For the Nikon SLR purists, who have read the Nikon D90 reviews and learned that the latest SLR captures not only still images, as every Nikon model before it has, but also HD video, the revelation must have been bitter sweet.
On the one hand, the prospect of being able to shoot video with the same device that allows you to shoot high-quality photographic images sounds mighty convenient. On the other, 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 housing a DVD player unit. One device, now forced to share two technologies.
It is not hard to imagine what might bother the Nikon SLR purists. Nikon's engineering department must now divide its time between advances in digital photography, and the improvement of a video technology that extends its maximum recording time with each release. The Nikon D90 shares much of its digital photography technology with the much more expensive 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 user base can acquire the best parts of the Nikon D300 for a much lower price. And they get high-definition video. But that begs an obvious question. How much cheaper might the Nikon D90 have been had the videoing capability been left out of the design? I guess I must be one of those nikon purists I mentioned earlier because I'd gladly give up high-definition video in exchange for a more affordable camera.
I doubt that I am the only Nikon fan to wonder about this, especially since 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 concerns the fact that auto focusing is disabled in video mode. This means that you can expect blurred portions of your video shoots if your subjects are moving around a lot. Unless, of course, you happen to be very adept at manual focusing - a skill that is on the wane these days. The second problem is that you cannot use the Nikon D90's viewfinder in video mode. It blacks out. Instead you have to use the LCD screen to compose your shooting. All 5 to 20 minutes (in low resolution mode) of it.
But this does not mean you can't use the Nikon D90 to create fantastic video sessions of you kids playing soccer, or capture memorable dialogues with family members. You just have to appreciate the current limits of the technology. But you will have to stock up on high-capacity memory cards if you plan to get busy shooting video. You will require at least an 8-GB SD card to avoid quickly running out of memory.
And don't forget that compared to the inexpensive Nikon D40, and even the slightly cheaper model discussed in Nikon D60 reviews, with its vibration-reducing 18-55mm Nikkor kit lens, the Nikon D90 is a huge step up. Not just 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 photograph 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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