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More…Nikon rocked the DSLR world when it announced the D90, the first digital SLR camera to incorporate video recording. That feature needs refinement, but purely as a photographer's tool, the D90 stacks up as a worthy successor to the Nikon D80 on several counts. And it compares favorably to the competition, scoring well in our image-quality tests.
Nikon D90
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- Spec Navigator
- Digital Format
- Display
- Exposure
- General
- Image Processor
- Included Hardware
- Included Software
- Lens
- Shutter
- Storage
- LCD Screen
- Exposure Controls
- Dimensions
- Power
- Flash
- Lens Features
- Connectivity
- Other Features
Image Processor
| Number of image sensor pixels | 12.3 megapixels |
| Image sensor | CCD |
| Maximum horizontal image resolution | 4288 |
| Maximum vertical image resolution | 2848 |
| Image sensor quantity | 1 |
| Image format |
|
| White balance | 0 |
Included Hardware
| Included Hardware |
|
Lens
| Accessory Lens | 0 |
| Lens Model | Nikkor 18-105mm VR lens |
| Telephoto Aperture Maximum | 5.6 mm |
| Wide-Angle Aperture Maximum | 3.5 mm |
Exposure Controls
| Maximum shutter speed | 4000 |
| Minimum shutter speed | 30 |
| Bulb setting | 0 |
| ISO equivalencies |
|
| Exposure settings | 0 |
| Exposure compensation range | 0 |
| Number of scene modes | 6 |
PCWorld Rating, September 14, 2009
7 User Reviews Add your own »
$1,049.00 - $1,199.95
From 5 Vendors
Get Best Prices »
- Lab Tested
- How We Test SLR Cameras »
Pros
Ease of use and handling
High-quality images
Cons
No audio recording for stills
Live View not good for stills shooting
Bottom Line
Nikon scores high for offering great image quality and terrific design--including rudimentary video recording, a DSLR first.
Nikon D90 Digital SLR Camera
D90 Review, by Kathleen Cullen, PC World December 22, 2008
The D90, which costs $1250 (as of 11/15/08) with its AF-S ED 18mm-to-105mm kit lens, packs several upgrades: It inherits the excellent, crisp 3-inch LCD from the prosumer-level Nikon D300, it adds a new CMOS sensor, and it pumps up the resolution to 12.3 megapixels (from 10.2 megapixels on the D80). In addition to video, you'll find other features inspired by point-and-shoots, such as live view, face detection, in-camera retouching, and a calendar feature that allows you to view your shots by date.
The D90 weighs slightly more than its predecessor; it's solid and well built, but not too hefty. The camera feels substantial, but its grip is comfortable, and its design is pretty intuitive, with dedicated function buttons and common scene settings on the top dial. It also sports a dense, though easily navigable, menu system with some user-friendly elements borrowed from the D80, such as My Menu, which allows you to save your most frequently used settings. Non-Nikon users should find the interface visually appealing and easy to use; Nikon veterans will find shooting straightforward right out of the box.
The back of the D90 sports a button that activates the live view function, which includes still and video recording (the latter 720p at 24 fps). Once live view is activated, everything slows down as the mirror flips up, the shutter opens, and software takes over the recording process. While shooting stills, I found live view too clunky and its autofocus too slow, so I opted to use the viewfinder instead.
Before recording video, you must set the autofocus on your subject using live view. While recording, the D90 automatically adjusts for exposure, but not focus. You can manually adjust focus while shooting, but I found this too awkward to do without a tripod. Also, because of the way that CMOS records an image, you may see "rolling" (a shake-like impression) in your footage, which detracts from the overall quality and creative potential of the video feature. Clips longer than 5 minutes may cause the camera sensor to grow discernably warm, too.
Audio quality from the camera's built-in microphone was not great, and unfortunately you cannot use the mic to record notes on your still shots. Judging from my hands-on experience, I'd say that the D90's video function, though a welcome innovation, needs further development. In the meantime, I'm happy to use my point-and-shoot for off-the-cuff videos.
The D90 excelled in the PC World Test Center's evaluation: It came in second only to the Canon 50D in our digital camera tests. I was generally pleased with my field test shots. The D90 was quick to autofocus and usually was on the mark. The auto-flash also performed consistently well. I found that the camera tended to blow out the brightest highlights, however, and I saw some minor halos along very high-contrast edges. When I switched to high-quality JPEG from RAW, it produced a slight but noticeable softening in the images.
The image quality at high ISOs was very good compared with that of other models I've tried recently: Although some noise appeared in darker areas at speeds above 400, it was minimal, looking more like film grain than the usual jarring digital noise with accompanying sludgy colors. My RAW files showed a pretty impressive dynamic range; the JPEGs, a little less so but still quite good. A bit of sharpening and sometimes a contrast boost helped the look of JPEGs significantly. (You can make those settings in-camera.)
With its improved LCD, slightly larger frame of view, dust-cleaning sensor, enhanced 3D 11-point autofocus, an optional GPS attachment, and the ability to make a video here and there, the D90 definitely has an array of interesting features. And simply as a camera, the D90 turns out some of the best results you can buy.
