For the Nikon SLR purists, who have read the Nikon D90 reviews and learned that the latest SLR captures not only stills, as every Nikon camera before it has, but also HD video, the news must have been bitter sweet.

On the one hand, the prospect of being able to capture video with the same device that allows you to shoot high-quality photographic images sounds mighty convenient. On the other hand, Nikon has just embarked on a new course for all future mid to high end Nikon SLR models. The SLR camera then, is not so unlike the VCR recorder that suddenly found itself also housing a DVD player unit. One device, now forced to share two technologies.

It is not hard to guess what might be bothering the Nikon SLR purists. Nikon's engineering department must now split its time between advances in digital photography, and the development of a video technology that extends its maximum recording time with each release. The Nikon D90 shares a good deal of its digital photography technology with the higher end model detailed in Nikon D300 reviews - the same 12.3 megapixel resolution, and the huge and bright 3.0-inch LCD viewscreen that formerly had Nikon lovers drooling.

Now Nikon's customer base can have the best parts of the Nikon D300 for a much lower price. And they get high-definition video. But that begs an obvious question. How much cheaper might the Nikon D90 have been had the videoing capability been left out of the design? I guess I must be one of those purists because I'd gladly give up high-definition video in exchange for a more affordable camera.

I am sure I am not the only Nikon lover to wonder about this, especially as the video capability of the Nikon D90 has earned itself some serious criticism. For the most part this stems from two problems present in the D90. The first is that auto focusing shuts off in video mode. So you can expect blurred segments in your video shoots if your subjects like to move around a lot. Well, unless you happen to be handy with the manual focusing - a skill that is called for less and less these days. The second problem is that you cannot see through the Nikon D90's viewfinder in video mode. It blacks out. Instead you must use the LCD display to compose your shooting. All 5 to 20 minutes (in low resolution mode) of it.

But this does not mean you can't use the Nikon D90 to create fantastic video sessions of you kids playing soccer, or capture memorable interviews with family members. You just have to understand the current limits of the technology. You will, however, have to stock up on the high-capacity memory cards if you plan to get busy capturing video. You will need at least an 8-GB SD card to avoid quickly running out of memory.

And don't forget that compared to the much cheaper Nikon D40, and even the slightly cheaper model discussed in Nikon D60 reviews, with its image-stabilizing 18-55mm Nikkor kit lens, the Nikon D90 is a huge step up. Not only in the performance of the camera body, but also in the optics. The kit lens for the Nikon D90 is the image-stabilizing 18-105mm Nikkor. This means you can photograph wide-angle to short-range telephoto and get some of the sharpest photos that you can imagine.

In summary, the Nikon D90 is a superb digital SLR which throws in a bonus in the form of high-definition video for those who would like to try their hand at mini movie making sessions.

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Stephen Carter runs Best Digital Camera Discounts, where, if you find a great price on a camera, there is a very good chance that the offer represents the lowest price you are likely to find anywhere. If you are not inclined to follow one of the recommendations for a camera made on this page, try browsing our top-rated digital camera listings, or use our search engine to find currently available offers.

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