David Busch's Nikon D90 Guide to Digital SLR Photography

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I'm only halfway through reading this 392 page book, and I've already learned twice as much about my D90 as I did from the other guide I foolishly bought while waiting for this one. It's filled with information I couldn't find anywhere else, including wise advice on using all the features of this great camera.

I bought my Nikon D90 primarily as a backup to my D300, and it remained in that role for several months because I didn't really know how to use it. The other book I got explained all the buttons and dials, but didn't provide the kind of in depth information I wanted on using the D90's features. I was very pleased with Busch's D300 book, and so got this one when it became available. What an eye-opener. After reading through Chapter 4 I can hardly wait to get out shooting again, as I didn't realize just how much I can do with this camera. I've learned that it's a lot like my D300 in many ways, but with some nice new features that I can apply to my work.

The author devotes the first three chapters to introducing the camera, its controls, and menus, explaining how and why you should make each setting. Later chapters describe techniques for optimizing exposure, using the D90's autofocus features, and how to work with electronic flash. This book had the best explanation of using the Nikon GP-1 geotagging unit that I've seen. While it doesn't spell out all the ways you can actually use GPS information, it provides enough detail that you can get a feel for it and decide for yourself whether you want to invest in this accessory.

I found the 30-page updated explanation and evaluation of Nikon brand lenses extremely valuable. No other book goes into so much detail on this important topic. Despite the Nikon D90's bargain price, it's a fairly advanced camera, and really deserves a book like this one, which starts off simply and then digs deep to offer the kind of information we really need to take better pictures.

I wanted a book that explained in depth how to use my new Nikon D90. David Busch's Nikon D90 Guide to Digital SLR Photographydid exactly that. It's well organized and describes everything in a logical way, so you can familiarize yourself with your camera, and then go on and master every control and option. There are nine chapters.

-Chapter 1: This is a quick start to using the camera, from initial setup to an introduction to drive modes, exposure modes, metering, and focus options.
-Chapter 2: Nikon D90 Roadmap. This chapter is a 35-page guided tour of every single feature and control of the camera. It shows you how to use each button and dial, and how they affect your pictures.
-Chapter 3: This chapter is worth the price of the book alone. It is 90 pages long, about three or four times as large as similar chapters in other books, listing each menu option and telling you why each is important. That's what I needed. Don't just tell me what choices I have, tell me why I need to choose one over the other!
-Chapter 4: This book is about exposure, histograms, etc. I have an entire book on this topic, but this chapter explains it better.
-Chapter 5: Advanced shooting. The author has an exhaustive section on autofocus, which I have found to be one of the trickiest aspects of this camera to master. I finally understand exactly how phase detection and contrast detection and Live View work.
-Chapter 6: Wow. A big chapter just on the various Nikon lenses available. I couldn't live without this.
-Chapter 7: This one covers the mysteries of light and has an introduction to the Nikon Creative Lighting System.
-Chapter 8: This chapter is an introduction to the software available for the Nikon D90. It does not provide step-by-step instructions on using Nikon Capture NX2 for example, but it provides enough of the flavor for me to know I am going to stick with Photoshop Elements.
-Chapter 9: More books need a chapter on troubleshooting. If you were afraid to clean your own sensor (the built-in sensor cleaning isn't perfect) you'll be confident after you read this chapter.

All in all this is the dream guide to using the Nikon D90. I recommend it to anyone who really wants to understand their camera in more detail than the small camera manual provides.

The other camera guidebooks don't seem to "get it." This one does. It provides exactly what a new Nikon D90 owner needs to get up to speed quickly with this great camera, with exactly the right explanations and exactly the right level of detail. For example one of the other books I checked out had a total of 30 pages devoted to the menus and setup options that I found most confusing. David Busch's guide has a comprehensive chapter with a whopping 95 pages on the same material. He list's every menu option and explains how to use it and why to make a particular setting. Then, if you want to know more, he provides a reference to a later chapter that explains the photography concepts behind his recommendations in more detail.

I like that approach much better -- give me just what I need to know first, with as much detail as needed to let me understand it, then move on to the next topic. This approach lets me learn at my own pace, while still providing the background that helps me master a subject.

I've purchased four books by this author, including his guidebook for my previous camera, a Nikon D60, and was pleased with every one of them. He has a knack for explaining complex things in a very clear way, and certainly has pulled it off with this one.

