Nikon D3000 Comparison Review
The Nikon D3000 is a DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) camera that was revealed to the public in July 2009 and is equipped with an APS-C sensor. It offers a resolution of 10 megapixel.
Is the Nikon D3000 a good camera? The D3000 has a Camera Elo of 1140. This rating puts the D3000 below average of all digital single lens reflex cameras. In terms of its sensor size category (APS cameras), the D3000 also ranks below average. Based on its within category standings, the camera earns a 2.5-star performance rating. – Well, the Nikon D3000 is more than 15 years old, and there have been many other good digital cameras released since 2009.
Nikon D3000 |
---|
Digital single lens reflex |
Nikon F mount lenses |
10 MP, APS-C Sensor |
no Video |
ISO 100 - 1 600 (100 - 3 200) |
Optical viewfinder |
3.0 LCD, 230k dots |
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive) |
3 shutter flaps per second |
500 shots per battery charge |
126 x 97 x 64 mm, 536 g |
Read on to find out more about the camera's size, sensor, features, reception by expert reviewers, and how it compares to other digital cameras.
Body comparison with a credit card
The physical dimensions of the Nikon D3000 relative to a credit card are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.
The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the Nikon D3000 alongside a set of similar cameras. If you want to review a particular camera pair side-by-side, just move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible comparisons there.
Camera Model |
Camera Width |
Camera Height |
Camera Depth |
Camera Weight |
Battery Life |
Weather Sealing |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price |
Street Price |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Nikon D3000 | 126 mm | 97 mm | 64 mm | 536 g | 500 | n | Jul 2009 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
2. | Fujifilm X100 | 126 mm | 75 mm | 54 mm | 445 g | 300 | n | Sep 2010 | US$ 1 199 | ebay.com | |
3. | Nikon D40 | 124 mm | 94 mm | 64 mm | 522 g | 470 | n | Nov 2006 | US$ 499 | ebay.com | |
4. | Nikon D40X | 124 mm | 94 mm | 64 mm | 522 g | 520 | n | Mar 2007 | US$ 729 | ebay.com | |
5. | Nikon D60 | 126 mm | 94 mm | 64 mm | 522 g | 500 | n | Jan 2008 | US$ 629 | ebay.com | |
6. | Nikon D90 | 132 mm | 103 mm | 77 mm | 703 g | 850 | n | Aug 2008 | US$ 1 299 | ebay.com | |
7. | Nikon D3100 | 124 mm | 96 mm | 75 mm | 505 g | 550 | n | Aug 2010 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
8. | Nikon D3200 | 125 mm | 96 mm | 77 mm | 505 g | 540 | n | Apr 2012 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
9. | Nikon D5000 | 127 mm | 104 mm | 80 mm | 590 g | 510 | n | Apr 2009 | US$ 749 | ebay.com | |
10. | Olympus E-420 | 130 mm | 91 mm | 53 mm | 440 g | 500 | n | Mar 2008 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
11. | Olympus E-450 | 130 mm | 91 mm | 53 mm | 440 g | 500 | n | Mar 2009 | US$ 499 | ebay.com | |
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders. | |||||||||||
The listed prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The Nikon D3000 was launched in the US market at a price of $599. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.
Sensor comparison with a 35mm slide
The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tent to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.
The Nikon D3000 features an APS-C sensor and has a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.5. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the Nikon D3000 among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability.
Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of alternative cameras.
Camera Model |
Sensor Class |
Resolution (MP) |
Horiz. Pixels |
Vert. Pixels |
Video Format |
DXO Portrait |
DXO Landscape |
DXO Sports |
DXO Overall |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Nikon D3000 | APS-C | 10.0 | 3872 | 2592 | none | 22.3 | 11.1 | 563 | 62 | |
2. | Fujifilm X100 | APS-C | 12.2 | 4288 | 2848 | 720/30p | 22.9 | 12.4 | 1001 | 73 | |
3. | Nikon D40 | APS-C | 6.0 | 3008 | 2000 | none | 21.0 | 11.0 | 561 | 56 | |
4. | Nikon D40X | APS-C | 10.0 | 3872 | 2592 | none | 22.4 | 11.4 | 516 | 63 | |
5. | Nikon D60 | APS-C | 10.0 | 3872 | 2592 | none | 22.5 | 11.4 | 562 | 65 | |
6. | Nikon D90 | APS-C | 12.2 | 4288 | 2848 | 720/24p | 22.7 | 12.5 | 977 | 73 | |
7. | Nikon D3100 | APS-C | 14.2 | 4608 | 3072 | 1080/24p | 22.5 | 11.3 | 919 | 67 | |
8. | Nikon D3200 | APS-C | 24.1 | 6016 | 4000 | 1080/30p | 24.1 | 13.2 | 1131 | 81 | |
9. | Nikon D5000 | APS-C | 12.2 | 4288 | 2848 | 720/24p | 22.7 | 12.5 | 868 | 72 | |
10. | Olympus E-420 | Four Thirds | 10.0 | 3648 | 2736 | none | 21.5 | 10.4 | 527 | 56 | |
11. | Olympus E-450 | Four Thirds | 10.0 | 3648 | 2736 | none | 21.5 | 10.5 | 512 | 56 |
It should be noted that unlike many modern cameras, the D3000 does not provide the possibility to capture videos.
