Nikon D60 2023 Review : Should we just ignore entry level?

Considering this camera was my dad's (and technically still is), I had hoped for a better conclusion for it. But hey, you can't always have everything.
Chapters:
Intro: 0:00
Pricing: 1:33
History of the D60: 2:21
Specs: 4:19
Sensor & IQ: 8:10
Who should get it?: 12:13
Ergos and Build: 13:10
Lack of features: 17:40
Is it still wort getting?: 19:45
Better alternatives: 20:10
Conclusion & Outro: 22:58
Music used in the last section: Still Corners - Black Lagoon
#Nikon #D60 #nikond60 #photography #digicam

[@thatoneguy20245]

As a guy with a d60 and freelance pro photographer. Shooting in NEF(raw) is the best thing i can do. I takes shots, import them to NX studio (Nikon version of Lightroom) reduce noise from the ISO and adjust WB and you got a picture that looks good maybe even better in some cases then a modern smartphone.

[@uncertainrelease]

yes, even older cameras like this can produce better images than smartphones in my opinion. not because of the resolution or the noise, but the colors and the image rendition created by the lens is generally enough to give it the edge. That being said, I really do think that camera sensor technology has come along way and is currently at a plateau. Spending a little more than what you'd spend on a D60 (up your budget from 60 to maybe 100€ for example) could really yield dramatically better results. Best example of this to me is cameras like the D7000 that you can sometimes find around 110/120€ used and you obliterate any CCD camera in terms of image quality (while still retaining pleasing to the eye colors) But that doe not take away from the pretty incredible imagery that older CCD cameras are capable of getting out !

[@WOLFTICKVIDEOS]

I really look forward to your videos. Thanks for taking the time to make and upload this entertaining content.👍

[@BluenatorT800]

Thanks you did a great reviews explain a lot and offering better options

[@sam_stone]

Keep these videos up man!!!

[@johnc3403]

All I want is manual control over Shutter speed, Aperture and ISO, preferably in RAW format with a decent image quality. Beyond that, it's down to my own capabilities. The D60 gives me that. Henri Cartier-Bresson didn't have exhaustive menu's and features on his cameras. And as he said, " Of course it's all luck.” “It is an illusion that photos are made with the camera… they are made with the eye, heart, and head.”. Don't over think it. The D60 is a fine camera. Get out there and make photographs.

[@uncertainrelease]

I didn't say the D60 wasn't good. But for the same amount of money you can get a D200 or a D80 which are both pretty much the same camera but better, with a larger grip, better viewfinder, and more controls (aka at least dual dials so you can adjust aperture and shutter speed without a combination of buttons like on the D60). Of course the D60 is a camera that will produce fine images. But if you're looking at having fun with photography, there is better options for the same money out there. Not everyone aspires at being the new Henri Cartier-Bresson

[@FourCornersCustomProducts-4CCP]

Thanks for sharing this helpful information

[@CarmineTavernaPhotography]

Hello Matthieu, I subscribed to your channel and truly appreciate your love of photography, be well, Peace from New York City

Thanks for your video! I recently bought this camera to add to my collection, because I've heard good things about its CCD-sensor. I went on a tour to Stockholm and came back with a bunch of photos. Imported them all in Lightroom, did some adjustments and think that they look great. Only THEN did I take a look at the jpegs created in camera. Wow! With a few exceptions, Nikon did a better job than myself in Lightroom. They just look fantastic! I think will will use this camera in jpeg-mode from now on. (I also have a D800 and although it is arguebly a much better camera, the colours aren't as nice as those from the D60).

[@TB-ni4ur]

Yeah, I recently got a d200 and compared to newer cmos sensors, the images are far more representative of what I remember seeing when taking the pictures. It's hard to explain, but it doesn't exaggerate shadows or highlights the same way as newer cameras, it almost compresses the full exposer into a shallower dynamic range which is soothing and pleasing to the eye, if that makes sense. Definitely warmer with more balanced colors, the photos don't make you squint when they pop up on the screen likes some other cameras can which are trying to be as HDR like as possible.

[@deanherbig9178]

i bought a d60 when it came out. shut off all the automatic goodies run it like a film camera , it will surprise you. i still use it today.

[@uncertainrelease]

shooting full manual with a manual lens and no metter was quite a pain at first but I ended up doing it anyway because I prefered the lenses. Gotta say it wasn't all bad :D

[@jan-martinulvag1953]

Thank you very MUCH. Excellent video.

