Is the D60 a good camera for travel pics?

I'm looking to advance to a DSLR from my Canon P&S and want a camera that will be good for taking vacation photos (scenery, architecture, still objects, some portrait, events). Other than travel photos, I take a lot of pictures of our cats around the house (probably more than I should admit

I've been debating b/t the Canon XSi and the D60, but still haven't been able to make up my mind, although the D60 may be slightly edging out the XSi b/c of a good package deal I recently found (18--55 and 55-200 VR lenses, camera bag, instructional dvds, and free classes at local Ritz store for $700 + tax).

I know one of the primary complaints about the D60 is lack of compatibility w/ prime lenses. However, being that I'm a relative DSLR novice (although I've had some photography experience and would like to grow beyond just Auto mode), I don't currently own any lenses and I'm wondering if this ought to be a big concern in my case? Nikon does offer single-focus AF lenses, right? So my options wouldn't just be limited to zoom lenses?

Part of my reason for getting a DSLR is that I'd like to get back into photography, although I can't say at this point just how much of an enthusiast I'll become...I don't anticipate going beyond the kit lenses for at least the first couple years.

If have a good deal, go for it. But are you sure that's really a good deal ?

I live in France, and you can have the D60 + those 2 lenses for 640 euros, wich is much cheaper than your price.
The D60 is a perfect DSLR for travel, IMO (I have a D40, wich is the same size).

The Canon is also a very good camera. But I don't like the shape at all. The Nikon is much better in that department.
If you buy the D60, be sure the 18-55 is the VR version.
Good luck.
André

jcc813 said:

I'm looking to advance to a DSLR from my Canon P&S and want a camera
that will be good for taking vacation photos (scenery, architecture,
still objects, some portrait, events). Other than travel photos, I
take a lot of pictures of our cats around the house (probably more
than I should admit

I've been debating b/t the Canon XSi and the D60, but still haven't
been able to make up my mind, although the D60 may be slightly edging
out the XSi b/c of a good package deal I recently found (18--55 and
55-200 VR lenses, camera bag, instructional dvds, and free classes at
local Ritz store for $700 + tax).

I know one of the primary complaints about the D60 is lack of
compatibility w/ prime lenses. However, being that I'm a relative
DSLR novice (although I've had some photography experience and would
like to grow beyond just Auto mode), I don't currently own any lenses
and I'm wondering if this ought to be a big concern in my case? Nikon
does offer single-focus AF lenses, right? So my options wouldn't just
be limited to zoom lenses?

Click to expand...

Prime lens means fixed focal length. The compatibility issue with the D60 that you speak of is related to the fact that this body does not contain a focus motor. It thus cannot autofocus lenses that do not have inbuilt motors themselves. This includes the cheap and cheerful Nikon 50 mm f/1.8 ($100) and nearly all other Nikon primes. Nikon brand lenses which WILL autofocus on the D60 are any that include AF-S in their name. Nikon recently released an AF-S 50 mm f/1.4 lens, but it costs about $500, so one to save up for if you you do want to get into fast primes.

Having said all this, primes are by no means essential, especially for a beginner and this is especially true since the budget Nikon zooms, the vast majority of which are AF-S, are, more often than not, high quality.

EDIT: If you did want to get a Nikon body with an inbuilt focus motor, your next cheapest option would be the D80. This is a larger camera, however.

the d60 will make a great entry level camera for you. with the two lens combo you will be able to cover just about anything you want to shoot. the d40 would also make a great set up with the same lens combo. i have that combo. probably save you some money also. gives great pictures straight out of the camera, as the d60 probably does also. the d40 and i believe also the d60 will not auto focus the older lens as the cameras don't have a focus motot built in, but if you determine to advance later your kit lens will still work. most people find they keep them for a second body. if your doubtful about the manual focus on older lens it's never been a problem for me. if it does become one i will probably move up to a d80. i thought about the canons , but glad i decided on the nikon. good luck and take a lot of pictures.

