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

... I'll just say how much I love this camera. A lot. If you're looking it up right now, chances are, you already want it. It's a great camera especially when you mess with the settings. Mess with it! Learn its settings to get some interesting pictures.

If you can find this camera bundled with the Nikkor DX AF-S 55-200mm in addition to its default 18-55mm, take that one instead. I did and it was hell of a lot less than what's it's going for right here. Totally worth it. Really good entry level camera with professional looking output of pictures. Spending more on lenses in the future for use of this camera is easily a possibility.

The only complaint that I have is that there is no Auto-Exposure Bracketing, which would make HDR photography so much easier. Oh, and only 3 auto-focus points. I can live with it, but some people want more.

Make sure you buy an LCD guard that not only covers the screen, but the buttons as well. Dust WILL get in through the buttons and irritate you to high heavens, I don't care who you are and how you use it. The only way to get them out is to open it up yourself or send them in to Nikon for service.

The Nikon D60 was a 21st birthday present to myself. I bought it on ebay as a packaged deal with 2 lenses, and gobs of other little things. (I would not recommend buying it as package bundle, unless you know the smaller items are good quality).

10.2 megapixels is a good trade for the price. I never had an issue with blowing up my images or printing with professional printers.
A function I love with Nikon cameras is the "no-flash" setting. It's been a lifesaver when I don't want to use a flash but I want the camera to automatically use the best settings for a low light situation without the flash. The on-camera flash is another plus. My high end camera doesn't have one and it can be frustrating using a bulky off-camera flash all the time.

I used the Nikon D60 rigorously for over a year with everything from coursework (I am a photography student) to fun gatherings. It's portable compared to the Canon 5D Mark II, which I also own. I use the Nikon D60 for occasions when I don't have time to worry about the thousands of dollars in my other camera (i.e. apartment hunting, traveling, and daily snapshots). I also frequently use the Nikon as a backup if my other camera's battery dies.

Nikon vs. Canon debate: Since using both, I don't believe that one brand is "better" than the other, but I do feel that each has a different feel and look. I first wanted a Nikon because I liked the way it functioned and I was falsely told that Nikon takes sharper images. I've heard that Canon lenses have been around longer, and generally are better made because of that.

Bottom Line: The Nikon D60 is a great camera for the price. You'll get sharp images, easy functionality, and portability. Perfect for student, beginning photographers, or family travel camera.

I've been an owner for over a year and it remains a popular choice among prosumers. I'm not going to go into the the features or comparisons to great extent but I at least wanted to give an idea of how the Nikon D60 has served me.

This camera is for entry-level photographers that need more than a point-and-shoot.

In short, I love the D60 and I'm glad I bought it. It produces incredible RAW images that I can tweak with Photoshop. It's a full-fledged DSLR and not one of those in-between types. I've taken countless photos of family and friends and it hasn't failed me yet. I have several different lenses for it and it works with most of the older lenses (however not all auto-focus).

My level of expertise at this point on photography is modest and I didn't find it too difficult to get started. I do recommend several books if you are just starting out:

David Busch's Nikon D60 Guide to Digital SLR Photography - This is the manual that should come with D60's.

The Digital Photography Book - Scott Kelby

The Digital Photography Book, Volume 2

Pros

- Small
- A true DSLR
- Great image quality
- Can use a remote - which I also own
- Can use external flashes - I own the Nikon SB900
- Price

Cons

- Cannot be used as a master flash
- Cannot auto-focus older AF lenses
- No live view
- No video

Full Review Posted at: [...]

I purchased this camera from Amazon about ten months ago. Even though that much time has passed, I still haven't mastered all of the functions of this camera. Admittedly, I consider myself to be a novice. I got this camera as an upgrade from my Canon S2 IS which offered a lot of functionality over a typical compact digital camera but not as much as I wanted. The D60 gives me the same creative freedom that I once enjoyed from my old 1990's Canon T60 SLR (told you I was novice!).

If you are purchasing this camera as an upgrade from a point and shoot, I suggest shooting in Manual mode, aperture priority, or shutter priority once you familiarize yourself with the controls. Shooting in one of these three modes can really give you great results.

My only gripe is the focus ring on the 18mm-55mm kit lens. It's way too small. When I've switched to manual focus, it just feels weird having such a small area to grip. Maybe that's typical for autofocus lenses, I don't know. My only other SLR experience did not have autofocus.

One last tip: turn off the auto review option! It's very frustrating to take a shot then get ready to take another and you're in review mode for a few moments.

Overall, though, I am very happy with this camera and I would definitely recommend it.

For a long while I had the desire to make my pictures "grow up" by taking the step to dSLRs. After much research I decided on the Nikon d60, although all our other cameras are Canon. I have not been disappointed!

The manual helps you learn how to operate the camera on a basic level. I learned how to improve my pictures and use all the features with the help of books from Amazon or Barnes and Noble. Do not rely on the manual to teach you everything. LOL

I have taken thousands of pictures with my camera and continue to improve. I love my d60 and get a thrill each time I put in my hands.

My husband bought this camera for me last Christmas as a gift and I love it! I was a little afraid of all the features at first but now (11 months later)I cannot put it down! I take it everywhere! Two months ago I bought a new lens (for distance) to use at football and soccer games...etc. Now, I love it even more! It is light-wieght for the most part; we took it on our Disney vacation (in September) and I wore it all around the parks for 7 days. It did not feel heavy at all. The D60 took pictures that were the same quality as the Photo Pass pictures offered by Disney. The shutter speed is fast-- literally click-click-click; I never miss a shot now. The battery lasts quiet a while before needing recharging. If you are considering this camera...go for it! Everyone who touches my camera wants to buy one. The only "con" I can think of is that when you take a picture you have to hold the camera to your eye and look through the "view-finder" and then pull it back to see the picture display on the LCD screen. I do not mind but a few people I know have said they don't know if they could go back to the "old way" of not being able to see the picture on LCD before taking the shot. I highly recommend this camera. If it were stolen or lost I would buy it again without hesitation.

