Comprehensive range of features

Quality of the rubber and plastics is appalling

I bought a F90 with MF-26 data back about 7 years ago. After warranty expired, MF-26 data back just conked out and paid 2/3 the price of new data back to have it repaired. After 5 years, all the rubberized coatings on the data back had deteriorated and were sticky to the touch that it was almost impossible to use it. The plastics on some parts of the body were also sticky, leaving impressions of my fingerprints after contact. Worse, due to my oversight in not removing the batteries from the body, it leaked and totally destroyed the battery compartment door. When I brought it to the Nikon agent for servicing, they said that it would be too expensive to repair and suggested buying a new camera instead. Don't believe all this rubbish about the durability and quality of Nikon because the durability of the body is suspect. The old manual Nikons and Nikormats get my vote any day.

Customer Service

Adequate for the few times that I used it

Similar Products Used:

Pentax ME, Pentax SuperA, Olympus

- Durability
- Accuracy
- Durability
- ease of use
- and Durability

- no MLU
- MB-10 and Data Back almost a necessity
- very noisy wind and rewind

Have used this camera for about 5 years. Previously owned a Pentax PZ-1, which I loved, but had difficulty in finding lenses for.

Have put several thousand rolls thru the N90S, and it has performed flawlessly. It has been thru both wet and dry conditions, with no problems. I have stored this camera for several months without touching it; turned it on and had no problems.

Good camera for intermediate/pro. May be too much for beginner, but a great camera to grow into. SB-26 flash is a perfect match. I can quickly compose and shoot with this combination.

It is showing its age very well; my fingers and thumbs have worn out and mapped themselves to the front and back of the camera. Its showing normal wear and tear, but otherwise performs excellent.

The MB-10 and data back, I would add, are almost mandatory.

Glad I bought, worth every penny. Definitely look into one.

Customer Service

Never needed it.

Similar Products Used:

Pentax PZ-1
Minolta X-370

3D matrix metering
Solidly built camera
8000 /sec shutter speed
auto-focus
Excellent control layout.
High eyepoint viewfinder.
Interchangeable focusing screens available.
High speed motor wind.
Now very affordable.
Metering works with manual lenses.
Takes AA batteries.

Focusing can hunt.
Shutter quite noisy.
Rubber finish marks and scuffs very easily.
Quite heavy.
Focusing area is not as flexible as the F80 or F100.
Program modes are unnecessary.

An excellent all round camera for the serious user. They are very affordable at the moment. This is now my standard camera. I can change the functions blind. As a serious amateur, I am annoyed about how easily the body of this cameras is scuffed and marked so easily. The F100 has a much more resilient finish. Occasionally, the focus does not lock on 100%, especially when using a long lens. I think that the F80 / F100 focusing modules are probably better than this one. There again, this is quite a old camera now.

Similar Products Used:

Nikon F70, Nikon FM2n.

Spot metering.
Compatibility with MF Nikkor lenses.
Solidly built.

A bit hard on batteries.
No mirror lock-up.
No double exposure without expensive back.
Focus is a little noisy.
Occasionally I've taken two shots by accident when depressing the shutter release slowly.
No threaded cable release socket.

A good camera, dependable, with an accurate meter. Fairly heavy and large, but good heft/feel in the hands. Buttons/controls could be a little more logical and organized, but after a little experience they are useable enough. All in all the camera is good but not great. I get pictures every bit as good (landscape) with my FE. The N90s is obviously the better choice for moving subjects or when flash is needed.

Customer Service

Not needed.

Similar Products Used:

Nikon FE, FM; Minolta SRT, X-700

Build quality. Computer memory.
Finder info.
Metering sys.
Flash TTL sys.
AA size batteries.

Weight.
Ergonomics.
Film rewinds all the way in.

Great "litle" camera.

Customer Service

???

Similar Products Used:

Canon EOS5, EOS rt, Minolta 7i.

Relatively cheap now that F100 is here
Compact
Quiet (compared to motored FM2)

Program modes a waste of space
Tiny little buttons
I keep bumping the AF mode lever

A good camera that does the job. Does everything my F4S used to but in a lighter & more compact package. I still prefer using manual focus though - AF sometimes focuses on silly things like shoulders or tips of noses instead of eyes when doing quick people shots, and hunts a bit in low light. A leap forward compared to F4's AF though (which was useless to me in low light).

Customer Service

Maxwell Industries in Australia always answers my e-mails promptly & politely.

