Nikon D90 vs Sony A6000

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Nikon D90 vs Sony A6000

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APS-C 372.9mm²
12.3 megapixels
ISO 200 - 3200

Go in depth with our full Nikon D90 Review.
See real-world photos taken with the D90.

APS-C 366.6mm²
24.3 megapixels
ISO 100 - 25,600

Go in depth with our full Sony A6000 Review.
How does it shoot? Sony A6000 in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the A6000.
Compare Sony A6000 image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Sony A6000 conclusion.

Succeeded by the Nikon D7000
Compare D90 vs D7000

Succeeded by the Sony A6100
Compare A6000 vs A6100

Compare NIKON D7000 vs SONY A6100

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Differences

Nikon D90 advantages over Sony A6000

Lens selection
Excellent vs Good
Better lens selection gives you more options
Bigger pixels
~ 5.50 vs 3.92 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
Fast startup
~0.30 vs 2.2 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
Longer stills battery life
More info

Longer stills battery life

Cameras with longer battery life can take more photos before exhausting their batteries.

Special note: The measurement standard for battery life stipulates that if a camera has an internal flash, it must be used for 50% of photos taken. For this reason, comparisons of one camera with an internal flash to another without will not be comparable

850 vs 360 shots
Capture more photos
More telephoto lens reach
158 mm vs 75 mm
Capture objects farther away with the kit lens
Top deck display
Yes vs No
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
Bigger JPEG buffer
Unlimited vs 47 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)

Sony A6000 advantages over Nikon D90

Focus peaking
Peaker vs Non-peaker
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
In-camera panoramas
Yes vs No
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
Tiltable Screen
Tiltable vs Fixed
Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
Built-in Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi vs None
Share your photos wirelessly
NFC
Yes vs No
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
Higher effective ISO

Higher effective ISO

Maximum effective ISO is an estimate of the highest sensitivity at which a camera can capture excellent quality photos.

Cameras with higher effective ISO will be better choices for indoor photography, night shooting, and indoor sports photography, especially if you intend to make large prints.

You can learn more at our glossary entry.

Maximum effective ISO test data courtesy of DxO Mark.
A6000 test data on DxO Mark D90 test data on DxO Mark

1,347 vs 977 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
On-sensor phase detect
Yes vs No
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
Thinner
45 mm vs 77 mm
Thinner
Newer
11 years vs 16 years old
Newer cameras often support more advanced features
Lighter weight
468g vs 1133g
Lighter weight
Shoots 1080p video
Yes vs No
You'll want this if you shoot video
More viewfinder magnification
0.70x vs 0.63x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
More pixels
24.3 vs 12.3 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
Shoots 60p video
Yes vs No
A faster framerate can give you more editing options
Wider angle kit lens
24 mm vs 27 mm
Capture more of the scene with the included lens
Faster JPEG shooting
11.1 fps vs 4.5 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
11.1 fps vs 4.1 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Bigger RAW buffer
22 vs 10 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
Higher extended ISO
51200 vs 6400 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Similarities

Common Strengths

Eye-level viewfinder
Both provide
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
Internal flash
Both provide
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
HDMI out
Both provide
Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
Hot shoe
Both provide
Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
Bulb shutter
Both provide
Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures

Common Weaknesses

Tilt-swivel screen
Neither provide
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Neither provide
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
Touchscreen
Neither provide
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
Built-in Bluetooth
Neither provide
Always-on wireless connectivity
Built-in GPS
Neither provide
Geotag your photos
External Mic Jack
Neither provide
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
Dual card slots
Neither provide
Gives you more storage flexibility
Headphone jack
Neither provide
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
Slow-motion videos
Neither provide
Shoot slow-motion videos

User reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read D90 User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read A6000 User Reviews

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Review Excerpt

Read our Nikon D90 Full Review

Amazing image quality for the price; Blazing-fast hybrid autofocus; Swift burst shooting with generous buffer depths; Good battery life with LCD monitor; More compact than a DSLR; In-camera Wi-Fi wireless networking
Continuous autofocus can't match its burst rate; High-ISO JPEGs can look overprocessed; Sluggish startup; No touch-screen display; Wi-Fi can be a bit frustrating to use
Read our Sony A6000 Review

The Competition

Compared to Sony DSLR-A550

Nikon D90

Sony DSLR-A550

$1300
APS-C

Lens selection
Fast startup

$859
APS-C

Less expensive
In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compare Nikon D90 vs Sony DSLR-A550

Sony A6000

Sony DSLR-A550

$674
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-camera panoramas

$859
APS-C

In-Camera Image Stabilization
Bigger pixels

Compare Sony A6000 vs Sony DSLR-A550

Compared to Sony DSLR-A500

Nikon D90

Sony DSLR-A500

$1300
APS-C

Lens selection
Fast startup

$850
APS-C

Less expensive
In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compare Nikon D90 vs Sony DSLR-A500

Sony A6000

Sony DSLR-A500

$674
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-camera panoramas

$850
APS-C

In-Camera Image Stabilization
Bigger pixels

Compare Sony A6000 vs Sony DSLR-A500

Compared to Pentax K-5

Nikon D90

Pentax K-5

$1300
APS-C

Fast startup
More telephoto lens reach

$800
APS-C

In-Camera Image Stabilization
Higher effective ISO

Compare Nikon D90 vs Pentax K-5

Sony A6000

Pentax K-5

$674
APS-C

Focus peaking
Less expensive

$800
APS-C

Lens selection
In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compare Sony A6000 vs Pentax K-5

Compared to Samsung NX3000

Nikon D90

Samsung NX3000

$1300
APS-C

Lens selection
Eye-level viewfinder

$950
APS-C

Less expensive
In-camera panoramas

Compare Nikon D90 vs Samsung NX3000

Sony A6000

Samsung NX3000

$674
APS-C

Lens selection
Focus peaking

$950
APS-C

Slow-motion videos

Compare Sony A6000 vs Samsung NX3000

Compared to Sony A6300

Nikon D90

Sony A6300

$1300
APS-C

Lens selection
Bigger pixels

$748
APS-C

Focus peaking
Shoot 4K video

Compare Nikon D90 vs Sony A6300

Sony A6000

Sony A6300

$674
APS-C

Less expensive

$748
APS-C

Shoot 4K video
Fast startup

Compare Sony A6000 vs Sony A6300

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