Digital Camera Reviews - Customer reviews - Nikon D90 DX 12.3MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED AF-S VR DX Nikkor Zoom Lens

Manufacturer: Nikon

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Refurbished Price: $1,067.00
Used Price: $879.00

Average Customer Rating: -

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Spotlight customer reviews:

Name: ChriSpenceRachel
Location:
Date: 2008-12-01
Customer Rating: -

Summary: Big leap from a Point and Shoot
Comment: I am a complete amateur with no desire to enter into the professional world. I just want to take great pics of my kids. I LOVE this camera!!!!! I use the auto setting and the pics are unbelievable. From the moment I picked it up out of the box (literally) it has surpassed all my expectations and I've captured some truly amazing shots. My point-and-shoot (canon sd1100 which I still keep in my purse for snapshots) maybe, maybe would have been fast enough to catch the same look on my kids faces, but the depth of field and color from the d90 are just breathtaking.

I'm sure if I learned to use all the settings I could do even more. And eventually I will, because it does seem pretty easy to navigate the menus and the buttons are all pretty clear. For now, I just wanted to move up to a higher image quality from the point-and-shoots, and the entry level DSLRs felt too plasticy and cheap for their price. This does not. It is still plastic, but feels solid, not like I could break it with too tight a grip.

The only real problem I had with it was the shoulder strap was ugly and uncomfortable. I found a really nice replacement strap at a camera store for about $15.

So if you are an amateur just looking for something better than what's available on the point-and-shoot market, this is a very useable, non-intimidating camera that will suit you needs.

Name: James M. Turner
Location: Central coast, CA
Date: 2009-01-01
Customer Rating: -

Summary: Photography is fun again
Comment: For some time now I have gotten by with a compact camera with a small sensor that would take fine pictures if you had all day to wait for the thing to start up, listen to the motor whine as the lens zooms in and out to frame the shot, and wait for two more intervals for the camera to focus, expose and record the picture before being ready for the next picture. All that is gone. The D90 is fast. It lets you fire the camera up, frame, focus, and shoot as quickly and often times more quickly than the old film-type SLR's. It is so fast to expose I can easily catch things in mid-air which was something I could do only by sheer luck with the smaller camera. If you are a former film-SLR photographer as I am, the fundamentals of exposure for movement and depth of field are easily implemented with intuitive and convenient controls and menus. My other camera is a Canon G3 and I was concerned that I might suffer confusion between the two cameras but the Nikon is quick to learn and I now prefer it. While the D90 with an 18-105mm lens is relatively large and heavy, it fits nicely in the hands and feels like a real instrument. The 18-105 lens hits the sweet spot for focal lengths, going from wide angle to moderate telephoto and while I had thought that I might need to get a 55-200mm lens I'm not sure I will need it unless a very special need for a longer lens comes along. The viewfinder is excellent and I am glad to be back to using one but the high resolution LCD backpanel is a joy to behold and wonderful for reviewing shots and in live mode for videos. I have had the camera for a month and have gone picture-crazy with it including our Christmas vacation. Pictures are uniformly sharp and beautifully exposed with the usual foibles in tricky or low light situations that are difficult for any camera. Performance with the built-in flash and with an external SB-600 is as close to flawless as one could expect and better than any other camera I have used. Finally, the ease of switching over and capturing great video is outstanding. The 30 frames per second capture rate produces smooth, well exposed video. I have seen criticism that the automatic focus does not work in video mode which is true. You focus initially and start the video and the focus stays there but you can use the zoom. I have not found the focus issue to be a big problem because the videos I take do not typically go from distant to close focus but it is an option to use the manual focus ring which does work in video mode. All in all, what can I say? Photography is fun again.

If I had a gripe, it would be that some cameras like the Canon open a new folder in memory for pictures taken on different days and the Nikon does not. This is very handy to organize pictures if the camera is used over a period of days before downloading the shots to a computer. One other niggle is that the camera does not shut down automatically if it is not used for a period of time. Battery life is qood, by the way, but not so good if you forget to turn it off. Otherwise, I love the camera and while it is not cheap, it is actually a good buy for the features. In default mode this camera takes pictures that average 3.1 MB in size so lots of hard disk space and a capable computer are recommended.

