Film Photography Lust: Nikon N90s 35mm SLR Film Camera

I recently purchased a Nikon N90s from Used Photo Pro in Indianapolis, sold in “as-is” condition. UPP has a section in their store dedicated to working film cameras and lenses, but these items come with no warranty. That’s because many of them have one or more issues—something might not work properly, or the gear may show significant cosmetic wear. In exchange for these caveats, prices are fixed and budget-friendly. A camera body typically runs around $25.

The N90s I purchased was fully functional except for one flaw: the top LCD screen was burned out. Fortunately, settings were still visible through the viewfinder, but the lack of a working top LCD display was a definite compromise. However, this body came with the MB-10 vertical battery grip, which made it worth purchasing.

I ran 2–3 rolls through the camera without issue, but I found the missing LCD confirmation annoying—especially when trying to verify or setting up metering modes, non-DX ISO settings, and exposure programs. Because of this, I didn’t put the N90s into my regular shooting rotation.

Then, a few days ago, I spotted another “as-is” N90s body at UPP. Mechanically it looked sound, though it had heavy cosmetic wear. The big plus? The LCD screen worked! I bought it and swapped over the MB-10 grip from the earlier body.

I took the newer N90s out for a street photography and really enjoyed the experience and using the N90s. It’s fast, comfortable in the hand, and loaded with features making it a really nice camera to use. Some key specs include:

· Lens mount: Nikon F-mount

· Autofocus: Fast and accurate with single, continuous, and manual modes

· Shutter speeds: Bulb, 30 seconds up to 1/8000

· Flash sync: Up to 1/250 sec—ideal for studio strobes and consistent with many digital studio setups

· Motor drive: Built-in, with film advance up to 4 FPS

· Exposure modes: Program (P), Shutter priority (S), Aperture priority (A), Manual (M)

· Metering: Matrix, center-weighted, and spot

· Viewfinder: Bright and easy to work with

· Custom settings: 17 user-configurable functions

· Power: 4 AA batteries

The Nikon N90s was produced in Japan from 1994 to 2001. At the time, it was considered Nikon’s top-tier enthusiast camera—sitting just below the professional-level Nikon F4. It was eventually succeeded by the more advanced Nikon F100.

Here are photos taken with my Nikon N90s using Ilford HP5+ and Kentmere 400:

Ilford Kentmere 400 developed with Kodak D-76 1+1