D90 Viewfinder


kentwong81

Senior Member
Jun 18, 2010
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Singapore
Hi,

I'm looking for a entry/mid range DSLR recently and Nikon D90 has caught my attention. After checked its specifications, I found that its viewfinder is only approx. 96% coverage of the frame, which will look similar like the following picture gotten from dpreview.com(review on D3100).

vfcrop95.png

(Nikon D3100: 95% viewfinder)

Would you think that it is a serious shortcoming which brings inconvenience to a photography hobbyist? I think it's higher chance that I need to do cropping in PP to remove the things that I can't see through the viewfinder during the photoshooting. I prefer to shoot via viewfinder instead of LCD screen.

Is there any Nikon DSLR at the price range of D90 that provides 100% coverage viewfinder?
 

Last edited:
Hi,

I'm looking for a entry/mid range DSLR recently and Nikon D90 has caught my attention. After checked its specifications, I found that its viewfinder is only approx. 96% coverage of the frame, which will look similar like the following picture gotten from dpreview.com(review on D3100).

Would you think that it is a serious shortcoming which brings inconvenience to a photography hobbyist? I think it's higher chance that I need to do cropping in PP to remove the things that I can't see through the viewfinder during the photoshooting. I prefer to shoot via viewfinder instead of LCD screen.

Is there any Nikon DSLR at the price range of D90 that provides 100% coverage viewfinder?

For Nikon, there is only the D90 at the price range of D90. Brands usually have only one model at the same price range.

D300s has 100% viewfinder.

But really, I do not see it as a shortcoming.
 

Hi,

I'm looking for a entry/mid range DSLR recently and Nikon D90 has caught my attention. After checked its specifications, I found that its viewfinder is only approx. 96% coverage of the frame, which will look similar like the following picture gotten from dpreview.com(review on D3100).

vfcrop95.png

(Nikon D3100: 95% viewfinder)

Would you think that it is a serious shortcoming which brings inconvenience to a photography hobbyist? I think it's higher chance that I need to do cropping in PP to remove the things that I can't see through the viewfinder during the photoshooting. I prefer to shoot via viewfinder instead of LCD screen.

Is there any Nikon DSLR at the price range of D90 that provides 100% coverage viewfinder?


why do you need sth at 100% viewfinder... ??? :dunno::dunno:
 

Hi enzeru21,

As mentioned in my 1st post, there are somethings(4%) you can't see in the viewfinder and these things you may not want them to show up in your photo. You need to do cropping to remove them during PP. But depend on how lucky or how picky you are, sometimes you may end up cropping hundreds of photos you take just to remove those small things. Does this happen to all of you here?
 

it won't be such an inconvenience, the D700 does not have a 100% VF as well (which was discussed heavily sometime back I guess).
Just be happy with the camera, and get used to it, and soon you will be framing everything right.
 

it won't be such an inconvenience, the D700 does not have a 100% VF as well (which was discussed heavily sometime back I guess).
Just be happy with the camera, and get used to it, and soon you will be framing everything right.

Okay, maybe will get used to it after a while. Just my little concern before making a decision to purchase it.
 

Hi enzeru21,

As mentioned in my 1st post, there are somethings(4%) you can't see in the viewfinder and these things you may not want them to show up in your photo. You need to do cropping to remove them during PP. But depend on how lucky or how picky you are, sometimes you may end up cropping hundreds of photos you take just to remove those small things. Does this happen to all of you here?

ya, but lets take the case of the sanfrancisco pic u posted.. what is it that needs to be removed? the little grass and rocks? or the side of the bridge?

usually if for me i didn't want that distracting thing i would just frame my shot higher or otherwise.. but i think the margin of 4% is really small and you will hardly have problems,

plus most of the time we all do some cropping and adjustments.. so IMHO don't need to worry and stress urself.. just like what WdEVA said.. enjoy the shooting and don't worry about getting perfect picture everytime..
 

