Comparision of N90s with Other Nikon N-Series Cameras

Compiled by Liang-Wu Cai

This table is compiled from the information in various sources, including Part 2.9.2 of Nikon FAQ, Nikon USA's "1996-1997 Full-Line Product Guide", and verious Nikon product brochures.

	N90(s)	N8008(s)	N70	N6006	N50
Mechanics
Top shutter speed	1/8000 sec	1/8000 sec	1/4000 sec	1/2000 sec	1/2000 sec
Shutter speed increment1	1/3 stop	1 stop	1/3 stop	1 stop	1 stop
Top film advance speed	4.3 fps	3.3 fps	3.7 fps	2.1 fps	1 fps
AF sensor2	CAM246	AM200	CAM274	AM200	AM200
AF working range	-1 to 19 EV	-1 to 19 EV	-1 to 19 EV	-1 to 19 EV	-1 to 19 EV
DOF preview	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
Multiple exposure	With MF-26	Yes	No	No	No
Cable Release	Electronic	Electronic	Electronic	Mechanical	No
PC sync socket	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
Electronic Rangerfinder	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Long Exposure	Bulb, MF-26, MC-20	Bulb, MF-21	Bulb	Bulb	"TIME"
Inteval-timer	With MF-26	with MF-21	No	No	No
Date/time imprinting3	With MF-25/26	with MF-20/21	N70QD	N6006QD	N50QD
Power Source	AA (alkaline, lithiunm4, NiCad), 2xCR123A lithium with MB-10+MS-11	AA (alkaline, NiCad)	2xCR123A Lithium	CR223 (CP-R2) lithium	2CR5 lithium
Metering
Ambient matrix metering	3D5	2D	3D5	2D	2D
Works with MF (AI or AIS) lenses	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Metering range, matrix and center-weighted	-1 to 21 EV	0 to 21 EV	-1 to 20 EV	0 to 19 EV	1 to 20 EV
Metering range, spot	3 to 21 EV	4 to 21 EV6	4 to 20 EV	4 to 19 EV	No spot meter
Spot metering circle diameter	3mm	3.5mm	3mm	3.5mm	No spot meter
Analog exposure scale	+/- 1 EV	+/- 2 EV	+/- 1 EV	+/- 1 EV	No
Auto-bracketing7	With MF-26	With MF-21	Yes	Yes	No
Flash
Top flash sync speed	1/250 (1/4000)8	1/250	1/125	1/125	1/125
Matrix flash metering	3D5	2D	3D5	2D	2D
Red-eye reduction	With SB-26	No	Yes	No	No
Monitor Preflash	With SB>=26	No	Yes	No	No
Flash compensation	With MF-26, or SB-26	With MF-21, or SB-24	Yes	Yes	No
Flash exposure bracketing7	With MF-26	No	Yes	No	No
Rear-curtain Synch	With SB-26	With SB-24	Yes	Yes	No
Slow flash sync	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Build-in flash coverage	No built-in flash	No built-in flash	28mm	28mm	35mm
Flash autozoom with SB-26/27/28	Yes	No	Yes	No	No
User Interface
LCD Illumination	Yes	No	No	No	No
DX override	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Accept viewfinder accessories	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
Changeable focusing screen	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
Eye-piece shutter build-in	Yes	No	No	No	No
"Canned" programs	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Beeper	Yes, need to be activated	Yes	No	No	No
Quick Recall (QR) mode	1 with MF-26	No	3	No	No
Reset	Two-button	Two-button	QR-0	Two-button	Adv./Simple switch
Computer Interface9	Yes	No	No	No	No

1. The shutter speed increment in N90 is 1/2 stop.
2. The CAM274 is the successor to the CAM246, the sensor used in the N90(s). The AM200 was used in the N8008(s). CAM stands for "Cross-type AF Modulus", which is also sensitive to objects that contains only horizontal lines. AM200 cannot focus on such objects. Although CAM274 is newer (and better) than CAM246, the AF motor in N90(s) is more powerful thus makes its AF faster.
3. The N90(s) and N8008(s) have changeable back. The N70, N6006 and N50 do not, and imprinting is possible only with models with QD designation.
4. Only N90s is approved for using AA lithium batteries directly in the body. N90 is not.
5. Available only with AF-D type lenses.
6. The N8008 does not have spot metering. The N8008s does.
7. The auto-bracketing available with the MF-26/21 is more versatile than that built in to the N6006 or N70. It allows up to 9 exposures on either side for a total of 19 exposures.
8. The high-speed sync (1/300 to 1/4000 sec) is available in manual mode, with no TTL flash metering.
9. The computer interface on N90(s) opens a whole new frontier that intruduced more ways to customize the camera, and storing the shooting data. Several softwares available. Check out my Nikon N90s page. The original interface is "Data Link System" to be used with Sharp Electronic Organizer. Later, Nikon USA introduced the PC software "Data View" for N90(s) for downloading the shooting data from the memory of the camera. Finally, the features of DataLink and DataView are combined into a new PC software called "Photo Secretary". A couple sharewares have also been developed.