Buying Your First Digital SLR

Note: the camera recommendations here are a bit out of date now. The general information about photography still applies, but don’t rely solely on the outdated recommendations on this page.

You want a camera that provides better image quality than a little point-and-shoot but isn’t insanely complicated and expensive? You’re not alone.

I’ve written this guide to help you find one. If you read through this article (or at least pay attention while skimming it), you’ll have an idea of what you need to think about while shopping. You’ll also know a bit about the technical aspects of photography, and you’ll know where to buy camera stuff and what to look out for online. Finally, I’ve included some personal recommendations on cameras and lenses (though my primary objective is to help you make your own decisions about this!).

Just a note: this guide will include notes and personal recommendations about Nikon equipment, because that is what I have experience with. I can’t tell you many specifics about Canon’s equipment simply because I never (or rarely) use it. Canon and Nikon are both excellent brands, though; don’t hesitate to buy either. I’ll cover this more below in the “Nikon vs. Canon” section.

Comments and Feedback

I don’t think this article is finished yet. There are undoubtedly numerous points that I have left out or that I need to clarify. Please leave a comment on the article, or email me (contact info on my home page), if you think I can do something better!

This is a new article – thanks for helping me improve it.

Why a Digital SLR?

A DSLR provides these benefits compared to a point-and-shoot digital camera:

Higher overall image quality
Better performance in low light
Better control over the final image
Expandability (interchangeable lenses, flashes, etc.)

There are more advantages, but those are the basics, and those are what get people interested in digital SLRs. There are also a few (minor) drawbacks to DSLRs, though:

Size and weight (DSLRs are heavier and larger than point-and-shoots).
DSLRs are not as easy to carry or hide (when shopping, walking down the street, going to a concert, etc.)
Point-and-shoots are, generally speaking, more capable when it comes to video (though DSLRs are catching up rapidly).
With many DSLRs, you must look through the viewfinder – not the LCD screen – to take a photo. (This is changing with some newer cameras, but many slightly older cameras require that you use the viewfinder.)

None of these disadvantages should really make you stop considering a digital SLR. Trust me: once you have one, you will not regret it.

Camera & Lens Basics

You should know a few basics about some technical aspects of photography before you buy a camera and a lens. I’ll go over the most important factors to consider in this little crash course.

(If you already know about apertures, zoom vs. prime lenses, shutter speeds, ISO settings, and resolution, you can skip this section, but it’s recommended reading for anyone not totally confident in their knowledge on those topics.)

Some of these factors apply only to lenses, while some apply only to cameras (called “bodies” or “camera bodies”). A few apply to both your body and lens choices.

Focal Lengths

The focal length of a lens dictates the angle of view the lens will give you. The focal length is specified in millimeters.¹ A longer lens (100mm, for example) will give you a more zoomed-in view, while a shorter lens (24mm) gives a wider view.

There are a few terms used to describe categories of focal lengths:

“Ultrawide” lenses give you a very wide angle of view which can exaggerate distance and perspective.
“Wide” lenses give you a wider angle of view, generally without much distortion.
“Normal” lenses give an angle of view that more-or-less approximates how the human eye sees the scene.²
“Telephoto” lenses are longer than normal, but not outrageously long.
“Supertelephoto” lenses are very long and very expensive. They’re primarily used in sports and wildlife photography, where it’s hard or impossible to get very close to a subject.

On a digital camera,³ a 28 or 35mm focal length is a normal lens. Anything from 18-28mm is wide, and anything from 10-18mm is ultrawide. A 50mm lens is a short telephoto lens; the telephoto range extends to 200 or 300mm. Anything 300-400mm or greater is a supertelephoto lens.

Aperture

The aperture of a lens is a measure of how big its opening is (for light to get through to the camera) relative to its focal length⁴.

The aperture for a lens is stated in “f-numbers”. These are numbers that look like “f/2.8″, “f/4″, “f/3.5-4.5″, etc. A small f-number (f/2.8) represents a large opening. A small f-number is better than a large f-number (like f/8) because smaller f-numbers (larger openings) let more light into the camera. More light lets you use faster shutter speeds to prevent blurred images. More light also lets you use lower ISO settings (we’ll get to those in a moment).

Interestingly, smaller f-numbers (f/2.8) are also called “large” or “fast” apertures, because the diameter of the lens’s opening is large. Bigger f-numbers (like f/11) are called “slower” or “smaller” apertures. This can be counterintuitive, so you should make sure you understand this terminology.

