Nikon D5000

It's got the same sensor that's in Nikon's amazing HD-video-shooting D90, so you can expect the same image and video performance.

Describing it as the D90 Lite isn't so far off: It's smaller, not quite as fast and is missing the Speedlight commander, but has beginner stuff like teaching menus and 19—yes, nineteen—scene modes, from the usual suspects like Sports to more random, like Candlelight. It does have the same 11-point autofocus, 100 to 6400 expanded ISO range, and 720p video at 24fps as the D90 though.

The vari-angle display is 2.7 inches, a little smaller than 3 inches I've gotten used to on Nikons, but I suppose that's the price for freedom. The D5000 has four Live View autofocus modes, including a new Subject Tracking AF that locks onto a moving targets like cats and sugar-powered rugrats.

It's interesting that Nikon and Canon have both done the same thing at the exact same time: Pulling a sensor from a pricier mid-range camera and stuffing it into an entry-level DSLR with HD video recording. Clearly, they both have a similar sense about the direction of DSLRs, and it looks like the first real battleground is going to be in the lower levels. (Which is good for us, since it means the pricing should get nice and bloody.) For the record though, we're still waiting on that D400 with 1080p video capabilities.

If you cant wait get the D90 you will not be dissapointed.