Hi,

I'm looking for a entry/mid range DSLR recently and Nikon D90 has caught my attention. After checked its specifications, I found that its viewfinder is only approx. 96% coverage of the frame, which will look similar like the following picture gotten from dpreview.com(review on D3100).

vfcrop95.png

(Nikon D3100: 95% viewfinder)

Would you think that it is a serious shortcoming which brings inconvenience to a photography hobbyist? I think it's higher chance that I need to do cropping in PP to remove the things that I can't see through the viewfinder during the photoshooting. I prefer to shoot via viewfinder instead of LCD screen.

Is there any Nikon DSLR at the price range of D90 that provides 100% coverage viewfinder?

not really an inconvenience or a shortcoming, i would say. once you get used to it, you can adjust your framing by mentally picturing in your mind the 100% view.

btw, as wdEvA said, even the D700 has lesser coverage (95%) than the D90 (96%). interestingly, D300 (and D300s) have 100% coverage. :dunno:
 

Agreed with everyone here...

If you seriously can't live with it.... get one that does give you 100% (but mind the extra costs and features you might not like). The thing is, can you really seriously, seriously die die must have 100%?

Otherwise, learn to live with it like most of us did - and D90 is still a killer cam despite the 95%.

Not one product is 100% perfect - try not to be a perfectionist in every way, life is less stressful that way.
 

interesting to note that my viewfinder in D90 is 95% coverage . . . :)

i will explore the 95% in my camera later . . . thanks.
 

it won't be such an inconvenience, the D700 does not have a 100% VF as well (which was discussed heavily sometime back I guess).
Just be happy with the camera, and get used to it, and soon you will be framing everything right.

D700 really don't have 100% VF ah? Alamak no wonder got funny little things around my pics leh.

Jokes aside...the 5% difference isn't a shortcoming at all. It becomes transparent to us after one outing. :embrass:
 

Agreed with everyone here...

If you seriously can't live with it.... get one that does give you 100% (but mind the extra costs and features you might not like). The thing is, can you really seriously, seriously die die must have 100%?

Otherwise, learn to live with it like most of us did - and D90 is still a killer cam despite the 95%.

Not one product is 100% perfect - try not to be a perfectionist in every way, life is less stressful that way.


certified.... d90 salesperson/poisoner :bsmilie:

but i do agree, the d90 is a great cam, feature-for-budget-wise. 96% VF coverage doesnt mean you'll take lesser quality photos. ask anybody from the d90 group here in CS (caution though, major poisoning happening there :devil:).
 

I'm curious why Nikon don't give 100% coverage for D90. Is it really cost constraint? How much extra cost for the 4%? Or they purposely want to separate D90 from other high-end series like D3, D3s, D300 and D300s?

Since I like other features of D90, I will live with it. Thanks for your advice here.
 

certified.... d90 salesperson/poisoner :bsmilie:

but i do agree, the d90 is a great cam, feature-for-budget-wise. 96% VF coverage doesnt mean you'll take lesser quality photos. ask anybody from the d90 group here in CS (caution though, major poisoning happening there :devil:).

what the... you guys are really asking people in to the D90 thread to get poisoned... oh yeah... you're a 'salesman' from Nikon while kriegs is 1 part-time. haha;p
 

certified.... d90 salesperson/poisoner :bsmilie:

but i do agree, the d90 is a great cam, feature-for-budget-wise. 96% VF coverage doesnt mean you'll take lesser quality photos. ask anybody from the d90 group here in CS (caution though, major poisoning happening there :devil:).

Well, don't blame me...:dunno: Blame Nikon for releasing such a wonderful piece of machinery that one simply finds it hard to resist...
 

I'm curious why Nikon don't give 100% coverage for D90. Is it really cost constraint? How much extra cost for the 4%? Or they purposely want to separate D90 from other high-end series like D3, D3s, D300 and D300s?

Since I like other features of D90, I will live with it. Thanks for your advice here.

100% viewfinder is not as easy to make as you think. A lot of engineering involved.

If they offer you 100% viewfinder in D90 but charge you $200 more, will you be happy? :think:

Seriously, if that 100% vf is so important for you, you should just get the D300s.
 

100% viewfinder is quite expensive to achieve relative to the other features so manufacturers only equip their top end bodies with it. Before the 7D came out, Canon only have these in their 1D's. The 5DMk2 has 98%.

I don't think 98% or 95% VF is a problem. Once you get use to the camera, you can guess accurately how tight to move in.