For the record I am a semi-retired professional photographer with over 20 years of experience who is something of a traditionalist. For those who think that it’s “a horrible idea” to have some form of video capability on the Nikon D90 all I can say is you don’t have to use that function. I don’t use many of the functions on my DSLRs or compact digital cameras. Heck, most of the time I am shooting in manual exposure mode and barely looking at the light meter in my Nikon D300 or Pentax K20D. Autofocus does come in handy though.

I just bought a Samsung NV24HD compact digital camera in part because it can shoot 720p HD video at 30 fps. I am having a blast with it and would be only too happy if the Nikon D90 has similar capability. In fact I will be somewhat disappointed if the D90′s video capability is limited to 640X480 VGA quality. I would want at least 720p HD video but 1080i or 1080p would be better, even at a lower frame rate. Of course a lower resolution high frame rate video capability would be great too. Let’s say 60 fps at 640X480 for example. But I’ll take 60 fps at on 720p HD video if Nikon will be so kind as to provide it.

I look forward to owning a Nikon D90 in the coming months. It may even relegate my D300 to back-up use. Seriously, I don’t need most of the features of the D300 and it is just a tad too big and heavy for my liking. I expect that the D90 would become my primary Nikon body if it has decent video capability. I know it is asking too much to have an articulated viewing screen on it but it sure would be nice if Nikon and other DSLR manufacturers made it possible to attach an articulated viewing screen as an optional accessory on future models of DSLRs.

And lot of people said “LiveView” was a feature unuseful for a DSLR.. Very WRONG.
Just think in Pros working at Studio all day, journalists taking pics over a crowd or at a glance without putting the viewfinder in his/her eye on a sudden/sport/whatever situation, etc..

- Also another feature I REALLY (and several Pros too) would like is more MegaPixels, mantaining the Image Quality (of course)
-Why?
-Because I work in Arts, and more MP give me the possibility to make Bigger prints and/or crop the part I need better with more details.
Just as simple as that.

Maybe more MegaPixels is not very necessary for a journal photographer, but IT IS for several other activities/jobs.

Would be great to have a camera with FX sensor, LiveView, HD Video recording and 18 or 24 MP of resolution.

Am I asking too much? maybe at this time, but it is very possible in near future

A lot of things in the technology/electronic world tends to integrate components into one package.

GPS is one of them.
Video capturing is another.

I think even Professionals Photographers could take advantage of good quality Video capturing, specially if that features become HD video in near future, maybe in the Pro’s DSLR.

Pro Phtographers need to think that many jobs/professions/activities also tend to integrate each other, so I Don’t think impossible to see in the future a photographer that also records videos in some situations/jobs

Specially keeping in mind that the “multimedia” world goes more and more for the moving-images rather than still-images.

Photography is photography, and Video is Video, but … I see both things integrated in a single device in near future, at least for some applications.

Of course there are other situations that requires specific and highly expensive Video devices, but THERE IS NO REASON why DSLR could not have Video capturing feature.

People who stack to the old idea that a Pro camera should only take pics, are wrong and needing to see what’s happening around.

Some years ago the D1 was delivering IQ much lower than today’s “prosumer” DSLR.
Some years ago a “Pro” DSLR “shouldn’t” have an integrated flash…

The more (useful) features a device has, the more versatile it becomes

- I REALLY like and APPRECIATE Video in a DSLR, also good (or better) IQ when shooting still pics, also FX format sensor, and also integrated GPS too (would be seen in future if not soon).

VIDEO in a DSLR is coming and is GREAT additional feature, just like (or even more in some situations) usefull as GPS feature.

** CONGRATULATIONS TO NIKON to make this move.
ADD this feature to “PRO DSLR” too soon!!

Sorry for so long post.

Thanks God somebody broke the ice of bigotry. For Nikon it’s partial redemption – for their past sins (e.g. encrypted WB channel). As for video we’d better get used to it, ‘cos in a few years it may be nigh on impossible to get a dSLR *without* video, and quite decent, too.

There’s demand from both ends: consumers spoiled by P&S features, and media pros from photo-reportage, film, TV and magazine industries. Even if the pros can afford to buy and haul both photo AND video gear on the field, switching them during the action is costly. Staffing a double crew for still and video is expensive, yet possible. Both crews simultaneously sharing the same PoV w/ the DoP and the film director is often impossible: it ain’t enough room for all to dance on the same pinhead… I’m sure “cbap” could tell us much more.

To better understand “cbap” and the shape of things to come, pls. read “The Convergence…” articles on Luminous Landscape.

Some xtal ball gazing: Predictably Nikon will deliver 1080p and/or high FPS video rather soon… a ‘differentiating feature’ that Canon has delayed till 2-3 yrs. ago (to protect their other business). Even Canon, Samsung, Sony, Fuji, Pany etc. will have no option but to provide 1080p – at the risk of canibalizing into their own videocam lines – still better than competition doing it to them…

In fact they’ve started a few years ago w/ work on ‘converged’ sensors; at least Sony and Canon already have issued/leaked statements re. their new chips. And products such as EX F1, RED are proofs of concept. Fuji and Samsung can’t be far behind either…

About me: I’m just a hobbi(s)t of no particular talent; i enjoy landscape and macro. As gear I have a bunch of Nikon bodies and glass, but no videocam; that’s why i made sure my P&S (Canon) has a basic VGA video. Why? Because I see potential for an alternate form of visual expression… landscapes combining static details in hi-res stills w/ sweeping panoramas and dynamic 1080p segments: waterflow, falling leaf, wind moving the rows of wheat, rivers of fog flowing in the Alps (where i’m fortunate to live), rain in desert (where i travel), snowdrifting blizzards, you got the pic … As proven by the talented DoP’s of many a scenic movie, such mix could be the future of visual arts. Too long of a rant (instead of me cracking some diff equations), yet I wanted to share my excitment w/ you.

I’d give my right eye for the video function. I often use a d-series Nikon to shoot stills in the field because the image quality of a low-end SLR is amusingly better than what you find on a $100K HiDef video camera.

Video has been a bit of an expensive scam for the past decade. Cameras like the Red Scarlet and (maybe) the D90 could change the industry. Cheap, good Nikon glass and a nice big sensor = me getting excited enough to post on some random rumor site at 12:09.

My point… I hope Nikon took a look at Casio’s EX F1 and saw the beginning of something new, and er…. awesome.

If you haven’t shot video or film at 300-3000 fps, then you’re missing out. Heck, if you’re too lazy to shoot and edit moving images you’re probably living in the past. It’s 2008.

Gimmick. Sure, just like live view when everyone had a big whine about it on the Olympus cameras.

Your “serious photographers” slur is not backed up by any evidence, merely empty hyperbole. Unless you can demonstrate that the quality of still pictures is somehow compromised by the ability to take video, which you have not done. Or unless the D300 is also, in your estimation, unsuitable for “serious photographers”.

Thanks for remembering!

Those even mildly serious about taking photographs will need to look elsewhere. Nikon should take caution not to drive them away entirely. The glass and the, pardon the pun, focus on the IMAGE used to be key to Nikon’s success — will it soon be gizmos?

Maybe recording Video on the D90 means it´s just using this D60 feature?

Stageshadow

dpreview has a capture from the D300 in live view mode here
http://a.img-dpreview.com/reviews/NikonD300/Samples/Videos/d300_liveview_720p.mov