D60 vs D90

I wonder if anyone has any comparison of image quality, given the same set of circumstances and same lens, with

these two cameras. If i am comfortable with the features of the D60 and the IQ is the same as the D90, why spend

the extra $$$? Thanks.

Consider the high ISO, viewfinder and AF lens differences. I don't believe you will see much difference in IQ. Personally I buy used AF lenses and will not purchase a body with a AF motor. If you want to have metering with manual focus lenses then you should look at a D200 or better.

I have been using the D60 since it came out in April this year but plan to get the D90 primarily for two reasons: 1) AF compatibility with older lenses such as the 50mm f/1.8 and 2) as a second camera so I don't have to change lenses (I have five of them) so often as dust still gets in despite the "dust reduction system". I don't expect the D90 will give me noticeably better images over the D60 but I expect better AF during challenging situations.

The image quality will be slightly better on the D90. So slight that you probably can't tell w/ the naked eye on most images.

 

 

I think the D90 will increase your chances of getting a good quality picture vs the D60. Why? The D90 has a better AF system and better ISO performance. (those two features alone justfy the price) The larger LCD montor is very nice IMO. The smaller, lower qaulity LCD's drive me nuts. Many times I would think I had a perfect shot, only to find out later that it was sligtly out of focus or I missed something. If by chance you plan on useing any Nikon speedlights, I do believe the D90's on board flash can be used as a commander.

 

The D90 is getting rave reviews. Far a camera around $1000 I don't think you'll find anything better. The D90 IMO is the best camera for the buck on the market right now.

 

Though there are some really good deals being offered on the D60 right now. One thing you can always think about is the money saved on the body could be spent on glass.

I agree to Chad, it's not only IQ (which in my opinion is visibly better on the D90), but faster and much more reliable AF, better metering, AUTO-setting for d-lighting (great, works perfectly!), MUCH larger viewfinder (for this alone I would go for the D90), better handling (though a little bit larger, if that matters), AF with non-AF-S-lenses. If the difference in $$$ is bearable, in my personal opinion the D90 is a no-brainer compared to the D60.

Happy choosing, Holger

The D60 is a consumer camera and has few buttons. The 90 is like the 70. More controls that do not need menu calls. So it can be faster to use. Also I think it has a longer shutter life.

If in fact the D60 cannot AF w/ older lenses - then that is something to consider.

 

You can save a lot of money buying older lenses. There are a ton of amazing, but used, older lenses on the market. So while the D60 may be less expensive - the D90 could save you money in other ways.

Boy, I meant to say I would not purchase a body without a focus motor. The D60 like the D40x will not auto focus a lens without a motor, AF-S or similar. This means all the older AF-D lens will not auto focus. There are many used lens available that will auto focus with the D90. With the choice between these two I would go for the D90. Good big viewfinders can be very handy also.

There is an old adage. You pay now or you pay later. There is definitely a lot of difference between the D60 and D90

otherwise there will not be a price difference. There is a thread on the Nikon forum stating that the D90 actually create a

better image than the D300. So the D90 is really one of the top of the line cropped sensor Nikon DSLR. Where as the

D60 is the bottom of the line entry level DSLR for users that are moving up from a point and shoot.

 

D90 can take just about all the lenses Nikon offer and the D60 will only take a few AF-S lenses. The high ISO

performance is a lot better in the D90 versus the D60.

 

They are two very different cameras. You have to look at your budget and your desire to see which one you want.

On the dpreview site, the D300 has a nicer, sharper image, than the D90. These are RAW files, the D300 is on the right, the D90 on the left:<P>

 

<i><b>Copyrighted image deleted. Copying a photo from the dpreview site, which clearly posts its copyright info on every page, to a smugmug site and then posting it here DOES NOT invalidate or circumvent the copyright.</b> -- LJ</i>

A lot of great answers posted here. I was comfortable with the D60 as well for about 4 months. It's small, lightweight, very

capable and gets the job done. Its features and customizations are limited compared to the D90. That may be all you need and

that's OK, but I knew I wanted to branch out further. Until you start really shooting with the D90, you just can't appreciate how

extensively it can be tweaked it and how enjoyable it is to rely on its many upgrades while you shoot - like the prism viewfinder,

on-demand grid lines, live view, DOF preview, 3D tracking, high ISO performance, and especially the ability to change settings

using direct access buttons and an LCD window on top.

 

Is it worth the extra money? From a strictly technical standpoint, I expect image quality will be strikingly close with same lens,

except maybe for the low-light shots. So for some, the answer will be no. But for me, the decision to upgrade wasn't just about the cost-value of

incrementally better results. It was more about enjoying the entire process with fewer limitations and better ergonomics.

IQ up to about ISO 1000 is more about exposure and post editing than the camera body. Differences between D60 and D90 come from ergonomics, viewfinder, speed, reliability, flash control and AF-motor. How much this matters depends on what you shoot.

I would get a D90...it will have better IQ, though only slightly, but the reason I would is lens compatibility. Want Nikkor glass? We all do. Want to pay just a little less for it? Buy some of Nikon's amazing older AF-D lenses from the 80's and 90's. The D90 will autofocus those, while the D60 requires newer, and more expensive, AF-I and AF-S lenses. Pay now or pay later for sure. I got my D40x because I wanted a DSLR and it was all I could afford in a 10 MP. So many lenses I could have easily used with a D80...still, I'm very happy with my D40x, and my wife loves her D60.

Thanks everyone. For me "enjoying the entire process with fewer limitations and better ergonomics" is a big plus. I guess that answers that question.

<p>Thanks for an interesting discussion. I was thinking of getting a D60, but theD90 seems to have much better noise performance at ISO 800 and above. That is becoming very important to me since I often need to use a high shutter speed to counter shake. Carrying a tripod is not always an option when traveling with friends and family so it's VR and high ISO's.</p>