Nikon D90 plus hands-on preview (Nikon D90 discussion thread)

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Pre Photokina: After a steady trickle of leaks and rumors Nikon has announced the successor to its popular D80 middleweight digital SLR in the shape of the D90. The D90 looks very similar, but underneath it's a completely new camera that's inherited advanced features from further up the line and user-friendly features from the D40/D60 range. Oh, and it's the world's first digital SLR with a movie mode. Oher features of note include a new 12.3 MP CMOS sensor, the D3/D300/D700's fab high resolution 3.0-inch screen and continuous shooting at up to 4.5 frames per second. We've had a D90 for a few days now, just enough time to produce a detailed hands-on preview.

Newsfeed courtesy of RobGalbraith : Click for more...
 
D-Movie mode is going to be interesting. Imagine the moving image capabilities brought to the masses now. Everything from ultra telephoto to ultra wide angle to macro. I wonder how many seconds it can record.
 
Well I was going to march down to my local Jessops to purchase a D300 this week, but looks like i'll hold off and see how this new D90 pans out price wise.

The price of D300 and D90 are going to be quite close, as the D300 has been dropping in price recently.

Do we know when it is on sale ? days or weeks
 
Nikon Man, I'm in the same boat as you. Was looking at the D300 but then heard the rumour of the D90. Guess its a question of waiting to see how close they are, any estimates on price? I'm going for £700-£800 with kit lens.
 
King_Boru said:
I wonder how many seconds it can record.
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I don't know about Canada... but, as I understand it, in the UK Camcorders attract a much higher rate of duty than digital cameras (14% I think). I believe that recording time has to be limited to under 10 minutes to avoid it attracting the camcorder level of duty.

I may be wrong... feel free to correct me! :)

Flashy
 
Monkey said:
i think its stupid personally, thats what a camcorder is for.

Same as i never take a still shot with my camcorder.
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Well that's your opinion. It's not the opinion of many news togs nor of many amateurs who, like me, would like the ability to capture video with a DSLR rather than have to carry one and a camcorder.
 
NorthernNikon said:
Well that's your opinion. It's not the opinion of many news togs nor of many amateurs who, like me, would like the ability to capture video with a DSLR rather than have to carry one and a camcorder.
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Yes it is my opinion, and you have yours

my point is the video capture isnt going to be anywhere near as good as a camcorder.

Same as you wouldn,t tog with a camcorder, or a mobile phone camera for that matter.
 
Monkey said:
i think its stupid personally, thats what a camcorder is for.

Same as i never take a still shot with my camcorder.
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Dunno, some macro photography could be really interesting in a 'movie'. I'm kind of hoping that somehow there'll be a D300 update so I can have this feature on my 'higher end' camera. Not bothered about sound for this stuff.
 
i can see the advantages to it but guys and girls its the old washer dryer thing if you cant fit a washing machine and a tumble dryer in the kitchen the washer dryer will do but not going to be nearly as good as 2 machines

Michael
 
Monkey said:
Same as you wouldn,t tog with a camcorder, or a mobile phone camera for that matter.
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Who wouldn't? Many news agencies are sending out their togs with video cams and taking still frames from that footage. I wouldn't want to invest in a camcorder, I wouldn't get the use out of it, but I do like using the video feature on my wife's compact and there have been times where it would have been good to have on my DSLR. Many people enjoy having a camera on their phone and use them creativily.

Just because you can't see how a feature might be used doesn't make it "stupid".
 
NorthernNikon said:
Who wouldn't? Many news agencies are sending out their togs with video cams and taking still frames from that footage. I wouldn't want to invest in a camcorder, I wouldn't get the use out of it, but I do like using the video feature on my wife's compact and there have been times where it would have been good to have on my DSLR. Many people enjoy having a camera on their phone and use them creativily.

Just because you can't see how a feature might be used doesn't make it "stupid".
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Thanks for the support, I guess the variety of lens available make it more interesting than a normal camcorder
 
Hmmm....I now actually want this more than I want a D300. The video feature, whilst obviously not of interest to many, would be great. A lot of the time my photography has to fit in around my family, i.e. I get to take my camera with us on family days out. At the moment I also have to carry the point and shoot as it is nice to be able to grab small video clips but obviously the quality isnt amazing (and I cant be bothered carrying the video camera as well). If I could take video on my DSLR then not only do I have one less camera to carry about but I also have an excellent reason to have my DSLR out for more of the day :D Win win!!

Also means I am more likely to be allowed to upgrade if I can go 'This one lets me shoot videos' rather than 'this has improved low light performance and 52 focus zones'
 
FruitFlakes said:
Give me a prosumer camcorder that allows you to mount everything from fisheyes, fast 1.4 primes and huge telephotos for less than 1K.

http://blog.chasejarvis.com/blog/2008/08/chase-jarvis-raw-advance-testing-nikon.html
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I may be getting confused here so can people just clarify for me.

Are people thinking this new feature is good because it will save them carrying a compact to do the video bit.

Or is it to save carrying a camcorder??

If its the former, then yes, although i think its daft and would never use it, i can see the benefit....

If its the latter, it cant replace a camcorder.

and the comment on show me a camcorder that does it for 1k is kind of pointless as thats my whole point - it cant be as good as an add on, its not designed for the job.

It would be like me togging sports with a £300 camcorder, then saying i dont need an slr, show me an slr that can do 25fps for £300
 
What next, face detection?

But then like you say, there's no need to use it. Like a pop-up flash or 'scene' modes, you can just ignore it.

