Camera Reviews - Nikon D90 DX 12.3 MP Digital SLR Camera

As the first digital SLR in its line to support movie capture the Nikon D90 DX 12.3MP Digital SLR Camera offers some significant enhancements over its predecessor. Since this update has taken close to 2 years this isn’t surprising in the least and will offer much higher priced DSLRs a good run for their money. The camera comes in two versions either with the body alone or with a kit featuring the 18-105mm f3.5-5.6 lens.

Weighing in at 1 pound 10 ounces, the Nikon D90 DX’s body is considerably heavier than other cameras of this class, but it also feels sturdier and more substantial. Despite this the camera is still about the same size as the D80, with the same battery and vertical grip. Retaining the same wireless flash controls and high-speed flash sync features as its predecessor, it improves the shutter durability and integrates the same dust-prevention system as that of the D300. While it has the same LCD display as that camera, it is layered with a polymer material instead of glass for better durability.

The Nikon D90 DX is extremely comfortable to hold with the control layout and navigation easy to use and intuitive, especially if you’ve used Nikon DSLRs before. To the right of the LCD you’ll find the dedicated Live View button, four-way navigation switch plus OK button, a switch to lock the navigation from moving the selected AF point, and a context-sensitive information button. Many customizations can be easily adjusted but there are some common options like the AF mode choices that are buried in the custom settings menu.

While the Nikon D90 DX’s movie mode is new, the implementation needs some tweaking. With a 24 frames per second 1280×720-pixel motion JPEG and support for VR optical image-stabilization, the camera has some limitations that impair the shooting experience. This includes exposure, which is fixed for the length of the clip, monaural sound, manual focus while shooting, and HD clips capped at 5 minutes.

The Nikon D90 DX adds face detection to its Live View repertoire with a maximum of five faces. There are also additions to shooting controls, including an expansion of Active D-Lighting parameters, nine slots for custom Picture Control settings that can be uploaded to the Capture NX 2 raw-processing program, and advanced modes that include Picture Controls and Active D-Lighting (that can automatically program switch to slower shutter speeds when it detects that a VR lens is being used).

In terms of performance the Nikon D90 DX clearly improves upon the D80’s. Nikon has added an 11-point AF 3D-tracking mode making the camera feel exceptionally responsive for its class. For all but continuous shooting, it’s about as fast as the D300, and overall one of the fastest around. With a power up and shoot time of 0.2 second and a shot lag at 0.4 second, the camera is fast and responsive. The 11-point 3D-tracking AF mode works well but can’t handle unpredictable movement very well. However when motion in general is involved, it is spot on. All in all the Nikon D90 DX 12.3MP Digital SLR Camera is an ultra fast DSLR that is both extremely comfortable to use and results in great images making it an excellent deal for its price.

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