I am using this camera for last 1 year. Got it for final price 485 camera 18 55 mm lens + 15 sandisk 4 GB card = 500. It was a great deal for me at that time. Technical things are already mentioned.just need a tripod and remote. If u r thinking for D40 or D40X ...then will suggest u to byt D60.. go for 10 MP and its continous shooting mode(its really works great for low light)

Happy as always with Amazon :-)

I really enjoy using this camera. The Active D Lighting is an awesome feature of the D60. I have just recently discovered the world of SLR's and don't have too much photography experience, but I used this camera when I traveled to Alaska and Japan and was happy with the picture quality. The camera went everywhere with me and had its fair share of bumps scrapes, so it is durable. I didn't mind carrying the D60 around because it is more compact than the D90 and full frames, but at the sacrifice of a smaller LCD screen (among other cool features).

The stock 18-55 VR Nikkor lens that comes with the camera is a decent all-around lens; very versatile for many situations. However, with many DX lenses available for the D60, you'll soon be shopping for better lenses.

Really happy with this camera, although after seeing my friend's D90, I want to upgrade soon. A great buy for a beginner to intermediate photographer.

This is a wonderful camera. I've had it for almost a year now and have used it from New Orleans to San Francisco. The stock lens is a great lens to start out with and takes wonderful pictures. Compared the the 80 or higher it has fewer options when concerning quality of the pictures taken. This is a great camera to start with and with the right lenses a great one to even build on. I highly recommend this camera to those that wish to begin photography and like to catch those moments that are often missed by digital cameras.

This is an excellent camera, all of the features described work perfectly. Some features that I particularly enjoy are the ability to create different image folders on the camera, and switch between them; the stop motion movie creator, which forms up to 100 images into a .AVI video file; and the fact that Nikon non-electronic film lenses fit on the mount and are completely usable in Manual mode. I truly love this camera, and it works great, just I would maybe consider other options as well. The D40 is the cheaper alternative, and you don't lose much by opting for it. The D90 is quite a bit more expensive, but offers HD video and live viewing. The D3000 is a slight upgrade from the D60 and a bit less expensive from what I have seen. I would consider all of these choices before purchasing. I complain a bit about size and portability, as I would not want to have this around my neck for an entire day of sightseeing, but that is what point-and-shoots are made for, ease and portability. dSLR cameras are made for being fully manipulative digital cameras that have excellent quality and have the ability to change lenses, ISO, focusing methods, aperture, white balance, and shutter speed to the user's desire.

Before I made an online purchase, I searched numerous amounts of websites. I checked prices, qualities, and many other variables. I'm not a very skilled nor professional photographer. And, I ended up purchasing this NikonD60. Trust me, it's not a knock-off, it's more of a show-off. When I got it in the mail, it was a lot lighter than I had imagined it to be. It only took about two hours to be fully charged and I got used to it the moment I started messing around with it. The cons are that it sometimes doesn't focus where you want it to, and, if your a TRUE beginner, it will be confusing. But, with some online help and sources, what possibly can't be done? It's an amazing camera. When you actually upload it onto your computer or notebook, it looks even better. Great quality!

This is one awesome camera I have seen! Great picture quality even with the 18-55mm lens! What a picture clarity! I wish I had bought it earlier! I did a lot of research and finally decided to go with this one even after evaluating Olympus E-620 and Canon! I felt this one was well tested by a lot of professionals!

I would recommend any beginners or Amateur photographers to go for this one with no hesitation!

And I used Amazon prime and placed my order around 5:00pm EST and the product was at my door step at around 11:00am EST the next day!

I have owned several digital cameras (still do) and I recently purchased the Nikon D60. I absolutely LOVE IT! No complaints! We are normal people who enjoy taking pics of our kids and outings. The quality is AWESOME! Yes, it is a little pricey however, if you are able to afford it, I would highly recommend buying it! Lots of extra accessories for it too! Takes GREAT pictures, print quality is awesome as well and the items it comes with is good for normal people. No need to buy anything extra unless you want to. We did, however, buy an extra flash for night picture taking. Will NEVER buy another normal digital camera! DSLR's are it for me!

I am very happy with this camera. Great condition, great photos, easy to use. No problems, would never know it's refurbished. Good price for D60 with VR lens, you wouldn't find anything better for this price. (Beware of scam companies that advertise a new one for this price. After you order, you'll find out it's in Japanese without a battery and without any accessories. You'll have to pay more to get a complete USA version).
It's all I expected it to be. No disappointments.

This is an excellent camera. For the price, you get a camera that can do just about anything. It is fast and the pictures are spectacular. The only thing I wish it came with was a lense that had greater zoom capacity, but there are so many lenses made for this camera that I just plan to buy another. This will last us for a number of years. You can't go wrong with Nikon!

Its a nice camera and easy to use. It's a very good camera for newbies.
I link this camera very much.

In one word. "perfect"..the basic lens kit works perfect..
This camera lacks Live View feature for which many prefers to buy others like Canon rebel XSI..but trust me.thats of no use..it really is not required..automatic mode will give u a feel of point n shoot camera with superb quality.battery backup is also good.color reproduction is fantastic..and yes very less noise with ISO 800 and above with Noise reduction feature ON..I do not find any reason for not buying this camera.

