Equipment Nikon D40 vs D60

hi everyone,

i've recently completed a photography course @ a local workshop, and now i really want to get into photography! So i've come for your help on making up my decision for a first time dslr buyer.
I know there are many search results on the web between these two cameras though nothing really answers my dilema. I've read many articles on both the D40 and D60, especially the excellent reviews on Ken Rockwell's website. While being bias towards the D40, the main reason he suggests for going with the D40 is the price difference between the two.

Thing is, i could get the D60, with 18-55 and 55-200 lenses for only 40chf more then the D40 with the equivalent lenses. (this is only after a 100chf mail-in rebate by Nikon).

So should i go with the D60 as the price difference is minimal ? And even if it wasn't for the 100chf rebate, would the D60 still be worth it over the D40?

Any help much appreciated!

note:
40chf = $35 = £20

 

D80 > both. Not much more either, or at least, it wasn't here in the UK.

 

I did consider the D80 @ first, though only the body costs around the same as the D40 with double lens kit, so therefore it's out of my budget. Though thanks for the advice, much appreciated!

 

I would be careful about taking anything Ken Rockwell has to say seriously. If you want to know about Nikons, then look at www.bythom.com. That and look at www.dpreview.com. But no one will take you seriously when the name Ken Rockwell gets mentioned.

Get the D60.

 

Thanks for the advice + sites Johnny. I was a bit sceptic when i saw his site the first time though you just reinforced my initial thoughts, thanks! I've had a look at those links and i think i've got my mind set on the D60. Though i'll most likely wait another couple of days until i buy, so if anyone still has anything to add it'd be appreciate

 

Have you had the chance to actually hold and play with the various models? I've found that the D40 feels really small and uncomfortable in my hand, whereas the D80 is about right. That's going to make a difference in the long term, as your camera needs to be somethng you're comfortable using and the Nikons have a significant size difference across the product line.

 

I've had the chance to hold a D40x (same body as D60) and a D80. I thought the D80 was somewhat big as i have small hands, so therefore the D40x body would be more suitable and felt more comfortable, as well as being lighter (however, i only tried the D40x with an 18-55, and the D80 had an 18-135, which i beleive makes quite a difference). Then again, i only played with the D80 for a couple of hours, while the D40x was used thouroughly throughout the course i took.
Though thanks for mentioning it Cthippo

 

D60>D40. The D40 and D40x run on several-year-old technology, while the D60 has the most recent dust filter/internal chipset/JPEG algorithms.

On a side note, nobody can tell me why Ken Rockwell is a bad place to get information from. Sure, he's a complete Nikon fanboy, and his opinions are completely useless and biased, but his test results are useful (f-stop comparisons, distortion correction, etc) and I always read his reviews for a different viewpoint. As long as you don't take his ideas too seriously, he's not a bad place to go.

 

I actually love his site. He's got info on gear/lenses that are hard to find elsewhere, you just need to take what he writes with a grain of salt sometimes.

 

The problem with Ken's site is that you have to know when not to take him seriously. If you have no background to compare his ramblings, then you find people taking him seriously....all the time. He's been debunked quite a few times. I think his site is fun, and to a degree informative; but I would never base any decisions on his information.

 

I find Ken's site...hard to take. Then again, I shoot Canon so his info is largely useless to me. But I find that he speaks more from a rabid fanboy perspective than a true reviewer - which is all fine and good until he starts reviewing things.

Overall, I'm with eddie that there's pearls of information to be gleaned, but thankfully I shoot canon so I can just enjoy the 1:1 focal charts from thedigitalpicture (where the articles are also largely useless and fluffy but those charts ROCK), pick my lens reviews up at photozone and get on with my life.

@drdro - buy the body that fits your hands and budget. A good photo is composed of: 2% body, 8% lens, 90% monkey pressing the button. If it fits your hands and feels good, you'll find nothing on more advanced bodies that you NEED to have for quite some time.

In fact, some of their very helpful features that the more regular of us love most about them actually HINDER the proper learning of photography. So if you're excited about the art and not just the end result, don't be a gear head - buy what fits and lust after a couple good lenses instead. If you stick with photography for long, you'll find your money goes into lenses, not bodies.

 

Thanks a lot for all the help guys ! it really helped me choosing between the two cameras and now have my mind fully set on the D60. Now i jsut need to clikc the "add to cart" button, and i'll get back to you all as soon as i've shot my first pictures (which hopefully will be pretty soon)

dr.dro