As with all new electronic toys, I had to take this particular model for a test drive before wrapping it up as a gift for a family member who is absolutely sold on nothing else but point and shoot cameras. Myself owning several Nikon & Canon film/DSLR systems over the years, I have to admit that I've never been a huge fan of point and shoot cameras. Surprisingly I did find that the Nikon P90 was definitely worthy of a second look. By far, this camera is a step up over the much maligned Nikon P80.Packed with a 24x optical zoom (26-624mm) lens, the 4 way Vibration Reduction system incorporates Optical Image Stabilization to an ISO capability of 6400. In Sport Continuous Scene Mode, the P90 is capable of 15fps high-speed shooting at up to 45 frames per burst. When shooting outdoors in various transitions I was pleasantly surprised that the P90 operated smoothly without the usual demons associated with the older P80 system. It delivered an array of great outdoor photographs in both auto, sports and manual modes that required absolutely no editing.
Shooting indoors can be another story. Like all point and shoots the P90 does have its limitations in low light conditions. For me the long shutter lag in between shots is annoying. If users want to shoot in auto mode alone and don't have the time or patience to work the settings for indoor shots, this camera is probably not for you. However, the P90 can be tweaked to deliver indoor photographs.
The bottom line is taking the time to know the camera and making the proper settings. A basic fix is the VR (Vibration Reduction) feature. This should be activated, especially indoors. For those that insist on shooting in auto mode and in low light situations, the noise gremlins are indeed going to be noticeable due to a higher preset ISO. This will undoubtedly lead to dark and low quality photographs. To alleviate that scenario I suggest that if auto is the preference, try shooting in a stationary, programmed auto mode.
Another unique add on is the 3" tilting LCD screen. The LCD screen has a protective anti-glare coating. The tilted screen is a nice tool especially for shooting in the prone position. I only question the durability of the extension arm over time. Add in the Best Shot Selector (BSS),Red-Eye, Smile and Blink Proof features and you have the whole package.
In video mode, average quality is produced at 24 frames per second at 16:9 aspect ratio. HD would have been a sweet addition. As with all new digital cameras it comes down to memory card speed and top shelf batteries. Use of no name batteries can easily short out the system or leak. I recommend that buyers spend the extra bucks on SDHC cards and a durable tripod. The Nikon Coolpix P90 comes packed with (1) EN/EL5 Li-ion rechargeable battery, battery charger, USB cable, audio/video cable, strap, lens cap, one year warranty and software cd.
Even with its limitations indoors, seasoned point and shoot owners will undoubtedly enjoy all the bells and whistles that are packed on to this camera. As with all point and shoots the bottom line is convenience. Overall, for the price tag the Nikon P90 brings a lot to the table.
it also comes with Vibration reduction to stabilize said zoom shots
Noise reduction to help when high iso is necessary.
Auto and manual whitebalance settings
In camera digital lighting and editing.
This camera may not be a DSLR but in my opinion it takes pictures just as well with half the effort.The Nikon Coolpix P90 is what it is, a Point & Shoot Camera. It is not a DSLR and was never designed to replace a DSLR. Duh!
I do a lot of back country travel both in 4X4 vehicles and on foot and the P90 is a dream come true. It's light and packs easily on my belt, it's versatile and the super zoom lets me frame shots without climbing all over a mountain. It has easy to use controls and I can shift in seconds from a macro shot of a cactus blossom to an action shot of a javalina running along the river bottom. I would love to take the DSLR guy on some of my hikes and let him pack a camera, tripod and three or four lenses around for the day. I wonder who will get all the shots and who will still be several miles back trying to shift lenses!
Honestly, I've been the whole SLR/Darkroom route and I have eight film cameras and a dozen lenses sitting in a box in the closet. I started using digital cameras back when you paid a lot of money for a 2 megapixal camera. I bought a Coolpix 4500 and took almost 3000 pictures with it. I banged it around, dropped it in the dirt and it never stopped taking really good pictures.
Nikon knows how to make great cameras and the Coolpix P90 is a great camera. Don't let the "flamers" fool you with their horrific reviews. They buy a Point & Shoot camera and complain bitterly that it doesn't do the same thing a DSLR does. Wow, I suppose the same person buys a Saturn and complains because it doesn't handle like a BMW M6.
I've been playing with my new P90 and have over a hundred pictures in 5 days. It's going to be a great camera and a fantastic travel companion.I have owned several Nikon Digital Cameras and was considering an SLR when I read the reviews on this camera. It is everything and more than promised. I just returned from a trip to Italy and the pictures are the best I have ever taken. The wide angle is not quite as wide as my old Nikon 5000 with a wide angle lense and adaptor, but more than sufficient. In Paris I was able to photograph the entire facade of Sacre Cour standing in front of it. The sports feature is incredible. I used it to take pictures of my grand daughters little league game. I got every step of her bat swing and each picture was clear and in focus. It took 15 pictures in less than a minute. This is a great camera.I had decided to upgrade from the Canon S5 IS, because I really like a point and shoot camera with LOTS of zoom! I have always been a Canon person. My first choice the Canon SX1, but it was going to be expensive, and no one seemed to know the actual release date, so I decided against it. Then, there was the Canon SX10, but it didn't seem like much of a jump from the S5. I not only wanted lots of zoom, I also wanted to be able to take continuous shots rapidly. The S5 IS is really slow in this respect. This was to be my Mother's Day present, and I wanted to make sure I got just what I wanted!
After doing a LOT of research, I began to think the Nikon P90 might be a good choice for me. I had looked at the many pics taken with it on Steve's Digicam web site, but I always struggle to know if they have been photoshopped, or manipulated in some way. I went to a local camera shop, to try out the Canon SX10 against the Nikon P90, and they made my job easy, because they didn't have the Canon model in stock. Oh yes, and I also tried the Panasonic Lumix, but it was just too light for me, and the zoom on it is only 18X. I tried the Nikon P90 around the store, and it seemed like a good fit.
My first shots had a lot of blur to them. It really frustrated me, and I was concerned I had made the right decision. It seemed that no matter what I took a picture of, it was blurry. Also, we have a clear view of Pike's Peak, and I love to get those early morning shots of the mountain, and they just didn't seem to "pop". Our 16 year old son, who really knows his way around a camera, gave me some tips, and now, I really think this is an awesome camera! My early morning shots of Pike's Peak still aren't the best, but just about anything else I take a picture of, comes out awesome! The colors are true, and it is a LOT of fun to use! I just got a tri-pod today, and not having really used one before, I am learning how much it helps steady shots!
There are maybe two downsides to this camera, and to me, they are small ones. First, is the back LCD screen. It doesn't swing out like the Canon cameras do. One real plus to the swing out idea, is that when they swing back in, they can be flipped over, against the camera, so as to protect the LCD screen. I am just used to that is all. I need to get a protective screen cover for it, and I think it will be fine. The other 'downside', is that if I really use the camera most of the day, I pretty much use up my battery. This camera uses the Li-ion batteries, so for me, it was imperative I get an extra. I found a seller on Ebay that sold two of them at a really good price, and they came fully charged, and in small plastic cases too! Now I have 3 camera batteries!
So, if you are looking for a really fun, point and shoot camera, with lots of zoom, I highly recommend this camera. I almost didn't buy it, because I saw some reviews of it that weren't stellar. For once, I am glad I didn't listen to the crowd!
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