London Camera Hire
Almost exactly two years after the D80 was announced comes its replacement, the rather predictably named D90. The D90 has been one of Nikon's quiet successes, and even today, it continues to sell and often makes its way into our top 10 most clicked on cameras. Because it looks so similar to the D80 the D90 appears at first glance to be one of those rather subdued incremental upgrades, but dig a little deeper and you'll find there's plenty to keep Nikon fans happy.
First and foremost there's a new CMOS sensor, which Nikon claim produces D300 quality output at up to ISO 6400 and - one of several features to 'trickle down' from higher models - the same highly acclaimed 3.0-inch VGA screen as the D3/D300. Naturally it has Live View with contrast-detect AF and it would have been surprising had it not sported some form of dust removal system.
More surprising is the inclusion of the world's first DSLR movie mode (720p HDTV quality) and HDMI output, though as we'll see later it does come with some limitations. A lot of the core photographic spec is the same as or very similar to the D80, though there is a new shutter and an implementation of the 3D tracking AF seen on the D3/D300.
And it's not just the high end models that have lent features and technology to the D90; the user interface has been given the same user-friendly treatment as the D60, as have the retouching options. As it was explained to us the D90 is intended to appeal to the broadest audience of any Nikon SLR, from first-time 'step up' customers moving from a compact to serious amateurs wanting comprehensive photographic control without the cost and weight of a D300. Whether the D90 is as capable as its feature set suggests, we'll see as the review unfolds.
Extras to hire
12.3 MP CMOS sensor (D80: 10.2 MP CCD)
Live View with contrast detect AF
Wider ISO range, upgraded AF system (3D tracking, face detection)
Active D-Lighting, vignetting control and extra retouching options Automatic chromatic aberration correction
Faster continuous shooting and larger buffer
Body material Combination of aluminum alloy and plastic.
Sensor • 23.6 x 15.8 mm CMOS sensor• 12.9 million total pixels• 12.3 million effective pixels• Supports high ISO sensitivities• High-speed data readout• Nikon DX-format sized CMOS sensor• Power-saving design
Dust Reduction System • Image Sensor Cleaning• Image Dust Off reference data (optional Capture NX 2 software required)
Image sizes • 4,288 x 2,848 (L) • 3,216 x 2,136 (M) • 2,144 x 1,424 (S)
File formats • NEF (compressed RAW)• JPEG: Fine (approx. 1:4), normal (approx. 1:8), or basic (approx. 1:16) compression • NEF (RAW) + JPEG• AVI M-JPEG• Up to 36 alphanumeric characters can be input using the camera monitor and multi selector (contained in Exif header)
Lens mount • Nikon F mount with AF coupling and AF contacts• Approx. 1.5x lens focal length (Nikon DX format)
Usable lenses • DX AF Nikkor: All functions supported• Type G or D AF Nikkor: All functions supported (PC Micro-Nikkors do not support some functions) • Other AF Nikkor: All functions supported except 3D Color Matrix Metering II. Lenses for F3AF not supported.• AI-P Nikkor: All functions supported except 3D Color Matrix Metering II• Non-CPU: Autofocus not supported. Can be used in exposure mode M, but exposure meter does not function. Electronic rangefinder can be used if lens has a maximum aperture of f/5.6 or faster. Auto Focus • 11 focus points (1 cross-type sensors) • Multi-CAM 1000• AF working range: -1 to +19 EV (ISO 100, normal temperature)• Contrast Detect in Live View (Tripod) mode
Lens Servo • Single Servo AF [S]• Continuous Servo AF [C]• Manual focus [M], Electronic range finding supported• Focus Tracking automatically activated by subject's status in AF [A]
Focus Point • Single point from 11 focus points• Center point narrow or wide zone• Liveview (Tripod mode): Contrast AF on a desired point anywhere within frame AF Area Mode • Single point AF• Dynamic Area AF• Automatic-area AF• 3D Tracking AF (11 points) Focus Lock Focus can be locked by pressing shutter-release button halfway (single-servo AF) or by pressing AE-L/AF-L button
AF assist AF-assist illuminator (range approx. 0.5-3 m/1.6-9.8 ft.)
