Nikon D90 Full-Sized Photos

These full-resolution sample images are files taken straight off my Nikon D90 (unless otherwise noted) for you to view and download to your hard drives for evaluation only.

You can share these samples with others but please don’t use them in any media or website without attribution.

If you use the images in any way, kindly specify the following credit “© Digital Photography Notes / www.dpnotes.com”.

If I link to an edited RAW / NEF file, download that file and open it up in Nikon Capture NX2 to view the edits I have performed.

All RAW / NEF to JPEG conversions are done in Nikon Capture NX 2 with the file quality setting at Excellent (highest quality).

Christmas Santa Ornament
This is just a quick shot to text my brand new Tokina 12-24mm f/4 AT-X Pro DX AF lens (Nikon mount), which I acquired on December 16th, 2008.

The photo could have been much sharper had I used f/8 and a tripod.

Anyway, from early tests, the Tokina is proving to be an excellent performer, but for now, here’s an ISO 2800 image courtesy of my Nikon D90.

To view the full-resolution image, click the photo below:

Image settings:

1. Picture Control: Standard (SD)


2. Shutter speed: 1/60s


3. Aperture: f/4


4. ISO: 2800


5. Active D-Lighting: AUTO


6. White Balance: Direct sunlight, 0, 0

Noise reduction on the RAW file was done in Nikon Capture NX 2, and you can download that edited file here.

KLCC Twin Towers
While on the way to the 2nd Malaysian International Ornamental Aquatic Industry Exhibition & Conference at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (aka Aquafair 2008), I stepped outside briefly to take this shot with the Nikon 50mm f/1.4D lens on my D90.

The RAW file went through a direct conversion in Nikon Capture NX2 with no further edits. Download the original RAW / NEF file and view the full-resolution converted JPEG.

Image settings:

1. Picture Control: Standard (SD)


2. Shutter speed: 1/400s


3. Aperture: f/10


4. ISO: 200


5. Active D-Lighting: AUTO


6. White Balance: Automatic

Small White Flower, Edited
For this close-up shot of a flower that’s just slightly under an inch across, I used the 36mm tube from my Kenko DG Auto Extension Tube Set so that I could focus closer with the 50mm f/1.4D AF Nikkor lens.

I edited the RAW file in Nikon Capture NX2 using curves, and added noise reduction in the process. You can download the edited RAW / NEF file and the full-resolution converted JPEG.

Image settings:

1. Picture Control: Landscape (LS)


2. Shutter speed: 1/125s


3. Aperture: f/5.6


4. ISO: 200


5. Active D-Lighting: AUTO


6. White Balance: Automatic

McDonald’s Value Breakfast
If you’re in Malaysia, grab this weekday breakfast deal for only RM4.20 (correct as of 9-Oct-2008, equivalent to approximately $1.20 USD). You get a Sausage McMuffin (8oz) and a cup of tea or coffee (8oz).

I sat by the window when I took this photo. You can download the original RAW / NEF file or the full-resolution JPEG which was converted in Nikon Capture NX2 without any setting changes.

Equipment and settings:

1. Nikon D90, Nikon 50mm f/1.4D AF


2. Picture Control: Landscape (LS)


3. Shutter speed: 1/160


4. Aperture: f/2.8


5. ISO: 200


6. Active D-Lighting: AUTO


7. White Balance: Automatic

Panasonic NV-GS150
I was about to put up an offer to sell this camcorder, and thought of using the D90 to snap a photo of it. This was also a good opportunity for me to put my new Nikon 50mm f/1.4D AF Nikkor lens to the test.

I set the aperture to f/2.8 to have sufficient depth of field (DOF) for the shot, as the DOF in an earlier photo taken at f/1.4 proved to be too shallow.

The product was illuminated from ambient light flowing into the hallway through a door, and I wanted a sufficiently fast shutter speed so that there was no blur from hand-holding the camera. I had to boost the ISO to 800 to get a shutter speed that was faster than 1/100 seconds.

Shot settings:

1. Picture Control: Landscape (LS)


2. Shutter speed: 1/160


3. Aperture: f/2.8


4. ISO: 800


5. High ISO NR: ON (Normal)


6. Active D-Lighting: AUTO


7. White Balance: Automatic

You can download:

1. The original RAW / NEF file


2. The full-resolution JPG, for which I used Nikon Capture NX2 to convert (the only setting change I made was to select “Better Quality” for the noise reduction).

Leaves, JPEG Normal (click for the full resolution file)
Nikon D90, Tamron 28-75mm, 1/200 sec, f/10, 28mm, Landscape scene mode, handheld.

If you want the highest JPEG quality possible, don’t use the Normal or Basic setting, use Fine.

Sometimes, though, it’s hard to tell how much better a photo would be with the Fine setting. For me, this picture is as good as it gets.

I don’t personally use the Normal setting for JPEG unless I’m running out of space.

Accidental ISO6400 photo, 3 versions
Nikon D90, Nikkor 18-200mm VR, 1/400 sec, f/5, 65mm.

I was still new to the D90 when this photo of a fashion boutique storefront was taken by an acquaintance, and I had set the ISO at Hi-1, thinking it was ISO3200, when it’s actually ISO6400.

The D90 was also setup to shoot RAW plus JPEG Large, Fine at the time.

People always wonder if there’s a difference in high ISO photographs when taken in JPEG mode vs RAW. For that reason, I’ve provided three versions of the file:

1. JPEG Large, Fine (full size)


2. Full resolution JPEG from a straight RAW conversion using Nikon Capture NX2 (which means that no software settings were changed). The JPEG was saved using the Excellent setting.


3. The RAW / NEF file itself

ISO3200 portrait of my pal, John Ishii, at Starbucks
This ISO3200 RAW / NEF photo was taken with a Nikon D90 and Nikkor 18-105mm VR lens (the equipment is also available as a kit).

I’m pretty impressed with the high-ISO performance from the D90 for this particular shot. Here are the details:

1. Shutter speed: 1/30s


2. VR: ON


3. Aperture: f/5.6


4. ISO: 3200


5. High ISO NR: ON (Normal)


6. Active D-Lighting: OFF

I have edited the RAW / NEF file in Nikon Capture NX2, which you can download for closer examination. You can also download the full-resolution converted JPEG.

Just a quick note on high ISO shots
To get the best possible noise reduction (NR) quality, you must shoot in RAW / NEF mode. The RAW files should then be processed via Nikon Capture NX 2, which not only has better NR routines than the ones in the camera, but also allows you to dictate the amount of NR for both luminance and chrominance channels. You might want to read my post on noise reduction techniques in Nikon Capture NX 2 for a better idea of the type of control you get over NR.

Building Construction detail

I took this photo to check on how well the D90 plus Nikon 50mm f/1.4D AF combination resolves detail.

1. Shutter speed: 1/50s


2. Aperture: f/5.6


3. ISO: 200


4. High ISO NR: ON (Normal)


5. Active D-Lighting: Automatic

The white balance was initially set on Auto, but I changed it to Shade in Nikon Capture NX 2. NX 2 was also used to convert the RAW file.

Download the edited RAW file (18.9 MB), and view the full-sized, converted JPEG.