Because the Busch book claimed it was so much better than the owner's manual, I decided to actually start with the Busch when I got my new camera. After becoming thoroughly confused, however, I went back to the owner's manual (the thicker one plus the little quick guide) and everything was vastly clearer and easier. The Busch book just doesn't get the newbie taking pics quickly at all.

Busch's structure--spending a HUGE hunk on "setting up" the camera, while constantly referring to later sections of the book--just didn't work well for me. Busch's book is also not good for just picking it up and perusing parts and segments...It needs to be read straight through in a concentrated way. Which isn't bad--just not what I was looking for necessarily.


That said, there are of course parts which are informative and the pics are nice. Not a bad book to have, but not great for the newbie.

[I am new to this camera, as I assume most who buy this book are. If you find errors in the review of this book, kindly leave a comment so I can learn.]

I bought this book hoping to easily find and use information I need to take pictures and to speed me through the learning curve. I have used film SLRs and digital point-and-shoots (two Nikons), but the D90 is my first digital SLR.

The book has a similar organization as the user manual - it describes the camera. It would be a better book if it described tasks and how to do them, thus complementing the user manual with a different organization and a thorough index.

After skimming the first half, I came up with three things I needed to know quickly to use my camera. The book did not help in the way I had hoped.

Problem 1: First-time Setup

Chapter 3 covers the setup and options for this complex cameras. Some are things many people won't use (arcane features, or the "retouch" features which are like Photoshop-lite inside the camera, or "Pictmotion" to make camera-based slideshows). Some are things you might want to play with after you get to know the basic things to optimize for your use, such as customization.

There are also a few key things that many people will want to change from the first time they use the camera.

For example, by default, every time you remove the memory card to transfer pictures to a computer, they would reset the sequence numbers to zero. I think I am in the majority of users who would prefer that each picture have a unique sequence number that continues to the next number when you return the memory card to the camera. It's hard to understand why Nikon thinks that reseting each time should be the default, but at least they gave us an option to change it to how I expected it to work.

The book should have a brief guide of the top 5 settings that new owners may want to consider changing for their first use of the camera in Chapter 1. Google on "Ken Rockwell D90 Camera Settings" (without quotes) and you'll find a longer list like I have in mind.

Chapter 3, which is the D90 menu in exhaustive detail, is the longest chapter by far in the book, and includes picture editing and slide-show features. It belongs later in the book, following the chapters that go into detail on exposure, advanced tips, lenses, lighting, etc, and it might be useful to have separate chapters for setup for shooting vs post-processing.

Problem 2: Learning to use Aperture Priority

During a shoot, I needed to learn Aperture Priority mode to maximize depth of field for macro shots. Having read the book, I set the mode dial to A, and proceeded to change the aperture on the lens; the result was a flashing "FEE" error in the camera. I have learned, not from this book, that this happens when the aperture ring is not locked - in other words, you can't use the aperture ring to adjust the aperture. I consulted the book to learn what the camera wanted me to do to change aperture settings.

Aperture Priorty Mode is not listed in the index, even though using the mode knob is fundamental to using the camera.

I went to the table of contents. There is no major heading there for Exposure Modes, but after scanning a lot of entries I eventually found the section. In Chapter 4, Fine-Tuning Exposure, he tells you why you would use Aperture Priority Mode, and when to adust the aperture... but does not tell you HOW to actually set the aperture! In the brief description of Chapter 1 "Advanced Modes" (which should be called "Exposure Modes"), he gives a brief explanation of the four exposure modes, but nothing about adjusting aperture or shutter speed.

I guessed that maybe I should use the Command wheel, which he says is used to adjust settings for various modes. No dice.

Eventually I found my answer by googling on "d90 aperture priority mode" (don't use quotes). It turns out that the SUBcommand wheel, the one in the front, is used to adjust the aperture, and the Command wheel for shutter speed. Why don't they use the same one? Because in Manual mode, you need to use both, and it is less confusing to have the SUBcommand wheel behave the same for M and A modes. By the way, you cannot adjust the aperture without the light meter enabled. To do that, you press and release the +/- button, the AF button, the AE button, or the metering mode; or press the shutter button half way and release. THEN you can adjust the aperture.