Larger apertures (like f/2.8) allow you to put more of the background of a photo out-of-focus. This is because of the laws of optics; essentially, the light rays get more mixed up coming through a larger hole than a smaller one, and that lets less of the photo be in sharp focus.

Most prime lenses have very fast apertures of f/1.4 – f/2.8. (We’ll cover prime vs. zoom lenses in the next section.) Most consumer-level zoom lenses have apertures from f/3.5 – f/5.6, though some zoom lenses have slightly larger or smaller apertures. Professional zoom lenses usually have an aperture of f/2.8 and are horrendously expensive.

Consumer-level zoom lenses (what you’re most probably going to buy) typically have “variable” apertures. This means that as you zoom in, the lens’s aperture actually gets smaller (maybe from f/3.5 to f/4.5) and therefore lets in less light.

These lenses are designed with variable apertures because variable-aperture lenses are easier to design and manufacture. These zoom lenses will have apertures listed like “f/3.5-5.6″ and “f/2.8-4″ to indicate their largest and smallest apertures. The largest aperture (the smaller f-number) applies to the zoomed-out position; the smaller aperture applies to the zoomed-in position.

Zoom vs. Prime Lenses

People have a tendency to use the word “zoom” to describe any fairly long lens which lets you photograph things from far away. While that is a convenient term, it’s not actually (always) correct.

A zoom lens is a lens that lets you change its focal length to adjust for your distance from your subject. We’ll cover focal lengths in a moment; for now, just know that longer focal lengths (100mm) show a much more “zoomed in” photo than shorter focal lengths (24mm). (Basically, this means a zoom lens is a lens that actually lets you “zoom” in and out, like the lens in most point-and-shoot cameras.)

Almost all point-and-shoot cameras have zoom lenses that let you zoom in and out. But some lenses for digital SLRs are “prime” lenses, which have exactly one focal length, and thus only ever provide one angle of view. You cannot zoom in or out with a prime lens – what you see is exactly what you get. If you want to get closer, you have to physically move closer.

Zoom lenses have focal lengths listed as a range like “18-55mm”, while prime lenses’ focal lengths are listed like “18mm”.

Why would somebody want one of these less-versatile prime lenses? For an experienced photographer, they actually provide several advantages over zoom lenses:

Prime lenses are lighter-weight, smaller in size, and simpler in design than equivalent zoom lenses.
Prime lenses typically let in more light (they have larger apertures) than zoom lenses.
Prime lenses typically give better image quality than zoom lenses.

However, zoom lenses have the advantage of versatility and simplicity. I definitely recommend that you stick with zoom lenses for now (more recommendations later in this article). If you need a prime lens later, you’ll know. Don’t worry about them for now; just remember that a long lens isn’t necessarily a “zoom” lens.

ISO Sensitivity Settings

A digital camera has different levels of sensitivity to light. If this were not the case, you could only use a camera in either bright sunlight or inside a dark house. Digital SLRs allow you to change their light sensitivity to react to varying light conditions.

Sensitivity is set on your camera by changing the ISO number.⁵ Typically, these numbers range from 200 to 1600, and sometimes as low as 100 and as high as 3200. The higher the number, the more sensitive the camera is to light. Generally, ISO 200 or 400 is used outdoors; 400 or 800 in indoor lighting; and ISO 1000 to 1600 (or higher) are used in very dark settings.

But high ISOs aren’t always the best option. You should use the lowest ISO setting you can while still maintaining a fast shutter speed because higher ISOs increase the digital noise, “blotchiness”, and graininess in a photo. Remember, though, that using a shutter speed fast enough to prevent blur is much more important than using the lowest possible ISO value.

Each new generation of cameras gets better and better high-ISO performance. The Nikon D40 and D60 cameras, for example, perform well up to about ISO 1250 or 1600. The D70 is good up until about ISO 800 or 1000. Nikon’s newest D90 and D5000 are great at ISO 1600 and decent even at ISO 3200.

These cameras all have higher ISO settings, but you want to avoid them unless you won’t otherwise be able to get a photo. A grainy photo is much better than no photo at all.

Resolution/Megapixels

The number of megapixels for a camera measures the number of little light-gathering sites on the camera’s digital image sensor. The more light-gatherers there are, the higher resolution the output image file will be, and the larger you can print the photo.

