Pros: While not perfect, this is a great entry level digital SLR for those of you moving up from a pinhead sensor. Menu system is very easy to change settings. Unlike the D5000 which has a tendency to underexpose, the exposure is dead on.
Cons: Some corner softness with the kit lens. Better off with the 18-105 VR lens. Noise evident at 800 and higher.
Other Thoughts: If you already have a D40 or D60, there is no need to upgrade.
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General
Brand Nikon
Model D3000
Color Black
Dimensions Approx. 5.0″ x 3.8″ x 2.5″ (126 x 97 x 64 mm)
Weight Approx. 1 lbs. 1.1 oz. (485 g) without battery, memory card, or body cap
Package Type Single Lens Kit
Image Sensor
Image Sensor CCD
Image Sensor Size 23.6 x 15.8 mm CCD Sensor
Gross Pixels 10.75 MP
Effective Pixels 10.2 MP
Dust Cleaning System Image Sensor Cleaning, Airflow Control System, Image Dust Off reference data (optional Capture NX 2 software required)
Resolution 3872 x 2592
Recording System
File Format DCF (Design Rule for Camera File System) 2.0, DPOF (Digital Print Order Format), Exif 2.21 (Exchangeable Image File Format for Digital Still Cameras), PictBridge
Image Type NEF (RAW)
JPEG: JPEG-Baseline compliant with fine (approx. 1:4), normal (approx. 1:8), or basic (approx. 1:16) compression
NEF (RAW) + JPEG: Single photograph recorded in both NEF (RAW) and JPEG formats
Recording Media SD / SDHC Card
White Balance
White Balance Auto, incandescent, fluorescent (7 types), direct sunlight, flash, cloudy, shade, preset manual, all except preset manual with fine turning.
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Type Eye-level pentamirror single-lens reflex viewfinder
Coverage Approx. 95% horizontal and 95% vertical
Magnification Approx. 0.8 x (50 mm f/1.4 lens at infinity, -1.0 m-1)
Eyepoint 18 mm (-1.0 m-1)
Dioptric Adjustment -1.7 to +0.5 m-1
Focusing Screen Type B BriteView Clear Matte Mark V screen with focus frame (framing grid can be displayed)
Mirror Quick return type
LCD Monitor
LCD 3.0″ 230K
Brightness Adjustment Yes
Focus
Focus Type Nikon Multi-CAM 1000 autofocus sensor module with TTL phase detection
Focusing Modes Single-point AF, dynamic-area AF, auto-area AF, 3D-tracking (11 points) AF
AF Points 11 focus points (including one cross type sensor)
Focus Lock Focus can be locked by pressing shutter-release button halfway (Single-servo AF) or by pressing AE-L/AF-L button
Exposure
Exposure Control Auto modes (auto, auto [flash off ]), Scene Modes (Portrait, Landscape, Child, Sports, Close up, Night portrait), programmed auto with flexible program (P), shutter-priority auto (S), aperture-priority auto (A), manual (M)
Exposure Compensation -5 to +5 EV in increments of 1/3 EV
Metering System TTL exposure metering using 420-pixel RGB sensor
Matrix: 3D color matrix metering II (type G and D lenses); color matrix metering II (other CPU lenses)
Center-weighted: Weight of 75% given to 8-mm circle in center of frame
Spot: Meters 3.5-mm circle (about 2.5% of frame) centered on selected focus point
ISO Sensitivity ISO 100 to 1600 in steps of 1 EV. Can also be set to approx. 1 EV above ISO 1600 (ISO 3200 equivalent), auto ISO sensitivity control available
Shutter
Shutter Type Electronically controlled vertical-travel focal-plane shutter
Shutter Speed 1/4000 to 30 s in steps of 1/3 EV, Bulb, Time (requires optional Wireless Remote Control ML-L3)
Self-timer Can be selected from 2, 5, 10, and 20 s duration
Flash
Flash Type Auto flash with auto pop-up
Flash Mode Auto, auto with red-eye reduction, fill-flash, auto slow sync, auto slow sync with red-eye correction, and rear curtain with slow sync
Flash Control TTL: i-TTL balanced fill-flash and standard i-TTL flash for digital SLR using 420-pixel RGB sensor are available with built-in flash and SB-900, SB-800, SB-600, or SB-400 (i-TTL balanced fill-flash is available when matrix or center-weighted metering is selected)
Auto aperture: Available with SB-900/SB-800 and CPU lens
Non-TTL auto: Supported flash units include SB-900, SB-800, SB-80DX, SB-28DX, SB-28, SB-27, and SB-22S
Range-priority manual: Available with SB-900 and SB-800
Flash Exposure Compensation -3 to +1 EV in increments of 1/3 EV
Drive System
Continuous Shooting Speed 3 frames per second
Function
Playback Full-frame and thumbnail (4, 9, or 72 images or calendar) playback with playback zoom, playback of stop-motion movies created with D3000, slide show, histogram display, highlights, auto image rotation, and image comment (up to 36 characters)
Lens
Compatible Lenses AF-S and AF-I NIKKOR: All functions supported.
Type G or D AF NIKKOR without built-in autofocus motor: All functions except autofocus supported. IX NIKKOR lenses not supported.
Other AF NIKKOR: All functions supported except autofocus and 3D color matrix metering II. Lenses for F3AF not supported.
Type D PC NIKKOR: All functions supported except some shooting modes.
AI-P NIKKOR: All functions supported except 3D color matrix metering II.
Non-CPU: Autofocus not supported. Can be used in exposure mode M, but exposure meter does not function.
Lens Mount Nikon F Bayonet Mount
Interface
USB Yes
A/V Out Yes
Power Source
Battery Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL9a