Back to the book. Does he cover this when describing subcommand wheel? Yes and no. If you look under the details for the subcommand wheel in Chapter 1, he gives setting the aperture as an example of when the subcommand wheel is used, but does not mention pressing a button to enable it. In the explanation for Manual Exposure Mode in Chapter 4 (which is AFTER the section on Aperture Mode), he does mention the roles of Command and Subcommand wheels, but does not explain that they only work when the light meter is active, or that you must press one of a few buttons to activate it. None this is listed in the index under "aperture"; none of it is explained in the Aperture Mode section.

It's the same problem for Shutter Priority Mode: in that section in Chapter 4, he tells you when you want to use this mode, and when to adjust the shutter speed, but not HOW to adjust the shutter speed (using the command wheel), or that you need to press a button first.

Problem 3: Making HD Movies

D90 gets a lot of buzz for being able to create HD (720p) movies. I wanted to try it out. In the index, there are entries for HDTV and for movies, but they talk about the five minute limitation of movie clips, and settings for movie resolution. I have heard of "LiveView" (a meaningless term that serves to hide some potentially useful features), and figured that he would have a subsection in the LiveView section to walk you through making a movie.

He has a section on continuous shooting, but if there is any place that outlines how to actually shoot a movie with the D90, I still have not found it. FYI: the D90 user manual (English version) outlines the process on page 50. I expected more discussion on this feature - not in the user manual, but in the book on the D90.

Bottom Line

I am disappointed by the book. The organization does not help me with the tasks at hand. The index is incomplete. The table of contents is not a good alternative, because it is organized by camera features rather than by task. Vital information is missing in the in-depth section. And it has a lot of stuff I don't need for field use (like picture editing), making it heavier to carry.

Amazon defines two stars as "I don't like it". I think it is OK for some people.

I have three books by this author, and have found him to be the most authoritative expert on Nikon photography. He seems to understand that those who purchase an advanced camera like the Nikon D90 need both an introduction that is easier to understand and more direct than the manual Nikon supplies, and a more advanced guidebook that explains how to get the most from the D90. This book does both. The other books I examined seem to be re-hashes of the manual packed into the box with the camera, just explaining the same things with more words. The Busch book does go over the same material as the Nikon manual, but in a lot more detail and with plenty of advice on why to use each settings option. But that's only the first third of this book. Other chapters tell about exposure, lenses, electronic flash, and so forth as they relate precisely to the D90. Not general and generic like other books. I am very glad I got this book.

Being a Scandinavian and not having English as first language can often be a bit troublesome when looking for good non-fiction books. This book never offered any problems in this regard.
It was orderly and logical in it's layout and I had no trouble reading it from cover to cover.

I would especially recommend this book to all people that buy the Nikon D90 as their first SLR. Being one of those people myself, this guide proved to be exactly what I needed including both camera specific information as well as offering pointers on how to use all functionality in real life photography.

Using this guide together with one of Scott Kelby's 'Digital Photography' books would make a perfect starter kit!

If you are new to SLRs and you can actually read the owners manual this guide is not for you.

I was expecting this guide to introduce me to D90 in addition to some of the dSLR concepts after all I can read the owners manual to see where the buttons or menus are.

I was very surprised to see the format book was following. For some reason 10% of the book seem to explain why this guide is better then the manual that comes with the camera. Every chapter has this prelude that explains why the owner manuals version is so much more complicated (which I don't agree) then does the similar cross referencing the owner manual does.

Earlier chapters you find things that say "Here is how you set the bracketing, we will discuss "bracketing" in further detail in Chapter X, Y". So you turn over to X and Y chapters and try to figure out where the for-mentioned section is which is very time consuming. I was expecting better road map then the owner manual has.

Over all i do not recommend this book.

If you are a novice like myself and own a D90, you should buy this book. At 2o bucks it's a no brainer.

Excelent Book. It explains in details all functions of the camera in a very easy way. It does not substitute the actual D90 User's Manual.

Very good book with great illustrations and an easy language. I recommended without doubts.

The owners manual that comes with the D90 does little more than tell you about the buttons and menus. This book does so much more. It's better organized, and with nearly 400 pages of information, tells you why you should use each setting and control, while relating them directly to the most important dSLR concepts.

