"Awesome picture quality, same as my D300. It is much more plasticy than a D300, but I like it because it's much lighter and fits my hands perfectly. There isn't an obvious video button, but it was easy to figure out once you hit the LV (live view) button it prompts you to press OK to start recording. The top LCD screen is smaller than the D300. The 3 inch screen is amazing, just like the D300. This is a huge leap forward compared to the D80. It's an even bigger leap that they've pulled off high quality video that's user friendly! Put a Sigma 10-20mm or the Nikkor 10.5 fisheye, and you'll have some epic video shots. The 18-105VR lens is lighter than it looks, much lighter than the 18-200VR, feels very solid and is quite smooth. The standard definition video is good (haven't watched it on a large screen yet), and gives you 20 minute clips vs 5 min clips in HD mode. The zoom also worked when in video mode, but the Autofocus is fixed. Once in LiveView it takes a second to autofocus, then you can press OK and start recording. Sound isn't stellar of course. It has a small microphone and speaker, so you can actually hear the video your reviewing. So far this is my favorite new gadget of 2008. Wedding Videographer's rejoice! (i'm shooting one next week) "

    "~The first part of this review is on the body only. The lens review will be at the bottom.~

For those of you trying to decide between the D80 and D90, I share your dilemma. I spent a lot of time deliberating between the two before making my decision. The D80 offers an amazing realm of features for the money, but the D90 has features you'll wish you had. The D90 offers a 3" LCD to the D80's 2.5", an active anti-dust cleaning system for the sensor, LiveView which is a real boon in tricky angle situations but due to it's slow autofocus speed, use the viewfinder for most other situations, and of course 12.3MP to the D80's 10.2MP. The ISO range is also expanded from 200-3200, to the D80's 100-1600 with better signal-to-noise ratio. The D90 also offers a Lo-1 and Hi-1 expanded ISO of 100 and 6400 respectively. The D90 has excellent image editing and shooting mode options. The Color settings are Standard, Neutral and Vivid, all with adjustable parameters. It also offers a Monochrome setting also with adjustable settings. (NOTE: Tweak the contrast in-camera on Monochrome, and you can (almost) achieve the look of B&W film). The shooting mode dial offers Manual, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, and Program Auto, along with some specialized modes. They all offer excellent options for exposure, but if you're used to a manual 35mm camera, go with full Manual mode. The only automatic functions I use are Autofocus and Auto White Balance, and I get better results adjusting exposure myself. Bottom Line: Those experienced with SLR's and willing to spend a little extra should definitely go with this camera. The return on the investment will be worth the cash.

LENS REVIEW
The AF-S NIKKOR 18-105mm 3.5-5.6G VR ED wide-angle zoom lens included with the D90 kit is a good lens. Despite it's plastic mount and relatively small maximum aperture, it's a good first lens. However, I've had the camera for only two days and have already probed the limits of the lens in low light. The VR function is it's saving grace. I was able to get a handheld shot indoors at night in relatively low lighting with a 1/50 shutter speed at f/3.5 at about ISO 400, although very slightly underexposed. In normal daylight situations out in the world, this lens performed very well. The AF is smooth and quiet, with very little hiccups. The depth of field, despite the max. aperture of 3.5, is very nice, as is the bokeh. As a kit lens, it's a step above the competition. However, when you decide to upgrade the lens I'd go with two: The 18-200mm VR Wide Angle Zoom as your walkaround lens and the AF 50mm Nikkor 1.4D for low light indoor/night portraits.


~This is an addition to the review above~
I'd recommend shooting color shots on the Standard or Neutral settings. The Vivid setting can make colors look too artificial and in some cases bleed together. You'll be better off playing with color corrections in Photoshop to achieve higher saturation and contrast. "

    "Pros
The same ISO capability of the D300.
Intuitive layout that Nikon is famous for
Fast - focus, frames per second, and card access
First DSLR to have video, but . . .

Cons
Video has poor audio quality and no AF
Kit lens is not worth what Nikon says it's worth

Recommendation: Casual users who aren't concerned about how tough the kit lens is should buy now. Semi-pros who want a good lens might want to wait and just get the body (available about a month after the kit release)

Before making the leap to the D90 I researched this and other cameras for several weeks. I actually wanted the more expensive D300 because of the magnesium body and weatherproofing, but ultimately decided that the $600 difference was too big for just that one issue.

The D90 has the same sensor (or greatly similar depending on the source) as the D300 which means it shares the same great ISO capabilities. 1600 looks fine and you can definitely get usable small prints from even 3200. There are some reviewers on other sites claiming that the D90 has better noise reduction than the D300. Combine that with the the new Nikon VR lenses and you can shoot in low light at ridiculously slow shutter speeds. I've always hated using a flash and this camera is going to allow me to avoid using it in situations I never dreamed were possible. I took a shot in a dimly lit room at night and this camera picked up details I couldn't see with my own eyes!

The control layout is superb. The single button choices make complete sense - ISO, image quality, white balance and previous shot are right there on the left side of the LCD.

I did not buy this camera for its video function. However, Nikon did not deliver the goods here. You can buy a several year old Canon P&S S2 or S3 that shoots video (VHS/regular quality, not HD) at 30fps with stereo sound AND autofocus. If they could put that kind of functionality on a $200 camera it should be possible on a $1000 one as well. It just seems that if you're going to add a function like this it should have been done well or not done at all. If you're buying this camera because of its video capability then I would urge you to wait until Nikon or another DSLR maker does it right. Or just buy a separate HD video camera at a fraction of the cost of the D90.