I don't think the lenses should be a concern... The D60 can autofocus with all the AF-S lenses which include the primes @ the following focal lengths from Nikon:

• 60mm f2.8 micro & 105mm f2.8 micro
• 50mm f1.4
• All telephoto lenses from 200mm - 600mm

Also a large number of zooms, from the kit ones you are getting, to "intermediates" like 12-24, 18-200 & 16-85, to the pro zooms like 14-24 f2.8, 24-70 f2.8, 70-200 f2.8.

And there are a number of third-party lenses that the D60 will AF with.

what you describe really is a perfect match for the D60. the camera is ideal for travel with it's small size and the two lens kit are very sharp and compact lenses. don't worry about the issue with non AF-S lenses. buying a small flash (like SB400) will often serve you better than using some fast prime lens, so you'd never run into the problem with screw driven lenses.

as for the canon. well i like canon cameras, but only in the range of the 50D and upwards. their entry level cameras have some sort of toyish feel to them, which i just don't like. imho the D60 has a better feel to it and also a smarter control layout.

the D60 renders very good jpegs, so there is little need to postprocess or shoot raw (still something to look into after getting used to the camera)
--
Mario

My Gallery
http://www.mg-photo.ch

andrbar said:

If have a good deal, go for it. But are you sure that's really a good
deal ?
I live in France, and you can have the D60 + those 2 lenses for 640
euros, wich is much cheaper than your price.
The D60 is a perfect DSLR for travel, IMO (I have a D40, wich is the
same size).
The Canon is also a very good camera. But I don't like the shape at
all. The Nikon is much better in that department.
If you buy the D60, be sure the 18-55 is the VR version.
Good luck.
André

Click to expand...

--

Thanks, Andre. I should clarify that $700 would be for the VR 55-200mm lens (as well as VR 18-55), not the DX, which would be $650 package price.

I was planning to purchase online until I found out that if you buy the camera in store, they will give you vouchers to take 18 digital camera classes for free (or take 9 classes and bring a friend...in my case, it'd be my fiance so we could both learn).

I was planning to take classes anyway, so this way I would end up saving money overall.

JoKing said:

jcc813 said:

I'm looking to advance to a DSLR from my Canon P&S and want a camera
that will be good for taking vacation photos (scenery, architecture,
still objects, some portrait, events). Other than travel photos, I
take a lot of pictures of our cats around the house (probably more
than I should admit

I've been debating b/t the Canon XSi and the D60, but still haven't
been able to make up my mind, although the D60 may be slightly edging
out the XSi b/c of a good package deal I recently found (18--55 and
55-200 VR lenses, camera bag, instructional dvds, and free classes at
local Ritz store for $700 + tax).

I know one of the primary complaints about the D60 is lack of
compatibility w/ prime lenses. However, being that I'm a relative
DSLR novice (although I've had some photography experience and would
like to grow beyond just Auto mode), I don't currently own any lenses
and I'm wondering if this ought to be a big concern in my case? Nikon
does offer single-focus AF lenses, right? So my options wouldn't just
be limited to zoom lenses?

Click to expand...

Prime lens means fixed focal length. The compatibility issue with the
D60 that you speak of is related to the fact that this body does not
contain a focus motor. It thus cannot autofocus lenses that do not
have inbuilt motors themselves. This includes the cheap and cheerful
Nikon 50 mm f/1.8 ($100) and nearly all other Nikon primes. Nikon
brand lenses which WILL autofocus on the D60 are any that include
AF-S in their name. Nikon recently released an AF-S 50 mm f/1.4 lens,
but it costs about $500, so one to save up for if you you do want to
get into fast primes.

Having said all this, primes are by no means essential, especially
for a beginner and this is especially true since the budget Nikon
zooms, the vast majority of which are AF-S, are, more often than not,
high quality.

EDIT: If you did want to get a Nikon body with an inbuilt focus
motor, your next cheapest option would be the D80. This is a larger
camera, however.

Click to expand...

--

Ahhhh, ok. Thanks so much for this explanation, JoKing. I've been trying to figure out what the whole deal w/ the prime lenses was with the D60, and you've explained it so well and succinctly!

I did start to consider the D80 after reading some reviews, but you pointed out the exact issue I have with it being a larger camera.

