Canon D60

Bittasa

When my granddaughter declared a photo journalism major at college and went to work with the school newspaper and year book staff, her uncle who is a professional photographer gave her his retired Canon D60 camera body. She used the lens from her Canon Sure Shot. I have searched the internet for information on the D60 but only find the Nikon D60. If she is to continue using this camera, she will need more accessories, for example; flash, better lense (?) light meter. What are your suggestions?

I am also looking at either one of the Rebel series or the new camera that will be coming out in the next month or two for Christmas. I am looking for something that will carry her through her last few months of college into a professional role.

Thoughts and suggestions please.
Bittasa

DoctorIt

Hi Bittasa,
hopefully we can help you out...

first off, general info on the old Canon D60:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canon_EOS_D60


Now we should clear something up - you said your granddaughter used a lens from her Canon Sure Shot? Unless there is some secret Sure Shot, that's just not possible - the Sure Shots were all point-&-shoots cameras with non-interchangeable lenses. but that's beside the point - she has a D60 and a lens, good.

I guess you should decide what you really want. The D60, although old, still takes decent photos and is indeed a DSLR, so all the manual control is there to continue learning photography. The good news, most any lenses or even a flash you buy for her will be just as useful with any newer Canon DSLR body. I think you're on the right track there - the glass (lens) is probably the most important part anyway, so since she has a camera, treat her to a good lens which she can keep much longer than any entry-level body.

Just my .002

pyry

The D60 is probably still a good camera.
DPreview's article on it is here.

Max sensitivity is lowish, user interface has probably improved since and the camera is probably.. unhurried in everything it does. EF-S lenses won't fit (Sigmas DC-marked crop sensor lenses do though).

I'd go with for now and see how it fits.

As for accessories, a couple of good lenses would be the first thing (see what you've got already first though). A wide and a fast standard zoom perhaps.
Canon's EX range flashes will fit. Spare batteries are the usual bp-511 type.
As for the light meter, I don't think it's necessary.

ziggy53

Bittasa, welcome to the Digital Grin.

Erik and pyry are giving you good information. Specifically, I can recommend several lenses and flashes but do keep in mind that the Canon D60 will not accept Canon EF-S lenses.

A very good lens, that would work well for the newspaper and yearbook stuff, is the Tamron 17-50mm, f/2.8 XR Di II. It's a very nice indoor lens and I use similar lenses for event work.

Add a decent flash, like the Canon (In order of preference)

580 EX
550 EX (would be used)
430 EX
420 EX (would be used)

... or a Sigma (in Canon E-TTL, that's important)

EF-530 DG Super
EF-500 DG Super (would be used)

... and a couple of simple light modifiers which can be constructed simply and inexpensively, and you have a very decent kit capable of professional work.

http://www.fototime.com/inv/908195739C4C0D3

http://abetterbouncecard.com/

Michiel de Brieder

the D60 is a very nice camera, I used to own its predecessor, the D30 and I've learned so much with that camera!!
A lens suggeswtion which really helps in learning composition and working within certain boundaries is a Canon 50mm f/1.8, it's called the 'plastic fantastic'. It is a very cheap lens and has plenty of learning opportunities (a wide array of apertures to learn about depth of field and a fast aperture to get her into hand held low light photography). this lens will definitely not break your bank and it will be a good addition to the start of her collection of photography gear

Hope this helps!