I am guessing that since canon are effectively putting the same sensor in 3 cameras (a marketing tactic and also a way of saving r&d and production costs) they are having to be very careful about how they position the cameras and price them relative to each other. One of the primary differentiators is the sensor so effectively equalizing that means they are going to have to look elsewhere to stop people buying cheaper cameras when they could afford a more expensive one
I wonder how many potential 1d4 buyers (I was one) went for the 7d and cost canon a few thousand each time.
Some of the decisions such as the sync might be more closely related to cutting production costs and using a cheaper shutter perhaps?
I think I might have been misunderstanding what I was reading, and that they eleminated high speed sync on the built in flash, but didnt eleminate the ability for a shoe mounted flash to high speed sync.
If they released a camera that couldnt high speed sync with a shoe flash, to me that would be unbelevable dumb, even all the Rebels can do that, so I must have misunderstood.
Now on the illimination of the af micro adjust, that seems like something dumb to do away with on any of there cameras, as it seems like acurate focus is a fundamental part of any photography (maybe there is a market that only like to take blurry shots )
As a 40D owner I must be a target for this new camera and there are a couple of things I like the sound of:
- lighter weight
- 7D AF
- higher ISO
- HD video
- 16:9
- 18 MP for better cropping
- the in-camera RAW processing might save me time in pp. Now every RAW needs work in post.
Actually more than a couple and the list is getting longer. Knowing Canon there are probably 25 points which make it better than a Rebel. Don't know what the price is but much cheaper than 7D for sure. The 40D is still a great camera and mine is in great condition - must be able to get a good trade-in.
Here in Sweden the 7D is 13499 SEK and the 60D is 11999 SEK. So the difference in USD is $195.
Malte
In the US, the difference is $600-$800+ USD, so the poeple who use the xxd line only have a few options, change to from a pro-sumer to a consumer 60d, or pay much more for a pro-sumer replacment.
I upgraded to the 50d from a Rebel xti, so now I just wait for a 7d mark 2 I guess. Most people who made it to the xxd level from the Rebel level, dont want to go back to the Rebel level camera
I have to say that I wish they ALL used SD cards (or at least had dual slots). THey're cheaper, far more readily available if you suddenly need one and don't have time to order online and, even though their smaller, I actually found them less fiddly than paying attention to pins. So... even though I now have a decent supply of both, I'd be quite happy if cameras moved to SD as the norm. They work, they're cheap, and they're available.
Seems more like a repositioning of the line. Whereas previous changes (10D-->20D-->...50D) have only added features, the 60D adds some but loses some as well. I upgraded from a 20D to a 50D last year before the 7D was released. I don't think I would replace the 50D with the 60D even for free, so unless the 70D is radically different I think my next purchase will be in the 7D or 5D line.
Your mileage may vary, of course. If you're shooting with a Rebel, the 60D might be just what you want.
The 60D is a wierd amalgam of great video features with what seems to me lesser still features. It will certainly appeal to folks who want a dual purpose camera but I see it as a downgrade from many of the features of the 40D and 50D which I liked...
1. I like the dual burst speed of the 40D because I can choose from a relatively slow burst (3fps) which allows me to shoot for a longer period of time and a faster burst speed 6.5 fps which is faster. I also like the 3 fps burst speed because my 270EX flash can keep up with this speed for several shots...
2. I like the buttons controlling many of the camera settings on the 40D and 50D cameras. The 70D has fewer buttons which means that more controls are accessed from the menu which is a big PITA to me.
3. Along the lines of #2 above, the top LCD info window is simplified (dummied down) to show less information. I use the information on my 40D top LCD quite consistantly and would not want less information.
4. I use the 3 custom modes on my mode dial and actually would like several more. The 60D has eliminated two of these modes leaving only one. But, oh yes, it has a lock on the mode dial to prevent unintentional changing. I have never mistakenly changed modes but, I guess some people could.
5. The 60D doesn't have the midro focus adjust available on the 50D. Some people use this and some don't but, I would like to have it.
