Nikon d80

Nikon D60 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S DX VR Nikkor Zoom Lens

Great DSLR, if you know what you're doing
Here's the quick reminder: it's not the camera, it's the photographer. Maybe, maybe a nice fast lens would help.

Like most things in life, it doesn't really matter how "good" or how expensive the equipment is, it's really how "well" you can use it. You can own the best racket in the world, but Roger Federer will still beat you with a wooden racket any day.

Such is the case for the D60. It has more than enough features to produce great pictures. If you take the time to learn all its functions, you'll find that for an entry level DSLR, it's a great camera. If you think about it, all you really need in a camera are controls for shutter speed, aperature, and focus. For me (pure amateur), 95% of the time I'm shooting in Aperature-priority mode. The only other settings I might touch from time to time are the ISO and white balance settings. Most likely you'll do the same.

Pluses:
- light & compact
- ultrasonic sensor cleaner, matched with a airflow control system (keeps the sensor dust free!)
- 420-pixel RGB 3D Color Matrix Metering II (compares against over 30,000 pics stored in database to achieve best exposure, available only with Nikon D or G type lenses)
- pretty good performance from built-in flash
- ISO 3200 available
- ISO 100 available (this is becoming a rarity)
- Active D-Lighting (automatically compensates over or under exposed areas in a high contrast scene)
- LCD screen shuts off when eye is close to viewfinder (saves power)
- very quick startup, you can take a picture as soon as you turn the camera on, even if flash is needed
- SDHC compatible (I use an 8GB card!)

Minuses:
- not so great focusing in poor lighting, only 3 focus points, sometimes wrong objects are focused on
- Auto ISO doesn't always choose the right ISO
- the all "Auto" mode produces slightly oversaturated pictures
- slightly "noisy" from ISO 800 and above, but noise reduction is available
- no built-in auto focus motor, Nikon AF-S/AF-I lenses or third party lenses with built-in focus motor are necessary, unless you like to manually focus

If you're looking the DSLR that can do many wonderful things but don't have a whole lot to spend, this is the camera to get. It may not have as many pixels (who really needs more than 10mp?), nor does it have the large 3" LCD screen like the D300 or D3, but for a fraction of the price, you can take just as good pictures. Point is, rather than spending $1000 more on a D300, you're much better off getting the D60 and spending the $1000 on a nice fast lens.

The only reason I'm giving this camera 4 stars instead of 5 is because of the average focusing performance. 3 focus points are adequate, but having more focus points and a faster focus system would speed up overall focusing and wouldn't have as much trouble in poor lit conditions.

And don't buy into all that hoopla about the D60 not having VR (Vibration Reduction) built-in. First off, there are plenty of new lenses coming out with VR built-in. Second, I'd trade VR for a 2.8 lens ANYDAY!

So, unless you have a need to shoot fast actions in poor lighting conditions, get the D60. It's SO worth the money. And remember, it's not about the megapixels or the size of the LCD screen, or the VR, or whatever, it's about YOU, the photographer!!!

Product Features and Technical Details

Product Features

• Extraordinary 10.2-megapixel DX-format Nikon picture quality
• Includes AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G Vibration Reduction lens
• 2.5-inch LCD screen; horizontal and vertical orientation are detected automatically
• Continuous shooting at 3 fps; Active Dust Reduction System with Airflow Control
• Capture images to SD/SDHC memory cards (not included)

Technical Details

• Sensor: 10.2 Megapixel
• Image Resolution: 3872 x 2592
• Storage Media: SD/SDHC Memory Card
• Compressed Format: JPEG
• Compressed Format: NEF (RAW)
• LCD Monitor: 2.5-inch
• LCD Pixels: 230,000 pixels
• LCD Coverage: 100%
• Shutter Speed: 30 - 1/4000 sec.
• Light Metering Method: Spot
• Light Metering Method: Matrix metering
• Light Metering Method: TTL
• Light Metering Method: Center Weighted
• Exposure Modes: Auto
• Exposure Modes: Manual
• Exposure Modes: Landscape
• Exposure Modes: Portrait
• Exposure Modes: Close-up

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 4.6 x 6.6 x 12 inches ; 1.6 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 5 pounds

Product Description
18-55mm AFS DX Nikkor / Fast Start-up / Active Dust Reduction / 2.5" LCD / Up to 3 Frames per second / SD and SDHC Memory Slot Up to 36 characters of alphanumeric text input available / Date imprint - Date, Date and Time, Date Counter, or None (selectable) Eye-level penta-Dach mirror single-lens reflex viewfinder File system - DCF (Design Rule for Camera File System) 2.0, DPOF (Digital Print Order Format), Exif 2.21 (Exchangeable Image File Format for Digital Still Cameras), PictBridge Focusing screen - Type B BriteView Clear Matte screen Mark V Compatible lenses - AF-S and AF-I NIKKOR - All functions supported; Type G or D AF NIKKOR not equipped with an autofocus motor - All functions supported except autofocus; Non-Type G or D AF NIKKOR not equipped with an autofocus motor - All functions supported except 3D color matrix metering II and autofocus; IX-NIKKOR and AF-NIKKOR for F3AF - Not supported; Type D PC NIKKOR - All functions supported except some shooting modes; AI-P NIKKOR - All functions supported except 3D color matrix metering II; Non-CPU - Autofocus not supported. Can be used in exposure mode M, but exposure meter does not function; Lens with maximum aperture of f/5.6 or faster - Electronic rangefinder can be used Frame advance up to 3 fps Self-timer - Can be selected from 2, 5, 10 and 20 second duration Metering method - Matrix - 3D color matrix metering II (type G and D lenses); color matrix metering II (other CPU lenses); Center-weighted - Weight of 75 percent given to 8mm circle in center of frame; Spot - Meters 3.5mm circle (about 2.5 percent of frame) centered on selected focus point (on center focus point when non-CPU lens is used) Range (ISO 100, f/1.4 lens, 20 degrees C/68 degrees F); Matrix, Center-weighted, and Spot metering Dimensions (W x H x D) - 126 x 94 x 64mm (5.0 x 3.7 x 2.5 inch)/ 1.1 lb

Nikon D60 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S DX VR Nikkor Zoom Lens