I'm a 115 lb female w/ small hands and the D60 is probably just near the limit of what I personally consider "comfortable" to handle. Plus, although I like the additional features of the D80, I just know that if it becomes a pain to haul around, I won't be as interested in using it.

The XSi felt marginally lighter (which, for me, was a good thing), but not enough, I don't think to justify the cost difference (only 1 lens for $650, best online price).

I've noticed that camera bodies tend to come down in price eventually, but can the same be said for lenses?

Also, if it came down to it, would it really be a pain to have to manually focus a non-AF lens? I could see how it'd be an inconvenience having gotten used to AF lenses, but then again, manual focus was my ONLY option when I was using my mom's old Pentax back in the day when I was taking photography classes.

--

Thanks for everyone's input! I know that this being a Nikon forum, the responses may be slightly biased , but I do appreciate the explanations about the lens choices and glad to know that I shouldn't be too limited starting out w/ the D60.

The Ritz store's promo ends this Saturday, so I still have a few more days to decide, but I think I'm getting closer to getting the D60!

jcc813 said:

I'm a 115 lb female w/ small hands and the D60 is probably just near
the limit of what I personally consider "comfortable" to handle.
Plus, although I like the additional features of the D80, I just know
that if it becomes a pain to haul around, I won't be as interested in
using it.

Click to expand...

I have small hands, too, and that's why I'm using a D60 instead of a D90 or D300. I do miss some of the extra features such as CA removal, but those larger cameras are just not comfortable to hold. The D60 fits very naturally in my hand and is easy to pack. With either of the kit lenses I can get in into the side pocket of my hiking bag.

640 Euros is about $850.00+ USD!

The D60 with both of those lenses is a great deal...

You can always return it if you do not like it.

andrbar said:

If have a good deal, go for it. But are you sure that's really a good
deal ?
I live in France, and you can have the D60 + those 2 lenses for 640
euros, wich is much cheaper than your price.
The D60 is a perfect DSLR for travel, IMO (I have a D40, wich is the
same size).
The Canon is also a very good camera. But I don't like the shape at
all. The Nikon is much better in that department.
If you buy the D60, be sure the 18-55 is the VR version.
Good luck.
André

Click to expand...

Another option would be to get just the D60 body and then look at the 16-85vr lens -- perhaps a better all around lens choice being just a little bit wider (even that little bit does make a difference) and quite a bit sharper than the kit lens - and having the range up to 85. Then save for the Nikon 70-300vr lens as a future add-on.

I find the D60 to be compact and light. When I pick up my camera bag, I sometimes have to check to make sure the camera is in there, it's that light. All plastic of course, but that does help in the weight department. I looked at the Canon Xsi but found the Nikon to fit my hands better. Also, the shutter is quieter on the Nikon.

I especially like the D60 with the 50mm/f1.8 prime. It makes the camera even more compact and lightweight. I suppose zooms are a must for travel, but the 50mm changes the character of the D60, making it much less 'threatening' than a zoom.

And it takes great photographs. This isn't exactly a travel shot, but it was taken with my D60 and the 50mm lens. BTW, I kind of enjoy focusing, and the 50mm is easier to focus manually than the autofocus zooms.

Greg

The D60 is good at everything except travel pics.

j/k

--

'When a task cannot be partitioned because of sequential constraints, the application of more effort has no effect on the schedule. The bearing of a child takes nine months, no matter how many women are assigned.' - Frederick P. Brooks Jr.
-------------
http://flickr.com/photos/majorconfusion

jcc813 said:

Ahhhh, ok. Thanks so much for this explanation, JoKing. I've been
trying to figure out what the whole deal w/ the prime lenses was with
the D60, and you've explained it so well and succinctly!

I did start to consider the D80 after reading some reviews, but you
pointed out the exact issue I have with it being a larger camera.

I'm a 115 lb female w/ small hands and the D60 is probably just near
the limit of what I personally consider "comfortable" to handle.
Plus, although I like the additional features of the D80, I just know
that if it becomes a pain to haul around, I won't be as interested in
using it.

