Nikon N90

Nikon N90

By Anne Ahira

The Nikon N90 camera is also known as the F90 to non US markets. This Nikon camera was intended for the amateur photographer but has ended up in the hands of more than one professional.

It was and is the most popular and most expensive 35 mm SLR camera Nikon made, exceeded only by the F100.

Features

• Wide- area AF
• 3D matrix metering
• Vari program
• Data link system
• 3D Multi-Sensor Balanced Fill-Flash and FP High-Speed Sync

The Nikon N90/F90 was produced in the early 90’s and up until about 1994. It is no longer available new, but it still is a great buy on the used market. The draw to the Nikon N90 / F90 was its extremely fast auto focus. All Nikon models up to this time were severely lagging behind the competition in this area and the Nikon N90 was built to prevent the loss of amateur photographers to brands like Canon.

The Nikon N90 was never intended for a professional photographer but many still use one to this day. The reason behind the cameras success is not only the fast auto focus, but in the stunning images, it captures.

These stunning images are possible at least in part due to the color matrix metering feature. The Nikon N90 uses the tone of the as one of the factors for exposure in addition to the information about distance gathered from the lenses as well as brightness and contrast. No one who has used the N90 or the later release the N90s will complain about the picture quality.

One interesting fact about these cameras is found in the instruction manuals. The user manual warned customers for years, from the 70’s until 1994 about the LED display on top of the camera. It seems the manufacturer was sure the LED screen would dim over time and have to be replaced. However years went by and not one single LED display has gone dim, even after extensive use. Usually the manufacturer underestimates the product not the other way around.

Cons

Finding a Nikon N90 may be a bit harder to do than it once was. They were discontinued over 10 years ago and replaced by the N90s. Basically though if you purchase the N90s you are getting much the same camera, with a few upgrades.

This camera can be very noisy at times. One user commented that the camera would squeal like crazy with the screw on lens. If this is something that bothers you simply use an AF-S, the S stands for silent.

Bottom Line

If you can find the Nikon N90 or N90s, it is a great starter camera. Users all comment on the lovely pictures they produce and besides if, professionals who have access and means to purchase many top of the line cameras are still using them there must be a good reason.

Also, check out my other guide on ambico tripod and canon sd100

Here's Nikon N90 Selections:

Nikon ML-L3 Wireless Remote Control for Nikon D40,...	Customer Review: I purchased this Wireless Remote to use along with my Nikon D-90. This is the way electronics were ment to be! It works like a charm as long as you have a unobstructed path from the Remote to the infared window on the right side of the camera. You ne... Read More	(790)
Promote Systems GPS Receiver GPS-N-90 for D-90 and...	Customer Review: One of the reasons that I upgraded to the Nikon D90 was its support for GPS input for tagging photos in real time. However, like many, I was disappointed with Nikon's effort, the GP-1. I had read about a number of third party units, but the reviews... Read More	(2)
Opteka RC-2 Wireless Remote Control for Nikon D40,...	Customer Review: When my Nikon wireless remote died out I came across the Opteka RC2 via an Amazon product search. Ideally priced I was a little skeptical. Any second thoughts that I originally had about this product have gone away. After a quick review of the instru... Read More	(25)
Tamron AF 90mm f/2.8 Di SP A/M 1:1 Macro Lens for ...	Customer Review: I have these lens for over a year now and I am really impressed by the quality of the pictures I get with it.The lens are sharp, and have great bokeh for out of focus subjects. The AF speed is a bit slow when you are shooting Macro - but the same goe... Read More	(14)
Zeikos ZE-MCDC2 Remote Control Shutter Release for...	Customer Review: Great to use when the camera is on a tripod or when you don't want the camera to shake when you push the shutter release button. Works great on the D90 but I have not tried it with other models.... Read More	$29.95 (1)