Fujifilm X-A10 vs Nikon D90

The Fujifilm X-A10 and the Nikon D90 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in December 2016 and August 2008. The X-A10 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the D90 is a DSLR. Both cameras are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The Fujifilm has a resolution of 16 megapixels, whereas the Nikon provides 12.2 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Fujifilm X-A10		Nikon D90
Mirrorless system camera		Digital single lens reflex
Fujifilm X mount lenses		Nikon F mount lenses
16 MP – APS-C sensor		12.2 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/30p Video		720/24p Video
ISO 200-6,400 (100 - 25,600)		ISO 200-3,200 (200 - 6,400)
No viewfinder, LCD framing		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 920k dots
Tilting screen (no touchscreen)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
6 shutter flaps per second		4.5 shutter flaps per second
410 shots per battery charge		850 shots per battery charge
117 x 67 x 40 mm, 331 g		132 x 103 x 77 mm, 703 g

Check X-A10 offers at
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Check D90 offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Fujifilm X-A10 and the Nikon D90? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Fujifilm X-A10 and the Nikon D90 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Nikon D90 is considerably larger (73 percent) than the Fujifilm X-A10. Moreover, the D90 is substantially heavier (112 percent) than the X-A10. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the X-A10 nor the D90 are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Both cameras have similarly sized sensors, but DSLRs have a larger flange-to-focal plane distance than mirrorless cameras, which imposes contraints on the optical engineering process and generally leads to bigger and heavier lenses. You can compare the optics available for the two cameras in the Fujinon X Lens Catalog (X-A10) and the Nikon Lens Catalog (D90). Mirrorless cameras, such as the Fujifilm X-A10, have moreover the advantage that they have a relatively short flange to focal plane distance and can thus use many lenses from other systems via adapters.

Concerning battery life, the X-A10 gets 410 shots out of its Fujifilm NP-W126S battery, while the D90 can take 850 images on a single charge of its Nikon EN-EL3e power pack. The power pack in the X-A10 can be charged via the USB port, so that it is not always necessary to take the battery charger along when travelling.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Fujifilm X-A10	117 mm	67 mm	40 mm	331 g	410	n	Dec 2016	399	ebay.com
2.		Nikon D90	132 mm	103 mm	77 mm	703 g	850	n	Aug 2008	1,299	ebay.com
3.		Canon 40D	146 mm	108 mm	74 mm	822 g	750	n	Aug 2007	1,299	ebay.com
4.		Fujifilm X-A1	117 mm	67 mm	39 mm	330 g	350	n	Sep 2013	399	ebay.com
5.		Fujifilm X-A2	117 mm	67 mm	40 mm	350 g	410	n	Jan 2015	399	ebay.com
6.		Fujifilm X-A3	117 mm	67 mm	40 mm	339 g	410	n	Aug 2016	399	ebay.com
7.		Fujifilm X-A5	117 mm	68 mm	40 mm	361 g	450	n	Jan 2018	399	ebay.com
8.		Fujifilm X-E2	129 mm	75 mm	37 mm	350 g	350	n	Oct 2013	999	ebay.com
9.		Fujifilm X-E2S	129 mm	75 mm	37 mm	350 g	350	n	Jan 2016	699	ebay.com
10.		Fujifilm X-E3	121 mm	74 mm	43 mm	337 g	350	n	Sep 2017	899	ebay.com
11.		Fujifilm X-T10	118 mm	83 mm	41 mm	381 g	350	n	May 2015	799	ebay.com
12.		Fujifilm X-T20	118 mm	83 mm	41 mm	383 g	350	n	Jan 2017	899	ebay.com
13.		Fujifilm X70	113 mm	64 mm	44 mm	340 g	330	n	Jan 2016	799	ebay.com
14.		Nikon D80	132 mm	103 mm	77 mm	668 g	600	n	Aug 2006	999	ebay.com
15.		Nikon D3000	126 mm	97 mm	64 mm	536 g	500	n	Jul 2009	599	ebay.com
16.		Nikon D5000	127 mm	104 mm	80 mm	590 g	510	n	Apr 2009	749	ebay.com
17.		Nikon D7000	132 mm	105 mm	77 mm	780 g	1050	Y	Sep 2010	1,499	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The X-A10 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 69 percent) than the D90, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the D90 is 1 percent bigger. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.5. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Despite having a slightly smaller sensor, the Fujifilm X-A10 offers a higher resolution of 16 megapixels, compared with 12.2 MP of the Nikon D90. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 4.80μm versus 5.53μm for the D90). However, it should be noted that the X-A10 is much more recent (by 8 years and 3 months) than the D90, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that make it possible to gather light more efficiently.

