Should I get the Nikon D60?

[petey]

Get it.

 

[Wandering_Pugilist]

You are right, it comes with the charger and strap and things. The only things that the D60 kit has that the D40 doesn't is the extra lense, the bag, and software.

So are the D60 and D40 pretty much the same, except that the D60 has a new dust reduction system, and that is doens't have VR in the camera, they are only in the lenses right? so the lenses will cost me more?

I'm sorry for asking so many questions, i'm just trying to figure this all out. I want a camera that will last me a while that i can do a lot with. I plan on mostly taking pictures of people (maternity and baby shots mostly probably, some engagment and senior pictures), and then possibly some weddings. So would i be able to start out taking more professional pictures with the D40, or would i want the D60? or would neither of them really work? Thanks for helping me with this.

Im somewhat new to photography as well so anyone, please correct me if I'm wrong.

From my understanding neither the D40 or D60 have built in VR in the camera, in fact I'm not sure any of the Nikons do. They are all in the lenses. Also from what I've heard, the D60 is pretty much like a D40x, only with the dust reduction system. And as everyone has already stated, 6MP and 10MP won't really make or break the picture unless you're planning on 1) printing poster size prints 2) cropping 3) possibly publishing or selling your photos.

In terms of "professional style photographs", both the D40 and what I'm assuming the d60, are capable of taking very nice pictures. You shouldn't let the price of the camera make you think it is somehow a lesser camera. Most photography comes from learning how to use the features on the camera rather than just having more features.

Also, I notice that you're from NE Washington, not sure if you mean Washington State but I'm from Seattle. Pretty much any electronic stores will get you the basic things your looking for i.e. Circuit City, Best Buy and there are plenty of camera stores too with decent prices i.e. Kits/Ritz. In Seattle there is a very reputable store called "Glazers", although the staff is very rude to beginning photographers, but, they have everything you could ever need in photography.

 

[Mav]

I want a camera that will last me a while that i can do a lot with. I plan on mostly taking pictures of people (maternity and baby shots mostly probably, some engagment and senior pictures), and then possibly some weddings. So would i be able to start out taking more professional pictures with the D40, or would i want the D60? or would neither of them really work? Thanks for helping me with this.

Either camera. Doesn't really matter. What you need to get really professional looking photos of the type you're mentioning is an eye for great shots first of all, decent lighting either natural or provided by yourself, and then a GOOD LENS to render it all. The camera body just controls the lens and records what the lens renders. The 18-55 and 55-200 kit lenses are nice, but aren't going to give you the "POP" that the professional level lenses will, especially for people type photos. I think one of the bigger mistakes that newcomers to DSLRs make is over-emphasizing the importance of the body and then treating the lenses as more of an after-thought when a lot of it really is about the lenses in the first place. The camera companies make far more money selling camera bodies than they do lenses, so all you ever hear about are the bodies.

 

[Jillinebinny]

Also, I notice that you're from NE Washington, not sure if you mean Washington State but I'm from Seattle. Pretty much any electronic stores will get you the basic things your looking for i.e. Circuit City, Best Buy and there are plenty of camera stores too with decent prices i.e. Kits/Ritz. In Seattle there is a very reputable store called "Glazers", although the staff is very rude to beginning photographers, but, they have everything you could ever need in photography.

well, we don't have much in terms of electronic stores where i live. We are in the middle of wheat country I think we have a photography store in the strip mall, but i don't know what they offer. the closest place for us to shop would be spokane, or the tri-cities (where i'm from originally). I think if i buy a camera it will either be the D40 or the D60. I'll probably have my mom buy it from costco (because they are having the package deals on them) and then we pay her back. But yeah, just so much to decide i'm about ready to do Ink a Bink hehe.

 

[Chewbecca]

Honestly, imo, I would get the D40. I would get the D40, use the $200 you save to get a nice camera bag (I got a Lowepro with room to grow for glass, for...$70-something, but they do come cheaper than that), a 4 GB card (got mine on amazon for...I think, $15 or $18), and a 50mm f1.8 lens. If you're wanting to take good pictures of people, the 50mm f1.8 is a GREAT, inexpensive place to start.

If I could do it all over again, this is how I would have done it.:mrgreen:

 

[elemental]

Or do you think that there is a better camera that i could get?

This is a question that no one else can answer for you, unfortunately. You have many options in this price range from reputable brands like Canon, Pentax, Sony, and Olympus, among others. Have you come to the D60/D40 decision because of research that you've done, or did you see one and consider buying it? I was in your position a little over a year ago, and at first I assumed the D40 would be the best camera for my needs because it was really the first entry-level DSLR that I knew anything about. After doing more research, however, I ended up buying a Pentax K100D instead, and it suits me much much better. Have you considered other options? I'm not suggesting avoiding Nikon by any means, I just want to encourage you to make an informed decision.

 

[Jillinebinny]

Honestly, imo, I would get the D40. I would get the D40, use the $200 you save to get a nice camera bag (I got a Lowepro with room to grow for glass, for...$70-something, but they do come cheaper than that), a 4 GB card (got mine on amazon for...I think, $15 or $18), and a 50mm f1.8 lens. If you're wanting to take good pictures of people, the 50mm f1.8 is a GREAT, inexpensive place to start.

