 Designed for serious shooting, but fun to use! Lots of customizations. |
| Review Date: October 20, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Alan G., Brooklyn, NY |
Several months before the D90 came out, I bought a D60 to hold me over until the D90 was released. Well, I've enjoyed using both cameras, but this one is a huge step up and more suited to an advanced enthusiast, like me. It's a real pleasure to use.
ERGONOMICS - The D90 is solid, tight, and well-balanced with the 18-105 VR lens. It's always ready and it shoots very fast. I love all the direct access buttons; they're easy to press, with good tactile feedback. And since you're not going into the menus as much, you can work faster. It's heavier than the D60, but that's OK. It's still very manageable to carry around and it fits my average-sized hand better too. The shutter sounds different than the D60 (if that matters to you). It sounds more like a professional camera; more like a fast "whoosh" than a "click-click". And there are so many internal customizations that you can set it up exactly as you want.
LENS - Biggest surprise was the 18-105 VR lens which I expected would be ho-hum, but turned out to be pretty sharp and clear. Better results than the 18-55 VR. We've really come a long way from the days (30 years ago) when you were cautioned to ALWAYS to buy a prime lens, NEVER the kit lens because of it's poor image quality. With computer-aided design and new technology, that's not true anymore.
IMAGE QUALITY - I shoot RAW for maximum detail and the ability to adjust settings afterward if necessary - like exposure or white balance. Image quality is very good to excellent depending on your RAW converter. To my eye, best results are obtained with View NX/Capture NX, but Adobe ACR/Lightroom still do a very good job (2010 UPDATE; After using Lightroom the past year, raw conversions are beautiful and far quicker to achieve than Capture NX). When shooting JPGs using the Standard Picture Mode, images are sharp and colors are true, without over-saturation. You can always use different Picture Modes and customize any of them to get closer to the in-camera results you want. For example, you can boost saturation and contrast and save the setting as your default if that's what you like.
LIGHT METER - Metering is fine and seems to be quite accurate in most cases. I use matrix metering mostly. As with any camera, you have to get to know the meter. If I had to be VERY critical, I'd say when it's pushed, it's more likely to preserve shadows than highlights, usually when Active DLighting is on. To me that's a good thing. Another website mentioned a slightly "over-enthusiatic" meter in its review. The good news is: if you really feel exposure results are not to your liking (whether over or under exposed), the meter is fine-tuneable, so go ahead and customize it as you see fit. I would just work with the meter first -get to know the camera and adapt yourself to it before you start making any adjustments. That said, I've used the D90 in a very wide range of lighting conditions and I can truly say that while exposures may vary occasionally, they've always made perfect sense for the situation. I've never been shocked or puzzled by the output.
LIVE VIEW - is great for the occasional high or low shot. I didn't think would need it, but when I had the D60, I found myself in many situations where I really could have used it. Unlike a point-and-shoot, focus is slower in this mode and shooting seems somewhat clunky. I wouldn't use Live View if I were in a rush or trying to get an important shot. It's just a nice little extra.
MOVIE MODE - this is a nice novelty and may be handy in a rare moment, but I'm generally not a video camera person. I'm surprised to read that some people have made movies and commercials with the D90. I keep promising myself to use this feature more, but I don't have a tripod and I'm just too jittery and uncreative to get good cinema-like results. Moreover, from the little I've tried it, I'm not impressed - there's no autofocus during filming and the movie comes out over exposed and far from HD quality. The user manual is not very helpful either. But I didn't purchase the camera for this feature, so I'm not disappointed.
ISO - I really like the new wide range of ISO settings, especially when coupled with the Auto-ISO setting. Mine is customized to keep the camera at ISO 200, but kick in at 1/30. In this example, anytime lighting decreases enough for the shutter speed to drop below 1/30, the D90 will automatically compensate by raising the ISO high enough (up to an ISO limit you set) to help keep your shutter speed at 1/30. Once the ISO maxes-out at your limit, the camera has no choice but to start bringing down the shutter speed. Noise at high ISOs isn't an issue. In fact, you have to zoom in pretty close for it to be even slightly noticeable. I use Auto-ISO mostly all the time. Its an amazing feature! I only turn this feature off when I want to stick to a particular ISO at all times (if its on a monopod or I've stabilized the camera in some way).