The resolution advantage of the Fujifilm X-A10 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the X-A10 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 24.5 x 16.3 inches or 62.2 x 41.5 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 19.6 x 13.1 inches or 49.7 x 33.2 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 16.3 x 10.9 inches or 41.5 x 27.6 cm. The corresponding values for the Nikon D90 are 21.4 x 14.2 inches or 54.5 x 36.2 cm for good quality, 17.2 x 11.4 inches or 43.6 x 28.9 cm for very good quality, and 14.3 x 9.5 inches or 36.3 x 24.1 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Fujifilm X-A10 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 200 to ISO 6400, which can be extended to ISO 100-25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Nikon D90 are ISO 200 to ISO 3200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 200-6400.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Fujifilm X-A10	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/30p	23.9	13.2	1691	81
2.		Nikon D90	APS-C	12.2	4288	2848	720/24p	22.7	12.5	977	73
3.		Canon 40D	APS-C	10.1	3888	2592	none	22.1	11.3	703	64
4.		Fujifilm X-A1	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/30p	23.4	12.6	1390	76
5.		Fujifilm X-A2	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/30p	23.6	12.8	1515	79
6.		Fujifilm X-A3	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.8	13.1	1664	81
7.		Fujifilm X-A5	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/15p	24.0	13.3	1800	82
8.		Fujifilm X-E2	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/60p	23.4	12.6	1400	77
9.		Fujifilm X-E2S	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/60p	23.7	13.0	1608	80
10.		Fujifilm X-E3	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	23.9	13.3	1764	82
11.		Fujifilm X-T10	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/60p	23.7	12.9	1546	79
12.		Fujifilm X-T20	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	23.9	13.2	1704	81
13.		Fujifilm X70	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/60p	23.7	13.0	1608	80
14.		Nikon D80	APS-C	10.0	3872	2592	none	22.1	11.2	524	61
15.		Nikon D3000	APS-C	10.0	3872	2592	none	22.3	11.1	563	62
16.		Nikon D5000	APS-C	12.2	4288	2848	720/24p	22.7	12.5	868	72
17.		Nikon D7000	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/24p	23.5	13.9	1167	80
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the X-A10 provides a higher video resolution than the D90. It can shoot video footage at 1080/30p, while the Nikon is limited to 720/24p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the D90 has an optical viewfinder, which can be very useful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the X-A10 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Fujifilm X-A10 and Nikon D90 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Fujifilm X-A10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	n	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
2.		Nikon D90	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.5/s	Y	n
3.		Canon 40D	optical	Y	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.5/s	Y	n
4.		Fujifilm X-A1	none	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	n	1/4000s	5.6/s	Y	n
5.		Fujifilm X-A2	none	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	n	1/4000s	5.6/s	Y	n
6.		Fujifilm X-A3	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
7.		Fujifilm X-A5	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
8.		Fujifilm X-E2	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	n
9.		Fujifilm X-E2S	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	n
10.		Fujifilm X-E3	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	n	n
11.		Fujifilm X-T10	2360	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	n	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
12.		Fujifilm X-T20	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
13.		Fujifilm X70	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
14.		Nikon D80	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
15.		Nikon D3000	optical	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
16.		Nikon D5000	optical	n	2.7 / 230	full-flex	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
17.		Nikon D7000	optical	Y	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that is present on the D90, but is missing on the X-A10 is a top-level LCD. While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the X-A10 is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Fujifilm X-A10 has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