I love the logical format this book follows. The earlier chapters briefly introduce all the important features, so you can immediately begin using your camera, without bogging you down in details. For example, things like bracketing are explained with simple instructions for setting bracketing. If you want to know more, including why you should use bracketing to get the best exposure, or how to use bracketing to create HDR effects, the author refers you to the chapter that offers the additional detail. That's much less complicated than the manual that comes with the camera, which frequently uses multiple cross references that have you jumping all around to learn how to do something simple. With this book, it's "basics first" and "advanced concepts later," which makes it far superior to the hodge-podge that is the nearly useless manual that comes with the D90.

I looked at a couple of the small pocket manuals also available for this camera. This book goes far beyond all of them in explaining why you'd want to make each setting, and how to use the features of the Nikon D90 to improve your exposures and take better pictures. The large section on using Picture Controls came in very helpful. I did not find this much information on using custom Picture Controls in the Nikon manual, nor in the other D90 guides I looked at.

The chapter that explained how to work with histograms, and explained how the D90's autofocus system works was worth the price alone. In its 400 pages Busch spends about 95 pages just to explaining the nuances of the menu entries and what each option means. Nor does the manual that comes with the camera contain an exhaustive look at Nikon lenses, their features, and descriptions of the cream of the crop.

If you want much more information and solid advice than you get in the manual that comes with the camera, this book should be your first choice.

Busch's camera guides are the books the other available guidebooks wish they were. For example, Chapter 1 is a "quick start" chapter that covers first-time setup, explaining everything you need to know to begin using the camera. Read this chapter, and you'll be off and shooting quickly. The author saves the more complex setup options for Chapter 3, but, if you don't want to make additional changes to your camera's user settings, you can jump directly to Part Two, which shows you how to optimize exposure, use advanced features, choose lenses, work with flash, etc.

I like the way Busch concentrates the reference material, such as the quick start, camera control "road maps", and menu descriptions in the first section of the book. You can read that carefully to learn as much or as little as you want about how the D90 works (this is essentially all that the original vendor manual and other guidebooks cover.) Everything is in one place. Or you can skip ahead to the chapters that show you how to apply the D90's features to improving your photography.

This is my second book by Busch. The first was a guide to my Nikon D80 in the "digital field guide" format. It was excellent, but the expansion to a full-sized book with twice as much information, larger and better illustrations, and a more logical organization have made the author's later books the Gold Standard for camera guides. If you want a tiny pocket sized book that covers only the controls and options, those are available, although most of them don't tell you why you should use a particular setting as well as this book does. I have also looked at books for the D90 that are overly general, spending too much time explaining basic photography that you can find in any generic book. I also looked at a DVD a friend has, and became impatient watching discussions that took minutes to explain things you can learn in seconds while reading this book. I also don't need someone pointing to where the main command dial is on a video. I can find it just fine, myself, thank you.

None of the available camera guides for the D90 are perfect, including this one, but Busch's guides are the best sellers because they are comprehensive (this one is more than 400 pages long), easy to understand, and lead you along the best path to mastering your new camera.

I disagree with the reviewer who apparently didn't read this excellent book very carefully. I received David Busch's Nikon D90 Guide to Digital SLR Photography last week and have just finished it. I dropped by today to leave a favorable review and was surprised to see comments that don't reflect a careful reading of the book. Busch most certainly does not claim that the D90 can't command remote (wireless) flashes without the aid of a SB-900 or SU-800. In fact, the book states the exact opposite:

"WORKING WITH WIRELESS COMMANDER MODE
The D90's built-in flash can be set to Commander mode (as described in Chapter 4) and used to control other compatible flash units. The Nikon SB-900 can also be a flash "Commander" to communicate with and trigger other flash units. Nikon offers a unit called the SU-800, which is a commander unit that has no built-in visible flash, and which controls other units using infrared signals."

The pages cited in the review, 286 and 287, then proceed to describe exactly how use the built-in flash as a commander, with step-by-step instructions, such as "To use the D90 to control other flash units...if you want the built-in flash as the commander, you need to set it to that mode using CSM #e2, described next." The picture showing the setup screen isn't ironic -- it accompanies the text that explains how to use that screen.

I'm not sure what the motive is for inventing an "error" of this type. Perhaps the reviewer was mixed up by the note that the SB-900 and SU-800 are required by cameras such as the D3 and D2xs, which are entirely different cameras from the D90, and which don't have a built-in flash. While I did find a few typos, they in no way detracted from the more than 400 pages of solid information in this thick book, available nowhere else. I, for one, found the comprehensive 100-page chapter of detailed and invaluable setup information, which told me exactly what each and every option did, and outlined the circumstances when I might want to use every feature, of much more interest than whether the camera was referred to as a D60 instead of D90 once or twice. (Actually, I could not find that error in my copy; it's likely that most typos were corrected in the later printing that I received.) Obviously, the 27 out of 31 reviewers who rated this book at four or five stars agree with me.

