Nikon D90, semi-pro camera

Author's Rating:

Pros: Night pictures, ergonomics, layout, customization, variety of available equipment

Cons: Price, reports of some possible technical issues.

The Bottom Line: 
This is a camera that's solid enough for professional, and even though pricey, definitely provides features and quality for the money.

Author's Review
I should begin by saying that I'm a little unconventional when it comes to cameras or cars. For whatever reason, I always buy cameras that are on the fringe of mainstream. I guess I can chalk it up to wanting be different, to stand out, for lack of any better reason. Sometimes it's good to stand out, sometimes, that's not the case. After spending time, and much of my hard earned money on Sony cameras and equipment, I ended up having a change of heart (the Sonys aren't bad, but if you ever want to do more, there's lack of any serious choice of equipment, or support) and sold all my Sony equipment, in favor of a more mainstream Nikon camera.

I settled on D90 for a reason. It's combination of pro-level features from D300, in a lighter, more compact body (don't need the magnesium alloy body, because I never abuse my photo equipment) was the major deciding factor for me, and I splurged the moment the camera became available.

The camera is supported by a vast array of Nikon lenses, with any AF-S lens being 100% compatible. Regular AF lens are compatible as well, and i'm using a very nice prime glass with it more often than I use my AF-S zoom lens. The body is ergonomically perfect (for my hands at least....) and is easy to grip and hold in one hand. I don't get fatigue in my fingers after 10-15 minutes, like I used to do with my Sony before; it's very comfortable. The LCD on top of the camera displays all vital data, however I found myself relying more on the LCD display, having reconfigured it to display the settings. There is nothing that I wish was done differently when it comes to the ergonomics of the camera, or the layout of the controls; all controls are very intuitive, and after few minutes of fiddling with buttons, I was familiar with all essential functions. Now, the menu system was different story, as it took me some time to get used to Nikon menus, coming from ultra simple (not a compliment) set up of Sony. With D90, pretty much everything is customizable, and that's great if you want camera that gives you a little more control over its functions.

After having taken few pictures and importing them into my Mac, I don't have a single regret about having made my decision to switch. The colors are very accurate, the autofocus is mostly spot on (occasionally, it grabs something unintended, so I have to retake the picture, but it's rare) and very fast, and the night shots are great. I found myself taking pictures at dusk, while handholding the camera, and still ended up with very decent pictures with minimal noise.

I have read some reviews on the internet about people experiencing random technical issues with D90, so that has me worried a little, but so far, my D90 has been flawless.

I have 18-105 zoom lens and 50mm primes so far, as well as the Nikon flash, and find myself using the prime lens most often. The variety of available equipment for Nikon cameras is just mind boggling, so there's a lot of opportunity to grow with your camera, as you learn new techniques.

Overall, D90 is top of advanced amateur crop of Nikon cameras, and will give you as good of pictures as your skills allow you to take. Same can be said about most other DSLRs out there, but the difference in Nikon D90 are advanced control, ease of use, night pictures and vast array of compatible equipment.