One of the key attraction of this month had to be the Nikon D90, which is also the costliest camera we’ve tested so far. Nikon has brought in the D90 to replace the trusted D80. The D80 was one of the best upper entry level to mid range cameras from Nikon. The D90 then has a lot to prove before it can earn its place.

Going through the D90′s key features, it certainly looks impressive. The D90 utilises a 12.3 Megapixel CMOS sensor going up from the D80′s 10.2 Megapixel CCD sensor. The sensor size remains unchanged. Most entry level cameras are supplied with an 18mm to 55mm lens which can be quite limiting to the kinds of photos you can take. We received the camera with a Nikkor DX 18 to 105mm VR zoom lens. This makes a good all purpose kit for wide angle and telescopic shooting.

Nikon D90 Front View

The shape and size of D90 is somewhat larger then the D60 and also the D80 itself. The body is made with plastic, but feels extremely sturdy and the buttons are great as expected on any Nikon DSLR.

The D90 now comes with a 3 inch screen that is incredibly vibrant and crisp. The other thing that makes the camera interesting inclusion of Live View that allows you to use the LCD screen to focus. This is a feature rarely found on DSLRs.

The D90 is undoubtedly one of the easiest cameras to operate, if you have that a basic knowledge of using a decent point-and-shoot camera. All the functions of the camera such as ISO, White Balance, Exposure Metering and Focusing Modes can be accessed by holding down the respective buttons and rotating the jog dial. Shutter speed and aperture size have dedicated dials.

Its very difficult to criticize the D90 on quality as well. The 12.3 MP CMOS sensor does its job well. Photos turn out crisp across the entire aperture range. The lens isn’t made for marco photography, so, you will have difficulty with up-close shots. Mind you, great close ups can be shot by moving back and zooming into the target. Good depth of field can be achieved easily too. The flash is powerful and good enough for indoor photography every now and then.

Nikon D90 Back View

Nikon D90 Top View

The auto mode works well along with the auto focus feature. Focusing is instantaneous and there is no delay whatsoever. There are a few auto focus hiccups every now and then, but nothing that can’t be fixed using the other auto focusing bracket modes. As expected from any DSLR, the manual mode gives you total control of the camera. You won’t be disappointed with the D90, if you like to select a scenario preset either, a dial for doing that is present.

Another new feature hardly ever seen on DSLRs is video recording, The D90 can capture up to 1280×720 resolution videos at 24 FPS. What makes it even more special is that you can zoom and focus manually while shooting videos. The video quality is great and the frame rate is quite stable but you will need to buy a fast SD/SDHC card for it.

We’d be lying if we said that weren’t impressed with the D90. It’s filled with surprizes. The camera is incredibly simple to use, it has the performance, the features and is undoubtedly miles ahead of the D80 in every aspect. Nikon has yet another winner on its hands and we highly recommend this if you have a serious interest in photography and also the money. The D90 along with its lens is priced at a whopping $1500. The body by itself can be bought for $1200. This makes the D90 almost as costly as the D300. It makes better sense if you spend more and go for the D300 instead.

Nikon’s lens are known to be cheaper than some other brands, so buying just a body then a good lens can also be a good move. If you don’t need the Live View or the video recording or even the small changes Nikon has made, then other older D80 is a better buy, especially with its more wallet friendly price.

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