D90 Owners Thread - Anything D90 related

Bristolian said:
Sorry, but you're comparing chalk and cheese here. The D90 (despite being recently discontinued) is still the biggest bang-for-buck you can get from Nikon. With the D90 you have an "almost pro" camera whilst the D5100 is very firmly in the "beginners/consumer" arena - no offense intended to D5100 owners ;)

Go to a camera shop - not Dixons or Curry's - and try them both out you'll soon see the difference.
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+1 :thumbs: no comparison
 
Sorry to say it Steve but you're pretty wrong there, the D5100's sensor is far superior to that of the D90 not to mention the 1080p video.

in terms of build quality the D90 is better yes, but in terms of the shots it produces, the D5100 is just better.

p.s I'm not a D5100 owner ;)
 
Laffles said:
Sorry to say it Steve but you're pretty wrong there, the D5100's sensor is far superior to that of the D90 not to mention the 1080p video.

in terms of build quality the D90 is better yes, but in terms of the shots it produces, the D5100 is just better.

p.s I'm not a D5100 owner ;)
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It depends on whos taking the photo's :). who really wants 720 or 1080p on a Dslr anyway, better off buying a video camera surely? I have used mine once to see what it was like never used it again and cant see me ever using it.
 
I completely agree it's whoever's behind the camera that counts :) and that if you want video you should just buy a video camera..

But as for sm3ms shelling out cash for a new camera I don't think it's sound advice saying that the D90 is 'the biggest bang for your buck' is all. ;)
 
Laffles said:
I completely agree it's whoever's behind the camera that counts :) and that if you want video you should just buy a video camera..

But as for sm3ms shelling out cash for a new camera I don't think it's sound advice saying that the D90 is 'the biggest bang for your buck' is all. ;)
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Personally it all depends how far he wants to go with his photography, I have had my D90 12 months + I think its an amazing camera, I got it as it was, as they say the best choice before going for a pro camera, I have been looking at new nikon's though :) If it was me I would save the extra money and go for the D7000.
 
My D90 will do my just fine until I can afford to go FF :D
 
I have been using my d90 for a few years now, and own the kit 18-105mm and a 50mm 1.8 prime.

I really like the range of the kit lens. Other than the 55-70 and the 70-200, is there any zooms lens that would fall into the 18-105 range that would offer me better pictures. Looking at websites, I can see a Siga 18-250, Tamron 18-270, and Nikon 18-200, all of the lens offer a good range, but would the quality of my pics be better?
 
I had to think for a while before upgrading from my kit lens. I ended up buying a used 17-55mm f/2.8 Nikkor lens. It's a lot of money to spend on a lens, but if image quality is what you're after then I don't thing you'll beat this one for a wide lens.
 
I strongly considering the 24-70 2.8 nikkor. I would like to have the 18, but since I plan to go FX soon this should work nicely for me. Only thing holding me back is a potential replacement... But i might just take the plunge.

The only thing that the replacement could have to make me gutted would be that its more compact.
 
Thanks for the input guys

now im looking to get a new lens for my newly acquired D90
Whats the best all-round lens in the market ? (reasonably priced)
not looking to go any further than 300mm
 
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Laffles said:
Sorry to say it Steve but you're pretty wrong there, the D5100's sensor is far superior to that of the D90 not to mention the 1080p video.

in terms of build quality the D90 is better yes, but in terms of the shots it produces, the D5100 is just better.

p.s I'm not a D5100 owner ;)
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Dan,

It's not just about sensor performance or video quality - the D90 is far superior to the 5100 in many ways that are just as important. For example, there are dedicated (and programmable) buttons for adjusting settings - no having to dive into the rear screen menu and losing the moment. A major advantage of the D90 (in many people's opinion) is not being limited to AF-S lenses for auto-focus.

I stand by my comparison - chalk and cheese :)
 
Laffles said:
But as for sm3ms shelling out cash for a new camera I don't think it's sound advice saying that the D90 is 'the biggest bang for your buck' is all. ;)
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Really? So what other Nikon gives you better performance, IQ, handling, range of useable lenses and versatility for the same (or lower) price? The D300 and D7000 are great cameras but at a price premium ... the D3XXX and 5XXX are also great cameras but they lack the versatility and operability of the D90.
 
Steve, I do agree with you, I recently upgraded from a D5k for the easier and quicker settings, two scroll wheels, bigger viewfinder etc etc. If you want speed and spontaneity in your photograpny this camera is fantastic.
Just bought a used MB-D80 too and it even better - nicely balanced and easier to hold and use even with my 70-300 attached
 
Just a quick question, does it make any difference to the life of the camera or speed of operation if you use the more silent shutter setting? Just wondered if there is any reason you would have it on loud...
 
