Nikon D90 or Similar DSLR's

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Anyone know of good deals for the Nikon D90 or something that is cheaper but comparable to it. Im planning a vacation soon and I want to take awesome photos. I like the N90 because of the video mode but I would sacrifice that for a cheaper camera that has about the same image quality and stuff. My budget is about $650 or so.

Thanks.

[lsplavec]

LOVE my new Nikon D5000! Search for deals online, can be had within your budget.

[redbullet]

LOVE my new Nikon D5000! Search for deals online, can be had within your budget.

thnaks, i will check it out. what lens has the best bang for its buck??

[michaelj]

Do you need the d90 in particular? Do you have lenses already that you want to work with? If you that 650 is a firm limit, and you want to invest in a decent lens (which will matter more for your picture than the body, and you can bring good lens with you if you upgrade bodies), you probably want to get a cheaper body like a d40/60. Cameta on ebay is very cheap and an authorized nikon seller. Link (http://photography.shop.ebay.com/Digital-Cameras-/31388/i.html?Brand=Nikon&Product%2520Line=Nikon%2520D&Megapixels=6%252E0%2520to%25206%252E9%2520MP&_catref=1&_dmpt=Digital_Cameras&_fln=1&_ipg=&_ssn=cametaauctions&_ssov=1&_trksid=p3286.c0.m282)

It should be around 300-ish, and you can spend the remaining $400 or so on the 35mm f1.8 ($200 on amazon, etc) and a 55-200mm VR ($180, also on cameta ebay), you would be much better off than getting a d5000 with the kit lens

[poolsmaster]

. Im planning a vacation soon and I want to take awesome photos.

I like the N90 because of the video mode.

I love my new D90 body which I got for $774 after BCB (possibly $760, search SD), but not more than I loved my 5 year old D70.

I have to mention this because I notice you mention vacation and the D90's video mode in the same paragraph.

As I'm sure you've read in your research already, the D90's video mode doesn't exactly lend itself to recording those spontaneous vacation moments. Shooting sharp casual "vacation" type videos with the D90 requires two hands (and possibly a third and an extra brain), one to handle the focusing (which must be done continuously), the other to handle the manual aperture ring (non-G fast fifty) lens, a thumb to hold down the AE-L button (unless you set HOLD mode in CSM). The D90's video mode gives no control (automatic OR manual) over shutter or aperture (unless you have a non-G lens where you can rotate the aperture ring). In video mode, the D90 maintains proper exposure by varying ISO. The end result is a tool that produces spectacular results IF you setup properly, have the proper lenses, and don't mind video that is more artistic than practical in nature. Just keep in mind that it will take a lot more work to get super-sharp large DOF AVCHD video like what you would get from one of those popular Panasonic Lumix compacts.

If I didn't have my stash of old lenses (all AIS and some D), I would have bought the D5000, but I needed the D90 for its screw-drive focusing motor. The D5000 is pretty much the same camera as the D90 with different controls/size/aesthetics.

Also, here's another bit of advice: There's nothing wrong with the cheaper CCD-based D40/D60/D3000 models, except when they are priced too close to the D5000 (at which point I would get the D5000). I came from a Nikon D70 which is 5 years old, and supposedly, very noisy relative to modern dSLRs. After reading all those reviews on the web, some very quantitative (like DXOmark), I was expecting massive improvements in ISO performance with the D90. What did I really get? Well, the noise on the D90 isn't exactly what I would call less, just different. Quantitatively speaking, I'm sure there is a difference, but qualitatively? Not so much. The people who seem to notice the hugest difference in noise between the D90 and older cameras are people who underexpose. When pictures are properly exposed, differences in noise are far more subtle.

The lens with the best "bang-for-the-buck" is dependent upon what you want. The Nikkor 35mm f/1.8 is the cheapest way to get F/1.8 in a normal perspective lens for the DX format. The Nikkor 55-200mm VR is the cheapest way to get 55-200mm with VR in the DX format. The tamron 17-50mm f/2.8/Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8/tamron 28-75 f/2.8 etc are cheap ways to get f/2.8 in the normal zoom range. There is always a compromise between focal length, speed, and convenience.

[bigwormie]

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I love my new D90 body which I got for $774 after BCB (possibly $760, search SD), but not more than I loved my 5 year old D70.

I have to mention this because I notice you mention vacation and the D90's video mode in the same paragraph.

As I'm sure you've read in your research already, the D90's video mode doesn't exactly lend itself to recording those spontaneous vacation moments. Shooting sharp casual "vacation" type videos with the D90 requires two hands (and possibly a third and an extra brain), one to handle the focusing (which must be done continuously), the other to handle the manual aperture ring (non-G fast fifty) lens, a thumb to hold down the AE-L button (unless you set HOLD mode in CSM). The D90's video mode gives no control (automatic OR manual) over shutter or aperture (unless you have a non-G lens where you can rotate the aperture ring). In video mode, the D90 maintains proper exposure by varying ISO. The end result is a tool that produces spectacular results IF you setup properly, have the proper lenses, and don't mind video that is more artistic than practical in nature. Just keep in mind that it will take a lot more work to get super-sharp large DOF AVCHD video like what you would get from one of those popular Panasonic Lumix compacts.

If I didn't have my stash of old lenses (all AIS and some D), I would have bought the D5000, but I needed the D90 for its screw-drive focusing motor. The D5000 is pretty much the same camera as the D90 with different controls/size/aesthetics.

Also, here's another bit of advice: There's nothing wrong with the cheaper CCD-based D40/D60/D3000 models, except when they are priced too close to the D5000 (at which point I would get the D5000). I came from a Nikon D70 which is 5 years old, and supposedly, very noisy relative to modern dSLRs. After reading all those reviews on the web, some very quantitative (like DXOmark), I was expecting massive improvements in ISO performance with the D90. What did I really get? Well, the noise on the D90 isn't exactly what I would call less, just different. Quantitatively speaking, I'm sure there is a difference, but qualitatively? Not so much. The people who seem to notice the hugest difference in noise between the D90 and older cameras are people who underexpose. When pictures are properly exposed, differences in noise are far more subtle.

The lens with the best "bang-for-the-buck" is dependent upon what you want. The Nikkor 35mm f/1.8 is the cheapest way to get F/1.8 in a normal perspective lens for the DX format. The Nikkor 55-200mm VR is the cheapest way to get 55-200mm with VR in the DX format. The tamron 17-50mm f/2.8/Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8/tamron 28-75 f/2.8 etc are cheap ways to get f/2.8 in the normal zoom range. There is always a compromise between focal length, speed, and convenience.

Thank you for your thorough response. I found it very helpful in my own quest for the right camera setup.

[chyidean]

Im planning a vacation soon and I want to take awesome photos.

You won't miraculously take awesome photos because you have a D90. A good photographer can theoretically work with any camera.