent, and better than on the 5400.
The large LCD is a pleasure to view. And I find that the oft-criticized menu system is not so bad at all. For changing setting such as ISO and compression, the button system on the 5000 is in fact a bit faster and more convenient than the dial on the 5400.
The lens is very sharp at all focal lengths.
Problems:
As noted, automatic exposure and color are not always perfect, so the user has to be prepared for a bit more manual setting or post-processing than with other cameras. However, at the very low prices used 5000s are going for as of mid-2004, it is one of the best bargains out there for a serious digicam.
Now that I own it, I find that many of the criticisms are are excessive (and may be due to the fact that most of the previous posters paid a lot more for their cameras).
Color straight out of the camera is not quite as natural as the 5400, but with a little bit of post-processing it can be excellent. There is a tendency for highlights to be blown out in bright sunlight, in which case it is advisable to use some exposure compensation. On the plus side, resolution of fine details is excellent, and better than on the 5400.
The large LCD is a pleasure to view. And I find that the oft-criticized menu system is not so bad at all. For changing setting such as ISO and compression, the button system on the 5000 is in fact a bit faster and more convenient than the dial on the 5400.
The lens is very sharp at all focal lengths.
Problems:
As noted, automatic exposure and color are not always perfect, so the user has to be prepared for a bit more manual setting or post-processing than with other cameras. However, at the very low prices used 5000s are going for as of mid-2004, it is one of the best bargains out there for a serious digicam.
