Simply put: Chances are good that your expectations and what you are looking for will determine whether or not you like this camera.
The newest addition to Canon’s XXD line might initially seem like a minor downgrade to the previous XXD cameras, but several new capabilities actually help make this a nice, well-featured camera that will appeal to many people who don’t get caught up in whether or not this is a better camera than it’s predecessor. Canon certainly made this camera for the price point and was careful to add just enough features to make it desirable over the T2i, but not desirable enough to compete with the 7D. In some respects though, it seems like a beefed-up version of the Rebel line (a “Super-Rebel”) instead of a new addition to the XXD line.
As someone who has now had the opportunity to use all three of Canon’s mid-range lineup (the T2i, 60D, and 7D), I have to say that I really like the feel of the 60D. Even though it no longer has the magnesium alloy body, it feels solid. In no way does it feel cheap. I have fairly small hands and the 60D feels like it was made for me. It’s significantly lighter than the 7D and feels like it would be much more friendly on long hikes. The 7D feels much more robust; however, the 60D feels much more “comfy”. It is definitely bigger in size than the T2i, but the angles and design of the camera have a nicely updated feel to them that makes it seem like you are getting a much more substantial camera. The articulating screen was also done very well. My initial worries that the screen would feel cheap and break easily were immediately relieved after using it. The hinges are very solid and feel almost stiff to the point where you are comfortable with it staying right where you want it. It also is very flush with the rest of the body and offers little space in between.
Aside from the feel, the camera takes beautiful pictures. Quality-wise, there is very little difference between the pictures that come out of the T2i, 60D, and 7D. ISO performance is very similar and therefore can not be much of a deciding factor between the models. Most of the decision factors really will focus on which user interface and camera system best appeals to your type and level of photography. Each of Canon’s mid-range models has it’s own pros and cons, and while there are MANY differences between each camera, these are the main points I considered when deciding between cameras to purchase (hopefully it helps those going through the same decision I did):
60D vs. 50D:
(+) New Sensor – the same 18MP sensor that the 7D and T2i have, better ISO coverage/performance
(+) 63 zone dual-layer metering
(+) Better viewfinder – 96% coverage vs 95% coverage
(+) Video
(+) Articulating screen
(+) Wireless flash control
(+) Horizontal electronic level
(+) In camera processing (new RAW processing feature and in camera filter effects)
(+) Control over max auto-ISO
(+) Eye-Fi wifi file transfer functions
(-) The magnesium alloy body of the 50D has been replaced with a polycarbonate body
(-) 6.3 fps shooting is down to 5.3 fps
(-) No lens microadjustment in 60D
(+/-) Compact flash card slot has been changed to a SD card slot
(+/-) Joystick replaced by directional pad
60D vs. T2i
(+) 9 all cross-type AF points vs T2i’s 9 points w/ 1 center cross-type
(+) 96%, .95 magnification pentaprism viewfinder vs T2i’s 95%, .87 magnification pentamirror viewfinder
(+) Articulating screen
(+) Wireless flash control
(+) Horizontal electronic level
(+) In camera processing (new RAW processing feature and in camera filter effects)
(+) Top LCD screen
(+) 5.3 fps vs 3.7 fps
(+) Built in adjustable audio level capability in video
60D vs. 7D
(+) Articulating screen
(+) In camera processing (new RAW processing feature and in camera filter effects)
(+) Control over max auto-ISO
(+) Eye-Fi wifi file transfer functions
(+) Built in adjustable audio level capability in video
(-) 9 all cross-type AF points vs 7D’s 19 all cross-type points
(-) Less AF features (such as Zone AF and Point Expansion)
(-) Polycarbonate body vs 7D’s magnesium alloy
(-) 96%, .95 magnification pentaprism viewfinder vs 7D’s 100%, 1.0x magnification pentaprism viewfinder
(-) Transmissive LCD screen on focus screen on 7D
(-) Only horizontal electronic level vs both horizontal and vertical level on 7D
(-) 5.3 fps vs 7D’s 8 fps
(-) No lens microadjustment in 60D
(-) Shutter life of 100,000 vs 7D’s 150,000
(-) Dual DIGIC 4 processors in 7D
(-) 3 custom settings in 7D; 1 custom settings in 60D
(-) No PC Sync in 60D…
This review is from: Canon EOS 60D 18 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3.0-Inch LCD and 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS UD Standard Zoom Lens (Electronics)
I’ve taken photos and video most of my life, now I am the typical father paparazzi, my subjects are my family, with some nature landscapes and city architecture mixed in.
