With their higher price tags and long lines of add-on accessories--i.e. lenses and flashes--midrange digital single-lens reflex (D-SLR) cameras are big business for Canon and Nikon. Those cameras--including the Canon 450D and the Nikon D60--also offer you a number of features superior to point-and-shoot cameras without the price tag of a professional grade D-SLR.
Megapixels
In its 2008 how-to guide on selecting a digital camera, Target suggests using cameras with six or more megapixels for printing 8-by-10-inch prints or larger and for photos with fine details. Both the 450D--12.2 megapixels--and the D60--10.2 megapixels--far exceed this recommendation.
LCD
The LCD on a camera serves two main purposes--lining up your photo without using your viewfinder and reviewing your photos right after you snap them. The D60 has a 2.5-inch LCD, while the 450D has a slightly larger 3-inch LCD. Both have 230,000 pixels for optimal viewing.
Rechargeable Battery
For cameras as powerful as, and with as many features as D-SLRs have, it is important to have a powerful battery that won't run out of power right away. Both the 450D and the D60 come with a rechargeable Lithium-ion battery pack. In mild temperatures, the 450D's battery--the LP-E5--can take up to 600 photos between charges if you don't use any flash, or up to 500 photos using minimal flash. The D60's battery--the EN-E19--is good for up to 500 photos between charges under the same conditions.
Quick Shooting
D-SLRs separate themselves from their point-and-shoot counterparts by their ability to take a lot of photos quickly. The more frames per second a camera can shoot, the better it will be for fast-moving subjects, including sports and children. The 450D can shoot up to 3.5 frames per second and can continue that shooting burst for up to 53 photos. The D60 can shoot up to three frames per second and can continue that burst for up to 100 photos.
Supplied Accessories
Both the 450D and the D60 are sold in kits that include the camera and a number of accessories. Both packages come with the camera itself, an 18-to-55 mm lens, an eyecup for the viewfinder, a shoulder strap, USB cable, rechargeable battery pack, a battery charger, manuals and software for your computer. The D60 also comes with a cap to protect the camera's body, another cap to protect the eyepiece and an accessory shoe cover
Price as of 2009
As a mid-range D-SLR camera, the D60 in 2009 carries an estimated price tag of $649.95, which includes the camera body, the accessory kit and an AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-to-55 mm lens with vibration reduction. The 450D carries an estimated price tag of $749.99, which includes the camera body, the accessory kit and EF-S 18-to-55 mm lens with optical image stabilization.
Tags: 18-to-55 lens, camera body, frames second, 18-to-55 lens with, battery pack, between charges, body accessory