Nikon just launched its new D90 digital SLR, which has been highly anticipated for its ability to let photographers take great shots as well as record HD movie clips with sound. This 12.3-megapixel shooter will be available for around $1,000 for the body only or around $1,300 with an included AF-S DX Zoom-NIKKOR 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR lens.

The D90 lets users record HD movie clips (1280 x 720) with sound at up to 24 frames per second. Users can record movie clips onto an inserted SD / SDHC card, created as Motion JPEG AVI files, and play them back on larger screens via HDMI output. Key camera features of this new Nikon camera include a three-inch display, a burst rate of up to 4.5 frames per second, an 11-point auto focus (AF) system tied to scene recognition and face detection technologies, typical battery life offering typically up to 850 shots and a playback function which lets users show their images in either four, nine or 72 thumbnail images.

Nikon said the camera should be available in September.

Nikon