First this camera replaced my original capture the moment kit, which included a Nikon D80 DLSR and a Samsung HD-1010 Digital Video Camera. I sold them both after owning this for a week. They are simply not needed anymore. It’s very nice to be able to go to my kid’s soccer games and not look like I am bringing a production crew. One camera for killer photos and video. I use this camera 70/30 photos/video, and it is just a pleasure to work with.
What I like for photography:
Excellent pictures – Even with the stock 18-135 lens, solid photos, great details, and very very crop-able. Yes this is not an L Lens but it is still very good
Low light performance – The ISO high iso speeds work well when you can’t use a flash, there is still some noise but its manageable, the default setting for upper end iso is 3200, so that tells you how confident Canon is with its camera’s ability to handle noise.
Solid camera (my friend has the 7D, there is a difference when handling them, but not much, all the talk of metal vs. plastic frame I think is overrated)
Very fast focus, yes its not the 32 point next gen autofocus, but in all my tests when not using live view it does just fine transitioning between focus points.
Fast shooting speed almost 6 fps is very good, and thought 3 fps was good. (I also like the 2 settings for shooting speed, normal and high speed)
Built in Wireless flash control. I also bought the 430EX II, and 3 button pushes later I had the speed light firing while it sat off camera behind the subject, and that is very cool
Great Canon Software (I use a Mac, and I love the USB interface software, you can completely control the camera from your computer
Custom Shooting mode – Exact what it sounds like, its nice touch
The flip out rotating screen is very sharp, probably one of the best I’ve seen on a DSLR. I don’t shoot much live view though.
It uses SD, only because I had plenty of SD cards from my last two devices.
What I don’t like photography:
The lock button on the mode selector, it turns changing the shoot mode into a 2 handed operation
The lack of dedicated buttons – I know they had to save space when they added the vari-screen, but I liked having quick one touch access to bracketing on my Nikon
This isn’t a “don’t like” it’s more “I could do without” all the preset modes on the wheel. People who are going to spend $1000+ on a camera most likely don’t need a preset called landscape or portrait. Maybe they were trying to fill the space on the wheel?
Also all this hupla about in camera processing and special effects, it seems a bit gimmicky to me. I have a plenty of Macs with big beautiful screens to do this, heck I could do it with an iPad now if I really wanted to. I can’t see someone trying to color correct on the camera especially since it’s not like you could transmit the edited file directly from the camera, it still has to go through a computer somewhere along the line. These might be useful if my camera came with built-in 3G or something, otherwise not so much.
What I like video:
Video performance is excellent, head over to vimeo.com and look at all the sample footage, it is just astounding. I’ve experimented with the 50/1.8 lens and wow the DoF is crisp in the video. You would need some expensive lens adapters to get these results with a camcorder.
The flip out screen! This is main reason I bought this camera, It never made sense to me how I could shoot proper video without those expensive view finder liveview converter things. Plus I thought they looked silly. Now with this, I hold the camera at just above waist level close to my body with the screen flipped out and up, it makes for stable video and relatively easy manual focus if you want to use it.
Manual controls are also very useful for video, you can control everything from the image to the audio via manual controls
What I don’t like video:
Noise at high ISO – With the stock lens 18-135 IS I do not recommend low light shooting, it will work, but its very noisy – just like photography better lenes with lower F-stops = better output.
Autofocus is a bit slow (I try not use the autofocus when actually recording, I usually shoot video with manual focus, its not that hard when you get the hang of it)
So that’s it, a solid DSLR with a solid video camera built in, I would recommend this camera to people like me, who understand and love photography and also love shooting video. People who can use manual controls but you don’t mind throwing it in program mode for the quick shots and you can’t justify spending the extra money on a 7D. I am very very happy with…
The three dSLRs in the Canon consumer line-up (60D, 7D, T2i) all share a number of specifications and features, a similar exposure metering system, as well as an image sensor that is very similar, and all with 18 megapixels. Due to this, the image quality and ISO performance of these three cameras will be nearly identical, and all are capable of taking high quality images. So why choose the 60D over the T2i (550D) or the 7D?