Review for the Nikon D60 with 18-55mm VR Nikkor lens

Cons:

-No live preview (fine if you were a film SLR user like I was, but not so fine for point and shoot step-ups)
-Lens must be AF-S to autofocus (Lens must have inner moter to autofocus)
-Autofocus is considerably slow
-Alot of grain present at 1600 ISO
-Only 3 Autofocus points
-Uses unique .NEF raw format (so not many programs can edit it)
-Included lens it not that high end, (it does not smoothly blend out the BG at times)

Pros:

-Very well priced on behalf of Amazon
-Excellent VR system
-Sensor Cleaning
-Ergonomic Design
-Ease of use ++
-Lightweight
-Sharp pictures
-In-camera Retouch
-Vibrant colors
-Simple GUI (Graphic User Interface)
-Its a NIKON!!!

I did my homework comparing this camera to its predecessor, the Nikon D40.
I took about 2 weeks going to local photo shops, comparing various cameras side by side, as well as quality, and for the price, the D60 took the gold
I heard alot of reviews recommending the D40 over the D60, but I decided to go against the flow and purchase the D60. Purchased it from Amazon for a staggering $517 (~125 $$ cheaper than a local photography store), very prompt shipping on their part FEDEX :)/USPS :(.

I got this camera today, and I am pleased to say this is an awesome camera for its price. First of all, you are going to get a quality product from Nikon, (in my opinion, one of the best camera brands), along with an excellent 18-55mm VR Nikkor lens. You also get the nice camera neck strap (which was an extra back in the '70s :)).

This camera takes amazing pictures! I went outside to my garden and shot a couple of flower test shots, very satisfying! The quality is very sharp, even at a 100%. The colors are also very vibrant and lively. The camera is also relatively light, as compared to the Nikon FM-2 we already own. It is also nice to know that this camera comes with the VR lens, allowing you to take pictures with 3X slower shutter speed, as claimed by Nikon.
Another plus of this camera is the fact that it has the sensor cleaning, which if you own 4 lens like I do, comes in very handy, to keep your pictures "dust free". It is also nice to know, it cleans the sensor everytime you turn it on and off. It also features an orientation sensative LCD screen, which if you rotate the camera, the screen rotates as well.

However, Nikon could have made more autofocus points (9 + would have been fine). They also could have added the shaft to the lens mount, to autofocus AF lenses.

I would definately recommend this camera to others for its simplicity of use. It has intuitive LCD menus, easy to navigate through, and perfect for the beginning DSLR user!

*Please do not base your purchase off of this sole review, as some of the above info may be slightly off. :)

Using D40 for about a year, amazing camera! Bought the D60 'cause thought the 10MP would produce noticeably better pics. Unless you need larger than 11x14 prints, you won't see a difference. The sensor-cleaner sounds out-of-sight, but...it's REALLY not needed. And, the 10 vs 6MP actually produces more NOISE (traslation, a less sharp looking image).

If you can live without autofocus and can handle using manual exposure setting, the D40 used with a SUPER-SHARP single length NIKKOR AI lens, for example, will give you amazingly bright, sharp, clean images that NO zoom lens (VR or otherwise)can compare with (regardless of price). Anyhow, the D40 is about $200 less than the D60, which is lighter but feels a LOT cheaper made.

Net, net...both the D40 (and D40X) and D60 will produce great images. But if you want something that is the best of the best, sharpness and impact-wise, do yourself a favor and try the D40 with a single length (such as a Nikkor AI f1.8 which can be bought used for about $50). Definitely still use the supplied kit D40 autofocus 18-55mm zoom for everyday snapshot type pics. But...when time permits, experience real quality and shoot with the single-length to capture the most outstanding images you'll ever take!

I purchased a Nikon D60, and ended up returning to to the store for a D5000. (Nikon D5000 12.3 MP DX Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR Lens and 2.7-inch Vari-angle LCD) I used to use film SLRs extensively, but have been away from photography for some time and have been wanting a dSLR forever. Now is the perfect time. I am taking a major vacation where I will be shooting some shots in the jungle, so I wanted an improvement over my point-and-shoot camera in low light and other scenarios. Although the D60 is definitely such an improvement, after playing around with this camera in low light, I just decided it would not do the trick.

Let me start by listing the things that I do like about this camera, because there were many (these also apply to the D5000):
-Takes good pictures in bright light
-I like Nikon's menu systems. Although it takes some learning and some menu options require multiple "clicks," I found it intuitive and straight-forward. You also can set-up "my menu" where you have fast access to your most-used features. I recommend utilizing this feature.
-The on-board help button that explains the features to you
-The vibration reduction lenses really are helpful in reducing camera shake. Out of the box, I didn't realize VR was automatically set to off on the lens, and turning it on really did make a difference in low light.
-Definitely is an upgrade over a point-and-shoot. Also with the lens kits, appears to be a fairly good value.

Despite these positives, the D60 was not the camera for me. First, when taking photos indoors (even the lights on), I found that I typically had to manually focus the camera because it would not find the correct focus. Even then, the quality of the low-light photos is not great. (Although it is an improvement over my canon point-and-shoot.) I'm sure this is in part due to its processor and in part due to the fact that it only has 3 Auto-focus points. Whatever the cause, the mediocre quality of low-light photos is something you'll want to seriously consider if you'll be shooting indoors.

If you'd like to see the comparison yourself, you can view images I have posted for both cameras in the customer image galleries for the D60 (Nikon D60 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S DX VR Nikkor Zoom Lens) and D5000 (Nikon D5000 12.3 MP DX Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR Lens and 2.7-inch Vari-angle LCD)

The 3 autofocus points is also just a general concern overall. Even in the short time I had the camera, I found that the lack of auto-focus points affected my photo composition capabilities. I do not like to have to hold the button half-way down to focus and then move my desired subject to a different part of the frame. Plus, it makes it extremely difficult to shoot moving subjects. For a bit more money, the D5000 has 11 autofocus points which adds many more possibilities in terms of composing the photo in the viewfinder. It also has a 3-D auto-focus mode, which allows you to focus on a subject, and then keeps the focus on that subject when it moves by choosing a new focus point. The D5000 is more expensive, but the upgrade from 3 to 11 focus points is an extreme improvement that I think will make a difference for even amateur photographers. (Perhaps it doesn't make much of a difference for simple point and click, but if you are shopping for a dSLR, I doubt that is all you are planning to do.)