DoctorJ said:
John, any (non-Nikon) recommendations for the grip? I had also heard / read somewhere that they don't always work reliably with non-Nikon batteries for some reason, can't see why that may be.
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I found this when I had my third party grip, it seemed to work fine with OEM (or branded) batteries, but very occasionally errored a battery warning when using unbranded aftermarket batteries. Batteries worked fine on their own, grip worked fine with OEM/branded batteries, doesn't make sense to me!

Also I found the aftermarket grip had a much nicer shutter button feel, but the build quality isn't as good as the MDB-D80 I have now.
 
Hey everyone,

I've been looking for a wide angle lens to join my Nikkor 18-200. The main use will be landscape, long exposures, indoors, architecture and some night photography, perhaps a concert I don't know...

I would gladly welcome a Nikkor 12-24 or even the 10-24 but they're expensive and I'll need a tele for motorsports photography in the future so I wonder if the difference between the Nikkors and 3rd parties reflect on the quality of the photos?

I've been thinking about the Tokinas 11-16 f2.8 and 12-24 f4 (DXII due the coating) since they're built like tanks and usually very sharp. How does the D90 cope with these two lenses in terms of CA, distortion and flares?

Would you recommend other options?


Thanks:thumbs:.
 
cjevans said:
Just a quick question, does it make any difference to the life of the camera or speed of operation if you use the more silent shutter setting? Just wondered if there is any reason you would have it on loud...
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I've not heard of this before, so I did a bit of searching. From what I could see the D90 doesn't have a quiet mode. This was fitted to the D5000, basically it just stops the mirror falling back down inside the camera until you remove your finger from the shutter button. It still makes the same noises, just delays the last 'clap' so seems quieter. Also it deactivates the AF beep. Realistically speaking you'd remove your finger straight away any way so it wouldn't make much difference apart from a situation where you would be conscious of making excess noise.
 
So sorry, must have confused turning off my beep with making the shutter more silent, did it over a year ago, sorry for making you work. I did find a couple of settings that needed changing while I did a search for it so would recommend people having a look over their settings. The two I noticed were
1 my colour space was set to sRGB, Adobe colour space is a wider/"better" setting
2 my video capture was set to medium quality, not that I use it that much but would rather it was set to HQ for when I do

Anyone else got custom settings they'd recommend?
 
Enter Sandman said:
Hey everyone,

I've been looking for a wide angle lens to join my Nikkor 18-200. The main use will be landscape, long exposures, indoors, architecture and some night photography, perhaps a concert I don't know...

I would gladly welcome a Nikkor 12-24 or even the 10-24 but they're expensive and I'll need a tele for motorsports photography in the future so I wonder if the difference between the Nikkors and 3rd parties reflect on the quality of the photos?

I've been thinking about the Tokinas 11-16 f2.8 and 12-24 f4 (DXII due the coating) since they're built like tanks and usually very sharp. How does the D90 cope with these two lenses in terms of CA, distortion and flares?

Would you recommend other options?


Thanks:thumbs:.
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No opinions? Anyone?

:wave:
 
Enter Sandman said:
No opinions? Anyone?

:wave:
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FWIW, I own the Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 and although I don't do a great deal of UWA shooting, I don't think that I could find a better UWA DX lens :shrug: - there's just nothing much* bad to say about it!

Build quality is superb, optics are dead sharp and free of overly complex distortion and it's a lot cheaper than the Nikon equivalents.

*I suppose that the biggest two (potential) negatives with it are;

a.) the fact that the zoom range is narrower than most (although generally, if I use a UWA lens, I generally favour the widest settings anyway) and
b.) the switch from Manual Focus to AF is made by pushing/pulling the barrel of the lens and mine has sometimes been pulled into MF mode whilst moving it in or out of the camera bag. As such, I think that I have AF'd on the right area and it's only when I see the detail on the PC that I realise I was in manual and focused on the wrong area :(. This would be easier to spot on other lenses, but because of the very deep depth of field at the wider FLs and the tendency for there to be less large subjects in the frame (often), it is surprisingly easy to get it wrong of you are in a hurry. Personally, I'd prefer a normal switch for MF/AF selection :|.

Good luck with deciding ;).
 
Naboo32 said:
FWIW, I own the Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 and although I don't do a great deal of UWA shooting, I don't think that I could find a better UWA DX lens :shrug: - there's just nothing much* bad to say about it!

Build quality is superb, optics are dead sharp and free of overly complex distortion and it's a lot cheaper than the Nikon equivalents.

*I suppose that the biggest two (potential) negatives with it are;

a.) the fact that the zoom range is narrower than most (although generally, if I use a UWA lens, I generally favour the widest settings anyway) and
b.) the switch from Manual Focus to AF is made by pushing/pulling the barrel of the lens and mine has sometimes been pulled into MF mode whilst moving it in or out of the camera bag. As such, I think that I have AF'd on the right area and it's only when I see the detail on the PC that I realise I was in manual and focused on the wrong area :(. This would be easier to spot on other lenses, but because of the very deep depth of field at the wider FLs and the tendency for there to be less large subjects in the frame (often), it is surprisingly easy to get it wrong of you are in a hurry. Personally, I'd prefer a normal switch for MF/AF selection :|.