-Exterior buttons and controls: Greater ease and control of changing camera settings as you work vs. the T2i. The 60D has nearly every control one needs on the exterior of the camera and it has the rear dial and top LCD display screen that are not on the T2i. Any other controls can be easily accessed with the Q button and menu or in the other menus on the rear LCD monitor. The top buttons of the 60D set only one setting each, so this is less complicated than the multiple-setting buttons of the 7D. Canon has removed the WB button that the 7D and 50D have, but that isn’t a big deal – use the Q Menu. Another change is that the Multi-controller has been moved from the thumb joystick like the 7D and 50D and placed in the middle of the rear Quick-control dial. This doesn’t change how it functions, and should just be a matter of getting used to the difference.
-Menus and custom functions: Greater control over customizing how the camera functions vs. the T2i. The 60D has many more Menu and Custom Function settings than the T2i and nearly as many as the 7D. These settings allow you to customize the operation, function, and controls of the 60D to work how you want them to, including things like exposure increments, peripheral illuminations correction for lenses (fixes dark corners) and customizing which button does what.
-Auto focus systems: The 60D shares a similar autofocus system to the T2i and the previous 50D, with 9 focus points and three auto focusing modes. However the 9 AF points of the 60D are more sensitive than those of the T2i: all are cross-type in the 60D, only the center is cross-type in the T2i. The 60D autofocus system is much less complex than the sophisticated AF system of the 7D with its 19 AF point system and its additional Zone, Spot, and Expansion focus modes – not to mention the custom settings of the 7D which will allow one to customize how the AF system works. However, if you are not an avid sports photographer, a wildlife shooter, or someone who understands, needs, and will use the elaborate features of the 7D AF system, then this shouldn’t dissuade you from the 60D.
-Exposure Metering: The three cameras all share the latest 63-zone exposure metering system and 4 metering modes. That means they will all determine the exposure virtually identically and enable you to take properly exposed photos in most every situation, including difficult back-lit scenes. The size of the areas metered for Partial and Spot metering vary slightly between the cameras, but that isn’t anything critical.
-ISO: Since the 60D shares a very similar sensor with the other two cameras, its ISO sensitivity and performance at high ISO settings is virtually the same. But don’t take my word for it, don’t be swayed by pixel peepers on forums, instead check out the camera sensor tests at dxomark to verify this.
-Continuous Shooting Speed: While the 60D can’t shoot a blazing 8 frames per second like the 7D, it can shoot a respectable 5.3 fps which is generally a more useful rate, and is a higher rate than the T2i rate of 3 fps.
-Size and Weight: The 60D is larger and heavier than the T2i but smaller and lighter than the 7D. It is a very nice size, weight, feel, and design that should be comfortable for most users.
-Construction: The 60 has relatively strong construction of aluminum and polycarbonate. It is better built than the T2i but not as strong as the 7D’s magnesium alloy frame. The 60D also has some amount of weather sealing – more than the T2i, less than the 7D. But for most users, including even those using the camera daily or in travel situations, the construction of the 60D is far more than good enough, strong enough, durable enough, and weather resistant enough.
-Articulating Rear LCD Screen: The 60D is the only current Canon dSLR with this handy feature. This may prove useful for videographers, as well as for setting up compositions while the camera is on a tripod, for macro use, or for using it from unusually low or high vantage points. There is also an electronic level, visible in the viewfinder, rear LCD, or top LCD.
-Viewfinder: The 60D has a large, bright viewfinder with 96% coverage of the actual resulting image, a tiny bit better than the T2i but not quite as nice as the nearly 100% view of the 7D.
-Wireless Flash: Like the 7D, the 60D incorporates wireless flash triggering. It allows you to trigger multiple off camera flashes…
Pretty good post. I have really enjoyed browsing your blog posts. Whatever the case I’ll be subscribing to your feed and i also hope you write again soon! Thanks a lot, I’ll try to come back often. Merry Chrismas!
Cool blog! Is your theme custom made or did you download it from somewhere? A design like yours with a few simple adjustements would really make my blog jump out. Please let me know where you got your design. Bless you
A nice camera – fits right in between the T2i and 7D,
Simply put: Chances are good that your expectations and what you are looking for will determine whether or not you like this camera.