In the few hours since I exchanged this for the D5000, I know that I have made the right choice. I have noticed a dramatic improvement in the quality of the photos I have taken over the D60. I have also discovered a number of additional features lacking in the D60 that are very useful. Specifically, bracketing. With bracketing, you can set the camera to automatically take multiple shots using different settings. For example, you can use exposure bracketing, and it will take one shot at the normal exposure, one under-exposed, and one over-exposed. This is extremely useful in difficult lighting settings where you may not have the time to fiddle with exposure compensation. (There are other bracketing options as well.) According to some things I've read, Nikon removed this feature from the D40 series and D60 to "dumb it down," but I really don't understand that at all. This isn't a difficult feature to grasp, and it seems like it would be extraordinarily useful for novice photographers (like me) who haven't completely mastered getting the perfect shot, but who might face situations where they don't have time to fiddle through the menus.

Overall, the things that this camera (D60) is missing that I already love about about my D5000 are:
-11 auto-focus points(this has only 3. I think this will affect most users' capabilities with the camera)
-An improved processor and better image quality, especially in low light
-Bracketing (missing from this camera)
-Numerous additional Scene modes (in addition to those this one provides)
-More choices for Active D-Lighting (Ultra-high, High, low, etc. as opposed to just on/off in D60)
-3-D Tracking Mode for auto-focus (which allows you to choose a focus point, and if the subject moves, the camera keeps focus on that subject... haven't tried this yet, but I'm anxious to.)
-More on-camera retouching options
-Higher resolution (although I'm not sure this will make a difference unless you're planning to blow up photos)

(Some of these things may sound technical, but I didn't know what they were yesterday either! You'll be amazed at how fast you'll learn by reading the manual and doing a little playing around.)

It is up to you whether these improvements are worth the extra several hundred dollars. For me, they were. I simply don't want to be disappointed and end up buying a new dSLR in a few years.

I also would like to briefly mention the fact that this camera is missing a live view, which is present on the D5000. Personally, I would not use this as a deciding factor in your camera choice. Although you are probably used to live view from your point-and-shoot, I think if you can manage to go back to a viewfinder for awhile, you'll actually like it. It gives you a better eye for composition, and you don't have to mess with covering up the eyepiece to avoid light leaking in. Plus, keep in mind that even in the D5000, the liveview is probably not what you're accustomed to from point-and-shoots. Liveview systems in SLRs tend to be slow have have difficulty focusing, so if you switch solely for the liveview, you may be disappointed. So give the lack of live view a shot and practice composing your photos in the viewfinder. I think you'll be pleased once you get used to it.

On that note, the D60 may lack video, which is present on more expensive models, but you should never, ever buy a dSLR because you want to take videos. It may be a perk, but if your hope is to shoot amazing video, you will surely be disappointed. Get an HD-camcorder instead.

In sum, this is a decent camera, but only having 3 autofocus points makes it not worth its price, even though that price is quite reasonable. The D5000 is a few hundred dollars more, but its capabilities and quality are vastly improved. (Note that you could go even further upscale for just a bit more to the D90, although that is a bigger, bulkier camera, which may not be as good for travel.) If you're going to spend the money to spring for a dSLR, you might as well get something that you'll be happy with for a long time.

If, on the other hand, you'll be photographing primarily outdoors, and you really don't think you need the D5000, the D60 is a perfectly acceptable camera. Although, if that's the case, you may also consider the cheaper D40. I have never tested one and cannot speak to the differences between the D40 and D60, but with only 3 Auto-focus points, I wonder what the D60 really adds. (I know it has a cleaning system and D-Lighting, but I'm not sure those features are worth the price difference.)

Good luck!

My wife and I wanted a digital SLR camera that was reasonably priced and could deliver quality that was superior to our point and shoot cameras. It was hard to spend this much money on a camera for me, but we were going on a two week vacation to Italy and I couldn't get myself to go without one considering we knew how beautiful and colorful our adventures would be. After hours and hours of research I discovered this camera was the best value for a beginner. Over and over I read reviews from pundits and beginners like myself express their happiness. I can't give a critical review as others considering I am still learning about this camera, but I have to say it is a huge step up from a point and shoot (duh). The quality is awesome and the options are endless. It was not too heavy considering I was walking hours a day with it on my neck and it hardly bothered me. When we got home and were ready to transfer all of our pics to the comp. it was as easy as hooking it up and waiting. The battery life was very good. I'm very satisfied and look forward to becoming more knowledgeable about it's manual settings so that I can get the full potential out of this baby. A few notes for readers who might be buying an SLR for the first time like myself: 1)The learning curve on how to use the custom settings would probably require many hours, but you can get some great shots on the Programmed setting and default settings in the mean time. 2)I found out while we were on our trip that that this lens doesn't zoom in much and lens can cost $200+, but overall this lens gets the job done. 3)Nikon seemed to be a lot better value than Canon's cameras, which to me was their biggest competitor. Canon's entry level cameras were much more expensive.

I have owned the D60 since November 2008 and for the most part have been pleased with my purchase. I have been able to improve my photography skills considerably with this camera's more advanced functions, but was also able to take amazing pictures right out of the box on the automatic settings. I am still learning about all that this camera is capable of and I've enjoyed owning it, with a few minor exceptions.

Things I don't like about this camera are:
- Only 3 auto-focus points
- Having to dig into the menu to change nearly every funtion (although there are a few buttons that you can designate which function you'd like them to control)
- No Bracketing
- Closure over SD card area flips open easily, usually when I'm not meaning to open it.

