Nikon D 90 Kit + DX 18-200 mm VR
Helpful consumer’s review
This is a superb camera that I have been happily shooting on since its release, and given the chance again now, it is still the camera I would choose. Why only four stars then? Let me explain.
The background to this camera is what makes it so great. They incorporated many of the features from the more expensive D300, and managed to fit it and more into its predecessor’s, the D80, body. This includes most importantly the sensor in the camera. The sensor in the D90 is superb, and the 12 MP’s are more than adequate for prints A2 size (this is the largest I have gone, but I am sure you can go bigger). Better than this is the noise handling of the sensor. The default setting is ISO 200, but the camera is perfectly usable up to ISO 1600, with very little noise present, and it is expandable beyond that. This gives really high quality pictures even in very dim conditions without the need for flash.
The shape and feel of the camera are great as well. It just fits and all of the buttons are exactly where they should be. This is really something you have to try for yourself holding it. The viewfinder is also just so big (96% coverage), and the weight of the camera is balanced without it being heavy.
These are the major things that set it apart, but you really begin to notice the small things the more you shoot with it. The top down display gives you all the information in a really nice and compact way. This small display is also the reason the battery life is so great, as you do not need the brilliant 3″ screen every time you change a setting. It is possible to go on about the positives for a long time, but there are some drawbacks to keep in mind.
First of these is the video. Don’t get me wrong the video in many ways is brilliant (first time seen on DSLR, and it is high definition 720p.) HOWEVER, you get a phenomenon called a rolling shutter, which gives the images a jelly like appearance(it wobbles if you move quickly). It is therefore really only suited to being kept on a tripod and everything moving in the frame rather than moving the camera. The sound is also only in mono and is not the best quality, and you have to manually focus during the video (though with some practice this is not too hard).
The other main thing while looking at this camera is that it is only an “advanced amateur” camera, and whilst it borrows heavily from the D300 it is not a D300 in a smaller body. The D300 still maintains a better build quality, better auto-focus (with proper tracking for sport), a higher frames per second, and a better processor giving higher quality pictures, and correspondingly it is matched with a higher body only price tag.
In saying all of that, this camera will be more than adequate for the majority of us, and you will love it if you use it. Leaving it on full auto and shooting will leave you happy, but it has so many options that you can tailor it to specifically suit your style, and the way you want to use it. Also don’t forget that the sound of the shutter (actually the mirror rotating up) is addictive satisfyingly solid. For this price there is no better camera.