[@sunristur]

Thank you for a great video! Very informative. I also have an emotional connection to this camera as it I got it when I was very young and didn't own any other cameras for years. I still use it sometimes but it definitly has its limitations.

[@uncertainrelease]

Yes, I was in a very similar boat. My dad got it in 2009, and from 2009 to when I bought my first camera (with my own money I mean) in 2021, well the D60 was the only camera I've ever had. My dad dropped photography and I was the sole user for maybe 6/7 years before I bought mine, but he got back into it when I did too pretty much, and he's now using a D7000, so the D60 has seen very little action since then. Had to dust it off before I went shooting with it in preparation of this video! 😅

[@bozo6724]

Thank you that's very very helpful to know

[@jen4ugan]

Thanks for this great review and comparison. Please make a photo comparison with CCD and CMOS.

[@jpbug]

Just traded an Apple Watch for this camera with a whole kit. I’ll be learning with this one for a while to get the basics down. Thanks for the info 🤙

[@uncertainrelease]

Trading an electronic device that can't take pictures with one that can take pictures. Absolute W.

[@derekcoe9633]

My first ever DSLR!

[@uncertainrelease]

You and me both 😁

[@obedbrinkman]

cheers, will be sticking yo my D200, wich is a great camera

[@uncertainrelease]

Yeah, that strategy that Nikon had to stick the same sensor in a lower price bracket in each generation (happened to the 6MP CCD and the following 12MP CMOS sensors as well) means that there is very little point to get the smaller cameras. And not even on a matter of cost, since the depreciation is so heavy for those old camera bodies that they end up in the same ballpark when it comes to price anyway. Only someone on a SUPER tight budget would make the move to the lower end models, and even then it might not be worth it.

[@absurdfool]

just don't know what more features one does need to shoot good pictures, I invest more on lenses than bodies; BTW I stick myself to ccd dslr's lately, n Nikon's handful few models remain as the only choices for me, I own now the d60, d70s, d80, d200 n d3000, n sold the rest, incl the most wanted d90 thkU n cheers

[@uncertainrelease]

well the argument of getting less features but paying less to invest in glass does make sense, however like I said in the video, it's a little more tricky here, since the D60 that doesn't have the features costs the same as the D200 that does. And those features (especially the focusing motor) allow you to get cheaper and better lenses as well, so it's a well worth investment in my opinion otherwise you're blocked with pretty expensive AF-S glass (by the way, just so you know, the D60, D80, D3000 and D200 all have the same sensor, D3000, D200 and D80 all have the same autofocus system as well. You do you, but there is a lot of overlapping in your kit, I'd invest money into actually getting something different cause you basically get the same thing several times here. I dunno, maybe hunt for an old CCD Nikon D1 or D1X?) Thanks for commenting!

[@markwoods1504]

Good Afternoon, don't forget the Nikon D60 is an entry-level Camera in other words a camera to learn the art of Photography to which the Nikon D60 excels the photographer in, concerning the layout of the buttons and dials of the D60 the excellent Sony A600 mirrorless camera has exactly the same layout and that was stated as a camera years ahead of its time. Regards Mark

[@uncertainrelease]

An entry level camera just means that it has less features and accessible buttons. A D200 or D80 will cost about the same, but will have much more control points which will make shooting easier to learn. The D60's weakness is really that need to go in menus to change everything right out of the box, even the ISO. You need to dig deepmin menus to fix that problem, which no beginner will ever do.

[@kbarrett1844]

Taking a gamble on a D50 for about $30 USD. My first NIKON ever. Hahaha. I do like the CCD sensor, screw drive for compatibility with older AF lenses along with the high-speed flash sync of 1/500th. Should arrive this week. If it doesn't work out, I am only out for the price of a good pizza.

[@uncertainrelease]

haha, congrats on the little one :) The D50 is often considered as an "entry level" body, but hey it offers almost everything the semi pro D100 had, and it's about on par with the D70 for a bit lower price, that's a win to me. Haven't tried those old 6MP CCD sensors, people say they're good but I dunno I feel just fine with my CMOS Nikons for now, I don't need a 9th camera in my collection right now 😅

[@bigrobotnewstoday1436]

Can you do a video CCD VS CMOS at low ISO too see the difference in colors.

