Summary: Great Entry To World of Nikkor Lens

Comment: Nikon was recommended to me by a knowlegable coworker. I was very impressed when he told me that Nikon manufactures their own glass. He initially recommended the N80, but all I could afford at the time was the N60. It seemed like a good entry level camera for someone new to 35mm SLR photography. I bought it from Amazon in the spring of 2000. I also found the Magic Lantern Guide to the Nikon N60/F60 Camera at B&H Photo Video in New York. It was much better than the manual that came with the camera. I highly recommend the Magic Lantern Guide to Nikon Lens as well, as you are probably going to get more than one lens before you are through! I wound up getting a wide-angle 28mm f2.8, a fast 50mm f1.4, and a classic 80-200mm f2.8 zoom lens.

Anyway, the N60/F60 has been a great introduction to the world of serious photography. It doesn't have the cable release opening, debth of field preview button, multiple exposure capability, or manual DX ISO setting of the N80 but since I didn't even know what half of those things were at first I didn't miss them!

In fact, the N60/F60 has some things the upgraded N65/F65 doesn't- like a 1/125 maximum flash sync versus the N65/F65 at only 1/90, and an Exposure Lock button. In fact, both the F65/N65 and N80/F80 only have an onboard flash with a guide number of 40, vs 49 for the N60/F60!

The N60 also feels hefty but not heavy- it's sturdy and well-built but easy to hold and use. I will always be glad I that I had the pleasure of owning this camera.

Summary: I love this camera

Comment: I've been using this camera for several years and I've been very pleased with the results. It is a great value and a fantastic blend of features and convenience. I'd highly recommend this model as a first SLR for someone interested in more serious photography. Plus with Nikon, you know that when you do replace the camera body, you'll still have some of the best lenses on the market.

Summary: A good value- but understand its limits.

Comment: The N60 is one of a number of new budget made-in-China cameras bearing the Nikon label. On the plus side, they're a great entry into the Nikon system, and they're backed by the Nikon organizations,m with worldwide service available. On the minus side, these are not built to the same level as the classic Nikon SLRs. They're plastic, they lack the ruggedness of real Nikons, and they won't be around in 10 or 20 years. And the lenses they come with, while they use the Nikon mount system, aren't of the optical or mechanical quality of Nikkor lenses.

But if you're not a heavy user, this is a good way to get access to the Nikon system, and to the hundreds of used Nikon lenses out there at attractive prices. If you understand the plusses and minuses, the N60 can be a good deal.

Summary: Satisfied Customer

Comment: After my wife's Kodak APS point & shoot had "pointed & shot" its last roll of film, we started looking for a replacement that offered point & shoot simplicity with the option to take complete creative control - all while producing high quality results with either option. I had enjoyed both the control and the results of my Pentax K1000 for years, but I always struggled with moving targets, low light situations, and the awkward "setup time" while people smile waiting for their picture. We purchased a Nikon N60 at the recommendation of an experienced camera pro. I mated it with a Tamron 28-80 lens and I have been and still am continually impressed with the results. My wife can use it for pointing and shooting and I can use it with either complete manual control or set priorities for shutter speed or aperature which allows me to still be creative while the camera "helps" to ensure proper exposure and focus. My wife has however started to use some of the very simple options to control the shot scenario. This is a perfect solution if you need a camera that is easy to use for those who don't want to have to learn about f-stops and metering and shutter speed, while allowing the advanced recreational photographer (who doesn't have the time or resources to take 10 bracket shots of the same subject to ensure a good shot) to be creative. It also looks great and has a nice feel.

Summary: A great entry level SLR.

Comment: I recently purchased a Nikon N60 after years of using point and shoot cameras. The improvement in my pictures is amazing. No more pictures with the head missing or of the subject out of focus. The automatic programs allow even beginners to take excellent portraits and "special" technique photos. I highly reccommend a 28-80mm or a 28-105mm lens to cover the most common photo requirements. The added bulk of an SLR is easily accommodated with the wide variety of cases available.