Nikon D90 12.3 MP Digital SLR Camera - Black (Body only)

I've written several reviews and guides for eBay before and I thought it might be a good idea to update some of them.
At the same time, I've decided to review my current camera.

I used an Olympus E-510 (Evolt in the US) before my D90 and upgraded because I found some of the features of the Olympus limiting.
Like many, I had some difficulties in choosing which camera to upgrade to. Do you stay with the same system? If not, which way do you go? In the end, after looking at several cameras , including the Canon EOS 40D and the Olympus E30 I wandered into a shop and picked up a D90. 5 minutes later I walked out with it.

The first thing you notice is the viewfinder, especially if you're coming from a lower level DSLR or bridge camera. It's a proper pentaprism, rather than the cheaper pentamirror. That means it's bigger, brighter, easier to see through and an absolute joy to use.
The next thing is, for me at least, the ergonomics. This is a personal thing but I found the camera a joy to use and everything I use when shooting comes naturally to hand without having to remember where it is (not something I can say about the EOS 40D for example).
And then you start to notice other little things. It's got an autofocus motor built in so, unlike the cheaper Nikon models, it can operate the AF screws in non AF-S lenses. Doesn't sound like a big deal but after a year with this camera, it's turned out to be a real advantage. It's also surprising how useful the LCD on the top plate can be for checking your settings and adjusting the exposure controls.

Of course, the D90 has it's limitations. When it was released it was the first DSLR to have a video recording feature. It's a rather sparse video system really, no aperture control, no autofocus etc. But don't let that put you off (unless you really want to shoot video). At the time of writing (August 2010) the D90 is rumoured to be replaced in the near future and this, if anything, will turn it into even more of a bargain than it already is.

I could list great features about this camera forever... The 3D tracking, 11 point AF system is fast, accurate and hugely customisable. The high impact plastic and metal body is solid and excellently built. The controls are intuitive and easy to use. The image quality is genuinely excellent. The 3 inch, 920K pixel screen delightful to use. The automatic chromatic aberration removal (if you shoot JPEG) is very impressive. The inbuilt wireless flash commander modes are something that Canon has only just begun to catch up on, 2 years later, and on a much more expensive camera.

The camera is so flexible and there are so many ways you can adjust it, it's impossible not to love it (you can even reverse the action of the dials and indicators if you like). When it came out, it was universally reviewed as the best camera in it's class and it still thoroughly deserves that plaudit. This is a camera for photographers. It's not showy or huge but it offers a massive leap in terms of quality and technology over entry level cameras.

The best thing I can say about it is this... it made me want to use it. More and more.