Nikon D90

Hello, I'm Rich Trenholm of CNET UK, and this is the Nikon D90. It's a prosumer camera that's been getting a lot of attention as the first dSLR to shoot video. First impressions are that it's quite a chunky beast, with a heavy, sturdy feel, especially with this chunky kit lens. It's controlled by these two wheels for finger and thumb, with many of the other controls arrayed to the left of the screen. It's a mid-level camera, succeeding but not yet replacing the D80, and packing a 12-megapixel CMOS sensor. You watch live view on this large, high-resolution 3-inch screen and also get this bright viewfinder. It's surprisingly unintimidating, with features carried over from the compact market including preset scene modes and face detection. It even takes SD cards. More advanced features include a dust-prevention system and in-camera photo retouching. Cleverly, the camera can automatically detect when a stabilised lens is attached and consequently select slower shutter speeds. So, let's talk video? Video recording has been a staple of compact cameras for a while, so why has it only just arrived on dSLRs? Well, aside from technical considerations, there's been the question of whether anybody actually wanted it. While video-shooting dSLRs definitely have the cool factor, there's still plenty of people that see it as a gimmick. While we're excited about the feature it does seem to us that there are a few let-downs in the D90's implementation of video. It's high definition 720p and you can swap lenses for cool effects, but you can't change the exposure or use the viewfinder while filming, and you have to focus manually and clips are limited to five minutes and sound is monaural only. We kind of get the sense that the video feature was rushed to market, perhaps to beat the competition. If video is your main interest, you might want to hold off and see what other manufacturers have to offer. But if you're OK with the video feature, the D90 is an excellent camera. It's exceptionally responsive and is one of the fastest in its class. Images are first-rate, and it's a great user experience. I'm Rich Trenholm of CNET UK, and this has been the Nikon D90.