The original review I had in mind to write was going to praise this book for its clear writing style, abundant full-color illustrations, and the depth of the author's expertise, which offers a friendly, helping hand to anyone who has purchased the Nikon D90 and wants to learn how to use the camera to its fullest while mastering digital SLR photography. On reflection, that's probably all that needs to be said. I recommend this book without reservation.

This is the first time the Amazon review system has let me down and I'll be returning this book. Despite the very positive reviews, this book has several problems ranging from innocent typos to completely inaccurate information.

It's obvious that a large part of this book was produced by copying any pasting from one of the author's previous books. He even mistakenly refers to the D90 as the D60 and the EOS (which is a Canon camera). At one point in the book two paragraphs are repeated two pages away from one another. Copy and paste side effects like these are apparent throughout the book.

I would have been more inclined to give this book three stars if it weren't for the sometimes confusing and occasionally misleading information it presents. More than once I had to refer to the owner's manual that came with the D90 to clarify contradicting instructions from Mr. Busch. He even contradicted himself several times in the book, saying that something was possible on one page just to say it wasn't possible on the following page.

For example, Mr. Busch asserts on page 286 and 287 that the D90 can't command remote (wireless) flashes without the aid of a SB-900 or SU-800. This is completely false. Even the D80 could remotely fire wireless Speedlights such as the SB-600. Ironically, Mr. Busch includes a picture on page 286 showing the D90 setup screen for enabling commander mode and configuring remote Speedlights.

I would recommend looking at another guide book, or just read the owner's manual a few times while waiting for the author to update his book with another printing or edition. Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be any source of errata information available that would make me comfortable recommending this book in its current state.

This is a very complete book. It addresses every button and function that the camera has. David takes you through all the menus and options for setting up your D90.It is easy to read and understand with clear directions and lots of photos and illustrations. This book has over 350 pages and is not intended to be a book that you can toss in your camera bag for quick reference on the fly. What it does is supplement the user guild supplied by Nikon. Expanding and explaining in simple, easy to understand language just what this fabulous camera can do. It is arranged in easy to understand chapters with references to expanded explanations in later chapters so you can refer ahead if need be. You will want to sit down for several hours with your D90 by your side so you can work with along with the pictures and illustrations.

I found this book to be very helpful. I owned the Nikon D70 camera and was moving up to the D90. I had a basic knowledge of a DSLR and just wanted to learn th e new whistles and bells of the D90. BUY THIS BOOK

Having just purchased a Nikon D90 I elected to get Busch's book to try and learn as much as I could about this versatile SLR. I was not disappointed. The book explains in some detail most of the functions available to the photographer. The only carp I have is that not all functions are addressed or fully explained. The interaction between the different camera elements can be complex. However, Busch does preface his tutorials with the assumption that the reader has a basic understanding of SLR and camera principles. Overall the book has helped me get a grasp of how to use the D90 and get great results. I would recommend this book to anyone acquiring a D90 as it is well organized and written to be understood as long as you have a grasp of photography and camera basics.

All the info that you need is in the manual that comes with the camera; but it is difficult to read and digest. This guide helps you understand what the manual is all about. The only reason that I did not give it 5 stars, is that there seems to be a bunch of info on lenses, flashes, acces. that does not need to be included.

This is the second book I bought to help my with this very amazing camera (D90). The other one was a "A Digital Field Guide" which was also very useful, but I do feel that this book is better. It speaks to me in a language and level that is just right for someone who is above amateur but has a lot to learn. There is a tremendous amount of info on lenses, technique, software and photo techniques that is really quite invaluable. Highly recomemded.

This is a fantastic book for a great camera. David Busch walks you through each step on how to use the camera and its many features. His approch is truly from a pro and is written to help pros and amateurs alike.

I found the book extremely helpful. I recently purchased a D90 camera, so the menus and some funcitonality of the camera are unfamiliar to me. This book is a great resource to anyone new to a D90 camera or to anyone who wants more in depth information than the manual provides.

