Providing on-screen prompts for beginners through its Intelligent Guide mode – think of it as a ‘DSLR photography for dummies’ – the competent 10.2-megapixel D3000 updates Nikon’s D60. It comes with a vibration reduction (VR) 18-55mm zoom to counteract camera shake, making it a jack-of-all-trades option for newcomers who may buy only one lens. The compact camera feels lightweight yet substantial, and its clean, concise control layout avoids confusing options.

Photographers can be up and shooting in just over a second, with maximum continuous capture speed set at 3fps. The camera is quick to lock onto target too, courtesy of 3D subject tracking and 11 AF points spread across the frame – impressive for an entry-level model. As with most ‘starter’ DSLRs, however, the optical viewfinder’s eye piece doesn’t jut out very far, meaning that bringing your eye level with it squashes your nose against the LCD below.

To further help beginners, there’s an information button at the bottom-left of the camera’s backplate. This provides an overview of selectable settings, with pop-up thumbnails illustrating the kind of image users might be attempting. There’s still plenty of manual control on offer, though, through the quartet of P, A, S and M exposure-control modes on the top-plate dial – and also through Picture Control options, which create neutral, vivid or monochrome colour settings.

The in-camera editing function includes a cool ‘miniature’ setting. If you’re capturing crowds of people from up high this setting makes them appear like ants in a toy town (adjusted originals are saved separately). There are, however, a couple of notable omissions from the D3000’s features: there’s no Live View or any video mode.

The D3000’s combination of lens and sensor provides detailed and crisp results for those looking to achieve professional-looking photographs. Although, in terms of light sensitivity, grain intrudes into shadows from ISO 400, up to ISO 800 it’s kept sufficiently at bay, avoiding softening and loss of detail.

Nikon has long suggested that its consumer DSLR offerings are cameras that can be ‘grown into’, we’d say that it has come the closest to that statement being true with the D3000.