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Photoxels Editor's Choice Award - Serious Enthusiast DSLR

Category: Serious to Advanced Amateur

The Nikon D90 digital SLR features 12.3MP resolution on a Nikon DX format CMOS image sensor (23.6 x 15.8mm) and is the first DLSR featuring movie capture. It replaces the D80 and is positioned between the entry-level D60 and the D300.

Major features of the Nikon D90:

• Scene Recognition System optimizes autofocus, auto exposure, i-TTL control and White Balance.
• 11-Point AF system with AF-area mode, including 3D-tracking
• Pentaprism for large, bright viewfinder image with built-in grid display
• Live View with 3 Contrast-Detect AF modes: Face Priority AF, Wide Area AF and Normal Area AF
• 3.0-in. 920,000 dots LCD screen
• Start up time of 0.15 s, shutter release lag of 65 millisecond, continuous shooting at 4.5 fps for up to 100 shots
• Advanced Scene Modes automatically optimize exposure, image processing, Active D-Lighting, and Picture Control
• Built-in flash acts as a Wireless Commander, controlling up to two independent groups of an unlimited number of remote Speedlights
• 850 pictures per charge
• In-camera Retouch Menus include Straightening, Distortion Control, D-Lighting, Filter Effects, Color Balance, Image Overlay, RAW Processing, Quick Retouch
• World's first DSLR Movie: 320 x 216 pixels, 640 x 424 pixels and 1,280 x 720 pixels.
• Active D-Lighting
• ISO 200 to 3200

The D90 is the first DSLR that features movie. The advantage of recording movies using a DSLR (as opposed to a compact digicam) is the ability to control depth of field, use an approriate lens and zoom during recording.

The D90 also features Live View, but with only Contrast-Detect AF. Phase-Detection AF cannot be used in Live View mode.

The Nikon D90 should appeal to serious photographers desiring a fast and quality digital SLR camera.