Even if you have been using a prosumer camera, you will need help dealing with the complexity of this camera. While reasonably well set up by Japanese engineer standards, this is daunting in its variations. This is a much better book than Jon Sparks for about the a same money. The manual that accompanied the camera is a good place to start and be backed up by this book. This won't be an easy undertaking so be prepared for some study to get beyond the point and shoot area.

I am comfortable with cameras and technology, but the D90's operating manual is mind numbingly dull. Thankfully, this Nikon D90 Guide is exceptionally helpful! I couldn't be more pleased with it.

Unlike many how-to guides, this one is filled with color pictures and plenty of examples of how to work the incredible myriad of functions on the D90. I imagine if you're a professional photographer this might all be rather rudimentary, but for us amateurs - even those with a little seasoning - you'll find this Guide both practical and informative.

What I like best about the Guide is that it's not just focused on what the different camera settings do - it talks about how you can use them to achieve different effects with your pictures. I couldn't be happier with this terrific Guide to the Nikon D90. It's the best guidebook of its type I've seen for any camera.

The Nikon D90 Guide is outstanding in its clarity and level of detail. It is the perfect accompaniment to a D90. The pictures and diagrams are remarkably clear. There is also a bunch of "extra credit" material dealing with photographic technique and camera accessories. While they do not specifically apply to the D90 they too are well presented and add to the potential value of the book. Finally, the book is easy to read and as much as possible for something of this sort quite entertaining.

The book fell short of perfection in two areas. First, Mr Busch provides a few preferences regarding his configuration choices. I would have preferred if he presented his choice for every one. I realize in many cases it is a subjective decision. However, for a D90 newcomer it would be helpful to have a starting point and, if possible, a justification for it.

Another welcome addition would have been a clear indication of what gets reset when you push... reset. I've seen other authors who provide a very nice process for getting your camera from whatever state it's in back to a known state.

So, how do these shortcomings benefit you? Make your own table that lists the settings, defaults, and preferred values. This book, more than any I've seen, will provide you with the inside information which will allow you to do that. When you're done you'll know your camera better and have a handy "field guide" in the bargain. That's what I plan on doing. (If you're interested, drop me an email through my Amazon profile and let me know your desired format, something common and Windows-ish. I'll send you a copy when it's done.)

If you are going to purchase the Nikon D90, then I strongly suggest you buy the book. It gives you a very thorough understanding of the capabilities of the D90, including RAW. Simply put, the camera is a computer. You would not buy an operating system without understanding it. Same goes for this camera with this book. The author is an excellent writer and makes it simple.

Good book to have over and above the D90 manual. Pricey for a soft cover book, but if you spent over $1000 plus for camera and accessories for the D90, it is worth it.

Great book with looks of help. The information really helps you understand the capabilities and possibilities of this product. Best $20.00 (shipping included) I've spent in a long time. I would definitely recommend this product to anyone looking for user friendly information.

This is a fabulous, very informative book. It cannot get any better than this. Extensive, detailed, sapiently written, never boring. Unexpectedly so considered the subject, I started reading this book and could not let it down. All I wanted was being left alone and immerse myself in my reading. Highly recommended.

This IS the book on D90's, if you don't have it, get it, or your going to have to spend valuable picture taking time to figuring it out on your own.

I will keep this short and sweet. Please read the other excellent and detailed reviews for this book to get specifics.

So in a nutshell: "If you own a Nikon D90 and need a Guide; buy this book." You will not be disappointed.

Any owner of a Nikon D90 camera will find David D. Busch's Nikon D90 Digital SLR Photography an in-depth survey on how to use its many features. From selecting the best autofocus mode and f/stop to making HDTV movies in the camera and keeping the camera operating efficiently, this is a top pick for any new owner of the camera and uses lovely color images to demonstrating settings and options. A fine, specific survey recommended for any Nikon D90 owner.

Great book. Recommend it to anyone wanting to know how their Nikon D90 camera works.David Busch's Nikon D90 Guide to Digital SLR Photography

I am about half way through this excellent book, given to me as a gift (that i had on my Santa list).

For a book covering a very technical subject it is readable and concise.

I wasn't sure what kind of photographer the author was, not being familiar with him but somewhere in the menu section he mentions that he "takes 1000 to 1,500 pictures average at sporting events." It's obvious this isn't a compiled manual with multiple contributors (if there are ghost writers I wouldn't know), he's writing from experience. He shoots with the camera and actively works to get the most out of it. Having just gotten back from a trip up the Central California Coast I was extremely pleased with the increase in quality in shots made due to my new knowledge of my D90. I've often told people that this camera is more of an instrument, truly something to master. This manual will help me go a long way in achieving that.

