About this guide
The D60 has no in-body autofocus motor, so it only autofocuses with AF-S, AF-I, or third-party lenses that carry their own built-in motor – a screw-drive AF or AF-D lens will mount and shoot, but only in manual focus. These are real zoom lenses confirmed to carry their own focus motor, so autofocus actually works on this body.
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The picks, in detail
Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR
A do-it-all superzoom range that covers wide-angle through short telephoto in one lens, with Nikon's own VR stabilization to help handheld shots on the D60.
- AF-S ultrasonic autofocus motor
- VR image stabilization
- 18-140mm (27-210mm equivalent)
- ED glass elements
- Covers the most common everyday focal range in one lens
- Larger and heavier than kit-lens-class options
Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II
The classic Nikon superzoom, stretching well into telephoto territory for travel shooters who don't want to swap lenses.
- AF-S motor
- VR II stabilization
- 18-200mm (27-300mm equivalent)
- Internal focus
- Longest single-lens reach without changing lenses
- Long-running, well-reviewed design
- Priced well above the shorter-range zooms
Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-NIKKOR 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED
A lightweight, affordable telephoto companion to a standard kit lens, sized to autofocus on the D60 without adding much weight.
- AF-S motor
- 55-200mm (82.5-300mm equivalent)
- Compact, lightweight build
- ED glass
- Budget-friendly way to add telephoto reach
- No VR on the base version – check the VR-suffixed variant if stabilization matters
Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR
Stretches telephoto reach further than the 55-200mm while adding VR stabilization for handheld shots at full zoom.
- AF-S motor
- VR stabilization
- 55-300mm (82.5-450mm equivalent)
- ED glass elements
- Real reach upgrade over the 55-200mm with image stabilization included
- Narrower aperture at the long end makes low light harder
Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR
An all-in-one superzoom that covers wide-angle all the way to serious telephoto, avoiding lens changes altogether.
- AF-S motor
- VR stabilization
- 18-300mm (27-450mm equivalent)
- Internal zoom design
- Broadest single-lens range on this list
- Highest price point here, with the widest-aperture-range compromise of any all-in-one zoom
Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II
A wider standard zoom that's a good travel companion, trading ultimate reach for a genuinely useful wide end and VR stabilization.
- AF-S ultrasonic motor
- VR II stabilization
- 16-85mm (24-127.5mm equivalent)
- ED/aspherical elements
- Fast, accurate autofocus and a useful wide-angle starting point
- Less telephoto reach than the 18-140mm/18-200mm options
Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di LD Macro (BIM)
Tamron built this 70-300mm specifically with a built-in motor for Nikon bodies like the D60 that lack one in-camera.
- Built-in autofocus motor (BIM) for AF on motor-less Nikon bodies
- 70-300mm range
- Macro focusing capability
- LD glass element
- Real telephoto reach at a fraction of Nikon’s own 70-300mm price
- Third-party autofocus speed trails Nikon’s own AF-S lenses
What each one costs
Typical price, cheapest first. Tap a name to jump to that pick and its buy link.
Compare any three
| Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR | Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II | Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-NIKKOR 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $250-$350 | $500-$650 | $150-$220 |
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Buying tips
- Confirm ‘AF-S’ (or a third-party lens explicitly labeled with a built-in motor, like Tamron’s BIM or Sigma’s HSM) before buying – a plain ‘AF’ or ‘AF-D’ lens will mount but only focus manually on the D60.
- VR (vibration reduction) matters more at the telephoto end of these ranges; it’s worth prioritizing on anything reaching past 200mm if you shoot handheld.
- The D60’s 10.2MP sensor doesn’t demand today’s sharpest optics to look great, so an older or third-party design isn’t a real handicap here.
- If you mostly shoot one focal range, a shorter, lighter zoom (55-200mm or 16-85mm) will be noticeably easier to carry all day than an 18-300mm all-in-one.
As an Amazon Associate and eBay Partner, toptenpick.com earns from qualifying purchases. Prices and availability are subject to change.