Nikon D90 DSLR Camera Review

Conclusion
The Nikon D90 disappointed us with most of its video performance. While it did capture wonderful colors in low light, it couldn't compete against dedicated HD camcorders in most shooting conditions. That doesn't mean the images didn't look good—they did—we just wondered how much better things would look if Nikon had offered a full 1920 x 1080 HD resolution. The glaring lack of an autofocus and confusing manual controls made the D90's video mode very difficult to deal with overall.

Despite its problems, plenty of people will enjoy capturing video with the Nikon D90. Its 24 fps frame rate produces a slow, dreamy image that can be very attractive. Colors generally looked outstanding. Using special lenses, such as fish-eye, telephoto, and wide-angle models, can produce results difficult to achieve with a regular HD camcorder. These features, along with depth of field control, make the D90 a product that stands out in both the SLR and camcorder market.

Comparing the Nikon D90 to HD camcorders may be unfair, but, being the first of its kind, its the only product we could put it up against. The Canon EOS 5D Mark II, the second SLR to record video, has impressive specs—a 1920 x 1080 video quality, stereo microphone input, and an H.264 video compression codec. The question will be, would you rather pay $999.95 ($1299.95 with the lens) to play around with video on the Nikon D90, or shell out $1700 more to get your hands on the Canon? Then, of course, you need to question whether a first generation product is ever a good investment. Stay skeptical.

Judging the D90 solely as a still camera isn't our job, so if you want an in-depth analysis of the camera's photographic ability, visit our sister site Digitalcamerainfo.com.

Comparisons

	Canon EOS 5D Mark II The EOS 5D Mark II isn't out yet, but its specs are nothing short of impressive. Being the second digital SLR to offer video recording has some perks—you get to see where the other people went wrong. Canon offers full 1080p HD video, stereo sound via an external microphone jack, and its all captured on H.264 codec, which is similar to what Canon uses on its HD camcorders. It's also two and a half times as expensive as the D90 and surely has numerous limitations of its own. If you simply want to play around with video mode on an SLR, it would probably be wise to go with the D90. It has most of the features you'll want (like changeable lenses and aperture control) and it really isn't all that expensive compared to many SLRs out there. The Canon EOS 5D Mark II costs a lot of money and it's more than twice as expensive as a top-notch HD camcorder. If you're looking for an SLR to replace your camcorder, it would be wise to wait. These are the first two SLRs to record video—future models will be able to do everything better.
	Panasonic HDC-HS100/SD100 Panasonic offers some of the best manual controls in the consumer HD camcorder market. Both the HDC-HS100 and HDC-SD100 have lens rings for making fine tuned adjustments to a number of settings—including focus, gain, zoom, white balance, and shutter speed. If you're considering the D90 because you want lots of manual controls, you may want to look at Panasonic. If you want to change lenses, you're out of luck—no consumer camcorders offer this feature, although pro models do.
	Canon HF11 With its multiple frame rates (24P and 30P) Canon's camcorders do the best job at attempting to create a 24 frames per second cinematic look. The HF11's 24P mode doesn't capture the cinematic feel as well as the D90, but Canon's alternate frame rates are the best on the market. The HF11 also has one of the best picture qualities amongst consumer models.

Who It’s For
Point-and-Shooters
The Nikon D90 may have wonderful automatic controls as a digital still camera, but its design and control functions in video mode are disturbingly confusing. No autofocus, 5 minute length limits on clips, and an awkward grip for recording video make this a difficult camera for point-and-shooters to enjoy.

Budget Consumers
At around $1000, the Nikon D90 is a fairly well priced digital SLR. It is, however, the same price (more expensive when you count the lens) as some of the best consumer HD camcorders. If you're looking to record video cheaply, this is by no means the answer. However, if you want to play around with the video functions of an SLR, the D90 is your best bet right now—considering the other DSLR capable of recording video, the Canon EOS 5D Mark II, costs around $1700 more than the D90.

Still Photo / Video Camera Hybrid
Well, this is interesting. As the first digital SLR to record video, I think we have to say this ranks up pretty high as a hybrid device. The D90 is a wonderful camera for taking still photos and it captures far better footage than your average digital still camera (although worse than an HD camcorder). Overall, using the D90 mostly for snapping photos and every so often for recording a short video is an ideal practice.

Gadget Freaks
The video feature will definitely attract many gadget freaks looking for a cool new toy to play with. The unique design, 24 fps frame rate, and changeable lenses will also be a big draw.

Manual Control Freaks
The D90 is geared towards manual control aficionados. The truth is, things don't work out so well in this arena. Most manual controls don't work with video mode and many of them have only a slight effect. Users hoping for full control over shutter speed and ISO will be roundly disappointed.

Pros / Serious Hobbyists
Because the D90 offers changeable lenses, pros with a large stock of extra lenses will definitely find it attractive. The ability to create a cinematic look at 24 fps as well as the shallow depth of field is also something something serious users will love. The lack of full 1920 x 1080 HD, and the limited manual controls are definitely a drag.