Nikon D5000

We're a little surprised that Nikon's latest digital SLR wasn't called the D75, as it sits directly between the cheaper D60 and the more advanced D90. Its small body and kit lens are very similar to the cheaper model but, like the D90, it takes 12.3-megapixel images and can record high-definition videos.

As a still camera, the D5000 is easily as good as the D60 if not quite up to the standard of the D90. Although it includes the usual control modes found on any digital SLR, it's also packed full of scene modes that allow the user to select what they're photographing and leave the rest to the camera's electronics.

There are so many scene modes, in fact, that they won't all fit on the control dial, so others have to be chosen from a menu. The scenes range from the strangely technical (high-key) to the family-friendly (pet portrait).

Our test photos were perfectly exposed with pleasing colours, and an option in the camera's menus can attempt to automatically correct for perspective – this works surprisingly well and is ideal for those who don't have suitable editing software.

The optical viewfinder is significantly smaller than that of the D90, but still a better way to compose photos than on a screen, and an option allows you to overlay gridlines in order to get shots straight.

The nine-point autofocus system worked well, but we were disappointed by the autofocus on the kit lens: it's markedly slower than that on other Nikkor AF-S lenses we've tested and, unlike better models, cannot be manually overridden by simply grabbing and twisting the focus ring – a switch chooses between manual-only and autofocus-only.

Like the D60 the D5000 has no lens focus motor, so some older Nikon lenses won't autofocus at all – look for AF-S models when buying to be safe.

One notable new feature on the D5000 is its flip-and-swivel screen. This is hinged at the bottom, and can be used at various angles or folded inwards to protect the screen when in transit.

The D5000 has a live-view option, so images can be composed on the display, but in this mode the autofocus was tediously slow. It's handy when shooting at awkward angles or from a tripod, but if you want to compose snapshots using a screen we'd suggest saving some of your cash and buying a compact camera rather than a DSLR.

Once in live-view mode, pushing the OK button starts the camera recording video. Like the D90, the D5000 can record 720p high-definiton video clips and there's a built-in microphone for recording sound.

The main limitation of this mode is that the camera cannot autofocus while shooting, so you'll have to either fix the focus beforehand or focus manually.

This is more of a problem than on the more expensive model, though, as the D5000's kit lens was obviously not designed for manual focus use: to focus you must grip the very end of the lens, and the gearing means that a small adjustments are tricky. Add on a lens with a proper focus ring, however, and things become far, far easier.

We've placed some example video online so you can see for yourself – note that this was shot with a 50mm lens that could be easily focused rather than the kit one.

All things considered we are sure the D5000 is a good camera, but we’re less sure it’s a good buy. With the dozens of scene modes Nikon is clearly marketing it at families and less technical users, but the manual focus limitation of the video mode means that anyone who wants to take snapshots and video their kids would be better off with a proper camcorder and a cheaper camera.

Anyone who wants to take creative photos or videos, on the other hand, will probably want to trade the D5000's scene modes and folding screen for the advanced options and better lens support of the D90. This is a decent, sturdy-feeling camera that'll take great photos, but we're just not sure who should buy it.