The ZR90 is a higher-end model than the ZR80. It shares the same external design, menus, and control layouts, but adds extra features such as a powerful 22X zoom lens, an improved low-light shooting mode, and the ability to save both still images (up to a maximum resolution of 1024 by 768 pixels) and video clips to an SD card. It can also save a 640-by-480-resolution still shot to the memory card while simultaneously recording video to tape--useful if you want to quickly e-mail someone images from your vacation, as the camera also has a USB port for quickly downloading images to a PC from the SD card. A white LED video-assist light mounted on the front of the camera improves image sharpness and colors in low-light shooting--but it's effective for a range of only a few feet. The slow shutter-speed mode produced video that was fuzzy and lacked color.
Canon also bundles a wide-angle lens that screws onto the ZR90's main lens. The attachment worked well, providing a wide angle of view that would be useful for shooting subjects at close quarters. But the accessory lens is a little awkward to attach and easy to drop, so try not to put it on while walking.
Presumably due to the extra features drawing more power, the included 800mAh battery lasted 1 hour and 24 minutes in our tests, 6 minutes less than the Z80. While this is still enough for a day's shooting, you'd need to invest in a higher-capacity battery for a longer trip.
But the Z90 has the same problems as the Z80: Some of the buttons are in awkward locations and contain lots of functions on each of them, making it difficult to find features like the volume control or the shooting modes. The menu system also takes some time to figure out.
The ZR90 boasts some useful features, but the controls are awkward and take some time to learn.
Bryan Hastings
