Nikon D60 Rumor

[fitzperry]

If this is accurate, it's very disappointing.

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1034&message=26540810

I was really hoping for a D80 replacement with the new sensor from the D300 that I'd be able to use on our vacations this summer. Unless I'm missing something, this looks to be the same sensor from the D40x? In fact, it looks like a D40x with some dust reduction features. What's the big deal about that? I may yet become the proud owner of a D300. Or maybe I'll switch to the new Pentax.

ETA: I wonder about this. The purported "press release" is quite repetitive and not very well written. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

 

[Groucho]

I'd be really surprised to see the D300 sensor in a lower body any time soon... the sensor seems to be what really has make the D300 such a big deal (and the new AF and other stuff, but really that low high-ISO noise) and I would think that they'd want to keep that exclusive for a while.

Plus, it's a larger sensor, so larger camera, etc... The D40/D40x is pretty tiny, the extra sensor might be not possible without enlarging the camera, which they'd probably rather not do. That being said, it will be interesting to see what sensors do end up in the D60 and D90 whenever they're released... still Sony sensors, or something else? I would guess that the Sony 12mp sensor from the A700 would end up in the D90, but that's just a total guess - I'm completely out of the loop in terms of Nikon rumors. Then again, maybe Nikon'll want to keep a lower mp count on those in order to keep the D300's 12mp number exclusive, but I doubt it.

The big question remains - how long before they put IS in the body, like everyone else has done (except Canon)? I think that would be a big boost for sales vs Canon (or vice versa, if Canon does it first - but that seems unlikely at this point).

 

[My2Girls66]

I'd like to see a lower end dslr that can auto focus with my older lenses. The D40/x look nice but I have older lenses that wouldn't work with it. I already have a D50 that I really like but I would love to be able to get my DD one for graduation in the spring. Hopefully the D60 will be able to use the older lenses.

 

[fitzperry]

I'd like to see a lower end dslr that can auto focus with my older lenses. The D40/x look nice but I have older lenses that wouldn't work with it. I already have a D50 that I really like but I would love to be able to get my DD one for graduation in the spring. Hopefully the D60 will be able to use the older lenses.

If the specs in that "press release" are correct, it doesn't look like it will. It says that the D60 would be "[f]ully compatible with AF-S and AF-I Nikkor lenses, equipped with an autofocus motor," which at first glance seems to suggest that the camera will have a focus motor, but I think really means that the lens must have the motor. It also says that it will be "[c]ompatible with most F-mount Nikkor lenses when using manual focus mode." Of course, I'm not entirely convinced this is really from Nikon, so who knows?

 

[fitzperry]

I'd be really surprised to see the D300 sensor in a lower body any time soon... the sensor seems to be what really has make the D300 such a big deal (and the new AF and other stuff, but really that low high-ISO noise) and I would think that they'd want to keep that exclusive for a while.

It was just a rumor I'd read, and it would be ideal for me, but I tend to agree with you. Maybe not so much that they want to keep that sensor exclusive in the D300, but if a D90 or whatever had the D300's sensor, I'm guessing there might not be enough difference in the price of the two bodies to justify both of them. Or if there were a significant price difference, it would cannibalize the D300's sales. The whole thing seems a little weird though. The D80 is the camera that is ripe for updating, and this purported D60 looks like nothing more than a D40x with some dust reduction features thrown in. That's pretty anti-climactic, IMO. Why even bother?

Plus, it's a larger sensor, so larger camera, etc... The D40/D40x is pretty tiny, the extra sensor might be not possible without enlarging the camera, which they'd probably rather not do.

That's probably true, but I wish they could. I have small hands, and it would be great to have the functions and IQ of the D300 in a body the size of the D40. The D80 is quite a bit larger than the D40, but still not as ginormous as the D300.

That being said, it will be interesting to see what sensors do end up in the D60 and D90 whenever they're released... still Sony sensors, or something else? I would guess that the Sony 12mp sensor from the A700 would end up in the D90, but that's just a total guess - I'm completely out of the loop in terms of Nikon rumors. Then again, maybe Nikon'll want to keep a lower mp count on those in order to keep the D300's 12mp number exclusive, but I doubt it.

The big question remains - how long before they put IS in the body, like everyone else has done (except Canon)? I think that would be a big boost for sales vs Canon (or vice versa, if Canon does it first - but that seems unlikely at this point).

That's the thing that has me toying with the idea of switching to Pentax. If the K20D is all it's cracked up to be, it could be tempting. When is it due to be available?

 

[Furgus]

It is not a rumor

Nikon D60

 

[fitzperry]

My dh just sent me the link too. It seems odd to me that they're neglecting that middle range of the dslr market. The D300 and D3 are generating a lot of excitement, so they've got the higher end well covered. I wonder why they're focusing (pardon the pun ) so much on the entry level market. What about those of us who are eager to upgrade but don't want to lug around a beast the size of the D300? Also, it seems to me that the D40/D40x got a fairly lackluster response, and the D60 looks to be little more than a very slightly souped up D40x. What is Nikon expecting from this?

