Nikon D60 (with 18mm-55mm lens)

Pros: The camera produces crisp images and colors that are very nearly on par with 35mm for most use in my estimation. The body is lightweight, but at the same time feels well constructed. The menus are fairly well thought out and easy to navigate.

Cons: LIke all DSLRs, the lenses and flashes are expensive for the units that you want to use.

Summary: Coming from using a Canon 35mm SLR in the past, I was hesitant to switch to Nikon due to brand loyalty. I had read reviews of Nikon cameras in the past, but still did not know if I wanted to switch.

After reading reviews of the D60, I decided to take a chance. That and the fact that a close friend had a Canon. He said that if I got a Canon, we could swap lenses as needed between them. Knowing what can happen with the best of intentions, that was the deciding factor in going with the Nikon.

I am very glad that I decided to choose the Nikon. The image quality for an "entry level" DLSR is much better than I would have hoped. The colors are much better represented than other point and shoot digital cameras that I have used.

I am not saying that the D60 will surpass a 35mm SLR, but for that price point and the convenience of digital it is hard to beat with its features. While the LCD on the back is 2.5 inches vs. 3 for many other cameras, I do not find this to be a deal breaker.

The LCD on the D60 shuts off when you raise the body to your eye to look through the view finder. This not only saves battery power, but is very useful in low light settings.

I have also found that the Nikon VR lenses are very easy to use and also have advanced features such as image stabilization. This is very useful especially with longer focal lengths.

All in all, IMHO this is a nifty DLSR for the price. There are features offered on more expensive units, but they are also much more expensive. The D60 is generally about a $750 with most lens packages. In my opinion, you would have to spend two to three times the cost of the D60 to get useful features and performance. That kind of money is not entry level in my book.