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Nikon D60 vs. D5000…?

I was planning on buying the D60 (need an SLR) until I found out it cannot do video clips and does not provide a live view on the screen. The D5000 has both features, but I’m wondering how good is the HD recording capability. My main reason for getting an SLR is for taking pictures of my kids. Need a camera that can capture those cute moments where as a point and shoot takes too long and you lose that “Kodak” moment. I also use my current digital camera to record video and though I have a separate camcorder for certain occasions… I like having the flexibility of using one camera in the event I need to do both. I would appreciate the advice of anyone who’s used one or both of these cameras. If the video mode of the D5000 is not that great, would it matter which camera I use to get good close up shots of my kids. As for the lens, will the 18-55mm be enough for my current purpose?

The D5000 (about $850.00 for kit with 18-55mm lens) takes fantastic pictures and ok videos. Live view is very over rated but I guess some people really like it. For the money, if you want the features you mentioned in your post I would take a serious look at the Canon Rebel T1i (500D). The T1i (about $900.00 for kit with 18-55mm lens) will offer more bang for the buck and has better features than the D5000. Take a look a the links below for a great review of both cameras. The 18-55mm lens should be enough for what you want to do. If you find later that you need a lens with more focal length, you can purchase third party manufacturers lenses for a very reasonable price compared to OEM lenses. Another option is to purchase the body only (D5000 – $730.00 & T1i – $720.00) and purchase a lens like the Tamron Zoom Super Wide Angle 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di-II LD Aspherical (IF) Macro Lens for $290.00 with a $60.00 mail in rebate until the end of December. So for the T1i, $720.00 for the body and $230.00 for the Tamron lens, the total cost would be $950.00, just $50.00 more than the T1i kit with 18-55mm Canon lens. For the D5000 the total cost of both would be $960.00. You can’t go wrong with either camera – take a look at the last link for a great article comparing the two cameras.

ADV Wedding – DSLR vs Camcorder