The XSi felt marginally lighter (which, for me, was a good thing),
but not enough, I don't think to justify the cost difference (only 1
lens for $650, best online price).

I've noticed that camera bodies tend to come down in price
eventually, but can the same be said for lenses?

Click to expand...

Glass tends to hold its value, because lens design is subject to very small incremental improvements over time, unlike DSLR bodies. The basic optical design of most prime lenses have been around for years. Newer versions add things like superior coatings to reduce flare etc. or inbuilt motors as discussed in relation to the AF-S 50 mm f/1.4. This means that people tend to hang on to their glass when upgrading their cameras.

jcc813 said:

Also, if it came down to it, would it really be a pain to have to
manually focus a non-AF lens? I could see how it'd be an
inconvenience having gotten used to AF lenses, but then again, manual
focus was my ONLY option when I was using my mom's old Pentax back in
the day when I was taking photography classes.

Click to expand...

Many people are happy to manually focus DSLRs and if you've had experience in the past you will at least have some idea of what to expect. The D60 has a simple rangefinder to assist with manual focus, but it in no way replaces the split prism focus screens common on Pentax SLRs of old, in terms of accuracy. You can however buy after-market split prism focus screens for the D60 if you were so inclined.

Me and my girlfriend own a D40 and a D60 and a bag ful of lenses.. I don't think that a DSLR (though small and lite as the D60) is an ideal travel companion. Take a good P+S camera and you'll have more fun and less messing around with camera bags, bodies, lenses, tripods, things..

with kind regards
Norbert

On the contrary what some say - D60 should be very good for travel. I have D40 (exactly the same size as D60) and I took it for my last travel to Thailand, together with 18-55mm, 55-200VR, tripod and some filters. I used Panasonic FZ5 (big zoom P&S) before, but since now, I will never use the FZ5 again. For the next travel, I will take even more lens, as it's not a big deal changing (or carrying) them...

a photo with 18-55mm:



this one with 55-200mm:



Happy travels!

gang_of_1 said:

Me and my girlfriend own a D40 and a D60 and a bag ful of lenses.. I
don't think that a DSLR (though small and lite as the D60) is an
ideal travel companion. Take a good P+S camera and you'll have more
fun and less messing around with camera bags, bodies, lenses,
tripods, things..

with kind regards
Norbert
--

Click to expand...

I suppose it depends on your specific needs. When I travel, I want great images that I can make large prints with and, potentially, sales. Obviously image quality and flexibility are more important for my needs than traveling super light with just a P&S. For others, the trip itself may be more important and they are willing o sacrifice some image quality and flexibility, take just a P&S and have a good time, capturing some snapshots along the way.

Neither is "right" or "wrong" but rather depends on one's priorities. However, I hate broad "everyone should do it this way" statements that assume everyone's priorities are the same.

For my needs, when I travel I definately look for image quality, but I also try to travel as light as I can, so I take my D40 or Olympus E-420 in place of the D200 or D2 cameras. I also tend to strip down my lens choices and take smaller, albeit slower, versions. Stopped down they give amazing quality and I'm not lugging around two tons of kit.

To answer the OP's question, yes, I believe the D60 is an excellent traveling camera if you're looking for the image quality that a DSLR can offer. If traveling light is your primary concern and you're not invested in a specific system yet, also take a look at the Olympus E-420 which I've found to be a wonderful traveling and landscape camera - smaller body and equivelent lenses are smaller as well - as long as you are content with ISO800 or lower.

--
A camera is just a tool - no matter how much one loves it.

So a D60 body + $500 50mm AF-S would cost more than a D80 or D90 body + $100 50mm lens. I just got a D60 in December but am thinking of returning it and getting a D90 because of this lens limitation. After just 1-2 lenses, the total system cost of the D90 would be cheaper than the D60. With the D60, you have to pay more for lenses w/ built-in AF motors.

Don't have the D60 but the D40x. The D60 is the newer upfrade and supposedly a bit better (D Lighting and the such) but anyway, yes, it is great, imho, for travel pics. Here are about 1300 travel shots I took:

http://www.pbase.com/happypoppeye

A few ex:























...and so on, and so on.