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| Canon 60D DSLR |
Canon EOS 60D is the replacement of the Canon EOS 50D. Targeted for enthusiast photographers, the 60D is an upgrade to an already successful DSLR camera. Canon has redesigned the 60D with a new camera body shape, 18MP CMOS sensor, 1040K 3.0-inch LCD articulated (Swivel) Vari-angle screen, 1080p HD movies, DIGIC 4 imaging processor and much more. After Canon has released the Canon 7D, many photographers will probably want to see how the Canon EOS 60D compares against the 50D, 550D and the 7D. I also know that many photographers will compare the Canon 60D vs. Sony SLT-A55 camera. Sony has certainly raised the bar in terms of photography technology innovation. I have personally been waiting to see if the Canon 60D will outperform Sony's latest DSLR camera with its translucent mirror, the SLT-A55.
60D Body and Ergonomics
First of all, Canon has redesigned the camera body. The 60D supposed to be ergonomically better than its predecessor, the 50D. It is more curved, and looks like a combination between the 50D and the 550D. Canon has also rearranged the button to allow better accessibility for the most used camera controls & functions. The body itself is made of plastic (Polycarbonate resin with glass fiber on aluminum chassis). At the back side of the 60D, you can find an articulating 3:2 3-inch Vari-angle Clear View LCD monitor with 1,040,000 dot LCD screen. Canon has implemented multi-coating materials to provide clear-view in, even when you watch the screen in bright sunlight. The 60D (145x106x79mm) is also a little bit smaller than the 50D (146x108x74mm). There are some people who will be disappointed with the fact that the camera body is made of plastic, compared to the 50D magnesium alloy body. Because of that, the 60D is also lighter (755g) than the 50D (822g).By looking at the overall design of this DSLR, it doesn't look like an upgrade for the 50D, but rather an upgrade for the 550D. I personally don't know what Canon had in mind when designing this camera. If you do, please share.
Canon EOS 60D product walkthrough video:
18-megapixel CMOS Sensor
Canon has used a 18-megapixel 22.3 x 14.9 mm CMOS sensor. The 50D has a 15.1-megapixel (effective) CMOS sensor. So in terms of pixels, Canon 60D has more pixels, and that means more density. This is something that also bothers many photographers, who want fewer pixels and better high ISO performance. Actually, the Canon EOS 60D has the same pixel count as the Canon 7D. On Canon's website, I have read that this is a newly designed 18.0MP ASP-C CMOS sensor. The main target was to create a high pixel density sensor, which will give more cropping freedom. However, Canon has design this new sensor to allow photographers to achieve low-noise images under high sensitivity settings. Together with a 14-bit signal processing and DIGIC 4 image processor, Canon wanted to enhance the image quality and the HD video quality output. We still need to wait for lab-testing reviews to find out about that.1080p HD Movies
This is one of the features that Canon has a lead. The Canon EOS 60D inherits the 7D Full-HD (H.264 MOV) movie functionality. It allows shooting 1080p HD movies (1920x1080) in 29.97, 25 & 23.976 frames per second. You can also shoot 720p HD movies in 59.94 & 50fps, and 640x480 movies in 59.94 & 50fps. I was pretty sure that after Sony has reviled the full-time AF & Phase-detection while shooting movies, Canon will come up with new innovation. I was wrong about that as you can see. I certainly expect Canon to bring new technology innovations as a leader in the DSLR market. However, it seems that Sony is the one that will drive the DSLR market forward, not Canon. In order to enable full-time continuous AF while taking a movie, Canon should have opted for a translucent mirror, like the Sony SLT-A55 DSLR camera. I don't know if it is patented or not, but I was surely disappointed to see that no real change has been applied here.Here is a Canon EOS 60D sample video, which shows the HD video image quality:
Let's look at the bright side. Having the same 1080p HD functionality like the Canon EOS 7D is a good thing. I have seen many online videos taken with the 7D, and the quality of the HD movies was really impressive. Maybe I had become spoiled with technology innovations, just maybe. I must admit, that after going through the 60D specifications, I was looking more towards the Sony SLT-A55 than the 60D. You can see two 60D sample movie (1280 x 720, 50p and 1920 x 1080, 25p) on dpreview Canon 60D preview (page 9). For 50D photographers who wanted HD movie recording feature, this is probably good news. The Canon 50D doesn't have a movie function as you probably know.
Other Features
With the Canon EOS 60D, you can shoot photographs from ISO 100-6400, with a H(12800) expansion. We will probably see many 7D vs. 60D noise comparisons pretty soon. High sensitivities are all good, as long as the camera can handle the noise and bring clear images at higher settings.60D utilizes an Eye-level pentaprism viewfinder with 96% frame coverage, compared to 95% frame coverage on the 50D. The newly designed viewfinder has a 0.95x magnification and a 27.0° angle of view.Furthermore, The EOS 60D continuous shooting has been lowered to 5.3 fps (up to 58 JPG images and 16 RAW images), compared to 6.3 fps on the 50D.