6. The 60D doesn't support HSS flash. But, you say, HSS is accessed through the flash unit. Not on the little 270EX which I love for fill flash and wear on my camera all the time. HSS, which I deem quite necessary for fill flash outdoors, can only be accessed via the camera. My 40D can access HSS and my 30D cannot. The 60D mimics the 30D technology in this instance.
7. I don't mind the plastic build but, that is also a cost cutting measure.
J: As much as I hate the 60D's spec (I'm a 50D owner), I actually think it's a shrewd move by Canon.
H: I think that there are a great many Digital Rebel owners who'd like to up-spec their "lowly Rebels," but who still like a lot of the Rebels' features.
J: The 60D now offers a pathway for them. And greater prestige as well.
H: And then all the disenchanted/disenfranchised current xxD owners (like myself) will go on to buy the only (Canon) option left available to them (that still includes a "vital" feature such as Micro Focus Adjustment)...
H: Yes, the wonderfully performing 7D (or greater).
J: So I think that when all's said and done, and everyone has adjusted to the new Paradigm, Canon will actually be selling more of the higher grade bodies (xxxD -> xxD, and xxD -> xD) than ever before!
... J: So I think that when all's said and done, and everyone has adjusted to the new Paradigm, Canon will actually be selling more of the higher grade bodies (xxxD -> xxD, and xxD -> xD) than ever before!
H: Happy shooting.
J&H
HA! With the current super rebel the T2i is so highly rated I can see the 60D appealing to an amatuer like me. I can also see why Canon is pushing the current 50D user towards the 7D.
If people were paying $1100 (more like $2100) for a EOS D60 in 2002 you can see the reasoning from Canon wanting the 40D/50D owner spending $1600 on the 7D and rookies (like me) $1100 for the 60D in 2010. Some may not agree with the strategy but I understand it.
The 60D is now selling directly in the D90 range so it will be interesting to see what the D90's replacement has to offer.
Launch Pricing of the XXD and Rebel lines since 2002 (From dpreview):
HA! With the current super rebel the T2i is so highly rated I can see the 60D appealing to an amatuer like me. I can also see why Canon is pushing the current 50D user towards the 7D.
If people were paying $1100 (more like $2100) for a EOS D60 in 2002 you can see the reasoning from Canon wanting the 40D/50D owner spending $1600 on the 7D and rookies (like me) $1100 for the 60D in 2010. Some may not agree with the strategy but I understand it.
The 60D is now selling directly in the D90 range so it will be interesting to see what the D90's replacement has to offer.
Launch Pricing of the XXD and Rebel lines since 2002 (From dpreview):
They're made in Japan, not USA, so looking at the $ price may not be that helpful if there has been significant fluctuation in the exchange rate.
The point I was trying to make was that there has been a steady drop in price in the XXD range over the past 8 years while the XXXD line has remained pretty much the same price. There is now a natural convergence between the two lines hence the 60D is a lesser camera than the 50D but more than the top of the line, sub $1000, Rebel line.
The 60D now competes directly with the D90 in the +$1000 range and this makes sense.
The progression for the 50D user then is to the 7D instead. Also, the 7D's replacement will most likely cost in the region of the 2002 D60 price ($2100).
I visited Best Buy today and lo and behold they had a 60D on display - Right next to the 7D and 550D. I gave it a good 20 minute whirl and these are my impressions.
Build quality is much better than the 550D and almost as solid as the 7D. Weight wise it seems perfect. Not as heavy as the 7D plus not quite as big. The 550D felt too small in my hands but with the 60D my thumb and trigger finger fell nicely into place.
I played around with the menu's, the new toggle at the rear and the locking mechanism on the top dial. After about 10 minutes and some practice the whole operation felt quite natural. As I have no experience with the 550D or 50D I have no leaning to either so my experience with the 60D was all positive.
I tried out the swivel screen and this to me is going to be a big selling point. Many will like the different angles this allows one to shoot with but my likes are purely practical. I can face the screen inwards which affords two things. One; my sweaty face does not leave oil all over the screen when using the viewfinder and two; the LCD is protected from scratches, etc. two big plusses for me. The swivel screen is quite sturdy and well built.
As a complete rookie to DSLR I cannot comment on the 60D's performance but as a rookie I am really taken with this as my first camera. I eagerly await the reviews before I finally commit - Will give me time to save some more.
