Nikon D60 10.2 MP Digital SLR Camera - Black (Body Only)

For the price, this camera does more than expected. It provides a great range of functions that make it easy for people that are used to the standard 'point and click' cheap digital cameras that we are all used to, but also provides more advanced photographers the control to tweak almost any setting (only big limiting factor is white balance, however that is more a digital v. flim issue). Having the ability to take continuous shots (approx. 3/second) is great and overall speed of this camera (focusing and shutter delay) is a dream compared to 'consumer' point and click cameras.

Life of the stock battery is impressive, however the charger is relatively bulky in my opinion and a better option when traveling would be to purchase a second battery.

For point and shoot users, this camera can provide some amazing shots compared to the compact digitals many people are used to right out of the box without making any adjustments.

For people used to using film SLRs, the menus can be tedious and reading the user manual to figure out how to change settings can be a headache. The 'P' setting minimizes these issues to some degree since once set, you won't need to fumble through the menus to get to your favorite settings.

The kit lens that usually comes with this camera (18-55mm) is a good fit for this camera and its focal length allows it to also serve as a pretty decent macro lens. If you are looking for a zoom lens, this is probably not the best and one that runs out to 200mm is a better choice.

Overall, this is one of the best entry level dSLR cameras out there (especially when you combine the quality of nikon lenses). As long as you are looking for a camera to only be a camera (no video recording), this is the hands down winner in this price range. It performs well for prints up to 8x10 compared to traditional film cameras as well as much more expensive dSLRs at that print size.

Getting into SLR ( Single Lens Reflective ) technology like I did twenty five years ago with my Minolta XD-11 [ film based, btw ], I made the mistake of buying the expense camera body first and then building my lens up. It was frustrating. Having learned that lesson, I found that this camera makes a good start into the DSLR ( Digital Single Lens Reflective ) camera arena. It is packed with features that let you take phenomenal pictures. Now, as I said, while it is a good camera, it does have its flaws which make it only a good camera, not a great camera. It only has three focusing areas which will confuse your camera about 1% of the time when you are out in the field. The sensor could be better, 10.2 megapixels is nice, but the sensor is only average in the amount of light it collects which means in low light situations, it delivers performance akin to a 6 megapixel camera. The 10.2 megapixels are great though in well lit situations and deliver the quality of photo that will achieve most of your needs out of a good DSLR. Another thing is that the ISO only goes up to 1600 with noise ( like grain in a film camera ) while great DSLR camera's today can shoot up to 6400 ISO with little noise at all. Still, I got it principally so that I could start buying the expensive Nikon set of advanced VR lens that deliver fantastic optical results for their size ( And there are great choices too, 18-55mm, 18-105mm, 55-200mm, 55-300mm, 18-200mm, 400mm, 55mm, 35mm [ please note: DX Nikon Lenses act at 1.5 times the mm number for comparison to a standard 35mm lens. i.e. a 100mm lens for a DX camera acts as a 150mm lens on an old 35mm camera ). As soon as I have gotten to the point that I have all the lens I need, then I will want to get the kind of Speedlight Flash I need ( SB-800), the external flash battery pack I need, and the backdrop flash kits I want to use for family and friend portraits. Then, and only then, will I then purchase the great camera body I really want, say the D90, D5000, or a D700 to be my main camera. Yet, because I will have by then a collection of lens to support my photographic interests, the D60's small and compact footprint in a camera bag will mean that I can keep the D60 and use it with another lens while I use the main camera to shoot say sports, weddings, graduations, etc. And, since it uses a cheap wireless remote, I will even be able to set it up on a tripod and just take pictures of an event from a different angle while I shoot the event with my main camera. In conclusion, the D60 is that good starter DSLR that lets you build a good base of lenses and not feel cheated while you wait for the kind of camera you really want in your bag like the D90, D5000, or the D700. ( In all likelihood, I will buy the D90 since it uses the same battery as the D60 and the same wireless remote )

