Nikon N90s Trivia

Compiled by Liang-Wu Cai

What's in the Name?

The various model names
There are several model names of this camera, complicated by the different names used inside and outside USA. Here is a complete list:
- N90 = F90: The original model, with plain camera back. N90 is the name used only in USA.
- N90s = F90X: The improved model, with plain camera back. N90s is the name used only in USA.
- F90D: F90 + MF-25 (not available in USA)
- F90S: F90 + MF-26 (not available in USA)
- F90XD: F90X + MF-25 (not available in USA)
- F90XS: F90X + MF-26 (not available in USA)
- F90X Pro: F90X + MF-26 + MB-10 (only sold in Europe)
Improvements of N90s over N90
Changes in the N90s are mostly internal and do not effect basic operations. These changes make N90s a professional camera; N90 is not.
- Autofocus faster, which are the result of: 1) shorter mirror movement time; 2) shorter shutter charge time; 3) coreless motor makes film advance faster; 4) AF CPU now twice as fast; 5) 25% faster lens drive; 6) newer AF algorithm (rumored to be a bug-fix of that in N90)
- Autofocus tracking speed of 4.1 fps instead of 3.6 fps
- Shutter speed changes in S and M modes are in 1/3 stop instead of full stop increments.
- Weather resistance added
- Redeye-reduction indicator on camera body's LCD panel
- Vertical grip (MB-10) provides secondary shutter release
- Can use lithium AA batteries in the body
- Beeping functions need to be activated via software instead of a switch. Thus the power switch becomes on-off two-position switch instead of off-on-beep three- position one
- Few more options for customizing the camera setting (via software) such as "easy compensation" for Aperture-Priority Auto exposure mode, showing metering deviation between matrix and center-weighted meters
- Has significantly larger data storage capacity: 33 rolls of shooting data instead of 2 rolls.
- Stripped off the "two-shot self-timer" feature.
How to justify doubling the price of N70?
Well, there isn't always a justification for everything. Besides, did your economy textbook tell you that the price is not determined by the cost, but rather, by the maximum price the targeted user group can afford, plus a little stretch? (If not, just consider this as Cai's economy theory then :-).) All Nikon needs to do is to show you that the N90s is indeed more expensive to make than the N70, which is quite obvious: a faster shutter speed is expensive, a faster sync speed is also expensive, and there are some features that are not necessarily expensive but you simply can't get them from lower models. But alas, love is in the eyes of beholders.... For those who are trying to do their own justification, I have compiled a table that compares the specifications of all Nikon's current- production N-series cameras, plus the famed N8008(s). But a word of caution though: specification is not everything. Otherwise, one would be better off with a Canon.

Troubles in History?

It probably has sadly become a Nikon's tradition that the early release of a product always have some wrinkles need to be found out by its users, often immediately. Here is a list of what I've collected:

