ADAMZ
you asking for too much : ) its all marketing
cutting d700 sensor will result in "very low" megapixel .... entry level camera cant have low magapixels since for most people thats the only thing that gides them whn it comes to cameras (especially on entry lvl when they trying to lure you in)

...come to the Nikon side, we have candies ! : )

nau one model is fine with me :) and willis idea of putting cropped d700 sensor is even better. Just let they gave us a camera that is the size of d40 - a second/third backup body that when needed can produce stunning pictures not only in low iso but also in higher - above 800.

d5000 is already striped quite a bit (with new entry lvl standards)
I dont think we gone see much under it .... maybe 1 model thats about it

what nikon really needs to do is get few lenses on a market (cheaper one for FX and maybe update few DX ones but thats a whole different story)

@ gentoo : "It means that the standard for higher ends models will have to be raised at some point"
I like the sound of that ... cant wait for the D400!! It could be amazing !

@ wilis : "If I were Nikon, I'd look to introduce a low pixel density DX chip (think crop-mode of the D700)."
I have thought that that would be an excellent camera to have. I think they can stick it on a body even smaller than a D40, think OM10. What a wonderful party camera that would be. and bring out a tiny 22-48 F2.0 VR Zoom with it !! It would be better than FX cameras! maybe introduce that no Viewfider / no Mirror camera that people have been talking about .. and implement that new patent that they have where they move the whole barrel of the lens for VR. !! Sigh.. I am dreaming again !! oh well...

It would definitely make sense to make an entry level camera.

It's smart to give consumers a taste of what they could have.

Then, they buy a D90 or D5000 because they want more features. The D40 is a great camera, but I feel I've outgrown it. I do plan on upgrading, but not anytime soon.

True, true... Honestly, I don't think it would be horrible if they stuffed a 12MP DX sensor in a D40 body, either.

Honestly, I'm glad I got my hands on a D40 before they were all gone.

"I don't think that's a bad idea, Willis, although I'd keep the flash given the most likely buyers of the camera (somebody going from P'n'S to dSLR but doesn't want video)."

That and they're not going to go backwards in megapixels. Like it or not, they will also increase MP in cameras. Especially at this intended market who think megapixels are everything.

I don't think that's a bad idea, Willis, although I'd keep the flash given the most likely buyers of the camera (somebody going from P'n'S to dSLR but doesn't want video).

You would have to somehow cripple the D5000 in order to maintain differentiation. One way to do that would be to drop the articulating screen... of course some would see that as a selling point. I suppose they could also introduce a version with the D40's crummy 3-point autofocus system. I'm not sure if that would yield a material savings vs. the aging CAM-1000 system found in the D5000. Dropping Live view and movie mode are also options, but unless that leads them to less expensive processors, its a stupid idea in my opinion.

If I were Nikon, I'd look to introduce a low pixel density DX chip (think crop-mode of the D700). Even if it were only 5mp, how great would it be to own the low light snap shot market. Maybe you could even ditch the flash (keep the hot shoe). Price it around $600 and get a whole generation of low light junkies who have no choice but to upgrade to the expensive FX models.

I may be the odd man out, here, but I really couldn't care less about live view and video functions. I just want a camera that takes pictures. If I bought a D5000 or a D90, I'd probably use the video functions once or twice before the novelty wore off.

I think Nikon needs to fill the $500 range with something. I think even $600 would be OK. Right now their bottom end comes out above $800. I think that'll turn off a lot of beginner dSLR sales.

"I hope that Nikon will launch a d40 size camera with a 10mpx cmos sensor without live view and video with a price tag around $400 - if they do something like this for sure it's going to improve their sales a lot."

Perhaps but I doubt it. I could be wrong but I seriously doubt it. I remember saying that the D60 days were numbered when they released the D5000 and that it wouldn't survive the year. Didn't think it would be this soon but a lot of people thought I was crazy. That's a really unusual move for Nikon but they have done it before so I won't bet on my opinion right now.

D5000 maybe low but not the lowest end for Nikon this year.
If you believe in rumors (as we all do here I think) Nikon will release 3 more new DSLR cameras this year, and the first one to come should be D60 replacement called D3000 or D4000 that will be a bit more entry level, or striped down strip of D90.
And I am sure we all know what is coming next, right?

gentoo I agree with the second part of Your post - when You write that in future "...you won't see as many in this line...", but have to disagree with the first part. IMO there is a hole right now at the beginning, as there's no entry level dsl'r from Nikon. d5000 price tag and size doesn't put it in the line of entry level cameras, indeed it is an amateur camera but certainly not an entry level.
I hope that Nikon will launch a d40 size camera with a 10mpx cmos sensor without live view and video with a price tag around $400 - if they do something like this for sure it's going to improve their sales a lot.

I think the D5000 is the new low end. Like the previous models, it's stripped down, virtually no buttons to controls things like ISO,WB or other commonly adjusted settings just like the two D40's and D60. No motor drive for older AF lenses. It can't be much more entry level than that.

The price is higher because it does offer more than the gen 1 entry levels offered and you can still find them if you want to. The price is too close to the D90's for sure but I think Nikon planned it this way. if there is something else in the works (and I think there is), they're going to try to get as much as they can before they have to reduce the price. This sort of happened with the D40. Granted it wasn't as much but as soon as the D40x came out it's price dropped.

This is the new standard. It's a good thing IMO. It means that the standard for higher ends models will have to be raised at some point as well. Nikon and Canon both raised the bar on entry level cameras and this D5000 is designed to compete directly with the T1i.

Overall, I think the price of the D5000 will come down. Perhaps also another entry level may or may not be released. I think the reason why Nikon and Canon had so many entry level DSLR's before is because that line was introduced in the DSLR market right as the technology was changing and new features could be added so each company released a "new" model with the added technology in it. I think in the future, you won't see as many in this line. It will be restricted to one or two just like the other lines.

It seems Nikon's discontinued they're entire low-end dSLR segment. Do you think that there's a new low-end camera that they've been really hush-hush about or are they leaving us with the D5000 as the low end? If they do that, I think it's a mistake, though...

What do you guys think about all this?