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Canon EOS 60D Review

Canon EOS 60D Specifications

Key Features

Type
Digital, single-lens reflex, AF/AE camera with built-in flash Recording Media
SD/SDHC/SDXC card, via external media (USB v.2.0 hard drive, or via Wireless LAN (Eye-Fi card*)) *Canon cameras are not guaranteed to support Eye-Fi card functions, including wireless transfer. In case of an issue with the Eye-Fi card, please consult with the card manufacturer. The use of Eye-Fi cards may not be approved in all regions, or from one region to another, please contact the card manufacturer for status of approval in the country/region of use. Image Format
0.88 x 0.59 in. / 22.3 x 14.9mm (APS-C size) Compatible Lenses
Canon EF lenses (including EF-S lenses)
(35mm-equivalent focal length is approx. 1.6x the lens focal length) Lens Mount
Canon EF mount Type
High-sensitivity, high-resolution, large single-plate CMOS sensor Pixels
Effective pixels: Approx. 18.0 Megapixels: 5200 (H) x 3462 (V) pixels Total Pixels
Total pixels: Approx. 19.0 Megapixels: 5432 (H) x 3492 (V) pixels Aspect Ratio
3:2 (Horizontal: Vertical) Color Filter System
RGB primary color filters Low Pass Filter
Fixed position in front of the CMOS sensor Dust Deletion Feature
1. Self Cleaning Sensor Unit
2. Dust Delete Data appended to the captured image
3. Manual cleaning of sensor Recording Format
Design rule for Camera File System 2.0 and Exif 2.3 File Size
1. Large/Fine: Approx. 17.90 Megapixels (5184 x 3456)
2. Medium/Fine: Approx. 8.00 Megapixels (3456 x 2304)
3. Small 1/Normal: Approx. 4.50 Megapixels (2592 x 1728)
4. Small 2/Fine: Approx. 2.50 Megapixels (1920 x 1280)
5. Small 3/Fine: Approx. 0.35 Megapixels (720 x 480)
6. RAW: Approx. 17.90 Megapixels (5184 x 3456)
7. M-RAW: Approx. 10.10 Megapixels (3888 x 2592)
8. S-RAW: Approx. 4.50 Megapixels (2592 x 1728) Exact file sizes depend on the subject, ISO speed, Picture Style, etc. Backup Recording
N/A File Numbering
Consecutive numbering, auto reset, manual reset. RAW + JPEG Simultaneous Recording
Provided (sRAW+JPEG also possible) Color Space
sRGB, Adobe RGB Picture Style
Standard, Portrait, Landscape, Neutral, Faithful, Monochrome, User Def. 1-3 Settings
Auto, Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Tungsten Light, White Fluorescent Light, Flash, Custom, Color Temperature setting Auto White Balance
Auto white balance with the image sensor Color Temperature Compensation
White balance correction: ±9 stops in full-stop increments
White balance bracketing: ±3 stops in full-stop increments
Blue/amber direction or magenta/green direction possible Color Temperature Information Transmission
Provided Type
Eye-level pentaprism Coverage
Vertical/Horizontal approx. 96% Magnification
Approx. 0.95x (-1m-1 with 50mm lens at infinity) / 27.0° angle of view Eye Point
Approx. 22mm (At -1m-1 from eyepiece lens center) Dioptric Adjustment Correction
-3.0 to +1.0m-1 (diopter) Focusing Screen
Interchangeable (Ef-D: Grid lines, Ef-S: Point of focus, Ef-A standard focusing screen provided) Mirror
Quick-return half mirror (transmission: reflection ratio of 40:60) Viewfinder Information
AF information (AF points and focus confirmation light), Exposure information (Shutter speed, aperture, ISO speed (always displayed), AE lock, exposure level, Spot metering circle, exposure warning), Flash information (Flash ready, flash exposure compensation, high-speed sync, FE lock, red-eye reduction light), Image information (Highlight tone priority (D+), Monochrome shooting, maximum burst (2-digit display), white balance correction, card information), Electronic level (Horizontal only), Battery check Depth Of Field Preview
Enabled with depth-of-field preview button Type
TTL-CT-SIR AF-dedicated CMOS sensor AF Points
9 (Cross-type, Center AF point with dual cross sensor for f/2.8) AF Working Range
EV 0-20 (at 73°F/23°C with EF 50mm f/1.4 USM lens, ISO 100) Focusing Modes
Autofocus, One-Shot AF, Predictive AI Servo AF, AI Focus AF, Manual focusing (MF) AF Point Selection
Automatic selection, manual selection Selected AF Point Display
Superimposed in viewfinder and indicated on LCD panel AF Assist Beam
Small series of flashes fired by built-in flash
