Nikon add some Aux buttons on your cameras!
 

I'm still using a d40x its time for an upgrade. I was looking at the d7000 but after comparing iso dynamic range with the d5100 i don't think i can justify the price difference. I may wait for the d300s replacement. What annoys me most about my camera is the lake of control buttons. You have to go into the menu to change everything. And looking at both the d5100 and the d7000 they both have the same problem. Come on nikon can't they add 2 auxiliary buttons on the back which we can set to adjust what we want them to adjust. Its not asking much. I just want to be able to set my iso or metering without trawling through the menu. I know you can set the flash comp button to adjust another control. i have already done so to iso.

If the D7000 is anything like the D80 and D90 aperture and shutter speed are adjusted by use of the front and rear scroll wheels. The D5100 is as you say.

The D7000 (and I assume the D5100) not only allow easy access via buttons to the primary camera functions, they also have other customisable buttons to use. I'll go into my menus perhaps once every few shoots - it's that infrequent...

the d40x only has the one customisable button its on the front near the lens though. I just want to on the back one for the metering one for iso. I don't care about white balance i shoot in raw. scroll wheel is fine for aperture and shutter speed. I'll have another look at the d7000 then.

D7000 has a button on the back left for ISO, and the top for metering by default :)

It also has buttons for exposure compensation, AE / AF lock, bracketing, flash exp comp, live view, video recording, etc etc...

Cheers Matt i'm sold! I quite fancy a tamron 17-50mm f2.8 to go with it.

It's a good lens - I personally went for the Sigma 17-70 OS HSM, which is a lovely walk-about lens, but not as fast as the Tamron.

With the D80, there's not much you need to access the menus for. You can do most of the settings using the buttons and wheels.

I feel like a numpty. I have has my camera for donkeys years and didn't realise the was a quick way into the menu to choose setting. You just press 'info' then the '?' button. Much quicker then trawling through the menu. I have the customised button for iso and quick access to metering. This accessibility is fine fr me i would prefer the extra control of the d7000 but can't justify the extra money.