D90 User Group

[daredevil123]

My first day shooting with my new D90 and 2 problems:

1) a dust spec aparently on viewfinder......drat...can't believe I didn't see this in the store.

2) the flash pops up, for no reason, frequently, but not always.

This is shooting in bright sunlight, for example 1/800 th second, f 8. So there is no reason for the flash to pop up. Apparently the flash is not firing when I press the shutter. I did google "D90 flash pop-up" and other similar searches. Found other people with same problem but no good explanations/solutions.

So, sigh, better luck tomorrow. Trying to stay mellow about D90 first impression.

It is smart to stay mellow about the first impression of the D90, especially if you are new to modern DSLRs and do not know the camera well enough. That is not a problem, but a feature, when you are shooting in the AUTO mode or some of the scene modes. When you know what you are doing, you should use the A, S and M modes instead. If you want the camera to make more decisions for you, you can try the P mode. But once you go into the scene modes or AUTO mode, you lose a lot of control to the camera, and once the camera thinks you do not have enough light, or need a fill, it will pop the flash up.

Another question: does the flash pop up on its own in P, A, S or M mode? If it does, you have a faulty unit.

 

[daocat]

Thank you daredevil123. I do believe the flash did only pop up when in AUTO mode. I went out yesterday 9 am to try out the camera and by coincidence a neighbor was going to some Temples and wanted me to share the taxi fare. So off to the Temple I went. I live in Thailand but seldom do the famous "Temple Tour". So one of the several Temples we went to had like 200 steps to get to the top. Whew. After that I was testing the new camera in a fully exhausted state (me, that is, not the camera). And when I got home I was laid out in bed until today. Several observations.

1) I am too old for tackling 200 steps

2) that lens I have (135/2.0D) is LONG on a D90. Forget it for capturing the architecture of the Temple or any interior. I took many snapshot portraits, but always after walking away from my subject.

3) the camera/lens is heavy enough for me. The D700 would have added maybe another 400 grams. I call my current set up my "nautilus" set up. Exercize my back climbing stairs with it, exercise my arms lifting it to my eyes, and exercise my legs repeatedly walking away from my subject with it. Next lens either 35mm or 50mm, a ninja set up, light and fast.

So today my task is to get the photos into my computer. Bangkok, is well known for, errr, ahh, inexpensive software. So I bought Photoshop, Lightroom, and Photoshop elements 8. Intending to start with elements 8, I guess, or the Nikon Software only.

Fun, fun, fun, thanks again, I feel better about the cam.

 

[daredevil123]

Thank you daredevil123. I do believe the flash did only pop up when in AUTO mode. I went out yesterday 9 am to try out the camera and by coincidence a neighbor was going to some Temples and wanted me to share the taxi fare. So off to the Temple I went. I live in Thailand but seldom do the famous "Temple Tour". So one of the several Temples we went to had like 200 steps to get to the top. Whew. After that I was testing the new camera in a fully exhausted state (me, that is, not the camera). And when I got home I was laid out in bed until today. Several observations.

1) I am too old for tackling 200 steps

2) that lens I have (135/2.0D) is LONG on a D90. Forget it for capturing the architecture of the Temple or any interior. I took many snapshot portraits, but always after walking away from my subject.

3) the camera/lens is heavy enough for me. The D700 would have added maybe another 400 grams. I call my current set up my "nautilus" set up. Exercize my back climbing stairs with it, exercise my arms lifting it to my eyes, and exercise my legs repeatedly walking away from my subject with it. Next lens either 35mm or 50mm, a ninja set up, light and fast.

So today my task is to get the photos into my computer. Bangkok, is well known for, errr, ahh, inexpensive software. So I bought Photoshop, Lightroom, and Photoshop elements 8. Intending to start with elements 8, I guess, or the Nikon Software only.

Fun, fun, fun, thanks again, I feel better about the cam.

Yup. Try to use P, A, S, M modes.

About the 135/2DC. That is why some of the fellow members here was trying to tell you, that you should try to understand the lens and its capabilities. On a D90's cropped sensor, its field of view becomes 200mm, which is equivalent of a tele lens on a FF or film camera. 135mm is best used on a FF or film camera for portraits. If you try to take landscape, it will be extremely limiting on a FF camera already, and even worse on a DX like D90.

Even on my D90 and D300s I am mostly using a 50/1.4 and 85/2 ais for portraits. For landscape, I will be using tokina 11-16mm UWA and tamron 17-50 to get that wideness I require. Only once in a (long) while I will use a 105/2.5 ais for portraits as it is already quite tight on a DX. I never considered a 135mm as I know it will be too tight for my requirements and will see very limited use.

