3.7The size, shape, and overall design are nearly identical to the D40, but under the hood are significant improvements, including a a more powerful processor, a kit lens incorporating image-stabilizing VR technology, enhanced in-camera editing and a two-stage dust reduction system. That said, the new camera inherits some shortcomings from its predecessors, including incompatibility with many existing Nikon lenses and a very small size and shape that's great for portability but clumsy for a manly man's grip. The D60 is sold only as a package with the camera body and a 3x zoom AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR lens, at $750 complete. For full details, read the complete review.
If you've ever seen the Nikon D40 (introduced in November 2006) or the Nikon D40x (March 2007), a glance at the D60 may remind you of a Talking Heads song – the size, shape, and overall design are same as it ever was, same as it ever was. Under the hood, though, there are significant improvements, including a a more powerful processor, a kit lens incorporating image-stabilizing VR technology, enhanced in-camera editing, and a two-stage dust reduction system. That said, the new camera inherits some shortcomings from its predecessors, including incompatibility with many existing Nikon lenses and a very small size and shape that's great for portability but clumsy for a manly man's grip (presumably brand spokesperson Ashton Kutcher has delicate hands). The D60 replaces the D40x in Nikon's product lineup, while the D40, a 6.1-megapixel model at $500, remains as the company's lowest-priced digital SLR. The D60 is sold only as a package with the camera body and a 3x zoom AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR lens, at $750 complete; unlike most SLRs, you can't buy the body on its own.
Section
The Good
The Bad
Tour
Straightforward design, low-clutter and attractive
Plastic body less rugged than slightly pricier Nikon models
Testing/Performance
Good performance overall, with notably low noise
Slight color inaccuracies, white balance problems
Components
Sharp 2.5-inch LCD screen with wide viewing angle
No live view, poor manual focus
Design/Layout
Pro-looking Nikon design at an affordable price
Awkward to hold for bigger hands
Modes
Automatic mode plus presets let beginners get good results
Movie mode less useful than even basic point-and-shoot compacts
Control Options
Provides nice variety of presets and manual modes
Auto focus for action shooting limited
Image Parameters
In-camera RAW-to-JPEG conversion plus extensive in-camera editing
Only low-quality JPEGs available for RAW+JPEG shooting
Connectivity/Extras
Extensive model-specific online video tutorials make learning easy
Mediocre supplied software
Value
Least expensive Nikon with double-digit resolution
More feature-rich competitors at roughly the same price
If you've ever seen the Nikon D40 (introduced in November 2006) or the Nikon D40x (March 2007), a glance at the D60 may remind you of a Talking Heads song – the size, shape, and overall design are same as it ever was, same as it ever was. Under the hood, though, there are significant improvements, including a a more powerful processor, a kit lens incorporating image-stabilizing VR technology, enhanced in-camera editing, and a two-stage dust reduction system. That said, the new camera inherits some shortcomings from its predecessors, including incompatibility with many existing Nikon lenses and a very small size and shape that's great for portability but clumsy for a manly man's grip (presumably brand spokesperson Ashton Kutcher has delicate hands). The D60 replaces the D40x in Nikon's product lineup, while the D40, a 6.1-megapixel model at $500, remains as the company's lowest-priced digital SLR. The D60 is sold only as a package with the camera body and a 3x zoom AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR lens, at $750 complete; unlike most SLRs, you can't buy the body on its own.