Canon EOS 60D Review

8/18/2019 Canon EOS 60D Review

1/10

Canon EOS 60D Review by Bob Atkins

The Canon EOS 60D is Canon’s latest addition to their DSLR line and sits between the Digital Rebel

T2i and EOS D in ter!s o" both #ri$e and "eat%res& The 60D #res%!ably is intended to e'ent%ally

s%#ersede the EOS (0D)tho%gh the (0D is still listed as a $%rrent !odel on Canon’s web #age& The

EOS 60D’s "eat%res are a !i* o" those "ro! the old EOS (0D+ the EOS T2i and the EOS D)with a

"ew entirely new "eat%res seen "or the "irst ti!e on the EOS 60D

Canon EOS 60D Major Features

• An ,-./ sensor with $hannel reado%t& 1ery si!ilar to the sensor "o%nd in the T2i and EOS D+

tho%gh the D has - $hannel reado%t to s#eed %# o#eration&

• %ll 3D 'ideo at the sa!e sele$table resol%tions and "ra!e rates as the Rebel T2i4 D& .an%al

e*#os%re setting is #ossible&

• There is a 5wind5 "ilter whi$h $an be %sed when re$ording a%dio along with 'ideo& The b%ilt in !i$

is !ono+ b%t there is a 7a$k "or a stereo !i$& There is !an%al

$ontrol o'er a%dio 'ol%!e 86 ste#s9+ b%t $hanges $annot be !ade d%ring shooting&

• The A syste! has the : #oints "o%nd in the Rebel T2i+ b%t all are $ross 8d%al a*is9 sensors as in

the (0D& The D has a !ore ad'an$ed A syste! with ,: $ross ty#e sensors&

• 6; SO range is ,00 6 00 #l%s 535 8,2-009+ sa!e as the T2i and D&

• The EOS 60D now %ses SD $ards like the T2i& The D %ses C $ards&

• Canon has abandoned the B/ (,, battery o" the (0D in "a'or o" the L/ E6 whi$h is %sed

in the EOS D 8and (D .k>>9&

• The !a*i!%! "ra!e rate is (& "ra!es #er se$ond 8"#s9+ between the ;& "#s o" the T2i and the -

"#s o" the D

• The LCD has a ;?2 as#e$t ratio and Canon’s $%rrent 8and e*$ellent9 anti re"le$tion

te$hnology&

http://photo.net/photodb/user?user_id=14630http://photo.net/photodb/user?user_id=14630http://photo.net/photodb/user?user_id=14630


2/10

• or the "irst ti!e on any Canon DSLR+ the EOS 60D has a tilt and swi'el LCD& This

doesn’t hel# !%$h "or $on'entional still #hotogra#hy+ b%t it $an be 'ery %se"%l in Li'e

1iew !ode and when shooting 'ideo&

•

The weathersealing is so!ewhere between that o" the T2i and the EOS D& >t’s not s%#er weathersealed+ and it’s not designed to be %sed in hea'y rain+ b%t it sho%ldn’t @%it i"

it sees a little dri


3/10

>t’s notable that all three EOS !odels 8T2i+ 60D and D9 ha'e the sa!e sit $an be angled to shield it "ro!

bright s%nlight or ad7%sted "or $o!"ortably shooting o'erhead or "loor le'el shots& The !onitor’s

slightly wider ;?2 as#e$t ratio !eans a larger i!age d%ring 'ideo shooting+ whether in 3D with its,6?: ratio+ or in standard de" !ode& The high resol%tion dis#lay has o'er , !illion dot resol%tion&

>n addition the EOS 60D also has e*$ellent a%dio "eat%res in$l%ding?

• A b%ilt in !i$ro#hone 8!ono9+ with standard ;&(!! stereo 7a$k "or e*ternal !i$ro#hones

• Choi$e o" a%to!ati$ or !an%al re$ording le'el $ontrol "or so%nd 8in !an%al+ the %ser $an sele$t

"ro! a 6 ste# range to !aintain $onsistent re$ording le'els+ de#ending on a!bient $onditions9&