Everybody knows about megapixels, and everybody pays a lot of attention to how many megapixels a camera has. Guess what?

It doesn’t matter. The Nikon D70, which I used for a very long time, was a 6 MP camera. Its images look beautiful, and I have made great 8×10 inch prints from that camera. Anything above 6 or 8 megapixels will be fine for most anything you probably want to do.⁶

Camera Body vs. The Lens

DSLRs are different from point-and-shoot cameras because the camera body and the lens are two entirely separate parts which you can interchange at will. This is a great feature, but it can be very confusing for newcomers to the SLR world.

The camera body is important because it does all the work of capturing and storing the image. The properties you need to worry about most here are:

ISO Settings: as discussed above, the camera’s ISO sensitivity settings are important. (Make sure to read the section on this topic above.)
Resolution: though this is no longer very important, it is something to keep in mind. (Make sure to read the section on this topic above.)
Feel: if you can go to a camera store and ask to try out a camera you are considering buying, do it! How the camera feels to you is important; if it’s comfortable and you enjoy looking through the viewfinder and using it, you’re more likely to use it for fun in the future.

The lens is, I would say, more important than the camera! The lens has to grab and focus light for your camera to capture it, and if the lens does a bad job, it doesn’t matter how fancy the camera body is. Important factors to consider when choosing a lens are:

Focal length range: consider, as discussed above, the sort of subjects you will be photographing, and choose an appropriate lens. As I said, you want to consider a zoom lens for versatility and not a prime lens. For general photos of your friends, flowers, scenery, etc., a lens that covers most of the 18-70mm range is good.
Aperture range: Faster lenses (smaller f-numbers) are better. (Read the discussion above for more info.) Most consumer zoom lenses, though, are in the f/3.5-5.6 range, so you needn’t worry about this too much. (Nikon did make an excellent 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5, which I highly recommend.)
Autofocus: You want an autofocus lens. For most of the consumer-level Nikons you’ll be considering, you’ll want a lens with “AF-S”.⁷ (The D90, D80, and D70 also support AF and AF-D lenses as well as AF-S.⁸)

Batteries

Any digital SLR sold today has a rechargeable battery. The battery and charger should come with the camera. You really don’t need to worry about this very much at all. (FYI: If any store tries to tell you that a new or refurbished Nikon or Canon camera does not include a bettery, ccharger, or neck strap, run. The store is a scam and is trying to rip you off.)

Some digital cameras have additional adapters or add-ons that allow you to use AA batteries in a pinch. You should not worry about these; they are rarely used and you’ll burn through a lot of batteries that way.⁹

Most point-and-shoots today also come with their own rechargeable batteries and chargers. Some still take AA-size batteries, though. A listing for a camera on a Web site might tell you if it takes AA batteries; if it doesn’t say anything, a quick Google search for “(camera model) batteries” will probably help.

New vs. Used vs. Refurbished Equipment

There is a huge market out there for used camera equipment, and you can find good deals on a lot of used equipment.

As a side note, all but one of the lenses I currently own were used when I bought them. I saved a lot of money this way; they’re all fairly expensive lenses. One DSLR I own right now was bought new; I bought the other refurbished.

When buying camera equipment, you have the option of buying things new, used, or refurbished.

New

New stuff from Nikon or Canon will work beautifully out of the box. It will come with a full warranty. It will come with an original box, manuals, and the like. It will, of course, be in pristine condition.

Newer products take some time to appear on the used and refurbished markets, of course, so newly-introduced lenses and cameras are typically only available new.

The only disadvantage to buying new is that it costs more than used or refurbished equipment.

Used

Used equipment can be a very good deal. There are some drawbacks, though: it probably does not include the original box or manuals and may not even include lens caps and other accessories. It might be in poorer condition than new equipment, it may not come with a warranty, and in some cases it might not even work correctly.

If you buy from a reputable store (which I will cover later), though, the seller will take steps to make sure these risks are minimized. They will be sure to state exactly what equipment is included. They will tell you what condition the equipment is in (and they’ll tell you if it’s broken – used equipment on reputable sites is assumed to be functional unless stated otherwise.). They may include some sort of third-party warranty (though I am usually wary of those)¹⁰. Finally, good stores always have very good customer service and a good return policy; if you’re not happy with your equipment, you can send it back.

