Back in December, my wife and I decided to splurge on a digital SLR camera, the Nikon D60. A digital SLR (or dSLR) is the kind of camera that you see people wearing with a strap around their neck, a large lens protruding from the front. Although they have become cheaper and smaller in the last couple years, they are still far more expensive and much larger than the more common “point and shoot” cameras that most people own. They are intended for people who are really into photography, whether as a hobby or a profession, and who value the higher-quality images, interchangeable lenses, and manual control that can only be attained with a dSLR.
The Nikon D60 is something of a beginner’s dSLR. Out of the box, in automatic mode, it takes great pictures, and it’s smaller, lighter, and less expensive than many dSLRs. We paid $700 for it at Costco, in a bundle that included a carrying bag, two vibration-reduction lenses, and a memory card.
Both of us have been very happy with the purchase. In addition to great pictures in automatic mode, the camera offers several “scene” modes for specific situations (e.g., photographing children, shooting fast-action sports, taking portraits at night), as well as all the manual and semi-manual modes that any photographer would expect. This has allowed my wife and me to take great pictures with minimal effort when the goal is to just take pictures, but also to experiment with more complicated photography techniques that are new to us.
The Nikon D60 is the big brother to the D40. If you’re investing in a dSLR, I’d suggest making the leap to the D60, for both its built-in dust remover and its higher resolution (i.e., more detail captured per picture, allowing you to enlarge photos without loss of detail). Really serious camera aficionados, or those who already own Canon lenses, might prefer the Canon EOS Rebel XSi or XTi, which are in a similar price range. I found them to be a bit more expensive without offering quite as many beginner-friendly features, which is why we went with the Nikon.
Have questions about dSLRs? Let me know in the comments!