Effective range: Approx. 13.1 ft./4.0m at center, approx. 11.5 ft./3.5m at periphery*. * With an EOS-dedicated Speedlite attached, the Speedlite's AF-assist beam is emitted instead.
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Metering Modes
Max. aperture TTL metering with 63-zone SPC with the following selectable modes:
    Evaluative metering (linkable to all AF points) Partial metering (approx. 6.5% of viewfinder at center) Spot metering (approx. 2.8% of viewfinder at center) Center-Weighted average metering Metering Range
EV 0-20 (at 73°F/23°C with EF 50mm f/1.4 USM lens, ISO 100) Exposure Control Systems
Program AE (Shiftable), Shutter-priority AE (Safety shift possible), Aperture-priority AE (Safety shift possible), Manual exposure, Bulb, Full Auto, Flash Off, Creative Auto, Programmed Image Control modes (Portrait, Landscape, Close-up, Sports, Night Portrait), E-TTL II Autoflash Program AE (Evaluative metering, Averaged metering) ISO Speed Range
ISO 100 - 6400 (in 1/3-stop or whole-stop increments)
- ISO 12800 can be enabled with a Custom Function.
- With [Highlight tone priority], the ISO speed range will be automatically set within 200-6400. 1. In Creative Zone modes, the maximum settable ISO speed (400-6400) will vary within the automatic ISO speed range.
2. If overexposure would occur with fill flash, ISO 100 will be the lowest set.
3. In the (P) and Basic Zone modes (except Night Portrait), bounce flash will be set automatically within ISO 400-1600 (or maximum ISO speed limit). Exposure Compensation
Manual: ±5 stops in 1/3- or 1/2-stop increments
AEB: ±3 stops in 1/3- or 1/2-stop increments
* Indicated up to ±3 stops on the LCD panel and in the viewfinder. AE Lock
1. Auto AE lock - In the One-Shot AF mode with evaluative metering, AE lock takes effect when focus is achieved.
2. Manual AE lock - With AE lock button. (AE lock is updated each time you press the button.) Enabled in all metering modes. Shutter
Vertical-travel, mechanical, focal-plane shutter with all speeds electronically-controlled 1/8000 to 1/60 sec., X-sync at 1/250 sec.
1/8000 to 30 sec., bulb (Total shutter speed range. Available range varies by shooting mode) Soft-touch electromagnetic release 10-sec. or 2-sec. delay (self-timer/remote control) For Remote Switch RS-60E3 Type
Vertical-travel, mechanical, focal-plane shutter with all speeds electronically-controlled Shutter Speeds
1/8000 to 1/60 sec., X-sync at 1/250 sec.
1/8000 to 30 sec., bulb (Total shutter speed range. Available range varies by shooting mode) Shutter Release
Soft-touch electromagnetic release Self Timer
10-sec. or 2-sec. delay (self-timer/remote control) Remote Control
For Remote Switch RS-60E3 Type
Auto pop-up, retractable, built-in flash in the pentaprism Guide Number
43/13 (ISO 100, in feet/meters) Recycling Time
Approx. 3 sec. Flash Ready Indicator
Flash-ready icon lights in viewfinder Flash Coverage
Up to 17mm focal length (equivalent to approx. 28mm in 135 format) FE Lock
Provided Flash Exposure Compensation
Up to ±3 stops in 1/3- or 1/2-stop increments
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Zooming to Match Focal Length
Provided Flash Metering
E-TTL II autoflash Flash Exposure Compensation
±3 stops in 1/3- or 1/2-stop increments FE Lock
Provided External Flash Settings
Flash function settings, Flash C.Fn settings PC Terminal
None
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Drive Modes
Single, high-speed continuous, low-speed continuous, 10-sec. self-timer/ remote control, or 2-sec. self-timer/remote control Continuous Shooting Speed
High-speed: Max. 5.3 shots/sec. (approx.)
Low-speed: Max. 3.0 shots/sec. (approx.) Maximum Burst
JPEG (Large/Fine): approx. 58
RAW: approx. 16
RAW+JPEG (Large/Fine): approx. 7 1. The number of possible shots and maximum burst apply to a 4GB SD card based on Canon's testing standards.
2. The image file size, number of possible shots, and maximum burst will vary depending on the shooting conditions (aspect ratio 3:2, subject, memory card brand, ISO speed, Picture Style, etc.).
3. The "F" after the number indicates that continuous shooting is possible until the card becomes full. Shooting Modes
(1) Live View shooting