If you buy a used camera, you have to be sure that you buy one that includes a neck strap, battery, and charger at the very least. A screen protector would also be good. A manual would be helpful, too, though you can find electronic copies easily on the Internet.

Refurbished

Refurbished or Recertified¹¹ equipment was sent back to the manufacturer for some reason. It was then fixed and inspected to be sure it works correctly.

Refurbished equipment typically works as well as new. It may have some superficial scratches, etc., but it will never have any major superficial damage. It typically comes with a more limited warranty than new products (Nikon-refurbished cameras come with a 90-day warranty). It includes all the accessories, etc. that the new equipment comes with.

If you buy refurbished equipment, make sure the refurbishment was done by the original manufacturer. It should be marked as such: “Nikon Recertified”, “Canon Refurbished”, “Manufacturer Refurbished”, or something similar. Don’t buy refurbished equipment if you can’t determine for sure that the manufacturer was the one who refurbished it.

Gray-Market/Imported Equipment

It is also possible to buy new “gray-market” or “imported” equipment. This is equipment that was brought to the US by a company other than the manufacturer’s official distributor.

All this camera equipment is typically manufactured over in Asia (I think Nikon and Canon are both Japanese companies), and the manufacturers have their own worldwide distribution networks set up. Some US companies import cameras and lenses from other countries independently to save some money, and they sell the equipment and pass the savings on to you. The equipment should always be sold as “gray market” or “imported”.

Buying gray-market equipment has significant disadvantages, though. The manufacturer doesn’t like this activity (they lose money on it), so the camera companies’ USA service locations refuse to repair or support any gray-market equipment. I recommend staying away from this equipment.

Where to Buy

First, a word of caution: be careful. There are many, many unscrupulous Web sites that will claim to have a camera in stock and take your money. Then, they’ll either claim the camera is out of stock, or they’ll claim that things like batteries, chargers, etc. aren’t included and try to make you pay more for them¹².

Always keep this in mind: if it sounds to good to be true, it is. If you find a store listing a camera or lens, especially a new one, for a much lower price than B&H or Adorama (see below), it is most probably a scam.

If you are considering buying from a store not listed here, always check it out at ResellerRatings first. ResellerRatings lets customers rate online stores, and a quick check there will often reveal many people who have had bad experiences with an unscrupulous camera store.

The following stores are stores I have used personally and recommend, except for the sections on eBay and Craigslist (which are here primarily as warnings).

Hint: Click on the large-lettered title of a section here to go to the relevant store!

B&H Photo-Video

This is one of the best stores out there. They are very well-known and have a stellar reputation. Their customer service is excellent, they have a good return policy, and they ship quickly. You cannot go wrong with them.

B&H and Adorama (below) are the two big New York camera stores, and they are two of the absolute best places to buy online. Their prices are good; you may find something a few dollars better elsewhere online, but it’s worth a little extra to buy from these two stores.

These two stores also set the standard for USA pricing. If you find a price way lower than you can find at B&H or Adorama, the low-price store is probably a scam.

B&H sells new, refurbished, gray-market, and used equipment; all their used, refurbished, and gray-market stuff is clearly marked as such.

Adorama

Adorama, along with B&H, is one of the best stores out there. I’ve dealt with their customer service on several occasions and been very satisfied. They are also well-known, and they have a great reputation.

Read all the good things I wrote about B&H (above); they all apply to Adorama, too.

Adorama sells new, refurbished, gray-market, and used equipment; all their used, refurbished, and gray-market stuff is clearly marked. Read their grading system for used equipment, though; it isn’t exactly intuitive, and could burn you if you don’t pay attention.

I bought one of my current cameras refurbished from Adorama.

Local Camera Stores

If you have a good local camera store anywhere near you, you should support it. I’m not talking about a chain store like Ritz Camera; I am talking about an independent, local store.

For example, I live about twenty minutes from a store called Huron Camera. It’s a great little camera store. The people there are very nice and helpful, and I’ve bought a few lenses from them. I had a problem with one once, and Huron Camera sent it back to the manufacturer for free to have it fixed. Their customer service is excellent. (If you live anywhere near Dexter, Michigan, you should check out huron Camera – it’s right on Main St. in Dexter.)

These stores are dying out, and I highly recommend that you support yours if there’s one near you.