Exposure modes • Program Auto [P] with flexible program• Shutter-Priority Auto [S]• Aperture-Priority Auto [A]• Manual [M]• Auto• Advanced Scene Modes (portrait, landscape, close-up, sports, night portrait)
Metering TTL full-aperture exposure metering using 420-pixel RGB sensor• 3D Color Matrix Metering II (type G and D lenses); color matrix metering II (other CPU lenses);• Center-weighted: Weight of 75% given to 6, 8, or 10 mm dia. circle in center of frame• Spot: Meters approx. 2 mm dia. circle (about 2.0 % of frame) centered on selected focus point
Metering range • 3D Color Matrix Metering: 0 to 20 EV• Center-Weighted Metering: 0 to 20 EV• Spot Metering: 2 to 20 EV• At normal temperature (20°C/68°F), ISO 100 equivalent, f/1.4 lens
Exposure lock Locked using AE-L/AF-L button
Exposure bracketing • 2 or 3 frames• 1/3, 1/2, 2/3, 1 or 2 EV steps• ADL (Active D-Lighting) bracketing: 2 frames (one with ADL, one without)
Exposure compen. • +/-5.0 EV• 1/3 or 1/2 EV steps
Sensitivity • Default: ISO 200 - 3200 in 1/3 EV steps • Boost: 100 - 6400 in 1/3 EV steps
Shutter • Electronically-controlled vertical-travel focal plane shutter• 30 to 1/4000 sec (1/3 or 1/2 EV steps) • Flash X-Sync: 1/200 sec• Bulb• Time (optional Wireless Remote Control ML-L3 required)• Release time lag Approx. 65 ms• Viewfinder blackout 120 ms• Tested to 100,000 exposures
DOF Preview • Stop-down lens aperture by pressing button
Active D-Lighting Can be selected from Auto, Extra high, High, Normal, Low, or Off
White balance • Auto (420-pixel CCD, image sensor) • Presets (12) with fine tuning • Manual presets (five) • Color temperature in Kelvin (2500 - 10000 K)• White balance bracketing (2 or 3 frames in increments of 1, 2 or 3)
Picture Control • Standard• Neutral• Vivid• Monochrome• Landscape• Portrait• Storage for up to nine custom Picture Controls
Image parameters • Sharpening: Auto, 10 levels • Contrast: Auto, 7 levels• Brightness: 3 levels • Saturation: Auto, 7 levels • Hue: 7 levels• Quick Adjust: 5 levels (A multi-parameter adjustment)• High ISO Noise Reduction (High, Normal, Low, Off)
Viewfinder • Eye-level pentaprism single-lens reflex viewfinder • Frame coverage Approx. 96% horizontal and 96% vertical• Magnification Approx. 0.94x (50mm f/1.4 lens at infinity, –1.0 m-1)• Eyepoint 19.5 mm (–1.0 m-1)• Diopter adjustment –2 to +1
Focusing screen • Type B BriteView Clear Matte Mark II screen with focus frame• Superimposed on-demand grid lines over the viewfinder display.• "Vari-Brite" focus area display built in (The color used to highlight the active focus area (focus brackets) in the viewfinder display changes automatically in response to lighting conditions).
LCD monitor • 3.0 " TFT LCD • Approx. 920,000 dots (VGA; 640 x 480 x 3 colors) • 170° viewing angle • 100% frame coverage• Brightness adjustment
Movie • File format AVI (Motion-JPEG) • Image size (pixels) 640 x 424; 24 fps 320 x 216; 24 fps 1280 x 720; 24 fps• Compression: Motion-JPEG Audio Monaural on/off selection• Exposure: Determined with matrix metering utilizing output from the image sensor• Exposure lock available• Exposure compensation available in P, S, A, M modes• Maximum single clip length: 1280x720/ 5 minutes, others 20 minutes
LCD Liveview • Contrast-detect AF anywhere in frame (camera selects focus point automatically when face priority is selected)• Face priority, wide area, normal area
Shooting modes • Single frame • Continuous Low [CL]: 1 - 4 fps• Continuous High [CH]: 4.5 fps• Self-Timer• Delayed remote, quick response remote (optional Wireless Remote Control ML-L3 required for remote shooting)
Self-timer • 2, 5, 10, and 20 s Flash • Auto pop-up type (auto pop up in Auto, portrait, close-up, night portrait modes)• Guide no. 12/39 (ISO 100, m/ft.) or 13/43 with manual flash (ISO 100, m/ft.)• Guide no. 17/56 (ISO 200, m/ft.) or 18/59 with manual flash (ISO 200, m/ft.)• Sufficient to illuminate the picture angle of an 18mm lens
Flash control • TTL: i-TTL balanced fill-flash and standard i-TTL flash for digital SLR using 420-pixel RGB sensor are available with built-in flash and SB-900, SB-800, SB-600, or SB-400• Auto aperture: Available with SB-900, SB-800 and CPU lens• Non-TTL auto: Supported flash units include SB-900, SB-800, SB-28, SB-27, and SB-22s• Range-priority manual: Available with SB-900 and SB-800
Flash Modes • Auto, portrait, close-up - Auto and auto with red-eye reduction available with built-in flash - Fill-flash and red-eye reduction available with optional flash units• Night portrait - Auto slow sync and auto slow sync with red-eye reduction available with built-in flash - Slow sync and slow sync with red-eye reduction available with optional flash units• Landscape, sports - Fill-flash and red-eye reduction available with optional flash units• P, A- Fill-flash, rear-curtain with slow sync, auto slow sync, slow sync with red-eye reduction, red-eye reduction• S, M - Fill-flash, rear-curtain sync, red-eye reduction Front-curtain sync, slow sync, rear-curtain sync, red-eye reduction
Flash Accessory Shoe ISO 518 standard-type hot shoe contact; Safety lock mechanism provided
Flash compensation • -3 to +1 EV• 1/3 or 1/2 EV steps
Creative Lighting System • Advanced Wireless Lighting supported with built-in flash, SB-900, SB-800, or SU-800 as commander and SB-900, SB-800, SB-600, or SB-R200 as remotes• Auto FP High-Speed Sync and modeling illumination supported with all CLS-compatible flash units except SB-400• Flash Color Information Communication and FV lock supported with all CLS-compatible flash units
Call us or send an enquiry and we will confirm availability and put a package together for your shoot.