Luminous Landscape Forum

Equipment & Techniques => Cameras, Lenses and Shooting gear => Topic started by: SeanBK on August 27, 2008, 06:33:08 am

Title: Nikon D90 @ 12.3MP - Gentlemen start your engine.
Post by: SeanBK on August 27, 2008, 06:33:08 am: http://www.nikonusa.com/Find-Your-Nikon/Pr.../25446/D90.html (http://www.nikonusa.com/Find-Your-Nikon/Product/Digital-SLR/25446/D90.html)
24fps HD with dsound movies too. Live view, GPS... I think bells & whistles are quite practicle.

For US $999.95 MSRP
Title: Nikon D90 @ 12.3MP - Gentlemen start your engine.
Post by: One Frame at a Time on August 28, 2008, 12:15:17 am: Quote
http://www.nikonusa.com/Find-Your-Nikon/Pr.../25446/D90.html (http://www.nikonusa.com/Find-Your-Nikon/Product/Digital-SLR/25446/D90.html)
24fps HD with dsound movies too. Live view, GPS... I think bells & whistles are quite practicle.

For US $999.95 MSRP
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I was really stoked about this till reading that it will not auto-focus in video mode .
What good is a video cam that lacks auto-focus in the real world? I am hoping the soon to be released 4/3 Mini cams have this covered. I shoot a fair amount of skiing so a combo DSLR and video would be of real interest. The 4/3 might be a nice compromise till they get this worked out. (hopefully).

Paul
Title: Nikon D90 @ 12.3MP - Gentlemen start your engine.
Post by: Kagetsu on August 28, 2008, 12:59:07 am: Quote
I was really stoked about this till reading that it will not auto-focus in video mode .
What good is a video cam that lacks auto-focus in the real world? I am hoping the soon to be released 4/3 Mini cams have this covered. I shoot a fair amount of skiing so a combo DSLR and video would be of real interest. The 4/3 might be a nice compromise till they get this worked out. (hopefully).

Paul
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I just think the aperture control in the movies will be the real winner for me... Shallow depth of field... Might be incredibly interesting.
Title: Nikon D90 @ 12.3MP - Gentlemen start your engine.
Post by: RobertJ on August 28, 2008, 01:32:27 am: Ha! I was happy that the video mode DOESN'T have auto focus. I've always turned AF OFF on my camcorders, because it produces absolute crappy looking videos. Manual focus yourself. It's beautiful.
Title: Nikon D90 @ 12.3MP - Gentlemen start your engine.
Post by: One Frame at a Time on August 28, 2008, 09:50:25 am: Quote
Ha! I was happy that the video mode DOESN'T have auto focus. I've always turned AF OFF on my camcorders, because it produces absolute crappy looking videos. Manual focus yourself. It's beautiful.
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Turning it off is an indispensable option. Not having the option, is a deal breaker for me.
Title: Nikon D90 @ 12.3MP - Gentlemen start your engine.
Post by: lovell on August 28, 2008, 05:29:57 pm: I'd rather have a dedicated video camcorder seperate in function to a dedicated DSLR for stills. Not impressed with video capabilities of a DSLR.
Title: Nikon D90 @ 12.3MP - Gentlemen start your engine.
Post by: DarkPenguin on August 28, 2008, 05:36:16 pm: I don't think it is a question of the video capabilities. I think it is an ergonomic question. How do you zoom and manually focus a slr while holding it out in front of you?
Title: Nikon D90 @ 12.3MP - Gentlemen start your engine.
Post by: The View on August 28, 2008, 08:02:55 pm: I'm really curious what the quality will be in comparison to a camcorder like the Canon hv30.

The sensor of the Nikon is bigger.

But, up until now, sensors for video and sensors for photography were quite different and specialized, and there wasn't one that could do both well.
Title: Nikon D90 @ 12.3MP - Gentlemen start your engine.
Post by: The View on August 28, 2008, 08:05:00 pm: Quote
I don't think it is a question of the video capabilities. I think it is an ergonomic question. How do you zoom and manually focus a slr while holding it out in front of you?
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Flip up the lcd screen, if the camera can do that.

Too bad the viewfinder will not be available, as video will have the mirror locked in upwards position.
Title: Nikon D90 @ 12.3MP - Gentlemen start your engine.
Post by: Pete Ferling on August 28, 2008, 08:43:16 pm: Professionally I never use manual focus. However, I do attach a rather expensive Marshal 7" external HD monitor in order to judge critical focus. Tiny LCDs are no match, and as a crutch, some models will use peaking, a form of visual oversharpening on the LCD to let the user know whats in focus.

Holding out such a camera at arms length would be awkward, especially when trying to use one hand or finger to adjust focus manually. Even a medium sized lens not usually requiring a tripod would be forward heavy with arms extended.
You would have to cup the camera in your left, using thumb and forefingers to work the lens while balancing with the right. It would be interesting to know if stabilized lens would provide assist or be feature locked.

Still, better than not having video and one could adapt it, but certainly not replace their dedicated video gear with it... yet (at least not a first generation unit).
Title: Nikon D90 @ 12.3MP - Gentlemen start your engine.
Post by: NikosR on August 29, 2008, 05:18:06 am: Quote
It would be interesting to know if stabilized lens would provide assist or be feature locked.

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It is reported the VR function works in video mode. Not sure how effective this would be though since it is designed for minute movement (vibration) only and not to smooth out long amplitude movement.