KEH

KEH sells primarily used equipment, though they sell some new and refurbished stuff, too. They are located in Georgia. They are a very reputable store. I’ve dealt with their customer service a few times and was quite satisfied.

Their rating system is fairly conservative. (That’s a good thing!) I routinely buy lenses in BGN (bargain) condition from them and have yet to be disappointed.

As I mentioned above, make sure you know what you are getting. If you’re buying a lens, make sure KEH lists it as “with caps”, meaning it comes with lens caps. If you’re buying a camera, make sure it’s listed as “with strap, battery, charger” (or some abbreviations of those words; their descriptions can be somewhat cryptic).

Don’t hesitate to call their customer service if you have any questions at all; they are extremely helpful. The ordering process is almost smoother over the phone than it is over the Internet, too.

Avoid using the back button on their site or having multiple KEH tabs or windows open in your Web browser; their site gets confused pretty easily.¹³

Cameta Camera

Cameta Camera sells primarily used and refurbished equipment, though they sell plenty of new equipment as well. They are a good place; they always state exactly what they’re selling, and they have good customer service and shipping.

Their Web site is sort of hard to navigate, though. They also have an eBay store which is worth checking out.

I bought one of my current DSLRs new from Cameta.

Calumet

Calumet is another good store, though I have not done much business with them. They sell primarily new equipment. They are a reputable company, and their Web site is fairly easy to use.

(Generally) Avoid: Craigslist

You can sometimes find used cameras and lenses on Craigslist. This is often the least expensive of all these options, but it is also one of the highest-risk options. There is no warranty and no return policy. Refurbished or gray-market equipment may be misrepresented.

I have bought lenses from sellers on Craigslist before, but it might be best to go with somewhere more reputable for your first pieces of equipment.

Avoid: eBay

Avoid eBay.

There are two exceptions: KEH and Cameta both have eBay stores and auctions. Those two stores are trustworthy and legitimate.

KEH is on eBay here. Cameta is here.

There are a lot of scammers on eBay, and frankly it just isn’t worth the risk. There is often no warranty and no return policy. Refurbished or gray-market equipment may be misrepresented.

Paypal also has a bad reputation for causing all sorts of problems with major purchases.

Manufacturer vs. Third-Party Lenses

Nikon and Canon make top-notch lenses which are completely compatible with their cameras. There are also a number of third-party manufacturer who make lenses for various cameras. These manufacturers include Sigma, Tamron, and Tokina, among others.

In general, a third-party lens is not as good as the Nikon or Canon equivalent. There are a few exceptions, but very few apply to consumer zoom lenses.

There are some stellar third-party lenses and many sub-par ones. If you are considering one, I recommend that you research it first (I’ve provided some info on researching cameras and lenses below). I also recommend that you stick with Sigma, Tokina, or Tamron.

Stay away from Quantaray lenses and other no-name brands.

Researching Camera Equipment

Before you buy a camera or lens, you should so some research to make sure you have made a good selection.

There are a number of Web sites where you can find information and reviews of cameras and lenses. I’ll note the best ones here so you can make an informed decision.

DPReview.com does comprehensive reviews of DSLRs and point-and-shoot cameras. They do a lot of technical testing; you can skim through the very technical sections of each review and read the image quality and the conclusions sections. They also have a camera comparison tool which lets you compare various cameras side-by-side. Lately, DPReview has also been doing a number of lens reviews.

Photozone.de does lens reviews. They are an excellent and reliable source. Like DPReview, they do a lot of technical testing; you will mainly be interested int he example photos, conclusions, and recommendations for each review.

The Reviews section of Fred Miranda Forums is a good place to get many users’ reviews of almost any lens.

Reviews of cameras and lenses on B&H’s site, Adorama’s site, and Amazon.com can also be helpful.

Photo.net has reviews of some cameras and lenses. Their forums are also a valuable source of information.

Browsing through groups and discussions on Flickr can also be useful, and a simple Google search for “(lens name) reviews” or “(camera name) reviews” can also help.

Nikon vs. Canon

Nikon and Canon are the two biggest digital SLR makers in the world.

It doesn’t really matter which you pick. The two are essentially equal: one might move ahead with some cool camera or lens, but the other will generally then take its turn and outdo the first. There is no significant difference between systems until you start talking about really expensive cameras and lenses.