HA! With the current super rebel the T2i is so highly rated I can see the 60D appealing to an amatuer like me. I can also see why Canon is pushing the current 50D user towards the 7D.
If people were paying $1100 (more like $2100) for a EOS D60 in 2002 you can see the reasoning from Canon wanting the 40D/50D owner spending $1600 on the 7D and rookies (like me) $1100 for the 60D in 2010. Some may not agree with the strategy but I understand it.
The 60D is now selling directly in the D90 range so it will be interesting to see what the D90's replacement has to offer.
Launch Pricing of the XXD and Rebel lines since 2002 (From dpreview):
With B&H and Andorama both selling the 7D for around $1535.00 50D owners should be quite happy to upgrade if you look at the history of the pricing.
The 50D launched at a price of $1399, not $1300. The prices were starting to drop for each successor, but the 50D went backward $100 from the 40D. The 60D is coming in at a savings of 20% over the 50D launch.
7D, 70-200L IS, 17-55 IS 2.8, 150 2.8 macro, 12-24, 100-400L, 85 1.8, 50 1.4
The 50D launched at a price of $1399, not $1300. The prices were starting to drop for each successor, but the 50D went backward $100 from the 40D. The 60D is coming in at a savings of 20% over the 50D launch.
Which makes the current 7D price seem fair and the 60D priced right - Don't know what the fuss from 50D owners is all about.
Cameralabs has completed their in-depth review of the Canon 60D.
Good catch.
I do take exception with their assesment of the 60D body construction. In their wrap-up of the camera they state, "... Canon's opted for the same plastic over metal construction as its entry-level models." This is, at best, a misconception.
The 60D has a cast and machined aluminum chassis with a molded, fiber-filled plastic shell to give the camera it's final form. Contrast this with the stainless steel, stamped, formed and welded chassis of the Canon entry-level bodies and the cast and machined magnesium bodies of the xxD cameras and the 60D is more similar to the xxD bodies in technology.
The weight of the 60D is 755 g (1.6 lb). Compare this to the 822 g (1.8 lb) of the 50D and the 530 g (1.17 lb) of the T2i/550D and it should now be clear that the 60D really is closer to the 50D in most aspects.
About the only thing that disappoints me about the 60D is the lack of user-available micro AF adjust. While it's likely that Canon can still micro AF adjust your lenses to the 60D, I don't understand why it's not available to the user. There is also a common complaint among early testers that the button and control feel is too "mushy" and without the distinct feedback of the previous xxD models. While neither of these things directly impacts image quality or performance, it may affect the user experience of the camera.
...I do take exception with their assesment of the 60D body construction. In their wrap-up of the camera they state, "... Canon's opted for the same plastic over metal construction as its entry-level models." This is, at best, a misconception.
The 60D has a cast and machined aluminum chassis with a molded, fiber-filled plastic shell to give the camera it's final form. Contrast this with the stainless steel, stamped, formed and welded chassis of the Canon entry-level bodies and the cast and machined magnesium bodies of the xxD cameras and the 60D is more similar to the xxD bodies in technology.
....
Overall the 60D looks like a great camera and looking at the cameralabs verdict maybe a litte underestimated when compared to cameras in the same class:
"The shot below shows both why the D60 has a very rigid, rugged "feel", but also part of why Canon themselves don't claim it to be a "professional" model. The body is composed of heavy gauge stamped metal: Very rugged and rigid, but clearly not in the same class as the die-cast body of the EOS-1D. Still, there's no doubt that this isn't a "plastic" camera"
EDIT: That is an image from a very old D60, not a 60D camera body. Notice how the the screen is too small, and the button placement does not match current layout.
This also highlights the departure from the XXD series, where the 40D and 50D were built like this:
dpreview has completed their review of the Canon 60D
"The 60D it probably best understood as a 'super Rebel' - it's a more comfortable, more flexible and faster-to-use version of Canon's justly popular entry-level DSLRs. The twin dial controls, better grip and bigger viewfinder will delight stills shooters while the articulated screen and movie control will please would-be videographers."