So%nd re$ording $an also be disabled $o!#letely&

• B%ilt in ind ilter 8sele$table in Jso%nd re$ordingK !en%+ when in 'ideo !ode9& The "ilter $an

easily be swit$hed on or o"" 8de"a%lt setting is o""9

E*#os%re $ontrol $an be either !an%al or "%lly a%to!ati$ 8where the $a!era $hooses >SO+ a#ert%re

and sh%tter s#eed9& >n !an%al !ode yo% $an $hoose sh%tter s#eed and a#ert%re and the $a!era will

sele$t >SO+ or yo% $an set all three #ara!eters 8sh%tter+ a#ert%re and >SO9 !an%ally& Sh%tter s#eeds

range "ro! ,4;0s 8at 2 or ;0"#s9 or ,460s 8at (0 or 60 "#s9 to a !a*i!%! o" ,4 000s&


4/10


5/10

,? B o%t#%ts !ore light than A 8a two sto# di""eren$e9,?- B o%t#%ts - !ore light than A 8a three sto# di""eren$e9

The e*ternal s#eedlites $an also be set to "ire %sing !an%al "lash #ower settings or to %se "lash

e*#os%re $o!#ensation& Again di""erent settings $an be %sed "or gro%#s A and B&

o%r di""erent J$hannelsK are a'ailable "or s#eedlite $ontrol& This allows %# to di""erent#hotogra#hers to $ontrol sets o" e*ternal s#eedlites in the sa!e st%dio witho%t inter"ering with ea$h

other& Hote that the wireless $ontrol is o#ti$al and not radio+ so ea$h o" the sla'e %nits !%st be able to

JseeK the !aster $ontroller 8in this $ase the b%ilt in "lash on the EOS 60D9& They $an so!eti!es JseeK

'ia a re"le$tion indoors+ b%t o%tdoors they need the o#ti$al sensor on the sla'e %nit t%rned towards

the $ontroller+ and it’s always to good idea to do that anyway "or !a*i!%! range and reliability& The

sensor is on the "ront o" the e*ternal s#eedlites+ b%t all $o!#atible s#eedlites ha'e heads whi$h tilt

and swi'el+ so altho%gh the body o" the e*ternal s#eedlite !ay be "a$ing the EOS 60D $ontroller+ the

"lash head $an be #ointed in any dire$tion&

Electronic Level

Bob Atkins

The EOS 60D has a b%ilt in single a*is ele$troni$ hori


6/10

in the $enter o" the s$ale& As the $a!era is tilted additional seg!ents light %# showing the dire$tion

and a!o%nt o" tilt& One additional lit seg!ent $orres#onds to , additional degree o" tilt&

The le'el dis#lay in the 'iew"inder $an’t be dis#layed at the sa!e ti!e as the nor!al dis#lay& That

!eans i" yo% le'el the $a!era with yo%r eye to the 'iew"inder wat$hing the le'el dis#lay and then ,42

#ress the sh%tter to get e*#os%re and "o$%s+ the dis#lay swit$hes "ro! le'el dis#lay to the nor!al

!etering !ode&

In camera image processing

The Canon EOS 60D allows the %ser to #ro$ess RA "iles in the $a!era rather than %sing a /C and

Canon’s D// 8Digital /hoto /ro"essional9 so"tware& hile the #ro$essing range isn’t as e*tensi'e as

that "o%nd in D// it still allows @%ite a lot o" i!age ad7%st!ent& The "ollowing "%n$tions are a'ailable?

• Ad7%st o'erall brightness+ in ,4; sto# in$re!ents

• Co!#letely re set hite Balan$e

• Ad7%st /i$t%re Style settings

• Choose Color S#a$e 8sR B or Adobe ,::- R B9

• A##ly A%to Lighting O#ti!i


7/10

• New — S2: a##ro*& 2&( !illion #i*els 8,:20 *

,2-0M $lose to 3DT1 di!ensions9

• New — S : a##ro*& 0&;( !illion #i*els 8 20 *

-0M $lose to standard T1 sit %tilit has : A


8/10

$entral one are only linear sensors& The EOS D has a !%$h i!#ro'ed A syste! with with ,: high

#re$ision+ $ross ty#e A sensors and !ore ad'an$ed sele$tion "eat%res&

As "ar as > $o%ld tell+ the A #er"or!an$e see!s si!ilar to that o" the EOS (0D+ whi$h is #retty good

%nder !ost nor!al $ir$%!stan$es&

"ands#on ssessment

3andling the EOS 60D was a "a!iliar e*#erien$e with the ty#i$al Canon DSLR %ser inter"a$e& The

!en%s ha'e $hanged "ro! the (0D and the $ontrol b%ttons ha'e a di""erent layo%t+ b%t that’s 7%st a

