Nikon D60 DSLR

kellsum

Im a complete novice but interested in buying a Nikon D60 which I have read from previous posts would be a good introduction but my question is what is the difference between
Nikon D60 Digital SLR, 18-55mm AF-S and Nikon D60 Digital SLR, 18-55mm AF-S VR besides the price

maddogcollins

kellsum wrote: »

Im a complete novice but interested in buying a Nikon D60 which I have read from previous posts would be a good introduction but my question is what is the difference between
Nikon D60 Digital SLR, 18-55mm AF-S and Nikon D60 Digital SLR, 18-55mm AF-S VR besides the price

Novice myself, and was looking at the same camera as this. Iv seen both options available as Kit. Not giving a short answer but its the "VR" thats the difference. That basically means vibration reduction (I think) and the result of this is less blurry pictures at slower shutter speads.. Less use of a tripod in other words..

Where were you looking at getting the camera? as i said im interested, and all prices/quotes will be appreciated.

melekalikimaka

for a novice its excellent, one of the best for its price... just remember no internal motor and your flying. you cany use 'certain' lens with auto focus as a result... not relevent for a beginner but just keep in mind if buying more stuff for it

GhostInTheRuins

Great camera, as melelekeliemeakilea said the only real downside to it is the lack of an af motor.

coylemj

OP, the camera models you quoted are invisible in both IE and Firefox, don't know what highlighting you applied but the only way I can read it is because the first reply quoted your original post (why?) so the text comes up in a blue/grey box rendering the white text just about visible.

Ostrom

Both lens are the same, apart from the 'VR'

VR stands for vibration reduction, and allows you to activate a vibration reduction feature using a switch on the lens barrell. It keeps the lens 'steadier' allowing you to take sharper shots at slower shutter speeds. In practice it gives you back about a stop below 1/125.

I recently traded up/down from a D60 to a D80. Be aware that lenses without autofocus (the 50mm 1.8 in particular) will not autofocus with the D60. The body is also quite small which I found uncomfortable.

Other than that, performance is excellent. I just use mine a lot so I couldnt quite take the lack of easy accees ael and manual controls

What is the difference in price?

kellsum

I am looking in Komplett where the difference between the €369 for da first and €499 for the VR.
Is it worth having the VR for €120 extra as I do intend to get a auto focus lens (eventually)
if I was going to pay €499 for the VR would I be better off going for a Canon EOS 1000D for €469 altogether?

Apologies Coylemj but I'm new to this also and I had originally included the hyperlink to the two cameras but was unsure if the links worked so I deleted the link and just changed the text colour to white as my background is black I forget that other peoples might be white. eeps:o


Thanks for all your comments much appreciated

dudara

You do have an autofocus lens with the camera. The difference between the D40, D60 and the other Nikons is that the autofocus motors are built into the lens themselves, rather than into the camera body (as is more traditional).

Currently, Nikon only make a limited range of AF-S lenses, although that should expand in the future.

You can buy lenses without the autofocus motor, but that means you will have to manually focus them on the D60 body.

VR means Vibration Reduction, which will come into play with slow shutter speeds or at the high zoom end. Do a google for lens reviews and find one where they show pictures taken with and without VR. You'll get an idea of the impact it has.

mrmac

€130 extra for VR version is, in my opinion, way too much. You'd probably pick up a second hand VR lense for less than that (actually, just had a quick look on adverts, and the VR version can be had for €100).

I have a D60, and I think it's great! It's nice and light, and can easily be carried around your neck all day. It will still allow you to go to manual mode and have complete control, or just keep everything in Auto, and get great results.

It's a great camera to get you started.

I had a quick look at some prices, all bricks & mortar:

Jessops do the body only for £309 pounds sterling, works out about €350 euro, plus travel expenses.
They do the 18-55 pack for £339 (€380) and the 18-55 VR pack for £379 (€430) (euro prices are a rough guess).
So the one in Komplett for €369 + €7.50 for collection, is not a bad price.

Best thing you can do, is head into PC World, or somewhere similiar with a large range of cameras, and find out which one feels the most comfortable to hold and press the trigger. Why?? Well as efla has pointed out, you might find the D60 feels too small for your hand (doesn't bother me) or you might feel the larger D80 is better (or too big!), or you might feel more comfortable with a Canon model, or even decide to go for the excellent Panasonic FZ-28 bridge camera (about the same money).
Get the one you feel happy with using, as it's no good sitting un-used

Ostrom

kellsum wrote: »

I am looking in Komplett where the difference between the €369 for da first and €499 for the VR.
Is it worth having the VR for €120 extra as I do intend to get a auto focus lens (eventually)
if I was going to pay €499 for the VR would I be better off going for a Canon EOS 1000D for €469 altogether?