Feature comparison
Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the D3000 has an optical viewfinder that provides a field of view of 95% and a magnification of 0.53x. The tables below summarize some of the other core capabilities of the Nikon D3000 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.
Camera Model |
Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots) |
Control Panel (yes/no) |
LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots) |
LCD Attach- ment |
Touch Screen (yes/no) |
Max Shutter Speed * |
Max Shutter Flaps * |
Built-in Flash (yes/no) |
Built-in Image Stab |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Nikon D3000 | optical | n | 3.0 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
2. | Fujifilm X100 | 1440 | n | 2.8 / 460 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 5.0/s | Y | n | |
3. | Nikon D40 | optical | n | 2.5 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 2.5/s | Y | n | |
4. | Nikon D40X | optical | n | 2.5 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
5. | Nikon D60 | optical | n | 2.5 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
6. | Nikon D90 | optical | Y | 3.0 / 920 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 4.5/s | Y | n | |
7. | Nikon D3100 | optical | n | 3.0 / 230 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.0/s | Y | n | |
8. | Nikon D3200 | optical | n | 3.0 / 921 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 4.0/s | Y | n | |
9. | Nikon D5000 | optical | n | 2.7 / 230 | full-flex | n | 1/4000s | 4.0/s | Y | n | |
10. | Olympus E-420 | optical | n | 2.7 / 215 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.5/s | Y | n | |
11. | Olympus E-450 | optical | n | 2.7 / 215 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 3.5/s | Y | n | |
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one. |
One convenient feature of the D3000 is the presence of an on-board flash. While this built-in flash is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light to brighten deep shadow areas.
Connection comparison
For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Nikon D3000 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.
Camera Model |
Hotshoe Port |
Internal Mic / Speaker |
Microphone Port |
Headphone Port |
HDMI Port |
USB Port |
WiFi Support |
NFC Support |
Bluetooth Support |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Nikon D3000 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
2. | Fujifilm X100 | Y | stereo / - | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
3. | Nikon D40 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
4. | Nikon D40X | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
5. | Nikon D60 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
6. | Nikon D90 | Y | mono / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
7. | Nikon D3100 | Y | mono / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
8. | Nikon D3200 | Y | mono / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
9. | Nikon D5000 | Y | mono / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
10. | Olympus E-420 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
11. | Olympus E-450 | Y | - / - | - | - | - | 2.0 | - | - | - |
Further information on the features and operation of the D3000 can be found in the free online Nikon D3000 Manual or on the Nikon support site.
Expert reviews
While the specs-based evaluation of cameras is instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the D3000 handle or perform in practice. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased. This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The adjacent table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]).
Camera Model |
AP score |
CL score |
DCW score |
DPR score |
EPZ score |
PB score |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price |
Street Price |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Nikon D3000 | .. | + | .. | 72/100 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Jul 2009 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
2. | Fujifilm X100 | 3/5 | .. | .. | 75/100 | 4/5 | 5/5 | Sep 2010 | US$ 1 199 | ebay.com | |
3. | Nikon D40 | .. | 81/100 | .. | + + | o | 4.5/5 | Nov 2006 | US$ 499 | ebay.com | |
4. | Nikon D40X | .. | 79/100 | .. | + + | 4/5 | 4/5 | Mar 2007 | US$ 729 | ebay.com | |
5. | Nikon D60 | .. | 80/100 | .. | + + | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Jan 2008 | US$ 629 | ebay.com | |
6. | Nikon D90 | .. | + + | .. | + + | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Aug 2008 | US$ 1 299 | ebay.com | |
7. | Nikon D3100 | 5/5 | + + | .. | 72/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Aug 2010 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
8. | Nikon D3200 | 5/5 | + + | .. | 73/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Apr 2012 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
9. | Nikon D5000 | .. | + + | .. | 75/100 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Apr 2009 | US$ 749 | ebay.com | |
10. | Olympus E-420 | .. | 85/100 | .. | + + | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Mar 2008 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
11. | Olympus E-450 | .. | .. | .. | .. | 4/5 | 4/5 | Mar 2009 | US$ 499 | ebay.com | |
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available. |
The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.
