Uh! This one is trickier than the 1.2 or 1.4 qwestion. Scjp 5.0 is newer and all logic tells to go for the latest. But it suffers from problems as lack of enough good study material. Also the 1.4 platform is what is still being used by industry. And it will be some time before 5.0 gets that kind of acceptance. Comparitively 1.4 exam has a very large user base. It is simple to find people certified in the 1.4 platform who will help you (like *me*). The study materials are available in plenty. Also 1.4 is the most common platform used in the industry. So I would suggest that if you have some experience in Java and are planning to take the exam soon, go for SCJP 1.4. But if you have just sarted and will take the exams after, say, six months then SCJP 5.0 might be better for you. You can expect better study materials by that time and more acceptance of 5.0 platform by that time.