Can I charge my nikon d90 with the usb cable?

I'm working away from home and lost the charger for my D90 and wondering if I can hook it to my computer and charge it through the use cable normally used for downloading photos

Sorry, but on DSLR cameras, the usb cable is ONLY for data transfer. The Nikon EL-EN3e battery can only be charged by an external charger.

The answer is no, usb is for photo transfer only (on a dslr), in fact if you leave it on while plugged into a usb it will just drain your battery even more. I have a d3000 and if you just take pictures and try not to view them on the camera very often it will save a lot of battery also leave it on manual focus. Try Craig's list for a charger or ebay good luck!

Connecting your camera to the computer actually does the reverse, you lose precious battery charge. That is why the only recommended method of transferring files is through the use of a USB card reader. In the same manner, the only recommended way to recharge the battery is by using it's own dedicated wall charger. Go to a photo supply shop and ask for a replacement or a compatible charger.