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PCWorld Lab Results
- Rating Breakdown
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90
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78
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92
- See Complete Lab Results »
Performance Comparison with Similar SLR Cameras
90
92
83
79
Performance
| Battery Life (minutes) | 273.5 |
| Image Quality Score | Superior |
| Image Quality, Color | 56.9 |
| Image Quality, Color--Adjusted | 60.7 |
| Image Quality, Color--Auto | 53.1 |
| Image Quality, Distortion | 83.9 |
| Image Quality, Distortion--Noise | 76.8 |
| Image Quality, Distortion--Noise Reduction | 76.6 |
| Image Quality, Distortion--Sharp Interpolation | 91.1 |
| Image Quality, Exposure | 55.4 |
| Image Quality, Exposure--Flash | 62.1 |
| Image Quality, Exposure--Normal | 52.5 |
| Image Quality, Overall | 56.1 |
| Image Quality, Sharpness | 54.5 |
| Number of Batteries | 1 |
| Number of Shots | 500 |
User Reviews
Average User Reviews for Nikon D90
2 Reviews Add your own »
- Latest User Reviews 2 reviews
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Reviewed by: JustGetItFREE
Duration of ownership: 3 Months
Strengths: Crystal Clear Video, High Zoom Capabilities, Sleek Design, Lightweight, Portable
Weaknesses: It's a bit pricey!
Overall: This is an absolute MUST for everyone looking to get a new Camera! ...BUT, the price is a little to high in my opinion, I never would have got one if I never got mine for FREE!. Luckily a friend recommended this website to me before I went and bought one: **- www.cameras.justgetitfree.com - ** . I checked out the website, completed ONE simple offer and met the requirements to receive one for FREE, it arrived a month later in the post! It was also shown on BBC and CNN news!!
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Reviewed by: anthoneyclover2415
Duration of ownership: 1 Week
Strengths: Amazing Video & Professional Detail
Weaknesses: SLR Not P&S
Overall: I would give Nikons apparent flagship model a 9 out of 10. I just got mine from ButterflyPhoto not a week ago and already I've amassed 100s of shots to upload. I used the D300 for a year before I got this one. A+
Review Now! Already own it? Tell us What You Think
User Reviews From Around the Web
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Reviewed by: 1sledhead
Strengths: Image quality and excellent buy for the money!
Weaknesses: NONE!
Overall: I have been a photographer using Nikon cameras and lenses for over 40 years and this camera is my favorite to date! With 12.3 megapixels, a great image processor, and a sharp lens, this camera produces sharp images that I have printed and sold 30x40 inch prints from! YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED WITH THIS CAMERA!
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Reviewed by: mourerj
Strengths: D300 Image Quality, High ISO use; gets MANY features once exclusive to >$2,000 models (see Comments); 920k LCD, drive speed (5fps on mine), JPG processing, , 11-point
Weaknesses: Software for advanced editing is very good but costly (Capture NX2, appx. $150), as is the PC control software (Camera Control 2, $75 or so?). Canon gives similar software for free. Awful bundled apps
Overall: For the sake of disclosure, I've owned Canons (30D & 40D, used 5D Mk. II for several jobs) and currently shoot with a Nikon D90 and D700. As the first "2nd-generation" Nikon DSLR to retail for less than $2,000 (See critic Ken Rockwell's fine explanation at http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/dslr.htm#gen), you get the best "bang for the buck" with the D90. The power of its Picture Control System (PCS) affords enormous flexibility, esp. when paired with the Fcn button (set for "1st item in My Menu"), as you can switch from "outdoor" shooting to your portraiture parameters **without taking your eye from the finder** PCS includes a set of contrast, sharpness, hue & other settings that can be set & saved to call up individually (9 or 12 can be saved to shortcuts) My opinion is that PCS is more powerful than Canon's Picture Styles. The D90 sports the best APS-C viewfinder you can buy, period. The AF module is superb for this class, using an 11-point, 1-cross (x,y) array that can be set to the usual "single, dynamic, auto" plus a novel 11-pt. 3D subject tracking mode that uses the excellent Scene Recognition System (SRS), which participates in two main functions: metering & 3D predictive tracking. It does this with a 420-segment sensor in tandem with many complex algorithms; Nikon likes to tout the one that compares the real-time frame to> 35,000 stored images (& contour maps) to help meter the shot and/or track a moving subject for 3D predictive focusing, a really impressive feature that calculates the position a moving subject will be in by the next frame and pre-programs the AF point before it's needed; the result is up to 4.5 fps shooting with a subject that remains in focus (even if moving toward the camera and leaving its field simultaneously!). With 11-pts it works well on a tennis player, but a bird in flight hasn't got a prayer; that would require Nikon's top-of-the-line 51-point (15-cross) 1,005-segment 3D tracking (on the D300/D700/D3/D3x). Low light/high ISO work at times superior to the D300 (and even the $4,500 D3 in some cases, according to noted critic Ken Rockwell). ISO 3200 usually looks great; the terrific Auto ISO system adjusts shutter speed and ISO based on your telling the D90 what your max ISO & slowest shutter speed should be (and use it in Programmed Auto "P", or S, A modes). Build quality & ergonomics are great: unbeatable for this class. Speed. I measured 5.06 fps under tough conditions: RAW output & ISO 800 Video is nice to use on occasion, but this is a stills camera first and foremost. Fantastic selection of post retouching/tone changes. In fact, the color control setting is superior to Photoshop CS4's (on the flip side, CS4's Spherize is much better than the D90's Fisheye effect, but CS4 costs nearly as much as the D90!). I use "Straighten" often, a great way to correct off horizon shots & lets you focus on getting the shot knowing it's easily corrected in camera (by +/- 5 deg.). D-lighting is very useful for bumping up dynamic range (this even helps for shots in which the amazing Active D-Lighting had been set -- FYI: Active D Lighting is very different and far more powerful than just "D-Lighting," a post function). Can convert NEF (RAW) to JPG in camera and apply various exposures, PCS sets & more. Same amazing 3.0" LCD as in the $8,000 D3x. Imperceptibly fast sensor cleaning and anti-vignetting feature. There are more, just can't think of them now!!
