Nikon D90 DSLR Camera Reviewby Jeremy StamasPublished on Oct 24, 2008 4:45 PM
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Compression (4.0)
The Nikon D90 records video using the Motion JPEG codec. While not the standard method of compression amongst HD camcorders (usually AVCHD or HDV), M-JPEG is commonly used in digital still cameras to record video. By settling with M-JPEG instead of AVCHD, Nikon chose an outdated codec, rather than going with the new standard being set by HD camcorders. With M-JPEG each frame of video is independently compressed with a JPEG picture compression—this creates very large file sizes in comparison to AVCHD (although, the video clips created by the D90 aren't too big as the camera's highest recording quality is 1280 x 720). M-JPEG does have some benefits. It's compatible with a wider range of software than AVCHD, and, since information is stored in each frame of an M-JPEG video, the footage is not as taxing on computer hardware—making it easier to edit.
In contrast, the new Canon EOS 5D Mark II compresses video using the MPEG-4 codec—a similar, but slightly different codec than AVCHD.
Memory card slot with 4GB SDHC card
The D90 has the ability to record Motion JPEG video in 3 different qualities: 320 x 216, 640 x 424, and 1280 x 720 (HD). The two smaller sizes record at an unusual 3:2 aspect ratio, which is commonly used for still photos. It would have made more sense for Nikon to adhere to video standards for these lower quality settings. Normal television is a 4:3 ratio (e.g. 640 x 480 or 320 x 240) and widescreen is 16:9 (the D90's 1280 x 720 quality produces a widescreen image).
Media (6.0)
The D90 records video to SD/SDHC cards, just as it does still pictures. The card slot is on the right side of the camera, behind a sliding door. The door has no locking mechanism and requires no switch to open, but it feels well constructed and it closes tightly, regardless.
The camera has no internal memory, which makes the SD/SDHC cards you load into it the sole method for recording video. While most digital SLRs don't come with internal memory, it is an increasingly common feature found on HD camcorders that record to non-linear media (i.e. anything but tape or DVD). This isn't a glaring problem for the D90, but it's one more drawback when considering the camera as a video recording device.
Far more irritating is the D90's 5-minute record limit per video clip. Yes, you read that correctly. Video clips are limited to 5-minute blocks. Nikon doesn't try to conceal this time limit either—a counter on the top right of the LCD begins counting down from 5 minutes the moment you start recording. This restriction is likely due to the processing limitations of the D90. The thing is, once the timer goes down to zero and recording stops, you can start it right back up again by pressing the OK button—up to a point. After about thirty minutes of straight recording (six back-to-back clips in HD), the D90 begins to overheat and live view mode will automatically shut down. The camera gives you a 30 second warning before the mode conks out, but it won't let you start it up again until the camera cools off for a few minutes. Nikon claims live view mode can function for up to an hour before it overheats, but we never recorded for longer than 35 minutes without running into problems. After giving the camera a 15-minute rest, we were again able to record for about another 30 minutes before live view mode again shut down.
While these time constraints may not affect some people's filming habits, it could easily become an issue if you're trying to capture every moment of a school play or live concert. The 5 minute clip limit is only implemented when recording video at 1280 x 720, the highest quality setting. At lower qualities, the limit is 20 minutes. Still, live view mode runs into the same shut-down issues no matter what quality setting you're shooting in.
Editing (5.0)
The Nikon D90 comes with a Software Suite CD-ROM, but the included programs do little more than assist with transferring files and helping you organize your photographs and video clips. The camera does not ship with video editing software.
An advantage of Motion JPEG is its extensive compatibility with most software and video players. While compatibility used to be an issue with AVCHD, it is rarely a problem now that the codec has become more of a standard in the industry. Motion JPEG also produces smaller file sizes, making the editing process far less power hungry than working with AVCHD.
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