... "The 60D it probably best understood as a 'super Rebel' ...
I think that is an extremely unfortunate description of the Canon 60D.
I would rather describe the 60D as a slightly downsized, and slightly lower cost, forward evolution of the 50D. Indeed the 60D carries forward a similar AF section compared to the 50D, but the image sensor and metering section are like the 7D. The viewfinder is prism based, like the 50D (unlike the dRebels which are penta-mirror based) and the camera responsiveness is very 40D/50D-like, despite the slightly slower frame rate compared to the 50D. (I do wish that the shot buffer was deeper for JPGs, but it is the same depth for RAW files as the 50D.)
The video section is likewise very similar to the 7D.
The 60D is also considerably heftier than any dRebel, and only slightly lighter than the 50D. The articulated LCD is a first for Canon dSLRs and I suspect I would appreciate its versatility.
All in, I would much rather have a Canon 60D versus the 50D.
Based on those specs, I'd say that calling the 60D a SuperRebel is fairly accurate. Would I choose it over my 50D? Nope.
Sure, it's got more features than a Rebel. That's where the Super part comes in. But every Rebel has had additional features compared to it's predecessor, so saying that the 60D isn't comparable because it has a lot of new features doesn't really track.
Is it really the next evolution of the double-digit series bodies? Not to me.
It's far smaller than a 50D. The overall dimensions are misleading; look at the pics, and you can tell that the body is much smaller and lighter than the other dubs.
It lacks the joystick and has controls that resemble a Rebel fare more than a double-digit series body. The lack of joystick alone is a tremendous step backwards, IMHO, but the more random layout of the review/trash/info buttons also gives the camera more of a consumer feel than a prosumer feel. I would guess that these buttons were relocated solely to make room for the LCD articulation frame.
While I could find uses for the articulated LCD, they would be few and far between, and not worth the risk of breakage that the articulation brings along with it. Whoops! Snapped off; $500, please.
I'd certainly love to have HD video on my 50D, as well as the higher ISO, IR remote, slightly higher megapixel count. But not at the expense of a slower burst rate, PLASTIC body, SD instead of CF, and no AF micro-adjust.
It's a great camera, but would I rather have it than my 50D? Nope. I'd rather have it than any Digital Rebel, though.
What I said when I saw the Grand Canyon for the first time: "The wide ain't wide enough and the zoom don't zoom enough!"
Based on those specs, I'd say that calling the 60D a SuperRebel is fairly accurate. Would I choose it over my 50D? Nope.
...It's a great camera, but would I rather have it than my 50D? Nope. I'd rather have it than any Digital Rebel, though.
There is always the 7D...
"The 60D's image quality offers few real surprises, given that it utilizes essentially the same sensor and processor as the 550D and 7D. Despite having more pixels than the 50D, which would usually count against it in our pixel-level testing, the 60D improves on its predecessor even at the pixel level - producing very good high ISO images with few signs of the pattern noise (banding) that the 50D could be prone to. In fact, all round image quality is a step forward from the 50D in just about every respect.
Dynamic range, noise and color are all up the the high standard we'd expect from our experiences with this sensor in its sister models. It's a sensor that - after all - helped the 7D and 550D produce some of the best image quality in their respective classes. Looking at images from the 60D alongside its competition we are impressed to see that it holds its own very well against the recently announced (and soon to be reviewed) D7000"
Comments
I think I might have been misunderstanding what I was reading, and that they eleminated high speed sync on the built in flash, but didnt eleminate the ability for a shoe mounted flash to high speed sync.
If they released a camera that couldnt high speed sync with a shoe flash, to me that would be unbelevable dumb, even all the Rebels can do that, so I must have misunderstood.
Now on the illimination of the af micro adjust, that seems like something dumb to do away with on any of there cameras, as it seems like acurate focus is a fundamental part of any photography (maybe there is a market that only like to take blurry shots
As a 40D owner I must be a target for this new camera and there are a couple of things I like the sound of:
- lighter weight
- 7D AF
- higher ISO
- HD video
- 16:9
- 18 MP for better cropping
- the in-camera RAW processing might save me time in pp. Now every RAW needs work in post.