Name: D. Denny
Location: North Carolina
Date: 2008-09-12
Customer Rating: -

Summary: Love It
Comment: I purchased my D90 a couple of days ago. I already love it. I am a picture taking fool but a novice when it comes to all the options on this wonderful camera, and thus I will be describing the camera in simple terms. Some of the big pluses thus far is the ability to capture a picture as soon as you hit the shutter release button. The flash reaches out MUCH further than did my previous camera, making low-light pictures much brighter without washing them out. The thing I love the most is that the D90 will sharply focus in low or no light. When in a dark environment, simply press the shutter release button halfway down to focus. If the camera senses that you need a flash, the flash automatically pops up. When this happens, a small light comes on in front of the camera for a second or so, allowing the autofocus to see the intended target. This is something my previous camera would not do, and thus I lost countless pictures in low-light situations.....but never again. The snap-on protective cover over the monitor is a big plus as well. I know the D300 does many things the D90 won't do but the D90 just feels better in my hands. The difference in picture quality between the D80 and the D90 is VERY noticable, especially if you do much cropping on your pictures. I considered buying a D80 when the D90's came out, knowing that they usually drop in price when a new model comes out. I am glad I forked over the extra $$$ for a D90. It has already paid for itself with the satisfaction I have gotten from seeing the improved resolution of the pictures. I was told at my local Ritz camera store that the "body only" won't be available until some time in November 08.

Name: Earl E. A. Dopter
Location: Louisiana
Date: 2008-12-23
Customer Rating: -

Summary: All I can say is WOW!
Comment: There are plenty of reviews out there, and I don't want to be redundant. So here are some helpful points that I had a hard time ferreting out when doing my research before pulling the trigger on this purchase, given that I was upgrading from a D60 and that I am, like many who are reading reviews on this product, not a professional:

1. I owned the D40, then the D60. So this is my third Nikon. I had trouble deciphering how my lenses, purchased for the D40/D60, would behave when used in this new model. The answer is that the D90 handles all of them perfectly. This includes lenses that have the HSM built in (the Hyper Sonic Motor is packaged in the lens, because the D40/D60 range doesn't have a built in auto-focus motor) as well as those with no internal motor. The D90 has an internal focus motor, so all lenses built for Nikon cameras will auto-focus, including the Nikon 50mm f1.8 lens that I had to manually focus in the D60.

2. The D90 is heavier, but certainly not uncomfortable to hold or carry. Weight will not be a discouraging factor in purchasing this camera.

3. The D90 takes different batteries, so any spares you have for the earlier models will not work on it. Battery life is truly outstanding. I am not even going to buy a spare battery.

4. The user interface is completely different from the D40/D60. I found it intuitive however. The functionality is just superb, much easier and more flexible. This is a pro level camera with the ease of use of a high end amateur camera.

5. Live view is a great enhancement. Really.

Overall, there is nothing I can say negative about the D90. It's everything I was hoping it would be, and it's so worth the money to upgrade. I'm selling the D60 for half what I paid - and doing it gladly - because the D90 is worth more than it's being sold for. I absolutely highly recommend it.

I also thought I would offer some lens advice, because I had trouble finding a reviewer that just cut to the chase and said "look, just do this." So, look, just do this: I do NOT recommend the kit lenses that you can obtain bundled with the D90. Get the body only (Nikon D90 DX 12.3MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only)), and buy yourself that Nikon 50mm f1.8 (Nikon 50mm f/1.8D AF Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras). It's a no-brainer at the price point, and the images I have already achieved have been just excellent. For the rest of your lenses, I highly recommend Sigma. I own the 18-200 (Sigma 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 DC Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras), the 10-20 (Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras), and the 150-500 (Sigma 150-500mm f/5-6.3 AF APO DG OS HSM Telephoto Zoom Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras). I cannot say enough positive things about the quality of the lenses or the images. Pack the 50mm and the 18-200 superlens for normal occasions. If you can stand the extra weight, you absolutely cannot go wrong with the 10-20 for landscapes, it just pulls in everything and the quality is shocking. The 150-500 is enormous, you are not going to want to carry that thing around, but when you need it, you really need it. I captured images of my son playing in a soccer game that blew me away; could not have gotten the shots without the big lens. Get the lenses in the order I have specified if you cannot afford them all.

I have just learned all this over the past 2 years. I am no expert but I have discovered the joy of capturing great images that you just cannot get from a point-and-shoot. I think once you see the quality you can achieve with a better camera, you will be thrilled with the decision to spend the money and the energy. And Nikon has truly produced the best camera at this price point in the world. It's a pro camera with an amateur price and it's very easy to use. Words really don't do it justice; you need to experience it to understand.

