Nikon D3000

  The Nikon D3000 succeeds the D60, but if anything, is even easier to get to grips with thanks to the introduction of a new 'guide' mode.

The D3000 shares the same 10 million pixel CCD sensor as its predecessor, and almost exactly the same body and design, but this camera is more than a cosmetic revamp of the older model.

Crucially, the D60's adequate but uninspiring 3-point AF system is gone, replaced by the same 11-point system as found in the D90.

As far as image quality is concerned, the D3000 is a thoroughly satisfying camera, without being exceptional.

The white balance system doesn't cope all that well with artificial lighting, but it isn’t significantly worse than anything else in the entry-level sector.

Like a lot of recent Nikon DSLRs the D3000 has a tendency to deliver rather bright mid tones, which can threaten highlight detail, especially in JPEGs, but on the plus side, images are nice and bright and look great when printed straight from the camera.

High ISO performance is nothing to shout about, but with noise reduction turned 'off', images shot at ISO 3200 have a grittiness that really suits certain subjects, especially when shot in (or converted to) black and white.

Within the most often used ISO range of 100-800 though, the D3000 gives excellent image quality, and the D3000's CCD sensor is capable of impressive resolution.

Specifications:

Type

Single-lens reflex digital camera

 Lens mount

Nikon F mount (with AF contacts)

 Effective picture angle

Approx. 1.5 x lens focal length (Nikon DX format)

  Image sensor

23.6 x 15.8 mm CCD sensor. 10.75 million pixels. 10.2 million effective pixels

 Dust-reduction system

Image Sensor Cleaning, Airflow Control System, Image Dust Off reference data (optional Capture NX 2 software required)

 Storage

Image size (pixels)

3,872 x 2,592 [L], 2,896 x 1,944 [M], 1,936 x 1,296 [S]

 File format

• 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

Picture Control System

Can be selected from Standard, Neutral, Vivid, Monochrome, Portrait, Landscape; selected Picture Control can be modified

 Media

SD (Secure Digital) memory cards, SDHC compliant

 File system

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

Viewfinder

Eye-level pentamirror single-lens reflex viewfinder

 Frame 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)

 Diopter 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)

 Reflex mirror

Quick return type

 Lens aperture

Instant return, electronically controlled

 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.

Note: Electronic rangefinder can be used if lens has a maximum aperture of f/5.6 or faster.

Shutter

Type

Electronically-controlled vertical-travel focal-plane shutter

 Speed

1/4000 to 30 s in steps of 1/3 EV, Bulb, Time (requires optional Wireless Remote Control ML-L3)

 Flash sync speed

X=1/200 s; synchronizes with shutter at 1/200 s or slower

Release

Release mode

Single-frame, continuous, self-timer, quick-response remote, delayed remote

 Frame advance rate

Up to 3 fps (manual focus, mode M or S, shutter speed 1/250 s or faster, and other settings at default values)

 Self-timer

Can be selected from 2, 5, 10, and 20 s duration

 Exposure

Metering

TTL exposure metering using 420-pixel RGB sensor

 Metering method

• 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

Range (ISO 100, f/1.4 lens, 20oC/68oF)

• Matrix or center-weighted metering: 0 to 20 EV
• Spot metering: 2 to 20 EV

Exposure meter coupling

CPU

 Exposure Modes

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

Exposure lock

Luminosity locked at detected value with AE-L/AF-L button

 ISO sensitivity (Recommended Exposure Index)

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

 Active D-Lighting

Can be selected from On or Off

Focus

Autofocus

Nikon Multi-CAM 1000 autofocus sensor module with TTL phase detection, 11 focus points (including one cross-type sensor), and AF-assist illuminator (range approx. 0.5 to 3m / 1 ft. 8 in. to 9 ft. 10 in.)

 Detection range

-1 to +19 EV (ISO 100, 20oC/68oF)

 Lens servo

• Autofocus (AF): Single-servo AF (AF-S); continuous-servo AF (AF-C); auto AF-S/AF-C selection (AF-A); predictive focus tracking activated automatically according to subject status
• Manual focus (MF): Electronic rangefinder can be used

Focus point

Can be selected from 11 focus points

 AF-area mode

Single-point AF, dynamic-area AF, auto-area AF, 3D-tracking (11 points) AF

 Focus lock

Focus can be locked by pressing shutter-release button halfway (Single-servo AF) or by pressing AE-L/AF-L button

 Flash

Built-in flash

Approx. 12/39, 13/43 with manual flash (m/ft, ISO 100, 20oC/68oF)

 Guide Number

-1 to +19 EV (ISO 100, 20oC/68oF)

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 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 compensation

-3 to +1 EV in increments of 1/3 EV

 Flash-ready indicator

Lights when built-in flash or optional flash unit such as SB-900, SB-800, SB-600, SB-400, SB-80DX, SB-28DX, or SB-50DX is fully charged; blinks for 3 s after flash is fired at full output

 Accessory shoe

ISO 518 hot-shoe with sync and data contacts and safety lock

 Nikon Creative Lighting System (CLS)

Advanced Wireless Lighting supported with SB-900, SB-800, or SU-800 as commander; Flash Color Information Communication supported with built-in flash and all CLS-compatible flash units

 Sync terminal

Sync Terminal Adapter AS-15 (optional)

 White balance

White balance

Auto, incandescent, fluorescent (7 types), direct sunlight, flash, cloudy, shade, preset manual, all except preset manual with fine turning.

 Monitor

LCD monitor

3-in., approx. 230 k-dot TFT LCD with brightness adjustment

 Playback

Playback function

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)

 Interface

USB

Hi-Speed USB

 Audio video output

Can be selected from NTSC and PAL

 Supported languages

Supported languages

Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish

 Power source

Battery

One Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL9a

 AC adapter

AC Adapter EH-5a; requires Power Connector EP-5 (optional)

 Tripod socket

Tripod socket

1/4 in. (ISO 1222)

 Dimensions/weight

Dimensions (W x H x D)

Approx. 126 x 97 x 64 mm (5.0 x 3.8 x 2.5 in.)

 Weight

Approx. 485 g (1 lb. 1.1 oz.) without battery, memory card, or body cap

Operating environment

Temperature

0 to 40oC (32 to 104oF)

 Humidity

Less than 85% (no condensation)

 Accessories

Supplied accessories (may differ by country or area)

Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL9a , Quick Charger MH-23,, Eyepiece Cap DK-5, Rubber Eyecap DK-20, USB Cable UC-E4, Video Cable EG-D100, Camera Strap AN-DC3, Accessory Shoe Cover BS-1, Body Cap BF-1A, Software Suite CD-ROM