Nikon D60 specs leaked? [UPDATED]

Just three days to go until PMA opens and Nikon has been pretty quiet…has someone announced their much talked about D60 for them?

According to a post a DP Review, the Nikon D60 highlights will be:

10.2 megapixels:

The Nikon D60’s image sensor utilizes 10.2 megapixels to produce superb, high-quality images with incredible resolution, allowing you to make large prints, even if you only use part of an image. And thanks to EXPEED, Nikon’s unique digital image processing concept, your pictures will contain fine detail and smooth, natural tonal reproduction.

3D Color Matrix Metering II:

Many cutting-edge Nikon features enhance your picture-taking experience. Nikon’s advanced 3D Color Matrix Metering II ensures consistently balanced exposures for images with natural color and contrast, while Nikon’s new digital image processing concept, EXPEED, makes it possible to deliver smoother tones and more accurate colors. Nikon’s fast, quiet and precise autofocus system adds significantly to the performance of the D60, capturing exact moments with astounding clarity.

Dust reduction & Image Sensor Cleaning function:

Such clarity is reinforced by Nikon’s dust reduction countermeasures. To avoid picture-degrading dust particles accumulating near the imaging sensor, the Nikon D60 comes equipped with the innovative Image Sensor Cleaning function and Nikon’s exclusive Airflow Control System. These functions both reduce dust accumulation to give you even better picture quality.

Retouch menu:

In addition to new dust reduction features, the Nikon D60 offers a variety of ways to experience more fun and creativity when taking pictures. Users can easily capture dynamic images in different shooting situations with a simple turn of the mode dial. The Retouch Menu offers even more creative excitement, letting you change your pictures into even more striking images – all fast, all simple and all without the need for a computer.

Active D-Lighting:

The Nikon D60’s new Active D-Lightig feature can adjust the look of the final image while you shoot. This automatic process works in the highlight and shadow areas, compensating for difficult lighting conditions and producing optimized exposures with rich, smooth detail.

Simple operation within a compact body:

The Nikon D60 is not just compact; its shape is ergonomically designed to fit in your hand naturally and comfortably. The body design is inherited from the highly regarded Nikon D40 series. The bright and clear viewfinder ensures precise composition, while the large, 2.5-in. LCD monitor displays an easy-to-use menu system with a wide viewing angle so that anyone can navigate the settings and view images with ease. The new Eye Sensor function turns off the LCD monitor when the viewfinder is used. When the user moves away from the viewfinder, the LCD monitor turns on again automatically.

Retouch Menu:

The Nikon D60’s Retouch Menu offers many exclusive in-camera editing features to choose from. Use the Filter Effects option to intensify a color (Red/Green/Blue) of your choice, or try the Cross Screen feature to produce star-like lines radiating from brightly lit objects in the image. In-camera NEF (RAW) processing is also available. RAW format images are “developed” within the camera after shooting, allowing you to control specific aspects of your pictures, such as image quality, image size and white balance. With the new Stop-motion feature, a stop-motion animation (the consecutive playback of still images) can be created from a sequence of images (in JPEG format). Also included is a convenient Quick Retouch option, which enhances contrast and saturation, to improve images without using a computer. The D60’s extensive Retouch Menu increases the fun and creative freedom of using a digital SLR.

Other features are rumored to include:

• Fast, 0.19-second power-up to respond to every photographic opportunity
• Split-second shutter response eliminates the annoyance of shooting lag
• Fast continuous shooting mode – up to 100 JPEG images at 3 frames per second
• Advanced three-point AF system offers fast, efficient and precise autofocus
• Nikon 3D Color Matrix Metering II for ideal exposures in almost any lighting situation
• Bright and clear viewfinder with 0.8x magnification for precise composition
• Long-life rechargeable lithium-ion battery – up to 500 images with the R709 on a single charge
• Digital Vari-Programs that adjust camera settings automatically for scene-specific pictures : Auto, Auto (Flash Off), Portrait, Landscape, Child, Sports, Close Up, and Night Portrait
• Manual control over shutter speed and aperture: P (Programmed Auto), S (Shutter-priority Auto), A (Aperture-priority Auto) and M (Manual)
• Built-in flash with Nikon’s dependable i-TTL flash control, supporting Auto flash, Red-eye reduction, Slow sync, Rear curtain sync and Flash exposure compensation
• Simultaneous recording of NEF (RAW) and JPEG basic data of the same image
• Camera setting menus can be customized to suit individual preferences
• Imprint date function prints the date of capture directly on the picture
• Electronic rangefinder display – indicates also focus distance when using manual focus mode

Hopefully Nikon will confirm these specs soon…

UPDATE: It’s official–Nikon has announced the D60 DSLR. Check on the info here.

[Via Photography Bay]