Nikon D3000

	Playback Summary
• Nice selection of playback displays, with option to customize views • Easy image-to-image comparison of magnified photos • Helpful calendar view • Extensive in-camera editing opportunities
	Sample Photos	Page 8 of 17	Hardware

Playback Mode (9.50)

There are eight available playback information displays which you toggle through by pressing up or down on the four-way controller. All of these displays don't have to be included in the sequence, though. The Highlights, RGB histogram and three Data screens can all be turned on or off through the playback menu if you don't want to use them.

Playback Displays
File Information Lists folder and file name, data and time taken, image size and format.	RGB Histogram Displays a small view of the photo, luminance and RGB histograms, and white balance setting information.	Highlights Overexposed areas blink.
Shooting Data 1 Displays Information on metering, shutter speed, aperture, exposure mode, ISO, exposure compensation, focal length, lens, focus mode, image stabilization and flash mode.	Shooting Data 2 White balance, color space and Picture Control setting.	Shooting Data 3 Noise reduction, Active D-Lighting and in-camera retouch information.
Overview Data Same as the File Information screen at the bottom, with added information  on metering,  exposure mode, shutter speed, aperture, ISO, focal length, exposure compensation, white balance, color space, Picture Control and Active D-Lighting.	Magnified Pressing the magnifying glass button enlarges the image up to a high 25x, in eight steps. Turning the control dial browses the other photos on the memory card, at the same position and magnification, very useful for comparing similar shots..	Thumbnail Repeatedly zooming out from a full-screen display produces 4-, 9- and 72-thumbnail displays in turn. Individual images can be deleted directly from the thumbnail display, a real convenience.
	Calendar View One more zoom-out press after the 72-thumbnail display brings up a calendar view, sorting the photos on your memory card by the date each shot was taken. Individual images can be deleted, or all shots taken on a specified day can be erased.

The system for erasing images is worth a mention, since it's more streamlined than the procedures used by many other manufacturers. Instead of requiring you to move a cursor or hunt for a different button to confirm an image deletion, you simply hit the same Delete key a second time. Another handy feature is the ability to delete all photos taken on a particular date, either through the Calendar view or the playback menu.

The slide show utility is very basic. You can set the length of time each image will be displayed, but there's no control over which photos will be included, and no between-image transition effects.

In-Camera Editing (10.00)

Nikon offers an extraordinarily broad range of in-camera editing effects, which are particularly valuable for entry-level users who may be less inclined to fiddle with image editing software on the computer, and more inclined to output directly to an attached PictBridge printer or to order prints from a service bureau.

In-camera RAW processing is also available, Image size and quality, white balance, exposure compensation, Picture Control setting, color space and noise reduction can all be adjusted and a JPEG copy saved.

While shooting, you can store a comment of up to 36 characters in a photo's EXIF data. This could be useful if you wanted to flag where an image was taken, for example, though the time-consuming text input procedure and inability to sort by comments makes this a marginally useful feature at best. And unfortunately, there's no in-camera way to add or edit a comment for a photo that's already stored on your memory card.

Software (5.00)

The camera comes with two programs, Nikon Transfer and ViewNX, both in versions for Windows and Macintosh.

Software
	Nikon Transfer Nikon Transfer has a few features that give it an edge over good old drag-and-drop. The thumbnail display lets you organize the collection by shooting date, file extension or folder. You can rename files during transfer, embed copyright or other text, automatically save a backup copy and transfer photos to Nikon’s My Picturetown online service.
	ViewNX As with most manufacturers' image viewers, the primary benefit of ViewNX is reading the Nikon-specific embedded photo info that doesn't appear when using standard photo browers. You can also display the focal point used when taking a photo. Quick adjustments include sharpness, contrast, brightness, highlight and shadow control, chromatic aberration correction and saturation adjustment, plus exposure compensation, white balance, tint and picture control for RAW files. Files can be tagged with labels (0-9) or star ratings for image sorting. And the slide show utility is far more impressive than the in-camera capability.

Direct Print Options (3.50)

As expected, the D3000 offers direct printing to a USB-connected PicBridge-compatible printer and the option to create a DPOF file for ordering prints from a service bureau.

Sample Photos	Page 8 of 17		Hardware
Nikon D3000 Digital Camera Review Navigation
Intro	Product Tour	Color	Noise
Resolution	White Balance	Sample Photos	Playback
Hardware	Controls	Design & Handling	Nikon D5000 Comparison
Canon XS Comparison	Olympus E620 Comp	Pentax K2000 Comparison	Conclusion
Specs & Ratings