Premature Battery Indication
In the early release of the camera, the battery indicator would indicate a battery exhaustion when a new battery has just been used for a couple rolls. Nikon acknowledged the problem, and offers free adjustment in the software. Later-released cameras do not have this problem.
Crack in Prism Housing
Many users on the Nikon mailing list have reported that hair-line cracks have appeared in the prism housing (plastic top cover) of the camera, originating from the screw holes in the front bellow the "Nikon" lettering. It is suspected that the crack is the result of frequently putting on and taking off of a flash on the flash hot-shoe.
MF-26 Rubber Coating Rubbing Off
Many users on the Nikon mailing list also reported that the rubber coating of early release of MF-26 started to peel off after just a few months of normal use, and the starting point is always the lower left corner. Reports on Nikon mailing list say that Nikon offers replacement, and the replacement models are doing fine. (My MF-26, which is manufactured before N90s since the box of MF-26 does not include N90s as a usable camera, started peeling off after 8 months, 50 rolls. I sent it back to Nikon with a request of either recoating or replacement under warranty. They clean it thoroughly and recoated, and sent it back to me in 3 weeks.)
The Infamous "Err" error message
There are several situations when this message happens and the camera locks up, and almost none of them has anything to do with the cause stated in the camera manual: film DX coding error. (If it is truly a DX-coding error, manually setting the ISO speed of the film should solve the problem. This could happen in cold weather.)
Scenario One: when using Alkaline batteries and the batteries are almost exhausted, and yet one continues to shoot. The battery may not have enough power to complete the shutter firing operation (which usually includes: mirror up, close down diaphragm, shutter fire, mirror down, open diaphragm, advance film, and charge the shutter for next frame). The camera could be lock up in the middle of the operation, left with a dimmed viewfinder. Usually an indication appears quite early if one pays attention: when the batteries are almost exhausted, the film advance becomes noticeably slow. In normal situation film advance is very fast and one cannot distinguish it from other noise such as mirror flipping. When the batteries almost exhausted, the film-advance could take almost 1 second, and the noise of film advancing has been mistakenly identified by some as "beep". I think those is the result of over-adjustment for the Premature Battery Indication problem. This scenario is particular to using alkaline batteries, due to the peculiar behavior of the alkaline battery: even when its power is almost exhausted, it still has a pretty high voltage. Solution: replace the batteries and fire the shutter once should solve the problem. I am pretty sure this is normal, since it happened to me several times, and I once deliberately repeated this happening.
Scenario Two: At the end of a roll, when the remaining film is too short for one more frame but long enough to fool the camera, the camera could end up with "Err" message. Solution: rewind the film and load with the new one, and possibly fire the shutter once could solve the problem. (This has never happened to me, but summarized from other’s reports.)
Scenario Three: I've heard of two reports: happened in the middle of a roll, with sufficient battery power. I have no idea what’s going on. (Could be really a DX-coding problem, which does not necessarily occur just at the beginning of a roll.) Solution: probably should send the camera in for a check. (Also, both reports of this problem occurs while using Kodachrome films.)

Unsolved Mysteries

+3EV Exposure Compensation for Copy Work
When I used the N90s + SB-26 to make internegs, using Micro-Nikkor 55mm f/2.8 + PK13 with ES- 1 slide holder, SB-26 as the light source directly flashes onto the slide and controlled by camera's TTL flash metering system, through trial-and-error, I found that I need to dial in +3EV exposure compensation to obtain proper exposure. A friend of mine using similar setup (N90 + SB-25 with Micro-Nikkor AF 105mm f/2.8D) to copy prints into slides, and found that he needs the similar amount of exposure compensation to get the correct exposure. I still have no way to explain this.
Custom Setting Disappearance
I once had the camera sit for 2 weeks unused, during which time the batteries in the MF-26 ran out, and turned the MF-26 on and off intermittently. When I later used the camera, I found that all my custom settings (via Photo Secretary) were gone. Later I tried to determine the cause by setting up the customizations again and then removing the batteries from the MF-26, it appears this was not a repeatable thing. So, the disappearance of my custom settings remains a mystery to me.