I realize a lot of folks like the kit lens, but it is not the same quality as Nikon's other zooms in this price range. I read that Nikon says this kit lens, the 18-105mm VR, would sell for $400. Thus the "$100 savings by buying the kit." I bought the Nikon 70-300mm VR at the same time for about $485 and the build quality is far better with a metal mount and rubber gasket to keep out the elements. The kit lens has a plastic mount with no rubber gasket and it just feels cheap in comparison. If you're just looking for a basic everyday lens as an average user this might not matter, but if you're an aspiring amateur/semi-pro this is really not acceptable.

Overall this is a great camera and it is, minus the lack of weather proofing (which I can't expect at this price range anyway), exactly what I was looking for. It does have its flaws, however. Thus the 4 star rating instead of 5. "

    "In June '08, I was going to buy the D80, but it was two years old and rumored to be discontinued in several months. So I bought a D60 to hold me over until the new model, the D90, came out. Well, I've enjoyed using both cameras, but this one is a huge step up and more suited to an advanced enthusiast. It's a real pleasure to use.

ERGONOMICS - The D90 is solid, tight, and well balanced with the 18-105 VR lens. It's always ready and it shoots very fast. I love all the direct access buttons. They're easy to press, and you don't have to go into the menus as much allowing you to work pretty quickly. It's heavier than the D60, but it's still very manageable to carry around. It fits my average-sized hand better too. The shutter sound is different than the D60 (if that matters to you). It sounds more professional; more like a fast "whoosh" than a "click-click". And there are so many internal customizations that you can set it up exactly as you want.

LENS - Biggest surprise was the 18-105 VR lens which I expected would be ho-hum, but turned out to be pretty sharp and clear. Better results than the 18-55 VR. We've really come a long way from the days (30 years ago) when you were cautioned to ALWAYS to buy a prime lens, NEVER the kit lens because of it's poor image quality. With computer-aided design and new technology, that's not true anymore.

IMAGE QUALITY - I shoot RAW to maximize detail and allow room to adjust exposure. Image quality is very good to excellent depending on your RAW converter (best results with View NX and Capture NX; Adobe ACR very good). When shooting JPG, images are sharp and colors are true with not too much saturation using the Standard Picture Mode, which is how I like it. You can always use different Picture Modes or customize any of them to get closer to the result you want.

LIGHT METER - Metering is fine and seems to be quite accurate in most cases. I use matrix metering mostly. As with any camera, you have to get to know the meter. If I had to be VERY critical, I'd say when it's pushed, it's more likely to preserve shadows than highlights, usually when Active DLighting is on. DPreview.com mentioned a slightly "over-enthusiatic" meter in its review, but even the meter is fine-tuneable. I've used the D90 in a wide range of lighting conditions and while exposures vary occasionally, I've never been shocked or disappointed with the output.

LIVE VIEW - is great for the occasional high or low shot. I didn't think I needed it, but when I had the D60, I found myself in many situations where I really could have used it so I'm very glad it's there now. Unlike a point-and-shoot, focus is slower in this mode, but I wouldn't be using Live View if I were in a rush anyway.

MOVIE MODE - this is a nice novelty and may be handy in a rare moment, but I'm generally not a video camera person.

ISO - I really like the new wide range of ISO settings, especially when coupled with the Auto-ISO setting. Mine is customized to keep the camera at ISO 200, but kick in at 1/30. This means anytime lighting decreases enough for the shutter speed to drop below 1/30, the D90 will automatically compensate by raising the ISO high enough (up to a limit you set) to help keep your shutter speed up. Noise at high ISOs isn't an issue. In fact, you have to zoom in pretty close for it to be even slightly noticeable. I use Auto-ISO mostly all the time. Its an amazing feature!

ACTIVE D-LIGHTING (updated Feb 2009) helps camera to preserve shadow and highlight detail. More important to use when shooting JPG because the exposure must be right at the time of shooting, when the camera creates the JPG. RAW shooters can always adjust exposure in post processing. Even though I shoot RAW, I usually leave it on Auto so I can double check the exposure details on the LCD screen. It's available in various strengths from Low to Extra High. Again, another great customization.

CONS
-At this price, Nikon should include a robust image editing software, or at least a decent discount on Capture NX2, which works great, but costs extra.
-Kit lens is thick in diameter (67mm). Also, the front glass of the lens seems somewhat exposed, as if it's not recessed that much (it's just enough for a lens cap). I worry that it'll get scratched easily. Good thing Nikon included the lens hood.

SUMMARY - Overall I'm extremely happy with the D90. It's designed for serious shooting, but it's still fun to use; noticeably heavier than the D60, but still not a burden. It's more solid and substantial, so it's less prone to camera shake. Nikon packed it with a ton of features and customizations, so now I finally have everything I want in a DSLR, without it being overblown and overpriced. I'm surpising myself with really spectacular shots. Most importantly, it's helping me to become a better photographer. I'm sure I won't be bored anytime soon.

AUTOFOCUS TIP: added Nov 2008 - I customized the D90 to autofocus using the AF-L button instead of the shutter release. Now I can focus with one press of my thumb on the AF-L button and shoot with my index finger on the shutter release. This allows me to focus first, let go, then take the shot. Since the subject is already in focus, I can take multiple shots, recompose or go vertical. I'm not forced to continually re-focus for every shot or move the AF point around in the viewfinder. This minimizes AF mishaps on unintentional subjects. And since the VR system remains off until you half-press the shutter (it activates only when you're ready to take the shot, not while you're focusing) you save on battery life as well.

Also, with the D90 set to AF-C mode (continuous autofocus) you can keep a moving subject in focus by holding down the AF-L with your thumb and shooting with your index finger. If the subject becomes still, simply let go of the AF-L button; focusing stops and is locked where you left it. Then shoot when ready. Now your D90 can act as if it's in Single or Continuous AF mode without you having to change settings all the time. This gives you more immediate control over the behavior of the AF system Try it and you won't go back!"