Why is the D60 newer than the D70?

[PictureTaker]

I ask that not because I don't know. I can look it up. I read the D60 is newer. So why is it called the D60? I don't understand. Why wouldn't the D60 come before the D70?

 

[Iscariot]

Maybe Nikon was aiming for a series:

D70
D700
Now - D7000

Then something changed, their marketing team came up with new strategy and the D60 was the result.

Do be honest I have no idea...

 

[PictureTaker]

Maybe Nikon was aiming for a series:

D70
D700
Now - D7000

Then something changed, their marketing team came up with new strategy and the D60 was the result.

Do be honest I have no idea...

Well for a while I was looking sequentially and noticed it made no sense. The D60 is newer than the D70 so you can't go by model numbers.

 

[Iscariot]

Here is what I think it could be:

The D60 was the top (at the time) of the entry level bodies, while the D70 was considered mid-range. So the numbering may be more related to the level of user that Nikon was aiming for rather than sequence of release. Because the D70 is aimed at the Ensthusiast and the D60 the entry level the have moved to a DXXXX sequence to aviod overlap.

 

[MX727]

Same reason the D40 and D50 are newer than the D70.

 

[ShaunK]

More like the D70 and the D50 were out about the same time, then came along the D60 and the D40... Yeah, the Nikon naming convention is quite the snafu, methinks. Extremely confusing to anyone new to the system. It began with the D100/D1 series, and then the D100 series kinda split into 2 lines, one more prosumer (D200) and one more consumer (D70) and then an even smaller consumer line (D50)... then, with the introduction of FX, Nikon plopped the D700 right in the middle of the hundred's line, forcing them to go to the 1000's line (D3100, etc.) as well as the newest D7000. Makes for a confusing time when one forgets a 0 or adds an extra 0 (D70, D700, D7000, 3 completely different cameras!!!). About the only line that has remained moderately "sensical" is the D1/D2/D3 series... :biggrin:

 

[Pa]

The actual sequence was as follows:

D70 -> D80 -> D90 -> D7000.

D50.

D40 -> D40x -> D60 -> D5000 -> D5100(?).

D3000 -> D3100.

The D50 was distinctive in that it was a small body but included a focus motor.

The D40 sequence has no focus motor, and neither does the D3000 sequence.

 

[Omar]

The actual sequence was as follows:

D70 -> D80 -> D90 -> D7000.

D50.

D40 -> D40x -> D60 -> D5000 -> D5100(?).

D3000 -> D3100.

The D50 was distinctive in that it was a small body but included a focus motor.

The D40 sequence has no focus motor, and neither does the D3000 sequence.

Would you not put the D3000/D3100 after the D60 and the D5000 as the root of its own group? Otherwise, this model layout is illustrative and helps to reduce the confusion.

 

[Pa]

Would you not put the D3000/D3100 after the D60 and the D5000 as the root of its own group? Otherwise, this model layout is illustrative and helps to reduce the confusion.

Yes, that might be more logical. I'm not very familiar with either the D3000 or the D5000 line, so I don't know what characteristics they share.

 

[mikehoward]

It was my understanding the following is the correct sequence of models introduced.

D70 -> D80 -> D90 -> D7000.

D50

D60 -> D5000 ->D5100

D40 -> D40x -> D3000 ->D3100

I'm not sure about the D50 placement in this list, but as I remember the D5000 was the replacement for the D60 and the D3000 was the replacement for the D40. When I first started researching the Nikon Camera Line up the D40, D60, and D90 were the options for the consumer camera. While the D300 and higher models were the pro camera line up.

 

[Pa]

It was my understanding the following is the correct sequence of models introduced.

D70 -> D80 -> D90 -> D7000.

D50

D60 -> D5000 ->D5100

D40 -> D40x -> D3000 ->D3100

I'm not sure about the D50 placement in this list, but as I remember the D5000 was the replacement for the D60 and the D3000 was the replacement for the D40. When I first started researching the Nikon Camera Line up the D40, D60, and D90 were the options for the consumer camera. While the D300 and higher models were the pro camera line up.

I would disagree with that as the D60 is virtually identical to the D40x. That is why I started the D3000 line separately. Those bodies are even smaller than the D60, I think.

 

[Pa]

Here's a timeline from Wikipedia. I'm not sure I agree totally, but it may be about as good as one can do.

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[MX727]

More like the D70 and the D50 were out about the same time,

Nope. D50 came out at the same time as the D70s, both a bit over a year after the D70.