I'm in the process of buying a new camera but can't decide between the Nikon N90s, the Canon A2e (EOS 50e), and the Minolta 800si. They all have the same features, but is the high price of the N90s worth it? Is the metering system of the N90s that superior? I really do like the N90s a lot, but I would rather go with a less expensive camera that has the same quality as the N90s and spend my money on a good quality lens.

-- aanoi (dejvos@ilcdover.com), January 07, 2000

Answers

First of all the Canon A2e is the same (almost) as the EOS 5. The 50e is the same as the Elan IIe. They certainly don't have all the same features but they do target a similar market. They're all good cameras and all are dependable too.

Nikon offers their 3D flash exposure control with newer bodies and D lenses and I think the N90s can use this. It does a very good job. Canon has their E-TTL flash metering to compare but the A2e doesn't use it. Still it does a good job of flash metering if you pay attention to the focus point you're using. Minolta has a great multiple flash metering system if you're into good portraits. As far as their regular metering systems, I doubt you'd see any real world difference.

The point is they all have great features, but you really need to handle them all and compare how they work in your hands. Spending less on a body and more on lenses is usually good advice. The other advice is to figure out which system you want to buy into, not just which body is the hot thing today. I prefer Canon because of the eye control AF selection which works really nice and because of the moderate price of lenses with Ultrasonic focusing motors that give you full time maunual focusing. Also the A2e seems easier to use for me.

I agree that Nikon charges too much for their name, but they have been making good cameras for longer and can get away with it. You can also use some of the older (less expensive) manual focus lenses with it and Canon and Minolta. I don't think anyone can answer the question "which is better?" but everyone does have opinions about which features and feel they prefer.

-- Jim Strutz (jimstrutz@juno.com), January 08, 2000.

I said, "You can also use some of the older (less expensive) manual focus lenses with it and Canon and Minolta."

I meant to say, "You can also use some of the older (less expensive) manual focus lenses with it and Canon and Minolta can not."

-- Jim Strutz (jimstrutz@juno.com), January 08, 2000.

I had an N90 (not S), and served me very well this last 5 years. The ability to use older lenses is usfull indeed, although you wont have any Matrix Metering with a lot of the manual lenses (not as with F4), but maybe you can with AI-S or program lenses, havent tried them.

About 3D flash, I must say that I never noticed any difference whe I used it or not, The only case in wich it should matter is when the object is off center. I have the SB25, and it used to overexpose a bit so I always had to compensate 2/3.

Im sure you studied all the pluses so Im gonna be bad and tell you the bad things:

1. not indication in finder of metering patern (spot, center, matrix) the space is filled with focus zone indicator (go figure)

2. no ADR, so with older lenses you have to look at the lens to know what aperture your on, many rolls of film when under because it moved and I didnt notice.

3. No Multiple Exposure w/o expensive databack.

4. No MLU.

5. I tried a friends N90s and I found very disturbing that the the speeds even in manual are set in 1/3 EV steps, try to go from indoors 1/60 to 1/500 out in the garden!

6. This is very subjective, but one of the mayor resons I got rid of it was that I found no "soul" in this camera, last summer I took to Mallorca my old FE with motor, 50 1.8 and a polarizer.

I sold it and got an F4E, and like it very much. neverthe less the N90 ,and S I belive, are very very good and reliable cameras, mine didnt make any problems at all, never servised for 5 years and went as new.

2 very big pluses I miss in the F4 that are in the N90:

A. Iluminated LCD (even though that you see everything in the viewfinder I miss it).

B. Shiftable program, very usefull sometimes.

Hope it helps you good luck Diego K.

-- Diego K. (heuristica@yahoo.com), January 09, 2000.

I don't think you'll go wrong with any of the cameras you listed, but of these cameras the A2e has been around the longest. I'm a Canon convert (from Nikon) and use the Elan IIe. I also use flash a fair amount and use the features you only get with E-TTL (FEL, FP flash). The A2e doesn't support E-TTL. If you're leaning toward Canon, buy an Elan IIe instead. Sooner than later, the A2e's replacement will be announced (or that's what I've been reading since '97!). If AF speed and quietness are paramount, nothing beats Canon EF USM (Nikon's Silent Wave is reputed to be as fast and quiet, but is only in their expensive lenses so far). Also, used Canon and Nikon lenses and accessories are more readily avaiable than Minolta.

-- Jim Hicks (jhicks992@aol.com), January 09, 2000.

Besides the features, look how a camera feels in your hands. Make some time in the shop and have a look at it. The Nikon F90X feels less 'plastic' than the other two. For me it was one of the deciding factors when I changed my Minolta for the Nikon system. In my opinion the price of the F90x seems correct.

-- Ivan Verschoote (ivan.verschoote@rug.ac.be), January 10, 2000.

I don't these camera but I can tell you is I often see used N90 and lotsa old and not so old Nikon lenses. You could save a bunch on that one.

-- Erick Lamontagne (meteo.ygp@globetrotter.net), January 26, 2000.