[@uncertainrelease]

that's definitely an idea, I put that on the bucket list! I'd preferably get my hands on an APS-C 12MP CMOS (think D300, D300S, D90, D5000 cameras) to have the most fair comparison possible though. But at low ISO that's definitely something I can put the D700 on

[@amermeleitor]

I have a Z50 and a Z30, and i wanted a Nikon F very cheap and small camera just to try AF-S lenses that not work with the FTZ adapter. So i got a very good condition D60 from FB market. Tomorrow i will have it. Being small and light i could carry it to hikes or vacations too. The D3400 is three times the price, used. Maybe i will buy a D5600 or D3500 if i find a good price, but for now the D60 will be enough for the purpose

[@uncertainrelease]

in my experience, the later entry level offerings from Nikon aren't really worth it past the D3200. D3200 is basically the best APS-C sensor you can get in a Nikon (save for the D500, D7500, Z50 and variants that all share the same sensor), and you also get a more advanced AF system than the previous models. D3100 is also "okay" but it uses the same 12MP sensor you'd find in something like a D5000 or a D90. It's a fine sensor, but if you're spending around 100 bucks anyway, better get the 3200. D60 is okay as a whole, image quality still holds up, but the lack of live view (because of the CCD sensor) and the very basic AF system is what really stopped me from using it more. But really I'm curious... There is AF-S lenses that the FTZ adapter don't support? I'm not aware of any, do you have the full name of those lenses? *Edit* : I did a little bit of digging and apparently, all AF-S lenses are compatible with AF-S if you get the lastest firmware for both camera and lens. Hope this helps !

[@amermeleitor]

​​​@@uncertainreleasethanks for the answer!! I'm new to Nikon, so I don't know about older cameras. Maybe a D3200 / D3300 would be enough and are way cheaper than D3500. I don't want to risk my Z50 in harsh environments or be stolen in bad places in my city. Which are the 5000 series best option? The D5600 is pricier and maybe other is best option. About lenses, there are some Tamron and Yongnuo lenses that doesn't work ok with the FTZ adapter. The Viltrox adapter work with the Tamrons, but when camera software updates then the Viltrox adapter stop working and I have to wait a pair of months until Viltrox updates the adapter's software again and works again. So, only third party lenses that work perfectly with FTZ is Sigma, other third party lenses don't work ok

[@gnthr7992]

I have a D60 and it made/makes way better images than my Panasonic Lumix GX80 !!! This prompted me to buy a new Nikon (Zf) six weeks ago.

[@uncertainrelease]

congrats on the new camera !

[@TB-ni4ur]

It's hard to quantify these CCD sensors. The images that it produces have far less DR than newer cameras, but in good light I almost think that's a good thing. The newer cameras almost create too much HDR in good light situations, creating shadows, highlights, and contrast in situations where the human eye would not perceive that much variation in our field of view. It's almost like the picture fidelity gets compressed into a more palatable range that's more pleasing to the human eye. Photo snobs might call that "film like", but I just think it's not as in your face with unnatural clarity and color variation. Once you get above 400iso with those ccds all bets are off, they fall off the rails pretty quick unless you're planning BW and you're a fan of a lot of noise/grain.

[@uncertainrelease]

Yep, my thoughts exactly. CCD might have a more "accurate" output in good light compared to CMOS (although not really with color). I can always add contrast, crush the blacks or clip the whites with a modern CMOS sensor to make it more accurate, but I can't lift a CCD in lower light. There is some character to the CCD sensors, but it's just not as versatile as CMOS for 80% of the photography I do

[@TB-ni4ur]

@@uncertainreleaseAgreed. The only time I can see an advantage of ccd (beyond the nostalgic feel) is shooting portraits in the middle of the day and your subject is hiding from the harsh light under a tree but there is still a lot of uneven lighting coming through. The ccds had a nice way of exposing the shadows while still subduing the sun spots, kind of blending it all together straight out of camera. This is great for personal or non-formal use, but a professional is probably not going to be putting their subject under a tree with uneven light to begin with, they'd use modifiers/strobes to get the light they want...

[@cinnocencesinema1100]

where do you find the pricing for the camera in euros?

