Review on Nikon Coolpix 990 Digital Optical by Alfredo Testerman

I have been using 35mm SLR cameras for over 20 years. I didn't dare to immerse myself in the digital world. Here are the pros and cons of this camera compared to 35mm SLR cameras. Pros: No need to deal with film. You can view the results of your photos immediately. This is great for playing around with frames or bracketing (overexposure/underexposure) or other creative stuff: you can remove frames that just didn't work. You can save the rest to print or use on your computer. This feature is great for any image you create. You can see how it turned out. You'll know if So-and-So's eyes were closed or if things were moving too fast for endurance. I can't stress enough how handy this is. You can delete bad recordings and then record again! The lens of this camera tilts in all directions. I often use a tripod: with this camera I don't have to adjust the angle of the tripod - I just tilt the camera lens. Thanks to the LCD display, your eyes are not stuck on the viewfinder. It's incredibly comfortable. You can hold the camera at arm's length and still see what's in the viewfinder. Compact size. Coolpix is smaller than most SLR cameras and memory cards are much smaller than film. The ability to control the "white balance". No more yellow shots inside. Cons: Lack of lens flexibility. With a DSLR, you pick up one lens and put on another, period. With this camera you have a limited choice of screw mounts. You also need to change the settings on your camera computer to use these lenses. Changing a lens with Coolpix takes about 30 seconds (or more if you have to lug around the manual). The apertures on this camera are more limited. This is particularly problematic for portraits or other photographs where a very large aperture/shallow depth of field is often desired. The color print quality depends on the quality of your PC printer. And yes, you can order a professional print - it's just an extra hassle. If you have a low quality printer, you may need to purchase a NEW printer to get the results you want. I don't know how to explain it, but digital Coolpix images are not the same as film images. Some aspects are better, some seem worse. Battery issues and other issues mentioned by other reviewers. Conclusion: I WILL NOT GET rid of my 35mm SLR cameras - they cannot be completely replaced by Coolpix in all situations. I WILL use my Coolpix. 990 for many, many snapshots and many types of "creative" images.