Hi , Larry here. , think I kinda missed your reply...thanks.You seem right on with that sharpness thing!I don't have my camera right now, I'm in the RECALL bunch,but I been using lots of custom settings ...trying to come up with something solid.Basicly I'm useing 6 different custom modes ; NL+5sharpness,NL+5sharpness+1saturation,SD+3sharpness,VI+2sharpness-1saturation,NL+4sharpness+1contrast,NL+4sharpness+1contrast+1saturation.Wow!,hope I don't make your head spin!!.I did notice , in the yard, that nomatter WHAT I had the camera set on - the flowers I was shooting , mainly the deeper blues and reds, ... if ya wanted to record them -as you see em- ...NO WAY. Over all , I'm happy with my (4th copy)D5000.Coming from Canon P+S S5 IS - for swivel screen shooting - I'm VERY disappointed,BUT the non-noise mirrical that this Nikon is ...makes this camera worth it - by far.Now I use the swivel for only where my eye can't get.(On the canon I used swivel for ALL, AND SAW AND ADJUSTED THE EXPOSURE - AND GOT THAT EXPOSURE AFTER PRESSING THE SHUTTER...-...NOT SO WITH NIKON-CANNOT BE RELIED ON...sometimes yes , sometimes no.)And 2/3rds of the time...my guess at exposure is wrong!,having to shoot again - with more or less exposure.Try telling the bird or speeding boat - WAIT , I need to shoot again!! ... oh,now - not only do I reshoot for better exposure , ALSO I change modes...as above...- for more or less saturation ,and or more or less contrast.Note; That first custom setting I REALLY like,the second too-sometimes the last two are best. ..........--------this photo/ISO makes this camera!; (ISO6400,and remember-I sent back an Olympus E-30...which had worse noise at 400 ISO);

Visit my Nikonians gallery.

Attachment #1, (jpg file)