Nikon D60 or Sony A200?

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I don't have much of a budget for a DSLR but I have found two cameras in my price range the Nikon D60 or the Sony A200.

I am looking for some advice. What camera would be your choice?

Thanks.
 
I have gone from the Sony Cybershot DSC-W80 to the Sony A200...last weekend!

I have always used a Sony so I kept with it, plus I liked the price of the A200 has its been replaced by the A230 now... I'm sure you can find them online but by the time I made up my mind the Sony shops who were selling them at the lowest price of £279 had sold out.... I got the last boxed one in an independant store but it was more expensive there but not so that it would change my mind. I was tempted to go Nikon or Canon as clearly these are the most popular choices.... the main thing I was told was to hold them and see how they feel and to look at the menu to see how to navigate... then the other thing is lens prices etc for later...

I can say I'm not disappointed with the A200, I'm glued to it and my hubby has already commented on his decline in the pecking order... his fault though as he suggested I got a better camera as I seemed so into improving my photos etc.
I am no guru, just my own opinion!!
 
i own an a300 and i must say i am impressed with the sony system, sure we dont have many lenses but neither did canon or nikon when they first started not to mention the need to have over 60 lenses is ridiculous. sony is a brilliant camera manufactuer and i do not regret my purchase.

try and get the twin lens kit for more creativity and the 50mm f1.8 has just came out so that might be worth getting.
 
Didn't know they still made the a200. I thought it was replaced by the Sony a230.

Anyway I would be buying the Nikon D60 over it anyway. :)
 
if you get the nikon one, because it's a more popular brand, second hand lenses and accessories are more available, and you're more likely to have friends that you can swop/borrow gear with!

If price is an issue, maybe consider the D40 or d40x instead of the d60...
 
if you get the nikon one, because it's a more popular brand, second hand lenses and accessories are more available,
better s/h lens availability isn't true of the D60 - it needs lenses with in-lens motors for AF whereas the A200 supports both screw & in-lens AF.

Whilst I doubt that there is much difference in actual image output between them at current pricing levels the A200 makes the D60 look overpriced.
having said that the op ought to try handling both to find out which feels the most natural to him as that's probably more important.
 
The 200 is a nice camera. My dad uses one, gets on pretty well with it. I think built in image stabilisation is a great feature. If you wanted that with Nikon you'd have to buy every lens with that in mind, and my god would that cost you.
Have you held them both? Despite all the positives of the a200 I personally find it rather uncomfortable to hold and use
 
Having owned both Sony and Nikon cameras I understand there are benefits of both

Nikon - can get hold of rental lenses, if you plan to throw lots of money into photography, the top of the range Nikon kit is fantastic.

Sony - in camera VR, lots of old minolta lenses available.

I would say that if you are a keen amateur on a budget I would go for the Sony. Together with somthing like a Sigma 24-70 2.8 and a Minolta 70-210 F4 (beercan) you can have a decent focal range, image stabilised and sharp, relatively fast lenses for a resonable price. That is just not an option with Nikon or Canon.
 
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