 

[handicap18]

I'm not thrilled with the new body either. I too am hoping for a D80 replacement with similar specs to the D300. I really have my eye on the D300, but thats $1700 or so.

Right now the D80 is not quite 18 months old. IIRC it was released in Sept or the beginning of Oct '06. Thus far they've gone about 18 month to 2 years for the new replacement/upgrade on other models. Maybe this summer we'll see something in the D80 price range with more features. Right now the D80 doesn't give me enough over my D50 to warrent me to upgrade. The D300 does, except the price tag. It could take me 14 months to save up for it. We'll see.

 

[YEKCIM]

I'm not thrilled with the new body either. I too am hoping for a D80 replacement with similar specs to the D300. I really have my eye on the D300, but thats $1700 or so.

Right now the D80 is not quite 18 months old. IIRC it was released in Sept or the beginning of Oct '06. Thus far they've gone about 18 month to 2 years for the new replacement/upgrade on other models. Maybe this summer we'll see something in the D80 price range with more features. Right now the D80 doesn't give me enough over my D50 to warrant me to upgrade. The D300 does, except the price tag. It could take me 14 months to save up for it. We'll see.

Same here, Kyle. I was halfway expecting N to roll out a "D300 Lite" in much the same way that the D80 is a "D200 Lite". I'm actually more interested, personally, in the new 16-85vr...or at least I was until I saw the price tag. $650 is a little too rich for my blood.

~Ed

 

[My2Girls66]

If the specs in that "press release" are correct, it doesn't look like it will. It says that the D60 would be "[f]ully compatible with AF-S and AF-I Nikkor lenses, equipped with an autofocus motor," which at first glance seems to suggest that the camera will have a focus motor, but I think really means that the lens must have the motor. It also says that it will be "[c]ompatible with most F-mount Nikkor lenses when using manual focus mode." Of course, I'm not entirely convinced this is really from Nikon, so who knows?

Yep- just read the specs from the link. Looks like it won't autofocus with the older lenses. Bummer! Its too bad- I probably would buy one if it would. I wonder what the point behind that change was

 

[YEKCIM]

I wonder what the point behind that change was

Lots of folks are asking that exact question...

~Ed

 

[Groucho]

It was just a rumor I'd read, and it would be ideal for me, but I tend to agree with you. Maybe not so much that they want to keep that sensor exclusive in the D300, but if a D90 or whatever had the D300's sensor, I'm guessing there might not be enough difference in the price of the two bodies to justify both of them. Or if there were a significant price difference, it would cannibalize the D300's sales. The whole thing seems a little weird though. The D80 is the camera that is ripe for updating, and this purported D60 looks like nothing more than a D40x with some dust reduction features thrown in. That's pretty anti-climactic, IMO. Why even bother?

It does look like the least significant entry-level upgrade of recent times... the new Canon XSi picks up a few features from the 40D and gets a brand-new sensor, the new Pentax K200D gets K10D bits like weathersealing and Sensitivity Priority mode and adds dynamic range controls, the Sony A200 got some decent upgrades over the A100, and I don't remember what all the Olympus got but it got some big upgrades too. It doesn't really help that the D40x exists at all! That makes the D60 seem like even less of an upgrade. I'm sure the D60 will still be a great camera but not a compelling upgrade for existing owners.

That's probably true, but I wish they could. I have small hands, and it would be great to have the functions and IQ of the D300 in a body the size of the D40. The D80 is quite a bit larger than the D40, but still not as ginormous as the D300.

Actually, I was wrong about sensor size, I got mixed up and was thinking that the D300 had the 1.3 crop sensor, when it has the usual-size 1.5 crop sensor. So it should be able to fit into smaller bodies - but again, I think they'll want to keep that exclusive and that means lower IQ for the entry-level. Similarly, I'm sure that the Canon XSi's 12mp sensor will not have the IQ of the 40D, just like the XTi's 10mp doesn't have the IQ of the 8mp 30D.

That's the thing that has me toying with the idea of switching to Pentax. If the K20D is all it's cracked up to be, it could be tempting. When is it due to be available?

Supposedly mid-March to early April. I actually pre-ordered mine this morning through Amazon though I will cancel and order elsewhere if I can find a better deal or some way to get it sooner. If it's not available by near the end of April (when I head for Florida), I'll probably cancel the order and buy it later in the year when I can save a couple hundred or so. Everything I've read about the K20D so far has said that the image quality is absolutely astonishing, very competitive with the Canon Mark 3 and Nikon D3. The sample shots have all been very impressive. (There's some here taken with beta firmware, the shipping firmware should be even better!) However, the K20D certainly doesn't have the outrageous continuous shooting speed or ultra-exotic autofocus systems of those cameras, but then, it costs about a third of the price. (And it does have stuff like the intervalometer, better than the D3's and which the Mk3 lacks, and genuinely useful stuff like TAv mode, Sv mode, Hyperprogram, etc.) It's also been compared to those for HDR, as it has the dynamic range and exposure bracketing controls to join those as the best 3 cameras for HDR.

But that's off-topic, this is a D60 thread so I'll shut up, I've said too much off-topic already.

I'm sure we can all agree that hopefully the D90 will be a bigger step forward!