Nikon D5000, DSLR Buyers Guide

I’m an amateur photographer buying my first DSLR. I don’t claim to be an expert but I have spent many hours researching and I’ve decided to share all the useful information that I’ve turned up in the process.  This post is centered around the Nikon D5000 which ultimately was my first choice.

Top Entry Level DSLRs

photo credit: heliosphan

Comparing entry level DSLRs can be a daunting task. Here are some of the best choices on the market right now. Most if not all of these cameras are highly recommended by dpreview.com and other reviewers. Prices based on current street prices for new camera with kit lens (as of Dec 3, 2009).

• $440.00 – Nikon D40 (which is being discontinued and replaced by the D3000)
• $469.00 – Nikon D3000
• $569.95 – Canon Digital Rebel XSi (650D)
• $642.46 – Nikon D5000
• $719.00 – Canon EOS Rebel T1i (500D) *
• $1,032.99 – Nikon D90 *

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Cheap Memory Card Readers for less than a dollar

The usb functionality on my digital camera stopped working recently and I needed a memory card reader for my computer.  Luckily there are loads of very cheap memory card readers on eBay.  I picked up a little semi-transparent blue SD Card reader for $.89.  I got it about a week later and it works just fine right out of the box.  Just be careful removing the plastic caps because the plastic is thin and can break easily.  The cool thing about little readers like this is that they can be used as a flash drive once you put a memory card in them.   Somehow these little gizmos are so cheap that the ebay sellers can afford to ship a “bran-new” gizmo from China to the US for under a buck.   Here are some eBay search results.  At these prices there’s not much to lose.