!atter o" getting %sed to the!& On$e yo% be$o!e "a!iliar with the! yo% !ay "ind the! easier to %se

than was the $ase with the (0D& 1ideo is #arti$%larly easy to shoot sin$e there’s a dedi$ated !ode+ a

dedi$ated start4sto# b%tton and a tilt and swi'el LCD whi$h !akes ai!ing the $a!era !%$h easier

than %sing a "i*ed LCD on the rear o" the $a!era& at the ti!e o" this re'iew the EOS 60D is the only

DSLR in the Canon EOS series with a tilt swi'el LCD 8b%t > don’t e*#e$t that to be the $ase "ore'er 9&

>n a$t%al %se > "o%nd the %ser inter"a$e worked well and > $o%ld @%i$kly get at al!ost any "%n$tion >

needed with one b%tton #%sh and a !en% sele$tion 8o"ten %sing the %i$k Control B%tton9&

The i!age @%ality looks 'ery !%$h like the i!age @%ality o" the EOS D 8and EOS T2i9& This is #retty

!%$h what yo%’d e*#e$t sin$e they all %se the sa!e basi$ sensor& There !ay be 'ery slight sensor

di""eren$es between the $a!eras+ b%t nothing that a##ears to a""e$t i!age @%ality to any a##re$iable

e*tent& There’s no reason why the resol%tion sho%ld be any di""erent "ro! that o" the T2i and D+

gi'en that the sensor si


9/10

> wo%ld not be s%r#rised i" the EOS 60D dis#la$es the EOS (D .k>> as the $a!era o" $hoi$e "or

i!#o'erished 'ideogra#hers sin$e it o""ers #retty !%$h the sa!e 'ideo "eat%res+ b%t with a tilt and

swi'el LCD and all at signi"i$antly less than ,42 the $ost o" the (D .k>> 8aro%nd F,000 's& aro%nd

F2(009& 3owe'er #otential 'ideo shooters sho%ld be aware o" the li!itations i!#osed by the la$k o"

any "o$%s tra$king in the 60D or any other EOS DSLR P and in "a$t all DSLR $a!eras other than the

newer Sony !odels with a "i*ed !irror& The la$k o" "o$%s tra$king !eans that i" yo% ha'e a s%b7e$t

whi$h is !o'ing towards or away "ro! the $a!era yo% ha'e a "ew o#tions+ none o" whi$h is ideal&

Go% $an try to !an%ally "ollow "o$%s+ b%t that’s not at all easy and it’s 'irt%ally i!#ossible to

a$$%rately 7%dge "o$%s on a s!all LCD s$reen& Go% $an also try to e*#loit the large DO o" s!all

a#ert%res+ b%t o" $o%rse that’s not always #ossible in di! light and !ay not be the look yo% want 8with

the ba$kgro%nd in "o$%s9& E'en i" it is #ossible it !ay re@%ire the %se o" high >SO settings and the

res%lting dro# in i!age @%ality& Go% $an also a$hie'e large DO by %sing a wideangle lens+ b%t again

this !ay not be @%ite what yo% want es#e$ially "or s#orts and si!ilar distant a$tion& Contrast

dete$tion A is a'ailable at any ti!e while shooting 'ideo+ b%t it’s slow 8se'eral se$onds9 and !ay

o'ershoot be"ore lo$king in& Ob'io%sly this is "ar "ro! ideal on a !o'ing target Go% $an also %se

#hase dete$tion A + b%t that re@%ires the re"le* !irror to dro#+ blanking o%t the 'ideo while the A

takes #la$e& E'en i" yo% do get "o$%s this way+ the s%b7e$t is still !o'ing and so !ay @%i$kly go o%t o"

"o$%s again&

/ro"essional 'ideogra#hers $an deal with these iss%es and EOS DSLRs ha'e been %sed to shoot so!e

'ery i!#ressi'e 'ideos& 3owe'er "or the $as%al a!ate%r 'ideogra#her who wants shots o" $hildren

r%nning+ !otor ra$ing or s#orts+ it’s not really a J#oint and shootK o#eration& >t’s !ore like J/oint and

