New nikon d90 dslr shoots 720/24p using the full sensor! (for $999)

Is anyone else having problems with these sample videos freezing?

Looks like a terrific product. I've got a lot of Nikon gear so this cam makes a lot of sense for me. Wish it did 60P ......................... :crybaby:

JohnG
 
This is incredible. I know what DSLR/motion picture camera is next on my list. This is the camera I've been waiting over a decade for. I just hope the initial field tests come back really strong.
 
if the images are comparable to what i currently get from my d50, then this will be a monster. i would deal with the sound issue. i think i still have a slate somewhere and plenty of good sound mixers in l.a.
 
Hello Roxics!

Yes, definitely it's rolling shutter. Stop the vimeo video while the camera is panning, then compare the background behind the biker to a frame when the camera comes to a halt. You can clearly see the different angle of the vertical iron tubes. The question is only:

Is this worse than a common CMOS or is it the same amount of distortion you would have with an EX1 for example?
 
D-90 & HDMI capture

D-90 & HDMI capture

It should be interesting to see if the output of the HDMI port can be captured with a Black Magic card. I got this back from their tech support.

Garnet,

If you connect the D-90 to a TV monitor via HDMI, does the output show
correctly. If it does (I assume it will), then the camera is returning the
footage back to TV resolution and is not in the JPEG format. The only
variable that I can think of is if the TV can handle 24 frames.

Our card does not support 24 frames, If you can connect the camera to a TV
and then, on the TV, hit your info button. It should tell you what frame
rate/resolution the TV is getting.

As long as the camera is putting out a frame rate/resolution that we
support, you should be able to capture it in it's native format.

I looked at the specs of the camera and it seems to be putting out only 24
frames, if that is the case, then it probably will not work with our card.

Supported HD formats
HD Format Support 1080i50, 1080i59.94, 720p50 and 720p59.94.

So, try to hook it up to a TV and see what the TV reports, if it matches our
supported formats, then you can capture it. If your TV sees it, then it was
uncompressed before it left your camera. Most of the cameras store in a
compressed mode just to save space, but a TV cannot see compressed footage
(jpeg)

Hope this helps!

If required, PLEASE REPLY TO THIS EMAIL so we have ALL the information
pertaining to your issue.

Thank you for using Blackmagic Design products!

Please feel free to contact us for any support questions you may have.

Scott Cawein
Technical Support Representative
Blackmagic Design
www.blackmagic-design.com
 
My surprise is that we had to wait until 2008 for anyone to come out with something like this.

The film students who already are shooting slowly and methodically with 35mm adaptors and even double sound should love this camera. And no matter what it lacks, remember, it's only $1,000.

To further encourage you, I have read that a theatrical answer print is only about 1K (1,000 x 750) anyway. And do you know that 35mm motion picture cameras can only shoot 5 minutes at a time, too? And as you well know they don't record sound at all.

I think we can start fretting less about our equipment and focus more on the problems that have always been more important: actors, script, locations, etc. What story will you tell?
 
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Yes, I love Nikon, and this is a superb thing!

I was thinking about this years ago, and recently when Nikon came out with D300 that has HDMI connector. I think you can record video from that. The bad thing of course is, you're pretty much stuck with the studio environment because the cable and recorder issue.

The concept of high movie frame rates with an SLR camera: With the analogue film SLRs the shutter simply can't cope with the continuous frame rate and you run out of film immediately, that's why there's professional movie cameras. The same thing here: I suspected that the sensors would heat too much and it seems that's the thing with this new Nikon too: 5 minutes max recording. I should imagine it eats a lot of power too, so one might have to pack with an extra power grip and lots of batteries...

Anyway, I just love this idea. Is this any professional solution to making *real* films? Absolutely no, but I think it's an innovative thing that's possibly gonna change the way and the look of everyday videos people create from now on.
Think about it: Great DOF, good enough video quality and 24fps in a small camera sized package, that's available to all! And all those great Nikon lenses to choose from!!!

It's like a re-birth of Super8 filming in terms of quality and how home movies look. I imagine average family holiday videos start to look much more interesting (or worse if the focus isn't right and there's a lot of nervous shaking going on). The cliche "film quality" is again a reality for everyday shooting, not the exclusive right of professionals.

It's no coincidence that Nikon put some skateboarding and flatstyle trick-bike videos to demo the camera. I believe the youngsters who film extreme and action sports are the ones that gonna grab those camera off the shelves. I guess the DX fish lens is gonna be the new baby for skateboard shooters... 5 minutes shoot bursts are more than enough for regular people who just want to capture everyday life, special events and so on.

Obviously Canon is now thinking awful lot how to come up with similar qualities in their camera, or probably have something on the line already. Anyway, it's a good thing, and the positive thing is that I guess it pushes the competition between different manufacturers to develop more high quality video cameras. I can imagine the professional video field will step permanently to Red spec'd cameras within few years, because they simply have to. Or then maybe not, because the computers can't easily cope with 4k video just yet...
 
