Hi All

Bought a Nikon D60 two weeks ago. It went wrong, and so I took it back and got a replacement.

Same thing happened (flickering LCD screen), so I got my money back.

Decided I couldn't go wrong with a Nikon D80 (tried and tested, software probably solid by now). Bought one. Sensor has 'stuck pixels' all over it. Sending it back to Warehouse Express today.

Jessops and Warehouse Express have been superb - replacing/refunding without question.

Three cameras in two weeks? Just thought I'd have a moan really, and this seems to be the right place to do it.

Glad I got that off my chest.  

By the way, always remember the following when you're trying out your new camera:

• don't open the software straight away (easy for Nikon owners, as the software they supply with their cameras is a bunch of Alpha Romeo Sierra Echo)
• keep all packaging

Even though you have the right to your money back if it goes wrong, not following the above could cause a bit of argument if you have to get a refund.

Wow, sounds like you've had a spell of bad luck.  I'm happy that you seem to be getting things sorted without any trouble though.  I used to throw boxes away, packaging etc, but now, like you, I keep them for a few months at least.  This was certainly in my favour when I took my printer back to PC World after 3 weeks, they refunded it without even looking in the box!

Is the screen problem well known with the D60? It's hard to believe that you have the only two!  By stick pixels do you mean hot pixels?

Hi Martin

I found a thread where a number of people have had the issue:

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1034&message=27549539

I also contacted a few D60 owners through flickr, none of whom had the same problem. Interestingly, when I emailed Nikon service department when the second one went wrong, they didn't offer any suggestions, just asked me to write to them if they thought it was a design flaw. I rang them directly to discuss, and the service guy reckoned he'd never heard of the issue. In the end, I figured I'd get my money back and buy another one in a few weeks - possibly just a bad batch.

I was OK with the D80 going back, actually. I was really annoyed when I saw the white spots in the same place in all the photos, but on reflection I preferred the handling on the D60. The D80 is too big to carry around. I played with the wireless flash, which was interesting, but not a big thing in my opinion.

There are hassles with the D60 as regards prime lenses not autofocusing, but I can live with that until Nikon upgrade their lenses. I'll just hold fire for a while, and then get another D60.

Most of my photography is done while travelling to work and back, so if I have a lot of papers in my briefcase, then I can't do any photography that day. So the size of the D60 was realy appealing. I liked the menu access to functions, and preferred that to all the buttons on the D80. Picture quality on the D60 was excellent, which is one of the most important things.

Cheers

sue allen:

It's just nature's way of telling you to go Canon

You've kind of done the opposite to me then chris

I thought the D40 to be too small, and hated trawling through the menus so got a D200 and fitted a Battery grip to it.

It may not have improved my photography, but I prefer to use it. Though I do appreciate that the D40 could be of use in some instances, though I just find it even more fiddly now, almost like a toy!

Each to his own though! I can also see why you prefer the smaller body.

Hi Adrian

Small is definitely the way to go for me.Lots of magazines moan about menu access to functions, but I actually found the D80 had too many buttons! I didn't like the forward command wheel under the shuter release for altering aperture - preferred pressing the button next to the release on the D60 and using the thumbwheel at the back.

My D50 was halfway between the two - some buttons, some menu. The ideal for me is the 'Quick Info' menu on the D60.

Also, the image quality on the D60 is preferable to me - seems to be a wider dynamic range. The D80 was very similar to the D50 - white's bleached out quickly, and shadows darkened too much. Not that I'm knocking the D50 - it's done me proud for a fair while.

My new D60 arrived this morning (one more try!), and the battery is charging. Hopefully I'll be taking pictures again soon.

By the way, Adrian, that was a great shot in this month's magazine.

Cheers

Boltondave:

sue allen:

It's just nature's way of telling you to go Canon

More like "Got a niggle with digital? Go mechanical."

Compromise then - a mechanical Canon

Without doubt, my biggest learning period in photography was when I had a Pentax MF. It was secondhand, cheaper than an ME Super because the AF gubbins had stopped working.

Using film again would be great fun, but I just don't have time nowadays. Developing and scanning/printing would take too much time.

As regards size, I just compared my new D60 (all seems to be working so far, fingers crossed!) to my Pentax MZ-50. Same size, more or less. Slightly larger than the Pentax MF. However, it has things that the other two don't:

• spot metering
• digital advantages - instant playback via LCD, white balance, changeable ISO (can't really fault the film cameras for this)
• faster frames per second (what I'm going to do with that, I don't know)

So digital has caught up, just about, in my book.  

And there I was going to say forget the CANIKON and try a Pentax, I had a touchyfeely play with both the K20 and the K200D the other day, and believe it or not I preferred the feel of the K200, I know it's the more basic of the 2 but is considerably cheaper, uses AA batteries and just felt more comfortable in the hands so hopefully I will get one soonish (just had to pay to get car through MOT)

Working on the theory I can always upgrade the body if need be, and I know there aren't as many lenses out there for Pentax as there for the CANIKONS but I am led to believe from speaking to people, reviews etc that the Pentax lenses are almost 2nd to none apart from the really expnesive L series etc.....I guess that goes with their history though as I think Pentax are the oldest in the market (or so I read but I may be wrong on that)

I also noted how Pentax are really moving forward. I would consider buying one if I didn't have so much Nikon kit.

I looked on the Pentax site, and it says 'Compatible with any PENTAX lens ever produced' on the page showing the K200D spec. There's plenty of kit out there that's very affordable, something I made the most of when I had the MF. Certainly, you'll be able to pick up some great primes at knock down prices.

Many people prefer the K10/20 due to it's weather sealing and durability, which is supposed to be very good. However, I've never thrown my camera out the window or dropped it in the bath, so I go for the cheaper models.  

Thanks chris.

As to the dynamic range, I thought the D60/D80/D200 all had the same sensor?

chris@seary.com:

I looked on the Pentax site, and it says 'Compatible with any PENTAX lens ever produced' on the page showing the K200D spec. There's plenty of kit out there that's very affordable, something I made the most of when I had the MF. Certainly, you'll be able to pick up some great primes at knock down prices.

Many people prefer the K10/20 due to it's weather sealing and durability, which is supposed to be very good. However, I've never thrown my camera out the window or dropped it in the bath, so I go for the cheaper models.  

And this is what I liked about it Chris, and also the K200 still has 60 or so weather seals anyway as opposed to the 72 on the K10/20 handy for if you're out in the rain and forgotten your sandwich bag...And all those KA mount lenses out there ok with some limitations but is that any different to the D40/D40X/D60 lens "issues" just need to save the pennies now as the car cost the same to put right as K200 with kit lens would cost me......

adesw:

Thanks chris.

As to the dynamic range, I thought the D60/D80/D200 all had the same sensor?

Probably, but perhaps the software is different? There's definitely a different feel to the photos. Perhaps something to do with this EXPEED stuff?

chris@seary.com:

adesw:

Thanks chris.

As to the dynamic range, I thought the D60/D80/D200 all had the same sensor?

Probably, but perhaps the software is different? There's definitely a different feel to the photos. Perhaps something to do with this EXPEED stuff?

Could be.

I remember reading a while ago that some people hate the way that the D80 shows colours. it apparently looks over electronic, but I've never used one so I can't comment.

just out of interest, what was wrong with the D50?