Apologies Coylemj but I'm new to this also and I had originally included the hyperlink to the two cameras but was unsure if the links worked so I deleted the link and just changed the text colour to white as my background is black I forget that other peoples might be white. eeps:o


Thanks for all your comments much appreciated

I wouldn't pay that much if I were buying again. 130 is a little too much for just the feature

maddogcollins

Pixmania do the VR for €449, keep looking around, you will get good deals!

ber2

Dixons duty-free at Heathrow currently have the D60 with a VR lens available for [URL="(http://www.dixonstaxfree.co.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=imaging.home&section=imaging&group=13)"]£330[/URL] which I reckon is a great deal. I'll be heading to Australia in a few weeks' time, hopefully it'll still be available.

One thing is confusing me - the Nikon uses SD memory cards, right? Because according to the Dixons duty free website, an 8GB SD card would set me back a massive £78 , while at memoryc.com I could get a similar card for 15.80 euro??

Am I missing something, or did I just stumble upon a bargain?

coylemj

That is way too expensive for an 8GB card but there are differences based on the card speed, the SANDisk Extreme III card for example would be much more expensive than the basic (blue) SANDisk SD cards. www.elara.ie are selling the SANDisk Extreme III 8GB for €41.31. Looks like Boots are doing the classic trick of luring people in with headline bargains and then screwing them on the accessories.

Check the benefits of the different cards in different cameras here:

http://www.robgalbraith.com/bins/multi_page.asp?cid=6007

Bear in mind that the Nikons have a memory buffer which reduces the benefit of a fast memory card - as long as the buffer doesn't fill then the memory card speed doesn't matter, the light will flash for longer when you stop snapping with a slow card while the files are transferred but that doesn't really matter much.

coylemj

maddogcollins wrote: »

Pixmania do the VR for €449, keep looking around, you will get good deals!

Calumet and Jessops are asking £429.

ber2

coylemj wrote: »

That is way too expensive for an 8GB card but there are differences based on the card speed, the SANDisk Extreme III card for example would be much more expensive than the basic (blue) SANDisk SD cards. www.elara.ie are selling the SANDisk Extreme III 8GB for €41.31. Looks like Boots are doing the classic trick of luring people in with headline bargains and then screwing them on the accessories.

Check the benefits of the different cards in different cameras here:

http://www.robgalbraith.com/bins/multi_page.asp?cid=6007

Bear in mind that the Nikons have a memory buffer which reduces the benefit of a fast memory card - as long as the buffer doesn't fill then the memory card speed doesn't matter, the light will flash for longer when you stop snapping with a slow card while the files are transferred but that doesn't really matter much.

Thanks for the advice mate!

kellsum

I saw the VR on Ebay with a 2 GB Card & free case for £379.0 which works out around €423 thats a good Deal?

mrmac

kellsum wrote: »

I saw the VR on Ebay with a 2 GB Card & free case for £379.0 which works out around €423 thats a good Deal?

I suppose that depends on the sellers feedback, the shipping cost, new or used, and do you need to pay import duties.

coylemj

You'll need some class of a card or the camera will be unusable so my advice would be to buy the cheapest 2GB SD card you can find as these are now dirt cheap and when you get to Oz you can see what's available.

kellsum

mrmac wrote: »

I suppose that depends on the sellers feedback, the shipping cost, new or used, and do you need to pay import duties.

Feedback is 99.5% but just got more expensive as its £20 p&p from the UK! Probably better off going with pixmania!

But I will keep looking but thanks for the feedback

coylemj

kellsum wrote: »

Feedback is 99.5% but just got more expensive as its £20 p&p from the UK! Probably better off going with pixmania!

But I will keep looking but thanks for the feedback

If you're talking about the D60 with the 18-55mm VR then the current cheapest that i can see is Jessops at £359 and you pick it up in Newry in the Buttercrane centre. Go across the road to Sainsburys in the Quays centre, fill the boot with groceries and you'll save a packet on prices down south.

kellsum

coylemj wrote: »

If you're talking about the D60 with the 18-55mm VR then the current cheapest that i can see is Jessops at £359 and you pick it up in Newry in the Buttercrane centre. Go across the road to Sainsburys in the Quays centre, fill the boot with groceries and you'll save a packet on prices down south.

LoL, you know MJ that sounds like good plan

coylemj

Park on the right in the Quays Centre, you can walk over to the Buttercrane and getting back on to the Dublin road is far easier from the Quays Centre, you can drive straight out and turn left up the hill and on to the Dublin road without waiting for the lights.

