New cameras aren’t usually something I’d feel compelled to cover unless it somehow impacts skateboarding photography, but there are some extenuating circumstances here. First of all, they are using skateboarding a little in the promo materials, which isn’t a big deal by itself. Nice free advertising for Independent Trucks though… The D90 is two steps forward in the evolution of the camera I’ve been using for skate shots for the past three years or so, the D70. At the time, it was the first consumer digital SLR that had the option to use equivalent of a 16mm fisheye, my go to lens for skate photography. The D90 that was just announced improves on the D70 and D80 before it incrementally as well as adding the ability to shoot HD resolution movie clips up to five minutes long. The skatespot they use in the demo footage looks like it is in the Pacific Northwest somewhere, dare I say Seattle or Vancouver? One of our readers should be able to identify the location. I’ve got some stills pulled out plus more camera talk after the jump.
[Source: Gizmodo]
On the first day of the Trifecta I had my video camera around my neck while I was shooting stills. I wanted to get some footage for GVK since Grover didn’t make it out to Lincoln City. Man, did I fell like a dork. I also used it to video the contest results so I could make sure I got them right, and could match a name to a face. The ability to shoot 24fps HD quality movies through a digital SLR is supposed to be a first for this camera. I thought there was another digital SLR camera that could do it, but maybe it’s not in the HD aspect.
The depth of field changes and ability to use a true wide angel lens (or telephoto) for shooting video, as well as getting a damn fine digital camera for primary use make this a pretty amazing product. There are a few downsides to the video mode. The sound is mono only, the autofocus doesn’t work while shooting video and the clips are limited to 5 minutes. Mono sound isn’t a deal breaker for skate videos that typically have a soundtrack overdubbed, and five minutes is a long shot for most scenes. Autofocus might be harder to work around, but everyone managed fine without it for decades. I imagine all three of these limitations will one day be solved by technology advances, or maybe already have been planned for higher price models. The D90 body will sell for $999 when it comes out, which is what the D70 cost when it was released in 2004 without the movie mode and only half the megapixels, not to mention a smaller LCD and all the other improvements that have been made in the past few years. I said it before, we’re relatively fast approaching the time when the line between prosumer video and still camera will start to disappear.
These are stills from the demo video. Note that these have been compressed for web delivery and don’t represent the actual quality. Readers, where is this skate spot?
UPDATE:
That was fast. Bailgun identified the spot as Gas Works Park in Seattle.
12 comments
kilwag
I own this camera now. I am less than stoked on it. Never taken so many out of focus pictures. Movies are nice provided all the action stays in the plane of focus when you start since autofocus does not work in movie mode.
Nylund
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Gerd Rieger
Check http://www.chasejarvisandfriends.com/
and scroll through the photogallery
for some more D90 skate footage at the same spot.
Carl
I like how they shot it early in the morning so nobody was there to toss that bike in the water.
VulgarDisplayCFH
I was just about to upgrade my camera body. Looks like I’ll wait for this to come out.
damienhialation
In that case, I am in love! Who the hell shoots more than 5 minutes of skate footage at a time anyway?
moe29
good preview: http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d90.htm
Probably readily available at the end of the month.
Looks like a fun camera to do videos with.
Kilwag
Bailgun – Looks like you are right on. Unless there’s another seemingly identical obstacle in a simialar setting, that’s got to be Gasworks. I found it in Google maps and updated the post. Thanks.
Kilwag
The shutter isn’t snapping each frame, it’s handled electronically by the image sensor. The mirror and shutter stay locked open while the movie is being recorded. So one move equals one shutter release.
Kind of the same way some cameras have a live preview, except this live preview is really high quality, and is being recorded. Just like a video camera.
Specs say it’s got a 100,000 shutter cylce, not as high as the the pro models.
Press release says September 2008 availability
damienhialation
Curious how this works. Camera’s only survive a certain number of shutter clicks. If the shutter snaps for every single frame for 5 minutes at 24fps, you’ll pretty much wear your camera out in the first 6 months. I suppose I could look it up, but I’m way to lazy for that! 😉
dave
any word on when this will be available?
bailgun
looks like gasworks park in seattle.
fun, but don’t bite your nails after skating there.
superfund site.