I hadn't had a problem until last weekend when all of a sudden all my pictures were coming out blurry despite all my efforts to combat the problem. I ended up taking it in to the store I bought it from (Ritz Camera) and they told me that my lens was defective. It wasn't always defective and I've never dropped my camera, so I don't know what caused this, but I was pleased that the lens had a 5 year warranty and they just swapped out a new one for me. The new lens has worked well for the past few days, but I'm disappointed in the lack of durability of the first lens.

The D60s in-camera editing is a nice feature that was one of the selling points for me. But honestly, I rarely use it and now wish that I wasn't so hung up on it to begin with. I do everything I need to do in Photoshop and hardly ever touch the editing menu. I think if I were buying my first SLR all over again I'd probably go with either the Canon XS or spring for the D90 instead. The XS doesn't have the extensive in-camera editing features that the D60 has, but judging from the way I use my camera I think I would've been happier with the Canon instead (at least at the entry level SLR): more autofocus points, less digging through menus to change functions, bracketing, live view (if that's important to you), etc. It just has more of the features that I want, but being new to digital SLRs, I didn't know that I wanted them until 8 months after I purchased my D60. The D90 has all these features too but it's more than I was prepared to spend at the time.

Having said this, I do enjoy my D60. It is a very nice camera and I'm learning to work well with it. It is easy to learn on and easy to use. My gripes are mainly just small nuisances, not anything major with the camera. The battery life lasts forever and the start-up time is nearly instantaneous. So if you're leaning toward the D60 and are just reading reviews to confirm your choice, you should be very happy with it, as I am for the most part. If, on the other hand you are torn between the D60 and the Canon XS/XSi, I'd go for the Canons or just make the jump to a D90. Not that the D60 isn't a great camera, I just don't think I was as informed a buyer as I should have been for what my photography needs are.

I purchased my D-60 as a kit that included not only the camera but also two VR lenses (18-55mm and 55-200mm), gadget bag, 2 instructional DVD's, Nikon Capture software and a 2 GB San-Disk SD card for a total of $[...]. Having had a D-70s in the past, I found that the "learning curve" with the D-60 is not nearly as steep as some might make you believe.

While considered a mid-level "pro-am" camera, the D-60 takes remarkably clear shots and has the added advantage of allowing the use of almost any Nikon lens available, be it 25 years old or 2.5 months old. After having trailed Canon for a while in the "self-cleaning sensor" department, the D-60 shows Nikon has finally adopted this feature. All I can say is, "It's about time". At last, I no longer have to take my camera in for its annual "sensor scrub". Halleluah!

The D-60 has 2.5MP less resolution than the new D-5000. I started to get one of those, but couldn't see paying an extra [...] bucks for a lousy 2.5MP resolution gain. I'm not planning on blowing my pictures up to wall size or billboard size so there was no way to justify the extra expense. Besides, the D-60 does everything I want it to. Plus, it allows "in camera" red-eye correction, cropping and some basic editing. You can also switch a photo from color to B&W, Sepia or Cyanotype all inside the camera (though it DOES keep the original color shot when it creates the new "color edited" picture).

The only "complaint" (if you can really call it that) is that the D-60 still does not have the "Full Frame Sensor". Instead of WYSIWYG, you get 92% of what you see in the viewfinder. While this is not a major issue as long as you're aware of it, it would have been nice to see Nikon upgrade the D-60 with the same FFS it has in some of its higher end digital SLR's.
For the price, I can't beat what I have with a stick! The D-60 is an excellent camera and (in my opinion) the best camera to usae to introduce anyone into the world of digital SLR photography.

This camera takes amazing pictures. I dont have to be expert. It can take 3 frames per second, but remember that 3 frames are only possible when you dont need to use flash. Charging of the flash takes time between two shots.

After doing much reading and going back and forth trying to decide which camera was the one for me I went for the Nikon D60 - Price wise the Nikon is a little less than the Canon but if you are looking for an SLR camera you can spend a few bucks more to get the better quallity item, in my case after much web surfing I learned that the Canon has issues with service and the equipment itself, more than Nikon. As a customer I should be able to buy something and get what I paid for, if such item doesn't work 100% out of the box I should be able to get a new one and not have it sent for repair (then what is their quallity control good for?) - I barely found any issues with the Nikon brand, I found more praises that anything else. The picture quallity is stunning, easy to use (I'm one that plays first then reads the manual) - colors are superv - the only thing I did not like is that it doesnt have "live view", meaning that you can't see on the screen what you are getting ready to shoot at, you have to use the viewfinder. But even then, after using it and seing the results I don't care for that feature any more, I rather have a camera that is going to give me great pictures and a warranty that is going to cover it as well, the camera itself comes with a one year but the lens comes with a 5 year warranty from Nikon. It also has a feature that allows you to add filters after you have taken the picture, keeping the original intact. The viewfinder is very brigh and of good size. I also looked for a good and convinient bag for it and the best I found was the Mytho Swiss Gear (model GA-7865-02F00) that you can find for 49.00 bucks at your local electronics store. And as a last note, I love buying from Amazon, they have good prices and good customer service.

I'm just getting into photography, so this review will be quite non-technical. I think the D60 is a good camera for those just starting. The D40 would be an equally good choice, but the D60 does have more megapixels, which is good for making larger prints and for massive cropping of images. It also has the sensor cleaner, for whatever good that is worth. It has a few other minor differences from the D40, probably not making it worth the price difference between the 2 based on features alone.

However, the D60 kit includes a VR version of the 18-55mm lens, whereas the D40 kit lens is not a VR lens. Most will say that one doesn't need VR at these focal lengths, which is mostly true except that for someone just starting out, my hand is pretty shaky and when shooting at the 55mm end and/or in low light conditions where faster shutter speed might be hard to come by, I personally feel like the VR is helpful.

So to me, the few different features AND the VR lens make the D60 a worthwhile purchase in my opinion. If money is an issue, get the D40 and don't look back, because the practical differences are minor, but if you can swing the extra for the D60, I think it is worth it.