If I could do it all over again, this is how I would have done it.:mrgreen:

Thanks for your help. Is the dust reduction system in the D60 a good thing? or just a nice extra? Will it make my camera last longer?

 

[TamiyaGuy]

If I could do it all over again, this is how I would have done it.:mrgreen:

I feel for you on that. When I got the D40 new, I had no idea what I could've got used. I'm still happy, but it haunts me in my sleep :greenpbl:.

If you're wanting to take good pictures of people, the 50mm f1.8 is a GREAT, inexpensive place to start.

Well, if you're taking photos of still people. Kids, however, with manual focusing..... nah.

Thanks for your help. Is the dust reduction system in the D60 a good thing? or just a nice extra? Will it make my camera last longer?

To be honest, it's nothing more than a fancy extra. Sure, it's handy to have the camera automatically do it for you, but for £7.99 you can get a rocket blower that can get dust off your sensor way better than the camera can. A guy on this forum even used a 99p mustard bottle, if you're THAT short of cash .

 

[Jillinebinny]

Ok, so i went to a camera shop and after talking to the guy a little bit i think i might actually go with a cannon. He said for the kind of photography i want to do, that the Cannon EOS Rebek XTi would be better for me.

Also, my mother in law has an EOS Cannon and so we could share lenses and things if we want.

Anyways, so i need to do some research more, but i think that is the direction i might go. Thank you for all your help! You really did help me

 

[TamiyaGuy]

I guess that seeing as you're now into that whole Canon/Nikon debate, the only real way to find out which one you like is to go into a camera store and try each of them out. Just get a feel for each camera, and see which one is right in your hands. The idea that you can trade lenses with your mother-in-law is neat, but it's no use if you hate the camera! (And likewise for the D60, for all you Canonians) If you do go with the XTi, I would highly recommend getting a better lens, maybe a Sigma 18-50 2.8. Canon's kit lenses aren't all that great.

Still, I wish you the best of luck in buying your new camera, and at the end of the day, it's YOU who will be taking the photograph, not the camera.

 

[Chewbecca]

Well, if you're taking photos of still people. Kids, however, with manual focusing..... nah.

Taken with my D60 and 50mm f1.8 @f2, 1/250, ISO 200
I took these the first night I had received the lens.:mrgreen:

Those are all action shots of my son. He was singing and swinging a rope around. He's non-stop motion.

 

[Chewbecca]

Oops, forgot this one.
This is my black dog in mid-bark, in the shade. 50mm @f2.8, 1/100, ISO 200

 

[Chewbecca]

Heh, I got my Nikon with the notion that I'd be able to share lenses with my in-laws. I borrow their 70-300mm VR when they're around. But they're not always around when I want to use that lens.
Guess what I'm buying next week...:mrgreen:

I agree with TamiyaGuy, go to the store and hold the D60 and the XTI and see which one feels better for you. I don't know or understand why the store guy would tell you that. I didn't realize there was THAT much of a difference between Nikon and Canon. But I suppose each person has a different reason for choosing their brand of camera. I went with Nikon because I had the ability to use my in-laws' D40x, so I had a feel for what that camera was like before buying.
But I could have gone either way.
I really believe that you could be happy with either. It's really a good thing that you are researching both.:mrgreen:

 

[Jillinebinny]

Heh, I got my Nikon with the notion that I'd be able to share lenses with my in-laws. I borrow their 70-300mm VR when they're around. But they're not always around when I want to use that lens.
Guess what I'm buying next week...:mrgreen:

I agree with TamiyaGuy, go to the store and hold the D60 and the XTI and see which one feels better for you. I don't know or understand why the store guy would tell you that. I didn't realize there was THAT much of a difference between Nikon and Canon. But I suppose each person has a different reason for choosing their brand of camera. I went with Nikon because I had the ability to use my in-laws' D40x, so I had a feel for what that camera was like before buying.
But I could have gone either way.
I really believe that you could be happy with either. It's really a good thing that you are researching both.:mrgreen:

well, we are hoping to be moving "back home" by next may so i'll be really close to my inlaws and his mom never really does anything (stay at home mother/wife) and she honestly doesn't use her camera a lot, so i'm sure i can steal, i mean, borrow her lenses a lot

Yeah, i just really don't know what i'm going to do I want to make the "right" decision because dang, this is a lot of money to put down all at once especially when you are are poor college student I'm sure i'll figure it out in the end and i'm sure whatever i choose, i'll like. I mean, anything is better than what we have now a kodak easy share c643..not a very good camera for photography purposes

 

[TamiyaGuy]

Taken with my D60 and 50mm f1.8 @f2, 1/250, ISO 200
I took these the first night I had received the lens.:mrgreen:


Those are all action shots of my son. He was singing and swinging a rope around. He's non-stop motion.

Wow, those are great! Wide open, I'd never be able to manually focus like that :hail:. Great job! Did you take hundreds of shots and hope for the best, or do you have "the eye" for when a shot is perfectly in focus? I was using a manual Nikon F301 for 6 months, I should have it by now :er:.

Maybe it's also because I need to manually set the exposure as well (Nikkor AI lens), but that focusing is incredible.