Nikon D90 review
The Nikon D90 battery grip is the long-awaited replacement to the popular D80 digital SLR. The D90 sits between the D60 and D300 in Nikon’s D-SLR lineup, though many of its features come from its more expensive sibling.
While it may look a lot like its predecessor, the D90 is essentially an all-new camera on the inside. The D90’s most talked-about feature isn’t its sensor is Canon BG-E3, continuous shooting performance, or anything like that. Rather, it’s the fact that it’s the first D-SLR with a movie mode — and in HD, no less.
Some of the other highlights on the D90 include:
- A 12.3 Megapixel CMOS sensor
- Continuous shooting at 4.5 frames/second
- Live view on an ultra-sharp 3-inch LCD display
- Active D-Lighting for improved dynamic range
- Numerous in-camera photo retouching tools
- HDMI output
- Optional GPS for geotagging
On paper, the D90 sounds like a very impressive digital SLR in digital camera battery. How does it perform in our tests? Find out now in our review!
What’s in the Box?
The D90 will be available in two kits. You can buy it in a body-only configuration ($999), or along with the new 18 - 105 mm VR lens ($1299). Here’s what you’ll find in the box for both of those kits:
Here’s what you’ll find in the box for each of these:
- The 12.3 effective Megapixel Nikon D90 camera body
- F3.5 - 5.6, 18 - 105 mm DX Nikkor VR AF-S lens [lens kit only]
- EN-EL3e lithium-ion rechargeable battery
- Battery charger
- Body cap
- LCD cover
- Eyepiece cap
- Shoulder strap
- USB cable
- A/V cable
- CD-ROMs featuring Nikon Software Suite
- 278 page camera manual (printed)
If you buy the Nikon D90 battery with the 18-105 kit lens, then you’re ready to start shooting right away. This lens features Vibration Reduction, which is Nikon-speak for image stabilization. With the body-only kit, you’ll have to supply the lens, and you can choose from almost the entire collection of Nikon F-mount lenses. Unlike the D40 and D60, the lens doesn’t have to be AF-S in order to use autofocus, as there’s a focus motor built into the camera. Being that camera has an APS-C sensor, there will be a 1.5x focal length conversion ratio with whatever lens you use.
Like all D-SLRs, there’s no memory card in the D90’s box, so you’ll need to pick one up (if you don’t have one already). The camera supports both SD and SDHC memory cards in its Canon BG-E5 grip, and I’d recommend starting out with a 2GB card. It’s definitely worth spending a little more for a high speed card when you’re using a digital SLR.
The D90 uses the same EN-EL3e lithium-ion battery as the D80 that came before it. This battery packs 11.1 Wh of energy, which is on the higher end of the spectrum. Here’s how that translates into battery life:
Ladies and gentlemen, the D90 has the best battery life in its class as Canon BG-E2N! Since Nikon wasn’t using CIPA numbers way back when the D80 was announced, I can’t tell you if the D90’s numbers are higher or lower than its predecessor.
I should point out two things about the proprietary batteries used by the D90 and all the other cameras in the table above. For one, they’re expensive — an extra EN-EL3e will set you back at least $30. Second, unless you’re using the optional battery grip (described below), you can’t use an off-the-shelf battery to get you through the day when your rechargeable dies.
Speaking of the battery grip, here it is. It just so happens that the MB-D80 grip (priced from $120) is the same one that was available for the Nikon D80 grip . The grip can hold two EN-ELe3 batteries, giving you double the battery life. It also comes with a tray that can hold six AA batteries, a feature I’m a big fan of. The grip has extra buttons and dials that come in handy when you’re shooting in the portrait orientation.
When it’s time to charge the EN-EL3e battery, just pop it into the included charger. It takes around 2 1/4 hours for the battery to fully charge. This isn’t one of those handy charges that plugs right into the wall — you must use a power cable.
Nikon bundles a thick, detailed manual with the D90 for MB-D40 grip. It starts out with a “Q&A” section that helps you quickly find out answers to common questions, such as “how do I record a movie?”. The manual does have its share of “notes” (fine print), but it should still answer any question you might have about the D90. You’ll find the documentation for the bundled software installed on your computer.