	Nikon D90	QuickFact™ Sheet
	US | CAN | UK | Imaging
	Type
	Type	Single-lens reflex digital camera
	Lens Mount	Nikon F mount (with AF coupling and AF contacts)
	Effective Picture Angle	Approx. 1.5x lens focal length (Nikon DX format)
	Effective Pixels
	Effective Pixels	12.3 million
	Image Sensor
	Image Sensor	23.6 x 15.8mm CMOS sensor
	Total Pixels	12.9 million
	Dust-Reduction System	Image Sensor Cleaning, Image Dust Off reference data (optional Capture NX2 required)
	Storage
	Image Size (pixels)	4,288 x 2,848 (L) 3,216 x 2,136 (M) 2,144 x 1,424 (S)
	File Format	- NEF (RAW) - JPEG: JPEG-Baseline compliant with Fine (approx. 1:4), Normal (approx. 1:8), or Basic (approx. 1:16) compression - NEF (RAW) + JPEG: Single photograph recorded in both NEF (RAW) and JPEG formats
	Picture Control System	Can be selected from Neutral, Standard, Vivid, Monochrome, Portrait, Landscape; storage for up to 9 custom Picture Controls
	Media	SD memory cards, SDHC compliant
	File System	DCF (Design Rule for Camera File System) 2.0, DPOF (Digital Print Order Format), Exif (Exchangeable Image File Format for Digital Still Cameras) 2.21, PictBridge
	Viewfinder
	Viewfinder	Eye-level pentaprism single-lens reflex viewfinder
	Frame Coverage	Approx. 96% horizontal and 96% vertical
	Magnification	Approx. 0.94 x (50mm f/1.4 lens at infinity; -1.0m^-1)
	Eyepoint	19.5mm (-1.0m^-1)
	Diopter Adjustment	-2 to +1 m^-1
	Focusing Screen	Type-B BriteView Clear Matte screen Mark II with focus frame (framing grid can be displayed)
	Reflex Mirror	Quick-return type
	Depth-of-field Preview	When depth-of-field preview button is pressed, lens aperture is stopped down to value selected by user (A and M modes) or by camera (other modes)
	Lens Aperture	Instant return, electronically controlled
	Lens
	Compatible Lenses	Lens Compatibility Chart >
	Shutter
	Type	Electronically-controlled vertical-travel focal-plane shutter
	Speed	1/4000 to 30 s in steps of 1/3 or 1/2 EV, Bulb
	Flash Sync Speed	X=1/200 s; synchronizes with shutter at 1/200 s or slower
	Release
	Release Mode	Single-frame, Continuous Low Speed, Continuous High Speed, Self-timer, Delayed Remote, Quick-Response
	Frame Advance Rate	Continuous High Speed; up to 4.5 fps; Continuous Low Speed; up to 1-4 fps
	Self-timer	Can be selected from 2, 5, 10, and 20 s Duration
	Exposure
	Metering	TTL exposure metering using 420-pixel RGB sensor
	Metering Mode	- Matrix: 3D color matrix metering II (type G and D lenses); color matrix metering II (other COU lenses) - Center-weighted: Weight of 75% given to 6-, 8- or 10-mm circle in center of frame - Spot: Meters 3.5-mm circle (about 2% of frame) centered on selected focus point
	Range (ISO 100 equivalent f/1.4 lens, 20°C/68°F)	- Matrix or center-weighted metering: 0-20 EV - Spot metering: 2-20 EV
	Exposure Meter Coupling	CPU
	Exposure Modes	Auto modes (auto, auto [flash off]), Advanced Scene Modes (Portrait, Landscape, Sports, Close-up, Night Portrait), programmed auto with flexible program (P), shutter-priority auto (S), aperture-priority auto (A), manual (M)
	Exposure Compensation	±5 EV in increments of 1/3 or 1/2 EV
	Exposure Bracketing	2 or 3 frames in steps 1/3, 1/2, 2/3 1 or 2 EV
	Exposure Lock	Luminosity locked at detected value with AE-L/AF-L button
	ISO Sensitivity (Recommended Exposure Index)	ISO 200 to 3200 in steps of 1/3 EV, can also be set to approx. 0.3, 0.7 or 1 EV (ISO 100 equivalent) below ISO 200, or to approx. 0.3, 0.7 or 1 EV (ISO 6400 equivalent) over ISO 3200, ISO sensitivity auto control available
	Active D-Lighting	Can be selected from Auto, Extra High, High, Normal, Low or Off
	Active D-Lighting Bracketing	2 frames
	Focus
	Auto Focus	Nikon Multi-CAM 1000 autofocus module with TTL phase detection, 11 focus points (including 1 cross-type sensor) and AF-assist Illuminator (range approx. 0.5-3 m/1 ft. 8 in.-9 ft. 10 in.)
	Detection Range	-1 to +19 EV (ISO 100 equivalent, 20°C/68°F)
	Lens Servo	- Auto-focus: Single-servo AF (S), Continuous-servo AF (C), Auto-servo AF (A), Predictive focus tracking automatically activated according to subject status in single- and continuous-servo AF - Manual (M): Electronic rangefinder supported
	Focus Point	Can be selected from 11 focus points
