Nikon D90 - Expert Reviews

Review summary: The Nikon D90 - the world's first DSLR with HD video functionality - offers technology borrowed from its more expensive D300 and D3 siblings at a price that will appeal to serious enthusiasts, as well as those looking to experiment with video at an ...

Pros: LCD screen, viewfinder, image quality, burst speed

Cons: Movie mode has its limitations, fiddly acess to AF modes

Verdict: Even if we ignore the camera's movie function, Nikon has done a mighty fine job in delivering such a camera as the D90. The D80 proved to be a successful model for Nikon, and inheriting the finer points of its more advanced models has allowed Nikon to ...

Review summary: News coverage of the Nikon D90 introduction focused on the fact that this is the first SLR to shoot video, a feature long available on even low-cost point-and-shoots. After working with the camera for several weeks, though, we're less excited about ...

Pros: Impressive lab test results ; Beautiful LCD display ; Reasonably practical Live View mode ; Video capture mode

Cons: Relatively expensive ; Somewhat bulky ; Movie performance not very impressive

Verdict: With so much activity in the lower end of the digital SLR market, we're especially pleased to see the D90 combine accessibility to a wide range of photographers, regardless of their photographic skills or background, with consistently excellent lab ...

Award: Highly Recommended!

Review summary: Photographers who own or have at least handled a Nikon D80 will instantly feel at home with the D90, as the new camera has the exact same dimensions and almost the same shape as its predecessor. D70 owners who gave the D80 a pass will, however, likely ...

Verdict: The movie mode of the D90 is something that no other DSLR has had in the past, and as long as you consider it a bonus feature that you do not have to pay any extra for, it is okay. In fact, it does open up some truly new possibilities, even for ...

Award: Highly Recommended!

Review summary: Almost exactly two years after the D80 was announced comes its replacement, the rather predictably named D90. The D80 has been one of Nikon's quiet successes, and even today, despite being positively Methuselah-like in digital camera terms it ...

Pros: Image quality comparable with its peers, Excellent viewfinder, Superb high resolution LCD monitor, Automatic chromatic aberration correction improves performance from all lenses, Punchy but not un-natural colors (and plenty of control if you want to ...

Cons: Over-enthusiastic metering a little prone to blown highlights, Very soft (default) JPEG output compared to its peers, We believe more of the captured dynamic range could be incorporated into Jpegs, Menus getting long and complex (though well organized ...

Verdict: We described the D80 as a photographer's camera and, despite the addition of video, the D90 appears to share that same ethos.

Review summary: Does the new DSLR impress?

Pros: Build and handling, superb image quality, ease of use, screen size, AF performance (non-Live View), White Balance control, EXPEED image processing and noise control, HD movies

Cons: Live View AF, SD card port, VR kit lens barrel and pincushion distortion, loss of shadow detail (dynamic range issues), SD cards held very tightly making safe removal awkward

Verdict: The Nikon D90 is not just a makeover of the D80, the camera it will ultimately supersede: it is a complete revamp and as such provides a range of new and improved features that must make one of the best consumer level DSLRs to arrive on the market to ...