Nikon N90
Ever wonder how someone can have more than two dozen film cameras? Let me describe the process with a simple day-in-the-life. I was looking at an article or ad photo or blog review or something else about the Nikon F4 camera that I already had, but somehow was curious about what other features or random positives I should be aware of about my old new camera, because I work an appointment-based job and if a slot isn’t filled I have plenty of time to wander through the information minefield that is the internet. In these travels I discovered a picture of my camera being coupled with a Nikon Speedlight. What’s this? Why it’s just an on-camera flash, no big deal. I’ve never used flash attachments much, they were simple devices that required I do some math in my head and set the speed and aperture depending on a number of variables while shooting with my fully-manual mechanical camera. The Nikon Speedlight SB-Somethingsomethingsomething, saw it, researched it once I decided I wanted to know “What IS that thing?” followed by delighted exclamations of “Oh, it can do That? That too? And I’ve never even considered THAT as a thing” and suddenly I needed this flash that, to this day, I’ve not yet even used. Four or five years I’ve had this flash, I still love it, but I’ve not used it.
The flash unit isn’t just a simple ordinary fits-any-camera-and-you-do-the-math flash, it does all the mathing for me. It has a conversation with the camera processors (the Nikon F4 has four of them, by the way), and both parties involved make all the necessary settings depending on what I want to use the flash for. Neat! I’m reading through the manual that I downloaded and there is a listing of all the different Nikon cameras it works with and what features they share. So, cool okay, it does all these things with my F4, however it doesn’t do these other things, but what camera is it 100% compatible with? Just the Nikon N90. Will I need those features? Probably not, I mean I don’t even really need this flash unit, it was an impulse buy really. So do I really even need the Nikon N90? Of course I do!
Wait, what’s the going price? (search noises happen) Oh, yeah sure, why not? I’ve got 20 bucks.
This is how my collection grows. I fall in love with all aspects of my photography habit and I “swipe right” on one piece of equipment after another like a horny 20-year-old on Tinder. Before long, all my shelves and bags and the plastic tote under the couch are filled with camera stuff. Especially if it’s under 100 dollars. If it’s under 40 then I’m almost certain to buy it. Much of it is stuff I’ve never even used, like this speedlight or the box of Cokin filters I eventually gave to my sister, or half the lenses I own, or the camera back upgrades I bought but never installed, or the auto winders I never seem to feel a need for after the package arrives. Even though I still have every intention of using them and using them all the time… soon. I’ll get around to it.
So now I have this Nikon N90 that I bought specifically to use in tandem with the Speedlight flash, I’ve not yet even attached the flash to the camera yet, mind you. I found the camera for $20 plus shipping, I’ve spent more than that on a meal I wasn’t in love with, so why not give it a try? I can keep it or give it away after a couple rolls. So far I’ve put very few rolls through it, I’ll walk over to my camera shelves before a photo walk, “Is today your day?” I’ll ask my N90. It says nothing, because it’s a camera, and so I’ll be forced to make the choice, and that choice will usually be something else I have a fonder track record with. It’s a little bulky, heavier than my N80 but not as solid as my F4. It’s like right in between the two on several fronts. Maybe that’s his problem, just not standing out. However, since I’ve not used it much it still has that exotic New Camera charm. I was going to take it out last weekend, but I had forgotten what all the buttons do, and didn’t feel like reading up on an unfamiliar interface. I took an Olympus instead, but promised the N90 I’d be back.
Maybe now. I mean I AM writing a little bloggy article about the camera, I should have photos to go with it. I’d say that’s as good a reason as any.
The N90 was produced between 1992 and 1994, when it was replaced by the N90s. This was Nikon’s finest and most expensive amateur camera, until the F100 hit the markets in 1999. It’s kinda plasticky-looking and relies on the LCD screen for most settings, but it’s a pretty sturdily-built camera once you get past the semi-fragile appearance. The LCD screen is strong and legible, even after 30+ years. Many of the Nikons of this era had a rubberized coating that would eventually become sticky to the touch. It’s a notorious thing, we all hate it, but with patience, cotton balls and plenty of rubbing alcohol you can fix this. My N90? The back and grip are smooth plastic, no quasi-rubber anywhere, so I guess the previous owner removed it all before I got it. Less work for me! I spent so much time with the alcohol on my N80 before it felt good in the hand, glad to not have to revisit this.
It’s a little large, a little heavy, won’t fit in your fanny pack. My recommendation – don’t wear a fanny pack. Get a backpack, or a cross-body bag, just because you have a 90’s camera doesn’t mean you need a fanny pack! Nor do you need roller blades, big baggy pants, 3-inch gauges in your earlobes or those teensy little bicycle hats. You’re a grown-up!! Dress like a grown-up!!
FYI, I have a fanny pack. Thought it would be good on long flights for carrying little things that I don’t want to struggle with fishing out my backpack from under the seat with my foot… but I can’t seem to bring myself to use it. Jesus Christ it’s a fanny pack! Might as well wear Crocs while I’m at it! Man, though, it would be so handy to just get into using it. I have a drop-leg bag for motorcycling, how much more convenient would a fanny pack be, right? Anyway, this is an article about cameras.
It’s klunky. It’s bulky and klunky and changing settings can be klunky because you have to use two hands to change things with a series of buttons and scroll wheels. The autofocus is of average speed, but not as fast as anything made in the 21st Century, and it makes a racket.
The eyepiece is big and round, and the viewfinder is bright and has great coverage. The metering is fantastic, I usually use the matrix metering option and it works perfect every time. Nikons are great like that. You can also switch to center-weighted or spot metering, you don’t have to use matrix. As for the flash synch modes available, I bought this because it covers all the bases, even the ones that my pro spec F4 doesn’t. Not that I would know firsthand, because I’ve not used the flash yet, but the abilities are there in the camera. The shooting modes are P A S and M (all the modes) and shutter speeds as fast as 1/8000th of a second. The autofocus is not as fast as many, and it’s only focusing on a center-weighted point. The frame rate is a smidge over 4 shots per second, so not as fast as many, but I never shoot in auto-fire – film is expensive! Makes little sense to blow through an entire 15-dollar roll of Portra 400 in nine seconds.
It performs well, it’s a workhorse and can easily work alongside most pro-spec cameras of the era. It has that build quality and the N90s version even has weather sealing. It’s also very cheap to buy, and it’s probably always going to BE cheap to buy. Why? Two reasons – first and foremost is that it’s a 90’s autofocus camera. A consumer/prosumer (depending on who you ask) 90’s AF camera. Those aren’t usually in as much demand as the more classic manual focus cameras. My guess is because the newer film cameras look the most like modern DSLR cameras, and the appeal many people have to shooting analog is that the cameras LOOK like analog cameras. These 90’s cameras also frequently look and feel plasticky, shooters aren’t a fan of that, and will paint the entire era with a broad brush when it comes to that. Secondly, an N90 is never gonna be an “It” camera model. The Nikon F100 or the Nikon F5? Definitely. The N90? No one is going to stand in line before the store opens to get one of those. The N90 will always be a cheap option, plus it’s durable and capable, uses AA batteries that you can buy anywhere in the world (no Amazon required), is compatible with all Nikon FX lenses, and it shoots well.
I always say I’m probably going to give this camera away one day, but I probably won’t.
