C41
Kodak Portra 400
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
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The Nikon F90X (N90s in North America) is a prosumer 35mm autofocus SLR introduced in 1994 as a direct upgrade to the F90 (N90). It retained the F90's core architecture - Nikon F mount, 1/8000s top shutter speed, 3D RGB matrix metering, and 4x AA power - while improving predictive continuous-servo AF tracking for moving subjects, a critical shortcoming of the F90 in sports and action use. The 1/250s flash sync speed was carried over and the body added minor refinements to its custom function system. The F90X sat at the top of Nikon's consumer/prosumer AF SLR range until the launch of the F100 in 1998, and remained in production until around 2001. It was the direct predecessor to the F-801s listed in the US as the N8008s, bridging the gap toward the F100 that would eventually displace it.
Reference
Recommended film stocks for the 35mm format your camera takes.
C41
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
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Kodak Tri-X 400 is a classic black-and-white film known for strong tonality, visible grain, and documentary character.
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Kodak Gold 200 is a daylight-balanced C-41 color negative film with warm color, moderate grain, and a classic consumer-film look.
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Before you buy used
About this camera
The refined F90 with faster predictive AF and confirmed 1/250s sync - Nikon's definitive mid-1990s prosumer SLR.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Format | 35mm |
| Mount | Nikon F (AI / AI-S / AF / AF-D) |
| Years | 1994-2001 |
| Shutter | 30s - 1/8000s, electronic vertical metal |
| Flash sync | 1/250s |
| Built-in flash | No |
| Meter | TTL 3D matrix / center-weighted / spot |
| Modes | Program, aperture-priority, shutter-priority, manual |
| Autofocus | Single-servo and predictive continuous AF (screw-drive) |
| Battery | 4x AA |
| Weight | ~630 g (body only) |
Nikon launched the F90X in late 1994 roughly two years after the F90. The principal motivation was competitive pressure from Canon's EOS system, whose USM-driven lenses provided faster and quieter AF than Nikon's screw-drive bodies. While the F90X could not address lens-motor speed in the body itself, Nikon improved the predictive AF algorithm - the logic that estimates subject position during the mirror-blackout period at the moment of exposure - yielding higher keeper rates on erratically moving subjects. Flash sync was confirmed at 1/250s across all flash modes, resolving an ambiguity in the F90's specification. The N90s version was marketed in North America with considerable emphasis on its improved action performance. The F90X held the top of Nikon's prosumer lineup until 1998 when the F100 launched, at which point the F90X transitioned to a secondary position before being discontinued around 2001.
The F90X is considered the more collectible and practically superior version of the F90 line, and many photographers who owned both the F90 and F90X preferred the latter specifically for predictive AF in sport and wildlife contexts. The body was used professionally by photojournalists who needed 1/8000s shutter performance and could not justify the cost or weight of the F4. Its 1/250s flash sync remained a selling point through the late 1990s, by which time many competing bodies had closed the gap. For contemporary film photographers the F90X represents a compelling value: it delivers near-F100 performance in many conditions, uses cheap AA batteries, and the used price is typically modest. Its AF motor is screw-drive only, which is the primary limitation when paired with modern AF-S glass.
Nikon F mount. AI-S lenses meter in center-weighted and spot modes. D-type AF Nikkors enable 3D matrix metering and autofocus via the body's screw-drive motor. AF-S lenses mount and expose correctly but will not autofocus on this body. Recommended glass: AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D, 85mm f/1.8D, 28-70mm f/2.8D, 80-200mm f/2.8D (two-ring or push-pull), 300mm f/4D IF-ED. Accessories: MF-26 multi-control back; SB-25, SB-26, or SB-28 Speedlight for full 3D TTL flash with D-type lenses; no separate motor drive required (built-in motor, ~4.3 fps continuous).
BW
Ilford HP5 Plus is a flexible ISO 400 black-and-white film with classic grain and strong push-processing tolerance.
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Kodak Ektar 100 is a fine-grain C-41 color negative film with saturated color and high sharpness.
View profile →Nikon F90X
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