The newest addition to Canon’s XXD line might initially seem like a minor downgrade to the previous XXD cameras, but several new capabilities actually help make this a nice, well-featured camera that will appeal to many people who don’t get caught up in whether or not this is a better camera than it’s predecessor. Canon certainly made this camera for the price point and was careful to add just enough features to make it desirable over the T2i, but not desirable enough to compete with the 7D. In some respects though, it seems like a beefed-up version of the Rebel line (a “Super-Rebel”) instead of a new addition to the XXD line.
As someone who has now had the opportunity to use all three of Canon’s mid-range lineup (the T2i, 60D, and 7D), I have to say that I really like the feel of the 60D. Even though it no longer has the magnesium alloy body, it feels solid. In no way does it feel cheap. I have fairly small hands and the 60D feels like it was made for me. It’s significantly lighter than the 7D and feels like it would be much more friendly on long hikes. The 7D feels much more robust; however, the 60D feels much more “comfy”. It is definitely bigger in size than the T2i, but the angles and design of the camera have a nicely updated feel to them that makes it seem like you are getting a much more substantial camera. The articulating screen was also done very well. My initial worries that the screen would feel cheap and break easily were immediately relieved after using it. The hinges are very solid and feel almost stiff to the point where you are comfortable with it staying right where you want it. It also is very flush with the rest of the body and offers little space in between.
Aside from the feel, the camera takes beautiful pictures. Quality-wise, there is very little difference between the pictures that come out of the T2i, 60D, and 7D. ISO performance is very similar and therefore can not be much of a deciding factor between the models. Most of the decision factors really will focus on which user interface and camera system best appeals to your type and level of photography. Each of Canon’s mid-range models has it’s own pros and cons, and while there are MANY differences between each camera, these are the main points I considered when deciding between cameras to purchase (hopefully it helps those going through the same decision I did):
60D vs. 50D:
(+) New Sensor – the same 18MP sensor that the 7D and T2i have, better ISO coverage/performance
(+) 63 zone dual-layer metering
(+) Better viewfinder – 96% coverage vs 95% coverage
(+) Video
(+) Articulating screen
(+) Wireless flash control
(+) Horizontal electronic level
(+) In camera processing (new RAW processing feature and in camera filter effects)
(+) Control over max auto-ISO
(+) Eye-Fi wifi file transfer functions
(-) The magnesium alloy body of the 50D has been replaced with a polycarbonate body
(-) 6.3 fps shooting is down to 5.3 fps
(-) No lens microadjustment in 60D
(+/-) Compact flash card slot has been changed to a SD card slot
(+/-) Joystick replaced by directional pad
60D vs. T2i
(+) 9 all cross-type AF points vs T2i’s 9 points w/ 1 center cross-type
(+) 96%, .95 magnification pentaprism viewfinder vs T2i’s 95%, .87 magnification pentamirror viewfinder
(+) Articulating screen
(+) Wireless flash control
(+) Horizontal electronic level
(+) In camera processing (new RAW processing feature and in camera filter effects)
(+) Top LCD screen
(+) 5.3 fps vs 3.7 fps
(+) Built in adjustable audio level capability in video
60D vs. 7D
(+) Articulating screen
(+) In camera processing (new RAW processing feature and in camera filter effects)
(+) Control over max auto-ISO
(+) Eye-Fi wifi file transfer functions
(+) Built in adjustable audio level capability in video
(-) 9 all cross-type AF points vs 7D’s 19 all cross-type points
(-) Less AF features (such as Zone AF and Point Expansion)
(-) Polycarbonate body vs 7D’s magnesium alloy
(-) 96%, .95 magnification pentaprism viewfinder vs 7D’s 100%, 1.0x magnification pentaprism viewfinder
(-) Transmissive LCD screen on focus screen on 7D
(-) Only horizontal electronic level vs both horizontal and vertical level on 7D
(-) 5.3 fps vs 7D’s 8 fps
(-) No lens microadjustment in 60D
(-) Shutter life of 100,000 vs 7D’s 150,000
(-) Dual DIGIC 4 processors in 7D
(-) 3 custom settings in 7D; 1 custom settings in 60D
(-) No PC Sync in 60D…
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|Solid Prosumer DSLR/Video Camera,
I’ve taken photos and video most of my life, now I am the typical father paparazzi, my subjects are my family, with some nature landscapes and city architecture mixed in.