Nikon D3000 FAQ
Below are some additional questions and answers concerning some particular features of the D3000.
What technology is the imaging sensor in the Nikon D3000 based on?
The camera is build around a CCD (Charged Coupled Device) sensor.
Which image processing chip is used in the Nikon D3000 to convert the raw signal into an image file and perform noise reduction and image sharpening?
Nikon equipped the D3000 with the EXPEED image processor.
What is the ISO sensitivity range of the Nikon D3000?
The camera has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 1600.
What is the life expectancy of the shutter in the Nikon D3000?
Nikon mentions a shutter rating of 100 000 actuations for the D3000. This number represents a Mean Time before Failure, that is an average value. The shutter might fail earlier, or it might last longer. Anyway, in order to exhaust the expected shutter life of the D3000 over, say, three years, one would have to take about 100 pictures each and every day.
How do I find the shutter count on my Nikon D3000?
Nikon embeds the number of shutter actuations in image metadata. You can check the number of shots that your D3000 has taken up to now by uploading a recent image to the free online shutter count finder app.
Does the Nikon D3000 feature an autofocus assist light?
Yes, the camera has a lamp built-in that can illuminate the subject and improve autofocus in low-light settings.
What is the fastest shutter speed that can be used with the Nikon D3000 for flash photography?
The D3000's flash sync speed is 1/200 sec.
Which battery does the Nikon D3000 use?
The camera gets its power from the Nikon EN-EL9a (here at amazon), which is a rechargeable Lithium-Ion power pack.
Is there a vertical grip available for the Nikon D3000?
Nikon does not offer an optional battery grip, but third party suppliers do (see here on ebay).
Camera to camera comparisons
In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities with other camera models, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.
Camera Model | Nikon D3000 | |
---|---|---|
Camera Type | Digital single lens reflex | |
Camera Lens | Nikon F mount lenses | |
Launch Date | July 2009 | |
Launch Price | USD 599 | |
Sensor Specs | ||
Sensor Technology | CCD | |
Sensor Format | APS-C Sensor | |
Sensor Size | 23.6 x 15.8 mm | |
Sensor Area | 373 mm2 | |
Sensor Diagonal | 28.4 mm | |
Crop Factor | 1.5x | |
Sensor Resolution | 10 Megapixels | |
Image Resolution | 3 872 x 2 592 pixels | |
Pixel Pitch | 6.11 μm | |
Pixel Density | 2.69 MP/cm2 | |
Moiré control | Anti-Alias filter | |
Movie Capability | no Video | |
ISO Setting | 100 - 1 600 ISO | |
ISO Boost | 100 - 3 200 ISO | |
Image Processor | EXPEED | |
DXO Sensor Quality (score) | 62 | |
DXO Color Depth (bits) | 22.3 | |
DXO Dynamic Range (EV) | 11.1 | |
DXO Low Light (ISO) | 563 | |
Screen Specs | ||
Viewfinder Type | Optical viewfinder | |
Viewfinder Field of View | 95% | |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.53x | |
Top-Level Screen | no Top Display | |
LCD Size | 3.0 inch | |
LCD Resolution | 230k dots | |
LCD Attachment | Fixed screen | |
Touch Input | No touchscreen | |
Shooting Specs | ||
Focus System | Phase-detect AF | |
Manual Focusing Aid | no Peaking Feature | |
Maximum Shutter Speed | 1/4000s | |
Continuous Shooting | 3 shutter flaps/s | |
Shutter Life Expectancy | 100 000 actuations | |
Silent Shooting | no E-Shutter | |
Time Lapse Photography | no Intervalometer | |
Fill Flash | Built-in Flash | |
Storage Medium | SDHC cards | |
Single or Dual Card Slots | Single card slot | |
UHS card support | no | |
Connectivity Specs | ||
External Flash | Hotshoe | |
USB Connector | USB 2.0 | |
HDMI Port | no HDMI | |
Wifi Support | no Wifi | |
Body Specs | ||
Battery Type | Nikon EN-EL9a power pack | |
Battery Life (CIPA) | 500 shots per charge | |
Body Dimensions |
126 x 97 x 64 mm (5.0 x 3.8 x 2.5 in) |
|
Camera Weight | 536 g (18.9 oz) |
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