The Canon EOS 60D is the successor to the 50D, with an all-new body and features taken from other successful Canon D-SLRs.Canon’s commitment to renewing its enthusiast range was first brought to our attention last August with the announcement of a new camera in the ‘X0’ or two-digit series – the EOS 60D. Almost two years on from the launch of the DP Silver Award-winning 50D, the EOS 60D is designed to be a direct replacement, sitting in between the EOS 550D and EOS 7D in Canon’s current line-up.
To keep the latest incarnation unique and completely separate from the EOS 7D, Canon has given the EOS 60D the most radical overhaul of any XO series D-SLR to date.
The most drastic development is its all-new polycarbonate body that has replaced the magnesium alloy type we’re used to seeing. This, combined with its other features, has to offer a lot if it’s going to entice new users into making a purchase, and those seeking an upgrade from older models such as the 40D and 50D.
Features & buildThe obvious difference between the EOS 60D and its forerunner, the EOS 50D, is its size. The redesigned body gives it a squat appearance and marginally smaller handgrip, but don’t let these reasons put you off, as it remains well-constructed and feels solid in the hand.
The 60D’s ethos is very much about ‘out with the old and in with the new’; the 15Mp APS-C chip that was used in the 50D is gone and its replacement is an 18Mp APS-C sized sensor that offers the same pixel count (5184x3456) as Canon’s 550D and 7D models. Producing a native file size of 51.3MB, the sensor delivers the quality that’s required to print at A3+ size. In addition to the 3:2 standard ratio dimension, you’re also given the option of switching the aspect ratio to 1:1, 4:3 or 16:9
if preferred.
The addition of the 18Mp sensor has also made an impact on the EOS 60D’s ISO performance. Looking back at the ISO range of 100-3200 on the 50D, it had to be expanded to shoot at ISO 6400 and 12,800. The 100-6400 ISO range on the 60D gives it a one-stop advantage over the 50D and only has to be expanded once to get to 12,800.
Other significant improvements see the EOS 60D adopt the iFCL 63-zone dual metering system that was first seen in the EOS 7D and there’s a much-improved LCD screen at the rear. Although the screen hasn’t physically grown in size and still measures 3in from corner to corner, its sharpness and practicality have been improved. This is made possible by employing the same 1040k-dot resolution technology that was first put into service on the 550D. Also for the first time in the history of an X0 series D-SLR, the 60D’s screen is the Vari-angle kind. This means it can be tilted and swivelled into the desired position when working from unusual angles.
Not everything is new with the EOS 60D, though. It takes the same single DIGIC 4 processor from the 50D but with the larger file size, its frames-per-second rate has been reduced by 1fps, from 6.3fps on the 50D to 5.3fps on the 60D.
The AF arrangement hasn’t changed, though. We would have liked to have seen the 19-point AF system from the 7D carried across, but the 60D uses the same 9-point AF arrangement as the 50D – a diamond formation with all nine points cross-type in format.
Featuring Canon’s standard EF-S lens mount, the 60D accepts both EF-S and EF mount lenses. Taking the 1.6x focal length multiplication into consideration, it turns Canon’s 17-65mm lens, which is available in kit form with the 60D, into a 27-136mm lens in film terms.
Performance & handlingWith a smaller body than its predecessor, it’s no surprise that the EOS 60D is 67g lighter than the 50D. The weight difference isn’t that noticeable when you pick it up, though, and in the average sized hand it remains very comfortable to hold. The handgrip is large enough to get a good, strong, solid grip and it’s finished in a rubberised coating to prevent it slipping from your hands.
At the rear your thumb is left to rest between the Quick menu and playback zoom buttons, with the AF-On button neatly positioned over to the left for double-checking subject focus before the shutter is fired.
Rather than employing a traditional joypad as found on the 50D and 7D, Canon has designed an all-new four-way controller for the 60D. This is interlinked with a scroll dial that’s found around the controller’s circumference and offers two key benefits; not only has it freed up room for larger Menu and Info buttons, it has made it quicker to navigate through the menu system.
On the top-plate, a few more alterations have taken place. The mode dial features a locking button that has to be depressed in order to change the shooting mode, and over on the right, buttons are neatly arranged for changing AF mode, Drive mode, ISO and Metering. We were slightly disappointed, however, to find that the file format isn’t shown on the top-plate display so to check if you’re shooting in RAW or JPEG you’ll need to head into the Quick Menu, or load the Main Menu.
Set to High-Speed Continuous Mode and loaded with a Class 6 speed SDHC memory card, the 60D shot 17 consecutive RAW files before the buffer prevented us taking any more. This number reduced to 7 when RAW+JPEG (L) was selected and shooting large JPEGs only, the 60D happily continued shooting at 5.3fps until the 4GB card was filled.
AF point selection is made by either holding down the Zoom button and moving the control dial, or by using the four-way controller. In our tests we found the former method marginally quicker to use. Testing the AF system proved that it can lock onto subjects with minimal fuss – even in tricky lighting conditions – and the 63-zone dual layer metering sensor delivered accurate exposures shot after shot in all of the metering modes.
We thoroughly enjoyed using the camera ‘s 3in Vari-angle screen – its clarity and sharpness is first-class and it can be relied on for checking the sharpness of shots and inspecting focus when Live View mode is deployed. Our sample took a split-second to render images when zooming in closely in Playback mode, but this is a minor point.
Value & verdictThe price for a body-only EOS 60D is about £899, which puts it slap bang between Canon’s 550D at £599 and the 7D at £1159. If you don’t already own lenses, the 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM or the 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS models are bundle options, bringing the price up by £250 to £1149. With its impressive resolution, excellent feel, superbly laid-out button arrangement and full HD video capability, the EOS 60D makes a great candidate for the enthusiast.
It doesn’t, however, offer the 8fps burst rate and AF agility that the Canon EOS 7D provides, so if you are specifically looking for these qualities in a D-SLR, or are a 50D owner looking to upgrade, you’ll be better off saving up an extra £260 for the 7D if you can stretch to it. If you’re shooting on an entry-level D-SLR such as a 450D and fancy taking the next step up, or are already a 20D, 30D or 40D owner, the EOS 60D makes a very tempting proposition.
The better image quality and ISO response are just two reasons that should encourage you to take a closer look. Picking up five stars in Performance and Image Quality, the EOS 60D has certainly got our vote, and it offers a great package for those who can’t stretch to the superb EOS 7D.
AT A GLANCEStreet price: £899 (body only)
Resolution: 18Mp (5184x3456 pixels)
Lens mount: Canon EF-S
Focal length magnification: 1.6x
Viewfinder: Optical, approx 96% coverage
Focusing: 9-point selectable
Burst rate: 5.3fps (17 RAW)
Write times: 2.6secs (RAW), 1.2secs (JPEG)
ISO range: 100-6400, expandable to 12,800 (at H setting)
Shutter range: 30-1/8000secs, bulb
Flash sync: 1/250sec
Screen: 3.0in , 1040k-dot TFT LCD
Live View: Yes
Video: 1920x1080 @ 30fps
Storage: SD/SDHC/SDXC
Weight: 755g
Dimensions: 144.5x106x79mm
www.canon.co.uk