First this camera replaced my original capture the moment kit, which included a Nikon D80 DLSR and a Samsung HD-1010 Digital Video Camera. I sold them both after owning this for a week. They are simply not needed anymore. It’s very nice to be able to go to my kid’s soccer games and not look like I am bringing a production crew. One camera for killer photos and video. I use this camera 70/30 photos/video, and it is just a pleasure to work with.
What I like for photography:
Excellent pictures – Even with the stock 18-135 lens, solid photos, great details, and very very crop-able. Yes this is not an L Lens but it is still very good
Low light performance – The ISO high iso speeds work well when you can’t use a flash, there is still some noise but its manageable, the default setting for upper end iso is 3200, so that tells you how confident Canon is with its camera’s ability to handle noise.
Solid camera (my friend has the 7D, there is a difference when handling them, but not much, all the talk of metal vs. plastic frame I think is overrated)
Very fast focus, yes its not the 32 point next gen autofocus, but in all my tests when not using live view it does just fine transitioning between focus points.
Fast shooting speed almost 6 fps is very good, and thought 3 fps was good. (I also like the 2 settings for shooting speed, normal and high speed)
Built in Wireless flash control. I also bought the 430EX II, and 3 button pushes later I had the speed light firing while it sat off camera behind the subject, and that is very cool
Great Canon Software (I use a Mac, and I love the USB interface software, you can completely control the camera from your computer
Custom Shooting mode – Exact what it sounds like, its nice touch
The flip out rotating screen is very sharp, probably one of the best I’ve seen on a DSLR. I don’t shoot much live view though.
It uses SD, only because I had plenty of SD cards from my last two devices.
What I don’t like photography:
The lock button on the mode selector, it turns changing the shoot mode into a 2 handed operation
The lack of dedicated buttons – I know they had to save space when they added the vari-screen, but I liked having quick one touch access to bracketing on my Nikon
This isn’t a “don’t like” it’s more “I could do without” all the preset modes on the wheel. People who are going to spend $1000+ on a camera most likely don’t need a preset called landscape or portrait. Maybe they were trying to fill the space on the wheel?
Also all this hupla about in camera processing and special effects, it seems a bit gimmicky to me. I have a plenty of Macs with big beautiful screens to do this, heck I could do it with an iPad now if I really wanted to. I can’t see someone trying to color correct on the camera especially since it’s not like you could transmit the edited file directly from the camera, it still has to go through a computer somewhere along the line. These might be useful if my camera came with built-in 3G or something, otherwise not so much.
What I like video:
Video performance is excellent, head over to vimeo.com and look at all the sample footage, it is just astounding. I’ve experimented with the 50/1.8 lens and wow the DoF is crisp in the video. You would need some expensive lens adapters to get these results with a camcorder.
The flip out screen! This is main reason I bought this camera, It never made sense to me how I could shoot proper video without those expensive view finder liveview converter things. Plus I thought they looked silly. Now with this, I hold the camera at just above waist level close to my body with the screen flipped out and up, it makes for stable video and relatively easy manual focus if you want to use it.
Manual controls are also very useful for video, you can control everything from the image to the audio via manual controls
What I don’t like video:
Noise at high ISO – With the stock lens 18-135 IS I do not recommend low light shooting, it will work, but its very noisy – just like photography better lenes with lower F-stops = better output.
Autofocus is a bit slow (I try not use the autofocus when actually recording, I usually shoot video with manual focus, its not that hard when you get the hang of it)
So that’s it, a solid DSLR with a solid video camera built in, I would recommend this camera to people like me, who understand and love photography and also love shooting video. People who can use manual controls but you don’t mind throwing it in program mode for the quick shots and you can’t justify spending the extra money on a 7D. I am very very happy with…
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|Why Choose the 60D over the T2i or 7D?,
The three dSLRs in the Canon consumer line-up (60D, 7D, T2i) all share a number of specifications and features, a similar exposure metering system, as well as an image sensor that is very similar, and all with 18 megapixels. Due to this, the image quality and ISO performance of these three cameras will be nearly identical, and all are capable of taking high quality images. So why choose the 60D over the T2i (550D) or the 7D?
