Nikon D60 Review

Introduction

Announced less than a year after its predecessor, the new entry-level Nikon D60 DSLR camera is virtually identical to the D40x model that it replaces. The D60 has the same external design, 10.2 megapixel sensor, ISO range of 100 to 3200, 3 point auto-focus system, 3D Colour Matrix Metering II, 3fps continuous shooting speed and 2.5 inch LCD screen as the D40x. All of the important changes are therefore internal. Nikon have implemented the same EXPEED image processing engine that all of their DSLR cameras now use, promising better image quality. There's also a refined dust-reduction system, with the new Airflow Control System using air-pressure to help prevent dust from reaching the sensor. Active D-Lighting can now be turned on before taking a shot, and the new Eye Sensor turns off the LCD screen when you look through the viewfinder. The ability to process RAW files in-camera, orientation of the LCD display to either portrait or landscape, and a rather curious stop-motion movie mode complete the list of improvements. With an ever-increasing list of entry-level DSLRs now available, Mark Goldstein finds out if the new Nikon D60 is worth considering.

Ease of Use

When you first take the Nikon D60 out of its box, you can literally feel why this digital SLR is so cheap. Its all-plastic construction makes it very light, especially if you have used a more expensive DSLR before. The same is true of the supplied 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 VR kit lens, which again is made entirely of plastic, although it is a little more substantial than the standard 18-55mm, non-VR lens. At this point you may be wondering if you made the right purchasing decision, but fit the body and lens together and it all begins to make much more sense. Suddenly you have a well-balanced package that is light by DSLR standards at less than 500g, but which doesn't feel flimsy or inconsequential. Nikon have also resisted the urge to make the D60 as small as some of its main rivals, with a chunky handgrip and a "business-like" design that is functional rather than pretty. The D60 is definitely designed for "normal" hands, and this helps to negate that initial feeling of the camera being too light and plasticky.

Mark Goldstein

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