Actually more than a couple and the list is getting longer. Knowing Canon there are probably 25 points which make it better than a Rebel. Don't know what the price is but much cheaper than 7D for sure. The 40D is still a great camera and mine is in great condition - must be able to get a good trade-in.
Is this the same as / instead of the RAW+JPEG option?
Here in Sweden the 7D is 13499 SEK and the 60D is 11999 SEK. So the difference in USD is $195.
Malte
In the US, the difference is $600-$800+ USD, so the poeple who use the xxd line only have a few options, change to from a pro-sumer to a consumer 60d, or pay much more for a pro-sumer replacment.
I upgraded to the 50d from a Rebel xti, so now I just wait for a 7d mark 2 I guess. Most people who made it to the xxd level from the Rebel level, dont want to go back to the Rebel level camera
From dpreview:
"Polycarbonate resin with glass fibre on aluminum chassis"
I also like SD cards for size and price
Preview...looking good so far: http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/E60D/E60DA.HTM
The 60D is a wierd amalgam of great video features with what seems to me lesser still features. It will certainly appeal to folks who want a dual purpose camera but I see it as a downgrade from many of the features of the 40D and 50D which I liked...
1. I like the dual burst speed of the 40D because I can choose from a relatively slow burst (3fps) which allows me to shoot for a longer period of time and a faster burst speed 6.5 fps which is faster. I also like the 3 fps burst speed because my 270EX flash can keep up with this speed for several shots...
2. I like the buttons controlling many of the camera settings on the 40D and 50D cameras. The 70D has fewer buttons which means that more controls are accessed from the menu which is a big PITA to me.
3. Along the lines of #2 above, the top LCD info window is simplified (dummied down) to show less information. I use the information on my 40D top LCD quite consistantly and would not want less information.
4. I use the 3 custom modes on my mode dial and actually would like several more. The 60D has eliminated two of these modes leaving only one. But, oh yes, it has a lock on the mode dial to prevent unintentional changing. I have never mistakenly changed modes but, I guess some people could.
5. The 60D doesn't have the midro focus adjust available on the 50D. Some people use this and some don't but, I would like to have it.
6. The 60D doesn't support HSS flash. But, you say, HSS is accessed through the flash unit. Not on the little 270EX which I love for fill flash and wear on my camera all the time. HSS, which I deem quite necessary for fill flash outdoors, can only be accessed via the camera. My 40D can access HSS and my 30D cannot. The 60D mimics the 30D technology in this instance.
7. I don't mind the plastic build but, that is also a cost cutting measure.
H: I think that there are a great many Digital Rebel owners who'd like to up-spec their "lowly Rebels," but who still like a lot of the Rebels' features.
J: The 60D now offers a pathway for them. And greater prestige as well.
H: And then all the disenchanted/disenfranchised current xxD owners (like myself) will go on to buy the only (Canon) option left available to them (that still includes a "vital" feature such as Micro Focus Adjustment)...
H: Yes, the wonderfully performing 7D (or greater).
J: So I think that when all's said and done, and everyone has adjusted to the new Paradigm, Canon will actually be selling more of the higher grade bodies (xxxD -> xxD, and xxD -> xD) than ever before!
H: Happy shooting.
J&H
HA! With the current super rebel the T2i is so highly rated I can see the 60D appealing to an amatuer like me. I can also see why Canon is pushing the current 50D user towards the 7D.
If people were paying $1100 (more like $2100) for a EOS D60 in 2002 you can see the reasoning from Canon wanting the 40D/50D owner spending $1600 on the 7D and rookies (like me) $1100 for the 60D in 2010. Some may not agree with the strategy but I understand it.
The 60D is now selling directly in the D90 range so it will be interesting to see what the D90's replacement has to offer.
Launch Pricing of the XXD and Rebel lines since 2002 (From dpreview):
2002 Canon D60 $2100
2003 Canon 10D $1900 2003 Canon 300/Rebel $900
2004 Canon 20D $1500 2005 Canon 350/XT $900
2006 Canon 30D $1400 2006 Canon 400/XTi $800
2007 Canon 40D $1300
2008 Canon 50D $1300 2008 Canon 450/XSi $800
(2009 Canon 7D $1700) 2009 Canon 500/T1i $800
2010 Canon 60D $1100 2010 Canon 550/T2i $900
With B&H and Andorama both selling the 7D for around $1535.00 50D owners should be quite happy to upgrade if you look at the history of the pricing.