They are both good companies who make good products, and all their DSLRs and lenses will take good photos. If you don’t already have money invested in lenses or cameras for one system (which you probably don’t, or you wouldn’t be reading this), you should not worry about the manufacturer when choosing a first camera and lens (as long as the camera and lens were made by the same company – Canon and Nikon equipment is not interchangeable).

Video

Point-and-shoot cameras can take video. Cell phones can take video. But, surprisingly, only a few recent DSLRs can take video.

This is because of how SLR cameras work. I won’t go into the those details here¹⁴, but I will mention video. The newer Nikon D5000 and D90 can take video, and they are the on the consumer-level end of Nikon’s camera line. Canon’s T1i can take video, and it’s on the consumer level as well.¹⁵

Canon’s T1i can autofocus during video recording, but not very well except in good light. The Nikon D90 and D5000 cannot autofocus during video. This is not a big deal, though; you will hear the autofocus mechanism in the video from Canon’s camera, anyway, and manually focusing video gives you much more control.

I don’t personally know enough about the details of each of these cameras to elaborate further, but it’s something to consider.

Along the same lines: check whether any camera you’re considering offers Live View. This feature lets you compose a photo using the LCD screen on the back of the camera instead of looking through the viewfinder. This may ease the transition from a point-and-shoot, and it could be convenient in some circumstances.¹⁶ Live view should not be a major concern in choosing a camera; the viewfinder works just fine. All the same, you should consider Live View at least in passing.

The Nikon D90 and D5000, as well as many other new Nikon cameras (currently all higher-end, expensive models), have Live View. The Canon T1i also has Live View; I’m not sure which other Canon cameras do.

Vibration Reduction

Vibration Reduction (abbreviated VR) is a feature built into some lenses. VR senses and corrects for small vibrations when you are holding the lens. This helps you get good, non-blurry images in low light conditions.

Canon calls this feature Image Stabilization (IS) in their lenses; Nikon’s VR and Canon’s IS are the same thing.

Nikon’s newer 18-55mm lenses, which I recommend below, have VR built in. None of the other lenses I recommend below have this feature.

This is something that’s nice to have, especially in lenses with slow apertures, but it’s not essential. Don’t worry about this too much.

Camera Recommendations (Nikon)

Note: the camera recommendations here are a bit out of date now. The general information about photography still applies, but don’t rely solely on the outdated recommendations on this page.

First and foremost, I do not discourage you from buying a Canon camera! I hope to add some information about Canon’s cameras here in the future or at least to add some links to sites where you can learn about cameras.¹⁷

I will try to keep these recommendations up-to-date. However, the camera world channges quickly, so you should always double-check with your own research before buying one of these cameras.

Essentially, Nikon has two lower-end (consumer-level) product lines. There is the D40/D60/D5000 line, and then there is the D70/D80/D90 line. The second line adds some features for advanced amateurs such as additional buttons and wheels, slightly faster continuous shooting rates¹⁸, more advanced autofocus options, and higher price tags.

On a budget, I would definitely recommend the Nikon D60. It is available used (or recently, refurbished at Adorama – highly recommended) for a very reasonable price, and with a good lens it is a great, lightweight camera. Moving up, a Nikon D80 or D5000 would be an excellent choice – you’ll need to decide whether the D5000′s newer image sensor, better high-ISO performance, and video capability outweigh a used D80′s slightly lower price tag and more advanced control buttons and wheels. (Realistically, at this price point, the D5000 is probably the better choice, but the D80 is still a capable camera.)

Finally, the Nikon D90 is a wonderful camera, though it’s definitely at the expensive end of this price range. You will more than likely be very happy with a Nikon D60, so I wouldn’t really recommend spending the money on anything much more expensive until you’re really sure you need it.

Lens Recommendations (Nikon)

Note: the lens recommendations here are a bit out of date now. The general information about photography still applies, but don’t rely solely on the outdated recommendations on this page.

(Again, I do not discourage you from buying Canon cameras and lenses! Canon is a fantastic camera company as well. I can only recommend equipment I have personal experience with, though, so I’ll write about Nikon here.)

The Nikon D70/80/90 and above can autofocus with a broader spectrum of lenses than can the D60 and D5000. I’ll concentrate here on lenses fully compatible with the D60 and D5000 (and all other Nikon DSLRs). If you plan to do your own research (which you should), you need to know that only AF-S¹⁹ lenses are totally compatible with the D60 and D5000.