Seems like an exciting new model regardless, but I'm having trouble keeping track. I was just starting to think about buying a D200, but suddenly there's the D300/700 and now this... Certainly can't complain at a lack of choice, that's for sure.
 
Ian T said:
What next, face detection?

But then like you say, there's no need to use it. Like a pop-up flash or 'scene' modes, you can just ignore it.
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Scene modes and pop up flash i think will always be in this level of camera.

I suppose they are just trying to make it appeal to more people.

The simple fact is its not on my D300, its not on the D3, and not on the New D700........

If it were such a brilliant feature, it would be on the prosumer bodys, but it isnt, its a gimmick for the consumer bodies to sell more of them. Cant knock em for trying, but i still think its pointless.....
 
Monkey said:
I may be getting confused here so can people just clarify for me.

Are people thinking this new feature is good because it will save them carrying a compact to do the video bit.

Or is it to save carrying a camcorder??

If its the former, then yes, although i think its daft and would never use it, i can see the benefit....

If its the latter, it cant replace a camcorder.

and the comment on show me a camcorder that does it for 1k is kind of pointless as thats my whole point - it cant be as good as an add on, its not designed for the job.

It would be like me togging sports with a £300 camcorder, then saying i dont need an slr, show me an slr that can do 25fps for £300
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If you watched the video in the link it records video at a pretty decent quality - and that's the rub, a £300 camcorder doesn't take stills as good as a still camera, but the D90's video mode is very impressive from what I've seen and pretty much on par with a prosumer camcorder. The flexibility afforded by the lens mount and sensor size is a huge plus.

1. The D-movie. HD720 video in an dSLR is really big news. It’s so cool that we’re seeing the merging of high quality still and video pictures into the same camera. Sure, for us pros, we’ve got the RED camera. But for everybody else? This is the future. People: this is an SLR that shoots killer video! It’s the merging of features that the pros are using and it’s made accessible the the amateur at a price point of $1200+ bucks. Trust me, I played with this feature at length...all of us on location did, for that matter. It's going to be a powerful tool. You can control your own depth of field so beautifully using the manual focus ring, the audio capture is solid, the high ISO capabilities in video?! Way cool... Long lenses, fisheyes, zoom lenses...versatility. I’m a BIG fan of the D-Movie.
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FruitFlakes said:
If you watched the video in the link it records video at a pretty decent quality - and that's the rub, a £300 camcorder doesn't take stills as good as a still camera, but the D90's video mode is very impressive from what I've seen and pretty much on par with a prosumer camcorder. The flexibility afforded by the lens mount and sensor size is a huge plus.
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Pretty decent quality - Maybe so

pretty much on par with a prosumer camcorder - Be serious now

Im into video as much as im into photography, and it just wont be as good.

You say from what youve seen, i assume you mean reviews on the internet....VHS looks good on a portable TV, put in on my 42" plasma and its unwatchable.
 
Monkey said:
Pretty decent quality - Maybe so

pretty much on par with a prosumer camcorder - Be serious now

Im into video as much as im into photography, and it just wont be as good.

You say from what youve seen, i assume you mean reviews on the internet....VHS looks good on a portable TV, put in on my 42" plasma and its unwatchable.
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Look at the quote. If a professional is impressed by the output from the D90 I'd be inclined to believe the same. You can go "OMG VIDEO ON A SLR ITZ NEVA GONNA WORK OH NO NO NO NO!" But fact of the matter is that the video mode will be a huge selling point for the D90's intended audience, people like you and I.
 
FruitFlakes said:
Look at the quote. If a professional is impressed by the output from the D90 I'd be inclined to believe the same. You can go "OMG VIDEO ON A SLR ITZ NEVA GONNA WORK OH NO NO NO NO!" But fact of the matter is that the video mode will be a huge selling point for the D90's intended audience, people like you and I.
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Im not disputing it will be a good selling point, im just saying its not a replacement for a camcorder.
 
Monkey said:
Im not disputing it will be a good selling point, im just saying its not a replacement for a camcorder.
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But to many it will be. It isn't going to take market share away from companies like RED, Canon and Sony, but the output from the DX sized sensor, coupled with all those lovely Nikkor lenses means that many professional techniques and capabilities can now be had at a reasonable price and if video makes it into Nikon's next pro body, many journalists will use it for documentary stuff in the same way 3G phones are used to broadcast reports.
 
Monkey said:
If it were such a brilliant feature, it would be on the prosumer bodys, but it isnt, its a gimmick for the consumer bodies to sell more of them. Cant knock em for trying, but i still think its pointless.....
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No, it's not a gimmick, if it were it would have no real value. It's a feature. A feature designed to appeal to a certain market of users. The fact that it odesn't apeear on the Nikon pro line up isn't a refelction of whether it's worthwhile, it's a reflection of the fact that these bodies are aimed at different consumers.

You might not like it, that's fine, you don't have to use it, that's also fine, but you denegrate a feature just because you don't like it or wouldn't use it.
 
NorthernNikon said:
No, it's not a gimmick, if it were it would have no real value. It's a feature. A feature designed to appeal to a certain market of users. The fact that it odesn't apeear on the Nikon pro line up isn't a refelction of whether it's worthwhile, it's a reflection of the fact that these bodies are aimed at different consumers.

You might not like it, that's fine, you don't have to use it, that's also fine, but you denegrate a feature just because you don't like it or wouldn't use it.
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if you bother to read my comments properly, im not knocking it being on that level of camera. what i am saying is quality wise, its not a camcorder replacement...
 
Looks pretty good to me. Does the D90 record sound then?

EDIT - yes it does.
 
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