The X-A10 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the D90 uses SDHC cards. The X-A10 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the D90 cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD cards.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Fujifilm X-A10 and Nikon D90 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Fujifilm X-A10	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
2.		Nikon D90	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon 40D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Fujifilm X-A1	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
5.		Fujifilm X-A2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
6.		Fujifilm X-A3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
7.		Fujifilm X-A5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
8.		Fujifilm X-E2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
9.		Fujifilm X-E2S	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
10.		Fujifilm X-E3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
11.		Fujifilm X-T10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
12.		Fujifilm X-T20	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
13.		Fujifilm X70	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
14.		Nikon D80	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Nikon D3000	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Nikon D5000	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Nikon D7000	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the X-A10 offers wifi support, while the D90 does not. Wifi can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location.

Both the X-A10 and the D90 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The D90 was replaced by the Nikon D7000, while the X-A10 was followed by the Fujifilm X-A5. Further information on the features and operation of the X-A10 and D90 can be found, respectively, in the Fujifilm X-A10 Manual (free pdf) or the online Nikon D90 Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Fujifilm X-A10 better than the Nikon D90 or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Advantages of the Fujifilm X-A10:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (16 vs 12.2MP) with a 14% higher linear resolution.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (1080/30p vs 720/24p).
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 920k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (6 vs 4.5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• More compact: Is smaller (117x67mm vs 132x103mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 372g or 53 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• More legacy lens friendly: Can take a broad range of non-native lenses via adapters.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (69 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 8 years and 3 months of technical progress since the D90 launch.

Reasons to prefer the Nikon D90:

• Easier framing: Has an optical viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (850 versus 410) out of a single battery charge.
• Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in August 2008).

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the X-A10 is the clear winner of the match-up (16 : 5 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Fujifilm X-A10 and the Nikon D90 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera and Best DSLR Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the X-A10 or the D90 perform in practice. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Fujifilm X-A10	..	..	..	..	4/5	4/5	Dec 2016	399	ebay.com
2.		Nikon D90	..	+ +	..	+ +	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2008	1,299	ebay.com
3.		Canon 40D	..	+ +	..	+ +	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2007	1,299	ebay.com
4.		Fujifilm X-A1	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2013	399	ebay.com
5.		Fujifilm X-A2	4/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2015	399	ebay.com
6.		Fujifilm X-A3	..	..	..	74/100	4.5/5	4/5	Aug 2016	399	ebay.com
7.		Fujifilm X-A5	..	+	4.1/5	..	4/5	3.5/5	Jan 2018	399	ebay.com
8.		Fujifilm X-E2	4/5	..	..	80/100	4.5/5	5/5	Oct 2013	999	ebay.com
9.		Fujifilm X-E2S	4.5/5	..	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2016	699	ebay.com
10.		Fujifilm X-E3	4.5/5	+	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2017	899	ebay.com
11.		Fujifilm X-T10	4.5/5	+ +	..	80/100	5/5	5/5	May 2015	799	ebay.com
12.		Fujifilm X-T20	5/5	+ +	5/5	82/100	5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	899	ebay.com
13.		Fujifilm X70	4.5/5	..	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2016	799	ebay.com
14.		Nikon D80	..	+	..	+ +	o	4.5/5	Aug 2006	999	ebay.com
15.		Nikon D3000	..	+	..	72/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jul 2009	599	ebay.com
16.		Nikon D5000	..	+ +	..	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Apr 2009	749	ebay.com
17.		Nikon D7000	4/5	..	..	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2010	1,499	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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Other camera comparisons

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