Nikon D3000 Digital Camera Review

For two and a half years, an extraordinary run in the fast-moving digital camera market, the shopper looking for the lowest-cost Nikon digital SLR reached for the Nikon D40, a 6.1-megapixel model originally priced at $600. Now the company has finally retired the workhorse D40 in favor of the $600 Nikon D3000, selling at the same $600, but with the resolution raised to a more respectable 10 megapixels, the burst rate improved from 2.5 to 3 shots per second, the autofocus system modernized, a sensor-shaking dust reduction system built in and an image-stabilized lens included. The question, though, is whether even with all these improvements, the D3000 competes effectively in what’s now a highly competitive entry-level SLR market.

The new camera is virtually identical in size and shape to the D40, which is a good thing. Sometimes entry-level SLRs have an unpleasantly toy-like quality. The D3000, however, feels like a Nikon SLR is supposed to feel, with a well designed right hand grip, a sculpted thumb rest on the back, and solid construction overall, even if the body is entirely made of plastic. We would have liked a rubberized grip, but the textured surface isn’t half bad.

The LCD has been enlarged to 3 inches from the 2.5-inch screen on the D40, though the resolution stays the same at an ordinary 230,000 pixels.  You can’t use that screen to line up your shots, though: Nikon chose not to incorporate Live View mode in the D3000. That feature is reserved for the step-up Nikon D5000, which also provides video recording capability not found here.

The in-camera editing options are extensive and useful, including the ability to apply virtual color filters and adjust the color balance, create multiple exposures by combining files and resize photos.

The D3000 allows RAW file shooting for those who crave sophisticated photo editing flexibility, and supports program, shutter-priority, aperture-priority, and manual exposure control in addition to full auto mode. Exposure bracketing, though, a basic feature on virtually every SLR, is missing in action. And for a camera that’s most likely to be bought by first-time SLR owners, offering just six rudimentary scene modes (presets for shooting in particular conditions, such as portraits, landscapes or at the beach) is surprising.

The one real innovation found on the D3000 is Guide mode, a new user interface designed for those ready to venture beyond Auto mode but still unsure of how camera controls work. Guide mode provides a step-by-step decision-making process by following prompts on the LCD. It’s useful as a learning tool in some ways: understanding the relationship between shutter speed and aperture setting, for example. It also brings some hard-to-find but interesting features up to the surface, including the calendar playback view that organizes your photos by date taken. Setting up a shot is slow going in Guide mode, though: it’s best for learning how the camera controls work, and then moving on to directly access those controls through the traditional buttons, dials and menus.

Performance (read in-depth performance coverage at DigitalCameraInfo.com)
There were no disaster areas in our D3000 testing, but not much to get excited about either, even when compared to other low-cost SLRs. Color accuracy was poor, and while resolution was a bit better than the disappointing Nikon D5000, there are sharpness problems if you like big enlargements or close cropping. Image noise test results were acceptable, though again other cameras in the same price range scored higher. Dynamic range, which measures the ability to retain detail in the highlights and shadows of high-contrast scenes, is mediocre. As for continuous shooting rate, the D3000 delivered precisely the three shots per second that Nikon promised, so bonus points for honesty, but that’s pretty ordinary for an SLR. The one standout test for the D3000 was custom white balance; if you take a moment for a manual white balance setting, you’re rewarded with highly accurate results.

Comparisons (read in-depth comparisons at DigitalCameraInfo.com)
We compared the Nikon D3000 to two cameras offered at the same $600 price (the Canon Rebel XS and Pentax K2000), along with the $800 Olympus E-620 and the $850 Nikon D5000 (all with kit lenses).

For the extra investment in the Nikon D5000 you get video recording capability, at a maximum 720p resolution and 24 frames per second (versus the higher-res 1080p standard and smoother 30 frames per second rate found on some higher-priced SLRs). Also available on the D5000 are an articulated LCD that lets you angle the screen for shooting while holding the camera at unusual angles, a faster 4 shots per second burst shooting rate and a full 19 scene modes. The two cameras offer the same Nikon lens compatibility, which requires lenses with built-in autofocus motors for full feature functionality. The D5000 has more of an image sharpness problem than the D3000, and slightly less accurate white balance, but outscored its sibling in color accuracy, long exposure, and dynamic range testing.

The Olympus E-620 also has an articulated LCD, lots of scene modes and Live View capability, though it doesn’t shoot video. It’s a well built camera, easy to carry and fun to shoot with. However, it wasn’t a star performer in our lab tests. While it scored much better in resolution and color accuracy than the D3000, the E-620 had trouble with our image noise, dynamic range and white balance accuracy testing.

The Pentax K2000 offers buyers an unusual bonus, bundling an external flash (it sells separately for about $80 from online retailers) along with the camera body and lens for $600.  It shares the lack of Live View with the Nikon D3000, along with the same 10.2-megapixel resolution, but in our lab testing the Pentax proved superior in several key categories, including resolution, color accuracy and dynamic range.

The Canon Rebel XS, which won our 2008 Select Award for best low-priced digital SLR, still has a leg up on the entry-level competition nearly a year later. The XS has the Live View mode missing from others in its price range and, while it isn’t a great implementation, it’s better than no Live View mode at all. In our lab tests, the XS outscored the D3000 in every category, with much better results in color accuracy and resolution. We’re not crazy about the feel of the Canon in our hands; it’s plastic and insubstantial versus the solid Nikon D3000 construction. Other than that, it’s hard to find a significant D3000 advantage in this head-to-head match-up.

For a more in-depth review, visit the Nikon D3000 Review at our partner DigitalCameraInfo.com