Which DSLR should I upgrade to? - 2
I'm selling my Nikon D3000, and found great deals locally on a used D90 and D5000. Which one should I get? Both of them are VERY lightly used.
Nikon D90
Nikon DX-format 12.3-megapixel CMOS image sensor
Other highlights
D90
Newly designed Nikon DX-format CMOS image sensor with wide ISO sensitivity range with low noise
EXPEED for smooth tones, rich colors and fine details
Innovative D-SLR movie function: D-Movie
Scene Recognition System integrated with Face Detection System
Easy-to-use Live View mode
Picture Control System: Customize the visual style of your images
Active D-Lighting for smooth tone reproduction in high-contrast lighting
Versatile practical 11-point AF system
Bright pentaprism viewfinder featuring frame coverage of approx. 96%
Advanced Scene Modes for superior image quality
Extensive palette of in-camera Retouch Menus
Engineered for precision and durability
Best choice having best overall performance and is value for money product.
===SM===
Between these two, the D90 is a no-brainer choice. It does everything the D5000 does, except for the swivel screen, and more.
Most importantly, it has an in-body autofocus motor, which enables you to use older AF lenses instead of being restricted to AF-S lenses if you want to use autofocus.
D90, all the way. Better body, better AF, top LCD screen, shoots faster and is just better. There's also d3100 if you want a new camera that has less noise than all 3 but is as little as your D3000.
Here's a DSLR Buying Guide - http://www.the-dslr-photographer.com/2009/11/which-dslr-to-buy/
I'd highly recommend Nikon D90 camera to anyone looking for a dSLR in this price range. Even if it's your first dSLR, you'll be able to get great shots with it out of the box, and as many users have pointed out, image quality is nearly on par with the more expensive D300. I kept postponing my dSLR purchase because they kept getting better and cheaper, but this one was intriguing enough to make me bite the bullet.
I can tell you that for me the lens issue is the most significant. When I started with digital not long ago I bought a D40, which shares the D5000's inability to use old screw-drive lenses. In doing so I made a mistake in not realizing the degree to which this would be a disadvantage. Within a month I sold the '40 and bought a D90. I have saved the difference in their prices several times over already by having the ability to use older lenses, such as my 80-200mm f/2.8 zoom, the AF-S equivalent of which costs $1k more than I paid for that lens.