(2) Remote Live View shooting (with a personal computer installed with EOS Utility) Focusing
Autofocus (One-Shot AF)
1. Live mode - One-point, contrast AF. Switching to another AF point possible.
2. Face Detection Live mode - Face Detection, Contrast AF. Face selectable.
3. Quick mode - Nine-point, phase-difference AF, same as normal shooting. Manual focus - Magnify the image by 5x or 10x and focus manually. Metering Modes
Real-time Evaluative metering with the image sensor Metering Range
EV 0-20 (at 73°F/23°C with EF 50mm f/1.4 USM lens, ISO 100)
* AE lock possible.
* The active metering time can be changed. Magnified View
By 5x or 10x at AF point position Grid Display
Provided (Two-type grid displays) Silent Shooting
Provided (Mode 1 and Mode 2)
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Type
TFT color, liquid-crystal monitor Monitor Size
Wide 3.0-inch (Screen aspect ratio of 3:2) Coverage
Approx. 100%
Viewing angle: Approx. 160° Brightness Control
7 levels provided Interface Languages
25 (English, German, French, Dutch, Danish, Portuguese, Finnish, Italian, Norwegian, Swedish, Spanish, Greek, Russian, Polish, Czech, Hungarian, Romanian, Ukraine, Turkish, Arabic, Thai, Simplified/Traditional Chinese, Korean, Japanese)
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Display Format
Single image display (Two types of single-image full display and two types of shooting information display), Index display (4-image index and 9-image index), Jump display (1/10/100 images, shooting date, by folder, video, stills, rating), AF point display, Histogram (1. Brightness 2. RGB), Magnify zoom display (1.5x to 10x enabled in 15 steps), Rotated display (Manual, Auto) Slide Show (Image selection: Playback according to All images, Date, Folder, Movies, Stills, or Rating; Display time: 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, or 20 sec.; Repeat: Enable/Disable; Transition effect: Off, Slide in, Fade 1, Fade 2) Highlight Alert
With single-image display (Info.) and single-image display, overexposed highlight areas will blink
Protection
Erase protection can be applied/canceled for a single image, all images in a folder, or all images in the card Erase
Erase single image, erase selected images, erase all images on folder, erase all images in a card, or erase only unprotected images Compatible Printers
PictBridge-compatible printers Printable Images
JPEG images compliant to Design rule for Camera File System 2.0 and Exif 2.3 (DPOF printing possible) and RAW images captured with the EOS 60D
* Video footage cannot be printed. Easy Print feature
Provided DPOF
Version 1.1 compatible Compatible Images
Direct image transfer with the camera has been abolished since the personal computers' OS-based support has become adequate for image transfers. Custom Functions
Total 20 Camera User Settings
Register under Mode Dial's setting My Menu Registration
Up to six top-tier menu options and Custom Function settings can be registered Battery
One Battery Pack LP-E6
AC power can be supplied via AC Adapter Kit ACK-E6
With Battery Grip BG-E9 attached, two battery packs (LP-E6) can be used. Six AA-size batteries can be used. Battery Life
1) Camera body only:
Shooting Method Temperature Shooting Conditions (Approx.)
AE 100% AE 50%, FA 50%
Viewfinder Shooting At 73°F/23°C 1600 1100
At 32°F/0°C 1400 1000
Live View Shooting At 73°F/23°C 350 320
At 32°F/0°C 310 280
2) With Battery Grip BG-E9:
Shooting Method Battery Temperature Shooting Conditions (Approx.)
AE 100% AE 50%, FA 50%
Viewfinder Shooting LP-E6 x 1 Same as (1)
LP-E6 x 2 At 73°F/23°C 3200 2200
At 32°F/0°C 2800 2000
Size-AA/LR6
alkaline batteries At 73°F/23°C 550 410
At 32°F/0°C 140 90
Live View Shooting LP-E6 x 1 Same as (1)
LP-E6 x 2 At 73°F/23°C 700 640
At 32°F/0°C 610 560
Size-AA/LR6
alkaline batteries At 73°F/23°C - -
At 32°F/0°C - -
The figures above are based on CIPA (Camera & Imaging Products Association) testing standards Battery Check
Auto Power Saving
Provided. Power turns off after 1, 2, 4, 8, 15 or 30 min. Date/Time Battery
Built-in secondary battery
When fully-charged, the date/time can be maintained for about three months. Start-up Time
Approx. 0.1 sec. (Based on CIPA testing standards)