ACTIVE D-LIGHTING - helps camera to preserve shadow and highlight detail. More important to use when shooting JPG because the exposure has to be right at the time of shooting, when the camera creates the JPG. RAW shooters can always adjust exposure in post processing. Even though I shoot RAW, I usually leave it on Auto so I can double check the exposure details on the LCD screen. It's available in various strengths from Low to Extra High. Again, another great customization.
CONS
-At this price, Nikon should include a robust image editing software, or at least a decent discount on Capture NX2, which works great, but costs extra.
-Kit lens is thick in diameter (67mm). Also, the front glass of the lens seems somewhat exposed, as if it's not recessed that much (it's just enough for a lens cap). I worry that it'll get scratched easily. Good thing Nikon included the lens hood.
AUTOFOCUS TIP - I customized the D90 to autofocus using the AF-L button instead of the shutter release. Now I can focus with one press of my thumb on the AF-L button and shoot with my index finger on the shutter release. This allows me to focus first, let go, then take the shot. Since the subject is already in focus, I can take multiple shots, recompose or go vertical. I'm not forced to continually re-focus for every shot or move the AF point around in the viewfinder. This minimizes AF mishaps on unintentional subjects. And since the VR system remains off until you half-press the shutter (it activates only when you're ready to take the shot, not while you're focusing) you save on battery life as well.
Also, with the D90 set to AF-C mode (continuous autofocus) you can keep a moving subject in focus by holding down the AF-L with your thumb and shooting with your index finger. If the subject becomes still, simply let go of the AF-L button; focusing stops and is locked where you left it. Then shoot when ready. Now your D90 can act as if it's in Single or Continuous AF mode without you having to change settings all the time. This gives you more immediate control over the behavior of the AF system Try it and you won't go back!
SUMMARY - Overall I'm extremely happy with the D90! It's designed for serious shooting, but it's still fun to use; noticeably heavier than the D60, but still not a burden. You do need to be committed to carrying around a solid DSLR in the first place. Once you get used to that, you'll come to appreciate that it's more substantial because it'll be less shaky during shots. Nikon really packed it with a ton of features and customizations. Now I finally have everything I want in a DSLR, without it being overblown and overpriced. I'm actually surprising myself with some really spectacular shots.
If you have your basic photography skills down, you can make any DSLR sing, however, I believe THIS camera, because of its superb sensor and spot-on feature set, can actually help you improve your technique and get better results. You'll take more chances and push yourself farther because now you have the tools (ie. features) to help capture more difficult, more creative shots. And you didn't have to spend $3,000 to get there!
8-MONTH UPDATE: Still love this camera which hasn't lost any of its original excitement. Very reliable - never frustrating. I'm not craving an upgrade - not contemplating a switch to Canon either - I'm perfectly content. Haven't discovered any hidden quirks. In fact, the longer I use it, the more I realize how well engineered it is. The only extras I bought so far were a light monopod and a 50mm 1.8 lens. |
Great camera for the money
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| Review Date: October 18, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Jeff Balbien, |
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. |
So impressive
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| Review Date: November 7, 2008 |
| Reviewer: B. Edwards, |
Switched from the Canon Xsi to this, and the difference (for the better) is amazing.
Things I love about the D90:
-size is perfect, ergo is great, fits really nicely in the hands
-hi res LCD screen is amazing
- AF is very accurate, if a little slow (but I will take slower but accurate over faster and missed focus any day)
- interface is great
-lots of hard buttons on the outside (possibly too many?)
-high iso noise performance is outstanding
-top LCD is much better than having to solely rely on back LCD
Things I don't like so much:
-priced on the high end
- video is pretty poor, unless you are doing studio or very controlled shoots, and you REALLY know what you are doing (I have seen some amazing videos using certain lenses with the D90 video, but for the casual videographer, I think you will get much MUCH worse results
-Live View is almost worthless except maybe for macro situations. Slow slow slow, and the screen does not move. Sony has the best LV system by far on a DSLR imo.