I personally am in love with my D60 and with photography in general. The D60 has been a dream to learn on. It's not loaded down with features that I don't know how to use. It just has the basics, making it a good platform to learn on. The image quality from the camera is excellent. the kit lens is good for a kit lens, although you will likely want to purchase other lenses as you learn. The 55-200mm VR lens makes a great inexpensive addition for those just starting out to have decent range coverage to experiment with.

In all i'm very happy with my purchase and when I'm ready to graduate to a body with more features, I just might keep my D60 around. Its a great compact camera that is a dream to travel with (as far as dSLRs go anyway). I take the camera with me all the time. Obviously its not a point & shoot to carry in my pocket, but when I know I'm going to be somewhere where I want more control then a p&s, i am comfortable carrying my d60 because its pretty compact as far as dSLRs go.

Almost 30 years ago all I had was an SLR and loved it. My Minolta XG cameras were wonderful and took better pictures than almost anything I have ever had. Eventually they started having issues and film became almost obsolete. I used Canon P and S digital cameras for many years and recently bought a Panasonic Lumix TZ5 which is fabulous. I wanted to get back in to SLR and did much research and tried many hands on displays in local stores. I also spoke to many people in local camera shops and they all suggested getting the D60 over the D40 as well as the Rebel XSi assuming I could afford the D60. The Rebel XSi is much bigger than the D60, and for the money the D60 was saving me, virtually all stated the D60 was a much better value then the Rebel, and that picture quality between the two was virtually identical. Costco had a package for $699.00 which included D60, 1GB card (almost worthless now), two VR lenses (18-55 and 55-200 Nikon) and case. The case was worthless as it was way to small for everything. After a few days, I decided I did not want to mess with changing out lenses, and since the "free" Nikon bag was too small, plus the tax was high where I bought, brought back to Costco. There was nothing special about the two Nikon Lenses either and I found that when using the 18-55mm lens with a skylight and polarizing filter, when at the widest angle setting, 18mm, the two filters together were too thick and caused distortion in the view. The D60 itself was just "OK", not great but then again I did not have much use. I did like the many optional features and options the camera offered. I then saw on Amazon a special version, "black gold" (body only) and I decided to order from Amazon with the Tamron 18-200mm single lens and although the Tamron lacks "VR" I still paid MUCH less than the Costco package and also ordered the remote and an extra battery and a couple of filters to boot.

It was a great deal with $50.00 off and I trust Amazon anyway.

As far as the actual pictures the initial camera took, I did not have much experience, but based on what I saw so far seemed ok. There was a difference I saw when using "P" setting versus "AUTO" and did not exactly understand all the menu options, but the Nikon D60 fit really well in my hands, was easy to use, felt sturdy and I will give another chance. Also the "black gold" special version sure looks nice.

On a final note, I did not buy an SLR for the "live View" and that sort of defeats the purpose for me of an SLR. I also could care less about what, if any, software comes with the camera. All I want is a decent SLR and lens for around what I paid. Even if the software was real bad, and as the D60 comes, with no "live view", I would not let it affect my rating. After I get the D60 I ordered from Amazon, I will update the review.

I purchase the Camera from Cameta Camera, here on Amazon. The Camera is great. It's very easy to use and takes excellent pictures. I only have one complaint about the camera. The sensor that turns off the LCD screen when you put your face up to the viewfinder is WAY to sensitive. If you happen to be in a certain kind of light, for instance under a tree where the sun/shade is sporadic, the screen will get confused and blink on and off repeatedly. Check the forums and you'll see it's a common problem with the D60. When it starts to do this, it's best to just turn the Auto off function off until you are in better light. I think it's just a shoddy design flaw. It's not a huge deal, it's just when you dump a few hundred dollars on something, you expect it to work flawlessly. No such luck. Other than that, it's a great camera.

Now a word about the seller. Take from this what you will. I bought my D60 here on Amazon from Cameta Camera. They supposedly sell a Nikon Factory Refurbished D60. That is NOT true. I don't know hoe they get away with such false advertising. When I purchased the product, I was sent an invoice that said "Nikon D60 Factory Demo". These are cameras that have been used for advertising purposes in stores, trade shows, etc. That is not what I ordered or wanted. I immediately called Cameta and spoke to a very friendly customer service representative who assured me that the camera I ordered was indeed a Factory Refurbished product and that the invoice was simply wrong. She even said that the invoice said Factory Demo because they were having a problem with their software. That was a lie. Later, when I was having problems with the LCD screen, I spoke to their technical support representative, who shed light on their products. He said that when they are listing an item, Amazon does not have an option for "Factory Demo" and so they have to select "Refurbished". When I expressed my disappointment, the Representative actually said, "If it will make you feel better if I tell you it's refurbished, I'll tell you it's refurbished." Pretty shocking. So, a word to the wise. If you want a Factory Refurbished D60, do not order it from Cameta.

There is really nothing to say about Nikon. Nikon is Nikon. The camera is great and makes incredible pictures. There is a lot to be learned about the camera and how to use it.

the D60 is a lot of fun to use, especially for a relative photograghy amateur

This is a great camera, I spent a long time reading reviews about it online before purchasing. After my purchase I started to research more about photography and Nikon, and I ran in to Ken Rockwell's (aka the Nikon Man) page. Here is his conclusion on the D60:

"The Nikon D60 is a 'sucker' camera sold mostly to people who are not professional photographers, but who are impressed by meaningless megapixels. Megapixels have nothing to do with picture quality. The less expensive D40 is the same thing as the D60, but better. The D40 is the professional's vacation camera. It's what I take when I'm on vacation or with family, too.""

You can google "Ken Rockwell" for more info. Imagine how I felt after reading this. Nevertheless I enjoy my D60, and think its a very good camera for introduction to DSLR.

