Nikon Coolpix P90

Auto Mode

The mode dial on the Nikon P90 has a dedicated auto mode (represented by the green camera icon). With this selected, the camera runs all controls automatically and allows you to simply point, shoot, and zoom. The camera also has plenty of scene modes that will tweak settings to match whatever particular 'scene' you're shooting in. There's even a scene auto selector option that will let the camera attempt to automatically select a scene mode to match the setting (choosing from Portrait, Night Portrait, Close-up, Landscape, Night Landscape, or Backlight mode). If you want to have a bit more control but still let the camera control exposure automatically, the P90 has a programmed auto mode (labeled as P on the mode dial).

Face detection (up to 12 faces at a time) and motion detection are other auto features that should help novice photographers. Motion detection allows the camera to sense camera shake and make automatic adjustments to reduce blur.

Movie Mode

The P90 can record movies with sound using a few different size settings and picture effects: regular standard definition TV movie (640 x 480), small size (320 x 240), sepia movie (320 x 240), black & white movie (320 x 240) and time-lapse movie (640 x 480). There is no HD video capability on the camera.

Drive/Burst Mode

Switching the mode dial to sports mode allows you to capture up to 45 consecutive pictures at 15 frames-per-second. Keep in mind, however, that the resolution must be set to 3 megapixels or less to capture images at this speed. The camera also has a cache feature that will automatically capture an extra ten frames before you even start shooting. While this feature is useful if you're trying to catch a quick action shot, it also depletes your battery and can make the camera a bit sluggish.

The P90 also implements Nikon's Best Shot Selector (BSS) feature. With BSS, the camera takes 10 shots when you press down the shutter and will automatically choose the sharpest picture—a good feature when you're shooting in low light or trying to capture motion.

Playback Mode

A number of options are available in playback mode including retouch, d-lighting, print set, slideshow, rotate, small picture, copy and black border. There's also a 10x playback zoom feature that is controlled using the zoom toggle as well as a thumbnail and calendar view.

Custom Image Presets

The P90 has the following scene modes: Portrait, Panorama Assist, Close-Up, Sunset, Night Landscape, Fireworks Show, Night Portrait, Sports, Copy, Beach/Snow, Dusk/Dawn, Museum, Back Light, Landscape, Food, and Party. There is also a sports/action setting on the mode dial (that acts as a continuous shooting/burst mode) as well as two user setting modes that you can program yourself.