I have bought this kit from a cameta auctions store. kit included 18-55 and 55-200 lenses, both VR and ED. and really pictures taken by these lenses are quite perfect for a zoom lens. after that i have bought a prime/normal lenses of 50 mm with f/1.8. and pictures improved. focus is magnificent. the only thing that o would advice is to buy a camera with built in auto focus motor. so that you don't care what lenses you buy as long as they have AF mark. on D60 AF is dependant on the lens. if it's not AF-S then forget about autofocusing. but actually experience Nikkor 50 mm lens gave me was worth of focusing. you can find pretty cheap lenses that are used on amazon or elsewhere. I would advice then to buy a kit with no more than 2 lenses and then look for other lenses online. you'll probably need 18-55 as it's mostly used and a prime lens for portraits.
going back to Nikon D60 itself, it has some nice features that are not present on previous models like EXPEED. I would be concerned about shutter lifetime as there's still small amount of data/
Overall, good buy. maybe not a bang for a buck but definitely wise and valuable investments.

The Nikon D60 Overall is a great camera for anyone. I would reccomend it for people who consider photography a hobby, and not just a way to record moments in time. The D60 is a lighter and more compact version of the D80. The funtions and settings on the camera are very easy to use. The user manual describes every aspect of the camera in a very detailed manner. The manual will basically take a new Nikon user and train them to know their new camera inside and out. Nikon really takes pride in the production of their cameras. The D60 is very well built. It is made to last, and the 10.2 megapixels allows the camera to have very clear pictures. The megapixels allow the pictures to be over 300dpi when printed, which means each picture is high quality. Most cameras are able to achieve 300dpi prints, but the difference is the size. Most cameras will have 300dpi prints around the size of 3x5, but the Nikon D60 has 300dpi prints at 11x15. Overall, this camera has every feature that a professional camera has, but it is about half the price. Yes, the price still isn't exactly cheap, but as people are know to say "quality comes at a price". In my opinion, the quality of this camera is well worth the price, the warranty is great, the battery life is amazing, and the self sensor cleaning is genius. I will not buy any other camera besides a Nikon, and the D60 burned that thought in my mind for life.

Back in 1999 I received a digital camera as a Christmas present. It wasn't even one megapixel, but the digital bug had bitten me hard and I was never going back to film. As technology improved, I upgraded to newer and better cameras over the years, but finally decided it was time to buy the nicest one I could fit into my budget.
The Nikon D60 is my first digital SLR and I'm having so much fun learning all the features. It is very user friendly and the manual is well written and easy to understand. I've been using my three cats as test subjects, following them around and testing out the different settings, filters and lenses. The 18-55mm VR lens is a great feature when you're trying to get a shot of a subject that you have to chase around. While shopping I saw some packages that included the VR (vibration reduction) lens and some that just offered the standard one. It is definitely worth your while to go for the VR.
As for the quality of the photos, I took a picture of my black cat from a distance of 10 feet on the "normal" quality setting and could see very fine details like all his whiskers, his claws, every little thing that had stuck to his fur (including a small insect), and the reflection of a nearby flower in the corneas of his eyes!
I bought my camera as a package deal with all kinds of accessories including a USB SD card reader which makes uploading your photos pleasantly simple. I use iPhoto for viewing and storage, and when I zoomed in all the way on the cat photo, there was absolutely NO pixelation. This was the crispest and clearest digital photo I have ever taken. I do a lot of Photoshop work and have noticed a huge difference in the brilliance of colors, and once again, the 10.2 megapixels allow for beautiful enlargements without the fuzziness that you would get from a lower megapixel camera.
To sum it all up, I LOVE this camera! Maybe it's not quite what a serious professional would choose, but as an amateur, it has improved my picture taking a hundred times over and I've only had it for a month.
It's a great entry level digital SLR, and you can't go wrong with it.