Not up to the latest technology, but hard to pass up at current prices!
Nikon's film camera technology reached its peak with the F100, N80/F80 and of course the F5 and F6. The N90s/F90x isn't quite up to the level of those cameras but it still has a lot to offer the serious photographer who wants to shoot film, especially at the prices they go for these days! If you want the latest whizbang, the N80/F80 or the F100 are the way to go for "prosumer" gear, but you'll pay more. In some ways, you'll get less, too. The build quality of the F90/N90 series is definitely higher than the newer models -- less plastic in critical places (like the rewind fork) make it clear that these cameras were made for serious work. They've got the heft and feel of the pro F4 and F5, while the N80/F80 feels like a D90 (which it resembles in many ways.) The D90 is a fine camera, it just doesn't feel as solid as I'd like. The F90s/N90s definitely feels solid. The F90/N90 series also had problems with the rubber coating, especially on the film door. It quickly got gummy and sticky, or just started to peel off. I've found the best solution is to remove the door, then remove the rubber coating with a paper towel soaked in rubbing alcohol. It takes a few minutes, but if you don't mind the feel of plastic (as opposed to "rubberized" plastic) it's a permanent solution. On the "pro" side, these are reliable, use standard AA batteries, work with a wide assortment of Nikon lenses, support most pre-iTTL strobes and have a very good user interface. On the "con" side, they are heavier than the later "prosumer" models from Nikon, noisy (but accurate and surprisingly quick) autofocus, and the viewfinder isn't quite as bright as, say, an F4 or F5. I'll take one of these where I wouldn't necessarily want to take my F5, and it'll do pretty much everything I need it to do under most circumstances. Yes, it only has a single AF zone, but I can live with that (and often prefer it.) It has matrix, center-weighted and spot metering, also surprisingly accurate, and easy access to exposure compensation. In fact, most of the useful controls are right where you'd want them to be. Definitely consider this for a backup or "dangerous assignment" body if you have an F4/5/6. I find it good enough to be my regular "walking around" camera. It's that good.Read full review
