Image Storage and Interface
Like the 950 and the 900 before it, the Coolpix 990 uses CompactFlash memory cards for image storage, shipping with a 16 MB card. We suspect that most users will almost immediately want to purchase a larger card though, as 64 MB cards have become quite reasonable in price, and cards as large as 128 MB are currently available (February, 2000). We were glad to find the new location of the CompactFlash slot in the hand grip (the 950 model's slot was on the bottom of the camera, making it difficult to change cards while mounted to a tripod). The 990 also has a very nice, functional cover door for the CF card slot, a huge improvement over the 950's less-substantial arrangement.) The 990 includes several subtle niceties that make life a little easier, including a folder arrangement that allows users to organize images in the camera, a sequential frame counter option to avoid problems with overwriting files when copying them to your computer, some powerful in-camera tonal adjustment controls and the much appreciated Best Shot Selector option that automatically chooses the least blurry image, when shooting under difficult conditions.
Captured images can be individually write protected through the Play mode settings menu. Write protected files are only immune to accidental deletion, not card reformatting. File formats include several levels of compressed JPEG files as well as an uncompressed TIFF mode (Hi quality setting).