-Exterior buttons and controls: Greater ease and control of changing camera settings as you work vs. the T2i. The 60D has nearly every control one needs on the exterior of the camera and it has the rear dial and top LCD display screen that are not on the T2i. Any other controls can be easily accessed with the Q button and menu or in the other menus on the rear LCD monitor. The top buttons of the 60D set only one setting each, so this is less complicated than the multiple-setting buttons of the 7D. Canon has removed the WB button that the 7D and 50D have, but that isn’t a big deal – use the Q Menu. Another change is that the Multi-controller has been moved from the thumb joystick like the 7D and 50D and placed in the middle of the rear Quick-control dial. This doesn’t change how it functions, and should just be a matter of getting used to the difference.
-Menus and custom functions: Greater control over customizing how the camera functions vs. the T2i. The 60D has many more Menu and Custom Function settings than the T2i and nearly as many as the 7D. These settings allow you to customize the operation, function, and controls of the 60D to work how you want them to, including things like exposure increments, peripheral illuminations correction for lenses (fixes dark corners) and customizing which button does what.
-Auto focus systems: The 60D shares a similar autofocus system to the T2i and the previous 50D, with 9 focus points and three auto focusing modes. However the 9 AF points of the 60D are more sensitive than those of the T2i: all are cross-type in the 60D, only the center is cross-type in the T2i. The 60D autofocus system is much less complex than the sophisticated AF system of the 7D with its 19 AF point system and its additional Zone, Spot, and Expansion focus modes – not to mention the custom settings of the 7D which will allow one to customize how the AF system works. However, if you are not an avid sports photographer, a wildlife shooter, or someone who understands, needs, and will use the elaborate features of the 7D AF system, then this shouldn’t dissuade you from the 60D.
-Exposure Metering: The three cameras all share the latest 63-zone exposure metering system and 4 metering modes. That means they will all determine the exposure virtually identically and enable you to take properly exposed photos in most every situation, including difficult back-lit scenes. The size of the areas metered for Partial and Spot metering vary slightly between the cameras, but that isn’t anything critical.
-ISO: Since the 60D shares a very similar sensor with the other two cameras, its ISO sensitivity and performance at high ISO settings is virtually the same. But don’t take my word for it, don’t be swayed by pixel peepers on forums, instead check out the camera sensor tests at dxomark to verify this.
-Continuous Shooting Speed: While the 60D can’t shoot a blazing 8 frames per second like the 7D, it can shoot a respectable 5.3 fps which is generally a more useful rate, and is a higher rate than the T2i rate of 3 fps.
-Size and Weight: The 60D is larger and heavier than the T2i but smaller and lighter than the 7D. It is a very nice size, weight, feel, and design that should be comfortable for most users.
-Construction: The 60 has relatively strong construction of aluminum and polycarbonate. It is better built than the T2i but not as strong as the 7D’s magnesium alloy frame. The 60D also has some amount of weather sealing – more than the T2i, less than the 7D. But for most users, including even those using the camera daily or in travel situations, the construction of the 60D is far more than good enough, strong enough, durable enough, and weather resistant enough.
-Articulating Rear LCD Screen: The 60D is the only current Canon dSLR with this handy feature. This may prove useful for videographers, as well as for setting up compositions while the camera is on a tripod, for macro use, or for using it from unusually low or high vantage points. There is also an electronic level, visible in the viewfinder, rear LCD, or top LCD.
-Viewfinder: The 60D has a large, bright viewfinder with 96% coverage of the actual resulting image, a tiny bit better than the T2i but not quite as nice as the nearly 100% view of the 7D.
-Wireless Flash: Like the 7D, the 60D incorporates wireless flash triggering. It allows you to trigger multiple off camera flashes…
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|Pretty good post. I have really enjoyed browsing your blog posts. Whatever the case I’ll be subscribing to your feed and i also hope you write again soon! Thanks a lot, I’ll try to come back often. Merry Chrismas!
Cool blog! Is your theme custom made or did you download it from somewhere? A design like yours with a few simple adjustements would really make my blog jump out. Please let me know where you got your design. Bless you