Nikon D5000 - should I?

[steamy]

Hi,

Bit of background.
Back in the days of 35mm I used to own a Minolta 7000 with a 35-70mm & 70-210mm,
travelled extensively with this gear whilst backpacking and got some great shots.
The lot got stolen and never replaced the gear.
Then digital came into the arena and whilst a bit slow on the uptake I eventually purchased
a Fujifilm S9600, mainly to see if I would get back into photography.
In a short time and only because the change over was $100 I sold the S9600 and upgraded
to the Fujifilm S100fs.
I will say it is a great camera and I can get great shots from the unit.
But I am now longing for fast focusing, a viewfinder that is enjoyable to look through and
an increase of res from 72di to 300dpi.

We have a near on 2 year old lil girl and another bub due in 5 months.
I want better low light performance for those indoor shots which I struggle to get with the S100fs.
I have a Nikon SB-26 that I do use for fill and off cam strobist work and again have some
stunning shots using this set-up. I just like natural light and candid images.

I'm stepping into the Nikon camp and will get either the D5000 or the D90.
I know which glass I want and that will be the 18-200mm VRII and a wide zoom either the
Tokina 11-16mm or 12-24mkII (prob the later so I get the AF) but the 11-16mm being f2.8
will prob be better for my low light requirements.
Then there is the Nikon AF-S 12-24mm f4 (2nd hand!) to consider.
With the 2 lens combo I know I have the range I need based on the types of shots I take.

Now it's just down to the body choice!
I have read a stack of reviews on the D5000 & D90.
The one thing that really is swaying my decision and i know most will cringe at my reason is, yes wait for it.....
the swivel screen on the back!
Having been used to these on the Fuji's I do use them enough to miss it if I was to get the D90.
I just find it such a useful addition when framing shots especially when shooting the kid at low/ground level.
Otherwise I'd be going commando style on the floor to frame her on the move, get up to chase her down
and repeat the process. Would be great exercise for the biggest looser show!!!
If I had the D90 and was trying to do shots on the move I just figure it would be a bit hit and miss!

I have seen the comments that people make about the D5000 being a pain with having to dig into the menu
to do any changes. I have had a play with the D5000 and both shutter speed & aperture is changeable on the fly
and you also have another button that you can assign a function to, ISO would be one choice.
So to me I have the basic functions I need to change at hand without diving into the menu.

The D5000 seems like it's a bit better then a entry level DSLR.
It has the same sensor, AF points, processor the list goes on from the D90. To me the quality of images will
be the same, it's just the extra buttons on the body that would make life just a tad easier.

The issue with no auto focus motor in the D5000 and restricting me to what glass I can get does not really effect me
as I know what lens I want and I (not at this stage or for a while) will I be obsessed with glass.

Also I figure that if I outgrow the D5000 sooner than I expect I sell the body and upgrade, the lenses I have
can be used on the next unit (unless I go full frame if my lotto numbers come in!!)

Another scenario that is pushing me towards the D5000, is that the missus can grab the came use either AUTO
or select one of the 19 preset modes and take some shots of me with the kid(s) for a change!!! LOL

But wait, there is the silent mode and the built in interval timer functions that the D90 doesn't have (98% sure of this!)
that are another nice touch.

As mentioned I went to JBHIFI, had a D90 the D5000 and my Fuji all side by side, SD cards loaded and did some
in shop test shots to take back home and load up on the iMac for comparison.
I was blown away by the focus speed and clarity in the viewfinder, which put my mind at ease knowing that I am
making the right move.

I'm looking at ~$1540 (grey market price) all up for
D5000, 18-200VRII and the Mack Diamond International 3 year warranty (transferable, good for resale of the body!)
which covers...
* Manufacturer Defects
* Impact Damage
* Sand/Grit Damage
* Accidental and Unintentional Abuse
* Mechanical Malfunctions
* Normal and Abnormal Wear and Tear

Best price I could get for local Aussie stock with 2 year Nikon manufacturer warranty only
was $1850.
So I save $300 and have peace of mind for 3 years!

Will get the wide angle option later which is around $700 (grey again)

So after all that, should I be concerned about going with the D5000 or for an extra coupla hundred learn to live without
the flippy screen and get the D90?