Solved Mysteries

Focus tracking in AF-S mode
N90s performs focus tracking in single-servo AF (AF-S) mode. It works this way: when the shutter is pressed halfway, the camera starts focusing. If the subject is moving, the focus tracking is immediately turn on, and the double-triangle indicator is shown in the viewfinder when in-focus is established. However, as soon as the subject stops momentarily, focus locks and the big dot appears in the viewfinder.
Lithium AA batteries
Nikon has officially approved the use of lithium AA batteries in the N90s (but not N90). Lithium AA batteries can be used in SB-26 as well. (Original documents of the camera only allow the use of lithium batteries in MB-10.)
Shutter locked in manual focusing mode?
If the focus-priority function is set in the MF-26, the shutter will fire only when the camera thinks the subject is in focus, even in manual mode. This could be a big surprise for many people who think shutter should always be ready to fire in manual focus mode.
Erroneous Aperture Value Displaying
With some pre-D era third-party lenses, due to electronic incompatibility, the aperture value displaying on the camera some times may become erroneous: the value displayed is all over the places. Also, the focal length information passed from the lens to the camera is also erroneous thus, if an SB-26 is attached, the zooming of the flash unit also goes crazy. The problem does not always occur, and there is no consistent pattern of the occurrence.
Flash compensation: MF-26 or MB-26?
Both settings will take effect, in an additive way. Therefore, the camera + flash combo is actually capable of achieving -6EV to +2 EV flash exposure compensation.
Combined features of MF-26
Some features of MF-26 can be combined, but the outcome could be a surprise. Here is a little test I ran, using Seattle FilmWorks free film. (Hey, that one of use of it!)
- When Interval Timer and Exposure Bracketing (or Flash Exposure Bracketing) functions of MF-26 are combined, say 3 frame bracketing and 4 interval shootings, the camera shoot 3 frame continuously every time. Total: 12 frames were shot.
- When Interval Time and Multiple Exposure functions of MF-26 are combined, say 2 exposures per frame, 4 interval shootings. The camera shoots 1 frame (continuously 2 exposures) every time. Total: 4 frames in 8 exposures. If the shutter is manually fired in the middle, that firing is just counted as one of the exposure (not 1 frame) in the sequence.
- The flash compensations set on the SB-26 and on MF-26 are additive. When the flash compensation is set on MF-26, SB-26 shows the effective change of shooting range, but does not show the compensation. The stored data in the camera shows the actual amount of compensation.
Lighting Ratio in Multiple-Flash TTL
In various Nikon documentation regarding multiple-flash TTL, even with some complicated formulas, it remains quite ambiguous as how multiple-flash TTL is achieved and how to control the lighting ratio. I hope the following explanation could simplify the understanding a bit, although sometimes, computations are still needed.
In short, from a flash unit point of view, TTL-flash is achieved simply by two signals from the camera: when to turn on and when to shut off. In a multiple flash setting, all flash units receive each of these signals at the same time. Therefore, lighting ratio is only determined by the two factors: the raw flash powers and the flash-to-subject distances. To simply things, it is best to use flash units of the same power and to control the ratio by varying the distances. But, obviously, through some computations, one can control the lighting ratio by using TTL-capable flash units of different powers. (When doing the computation, assume all flash units are fired at full power; calculate each flash's f-values as if each were the sole light source. The difference in f-values shows the lighting ratio.)
N90s + SB-26 fooling flash meter
Some people have attempted to use a flash meter to measure the flash output level of this Nikon's most advanced flash photography combo, but dismayed by the measurement results. There are two things that fool the flash meter. The first is the preflash. The N90s + SB-26 fires a series of short flashes, collectively called preflash, prior to the main flash (but the preflash are usually not distinguishable to naked eyes from the main flash which immediately follows). Usually this preflash triggers the flash meter. To make measurement, one needs to turn off the pre-flash, by either using a non-D lens, or tilting the flash-head out of alignment. The second thing is that there must be a film in the camera. The flash amount is determined by the light reflected off the film plane (sometimes called OTF flash metering). If there is no film in the camera, the camera's film pressure plate has a very different reflectivity from that of a film.

Those Mechanical Cameras We Miss So Much

Is there any trick to prevent N90s wasting the first two frames? In a manual camera, I can take 38-39 pictures from a 36-exposure film. However, I can only takes 36-37 pictures from F90X :-(
Might be possible, but I've never dared. I've thought about pasting a piece of junk film to the film leader. I've never tried it on N90s: when film is rewound, where will that piece of junk film go? If the junk film is in the front, it is very possible that it pierces through the shutter blades; if the junk film is in the back, it could damage the film guiding mechanism in the camera back. (If you dare to try, let me know the result, but don't hold me responsible :-))
FYI, the amount of film from the tip of the leader to the edge of the first frame is about 7.5 inches. Setting up "imprinting at frame #0" does not change this length.
Is it possible to reprogram the camera to leave the film leader out after rewinding?
Yes, but it is not a user selectable feature, not even with the PhotoSecretary software. It has to be done at a service center for about $20. Once reprogrammed, you have to live with it, or shell out another $20 to re-re-program it back.
Why no mirror-lock up in N90s?
Mirror lock-up is currently only available on the pro-line of Nikon camera. I think (read: just my opinion) there is a reason regarding the cost. For recent cameras having a fast sync speed, the shutter becomes thinner and lighter. I think there is a danger of light leak if the mirror is moved out of way for an extended period of time. F-series cameras have the double-shutter to minimize the light leak, but I believe the double-shutter is too expensive to justify on an N-series (amateur) camera.
On the other hand, many people claim that the N90s mirror movement is smooth enough (which is one of improvements of N90s over N90) to justify the lack of mirror lock-up mechanism and yet calling it a "professional" camera. I've tried some microphotography for magnifications up to 10x, the image looks very sharp when projected.
Is there any trick, or is it possible to reprogram the camera, to flip the mirror up as soon as the shutter is pressed in the self-timer exposure (a.k.a. pseudo mirror-lockup)?
Unfortunately no.