Good luck with deciding ;).
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Thanks for the reply:thumbs:.

Did you experienced any issues dealing with flares?
 
Enter Sandman said:
Thanks for the reply:thumbs:.

Did you experienced any issues dealing with flares?
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To be honest with you, I can't really recall many finished shots where the sun was actually in the frame :thinking: (we don't see it very much here in Germany :D), although I usually do a quick test with any new lenses I get to see how they handle these things. I can't say that I recall any particular issues with flare though :shrug:.

There are lots of online reviews and tests of this lens, if you just Google for them, so I would recommend reading as many as you can (which is what I did before buying mine).

As far as sharpness goes, it's noticabley sharper than my (FX) Nikon 17-35mm f/2.8 (and about 1/3 of the price :)) and this was the most important feature for me.
 
being the proud owner of a D90 I am still getting my head around the various features, and one that has me baffled is the focus lock switch on the back of the camera. Now obviously I realise frrom the name what it does, but for the life of me I can't fathom out why and how to use it no matter how many times I read the manual. I know I'm probably being stupid, but HEELLP.
 
The AF/L & AE/L button? I'm no expert, but on stock settings, pressing and holding this in conjunction with the shutter button after focussing locks focus and exposure allowing you to focus/expose for a subject, then alter where they appear in the pic.

Normally if you try and alter the composition (ie mess with where the subject of your pic is in the frame, usually off center), the camera will try and alter focus/exp for whatever is in the centre of the viewfinder, that button prevents that. Which is A Good Thing :)

EDIT: Just realised you might mean the AF Lock Switch... My bad! This is for use when you manually select the autofocus point using the D pad, its to avoid accidentally changing said point. I manually select AF points, but never use this switch... Maybe I'm missing something tho ;)
 
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No, sorry I mean the focus selector lock, I am assuming you have to have it in the off position when selecting single or dynamic area, and then turn it to " L " after selection. That is what the manual says but I don't really know what it means. But going to the AF/L & AE/L button that you mention, is there a way to lock the focus without locking the exposure, and vice versa? Sometimes when I want the focus point to be off centre, I don't neccessarily want to change the exposure as well, if you know what I mean.
 
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See my edit, just realised after I grabbed my D90 heheh. Yep you're right, it's all about locking the selection. Hopefully someone else can enlighten us as to why you'd need to, I've never found a need for it! Maybe its for tripod use, if you know where your subject is going to be?
 
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Pretty sure you can alter the function of the AF/L button in the menus, but I've always left it as is despite much messing with the options.

I'm positive someone else will be able to tell you what it can do and how it can make your pics better, but I'm happy leaving it as standard :)
 
OK Ron,
Thanks for your input, as you say maybe someone else can enlighten us and we'll both learn something. One thing is certain though, if you can't find out on here, you won't find out anywhere.
 
Guys, looking to get a D90. Is it worth the dosh? Looking to buy one 2nd hand. I do prefer a Nikon! Just need a shove in the right direction!
 
cam1986 said:
Guys, looking to get a D90. Is it worth the dosh? Looking to buy one 2nd hand. I do prefer a Nikon! Just need a shove in the right direction!
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At the risk of sounding meat-headed due to beer... Yeah, just get one. They're awesome :)

Also, depends on the dosh. I bought one at retail when they were still hot poop. If I were offered one for £300 tomorrow I'd snap it up. However I think they're a bit pricier than that used...
 
Iv recentley brought my D90 and love it but would like to get a filter, mainly to protect my lens. Any ideas of what is best to look at. Iv heard Hama are pretty good?
 
Grasshopper said:
Iv recentley brought my D90 and love it but would like to get a filter, mainly to protect my lens. Any ideas of what is best to look at. Iv heard Hama are pretty good?
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Did you buy your D90 2nd hand or from new?
 
I have a Hama one on my kit lens :) Havent got anything bad to report on it
 
Main advantage of the D90 over D80 is performance in low light (aka high ISO). The D80 is a developmental generation behind the D90, which in turn could be said for the D90 and its (sort of) replacement, the D7000.

If you can afford it, I'd say get a D90, but you're not going to get terrible images from a D80. I've come very close to buying one a few times for backup, but am sticking with my D40 for now, especially as D40's seem to be holding their value so well :)
 
I bought a D90 off a forum member over on the classifieds. £375 incl RMSD, a ML-L3 remote and a 4 gig card !!!

Great bloke and a nice bit of kit.

He was selling the MB-D80 as well so he let me have that for £50 incl RMSD.

Go for it would be my advice, big difference from my D3000 ;)
 
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