Stock in the Jessops shop wasn't great a few weeks ago when I was there so make sure you order in advance & don't make the assumption that what you're looking for will be in stock, it's a very small shop.

CabanSail

coylemj wrote: »

You'll need some class of a card or the camera will be unusable so my advice would be to buy the cheapest 2GB SD card you can find as these are now dirt cheap and when you get to Oz you can see what's available.

I would avoid the cheap cards, as quality cards are now very affordable.

I would also reccomend a UV Filter for the lens & a Circular Polariser if you can afford it. A spare battery never goes astray either.

ber2

CabanSail wrote: »

I would avoid the cheap cards, as quality cards are now very affordable.

I would also reccomend a UV Filter for the lens & a Circular Polariser if you can afford it. A spare battery never goes astray either.

So if I got a card like a normal 8Gb Sandisk SDHC card like this for 20 euro I should be ok? It's not one of the Extreme III cards but from what's been said there's not much point in going for the top end if the speed is going to be capped by the Nikon itself.

Been looking at Crumpler bags too - had a snoop around the net and it seems like Cons Cameras stock them in Dublin? Crumpler is an Australian company so I reckon I ought to wait till I'm in Melbourne to buy one, but can't hurt to have a look

coylemj

ber2 wrote: »

So if I got a card like a normal 8Gb Sandisk SDHC card like this for 20 euro I should be ok? It's not one of the Extreme III cards but from what's been said there's not much point in going for the top end if the speed is going to be capped by the Nikon itself.

The basic Sandisk blue card (class 2) might just be a bit too slow, go for a class 4 or 6 card, it's worth the money just to get the buffer cleared reasonably quick so you can start snapping again.

ber2

coylemj wrote: »

The basic Sandisk blue card (class 2) might just be a bit too slow, go for a class 4 or 6 card, it's worth the money just to get the buffer cleared reasonably quick so you can start snapping again.

Never thought that the memory card would be as confusing to a novice as the camera itself !

This Transcend 8gb class 6 card is just 2 euros cheaper than the sandisk class 2....presumably this means that Transcend are, well, a bit crap?

Similarly, this Adata 8gb class 6 is even cheaper than the class 2 sandisk! How does that work ?

coylemj

Relative to the cost of the camera and lens, it would be silly to skimp on quality when buying memory cards just to save 20 euros. You then take a bundle of pictures with your fancy new camera at a family event, only to have to admit to everyone later on that your cheapo memory card died on the way home and you have nothing to show for your efforts.

The consensus on this forum is that SANDisk are top drawer, anything else involves the risk that you lose everything. People have even mentioned Kingston cards crapping out, go for SANDisk Class 4 or 6.

WillyWonka

Got my D60 in Jessops 2 months ago. Happy with it so far. I like the feel of it and would advise that you head to a shop rather than buy online (unless you have seeen/felt the cameras already)

I actually went up there with the intension of buying a Canon 1000d, but for me it felt too light and plasticy and I fell for the D60, despite my friends all having Canons.

I am now a happy D60 snapper.
They might give you a few quid off too if you ask them, if not on the camera kit then you'll at least get something off on a bag or other kit.

I'm amazed at how long the battery lasts on this camera, much better than my old compact cameras. Mainly because you don't use the LCD screen on SLRs.

HighWire

Another beginner trying to find some info on D60
Is this a good deal? €573
Nikon D60
+ AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II Lens
+ F-S DX 55-200mm f/4-5.6 G ED Lens

http://www.pixmania.ie/ie/uk/2350500/art/nikon/d60-af-s-dx-nikkor-18-55m.html

I know a tiny bit about cameras, but when it comes to lenses
Im totally lost.

I searched on the same site for VR lens which was the OPs first query
and got this - Nikon D60 + AF-S DX VR NIKKOR 18-55 mm Lens - €449

ber2

coylemj wrote: »

Relative to the cost of the camera and lens, it would be silly to skimp on quality when buying memory cards just to save 20 euros. You then take a bundle of pictures with your fancy new camera at a family event, only to have to admit to everyone later on that your cheapo memory card died on the way home and you have nothing to show for your efforts.

The consensus on this forum is that SANDisk are top drawer, anything else involves the risk that you lose everything. People have even mentioned Kingston cards crapping out, go for SANDisk Class 4 or 6.

SANDisk it is then! Agree with you wholeheartedly about not skimping on the memory card, but figured I'd ask the experts (you lot) before buying...no point in spending more cash than necessary!

Cheers!