When Canon pulled the covers off the 90D in August, it’s fair to say there was a few shrugged shoulders and a little confusion. With the brand essentially merging the 80D consumer series with the more pro-focused 7D line, photographers weren’t quite sure where – in a world where new mirrorless cameras are launched every month – this new Canon DSLR would fit in.
However, dig a little deeper into the specifications sheet and then compare how it stacks up against other Canon DSLRs and their rivals, because the 90D looks more and more like an absolute bargain. In fact, here’s nine reasons why the 90D could be Canon’s unsung champ.
One – crazy resolution
Okay, the 90D isn’t going to compete against Sony’s 60-megapixel a7RIV, but for enthusiast photographers and aspiring professionals, the 32.5-megapixel should be more than enough to satisfy needs. The APS-C sensor was newly developed and the mirrorless M6 MkII shares the same chip. In fact, it’s worth noting that the 90D has a higher pixel count than Canon’s latest 5D full-frame camera, the Mark IV (30-megapixels) and also the brand’s flagship action camera (the 20-megapixel 1DX MkII). The only Canon camera with a higher resolution is the 5DS/5DSR, which offers 50-megapixels.
Two – Slow motion hero
Canon shooters who love to shoot a little slow motion alongside some stills have a problem. The 7D Mk2, 6D MkII and 5D MkIV only don’t cater well for the slow motion shooter, in fact, even the EOS R and EOS RP full-frame mirrorless cameras only shoot slow motion at 720p. However, the 90D saves the day and shoots 120p slow motion at Full HD (1080p), which will give users greater quality footage when shooting slow motion scenes. It should be noted that the M6 MkII also offers Full HD slow motion, but features uses M-range lenses instead of EF/EF-S.
Three – No-crop 4K
Sticking with video specs, there’s even more reasons why the 90D is such a champ. One of the most common criticisms levelled at Canon cameras is the crop when users switch to shoot in 4K. However, the 90D has no crop in 4K mode, which it can shoot at 30p and now 24p thanks to a recent firmware upgrade. There’s also ports for an external mic and headphones too.
Four – Amazing battery life
Despite sitting on the border between a consumer-level camera and a professional tool, the 90D returns a battery capacity that will definitely impress those who make their living from picture-taking. In fact the 90D can capture 1300 shots on a single charge and if you use the 90D with the optional battery grip, that figure leaps to 2590, which will be great news to professionals who may be working out in remote areas without access to places to power up. What’s more, the 90D uses the same battery as the 7D/6D/5D cameras so if you are looking to add the 90D as a second camera to your outfit, you can share the batteries between cameras.
Five – Excellent AF
As you’d expect, the 90D sees a huge leap forward over both the 80D and the 7D MkII. Although it can’t match the 61-points of the 7D MkII, all 45 of the AF points on the 90D are the more sensitive Cross Type. What’s more, the 45 AF points combine with a 220,000-pixel RGB+IR exposure sensor and Canon’s acclaimed Dual Pixel AF technology to deliver accurate and fast focus. Lastly, the 90D also features Face and Eye-detection, which should appeal to portrait photographers.
Six – Speedy burst rate
It’s worth remembering that the 90D replaces the 24-megapixel 80D, which was capable of capturing a decent 7 frames per second (FPS). The 90D bumps this figure up to 10 frames per second, bringing the 90D into the sights of professional wildlife and sports photographers – in fact, the 90D matches the more semi-pro 20-megapixel 7D MkII. While the 90D features a single SD card, it does support UHS-II SD memory cards and the buffer is good for 58 full-size JPEG files, 25 RAW files or 39 C-RAW files to be captured in a single burst.
Seven – Weather sealing and weight
One element that sees photographers switch cameras when they move up to professional level is the lack of weather sealing. Canon shooters will be pleased to know the 90D boasts weather-sealing, meaning it can be used in harsh conditions without the risk of dust or moisture entering the camera. Despite all the features and technology inside the 90D, the DSLR tips the scales at just 701g – 200g lighter than the 7D MkII. The days of photographers seeking heavy DSLRs are long gone and the 90D represents a nibble and lightweight option, perfect for those who are travelling and don’t want to be weighed down.
Eight – Additional features
From packing the latest DIGIC 8 processor, to the optical viewfinder with 100% coverage to the vari-angle touch-sensitive LCD, the 90D is packed with features. A max native of ISO means users will be able to shoot in low light conditions and Wi-Fi/Bluetooth enables the 90D to be controlled remotely and for images to be shared online quickly.
Nine – Price
Incredibly, the 90D is priced at £999, a jaw-dropping price for a camera that outguns supposedly more advanced models in a number of areas. While the 90D may not have been launched with the biggest fanfare, it’s clear that it could well be the best value Canon camera in years!