Some Other Q&A's

Nikon's propriety "Fee" error message.
Gee, I thought that means you forgot to pay someone :-) ---- Andrew Koenig (ark@research.att.com), posted on rec.photo.equipment.35mm news group.
I use N90s with SB-26. The flash sync-speed is supposed to be 1/250". How come I mostly get a speed of 1/30" in P as well as A mode. The only time I get 1/250" is when shooting outdoors using it as a fill-in flash.
The camera is trying to get the background exposed properly, as much as the lowest sync speed (which is usually 1/60") allows. When you get the shutter of 1/30", you are probably in the Slow Sync flash mode, in which case, the shutter is set to expose the scene properly by itself without the flash.
When I set the camera in Manual mode, and put the SB-26 on, if I try a shutter speed higher than 1/250", the camera starts blinking the shutter speed in the outside LCD display, but inside viewfinder, the shutter speed remains at 1/250" without blinking. Does this mean that the shutter speed is locked in 1/250, or the camera follows the indication shown in the outside LCD (speed 1/500" blinking for instance)?
The shutter speed will be set at 1/250" as soon as both the camera and SB-26 are turn on. It is annoying that the displays on the LCD and the viewfinder are inconsistent, but think it this way: viewfinder displays what you are really shooting, including the picture. The LCD shows what you are trying to do, in case you thought the camera's dial is broken :-)
With the SB-26 on, if I have the camera with the large autofocus area ( [ ] ) and not the ( o ) selected, the brackets start blinking... why is this happening? Should I always select the ( o ) autofocus before start shooting with the flash?
Spot-AF is used as soon as you turn on the SB-26. You don't need to set it. The camera will set it for you.
How will two pictures -- one taken with Auto TTL and another with Standard TTL -- be different in terms of flash exposure? On a similar note, how will they differ if I took one on Auto TTL and keyed in a 1 stop flash exposure and another on Standard TTL and keyed in a 1 stop flash exposure compensation? If they aren't going to be different, why give two separate features?
In standard TTL, the camera measures the flash exposure only. Auto TTL means fill-in (or called "balanced") flash, in which the camera tries to control the flash exposure in the level comparable to the ambient light (background). If the ambient light is too low, the camera will try to make the flash exposure sufficient. I think they are handled by different algorithms, although may be metered by the same set of sensors. Thus, I think it is not possible to get exactly the same results in the two methods, or by compensating with one of them, except by pure luck.
As for the reason of providing separate features, I don't know. But I do believed that there are people who are not comfortable to hand too many controls over to the camera without knowing how the camera is doing it. They only trust the methods they know well, such as the center-weighted metering, standard TTL. The "autoTTL" is done by complicated algorithms even Nikon cannot explain it clearly in plain language.
Nikon noted that, in general, Standard TTL gives more exposure than Auto TTL. And I heard people complaining that autoTTL could underexposure. I use these two this way: if I use slides, I use auto TTL; if I use print film, I use standard TTL since print film is better to be overexposed.
Is there any point in setting SLOW SYNC on the camera when it is on Shutter Speed priority? (I would think not, but Peterson's book states that as an option so I was confused!!)
There is no point to set the SLOW SYNC in the modes that the user sets the shutter: manual and shutter-priority modes. But the idea of slow sync can be applied when YOU choose the shutter speed. Maybe Peterson’s book refers to the idea? Or, it means merely that the camera is settable for such. (When you set REAR CURTAIN SYNC, the SLOW SYNC is automatically set.)
Is there any relationship between SLOW SYNC as set on the camera and REAR SYNC as set on the SB-26 flash?
Set the one on SB-26, the camera will display it. This will also make the camera impossible to set to normal sync. Setting on the camera has no effect.

Back to my Nikon N90s Page
Last updated: May 27, 1998.