Here is another 60D video hands-on review, which going through the main features of the newly announced camera (It looks that the guy in the video has three hands...LOL):
Furthermore, Canon's new DSLR camera now works on SD type memory cards, and supports SD/SDHC & SDXC memory cards. The Canon 50D supports CompactFlash memory card types. So you thought to yourself: "Buying new memory cards all over again?!". Well, this is not the only accessory that you will need to upgrade. Canon has also surprised us by announcing a new 60D battery grip, which is called "BG-E9". I don't know about you, but I am tired of new DSLR upgrades that make me buy new memory cards and new grip all over again. Canon loves to make money on accessories. I don't know if it's good or bad, but I just know that it means that you need to spend more money on new accessories.
The Canon EOS 60D comes with an enhanced iFCL 63-zone Dual-layer metering system and 9-point AF system. So we probably should expect better light metering system & speedier autofocus. Canon seems to be proud with the new 63-zone Dual-layer sensor, which allows photographers to get better exposure photographs under difficult lighting conditions.
Is it Worth the Upgrade from the 50D?
After reading reviews and hands-on reviews, I have felt disappointed somehow. I was expecting that Canon's mid-range 60D will be packed with new innovations, but it wasn't like that at all. Upgrade from the 50D, means that you need to buy new type (SD) of memory cards, battery grip (BG-E9) if you already used to shooting with a grip. Furthermore, the camera is smaller than the 50D, so some photographers who love the large-body feel, will be disappointed here. 1080p movies are very welcomed feature. The articulated new LCD screen is very useful when you want to shoot image & videos in live view. The body made of plastic, rather than metal, like in the 50D.
It seems like Canon is telling us, that if we want to upgrade, we should probably buy the 7D instead (read my previous post: "Why Canon 60D Won't be a great upgrade from 50D"). The 60D looks like a 550D upgrade, more than a 50D upgrade to me. Telling you that I am surprised, no. I think that Canon as failed to innovate, again. I already read many commented on some forums and photography reviews websites, saying that photographers should probably wait for the Nikon D90 replacement. Yesterday, Sony made me happy. This day, Canon made me..um..disappointed. I mean, the next upgrade will probably take place in a year and a half. Canon reminds me a little bit of another company which failed to innovate for many years... Microsoft, rings a bell?
I didn't mention the in-camera RAW editing feature. I think that photographers who shoot RAW, will better prefer editing RAW files in professional RAW editing software on their computer, rather than do it in-camera. I personally prefer editing RAW files on my large 27" LCd screen, wouldn't you?
Other options include: better buttons control layout, New pop-up flash and wireless controlling like the 7D, new control dial, dedicated movie button, new LP-E6 Lithium-Ion battery, must lock the dial before using it, new top LCD and electronic leveling.
I think that the 60D is a fair upgrade for Canon 550D owners. I think that this is the body that was supposed to be in Canon's entry-level DSLRs. Don't get me wrong, I think it is a very capable camera. But after seeing what Sony had shown a few days ago, I will probably will wait for the Nikon D90 replacement, and then decide whether I will go with the Nikon or Sony. Yes, no Canon on shopping my list this year.
Nevertheless, let's not bash the new Canon 60D yet. I am still waiting for lab-testing reviews, to see how the camera performs. I am eager to hear you opinion about the 60D. Please share you opinion.
What other DSLR replacements we should expect to see in 2010/2011?
I tend to agree. I've been holding on to my gripped 40d with my sites set on a 5D MkII and/or a 7D. This combination still seems to offer the best of both worlds.
ReplyDeleteIt is clear that canon has positioned the 7d as the upgrade to the 50d and the 60d as an upgrade to the t2i. As an upgrade to the t2i, the 60 does a great job giving a host of new features, better battery, & larger body. I would have loved to see some AF improvements but canon dropped the ball on that one. You just can't compare the 50d w/the 60d and canon keeping that nomenclature almost guarantees that most will. As a t2i owner, the 60d is everything I wanted (except better AF), without the steeper price of the 7D. If you want to upgrade your 50D, buy a 7D, its a great upgrade
ReplyDeleteI've been waiting for this too and feel a bit disappointed. I have a 30D and have been debating on getting the 7D or wait for this....Still not sure.
ReplyDeleteAt least Canon came up with the new 70-300mm L lens. I must admit that I am too. a bit disappointed. We expect that in a every few years, large camera manufacturers, will come up with better technology innovations. Sony did it with its NEX-5 Mirrorless compact cameras and with its A55 & A33 translucent mirror cameras. For many photographers, having an in-camera GPPS is a very welcomed feature.
ReplyDeleteBut Dan, as I wrote in one of my blog post, Canon just didn't left itself a choice, when it announced the 7D. By doing that, it has shrunk the gap between the 50D and the 7D. That's the reason the 60D was born, well.. lack of advanced 7D-like features.
We are still waiting for Nikon to come up with its D7000 or D8000 DSLR. I honestly think that Nikon will not disappoint us. Furthermore, I am waiting for Olympus E-5 DSLR. Olympus is one of my favorite camera manufacturers. It takes the risks and try to come up with really useful technologies every 3 years or so.
