Value D-SLR choices, is there a clear winner these days?
There is no clear winner. All brands of dSLRs (current models) take great pics. It now boils down to the features, the pros and cons of each, ease of use, how it feels in your hands etc. I shoot Sony A700, chose it for the steady shot built in because I wanted stable primes for low light shooting. I can’t get that with Nikon or Canon. Some choose the A300 or 350 because it has the best live view. Canon and Nikon are the coke and pepsi of the dSLR world, you can get just about anything for them just about anywhere. Read more reviews online, and seek out actual images from these cameras. I wish I could point to one and say this is the best, but I’d be lying.
So the Sony can mount a Minolta AF lens, but you will still have to hunt them down, and it will be the same with other accessories. Though perhaps more expensive to run both Nikon in particular (but also Canon) have lots of both third party and OEM accessories, stuff like speedlites, etc. Nonetheless I would recommend you be careful about the D60, it is a decent camera, but it lacks the AF motor, which is a major shortcoming. If you can stretch get a Nikon D70/80/90 which are much more capable and better in the long term. With Canon you don’t have the AF motor issue, but still may find yourself limited if you go with a Rebel Series (e.g.450D), and if you can go up a range do so, even if you have to buy used equipment. http:
