Quote:
Originally Posted by TimSJ
I am thinking about getting my wife one of these for xmas.. is it worth the money to step up from the D40 to the D60?
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Depends what you're looking for in a camera. There are definite improvements made in the 60 over the 40, but to say that they'll be worthwhile to you... that might be hard.
This review is quite in-depth, comparing the D40, D40x and D60 to each other at different times.
Here is a good deal on a D60 kit which
includes the camera body and 2 lenses (18-55mm & 55-200mm). $700 shipped in the US. Probably in the $800 CDN shipped to Saint John, NB.
Something else to consider: you could buy just the body of the D40, D40x or D60 and then invest money specifically into the lens(es) you want on top of that. For example, some people purchase the D40 body and one nice (better than what is included in the kit) lens to go with. One good example is
this lens, which offers extreme versatility in zooming situations as well as auto-focus functionality.
This review from a notable name in the business is an excellent read on the topic.
The advantage of buying the D40 body and the 18-200mm lens is that the lens can be used forever. The body of the camera is the portion that will become obsolete, so looking down the road, when you decide to upgrade cameras, all you'll need to do is buy a new body. (Maybe one day, the
D90?)
The only downside to this strategy is real good lenses are
expensive. The 18-200mm lens I linked to above would put you back $800+ CDN. Pricey. But, again, if you foresee your wife and\or yourself really getting into photography, you'll be glad you bought that excellent lens from the beginning instead of spending money slowly upgrading lenses and bodies. The lens really can make all the difference in the world.
Not that there's anything wrong with the stock kits lenses for beginners... I've seen some great photos with out-of-the-box hardware and setting. It's just another way to look at it maybe, depending on your situation.
Conclusion
To answer your question: in short, it depends.
