First Look: Nikon D90 arrives with 720p movies

Daniel Long | Aug 28, 2008 12:12 PM
Nikon | http://www.nikon.com.au
First Look
RRP: $1899 (time of review)
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The new Nikon D90, due to hit shelves in September, boasts unique 720p movie HD capabilities, a much improved sensor and surprisingly, a GPS option.
Enthusiasts are going to love the new D90, not just because it’s a giant step up from the already impressive Nikon D80, but because it’s the first DSLR of its kind to support digital movie recording in 720p (1280 x 720).

And if you’re a full HD fan, you can still take heart – the camera will gladly output at 1080i via HDMI.

Performance

We managed to get our mitts on one of the only two D90’s currently in Australia at the official Nikon launch and we’re mightily impressed by the rich tones and sharp contrast ratios that the D90 provides.

With a sensor range far beyond that of the earlier Nikon models (D60, D80), the D90’s sensor is up there with the CMOS of the much more expensive D300.

Movie mode

‘D-movie’ footage looked sharp for 720p, uninhibited by strobing and torch light artefacts (we tested with a military grade flashlight for demonstration purposes) which came as a surprise. The footage had an unusually crisp 'filmic' look for digital footage.

Just imagine the short films you could make using the D90 without having to lug around a separate HD camcorder in your bag.

The Active D-lighting, in conjunction with Nikon’s 11 point AF system gives the D90 a helping hand in capturing warm flesh tones and evenly saturated colours indoors.

Light and dark areas performed equally as well, under the low lighting conditions we tested the camera on. Noise, which usually plagues lower models, wasn’t evident in shots as high as 1600 ISO. That’s really impressive given how difficult this is to achieve for most semi-pro DSLR’s.

The D90 also boasts the usual range of photographic bells and whistles, including full picture control, RAW edit mode (which can post output to JPG images), Vibration Reduction (VR) via optical lens stabilisation (the good kind, not the flawed software type) and an in-camera retouch menu. But what we didn’t expect was GPS support.
GPS support

You can now geo-tag your photos in much the same way that some in-car GPS navigation products work. It’s an exciting prospect that will give users the ability to purchase an optional GPS mount (GP1) that will link with Google maps for geo-tagging.

The D90 will also be the first DSLR in the Nikon range to support the new eye-fi cards, which have been a big hit in Japan (but aren't available in Australia yet).

Energy saving design
It used to be that if you weren’t using AA batteries in your DSLR, you would wind up with serious problems (most in-camera lithium batteries were limited to less than 200 shots).

But now, manufacturers are doing something about the battery issue and the D90 uses energy saving components to ensure you’ll get around 850 shots (with live view turned off) from every charge.

Prices
The D90 body retails for $1549.00 and the dual lens kit for $1899 (18 – 55mm and 55 – 200mm) and available from September.

All in all, it's a great looking camera that will be a tempting purchase for enthusiasts and everyday users alike.

<i> The D90 offers an intuitive menu system, designed for ease of us </i>
The D90 offers an intuitive menu system, designed for ease of us