Canon EOS 60D Competitors

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2 of 2 user reviews
  1. gsaj3 Flag

    This camera has met or exceeded my expectations in nearly every respect. I decided to purchased it after reading the reviews about its performance in low light situations. I prefer to shoot using natural light when available and find that a flash often changes the mood of the shot. I am upgrading from the Canon 20D, which while being a pretty good camera, generated noise starting around ISO 400. That meant I had to use some seriously fast glass to get natural looking, low light shots. The Canon 60D is a big improvement over the 20D. I am able to take natural lit shots at ISOs up to 3,200 with no noticeable noise at 100% zoom. If you zoom way in, you will see some, but virtually undetectable to the naked eye. In addition, it has a very nice 3" articulating LCD screen. This is great for reviewing your pictures on the spot. The Canon 20D only had a 1.8" screen, which made it hard to tell if you had a good, sharp photo. Its an HD screen so you can really see how sharp the pictures are. With 18 MP, you can crop photos significantly and still produce high quality, large prints, something I greatly appreciate. I bought 2 batteries and in the 2 weeks I have owned the camera, I have yet to change it. I shoot primarily without the flash, as the manual says i can expect around 1,600 shots on a charge. I have already exceeded that and there is still juice left. Canon definitely makes good batteries.The HD video is a bonus for me. I haven’t spent much time as a videographer in the past and this camera just might change that. I can take the stills i want and quickly switch to movie mode without having to change gear. The quality is very good, at least I have no complaints outside of the minor issue of the AF is a little slow in live view mode. I would highly recommend this camera to any photographer that wants more control and flexibility than you get from a starter dSLR, or certainly from a point and shoot. It is an excellent choice for serious hobby photographers or anyone else that wants a mid range dSLR. Pros: 3" variable angle, articulating LCD, 18 MP, excellent battery life, very good low light performance with high ISO, no noticeable noise up to 3,200, great quality photos, HD video, value.Cons: Live view makes the AF a little slow and isn't much use for still shooting.

    Score: 10
    2 out of 2 people found this user review helpful. Was this user review helpful? YesNo
  2. drissi Flag

    This is an upgrade from the Canon T1i. An excellent camera. But I wanted more flexibilty to shoot above and below objects as well as video. When I saw that the 60D came a vari-angle/articulate LCD, that sold me. Turns out that this was much more than an upgrade from the T1i. The 60D is not in the Rebel family. It offers more flexibily in audio. Better video. An excellent 3:2, 3 inch, 1.04 million dot screen. A controllable 5.3 frames per second is plenty fast.18MP sensor from 15MP. No big deal there. Both cameras offer excellent picture quality. View finder is a little bigger. The SDHC card are nice since the T1i used them. FYI: buy Class 6 or better for video. I like the upper data LCD. Thats when you know you are in the professonal arena :). Have fun!Pros: Vari-angle LCD, 18MP sensor, 1080 video at 30fps. pcture quality is exellent. Body construction good. Weight and grip good. Battery life is great. Top settings LCD. DIGIC 4 Processor. PriceCons: Control buttons on back are a little flush with body. Mode Dial lock takes getting used to. Would be nice if Mode Dial turned 360 to get to Video mode faster. All LCDs are terrible in sunlight.

    Score: 10
    0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful. Was this user review helpful? YesNo