Spirit Vision Photography Loc: Behind a Camera.

Hello Hoggers

I just acquired my first digital camera. An older Nikon D90 (12mp). What kind of results can I expect from it, print sizes, etc?

Thanks

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Enjoying the ignorance of my digital infancy over a decade ago, I happily made several 20x30 posters from my 8 mp Canon dslr. Your satisfaction will depend on whether you like to view a large print with your nose two inches away, or admire from "normal viewing distance."

Also depends on whether you are attempting to get extreme detail or doing more interpretive work like some of the awesome photos I see on your website!

Lastly, the lens you use is probably more important than the pixel count.

boberic Loc: Quiet Corner, Connecticut. Ex long Islander

Also cropping may be a consideration if the image is cropped before printing

captivecookie Loc: Washington state

The D90 is an excellent machine that will support your continuous efforts to take the perfect picture. Have fun with not having to buy, load, pay for development, or wait days to see the results of that old film stuff.

Spirit Vision Photography Loc: Behind a Camera.

Thank you. I share the website with another photographer. Her work is all digital, mine is all film.

Thank you.

Ysarex Loc: St. Louis

2008 is a long time ago in the world of digital photography. Still the D90 was an excellent camera in it's day and it is capable of taking a very good photograph.

12 megapixels is a very good approximation to the amount of data recorded on film using a 35mm film camera. Depending on the film choice 35mm film is about equivalent to 12 to 18 megapixels. So your print size expectations should be about the same.

The thing about print size is whether you judge the print by viewing the entire image or by sticking your nose in it. People looking at the print will generally stand back an appropriate distance relative to the size of the print. As such 35mm film cameras have been used effectively to produce highway billboard size images. Your D90 should be able to do the same.

Most modern cameras now have higher res sensors with around 20 megapixels being a good average and 40 to 50 megapixels available on the high ($$$$) end. I spent a lot of years shooting 12 and 16 megapixel cameras and the photos I have from those are excellent.

Some advances over the past dozen years that you may miss depending on what you shoot are auto-focus -- it's gotten a lot better than what your D90 can do and yet for still photos the D90 is fine. Flying birds will give you trouble. You'll have a higher miss rate with fast action. And advance #2: low light performance. It's simply jaw dropping amazing what they've managed in the last few years with sensor performance in low light. A modern digital camera can take photos in dim light at ISO 6400 that'll look better than what your D90 will produce at ISO 800. But take photos in brighter light like outdoors and you're D90 will do just fine.

The image below is from a 12 megapixel digital camera about a decade old with a smaller sensor than your D90 -- not as good. Make sure and download it.

Joe

(Download)

maxlieberman Loc: 19027

I have a 6 mp D70s and a 12 mp D300, which I mostly keep in reserve now, but I could crop pictures then enlarge to 8 x 10 and never had any problems. Good detail I would guess that 16 x 20 would be OK if the image isn't cropped too much in processing, but I don't think you could get more than that.

Spirit Vision Photography Loc: Behind a Camera.

Oh, I have no intention of abandoning film. Love it. 👍. But, I do recognize the convenience of digital.

Thanks

Spirit Vision Photography Loc: Behind a Camera.

Thanks.

User ID

Awwwrrk !!!

BebuLamar

Unless the camera is malfunction in some way (dirty sensor etc...) you should think that the performance of the D90 was good enough for a great number of photographers back in 2008. If so why it's not good enough today?

Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.

Congratulations on your purchase.
The D90 was my first DSLR. It is a really good camera. Don’t let anybody worry you about the 12MP. Many people get caught up in the “My MPs are bigger than your MPs” hoopla. Unless your are going to print extremely large or do massive crops the D90 will do an exceptional job for you.
Enjoy your “new” camera and have fun.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Because the marketing of "more pixels is better" has been so successful, it spreads doubt in consumers' minds about whether they will ever have enough 🤔

I think Paul has several wry witticisms that apply here.

JRiepe Loc: Southern Illinois

My first digital camera was a 5mpx Sony DSC-H1 that I had when I vacationed in Maui in 2006 and got some good pictures. Then I went the DSLR route with first a Nikon D40X, a couple D80's, a couple D7000's, which I still have and also a D7200. I have what I consider very acceptable images from all these cameras. The D90 is very capable.

tradio Loc: Oxford, Ohio

The D90 is a great camera. It was my second digital.