The Canon EOS 90D is a versatile APS-C DSLR camera. It takes sharp, clear images with a relatively high dynamic range and little noise, even at high ISO settings. It's also equipped with an autofocus system that delivers very good performance in photography and does a remarkable job of tracking and maintaining focus on subjects in 4k and FHD video. It's comfortable to operate and has a well-laid-out menu system that's easy to navigate. Unfortunately, it's quite bulky and does poorly smoothing out camera shake while recording.
Our Verdict
The Canon 90D is decent for travel photography. Images are detailed and fairly low in graininess as you increase camera ISO, though image sharpness does decrease at high ISO levels. It has a wide shutter speed range, allowing you to freeze the movement of fast-moving subjects or take long-exposure shots with relative ease. Its autofocus system is also reasonably quick, reliable, and consistent, and it has sufficient battery life to last you throughout extended shooting sessions. Unfortunately, it's quite bulky, which can make it a hassle to carry around, though it's comfortable to use.
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Comfortable to use.
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Good overall image quality.
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Good autofocus performance in photography.
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Bulky construction.
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Some controls feel a little sluggish.
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Image sharpness can decrease at high ISO levels.
The Canon 90D is a satisfactory option for landscape photography. It offers good overall image quality, with a high dynamic range and good color accuracy out-of-the-box, though some users may notice a decrease in sharpness at high ISO levels. Also, its fully articulated screen is easy to see even under direct sunlight. It feels quite comfortable to use and has a weather-sealed construction. Unfortunately, some of its controls feel slightly sluggish, and the camera's bulky design can make it challenging to carry around for extended periods.
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Comfortable to use.
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Good overall image quality.
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Brightly-lit fully articulated touchscreen interface.
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Bulky construction.
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Some controls feel a little sluggish.
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Image sharpness can decrease at high ISO levels.
The Canon 90D is a good option for sports and wildlife photography. Image quality is good overall, and its decently high maximum shooting speed, combined with its fast maximum shutter speed, make it easy to capture clear images of fast-moving subjects. Its autofocus system also does a good job of acquiring and maintaining focus on faces and objects. It's comfortable to operate, though some of its controls are a little sluggish, and its bulky size can present a bit of an annoyance.
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Comfortable to use.
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Good overall image quality.
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Decently fast maximum continuous shooting speed.
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Good autofocus performance in photography.
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Bulky construction.
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Some controls feel a little sluggish.
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Image sharpness can decrease at high ISO levels.
The Canon 90D is okay for vlogging. While it's quite heavy and bulky, it does have a fully articulated screen that allows you to monitor what's being recorded even when the camera is facing you. Video quality in 4k is sharp and clear, though it performs slightly worse in FHD. Its autofocus system does an excellent job of acquiring and maintaining focus on faces. However, it can struggle to smooth out camera shake while recording handheld video.
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Fantastic autofocus performance while recording video.
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Brightly-lit fully articulated touchscreen interface.
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Bulky construction.
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Poor video stabilization performance.
The Canon 90D is good for studio video work. Video quality in 4k is good, with sharply rendered object edges and surfaces and decent visual noise handling capability. FHD recording quality is slightly inferior, though still okay overall. Its autofocus system does an exceptional job of tracking moving subjects, too. The menu system is easy to navigate while the camera itself features a wide range of inputs for accessories, including a clean HDMI output for using an external recorder without any overlays, as well as headphone and microphone jacks.
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Easy to use menu system.
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Fantastic autofocus performance while recording video.
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Wide selection of ports and inputs.
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Lack of very high-speed frame rate recording options.
The Canon 90D isn't designed for action video. It's too big and bulky to be mounted on a chest or a helmet rig and struggles to smooth out camera shake in handheld video. It's also incapable of recording at high frame rates in 4k or FHD for generating smooth slow-motion video. On the plus side, its construction is rated as being weather-sealed.
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Weather-sealed construction.
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Bulky construction.
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Poor video stabilization performance.
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Lack of very high-speed frame rate recording options.
- 7.3 Travel Photography
- 7.2 Landscape Photography
- 7.7 Sport & Wildlife Photography
- 7.5 Vlogging
- 8.2 Studio Video
- 4.1 Action Video
- Updated Oct 03, 2022: Converted to Test Bench 0.10.
- Updated Aug 31, 2022: Updated 'Advertised Battery Life in Photo' to show the advertised battery life when using the viewfinder rather than Live View, since this aligns more closely with real-world DSLR usage and better reflects the camera's capabilities.
- Updated Aug 05, 2022: Converted to Test Bench 0.9.
- Updated Apr 22, 2022: Converted to Test Bench 0.8.
- Updated Jan 27, 2022: Updated 'Lens Mount' from 'EF Mount' to 'EF/EF-S Mount'.
- Updated Mar 09, 2021: Review published.
- Updated Mar 04, 2021: Early access published.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Canon 90D is only available in one color variant: 'Black', and you can see its label here. We tested it in conjunction with the Canon EF-S 18–55mm f/3.5–5.6 IS STM lens, but it can be purchased with other EF and EF-S mount lenses, including the Canon EF-S 18-135 IS USM lens, though we haven't tested it in any other configuration. It can also be purchased without a lens at all.
If you come across a different variant, let us know in the discussions so we can update our review.
Compared To Other Cameras
The Nikon D780 is better overall than the Canon EOS 90D, but they're aimed at people with different experience levels. The Canon is a mid-range DSLR with an APS-C sensor, while the Nikon is an enthusiast-grade DSLR with a full-frame sensor. The Nikon performs better in low light and has a more versatile hybrid autofocus system that tracks subjects a little more reliably for photography. It also has a second SD card slot and a longer battery life. The Canon is more portable, has a fully articulated screen, and shoots at a faster max burst rate.
Test Results
- Command dials and mode wheel feel sluggish
- Buttons offer okay physical feedback
- Weather-sealed construction is made of glass-fiber-reinforced polycarbonate resin
- Articulated screen mechanism feels quite solid
- Input door is covered by a rubber flap
- Hinged solid door covers SD card compartment
Update 01/27/2022: Corrected lens mount type from 'EF Mount' to 'EF/EF-S Mount'.
- Canon 90D camera body
- Canon EF-S 18–55mm f/3.5–5.6 IS STM lens
- Lens cover
- Lens cap
- Shoulder strap
- 1x LP-E6N battery
- Sensor cap
- Battery charger
- Instruction manual
- Rubber eyecup around the viewfinder feels comfortable
- Hand grip should accommodate a wide variety of hand sizes, without fingers getting pinched between the body and lens
- Hand grip has a textured surface that provides a secure hold
- Backrest is sufficiently large for most finger sizes
- Dedicated controls for aperture, shutter speed, and ISO make it easy to change exposure settings quickly
- SD card can be accessed while the camera is on a tripod due to the side-opening door
- Intuitive to navigate via touchscreen or with physical controls
- Guide mode provides a short description of different camera features
- Q menu lets you access frequently-used functions
