Canon D60 vs Nikon D40

The Canon EOS-D60 and the Nikon D40 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in February 2002 and November 2006. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 6.3 megapixels, whereas the Nikon provides 6 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Canon D60		Nikon D40
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF mount lenses		Nikon F mount lenses
6.3 MP – APS-C sensor		6 MP – APS-C sensor
no Video		no Video
ISO 100-1,000		ISO 200-1,600 (200 - 3,200)
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
1.8" LCD – 114k dots		2.5" LCD – 230k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
3 shutter flaps per second		2.5 shutter flaps per second
620 shots per battery charge		470 shots per battery charge
150 x 107 x 75 mm, 855 g		124 x 94 x 64 mm, 522 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS-D60 and the Nikon D40? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Canon D60 and the Nikon D40. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Nikon D40 is notably smaller (27 percent) than the Canon D60. Moreover, the D40 is substantially lighter (39 percent) than the D60. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the D60 nor the D40 are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Yet, since both cameras are based around an APS-C sensor, their respective lenses will tend to have similar dimensions and heft. You can compare the optics available for the two cameras in the Canon EF Lens Catalog (D60) and the Nikon Lens Catalog (D40).

Concerning battery life, the D60 gets 620 shots out of its Canon BP-511 battery, while the D40 can take 470 images on a single charge of its Nikon EN-EL9 power pack.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon D60	150 mm	107 mm	75 mm	855 g	620	n	Feb 2002	US$ 2 999	ebay.com
2.		Nikon D40	124 mm	94 mm	64 mm	522 g	470	n	Nov 2006	US$ 499	ebay.com
3.		Canon 10D	150 mm	107 mm	75 mm	850 g	500	n	Feb 2003	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
4.		Canon 20D	144 mm	106 mm	72 mm	770 g	700	n	Aug 2004	US$ 1 499	ebay.com
5.		Canon 30D	144 mm	106 mm	74 mm	785 g	750	n	Feb 2006	US$ 1 399	ebay.com
6.		Canon 40D	146 mm	108 mm	74 mm	822 g	750	n	Aug 2007	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
7.		Canon D30	150 mm	107 mm	75 mm	750 g	540	n	May 2000	US$ 2 999	ebay.com
8.		Canon Rebel	142 mm	99 mm	72 mm	649 g	400	n	Aug 2003	US$ 899	ebay.com
9.		Canon T7	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	475 g	500	n	Feb 2018	US$ 449	amazon.com
10.		Canon XC10	125 mm	102 mm	122 mm	1040 g	370	n	Apr 2015	US$ 2 499	ebay.com
11.		Contax N Digital	152 mm	138 mm	80 mm	990 g	100	n	Feb 2002	US$ 7 399	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D40X	124 mm	94 mm	64 mm	522 g	520	n	Mar 2007	US$ 729	ebay.com
13.		Nikon D50	133 mm	102 mm	76 mm	620 g	400	n	Apr 2005	US$ 749	ebay.com
14.		Nikon D100	144 mm	116 mm	81 mm	780 g	370	n	Feb 2002	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
15.		Nikon D3100	124 mm	96 mm	75 mm	505 g	550	n	Aug 2010	US$ 599	ebay.com
16.		Nikon D3300	124 mm	98 mm	76 mm	430 g	700	n	Jan 2014	US$ 499	ebay.com
17.		Nikon D3400	124 mm	98 mm	76 mm	445 g	1200	n	Aug 2016	US$ 499	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The D40 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 83 percent) than the D60, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the D40 is 8 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have format factors, respectively, of 1.6 (D60) and 1.5. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Despite having a smaller sensor, the Canon D60 offers a higher resolution of 6.3 megapixels, compared with 6 MP of the Nikon D40. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 7.38μm versus 7.85μm for the D40). Moreover, it should be noted that the D40 is much more recent (by 4 years and 8 months) than the D60, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units.

The Canon EOS-D60 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 1000. The corresponding ISO settings for the Nikon D40 are ISO 200 to ISO 1600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 200-3200.

