Upgrade Guide
Nikon D5100→Nikon D90
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Situational
One clear hardware improvement over the D5100. Worth it if that specific upgrade aligns with what you shoot.
What's new in the D90
-
Battery life~850 shots (CIPA) vs ~660 shots (CIPA)
Unchanged or similar
-
Resolution12MP (down from 16MP — optimised for low light)
Suitability by genre
Base scores — computed from verified specs for an enthusiast shooting photo and video. The Upgrade Checker adjusts them for your skill level.
| Genre | D5100 | D90 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | -0.4 | ||
| Street | -0.7 | ||
| Travel | -0.6 | ||
| Wedding & Events | +0.1 | ||
| Vlogging & Video | — | ||
| Documentary | -0.9 | ||
| Sports & Action | +0.2 | ||
| Landscape | -0.7 | ||
| Wildlife | +0.1 | ||
| Casual | -0.5 | ||
| Food | -1.5 | ||
| Macro | -1.0 | ||
| Architecture | -0.9 | ||
| Astrophotography | — |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | D5100 | D90 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £35 used | £42 used | |
| Released | 2011 | 2008 | ↓ |
| Sensor | 16.2MP APS-C CMOS | 12.3MP APS-C CMOS | |
| Resolution | 16MP | 12MP | ↓ |
| Video | Full HD 1080p/30 | 720p/24 | |
| Autofocus | 11-point phase-detect (1 cross-type) via viewfinder; contrast AF with face priority in live view | 11-point phase-detect (1 cross-type) via viewfinder; contrast AF with face priority in live view | |
| Stabilisation | No IBIS (lens-based stabilisation only) | No IBIS (lens-based stabilisation only) | |
| Burst Rate | 4fps | 4.5fps | ↑ |
| Battery Life | ~660 shots (CIPA) | ~850 shots (CIPA) | ↑ |
| Weight | 560g (with battery) | 700g (with battery) | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | Not weather sealed | Not weather sealed | |
| Viewfinder | Optical pentamirror, 95% coverage, 0.78x | Optical pentaprism, 96% coverage, 0.94x | |
| Screen | 3.0" vari-angle LCD, 921k dots | 3.0" fixed LCD, 920k dots | |
| Mount | Nikon F-mount (DX) | Nikon F-mount (DX) | |
| Memory Cards | Single SD slot | Single SD slot |
Compare side-by-side
⚖️ Compare these cameras
See D5100 and D90 next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.
Get a personalised upgrade score
Run the upgrade checker →
Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the D90 against your specific genres — not just specs.
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