Shoot and ho#e the DO is large or try to ad7%st "o$%s so!ehowK&


10/10

Conclusion

Canon $ertainly see!s to ha'e #rod%$ed another winner in the EOS 60D& >t’s a 'ery %se"%l %#date o"the (0D+ adding !ore #i*els+ 3D 'ideo+ a tilt and swi'el LCD and lots o" other s!all re"ine!ents& .yonly $o!#laint is that > think >’d rather ha'e had C $ard storage than SD $ard+ si!#ly be$a%se >already ha'e a large $olle$tion o" C $ards that > %se in !y other Canon DSLR bodies& The !ainad'antage o" SD $ards o'er C $ards is that there are no #ins in the so$ket to bend& >n that regard they !ay be a !ore rob%st sol%tion in the hands o" $ons%!ers& The $%rrently a'ailable SD $ards aren’t as"ast as the "astest C $ards at the !o!ent+ b%t the 60D doesn’t need an %ltra "ast $ard& SD $lass 6 isre$o!!ended 8and #robably re@%ired "or shooting longer ,0-0# 3D 'ideo se@%en$es9& hen > shot with the EOS 60D > %sed an - B Qingston $lass 6 $ard and > had no #roble! with ,0-0# 3D 'ideo&Trans$end - B $lass 6 SD3C $ards $an be "o%nd "or as little as aro%nd F20 ea$h+ so e'en i"+ like !e+ yo% ha'e a $olle$tion o" C $ards+ b%ying a "ew new SD3C $ards won’t break the bank&

.y $olle$tion o" B/ (,,4(,2 batteries is also getting less %se"%l Ho $%rrent DSLR now %ses that battery si" yo% don’t !ind %sing ;rd #arty batteries "ro! China+ yo% $an get s#are L/ E6 batteries "or aro%nd F- ea$h+ so as with the SD !e!ory $ards+ b%ying a "ew s#are batteries isn’t a bige*#ense 8%nless yo% insist on gen%ine Canon batteries whi$h $%rrently sell "or F6( F 0 ea$h9&

>t’s interesting to note that all o" Canon’s A/S C DSLRs now ha'e !%$h the sa!e sensor and dis#lay!%$h the sa!e i!age @%ality& They are di""erentiated by "eat%res+ not by basi$ i!age @%ality& This ise*a$tly the sa!e sit%ation that e*isted be"ore digital $a!eras $a!e along& They all %sed the sa!e "il!and so had the sa!e i!age @%ality

The tilt and swi'el LCD also looks like a winner and >’d e*#e$t to see it as a "eat%re on !any "%t%reDSLRs "ro! Canon& The only #ossible downside to it is that %nder hea'y %se it !ight !ake the$a!era less d%rable& Go% $o%ld dro# an EOS ,D series body with no serio%s $onse@%en$es+ b%t i" theLCD was "olded o%t and yo% dro##ed it the wrong way >’! not so s%re it wo%ld s%r'i'e inta$t& >’d$ertainly e*#e$t a tilt and swi'el LCD on the EOS D .k>> and the EOS (D .k>>>+ i" and when theyare released

Are there any downsides to the 60D when $o!#ared with the (0D ell+ there are a "ew& The 60D haslost the A !i$road7%st!ent o" the (0D and it no longer has a /C "lash so$ket& 3owe'er > s%s#e$t thatnot !any owners o" the (0D really %se either o" those "eat%res 8tho%gh they are $ertainly ni$e to ha'eand are %sed by so!e9& The !%lti a*is $ontroller in the CD is arg%ably less easy to %se than these#arate J7oysti$kK o" the (0D& >nside the $a!era there is !ore #lasti$ and less !etal+ tho%gh againthat !ight be so!ething the !a7ority o" %sers don’t really $are abo%t& >’! s%re that "or the ty#i$al$%sto!er the addition o" 3D 'ideo and a tilt and swi'el LCD !ore than !ake %# "or the losses "ro!the (0D& or (0D owners looking "or a total %#grade+ there’s always the EOS D+ whi$h is $o!ingdown in #ri$e now&

The body o" the EOS 60D is #lasti$+ whereas that o" the (0D was !etal alloy 8as is the body o" the EOSD9& hile this see!s to worry so!e #eo#le+ >’! not s%re why& The Digital Rebel $a!eras ha'e always

had #lasti$ bodies and they ha'e #ro'en to be 'ery d%rable& or the a'erage #hotogra#her there’sreally not a signi"i$ant downside to a body designed to be b%ilt "ro! an engineering grade d%rable#lasti$&

Documents

Canon EOS 60D Review