Review: Nikon D90 APS-C DSLR for Beginners

On its release in 2008, the Nikon D90 entered the Nikon DSLR range as a 'prosumer' camera. Even today, it can capture respectable images and is a fantastic, affordable option for beginners. Some photographers use the D90 as a secondary or ‘weekend’ camera.

In this review, we’ll look at the full specs, provide an overview of the D90 and show you some example images—shot by the MPB team using the D90. Not sure whether to buy the D90? This review provides all the knowledge you need to decide for yourself.

This review covers:

• Specs

• Overview

• Features

• Nikon D90 for Beginners

• Lens options

• Verdict

Specs

Overview

At the heart of the D90 is a 12-megapixel sensor, which produces vibrant photographs with great textures.

The D90 is APS-C (DX-format). The crop factor of 1.5x means, on the D90, a 100mm lens will give you the ‘equivalent reach’  of 150mm on a full-frame camera. You get a ‘closer’ field of view, albeit cropped in the centre.

Features

Let’s take a look at the Nikon D90’s features, and how they hold up today.

Video

Upon its release in 2008, the Nikon D90 was the first-ever DSLR to offer video recording. However, this is only 720p, inadequate for today's video shooting demands—so it’s unlikely you’ll want to use the D90 for any video at all. 

Burst Mode & Shutter Speed

The D90 is surprisingly fast. It can shoot a burst of 4.5fps, and allows you to buffer up to six RAW frames or 23 JPEGs in a sequence at  1/4000 sec.

ISO

The camera’s standard ISO range is 200–3,200, with an extended range of up to 6,400 or down to 100. While this won’t compete with more recent camera tech, it’s still enough for beginners shooting in good lighting conditions. If you don't want to set ISO values, you can rely on the camera’s Auto ISO feature.

Autofocus

The D90’s autofocus system includes eleven points and works well—even today. Again, the D90 autofocus isn’t as fast or accurate as later cameras. But it’s still good enough, particularly for beginners. 

Semi-auto modes

For further control over exposure, you can choose from five ‘advanced’ scene modes (Portrait, Landscape, Sports, Close-up or Night Portrait). Or, use the standard Program Auto, Aperture Priority and Shutter Priority modes and full Manual control.

Nikon D90 for Beginners

Today, the Nikon D90 is an excellent first-ever DSLR camera for beginners. The first and foremost reason is cost; the price has come way down and is affordable—while still delivering good image quality.  

The D90 is a relatively simple camera, with minimal fuss and settings to tweak. This simplicity makes the Nikon D90 a great camera for learning the basics of exposure, the exposure triangle and getting started with photography. Beginning with aperture or shutter priority modes, and then moving on to manual mode, this camera allows first-time photographers to progressively grasp the essential controls.  

While the D90 only has 12 megapixels, this is still high enough for beginners. If you need to blow up or crop into your images, you can always upgrade to another camera later.

Lens Options

Finally, the D90 offers access to hundreds of well-respected and affordable Nikon DSLR lenses. Whatever your budget, you’ll find a lens to help broaden your creative horizons. You can mount full-frame (FX) or APS-C (DX) lenses to your Nikon D90, depending on whether you think you’ll eventually upgrade to a full-frame DSLR.

For beginners, we recommend looking at these APS-C lenses: the Nikon AF-S DX35mm f/1.8G, 12-24mm f/4G IF-ED, or 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR II. 

Verdict

If you're getting started with DSLRs, the low-budget Nikon D90 is one of the best ‘starter’ stills cameras.

Read more camera gear guides on the MPB content hub.