As for weight, D700 is only around 300g heavier than the D90. 300g is not that much more. The real weight actually comes from your 135/2 lens, which weighs 815g on its own. Yes, your lens is already heavier than your camera.

Anyway, I would really suggest you get a wide/standard zoom to complement your setup now. A used Nikon 18-70mm, 18-105VR or a Tamron 17-50mm/2.8 (non VC/VR) would be a good match to your setup now at minimal cost.

And also, I hope you got a dry cabinate to store your camera equipment to prevent fungus growth on your equipment in the humid Bangkok weather.

I also encourage you to read more online. Good start here:

Camera basics
http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=309544

Composition
http://www.amateursnapper.com/photography/10-top-photography-composition-rules
http://digital-photography-school.com/digital-photography-composition-tips

More topics covered here:
http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials.htm

 

[Smiles88]

Link deleted

Edit: Sorry. I just realised tt it was in the other thread tt u mentioned not having a manual.

 

[quizesilver]

dear all, sorry i am unable to make it for the meet up this wed. i had to go for a seminar. sorry guys/gals.

 

[daredevil123]

click here for the user manual

Bro the link is useless for him. He needs to log into Nikonclub and access online support from there to get to the user manual.

 

[Smiles88]

Bro the link is useless for him. He needs to log into Nikonclub and access online support from there to get to the user manual.

oh... ok. guess can't help him there. but his set shld have a copy of the manual....

 

[daredevil123]

oh... ok. guess can't help him there. but his set shld have a copy of the manual....

I am inclined to think that he got either a grey set, or a tampered set. Feel sorry for him.

 

[Smiles88]

I am inclined to think that he got either a grey set, or a tampered set. Feel sorry for him.

i read that even grey sets usually have a photocopied version of the manual. Daocat, do u mind disclosing how much u got your d90 for?

 

[ZerocoolAstra]

Just to double confirm if the following outing confirmed? :think: It seem to go MIA liao.. Loc? Time? Err.. who is the main organizer? ps.. i lost track liao.

OK so the list is like this now, am I right?
1. pasay
2. ZCA
3. Smiles88
4. Jeezuinn
5. bigrockshow + 2 friends
6. kriegsketten
7. Ellelawliet
8. Skylover
9.
10.

quizesilver cannot make it.
I will call Thai Express later today to reserve some seats at 8pm. Probably about 10, based on guesstimate. Do try to invite other D90 owners to join in if possible. A few more people would make it more fun!

We meet at the outdoor amphitheatre area first. Kriegsketten did mention he wanted to shoot some photos at sunset timing.

 

[Smiles88]

OK so the list is like this now, am I right?
1. pasay
2. ZCA
3. Smiles88
4. Jeezuinn
5. bigrockshow + 2 friends
6. kriegsketten
7. Ellelawliet
8. Skylover
9.
10.

quizesilver cannot make it.
I will call Thai Express later today to reserve some seats at 8pm. Probably about 10, based on guesstimate. Do try to invite other D90 owners to join in if possible. A few more people would make it more fun!

We meet at the outdoor amphitheatre area first. Kriegsketten did mention he wanted to shoot some photos at sunset timing.

:thumbsup:

 

[daredevil123]

oh... ok. guess can't help him there. but his set shld have a copy of the manual....

that is why it pays to be extra careful when buying anything, esp in places like Thailand.

 

[ZerocoolAstra]

that is why it pays to be extra careful when buying anything, esp in places like Thailand.

My dad's D90 was bought locally, but I suspect also grey set, coz ser. number on camera and box don't tally.
Luckily no issues with the camera during the first year... otherwise dunno also... :dunno:
Goes to show: Singapore also not so safe in this regard.
But he didn't buy from one of the reputable stores that are usually rated highly by CSers...

 

[daocat]

Yes, I did buy a dry box as soon as I bought my lens and well before I bought my camera. A small plastic box, VAM-5101, it has a built in hydrometer, and I also put a bar of silicon into the box, and I learned from some threads here what to aim for in terms of humidity. OK off to my other thread to repond to your "gray market" issue. Actually DD, I will just repond here as I don't want to get flamed any more on that thread.

I bought my cam gray market. Not by accident. Not by error. Quite deliberately. There was no manual and of course, no warranty card. I have a one year "store warranty".

I believe that more Nikon equipment is made in Thailand than people know. Having that equipment sent to Japan, and then back to Thailand to be sold by an authorized dealer at a much higher price makes no sense to me. There are also issues concerning Thailand's duty policy, free commerce (isn't Singapore like the best duty free country in the world? A while back I heard that from someone), and other issues which people may have strong opinions about, but I feel untimately are the consumer's choice. I feel that I made an informed choice.

