In a somewhat unusual move Nikon and SanDisk have simultaneously introduced complementary photo products-a new camera for Nikon and a faster SDHC memory card for SanDisk. Though a camera should outrank a memory card in importance (and it certainly outranks it on a cost basis) one really enables the other.

The camera is the Nikon D90 with a 12.3 MP DX-format sensor. It has everything you expect a DSLR to provide, including minimal shutter lag, image sensor cleaning, a large 3" LCD (920,000 pixels) and live view. There's even a face detection system to point the autofocus in the right direction. What you don't expect to find on a DSLR is full motion video. It's there anyway. For the first time ever this DSLR shoots movies!

In a world first for D-SLRs, the D90 offers a movie function, allowing you to shoot 320 x 216 pixels, 640 x 424 pixels or HD720p (1,280 x 720 pixels) movies at the professional smoothness of 24 frames per second in motion JPEG format. The D90's sensor, which is much larger than the sensor of a typical camcorder, ensures higher image quality and exceptional low-noise, high ISO sensitivity performance, even during movie shooting.

Not that a camera company would exaggerate, but I think they're right pointing to the D90's sensor. It is huge compared to what's typically found in a camcorder. With sensors, size counts. Of course that's not the only factor affecting video quality. There's a whole lot of compressing going on--especially at 720p resolution. On the other hand think about Nikon DSLR quality glass now available to shoot video. Wow!

That brings us to SanDisk's contribution. There's an awful lot of data moving between camera and card. The new SanDisk Extreme III SDHC 30MB/s Edition ups the communications speed to 30 MB/s. SDHC cards are bestowed with speed ratings which go to "6." This card is five times faster than that fastest SDHC rating and 50% faster than SanDisk's previous speed demon. I suspect the speed will be more important when downloading your pics and video from the card than when you click and fill it up. An old school 16 GB card, as large as the highest capacity card in this line, would test your patience long before you'd see your photos (or video). When it comes to speed it's good to be king.