For anyone experiencing the world of SLRs for the first time this is a very good model - the in camera help feature is also helpful in doing this. Also, the kit lens surpassed my levels of expectations...

For a better amateur SLR look at the Canon Rebel series, as the next model from Nikon after this is now D90(once D80 is completely off the market) - the Rebel 450d and 500d are both somewhere in between.

I received my camera two weeks ago and am quite pleased with it. I owned a Minolta Dimage S414 with 4 Mega Pixles before. I have taken over 50 pictures with this camera so far and am extremly pleased with it, since I am a beginner in Ditital SLR. I would recommend this camera to anyone.

i got this camera for a tour and am really impressed by the clarity.ofcourse i have to upgrade my lens for night time photo shoot it was really pathetic when compared with sony,otherwise am completely satisfied wth the performance of the product.

I got this camera early this month.
After having lots of digital cameras since 2001, and having tried the NEW "entry" digital SLRs such as the new EOS Digital Rebels, the new Lumix G1, Olympus and Sony models, I have to say this camera is a more complete prodcut for photography.

The cons first, and there are few, most notceable you need motorized lenses for A/F, so if you have some vintage Nikkor optics lying around beware of that... but in all honesty, someone with that sort of gear, will be looking at other cameras, after all a 600 Nikkor tele will set you, what?, the cost of 20 of these cameras? ha, ha, ha... and that some of the white balance settings need some careful handling... that's it.

Now the PROS
An aspect OFTEN OVERLOOKED GREAT ergonomics... some cameras in paper deliver a lot, but only from experience and real knowhow can a design provide a photographer with that instant feel so you can concentrate on the shot and not fidgeting around the menu settings.
And MotT IMPORTANT, is that this is VERY VERY consistent product ANY ISO setting, ANY light level, any shooting program, be it auto, manual or programmed, you can use with the peace of mind that it will deliver great image quality...

Write speed is very, very good, burst mode is good... Raw output is very well balanced... all in all, only a VERY VERY serious professional would find limiting working with this camera.

IF YOU ARE IN THE MARKET FOR A D-SLR CAMERA I HIGHLY SUGGEST THE NIKON D60. IT IS AFFORDABLE AND THE PICTURE QUALITY IS EXCELLENT. THE 18-55 ZOOM LENS THAT CAME WITH IT WORKS WELL BUT IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A LITTLE MORE, YOU CAN PICK UP THE 55-200 LENS PACKAGE FOR UNDER $200. THIS IS A CAMERA THAT I WILL HAVE AND ENJOY FOR MANY YEARS TO COME.

This is my first SLR so I don't know how others perform; however, so far I LOVE this camera. I was using a Canon digital camera over the past several years and have been seriously disappointed in the Canon's performance so I thought I would try a Nikon after hearing good things. I've had the camera for a little while now and can't put it down. I finally have pictures of my son that look GREAT instead of a blurred mess. The picture quality for the Nikon D60 is amazing and I would highly recommend it to anyone just starting out with an SLR or even a professional. I don't think anyone would be disappointed in the performance of the Nikon D60 SLR.

Nikon D60 is excellent SLR camera, and I like it. I use it everday to take a photos.

I bought this camera with lens as a refurbished one. It looks like completely a new one except some difference in package. But the price is way cheaper than a new one. Highly recommend this product.

I've had my D60 for two months now, and only have just gotten familiar enough with it to feel that I can competently write a *useful* review for it. "Right Out Of The Box" reviews cannot really stand in for a good, solid understanding of what you're holding.
I quite like it. I now know what IT likes, doesn't like, and how to fix its mistakes.



Pros:
1. Quite lightweight

2. Sturdy

3. Very quick boot-up time.

4. Battery lasts a flabbergasting amount of time (camera on all day? No problem!) because of its chary use of power.
A word to the wise: Either have it on or have it off. Do not toggle back and forth.
"On" and in its powersaver mode saves more power than turning it off when sporadically taking photos. This might be due to the sensor cleaner (it cleans on start up and shut down).

5. It thinks about as fast as you do.

6. Acceptable buffer space for taking multiple shots 'on the go'.

7. Most controls are intuitive (still SOME menu-hunting, though. Some important crap is just plain buried in the menus).

8. Does *amazing* things with grey/blue lighting. Its favorite situation seems to be a cloudy or partly cloudy/overcast day.

9. Noise levels are acceptable at least up to 800 ISO, which is nice. Past that, though, you're pushing it. The result is still workable, though, which is an achievement.

10. SDHC Compatable -- I use a 16gb card.

11. Active D-Lighting mode is nice if you're still going to insist on shooting in jpg.
Almost completely useless if using RAW.

Be prepared to make use of your buffer and shoot multiple pictures of the same thing for redundancy; it tends to not always choose the place you wish to focus. *Especially* when using Dynamic Area mode with Autofocus. It's sometimes seems to me like all I'm managing is blurry pictures, faster than ever. If I take more, it's more likely I get one that's usable.




Cons:
1. Often picks strange/insane exposures, ISO levels, etc, if left on Automatic Mode.
I had it once, in full daylight, choose 760 ISO. WHY? God knows.
It will generally err by underexposing a photo. This is at least more 'fixable' than overexposing, so that's your silver lining.

2. Over-saturates the yellow/orange spectrum, and consistently creates photos that are too 'warm'.

3. Hunts a lot in low lighting, no matter the ISO.
When you've gotten so frustrated as to set it at "HI" (3200), give up.
That said, when it DOES find its target, it captures it well.

4. The flash is not impressive (except impressively BRIGHT) especially with the limitations it creates with external flash (and with how it jumps to the conclusion that you need it even in full daylight), but generally you do absolutely fine without it.
If it tries to pop up the flash, just hold it down. That's what I do. LOL.