 

[daredevil123]

My dad's D90 was bought locally, but I suspect also grey set, coz ser. number on camera and box don't tally.
Luckily no issues with the camera during the first year... otherwise dunno also... :dunno:
Goes to show: Singapore also not so safe in this regard.
But he didn't buy from one of the reputable stores that are usually rated highly by CSers...

Bro, you and your dad both on D90... power. Double D90... actually, you should have gone D700 bro. :devil: And you can start shooting weddings, 24/1.4 on the D700, and 50/1.4 on the (borrowed) D90... :thumbsup:
:devil:

 

[ZerocoolAstra]

yeah... but... but... my gongfu not enough for weddings la.

but with all the poisoning going on, I do feel my anti-virus succumbing..... feeling weak...
:sweat:

 

[daredevil123]

Yes, I did buy a dry box as soon as I bought my lens and well before I bought my camera. A small plastic box, VAM-5101, it has a built in hydrometer, and I also put a bar of silicon into the box, and I learned from some threads here what to aim for in terms of humidity. OK off to my other thread to repond to your "gray market" issue. Actually DD, I will just repond here as I don't want to get flamed any more on that thread.

I bought my cam gray market. Not by accident. Not by error. Quite deliberately. There was no manual and of course, no warranty card. I have a one year "store warranty".

I believe that more Nikon equipment is made in Thailand than people know. Having that equipment sent to Japan, and then back to Thailand to be sold by an authorized dealer at a much higher price makes no sense to me. There are also issues concerning Thailand's duty policy, free commerce (isn't Singapore like the best duty free country in the world? A while back I heard that from someone), and other issues which people may have strong opinions about, but I feel untimately are the consumer's choice. I feel that I made an informed choice.

Well, yes, I know Nikon D90 is made in Thailand. In fact I know where the factory is.

And no, they do not send the cameras to japan after they are made in Thailand. They are packaged in Thailand, and shipped out to distributors all over the world direct from Thailand. This is what they call drop ship. And this is practiced all over the world. It is done the same way for the lenses made in Jiangsu province in China. And warranty sets are not that much more expensive than grey sets in asia actually, if you know where to look. For example, I can get the made in China Nikon 35/1.8 lens a lot cheaper in Shanghai than in Singapore or Japan. Why? Because it is transported from the factory that is only a couple hours drive away. And it is a warranty set, not grey. The warranty set cost 4% more than the grey set in Shanghai. And if you do the math, it is not much more. But then again, this is China tax policy. Thailand, being a country that practises a great deal more of protectionism in foreign trade, may impose a higher taxation rate. I don't live in Thailand, so I have no idea.

Anyway, you already bought your camera. So let it be, and enjoy it. Just want to let you know that none of the Nikon cameras made in Thailand meant for non-japanese market ever got close to Japanese airspace. That is not how these MNCs work.

 

[daredevil123]

yeah... but... but... my gongfu not enough for weddings la.

but with all the poisoning going on, I do feel my anti-virus succumbing..... feeling weak...
:sweat:

Remember, as I am poisoning you, I am poisoning myself too... :devil:

 

[quizesilver]

OK so the list is like this now, am I right?
1. pasay
2. ZCA
3. Smiles88
4. Jeezuinn
5. bigrockshow + 2 friends
6. kriegsketten
7. Ellelawliet
8. Skylover
9.
10.

quizesilver cannot make it.
I will call Thai Express later today to reserve some seats at 8pm. Probably about 10, based on guesstimate. Do try to invite other D90 owners to join in if possible. A few more people would make it more fun!

We meet at the outdoor amphitheatre area first. Kriegsketten did mention he wanted to shoot some photos at sunset timing.

great job ZCA!

 

[Numnumball]

OK so the list is like this now, am I right?
1. pasay
2. ZCA
3. Smiles88
4. Jeezuinn
5. bigrockshow + 2 friends
6. kriegsketten
7. Ellelawliet
8. Skylover
9.
10.

quizesilver cannot make it.
I will call Thai Express later today to reserve some seats at 8pm. Probably about 10, based on guesstimate. Do try to invite other D90 owners to join in if possible. A few more people would make it more fun!

We meet at the outdoor amphitheatre area first. Kriegsketten did mention he wanted to shoot some photos at sunset timing.

wah bro... Happening sia... I m a D90 user aso... But too bad I can't join as I need to work late tml... Have fun yah!