Finally upgraded from D60 to D90 - First Impressions

<p>I've finally purchased the D90 after shooting with my D60 for the last 18 months - paid $949 Cdn on sale. The D90 had been my target upgrade since it came out. I thought I would share with you my initial impressions/excitement upon opening the box and popping a few of my existing lenses on it:</p>

<ul>

<li>the body is still too small for my grip so I'm ordering a battery grip (I did the same thing with the D60);</li>

<li>the readout from the top menu panel is tinier than I would expect (old age I guess) comparing to the bigger back LCD readout on the D60;</li>

<li>a lot more advanced features like multiple exposures, bracketing, and DOF preview - something I really look forward to learning to master. I don't expect to use the HD movie feature that much; </li>

<li>different but louder shutter sound than my D60 (small point); and </li>

<li>now my beloved 50mm f1.8 will autofocus - hooray!</li>

</ul>

<p>I realize I'm not really asking any questions here but just can't hold back my joy of finally getting the D90. I will still continue to use my D60 as my second camera to reduce lens changing. Any early advice on how best to bring out the full capabilities of this popular body is always appreciated.</p>

 

<p>I did the same upgrade a while back. You'll love it. Congrats.</p>

<p>First thing you'll notice: now you can shoot at ASA 3200 and get usable results! Next big difference: color and DR are improved even more than you expected.</p>

<p>Congratulations! Not sure if you are aware but the D60 style back LCD readout is available on the D90. Enjoy your new camera!</p>

<p>Congrats, Victor. I'm glad you're happy with the D90 - as I just replaced my backup D50 with this camera. I would've chosen a lesser body, but I wanted the screw-drive option. The bigger LCD was also a major selling point. I doubt I'll use the video option much, but I am interested in what videos will look like when shot through the Sigma 10-20.</p>

<p>The video shot by a high quality lens with shallow DOF is just beautiful out of D90. However it is very difficult to shoot video of anything that moves. It works best when the camera and the object are still because of camera shake and the lack of AF during filming. You can MF of course but the lack of a variangle screen makes it difficult to frame. Furthermore, to get good results with video, one has to be very good in editing, which is perhaps as important as the shooting itself. This is an area that I am not familiar with and it shows me that shooting still and video require two different skill sets. However, I think everyone should at least try it once to see for yourself whehter this is a feature that you wish to explore.</p>

<p>Mark, I happen to have the Sigma 10-20 in my inventory of lenses. I'll try to shoot some video and post it somewhere so you can see it for yourself. I wish the D90 were capable of 1080p resolution like the new Canon but it is only at 720p. I will also try it on my Sigma 120-400 and Nikon 50mm f/1.8. Should be fun.</p>

<p>Elliot, yes, i am aware of the back LCD being able to display the shooting info. Do you know if I can set up the camera in such a way that the back LCD will automatically come on when powered up - like the D60 without having to push the info button? I can't find anywhere in the menu that will allow me to set it up that way. </p>

<p>I have a question about the main differences between these two camera's. If I am coming from mainly using manual focus style slr's, would I notice the diference between them?</p>

<p>Other than AF with older lenses and better metering than the D60, the D90 does have added features as I mentioned above. I do, however, find the Liveview useful for shots that make peeking through the viewfinder difficult (e.g. shots requiring raising your arms and really low angle).</p>

<p>I just ordered a D90 this morning. Upgrading from my 4 year old D70s. More pixels, sharper LCD, new sensor, and low-noise ISO are the reasons. I shoot plays, and I could not get a fast shutter speed on the D70s to stop the action. Theater lighting is challenging. Before purchasing I checked all the specs. on dpreview. Excellent information on lens & cameras. <a href="http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikond90/">http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikond90/</a><br>

But I'm sure I'm not telling you guys anything new. I look forward to opening the box this weekend. BTW: I still love my D70s. With the f2.8, 70-200 lens...</p>