Similar Products Used:

Nikon FM2n
Nikon F4S
Nikon F301

Fast AF, solid ergonomics, versitile.

No built-in mulitple exposures or a mirror lock-up.

Proven technology at your fingertips, coupled with a MF-26 Data back you get trap focusing and mulitiple exp as well as flash metering and auto bracketing. Ad an SB-28 flash and a quality zoom with a constant 2.8 aperture and you're set. This will do everything the F-100 and N80 can. This has a built-in eyepiece shutter, the F-100 does not.

Similar Products Used:

Cannon Elan A2E, Minolta 800si, Nikon N80

tough camera, i've owned mine for 10 years and, knock on wood, everything's still fine.
works super with sb flashes, great fill flash with the higher end flashes i've used.
what's all this garbage about it not being a pro camera? camera doesn't make a pro, but even if it did the n90 is the one used by 70% of the photogs at national g.

sometimes it's a bit too much for someone who prefers simple cameras.

don't be fooled buy all there hardware geeks who enjoy talking about this cam not being a pro nikon.i've seen moms snap pics of their kids with the 90 and the pics look totally pro.

Customer Service

very good.
called them up after my back was all scuffed up and eventhough i had purchased the cam in greece, nikon usa sent me a new back within 2 days.

Similar Products Used:

most nikon slrs

Reasonable solid build.
Pretty well sealed although fine dust does get in.
AF with 3D matrix metering.
Teams up well with the SB-28.

Too noisy.
AF hunts in low light.
Back panel flimsy.
Useless custom programs

Pretty good allrounder. Minor quibbles that are easily overcome.

Customer Service

Not used.

Similar Products Used:

None

The price paid is in Canadian dollars before 15% taxes.

In Canada, this model is sold as a Nikon F90X. Why, I don't know!

1. 4.1 fps built-in motor drive (more than adequate for most situations),
2. Fast and accurate single servo AF,
3. Continuous servo AF is accurate as long as the single AF sensor is on the subject,
4. Lock-on focus as long as no one or nothing passes between your subject and the camera,
5. 8 segment matrix metering (except in most backlit situations),
6. Centre-weighted metering for non D lenses,
7. Size of spot metering circle,
8. 3D Matrix Balance Fill Flash TTL with Nikon SB Speedlights combined with D lenses,
9. MB10 grip with vertical shutter release button,
10. Clean, sensible and uncluttered top deck layout,
11. Red eye flash mode, and
12. Light in weight compared to my Nikon F5.

1. Push to lock AE-L button,
2. Plastic feel (especially how the back can flex under moderate thumb pressure),
3. Noisy film rewind, mirror and AF mechanism,
4. Wide area AF sometimes will not focus precisely on subject,
5. Backlit subjects require spot metering,
6. No multiple exposure button (curious beginners usually like to play with this feature),
7. Only one AF sensor which is limiting during action photography,
8. No mechanical release cable (must purchase expensive electric release cable),
9. 92% viewfinder,
10. High battery consumption,
11. No film leader in/out custom function (must bring camera into Nikon Canada for free programming),
12. AF will hunt in zero contrast situations,
13. Foolish Picture modes (i.e. Landscape, Portrait, etc.),
14. Awkward AF lock button location, and
15. Must view the front of camera to use the Manual/Single Servo/Continuous Servo switch unlike the better designed switch on the F5.

I sold my two Nikon FE bodies and a couple of manual focus Nikkors for the acclaimed Nikon F90X in December 1994. I enjoyed using this camera until I sold it in early 1999 after purchasing a used F5. This camera is still available in Canada and is sold for approxiately $1100.00 Canadian. The F90X is becoming outdated in technology, handling and esthetics. If you do not want to spend the money on a Nikon F100 or F5, then I recommend that you research the recently released Nikon F intermediate models and Canon cameras before making your decision on the F90X. Also, study the Nikon/Canon lens comparison ratings under www.nikonlinks.com, Popular Photography and some of the British photo magazines to get an overall opinion on both systems. You may (or may not) want to switch over to Canon.

Customer Service

Used once to reprogram the auto rewind to allow the film leader to remain outside of the film canister.

It was inconvenient to drive the 20 kilometers from my office to Nikon Canada in Mississauga, Ontario during a weekday during normal business hours.

The service person was friendly and the process took less than 5 minutes, however.

Similar Products Used:

None.