[@uncertainrelease]

MPB, generally. Or I search for local marketplaces

[@SlavicGuitar]

I am not sure I agree that Nikon D200 is a better value than Nikon D60. First of all, Nikon D200 has banding problems (most noticeable in early-production units). At the time, Nikon acknowledged the problem and offered free adjustments that would reduce (but not eliminate) the banding. Furthermore, Nikon D60 has a self-cleaning sensor and Nikon 200 does not. For these two reasons I would say that Nikon D60 is a slightly better value than Nikon D200. P.S. Supposedly, Nikon D200 has a higher cost, more power hungry version of the sensor than Nikon D60 which some people prefer.

[@uncertainrelease]

When you look in detail, the sensor in the D200 is basically identical to the sensor in the D60, besides the scaled back power consumption which limits the burst rate to 3fps (instead of 5). The banding issues, I also get them in my D60 when I push the files. The cleaning issue can be fixed with a rocket blower or some sensor swabs for a total cost of about 15 bucks. And if that is not enough, the Nikon D80 exists, which is also around the same price. What the D200 offers is a much better AF system, magnesium allow body, weather sealing and a nicely designed grip with a lot of control points. I can deal with the banding and the sensor dust easily. I can't make an uncomfortable camera feel better. At the end of the day, it's a matter of preferences.

[@SlavicGuitar]

@@uncertainrelease Of course there are other cameras that have banding issues to some extent. However, banding issues in Nikon D200 are more pronounced than in Nikon D60. Furthermore, even though you can "fix" the lack of a self-cleaning sensor by doing the cleaning yourself, it is not as convenient and requires extra money/time/effort. I am not sure why you are bringing up Nikon D80 since the conversation was about Nikon D60 vs. Nikon D200. Nikon D80 will produce very similar images to Nikon D200/D60; however, it lacks the self-cleaning sensor of the D60 as well as weather-proofing and build quality of the D200. So I would say that both of those cameras (D60 and D200) are better choices than D80. Also, it is important to keep in mind that Nikon D60 is newer than both D200 and D80, which might give it an edge in image quality. I do agree that: "At the end of the day, it's a matter of preferences." I would personally choose the newer, smaller, and more convenient D60.

[@bobparr4723]

How does the dynamic range compare to film?

[@uncertainrelease]

It depends the film stock really. Some film will have a dynamic range close to 10 stops which in the same ball park as those CCD sensors, some even coming closer to 15 stops, which is modern sensor territory. (as a point a reference, the D300 has a dynamic range of about 10.0 stops at base ISO 200, the D60, is around the same, maybe slightly under 10 stops at ISO 100). Some film stocks (generally those that are more contrasty) will have much lower dynamic range. Typically, a Fujifilm Velvia film stock will generally be in the ballpark of 5 to 6 stops.

[@bobparr4723]

@@uncertainrelease Thanks for that. I used to use Velvia all the time landscape shots as the colours were more vivid. From what I've read, the CCD sensors are closer to Velvia out of the camera, so I'm looking for a good second hand D200 to go with my Olympus E1.

[@kevc.2958]

used to have d40 d5000 and d5200 great camera great images but not gonna advise these cameras to anyone now as it's a discontinued line. Better go for sony e or fujifilm x old models.

[@uncertainrelease]

it's in the discontinued lines you find the best deals, and the most performance for your dollar. Just saying

[@ccmassis]

This was a video about what the camera is not. I would like to hear more about the positives and not compare it to a new camera. IMHO.

[@uncertainrelease]

I talked about the positives in this video. The only one that I can find is that it's small and light. Otherwise, the D200 is about as cheap, has better AF, technically a better sensor (which is basically teh same sensot except it shoots faster) and has MUCH better ergonomics which is by far the weakest point of the D60 for me. I think I have said what the camera is : it's a very budget, entry level camera with the control structure to go with it that has a decent enough sensor. But pro cameras with that same sensor are now about as cheap, so to me there is really no point of buying a D60 when a D80 or D200 are maybe a couple of bucks more used. Comparing the D60 to any kind of new camera would put the D60 in a loosing battle. Anything with a CMOS sensor will have better DR, better noise handling, better features... and probably better ergonomics. The D60 is a camera that you use because you like that sensor and that form factor specifically, otherwise there is much better options for the same amount of money. I mean that's basically what I said in the video, isn't it

[@georgel.leifer3076]

Too much talking, lost patience watching the video.

[@uncertainrelease]

there's plenty of other camera channels on youtube with plenty of cuts and Broll if your attention span is not high enough.

[@Amira-Mrabet]

Thank you for this video , such beautiful shots very vivid , you’ve also chosen one of my favorite still corners songs as an outro , beautiful ❤