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Reviewed by: acnownzu09
Strengths: Excellent image quality, many advanced features yet easy-to-use, included lens is light and compact, HD movie mode is fun to mess around with
Weaknesses: Zoom range of lens is limited (18-105mm), limitations of HD movie mode (no autofocus, 5 minute limit for HD)
Overall: I bought this dSLR after reading a bunch of positive reviews online. Overall I'm extremely satisfied with the purchase. As others have mentioned, it's not perfect, but it's probably the best available right now in this price range.This is my first dSLR and I was impressed with how quickly I was able to jump in and start using it. You can get excellent images right out of the box using the Auto or scene modes. I took it to the USC football game last weekend and was able to get great shots using in Action mode. The images were very sharp, noise free, and because of the 12.3MP resolution, I was able to crop them while still having plenty to work with.The movie mode is very cool, but the limitations (no autofocus, 5 minute limit for HD) are a bit annoying. It's definitely not a replacement for an HD camcorder, but it's good enough for general purpose.The lens is nice because it's light and compact, but the 18-200mm lens would be a lot more useful. I'll probably end up either buying that or the 70-300mm lens so I can get close-up shots.I'd highly recommend this camera to anyone looking for a dSLR in this price range. Even if it's your first dSLR, you'll be able to get great shots with it out of the box, and as many users have pointed out, image quality is nearly on par with the more expensive D300. I kept postponing my dSLR purchase because they kept getting better and cheaper, but this one was intriguing enough to make me bite the bullet.
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Reviewed by: didenur3
Strengths: Lightweight, good fast lens
Weaknesses: MOTHING
Overall: Awesome picture quality, same as my D300. It is much more plasticy than a D300, but I like it because it's much lighter and fits my hands perfectly. There isn't an obvious video button, but it was easy to figure out once you hit the LV (live view) button it prompts you to press OK to start recording. The top LCD screen is smaller than the D300. The 3 inch screen is amazing, just like the D300. This is a huge leap forward compared to the D80. It's an even bigger leap that they've pulled off high quality video that's user friendly! Put a Sigma 10-20mm or the Nikkor 10.5 fisheye, and you'll have some epic video shots. The 18-105VR lens is lighter than it looks, much lighter than the 18-200VR, feels very solid and is quite smooth. The standard definition video is good (haven't watched it on a large screen yet), and gives you 20 minute clips vs 5 min clips in HD mode. The zoom also worked when in video mode, but the Autofocus is fixed. Once in LiveView it takes a second to autofocus, then you can press OK and start recording. Sound isn't stellar of course. It has a small microphone and speaker, so you can actually hear the video your reviewing. So far this is my favorite new gadget of 2008. Wedding Videographer's rejoice! (i'm shooting one next week)
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Reviewed by: pgewirtz
Strengths: Sharp photos, automatic dust removal, video
Weaknesses: A little heavy with zoom lens connected, a zillion features to learn, video is not continuous focus
Overall: If you've ever owned a Nikon camera, then you knew that this would be a fantastic camera before Nikon finally announced it even existed. The year long anticipation appears to have paid off. This is one sharp, fast reacting camera. It has the latest technology of the top of the line D300 with the more moderate features and price of the mid-line cameras - not to suggest that this camera is cheap, but if photography is your thing, at least it's not out of reach. In addition to the usual assortment of SLR features such as automatic and manual modes, bracketing, and so on, this camera has many scene modes and also records video. However, the down side to the video is that you need to set the focus before you start recording because the mirror is up while it records, so it cannot do continuous focus. The camera also has vibration reduction built into in the lens and internal vibration to clean the dust off of the sensor (which can be a big problem with SLRs). There's lots more, but it will take me a while to finish reading the short novel they call a user's manual - which is provided in both English and Spanish in 2 separate books. There is also a quick start guide (in both languages) to help beginners jump in without going through all 278 pages of the larger book.
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