5. The Nikon Transfer software has issues at times; it locks up and freezes often when transferring things off of HDHC cards of the size I use. I suggest buying a card reader (8-15 dollars depending how multifunctional you want it to be. Targus Digital TGR-CRD25 Universal 25-in-1 Memory Card Reader/Writer possibly) for less general frustration.
If you DO NOT have a card reader, you cannot access the card through the camera.
This means if you DO have a problem, there's no way to get your information off the card.
You CANNOT bypass Nikon Transfer if it screws up. Information transfers only one way -- from the camera to the computer.
The camera does not show up as a drive on either a Mac OR a PC, and not only THAT, your virus software might pop up thinking that Nikon Transfer is a trojan (it boots immediately upon plugging in the camera or a card reader with NEFs on it. This makes a Windows virus scanner wig out).

6. It makes it very hard to trust that what you see in the camera's preview mode will be what you see on your computer. This is mainly because it IS untrustworthy.
With that in mind, I can't recommend that you trust the in-camera editing software either.
Take a pass on this feature.


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Be prepared to shoot in RAW and learn how to use a digital darkroom. I use Adobe Camera Raw, tho I suspect that in some instances, Nikon's own software would translate the information better. It just depends on how you want your finished product to look.
Unfortunately, if you let the camera create your photo as a jpg, you're stuck with whatever fool choices it has made, unable to 'fix' the error.
Don't trust this camera's color rendering! :P

It's *so* much better to just clean it up in post-processing.

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With all that out of the way:
IF you shoot in RAW, and IF you take the time to post-process your photos, the work it does is simply jaw-dropping. This little camera can do some AMAZING work, if only you devote the time to nurturing your photos after the fact.
Fortunately, once you have yourself a digital darkroom (Nikon's own, Adobe's, or other third-party programs that can process a NEF file), you'll find it very easy to get into the swing of things. You'll not want to go back once you experience the freedom that RAW brings. Don't worry; it only sounds complicated.

This camera, for the price, is a gem. I might seem to be smacking it around, but I'm only pointing out the places where it means MORE WORK FOR YOU. If you're willing to put in the work, it's just an astounding little go-anywhere friend.

If you are just getting started with DSLR's this is probably too much, however if you are vagely familiar with terms such as aperture,speed, ISO, Under-Over Exposed blah blah... this is it!! It's very user friendly, lightweight, excellent resolution, the attached flash is o.k. not great.... the battery will go for hours, i just took it in my first assignmet for about 4 hours over 700 pics and the battery still reads full. I bought a 8 GB SD card... it will take more than 1.4 k in full res...over 26k in minimun res... buttom line... if you know at least the basics of photography this is it even for pro's.... if this is your first "real" camera...i'd think twice about it.

this is my first digital SLR and i am truly happy with it. def a good starter camera,and takes amazing quality pictures.i enjoy travel,action,and family photography. if you want a good,all-around camera,and your just starting or alittle intermediate,this camera is for you.

This is a fantastic camera. The light and color capture are fantastic. The functions and options are are very intuitive; I have found it easy to understand how to use the camera with the manual features. I highly recommend this camera for people who are looking to make the upgrade from a point and shoot to something that can take more professional grade photos. I am also very impressed with the focus on the 18-55 lens. It can focus well on extreme close-up, I also like that I can switch the focus to manual.

like OH MY GOD,this camera is the bomb digity.I up graded from a point and shoot camera to this and I am never going back.It is stll new to me and I just use the auto mode but this thing does everything but your laundry.You do get a "bible"of a manual I have not quite tackled yet but I will.And about Cameta Camera,I cant say enough about them.They were great.This camera was shipped so rapidly.I bought the refurbished model.It looked brand new.You cannot tell it is refurbished.And I got everything in the package as you would if it was brand new.So tell me,in this economy,would you want to go to a ritz camera type store and spend over $650.00 for this camera or go to amazon and buy a refurbished one(damn near brand new)for $400?

I have enjoyed my D60 since purchasing it a year ago. It has served as a great camera for teaching me the details of taking a beautiful photo. I would recommend it to anyone who is just starting out in the dSLR world, as this camera certainly allows for broad control of many features of each photo, but also provides help when needed through help menus and automatic mode features.

Great Buy and Great Camera.
Shipping was right on time and the product was exactly as stated on Amazon

I grabbed the d60 as I wanted a camera that would give me more flexibilty for taking some action shots and doing more with both telephoto and wide angle shots. This is my first digital SLR so I have nothing to compare it to but I love it. Camera has a lot of programs so you can automate to our hearts desire but allows you to go all manual should you desire. Only trouble I'm having is emailing the photos as they are very memory intensive but I'm sure I'll figure that out. Bottom line, the photos are amazing. The size of the camera is good- not too big and I have huge hands and it's still comfortable and solid to hang on to. Go for it!

Is just great this camera is amazing, simple to use but still have all pro features

This is my first digital SLR camera and it's is very easy to use. It takes very good pictures. The only real problem I have with it is that you have to look through the viewfinder to take a picture, which causes the screen to become greasy from pressing your face against it.

This is the best entry level DSLR for anyone going from a P&S to an SLR camera. The automatic settings are wonderful, and while not always precise, are a good introduction to the exposure triangle for people who have no formal photography training. This camera provides a lot of options for customizing the automatic modes as well as using a fully manual mode (manual exposure) that will allow the photographer to take charge of the entire photographic experience. The self-cleaning system is a great way to keep images sharp and avoid nasty dust spots on images.

The combination of the two lenses is great. Too few kits exist that include multiple lenses. These lenses are some of Nikon's best for this level of product (consumer SLR). The vibration reduction allows the photographer to shoot more frequently off of a tripod. My only complaint with the lenses is the that they have difficulty focusing close and need assistance for close focus, in the form of a close-up filter.

Great product for any new photographer, not great for a professional, but I have no regrets about it.