The Canon 60D will be a good 550D (T2i) upgrade. There are many 550D photographers who cannot afford the Canon EOS 7D. For them, the 60D is really the most affordable path for upgrading their current entry-level DSLR camera. As for the 550D life-cycle, we most probably won't see a 600D in upcoming year.
i was thinking of getting the 550D (T2i), but then the 60D was announced . To answer the question on what Canon had in mind on designing this camera. Canon's main focus for the 60D is for video use like the T2i. The swivel screen gives it away. They just added a extra couple of FPS than the T2i for those that like to shoot stills as well. What I like the most about the 60D that was not mentioned, is the audio control. The T2i and the 7D wish i love as well does not have this, they have too much audio gain which makes your video sound like crap. You have to buy an audio recorder to get great sound. The only other DSLR that has audio control because of the firmware is the 5D MKii. The swivel screen is just an addative. if you have the T2i, 7D, and 5DMKii already all you really need is a monitor for $200 more. So really the 60D inherits the video features from the 7D, the swivel screen from the Sony SLT-A55 and the audio from the 5D MKii firmware. i think i'll wait to see what else comes out maybe a 7D upgrade the new Canon 8D, or the new 5D MKiii.
ReplyDeleteI have heard that photographers were dissapointed with DSLR in-camera microphones sound quality. Even so, I also think that if you are just a bit more serious about shooting high quality HD videos, you should probably buy an external mic.
ReplyDeleteThere are a wide range of external DSLR microphones, some are cheap and some are more expensive. These microphones will significantly improve the audio quality of your HD movies. But it is refreshing to hear that Canon has done something about it in the 60D. Thanks for sharing.
Would you recommend buying the 60D over the 550D given the 60D's new price point?
ReplyDeleteHi Guys,
ReplyDeleteI would also like to express my disappointment of this recent release of Canon 60D. As many of us have been using Canon SLR's forever, we were expecting a lot from 60D even before it was released. HD Movie feature is pretty decent but not for a person who uses DSLR for still images only. AF should have been improved, etc.. but if canon does all the things that we want for 60D to be, then I guess that 7D sales/upgrades will become less relevant with pricing and features. This should have been Canon 600D(an upgrade for the xxxD series and not xxD).
-AL
I think you are right. It is interesting to upgrade to the Canon 60D if you own a Canon 400, 450, 500 or even 550. What bothers me most is the pricing of the Canon 60D. In the Netherlands the 550D body cost about 630 euro, the Canon 50D body about 690 euro, the Canon 7D body about 1200 euro and the canon 60D about 1020 euro. I would spent 180 euro more and have the Canon 7D.
ReplyDelete-ROB
Im taking the plunge and selling my 50D to get the 60D, something just doesn't feel right though! The weight, the feel and the look of the 60D just don't compare to the 50D. The only reason I'm diving in is because of the video! Oh how I wish there was a video hack for the 50D, that would be a great camera if it shot HD!!!
ReplyDeleteHi ... I currently own a 400D and have really outgrown it. Am looking to buy a new body as an uppgrade from a begginer to an amature who understands photography... i cant afford a 7d or a 5d, so my choice is between a 50D or a 60D... for someone who has NO interest in video and just wants a semi-professional camera.. which one should i buy.
ReplyDeleteI’m about to buy my first dSLR. I’ve used film SLR and my current Digital Camera (Canon G9) has a lot of manual settings that I like to use for night shots, extended exposures etc. I also have an S3IS which has a swivel screen which I’ve come to love. But, for a first dSLR user, is it worth spending the extra $300 to buy the 60D over the 550D? Are things like the top LCD and pentaprism worth it? I’m about 6′4″ and have fairly large hands, so would the 60D be much better in that regard? I’ve heard the 550D can be a little cramped. Advice would be appreciated. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI can't say what I though Canon's aim was, but I am certainly very happy with it as my first foray beyond the Rebel line (Coming from an XTi/450D). It doesn't sound like the 60D is much more than a 50D plus video (and minus a couple features), but it's certainly a nice camera to use. The lack of a metal body doesn't bother me that much, I don't intend to throw the camera at anything.
ReplyDeleteThe swivel screen appeared to be gimmicky for someone used to looking through the viewfinder, But I pretty quickly discovered its video benefits, and benefits for low angle (or high angle) shots.
The price point of the 7D is only a few hundred over the 60D, I'd think that seems specifically placed to entice the 50D owner.
Hi , I was Planning to buy the rebel T2i, but then heard about this one 60D. My main use will be for video (indie type films) . Is the 60D a safe bet or are there any better ones in same price range? also which will be a decent lens (again cheap/budget) to pair with this ? I will NOT be shooting long shots/animals etc. I only need it for Simple narrative videos.
ReplyDeletethanks in advance
If you have money for 60D and you need low angle shots - take it for video.
ReplyDeleteOtherwise - 550d (same quality in video)
and now 600D is a good alternative of 550d
ReplyDeleteCanon 60d has a considerable leg up on the 550d at very little price difference. Check out a review at http://ultimateglobalhome.com/index.php/electronics/1363-canon-60d-review-a-step-in-the-right-direction
ReplyDelete