Also - oh, how I wish all the technical books I've purchased were of this quality, printed on coated matte stock and LAY-FLAT BINDING!!! It's the small attention to details such as these that justify a higher price tag.
Thank you David Busch.

Count me among the readers who value the insight that David Busch brings to this introduction to digital SLR photography with the Nikon D90 camera. Too many of the guide authors just rewrite the original manual that comes with the camera, providing, if you're lucky, a bit of clarification. Busch, however, knows that owners of a camera this good are looking for more than that. He digs deep, and provides a treasure chest full of examples and tips, showing you not just how to set up and use your camera, but how you can improve your photographs using the tools.

I have an SB-800 strobe left over from before I upgraded from my original Nikon D80, and I wanted to finally learn how to use my D90 in commander mode to control this external flash. Unlike some, I found an easily understood explanation of how to do that, right in this book, including a tip on how to use the built in flash to set off my SB-800 without contributing to the exposure. Before reading this book, I didn't know how to do that. Although Nikon's creative lighting system really deserves an entire book, Busch's chapter set me on the right track.

The book also helped me decide which lenses to buy. Busch owns an amazing number of Nikon lenses, and was willing to share his evaluations of some of the lenses I have been lusting after, including the new 70-200mm f/2.8 VR II lens. He also helped me realize that I should get the 14-24mm zoom instead of the 12-24 zoom because I intended to buy an FX Nikon when the price comes down more.

Overall, I found the information in this large book to be priceless.

You've read Nikon's own manual on the D90, you've purchased a couple of "How To" DVDs and you're still not maxing out on all the camera's features. Welcome to David Busch's D90 guide! It's all here and written to understand and enjoy. You'll love your D90 even more when you absorb this wonderful effort by Busch.

Very good book with great detailed pictures of the camera and detailed explanations. Much better than the manual that came with the camera.

I received a D90 kit for Christmas from my beautiful wife. The next day I bought this book. If I hadn't...I'd still be trying to figure out how to utilize all the functions and capabilities of this extremely powerful camera (and I'm a techno-savvy geek!) The D90 is my first foray into DSLRs, and while I was a fairly decent film photography enthusiast back in the day (a pretty good darkroom and lots of purely manual shooting), the plunge into DSLR's has a rather deep end in the pool. Forget trying to figure out the manual...just put it in your kit bag for later and pick up David Busch's book. It's well organized, explains in very well written terms how everything on your new camera works (without being dumbed-down and frustratingly simple like many similar books are), and goes beyond the camera itself to give you shooting tips, post-editing strategies, future lens, accessory, and software advice, and the confidence to start taking great pictures within a few hours of perusing the pages.

This book should be your first purchase after buying the camera itself.

What I like about this reference guide over others for the D90 is it focuses mostly on the camera vs how to shoot photography. I'll bet dollars to donuts that if you're dropping this kind of coin on this camera, you have more than a basic understanding of photography already. Very well done.

Although this book is easy to read and well organized there are too many factual errors to give it a high rating. Several menu options are incorrectly described and other camera attributes do not match the reality of the d90. Overall this carelessness greatly diminishes the utility of this book.

The book was great. I had a video but this book was much better. Easy to understand and great format.

This book, at roughly 400 pages, is easily the most comprehensive and definitive guide for the Nikon D90 camera. It contains depth and information not found elsewhere, and, overall, is accurate. I found a typo here and there, but they were few and far between, and thoroughly documented as errata at the author's web site.(Most have been fixed for later printings, as my copy of this book was relatively "clean.")

Instead, I have focused on the rich supply of useful information in this book, which includes an extensive discussion of why you should use any particular option or setting -- and what happens when you do. Most of us will eventually learn all the puzzling setup choices available in the menus. This book helps you learn the best settings quickly. It also helps you learn about photography, such as using histograms and lens selection, all related specifically to the D90 (unlike more general books.) I finally understand autofocus, thanks to an entire chapter about it in the second half of this book.

There are pocket sized guides you can take with you as you shoot. As they have said, Nikon provides one of those right in the box with the camera. But if you want to go beyond the basics and really understand your camera, you should buy this book.