BUY A CHEAP NIKON D90 DSLR THIS CHRISTMAS

......"I've owned a point and shoot camera for 2 years now, and I have always been jealous of the quality and versatility of DSLR cameras. I didn't want to chunk down $1K on a camera without knowing about them, so I did a lot of homework. Before purchasing the Nikon D90 w/ kit lens, I researched several web sites along with other photographers and artists alike. All sources pointed to the Nikon brand for it's high quality build, reputation and ease of transition from newbie beginner shots to the professional arena. I opted for this model in lieu of previous cheaper Nikon's so I can use older glass prime lenses with the D90, thus potentially saving me money in the future when it comes to buying different lenses. The kit lens is an excellent beginner lens, however after 500 or so pictures, I can see it's limitations, and will be looking for a 50mm f/1.4-f1.8 lens for better portrait pictures. I would not, however, go and buy a ton of expensive lenses before you use the kit lens and determine if it is enough for you or not. I searched several competitor web sites and stores and Amazon offers the best price for this kit. Other web sites are roughly $120-200 more for the same kit (October 2009). I knew that a camera of this caliber would be a challenge, so I bought a book on digital photography specifically around the D90 prior to purchase. I have the grasp of the basic functions, and regular day pictures, however night photography is a little trickier. I would highly recommend a tripod if you plan to shoot a lot in low light conditions. Even though the camera has VR, it does not fix all movement/exposure issues in low light conditions.

MAIN PROS:
- Great price
- Ease of use (with basic features)
- Interchangeable with older lenses for better future value
- Live View
- Great 12.3 megapixels for very sharp photos
- In camera photo editing
- Shoots in RAW & JPEG

MAIN CONS:
- Nikon software is TERRIBLE! I use a Mac running 10.6 snow leopard and the software crashes constantly. Nikon's web site has no solution for this, even after the software supposedly updates itself after install. Apple's Aperture, iPhoto and Adobe products have no problem recognizing the camera and quickly importing the photos.
- Kit does not include a SD card, therefore preventing you from taking pictures right out of the box. Prepare to make a run to the store for a minimum of 4GB SD card (takes about 1K JPEG photos)".....

...."This is an amazing camera. Photos are of extreme high quality. Settings are easy. I just love it.
The only negative that i can think of is the video quality - it is not comparable to the camcorders.
Rest all awesome.. i go with 5 stars for this beauty".....

....."I have a D40 and a D60 and was about to purchase a D5000, but after looking at all the reviews I could find of each model, I chose to add the D90 to my collection...so glad I did. The quality is great for the price, and the pictures are amazing. I have added a wide angle (11-18) lens and I am so impressed with the results. I belong to a retro Thunderbird club, and getting 70 T-Birds in a clear concise photo was a major concern. Even large prints of the pics I took are of poster quality...which means, blown up, much detail can be seen. Great camera!".....

....."I had the D300 and loved it until this came out.

The D300 is great, but it can be complicated at times.

The D90 is a D300 in the body of a D70. Sure, there are other features on the D300; metal pro body and seals - but when it comes to speed, handling, and image quality - you will be hard pressed to see a difference.

Buy the D300 to impress people.

Buy the D90 to take awesome photos, and with the money you saved, you can fund that next awesome lens you wanted.

Seriously, it's that good.

Former D300 owner, have also owned the D80 and D70.

Presently own the D40x, D90 (new - and love), F100 and a FE. Don't ask me about lenses - I own too many as it is.

ps. I sold my D300 and got the D90".....