Any questions, please send me a comment. Happy to help!

Name: Rex V. Polito
Location: Los Angeles, CA USA
Date: 2008-11-18
Customer Rating: -

Summary: YOU WILL LOVE THIS DSLR! (Here's some setting tips & lens/accessory suggestions for the D90)
Comment: Review Update (June 30, 2009)

You have read the reviews. This pro-sumer camera is just that damn good.
I even bought one for my girlfriend.
I have been relentlessly using this camera ever since I bought it back in September 2008 when it first came out in the market. So let me just focus on how you could realize and maximize the Nikon D90 experience.

If you are in a tight budget and a beginner/intermediate in DSLR, the D90 with 18~105mm kit lens bundle is a good place to start. I have used and brought this fine piece of equipment almost everywhere I travel and I never encountered any of the lens mounting nor memory card errors mentioned by a few in the review. If your have extra $$$ to spare, I would recommend that you get the D90 body only and get the Nikon 18~200mm f3.5~5.6 VR as your ultimate walk around (general photography) camera set-up. If you already own your set of lenses you should just skip the bundle and just purchase the body since you probably established your lens and set-up preferences.

For portraits and low light photography, I absolutely recommend the Nikon 35mm f1.8 DX on the D90. Absolutely "DX DSLR photography heaven" in my book. The bokeh is creamy and the focal length gives you a lot of footwork freedom compared to the 50mm and 85mm primes in close environments. But don't let me discourage you to get the 50mm f1.4 and 85mm f1.4 lenses. Those are great lenses with bokeh to melt for. I just find the 35mm as the best focal length for my style.

For those who want a real pro-level general photography set-up with the D90, get the 17~55mm f2.8 DX and 70~200mm f2.8 VR plus the 35mm f1.8 prime lens. This would be a reasonable (cost effective) alternative to the holy trinity of Nikon lenses: 14~24mm f2.8, 24~70mm f2.8 and 70~200mm f2.8 VR.

The size, weight and grip of the D90 is about right for an average person. The outside construction is made of good quality plastic and rubber which has been proven to be tough enough to withstand moderate impacts and deal with the elements of most environments.

The menus and controls are so easy to use. You can actually start using the camera and survive by just browsing the screen and by reading the quick start manual without reading the full manual booklet.

I absolutely recommend that the Picture Control settings on the menu be configured from Standard to VIVID to maximize color and contrast. Trust me on this one, this makes a huge difference in the tone of the pictures off the bat.

Shooting in low-light, even with the kit lens alone, is pretty good because of the wide ISO range of the D90 and plus the fact that the kit lens has Vibration Reduction. Several reviews downplay the 18~105mm kit lens because they overlook the fact that it is probably one of lowest priced wide-standard-telephoto focal range VR lens in the Nikon line.

Also, be aware that the exposure compensation controls are easily accessible by the shutter button. This is the answer to the several over exposure concerns, which was brought up by a few in the review, when the D90 is used out in bright sunlight. Get a circular polarizer if you prefer an easy alternative.

The HD video feature entirely depends on how good you can handle manual zoom/focus controls at the same time. I found that using a prime lens makes it easier since you only have to worry about manual focusing with some fancy footwork. Personally, the video thing came in handy on some occasions but this should really not be the selling point of this equipment. The internal microphone can not process loud low frequency (bass) sound and ends up drowning the audio recording itself.

Lasty, I recommend the MB-D80 battery grip for added comfort & total balance. Get any of the Nikon external flash system to the D90 set-up
and you can literally shoot under any lighting condition. I have the SB-900 which is so big and chunky it could light up an entire ballroom with a cloud of soft light. Those who own any DSLR camera, regardless of brand, should only use the internal pop-up flash as the last alternative source of light.

Hope this review helped you decide.

(below is my September 2008 Review)

Just do yourself a big favor and just get this camera... happy days will soon come... Excellent control and user interface layout... low light photography with the kit lens alone is a knock-out!... 4.5 frames/sec. got you covered for action shots... the HD video feature is a plus... but you'll be turned off by the mediocre audio quality... Feature by feature the best pro-sumer DSLR to date... Easily, the camera which bridges the consumer and professional photographers... so why are you still sitting there?... go get it!

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