Nikon announced its D5000 camera in April 2009. The 12.3-megapixel DSLR features Nikon's compact DX sensor technology, 720p movie capture capability and a 2.7-inch, articulating LCD. The camera's exposure modes include programmed auto, manual and scene modes. Nikon designed the D5000 to allow anyone to create good images without a lot of technical photographic knowledge.
More Accurate Focus
Nikon's D5000 has an 11-point auto focus system. Sometimes cameras with these systems detect objects other than your subject and automatically focus on them. To make sure you're focusing on your subject, choose an autofocus area mode other than the camera's auto area mode. On the back of the D5000, use the multi-selector tool to select which of the 11 focus points falls on your subject. Once it's selected, press "OK." Next, press the "Shutter Release" button down halfway and hold it. Doing this locks the focus on the focus point area you selected. Now you can recompose your scene and shoot. The camera remains focused on the selected autofocus point and your camera achieves correct focus for your selected subject.
Indoor Flash Pictures
Photographers using the flash on the D5000 at children's recitals or other indoor events may find the images look too dark. That's because the range of the flash on the D5000 only extends to a maximum of 56 feet at ISO 200. The D5000 does have a feature that helps compensate for low-light conditions and still allows you to use flash. It's called the party/indoor scene mode. When used in this mode, the D5000 uses the flash to help light the scene, but uses the existing light as the main light source, balancing the existing light with the flash. Party/indoor scene mode allows for slightly longer exposures and in some situations offers better results than a flash-only image.
Flexible Viewing Options
Sometimes the subject is not at eye level or you don't want to be noticed when pointing your camera directly at someone. Under these circumstances, use the D5000's articulating LCD viewfinder. If your subject is down low, hold the camera low and simply tilt the viewfinder up for you to see the image. Or, if your subject is to the side and you wish to stay incognito, hold your D5000 out with the lens pointed in your subject's direction, but the viewfinder pointed in your direction. Many people become aware they are being photographed only when the photographer looks directly at them through the lens.
Scene Modes
Nikon installed 19 scene modes in the D5000, each with specific algorithms designed to optimize image quality when shooting under specific conditions. For example, the portrait mode optimizes flesh tones and uses wider apertures to blur the background behind subjects. The sports scene mode optimizes the camera's shutter speed to help prevent blur caused by fast-moving subjects. To see how these scene modes can improve an image, take the camera out of the programmed auto mode and use one of the predefined scene modes that matches the type of subject you're shooting.
Tags: your subject, scene modes, scene mode, area mode, existing light, flash D5000, indoor scene