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Nikon D90 Review - Is It An SLR Camera, Or A Camcorder?
For the Nikon SLR enthusiasts, who have read the Nikon D90 reviews and learned that the latest SLR shoots not only still images, as every Nikon camera before it has, but also high-definition video, the revelation must have been bitter sweet.
On the one hand, the idea that you can shoot video with the same device that allows you to capture superb photographic images sounds very convenient. On the other hand, Nikon has entered a new game and set the course for all future mid to high end Nikon SLR models. The SLR camera has gone the way of the VCR recorder that suddenly found itself also sporting a DVD player unit. One device, now forced to share two technologies.
It is easy to imagine what might be bothering the Nikon SLR purists. Nikon's engineering team must now split its time between advances in digital photography, and the development of a video technology which extends its maximum recording time with each release. The Nikon D90 shares a lot of its digital photography technology with the higher end model detailed in Nikon D300 reviews - the same 12.3 megapixel sharpness, and the huge and bright 3.0-inch LCD display that formerly had Nikon lovers drooling.
Now Nikon's customer base can have the best parts of the Nikon D300 for significantly less cost. They also get high-definition video. But that begs an obvious question. How much less expensive might the Nikon D90 have been had the video unit been left out of the design? I guess I must be one of those nikon purists I mentioned earlier because I would have no problem giving up high-definition video in exchange for an even more affordable camera.
I doubt that I am the only Nikon lover to wonder about this, especially since the video capability of the Nikon D90 has earned itself some serious criticism. Mainly this stems from two problems present in the D90. The first is that auto focusing is disabled in video mode. So you can expect blurred portions of your video shoots if your subjects are moving around a lot. Well, unless you happen to be handy with the manual focusing - a skill that is on the wane these days. The other problem is that you cannot use the Nikon D90's viewfinder in video mode. It blacks out. Instead you must use the LCD screen to compose your shooting. All five to twenty minutes (in low resolution mode) of it.
But this does not mean you cannot use the Nikon D90 to capture fantastic video sessions of you kids playing soccer, or shoot memorable dialogues with family members. You just have to appreciate the current limits of the technology. You will, however, have to stock up on the high-capacity memory cards if you plan to get busy capturing video. You will need at least an 8-GB SD card for this.
And don't forget that compared to the inexpensive Nikon D40, and even the slightly cheaper model discussed in Nikon D60 reviews, with its image-stabilizing 18-55mm Nikkor kit lens, the Nikon D90 is a huge step up. Not only in the technology of the camera body, but also in the optics. The kit lens for the Nikon D90 is the image-stabilizing 18-105mm Nikkor. This means you can shoot wide-angle to short-range telephoto and achieve some of the sharpest photos that you can imagine.
In summary, the Nikon D90 is a superb digital SLR which throws in a bonus in the form of high-definition video for those who would like to try their hand at mini movie making sessions.
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Stephen Carter runs Best Digital Camera Discounts, where, if you find a great price on a camera, there is a very good chance that the offer represents the lowest price you are likely to find anywhere. If you are not inclined to follow one of the recommendations for a camera made on this page, try browsing our top-rated digital camera listings, or use our search engine to find currently available offers.
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