Nikon launches D60, P60 and new Coolpix compacts

Nikon has announced a raft of new cameras ahead of PMA 08, including an incremental upgrade to its entry-level D40 SLR. The new D60 includes a 10.2-megapixel CCD sensor, the company's new Expeed processor, sensitivity up to ISO 3,200 and a 64mm (2.5-inch) LCD.

Compared to Canon's EOS 450D, this new Nikon comes with fewer pixels (though still more than enough for most entry-level SLR users) and a smaller LCD. With its 3-frame-per-second burst mode, the D60 is also slightly slower in continuous shooting. The D60 is essentially on a par with Sony's DSLR-A200, though the Sony includes sensor-shift image stabilisation that works with any lens, while Nikon relies on lens-based optical image stabilisation. To Nikon's credit, it has upgraded the 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 kit lens to include its Vibration Reduction OIS.

Like the D40, the D60 includes three-area autofocus, 3-D Color Matrix Metering II and a host of in-camera editing features, including Nikon's D-Lighting, red-eye reduction and filter effects, such as the cross-screen effect. Another nifty feature, also found in some of Nikon's point-and-shoots, is the Stop-Motion Movie mode, which lets you create a stop-motion movie clip from a series of up to 100 consecutive JPG images, and even lets you pluck individual images out after the fact, if the clip doesn't live up to your expectations.

As with all of Nikon's dSLRs, the D60 can capture images as raw files. Nikon has also included a raw-to-JPG conversion tool in the camera itself, however. It won't offer all the functionality of the software included with the camera, or Nikon's optional Capture NX software, but it's a good option to have if you don't want to shoot raw+JPG, which can eat up great gouts of memory on your SD card.

As has become the trend in SLRs, the D60 includes a dust-reduction system that shakes the sensor to make any loose dust fall off. Nikon has taken this system a step further by placing anti-static coatings on all parts in the mirror box (most manufacturers include an anti-static coating on the UV filter in front of the sensor), and has a new Air Flow Control system. Since the air inside the SLR is disturbed every time the mirror flips up to take a picture, this new system uses air vents in the bottom of the mirror box so that air naturally flows downward, bringing any loose dust with it, instead of bouncing around the inside of the mirror box.

According to Nikon, it has also improved the camera's help function, compared to the D40, while also offering different options for the status screen. Since, like too many entry-level SLRs, the D60 doesn't include a dedicated status display, the LCD shows you the state of your camera's settings. A sensor below the optical viewfinder turns the display off when you raise the camera to your eye. Crave prefers a dedicated status display, though its omission is usually an attempt to keep the price down, which is fair enough.

The D60 will be offered as a kit, with the aforementioned AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR lens with an RRP of £530. Other options include a kit with an AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II lens for £500, and body only for £450, which compares favourably with the Canon 450D's £600 body-only price tag. Click through for more new Nikon cameras. -Philip Ryan

Update: Read our full Nikon D60 review and our full Nikon Coolpix P60 review.

Next Photo