Nikon D90 Review - Is It A Camera, Or A Camcorder?
For the Nikon SLR enthusiasts, who have read the Nikon D90 reviews and learned that the latest SLR captures not only stills, as every Nikon model before it has, but also HD video, the revelation must have come as something of a mixed blessing.
On the one hand, the idea that you can shoot video with the same device that allows you to capture superb photographic images sounds mighty 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 then, is not so unlike the VCR recorder that suddenly found itself also housing a DVD player unit. One device, now forced to share two technologies.
It is not hard to guess what might be bothering the Nikon SLR purists. Nikon's engineering team must now divide its time between advances in digital photography, and the improvement of a video technology which extends its maximum recording time with each release. The Nikon D90 shares a good deal of its digital photography technology with the higher end model detailed in Nikon D300 reviews - the same 12.3 megapixel resolution, and the huge and bright 3.0-inch LCD viewscreen that formerly had Nikon lovers drooling.
Now Nikon's client base can acquire the best parts of the Nikon D300 for significantly less cost. And they get high-definition video. But that begs another 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 purists because I'd gladly give up high-definition video in exchange for a more affordable camera.
I am sure I am not the only Nikon fan to wonder about this, especially as the video capability of the Nikon D90 has received some serious criticism. For the most part this stems from two problems seen in the D90. The first is that auto focusing is disabled in video mode. So you can expect blurred segments in 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 see through the Nikon D90's viewfinder in video mode. It blacks out. Instead you must use the LCD display to compose your shooting. All 5 to 20 minutes (in low resolution mode) of it.
But that doesn't mean you cannot use the Nikon D90 to create fantastic video sessions of you kids playing soccer, or shoot memorable interviews with family members. You just have to understand the current limits of the technology. But you will have to stock up on high-capacity memory cards if you intend to get busy shooting video. You will need at least an 8-GB SD card for this.
And don't forget that compared to the much cheaper 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, which 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 tosses in a bonus in the form of high-definition video for those who would like to dabble in 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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