So What Does The New D3100 Do To The D90?

Well folks, you've been hearing about upcoming releases from Nikon for the past few months, but they are finally meeting the expectations... With the release of some amazing point & shoots on Tuesday, the D3100 has been confirmed and released to the public. If you are like me, you are always asking how the latest events apply to the D90... So what does the D3100 do to the D90? Think the meteor that killed the dinosaur. That's what it does. The D90 is now behind the curve, and unless you really really want that drive motor, get the D3100.

So what's better about the D3100? Seriously? Just about everything. Starting with a 14.2 MP sensor, then introducing the first Nikon with 1080p video, auto-focus in Live View, boosted ISO, (to 12800!) and then to finish it off with a fancy new processor, the EXPEED2, and even more editing capabilities, including movie editing.

If you're like me, you are probably thinking to yourself, "man, I should have waited for this guy to come out..." So what is the point of even having a D90 anymore, other than the fact that you don't have enough money to upgrade? Well, personally, I like several features which kinda even out the playing field. 1) That nice info screen on top... Sure, it takes some getting used too if you came from a D40, 60, 3000, or 5000, but we all love that screen. It is immensely useful. 2) The little drive motor on the front. Seriously, this opens up auto-focus on how many more lenses? Life for me would be miserable if I didn't have auto-focus on my 50mm... and 3) the D90 isn't targeted for new parents looking for a vacation toy. Remember, you own perhaps the defining camera in photography history, the first SLR to have video, not to mention perhaps the best collection of camera components for under a thousand dollars.

So don't feel too bad about it... If one of your friends starts bragging about his/her new D3100, and how it is so much better than your dinky D90, just remind them about that second screen, the battery grip, those couple hundred lenses that you have auto-focus on, all those little features that separate a professional from the amateur. You don't have to worry about going extinct for another month... (The Photokina event coming up... Rumor says the D95, the replacement for the D90 is supposed to be replaced... Don't worry though, you still own one of the best cameras in town, regardless of price.)

So while all the action and coverage has been going to the cameras, with some amazing compact replacements, (check out the projector camera replacement... the S1100pj - http://www.dpreview.com/news/1008/10081709nikons1100pjs5100.asp) many people have been overlooking some of the new lenses Nikon released... Here they are, in a real quick list:

- 85mm f/1.4G prime lens

- 24-120mm F4G ED VR zoom lens

- 55-300mm F4.5-5.6 G ED VR telephoto zoom

- 28-300mm F3.5-5.6 G ED VR ultra-zoom

(all of these except the 55-300 are full-frame for those of you with anything D700 and above)

The lens y'all can get excited about is that 55-300 VR... If you are like me, you might have skipped the predecessor to this lens, the 70-300, and gotten the 55-200 instead, so you wouldn't lose the 55-70 range... Well, now you can have just two lenses, the 18-55 and 55-300. With all the latest technology, SWM, ED, VR II, all that, Nikon was able to top everything, and include a little something they call HRI, or High Refractive Index. This helps in harsh lighting environments, and I am sure it is well worth the money. Speaking of money, does anyone know what the price is for this one? Probably around $450. That's cheaper than the old 70-300!

So that's a little update on how the latest Nikon releases affect the D90... I'll most likely do a post on how the D95 is better, worse and the same as the D90... As much as it seems you are behind the curve, and you feel like the D90 is outdated, don't feel that way. It still produces excellent pictures, it has everything any photographer could ask for, and you shouldn't even begin to think about replacing it until you hit at least 75,000 shots... :P

Whats up with the new D90?

Well folks, we've been talking about it, you've heard the rumors, but now it is really going to happen!

The word on the street is that Nikon is holding multiple press conferences in Europe on August 19th. Now don't get this confused with the point&shoot event that is scheduled for the 17th. That is to release some new P&S cameras that they have been working on, which could be interesting if you are looking for something to fit in your pocket, instead of the D90... Usually Nikon will release products within a week of each other, but they seem to be straying from their past by scheduling two sets of press releases only two days apart.

You saw before how Nikon has begun to call back it's dummy D90's, the stocks in many different stores has been decreasing, and there has been a lot of smoke about a replacement. Currently, the favored name is the D95. I have heard both that, and the D8000. Personally, I like D95 better, because it still holds the double-digit number, which raises it to more of the prosumer level, instead of the four-digit number, which is meant to be entry-level. There still isn't total confirmation that Nikon will be releasing the D95 (or D8000) on August 19, but it has been two years (almost to the day) since they released the D90, so I would say it is definitely time for an upgrade.

Currently, the bets are all on a camera that has been called the D3100. Everyone is saying that it is most likely to be announced, as there has been a large market surge in this area... Also, Nikon has been shooting promotional and advertising videos in Page, Arizona. (Don't worry if you don't know where it is... I didn't either...) People are saying they probably plan on using Antelope Canyon to help highlight some of the features of the camera.

So what is all the hubbub about? What's so special? It's just another camera(s), right? What exactly is the effect it will have on the D90? Well, name the few things you don't like about your D90. For me, they are as follows: Video quality isn't the greatest, slow auto-focus in live mode, no auto-focus in video, and no way to capture external sound. True, most of those deal with the video mode... Well, the D3100 is being built up to fix all of those problems, which means if they are releasing the D95 as well, it will be even more amazing!

Regardless of whether they do release the D95, both press conferences should be exciting. It sounds like they have some amazing point&shoots scheduled to take off, and I wouldn't be surprised if Nikon once again sets the trend in the DSLR world...

Is the Nikon D90 Being Replaced, Really?

Well I hate to say it but each day now I�m see more and more reports that the d90 is about to be replaced. Nikon Rumors is reporting that stores are already removing the d90 stock for the new replacement! They say it might now be called the D8000?. I guess it was going to happen sooner or later but this seems a little too soon for me, especially since the d90 is probably one of their best sellers�.. I don�t think I�ll be getting read of my D90 for quite some time. Regardless of how much they pressure me to upgrade to the replacement model. The announcement is rumored to be the middle of august. Stay Tuned for more information.

Update: Rumored to be called the Nikon D95 - 8/2/2010

So what do you all think about this whole D90 Replacement already?