In terms of underlying technology, the D60 is build around a CMOS sensor, while the D40 uses a CCD imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon D60	APS-C	6.3	3072	2048	none	20.3	9.8	301	47
2.		Nikon D40	APS-C	6.0	3008	2000	none	21.0	11.0	561	56
3.		Canon 10D	APS-C	6.3	3072	2048	none	21.1	10.9	571	57
4.		Canon 20D	APS-C	8.2	3504	2336	none	21.9	11.0	721	62
5.		Canon 30D	APS-C	8.2	3504	2336	none	21.5	10.8	736	59
6.		Canon 40D	APS-C	10.1	3888	2592	none	22.1	11.3	703	64
7.		Canon D30	APS-C	3.1	2160	1440	none	..	..	..	..
8.		Canon Rebel	APS-C	6.3	3072	2048	none	21.0	10.8	544	55
9.		Canon T7	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	23.8	13.3	1684	81
10.		Canon XC10	1-inch	12.0	4000	3000	4K/30p	21.7	11.8	197	61
11.		Contax N Digital	Full Frame	6.1	3040	2008	none	21.5	10.5	1283	59
12.		Nikon D40X	APS-C	10.0	3872	2592	none	22.4	11.4	516	63
13.		Nikon D50	APS-C	6.0	3008	2000	none	20.9	10.8	560	55
14.		Nikon D100	APS-C	6.0	3008	2000	none	20.4	9.9	394	48
15.		Nikon D3100	APS-C	14.2	4608	3072	1080/24p	22.5	11.3	919	67
16.		Nikon D3300	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.3	12.8	1385	82
17.		Nikon D3400	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.8	13.9	1192	86
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The D60 and the D40 are similar in the sense that both have an optical viewfinder. The latter is useful for getting a clear image for framing even in brightly lit environments. The viewfinders of both cameras offer the same field of view (95%), but the viewfinder of the D60 has a higher magnification than the one of the D40 (0.54x vs 0.53x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon D60 and Nikon D40 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Canon D60	optical	Y	1.8 / 114	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
2.		Nikon D40	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
3.		Canon 10D	optical	Y	1.8 / 118	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon 20D	optical	Y	1.8 / 118	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon 30D	optical	Y	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	n
6.		Canon 40D	optical	Y	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.5/s	Y	n
7.		Canon D30	optical	Y	1.8 / 114	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
8.		Canon Rebel	optical	n	1.8 / 118	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
9.		Canon T7	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
10.		Canon XC10	none	n	3.0 / 1030	tilting	Y	1/2000s	3.8/s	n	Y
11.		Contax N Digital	optical	Y	2.0 / 200	fixed	n	1/8000s	4.0/s	n	n
12.		Nikon D40X	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
13.		Nikon D50	optical	n	2.0 / 130	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
14.		Nikon D100	optical	Y	1.8 / 118	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
15.		Nikon D3100	optical	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
16.		Nikon D3300	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
17.		Nikon D3400	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that is present on the D60, but is missing on the D40 is a top-level LCD. While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.

The D60 writes its imaging data to Compact Flash cards, while the D40 uses SDHC cards.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon EOS-D60 and Nikon D40 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Canon D60	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
2.		Nikon D40	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon 10D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
4.		Canon 20D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
5.		Canon 30D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Canon 40D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Canon D30	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.0	-	-	-
8.		Canon Rebel	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
9.		Canon T7	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Canon XC10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Contax N Digital	Y	- / -	-	-	-	FW	-	-	-
12.		Nikon D40X	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Nikon D50	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Nikon D100	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
15.		Nikon D3100	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Nikon D3300	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Nikon D3400	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	Y

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Canon D60 (unlike the D40) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the D60 and the D40 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The D60 was replaced by the Canon 10D, while the D40 was followed by the Nikon D40X. Further information on the features and operation of the D60 and D40 can be found, respectively, in the Canon D60 Manual (free pdf) or the online Nikon D40 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon D60 and the Nikon D40? Which camera is better? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS-D60:

• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.54x vs 0.53x).
• Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (3 vs 2.5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (620 versus 470) on a single battery charge.
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in February 2002).

Advantages of the Nikon D40:

• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (2.5" vs 1.8") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (230k vs 114k dots).
• More compact: Is smaller (124x94mm vs 150x107mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 333g or 39 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (2.0 vs 1.1).
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (83 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 4 years and 8 months of technical progress since the D60 launch.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the D40 comes out slightly ahead of the D60 (7 : 6 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon D60 and the Nikon D40 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the D60 and the D40 in practical situations. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon D60	..	..	..	+ +	o	..	Feb 2002	US$ 2 999	ebay.com
2.		Nikon D40	..	81/100	..	+ +	o	4.5/5	Nov 2006	US$ 499	ebay.com
3.		Canon 10D	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Feb 2003	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
4.		Canon 20D	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Aug 2004	US$ 1 499	ebay.com
5.		Canon 30D	..	+ +	..	+ +	o	..	Feb 2006	US$ 1 399	ebay.com
6.		Canon 40D	..	+ +	..	+ +	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2007	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
7.		Canon D30	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	May 2000	US$ 2 999	ebay.com
8.		Canon Rebel	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Aug 2003	US$ 899	ebay.com
9.		Canon T7	..	o	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	US$ 449	amazon.com
10.		Canon XC10	..	..	..	80/100	..	..	Apr 2015	US$ 2 499	ebay.com
11.		Contax N Digital	..	..	..	..	..	..	Feb 2002	US$ 7 399	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D40X	..	79/100	..	+ +	4/5	4/5	Mar 2007	US$ 729	ebay.com
13.		Nikon D50	..	78/100	..	+ +	4/5	4.5/5	Apr 2005	US$ 749	ebay.com
14.		Nikon D100	..	..	..	+ +	o	..	Feb 2002	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
15.		Nikon D3100	5/5	+ +	..	72/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2010	US$ 599	ebay.com
16.		Nikon D3300	3/5	+	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2014	US$ 499	ebay.com
17.		Nikon D3400	4/5	+	4/5	76/100	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2016	US$ 499	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make your choice using the following search menu. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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