-weight...though this is a MINOR pick. It's really not that bad, but noticeably heavier than say a Canon Rebel or even the D80. If the LV and video caused the extra weight, I would be upset! ;)
-almost overwhelming amount of customization and control. I have read the manual a couple of times and still do not understand all the linked menu setting changes (you change something on one submenu and you might cancel out something else that you didn't want to) This could also be a positive, but I am not sure I would recommend this camera to a first time DSLR owner. I appreciate the amount of customization, but it does make the learning curve very steep.
Overall , I have to give it 5 stars for performing in spades in the area I bought it for: still pics using the viewfinder. If you are looking for the best camera in this price range with that same criteria, look no further, imo. I've tried a few and the D90 is by far the best.
I even like the kit lens.
UPDATE: After almost a year of ownership, I am still amazed at the technical ability of this camera. I STILL find myself shaking my head in disbelief after viewing a seemingly impossible shot in post. This is a camera I will keep until it dies. |
Epic leap forward
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| Review Date: September 10, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Weston Rieckenberg, Minneapolis, MN USA |
| 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) |
Which camera do I choose????
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| Review Date: December 9, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Trevor Jones, Cleveland |
I've been using a point and shoot camera for about 5 years now - I'm by no means a photographer, just an average dad trying to take some pictures. My son recently turned one and I've been finding it more and more difficult to capture those precious moments. I press the button on my point and shoot....delay...missed the shot. Also whenever I take photos indoor I've found they are always blurry or noisy, just not very good. So I elected to get a Digital SLR camera - wow they are expensive! I did very extensive research before making the most important decision. Which one do I get??? I decided to narrow my search to Canon and Nikon, the two top brands. I was considering the Canon Xsi, Canon 40D, and Nikon D90.
I quickly decided the Xsi was not for me. On paper it looks great. It has a ton of great reviews and I'm sure it takes amazing pictures. The price was the cheapest of all the cameras I was considering. After visiting Best Buy and actually trying the cameras out the xsi felt like a toy compared to its big brother the 40D. Also the kit lens was very disappointing as far as zoom capabilities.
I did like the 40D a lot. The body seems really solid and well build (even more so than the D90). I loved the 6fps rapid shooting (although I can't imagine I would every really need to shot quite that fast). The kit lens seems like a huge improvement over the wimpy one on the xsi. The camera seemed good to me but after picturing my wife using it, it seemed just a tad to "big and heavy". Some people might disagree.
The D90 had a few features that really appealed to me. One of the main things I really liked about the D90 was the beautiful 3" VGA screen for reviewing. This screen was a big reason why I went with this camera over the Canon models. It's the same size but has 4 times the resolution. Why would you care about this? It's just really nice when you take a shoot you can immediately tell if you got it or not. With the canons I found you had to either zoom in or download to the computer before you could really tell if the photo came out well. The D90 also just had a lot of other tricks up its sleeve that I thought were nice. There is a HDMI output to hook this baby up to your fancy HDTV. The camera also has built in software that creates an animated slideshow of your pictures for viewing on the TV. Again, doesn't really effect image quality but it's a cool feature. There's also some neat post processing you can do right on the camera including red eye removal, black and white filter, or tilt the picture if you accidentally took it at a slight angle. Of course there is the movie mode also (lack of auto focus makes this feature a little disappointing actually). One final selling point for the D90 over the 40D was the kit lens. For me the kit lens is very important because I don't really plan on purchasing a bunch of different lenses and swapping them out all the time. I just want a decent "all purpose" lens. The 40D's 28-135mm kit lens just felt a little to "zoomed-in" for me. After playing with it I wanted to be able to zoom out more but was unable to. The D90's 18-105 feels like a pretty good range for me (keep in mind that these cameras have a 1.5 multiplier built in).
The best advice I can give is to go try the cameras out before you order one. Just go with the one you feel most comfortable with, trust your gut. I've been very happy with my D90 but I'm sure all of the cameras I was considering would have been a huge step up from a point and shot.
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