Dear Nikon,

As I've said, photography is my passion; it has been since I was in fourth grade or so when I started experimenting with photography for 4-H projects. That's why I was so excited to finally get my first DSLR last summer. I'd been saving money and researching cameras for months, and I eventually went out and bought a Nikon D5000 just before our summer vacation to Colorado. I want to quickly tell you why I chose this camera and what I love about it.

My first consideration was price: $600-$900 range for starter DSLR kits (including a standard lens).
Second, I wanted to have at least 12-15 megapixels.
Third, I needed a camera with RAW file capabilities (which I believe most DSLRs have).
I knew I would choose a Canon or Nikon ultimately based on my research, recommendations from other photographers, and my previous experience with my Canon Power Shot (my number one camera before I got this one), which was and still is an excellent camera.

By the way, if anyone wants to mention to Nikon or Canon that I deserve some endorsement compensation, that'd be great! Haha right...

These were my final two contestants: Nikon D5000 and Canon Rebel T1i. 

Both cameras are very similar. I no longer remember all the stats on the Rebel, but if I was making this choice again, I'd be looking at the more recent model, T2i, instead of the T1i. Isn't it sad when we make these big, important purchases, and a month later the next best thing comes out? Regardless, I'm still happy with the purchase I made:

Nikon D5000 with 18-55 VR Nikon lens
Price at the time: $699
12.3 megapixels
NEF RAW and JPEG file capabilities

The biggest selling point for me was the Vari-angle LCD screen

This is the only camera of its kind that has this feature. The 2.7 inch screen (many other models have 3 inch screens) folds down and can be spun around 270 degrees and returned to the camera body with the screen facing in (for storage/protection) or out. This makes shooting from very high or very low angles much easier. You can even flip the screen to be viewed from the front for a self-portrait. When I was shopping and researching, I got the impression that some camera critics thought that a moveable screen was superfluous. However, I find myself taking a lot of macro shots close to the ground and could see how handy this feature would be. (Many DSLRs don't allow you to compose the photo by the screen like smaller digital cameras) I was warned that using the Live View mode (screen) would slow the reaction time when taking a picture. So when I use the Live View mode to compose a shot, I turn it off just before I release the shutter (without moving the camera!). Ta da!

The D5000 also has the capability to shoot HD video at 24 frames/second. (this is done in Live View mode) I haven't actually done a lot of video shooting yet or else I would post a video to show you the quality. Note to self: Make video and post to blog.

This camera reportedly does very well with low light shooting, meaning there is little noise even in very high ISO settings. The D5000 can go from 100-6400 ISO.

I also LOVE the 13 auto exposure scene modes including:
Sunset
Dusk/Dawn
Pet Portrait
Candlelight
Blossom
Autumn Colors
Food
Silhouette
Night Landscape
Party
Beach/Snow
Hi Key
Low Key

It takes out the guesswork for hobbyists like me. :) Also handy when you don't have a lot of time to fiddle and experiment with manual settings.

On the main dial you can see the primary settings: Auto, No flash, Scene, Portrait, Landscape, Kids, Action, Close-up, Night portrait, Manual, Aperture priority, Shutter priority, and Program.

I really like the feature on the screen that shows you the size of the aperture you're using in addition to the other available settings. I think the screen layout is effecient and easy to read.

Overall, the feel of this camera is slightly heavier and chunkier than the Canon I compared it to, but it feels very comfortable in my hand with the grips on the right side.

My only beef with this camera is that the NEF RAW images do not play nicely with Photoshop CS3. The
RAW images will not open in Camera Raw. I downloaded a trial version of Photoshop CS5 a while back and they worked great, but apparently the older version of PS won't support this specific Nikon file. I am trying to save money to make the upgrade, but for now I can only edit the JPEG images out of my camera.

My dinner is cooking without me right now, so I'll wrap up. Have a great night!