They're made in Japan, not USA, so looking at the $ price may not be that helpful if there has been significant fluctuation in the exchange rate.
The point I was trying to make was that there has been a steady drop in price in the XXD range over the past 8 years while the XXXD line has remained pretty much the same price. There is now a natural convergence between the two lines hence the 60D is a lesser camera than the 50D but more than the top of the line, sub $1000, Rebel line.
The 60D now competes directly with the D90 in the +$1000 range and this makes sense.
The progression for the 50D user then is to the 7D instead. Also, the 7D's replacement will most likely cost in the region of the 2002 D60 price ($2100).
...not too bad when you think of it that way.
Build quality is much better than the 550D and almost as solid as the 7D. Weight wise it seems perfect. Not as heavy as the 7D plus not quite as big. The 550D felt too small in my hands but with the 60D my thumb and trigger finger fell nicely into place.
I played around with the menu's, the new toggle at the rear and the locking mechanism on the top dial. After about 10 minutes and some practice the whole operation felt quite natural. As I have no experience with the 550D or 50D I have no leaning to either so my experience with the 60D was all positive.
I tried out the swivel screen and this to me is going to be a big selling point. Many will like the different angles this allows one to shoot with but my likes are purely practical. I can face the screen inwards which affords two things. One; my sweaty face does not leave oil all over the screen when using the viewfinder and two; the LCD is protected from scratches, etc. two big plusses for me. The swivel screen is quite sturdy and well built.
As a complete rookie to DSLR I cannot comment on the 60D's performance but as a rookie I am really taken with this as my first camera. I eagerly await the reviews before I finally commit - Will give me time to save some more.
My 2c.
The 50D launched at a price of $1399, not $1300. The prices were starting to drop for each successor, but the 50D went backward $100 from the 40D. The 60D is coming in at a savings of 20% over the 50D launch.
Which makes the current 7D price seem fair and the 60D priced right - Don't know what the fuss from 50D owners is all about.
Good catch.
I do take exception with their assesment of the 60D body construction. In their wrap-up of the camera they state, "... Canon's opted for the same plastic over metal construction as its entry-level models." This is, at best, a misconception.
The 60D has a cast and machined aluminum chassis with a molded, fiber-filled plastic shell to give the camera it's final form. Contrast this with the stainless steel, stamped, formed and welded chassis of the Canon entry-level bodies and the cast and machined magnesium bodies of the xxD cameras and the 60D is more similar to the xxD bodies in technology.
The weight of the 60D is 755 g (1.6 lb). Compare this to the 822 g (1.8 lb) of the 50D and the 530 g (1.17 lb) of the T2i/550D and it should now be clear that the 60D really is closer to the 50D in most aspects.
About the only thing that disappoints me about the 60D is the lack of user-available micro AF adjust. While it's likely that Canon can still micro AF adjust your lenses to the 60D, I don't understand why it's not available to the user. There is also a common complaint among early testers that the button and control feel is too "mushy" and without the distinct feedback of the previous xxD models. While neither of these things directly impacts image quality or performance, it may affect the user experience of the camera.
Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
Overall the 60D looks like a great camera and looking at the cameralabs verdict maybe a litte underestimated when compared to cameras in the same class:
.................50D (90%) ......D90 (89%) ....60D (87%)
Build Quality.. 19/20............ 16/20.......... 17/20
Image Quality. 18/20........... 18/20.......... 18/20
Handling........ 18/20........... 19/20.......... 18/20
Specification.. 18/20........... 19/20.......... 17/20
Value............ 17/20........... 17/20.......... 17/20
I'm thinking the 60D is a better camera than two year old D90 and it will be interesting how the D7000 shapes up.
I'm hoping this underestimation and the $100 cost difference between the 60D and D7000 drives the price of the 60D down.