I am going to recommend a few good consumer-level zoom lenses in the wide-to-normal focal length category. This is the sort of lens you will be used to, coming from a point-and-shoot, and this is the sort of lens you will probably find most useful in most situations.

The standard “kit” lens with most of these cameras is the Nikon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6. This is generally a very good lens, but note that its aperture is a little bit slow. Still, you would probably be happy with this as a starter lens.

For a little bit more versatility, the older Nikon 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5 is an excellent lens. I used this lens personally for a long time and was very happy with it! It has a longer range and faster aperture than the 18-55mm. I can definitely recommend that you buy a used copy of this lens (from somewhere reputable, of course, as I described above). In fact, I recommend this lens more highly than the 18-55mm I mentioned above. Buy a refurbished 18-70mm if you can find it, though I’ve no idea whether Nikon is refurbishing these at this time.

In lower light, you generally need a lens with a very fast aperture, like f/1.8. Nikon just recently introduced the 35mm f/1.8 AF-S for just this purpose. It is an excellent and fast normal lens for Nikon DSLRs.

Point-And-Shoots

I would love to write a little bit here about point-and-shoot cameras, but that world changes so rapidly (I think camera manufacturers come out with new ones twice a year!) that there’s no way I can keep up with it.

If you are looking to buy one, the Canon ones are generally well-regarded, as are the Casio cameras. If you’re looking for a point-and-shoot with more advanced manual controls, the Canon G-series is excellent.

When comparing and shopping for these cameras, all the topics I’ve discussed here (where to buy, basic photography, etc.) still apply.

Read the Manual

Please, once you get your camera, read at least the introductory sections of the manual. This will save you a lot of trouble and many questions down the road!

It’s worth the time, trust me.

Footnotes

In technical terms, the focal length of a lens is the distance from the camera’s film plane (or digital image sensor) to the optical center of the lens. [↩]
Technically, the normal focal length for a camera equals the diagonal measurement across the film or digital image sensor. [↩]
These focal length terms actually apply only to most digital cameras. Some cameras have larger digital image sensors which change the perspective offered by a lens. However, these cameras are very expensive (many thousands of dollars) and are not what you’re looking to buy. [↩]
Aperture = focal length / opening diameter; typically, focal length and the diameter are specified in millimeters. Aperture numbers themselves do not have units. [↩]
If you have used a film camera, you may remember that film speed is also stated in ISO. ISO values are also the same as old ASA values. [↩]
If you really are planning to make poster-sized prints, that’s a different – and expensive – matter. [↩]
Consumer-level Nikons are also compatible with AF-I lenses, but these are older, rare, and generally expensive; don’t worry about them. These cameras also support AI-P lenses, which do not autofocus on any camera. Again, these are very specialized lenses, so don’t worry about them. [↩]
The D90/D80/D70 also support AF-I and AI-P lenses. AF-I lenses are older, rare, and generally expensive; don’t worry about them. AI-P lenses are specialty products and never autofocus; don’t worry about them, either. [↩]
AA battery adapters typically are used with higher-end cameras, anyway. [↩]
I have heard some good things about Mack extended/addon warranties, but I have no firsthand experience and I am wary of recommending them. [↩]
Nikon calls their refurbished equipment “recertified” and sells it in gray instead of gold boxes. I’m not sure what Canon does. [↩]
There are a number of other scams; these are the two biggest. Use common sense and the tips I present here to avoid being scammed. [↩]
I think it has gotten better lately, but you should still be careful. Never use the back button during the checkout process on any site. [↩]
The mirror and shutter in an SLR are in the way of the image sensor; they must be held up for long periods of time in order to take video. Also, until recently, DSLR image sensors were simply not designed for continuous use. [↩]
Canon’s 5D Mark II can also take video, but it is a $2600 camera. [↩]
Personally, I never use Live View. You might find it useful, though! [↩]
If you are a Canon expert and you would like to contribute knowledge to this page, I would appreciate it! [↩]
Continuous shooting rate is the rate at which the camera can take photos if you hold the shutter release button down. This is not of much concern to you; the differences at this end of the digital SLR spectrum are minimal. [↩]
Both AF-S and AF-I type lenses are fully compatible with the D60 and D5000, but AF-I lenses are older, rare, and generally quite expensive. [↩]