gordon ling’s CameraLabs This is an early Christmas gift for vintage digital camera enthusiasts, brand new retro reviewcontinuing the trend of laing nikon kickThe latest retro camera to go under the microscope is nikon coolpix 990,
Lang writes, “Welcome vintage camera lovers, and take a trip with me to the year 2000 where you’ll find yourself shopping for a digital camera made for the new millennium.” He reviewed this camera when it was new Personal Computer World The magazine described the Nikon Coolpix 990 as the best choice for people looking to spend £850 on a high-end digital camera. Fast forward a quarter century, does Laing still feel the same way?
One thing that has undoubtedly changed over the past two decades is the price tag of the Coolpix 990. Although it cost more than $1,000 in 2000—that’s about $2,000 in today’s dollars—Lang bought the retro 3.3-megapixel camera for about $40. In the fast-paced world of digital photography, cameras rarely hold their own, and the Coolpix 990 is no exception.
At first glance, it looks a lot like the Coolpix 990 Coolpix 950 Laing Reviewed in October 2022But upon closer inspection, remarkable changes are visible. The 990 has a more pronounced shape and repositioned ports. In fact, the Coolpix 990 was the first camera from Nikon to include a USB port. However, “before you get too excited,” it used a proprietary connector, which required a special cable supplied by Nikon.
The 990 also features improved ergonomics and controls, as well as a new imaging pipeline. The camera features a “new” 3.34-megapixel type 1/1.8 CCD sensor, a feature later added to competing cameras from Canon and Sony. Paired with the new sensor is a new 38-115mm equivalent f/2.5-4 lens. This lens can also focus very close, as Lang shows in the sample image below.
In addition to these new features, the Coolpix 990 was Nikon’s first camera to include a video mode. In 2000, this was a wild feature. Not surprisingly, this was also constrained. The camera records up to 40 seconds of 320×240 video at a slow rate of 15 frames per second. This is a far cry from the 8K/60P RAW video recording in Nikon’s current flagship Z9 camera. How far the industry has come.
The Nikon Coolpix 990 is a sleek retro camera with some fun features. 25 years after its launch, it’s easy to find, cheap to buy, and easy to use.
Gordon’s full thoughts on the Nikon Coolpix 990 and many more sample photos are available here his written review Also in the video above. More videos of Laing’s retro reviews are available on his YouTube channel, Dino Bites by Gordon Lang,
Image Credit: All images by Gordon Lang/CameraLabs