I found this: http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/D60/D60A3.HTM
"The shot below shows both why the D60 has a very rigid, rugged "feel", but also part of why Canon themselves don't claim it to be a "professional" model. The body is composed of heavy gauge stamped metal: Very rugged and rigid, but clearly not in the same class as the die-cast body of the EOS-1D. Still, there's no doubt that this isn't a "plastic" camera"
This also highlights the departure from the XXD series, where the 40D and 50D were built like this:
photo from:
http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-EOS-40D-Digital-SLR-Camera-Review.aspx
Oops
...here's an image of the Nikon D7000 as a comparison: "the camera is protected by magnesium alloy top and rear covers "
<object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/eQLwdD9BstY?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/eQLwdD9BstY?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>
"The 60D it probably best understood as a 'super Rebel' - it's a more comfortable, more flexible and faster-to-use version of Canon's justly popular entry-level DSLRs. The twin dial controls, better grip and bigger viewfinder will delight stills shooters while the articulated screen and movie control will please would-be videographers."
I think that is an extremely unfortunate description of the Canon 60D.
I would rather describe the 60D as a slightly downsized, and slightly lower cost, forward evolution of the 50D. Indeed the 60D carries forward a similar AF section compared to the 50D, but the image sensor and metering section are like the 7D. The viewfinder is prism based, like the 50D (unlike the dRebels which are penta-mirror based) and the camera responsiveness is very 40D/50D-like, despite the slightly slower frame rate compared to the 50D. (I do wish that the shot buffer was deeper for JPGs, but it is the same depth for RAW files as the 50D.)
The video section is likewise very similar to the 7D.
The 60D is also considerably heftier than any dRebel, and only slightly lighter than the 50D. The articulated LCD is a first for Canon dSLRs and I suspect I would appreciate its versatility.
All in, I would much rather have a Canon 60D versus the 50D.
Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
I agree. The dimensions of the 60D are far closer to the 50D and it has a number of updates. 145x106x79mm/755g vs 146x108x74mm/822g for the 50D.
From dpreview: http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos60D/
From dpreview: http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos60D/
Based on those specs, I'd say that calling the 60D a SuperRebel is fairly accurate. Would I choose it over my 50D? Nope.
Sure, it's got more features than a Rebel. That's where the Super part comes in. But every Rebel has had additional features compared to it's predecessor, so saying that the 60D isn't comparable because it has a lot of new features doesn't really track.
Is it really the next evolution of the double-digit series bodies? Not to me.
It's far smaller than a 50D. The overall dimensions are misleading; look at the pics, and you can tell that the body is much smaller and lighter than the other dubs.
It lacks the joystick and has controls that resemble a Rebel fare more than a double-digit series body. The lack of joystick alone is a tremendous step backwards, IMHO, but the more random layout of the review/trash/info buttons also gives the camera more of a consumer feel than a prosumer feel. I would guess that these buttons were relocated solely to make room for the LCD articulation frame.
While I could find uses for the articulated LCD, they would be few and far between, and not worth the risk of breakage that the articulation brings along with it. Whoops! Snapped off; $500, please.
I'd certainly love to have HD video on my 50D, as well as the higher ISO, IR remote, slightly higher megapixel count. But not at the expense of a slower burst rate, PLASTIC body, SD instead of CF, and no AF micro-adjust.
It's a great camera, but would I rather have it than my 50D? Nope. I'd rather have it than any Digital Rebel, though.
There is always the 7D...
"The 60D's image quality offers few real surprises, given that it utilizes essentially the same sensor and processor as the 550D and 7D. Despite having more pixels than the 50D, which would usually count against it in our pixel-level testing, the 60D improves on its predecessor even at the pixel level - producing very good high ISO images with few signs of the pattern noise (banding) that the 50D could be prone to. In fact, all round image quality is a step forward from the 50D in just about every respect.
Dynamic range, noise and color are all up the the high standard we'd expect from our experiences with this sensor in its sister models. It's a sensor that - after all - helped the 7D and 550D produce some of the best image quality in their respective classes. Looking at images from the 60D alongside its competition we are impressed to see that it holds its own very well against the recently announced (and soon to be reviewed) D7000"