I wish this camera will give 100% WITHIN its limitations. I know there is rolling shutter, a mediocre codec and limited controls. But I hope this tool will be manageable within the good points: Shallow dof, dynamic range, low light. I know to manage a rolling shutter. OK. I know to manage the external sound. OK. The codec should hold up most of the situations. OK. 5 minutes of shooting time limitation. OK. BUT DON'T LET MY SHOT FLICKER AND WOBBLE AND LOOK LIKE 50 YEARS OLD STOCK BECAUSE OF AN INNECESSARY AUTO MODE!!!! If there's a lock funktion for shutter and sensitivity everything will be:....OK
 
Just so everyone knows, there's a much more in-depth discussion of this camera going on in the 35mm adapter section of DVXuser (also started by Hunter:violin:), and also a pretty good one going on over at ScarletUser.

LOTS of talk about this camera, lets just hope we see some better image quality...
 
It's funny how some people take all new tech things for granted, and it seems that they don't quite get the reality so to speak: I read from local finnish "Computer" magazine a small news about the D90, and the writer wrote: "only 1280x720 resolution" which according to him is sadly inferior to newest pocket-sized cameras HD video quality. Then he writes: "...there is a manual focus option...", like it's the last thing one wants to use!

Geesh! In case he doesn't know, were still watching PAL-resolution TV here in Finland, and "HDTV" isn't around for a long while. Well, it's a typical nerdy attitude to look just the numbers, ignoring any in-depth knowledge, like in this case the sensor size, the low-noise ISO capability, the quality Nikkor lenses, the progressive video etc.
But I realized that many people take these things for granted and expect "HD" quality in ever so small cameras, even in mobile phones. But there's various types of quality and "quality" in HD. Most people don't think an old DVX could produce better video than a typical consumer HD cam.

One major compromise I think in this new Nikon is, that apparently you can view / shoot video only thru the LCD. The LCD didn't seem that sharp and accurate for serious and accurate focusing, so those very narrow large aperture DOF shots in video mode could be soft when viewed on large monitors. I guess that you could auto focus in still mode to get it right, switch to manual, and then switch to video shoot mode.

But this is all speculating.
 
I have to continue my fascination with this camera.
I looked at various video clips that supposedly are from Nikon's camera, and I guess the narrow DOF is not a problem with the LCD, there seems to be enough focus control there.

What's interesting in the video clips from Nikon US pages, is their strange quality. I don't know if it's the double compression (from the camera and the web video compression), but the video seems to have a "live", ethereal sort of quality, like film. It could be noise due to high ISO number, or the motion-jpeg compression that makes the effect.

There's also something that looks like very small changes in aperture in few of the clips, the biker jump clip and the rock climbing clip for example. Is this camera's auto or manual iris adjustment, don't know. It's not that bad actually, sort of creates the illusion of old projector flickering quality.

A peculiar reflection effect in the video where the lady drink coffee, a pulsating reflection on the cheek, that looks like a classic water reflection, but it's only on her cheek, not affecting the clothes?

A wobbling effect at the beginning of clip where a guy jumps a 360 with his bike, I guess the rolling shutter is in bad effect. But I'm surprised how well the sky is rendered without underexposing the ground. There is detail in there. Normally skies like that are too bright for regular video cameras and are almost blank white.
 
Barry_Green said:
1K PER MINUTE, perhaps. So a 90-minute print will cost you anywhere between $40,000 and $100,000 depending on where you get it done...
Click to expand...

When I said 1K, I meant the resolution. Even though a 35mm negative may be 4K, the release prints (I think I mistakenly said "answer print") are quite a bit coarser. For what it's worth.
 
This is just the beginning....

This is just the beginning....

I shoot stills and video for a living. I am a Nikon user, and I have a lot invested in great glass, etc. The D90 is a very interesting "next technology" camera. A lot of people have been wondering when this might happen - now it has. It's no surprise that Nikon introduced this technology into a still camera body, as there is no real upside for Canon. I own an XH-A1 for moderate budget shoots, and use other shooters with higher-end gear for larger productions. I love the XH-A1, it shoots great video for the price. But let's take the D90 as a beginning and look into the future....
Nikon (and Sony, who has developed the chip) are both introducing 24mp full frame bodies very soon. I am guessing, but not sure, that the Nikon version will be in the 6K range. The primary drawbacks of the D90, as a video camera, are no XLR outputs and no professional viewfinder. I can't comment on the output yet, haven't seen it in person. But developing some sort of XLR auxiliary adapter is certainly within the possibilities of current technology. As to a professional viewfinder - what's to prevent Nikon to add a plug-in adapter to the side of the prism, where a professional-grade focusable viewfinder could be attached? Gotta be doable.
So, let's say within a year, we could have a Nikon camera with an even larger (possibly full frame) chip, 1080 capabilities, and both XLR and viewfinder adapters available at an extra cost. Now if all of this could come in at a price under 5K would you be interested? I sure would......
 
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