	AF-area Modes	Single-point AF, Dynamic-area AF, Auto-area AF, 3D tracking (11 points) AF
	Focus Lock	Focus can be locked by pressing shutter-release button halfway (Single-servo AF) or by pressing AE-L/AF-L button
	Flash
	Built-in Flash	- Auto, Portrait, Close-up, Night Portrait modes: Auto flash with auto pop-up - P, S, A, M: Manual pop-up with button release
	Guide Number (m/ft.) at 20°C/68°F	- At ISO 200: Approx. 17/56, 18/59 with manual flash - At ISO 100 equivalent: Approx. 12/39, 13/43 with manual flash
	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, SB-900, SB-800, SB-600 or SB-400: standard i-TTL flash (when using spot metering); 2) - Auto aperture: Available with SB-900, SB-800 and CPU lenses - Non-TTL Auto: Supported flash units include SB-900, SB-800, SB-28, SB-27 or SB-22s - Range-priority manual: Available with SB-900 and SB-800
	Flash Modes	Front curtain sync, slow sync, rear-curtain sync, red-eye reduction, red-eye reduction with slow sync
	Flash Compensation	-3 to +1 EV in increments of 1/3 or 1/2 EV
	Flash Bracketing	2 or 3 frames in steps of 1/3, 1/2, 2/3, 1 or 2 EV
	Flash-ready Indicator	Lights when built-in flash or SB-900, SB-800, SB-600, SB-400, SB-80DX, SB-28DX or SB-50DX is fully charged; blinks for 3 s after flash is fired at full output in i-TTL or auto aperture modes
	Accessory Shoe	Standard ISO 518 hot-shoe contact with safety lock
	Nikon Creative Lighting System (CLS)	- 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
	White Balance
	White Balance	Auto (TTL white balance withmain image sensor and 420-pixel RGB sensor), 12 manual modes with fine-tuning, color temperature setting; preset manual white balance
	White Balance Bracketing	2 or 3 frames in steps of 1, 2 or 3
	Live View
	AF Modes	Face priority AF, Wide area AF, Normal area AF
	Focus	Contrast-detect AF anywhere in frame (camera selects focus point automatically when face priority AF is selected)
	Movie
	Image size (pixels)	1,280 x 720/24 fps, 640 x 424/24 fps, 320 x 216/24 fps
	File Format	AVI
	Compression Format	Motion-JPEG, with monaural sound
	Monitor
	LCD Monitor	3-in., approx. 920K-dot (VGA), low-temperature polysilicon TFT LCD with 170° viewing angle, approx. 100% frame coverage, and brightness adjustment
	Playback
	Playback Function	Full-frame and thumbnail (4, 9 or 72 images or calendar) playback with playback zoom, movie playback, Pictmotion, slide show, histogram display, highlights, auto image rotation, and image comment (up to 36 comments)
	Interface
	USB	Hi-Speed USB
	Audio Video Output	Can be selected from NTSC and PAL; simultaneous playback from both the audio video output and on the LCD monitor available
	HDMI output	HDMI Miniconnector; camera monitor turns off when HDMI cable is connected
	Accessory Terminal	- Remore Cord MC-DC2 (Optional) - GPS Unit GP-1 (Optional)
	Supported Languages
	Supported Languages	Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish
	Power Source
	Battery	One Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL3e
	Battery Pack	Multi-Power Battery Pack MB-D80 (optional) with one or two Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL3e, or six R6/AA-size alkaline, Ni-MH, lithium or nickel-manganese batteries (Battery Holder MS-D200 is required when using R6/AA-size batteries)
	AC Adapter	AC Adapter EH-5a (optional)
	Tripod Socket
	Tripod Socket	1/4 in. (ISO 1222)
	Accessories
	Supplied Accessories (may differ by country or area)	Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL3e, Quick Charger MH-18a, Eyepiece Cap DK-5, Rubber Eyecup DK-21, USB Cable UC-E4, Audio Video Cable EG-D2, Camera Strap AN-DC1, LCD monitor cover BM-10, Body Cap, Accessory shoe cover BS-1, Software Suite CD-ROM
	Dimensions/Weight
	Dimensions (W x H x D)	Approx. 132 x 103 x 77mm / 5.2 x 4.1 x 3.0 in.
	Weight (Camera body only)	Approximately 620 g/1 lb. 6 oz. without battery, memory card, body cap, or monitor cover
	Operating Environment
	Temperature	0-40°C/32-104°F
	Humidity	Less than 85% (no condensation)
	MSRP	Camera body only, lens sold separately: US $999.95 / CAD $1,119.95 Packaged with 18-55mm AF-S DX Zoom Nikkor lens: CAD $1,279.95 Packaged with 18-105mm AF-S DX Zoom Nikkor lens: US $1,299.95 / CAD $1,449.95

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