Canon EOS 60D

Works great, but no autofocus for video – Canon and Nikon make great cameras so as far as DSLR camera brands go, you can't go wrong with either. Both have an extensive range of lenses. Once you've started investing in lenses then your investment will tend to lock you into that brand. I have four children aged 7-13 and most of my photography is documenting my family life as the… Read more

children grow up. For this I have a 50mm F1.8 lens for portraits; an 18-200mm for shooting around family outdoors and documentary type photos of life inside.

Given a choice, spend more on lenses and less on the body. The quality/sharpness of the images differ greatly so read the reviews on sites like dpreview.com.

The 60D has a maximum light sensitivity (ISO) of 6400 so you won't need a flash for a reasonably well-lit room.

It's light and fits most hands. For me, it has a nice weight. I don't like it, if the camera with lens is too light. It's too easy to shake it during a shot, if too light.

The 60D was released in 2010 now and has been superseded by the 70D and 80D. If you're buying it in 2018, you'd buy it because it does have video, but you'll be manually focusing it, it takes super sharp photos (depending on the lens) and has a good mix of exposure modes for beginners and for prosumers (cross between pros and consumers). A good second hand 60d body (no lens) will cost you around $600. I find the menu system intuitive and easier to use than that used in a Nikon.

Beware, no matter which camera you choose, videoing chews through the battery life.

Compared to the 60D, the 70D brings a touchscreen, WiFi, 10% more pixels, an improved image processor and 40% faster, in-camera HDR (great if you want to do bright landscapes where you want to get detail in the shadows) but 20% less battery life. A good second hand 70D body (no lens) will cost you around $800.

Compared to the 70D, the 80D brings 20% more pixels, more than 2X more autofocus points, an improved image processor, .MP4 video encoding, 60 fps v 30 fps @ 1080p, a headphone jack, time lapse and HDR movie modes, Near Field Communications. As you can see, the x0D line is evolving as a video camera. A good second hand 80D body (lens only) will cost you around $1,100.

If you're serious about getting into video, go for the 80D, but if you can't afford it, go for the 70D. If you're only doing a bit of casual video, then the 60D is great value for money.

Second hand cameras should have absolutely no dings on the body and a promise that the equipment is fully functional. No matter what, try to get one with a shutter count with less than 20,000 for the prices I've quoted above. If the shutter count is higher, drop the price you're prepared to pay. Canon DSLRs have shutter lives of around 100,000. They often top this but the rated life (+/-10%) is somewhere around that.

The 60D loses one star because it lacks WiFi and the things you need for serious video work, such as a separate mic jack, and autofocus while in video mode.

The next thing the x0D line needs for video work is electronic servo zooming to get a smooth zoom effect.

Canon 60D – This saga started with a 50D. The camera was not performing within months of purchase mostly with regards to a clunking component - I suspected the shutter or mirror. The repairer replaced the shutter and problems continued until the whole camera completely failed. It took 4 years to get them to acknowledge it but Canon finally agreed "there was a… Read more

lot wrong". So they replaced it with a refurbished 60D. The 60D seems almost as bad - in just a few months it has done the same thing - it clunks. How long will it last? Will never by Canon again

Great Upgrade! – I upgraded my old DSLR (Canon 1000D) to the Canon 60D, and so far have been very happy with the camera. I'm surprised at how easily I have adjusted to the layout difference on the camera. And of course what a great price it was too. So far I have only done one shoot with it, but have been very happy. I cant wait to try it out more. More powerful and more options in camera

Love my camera – This is my first DSLR camera. I bought a camera that I could grow into! Love it! It is an 'enthusiast' level camera as opposed to entry level & I think this camera will take me far! It is a very reasonable price for what it has to offer. I'm finding it very simple to navigate my way through the menus. I'm also finding the manual settings easy… Read more

to use. The images are also really good quality. I purchased my camera with a 18 - 55mm & 55 - 250mm lens kit which was a great buy, but I can see myself requiring better lenses to get the best images out of this camera. That is however, no fault of the camera.

No complaints here, I am looking forward to learning the rest of the features & how to get the best photos out of it! Easy to use menu's

Great upgrade, was worth the money – I have been an ameteur photographer for a few years now, using a canon EOS 450D. This was a good camera but I wanted to upgrade to something a little higher quality in low light, andf the video is a great addition that I am only just now starting to play with. The flip screen seemed like a little bit of a useless addition at first but I have… Read more

since realized just how useful it is, especially for video! This is a really worthwhile addition.

Low light performance is fantastic!

Easy to use, no learning curve going up from the 450D

Feels like a really professional camera. I see no reason to be upgrading for a while!

Got a good price from JB hife, they were as good as any online seller ad they gavea better warranty Flip screen, feels like a pro cam, easy to use Would love autofocus while videoing but I guess I just need to play a little more

Almost Professional if you want it to be – As a professional photographer - stils only I have a few more expensive Canons (1Ds) but they don't have video. I asked around & confirmed this was the best video DSLR for the price & I could use all my canon lenses & speedlites. Surprise Surprise it takes great stills - maybe not up to the !D but so close who cares. As a Pro I use most of the… Read more

functions & find it more instinctive then the 1D.

I find I am leaving my 1Ds at home & the 60D goes everywhere with me. The Screen it great & I cant wait to get up to speed on video. Quality - Price - Ease of use

Great first DSLR! – I've waited a long time to buy my first DSLR and I always new it would be a Canon. The sensor in the 60D is similar to that of the 7D. I purchased my camera with the twin lens kit. I'm able to shoot fairly decent macro with the standard lens. Last night I was able to do something I've always wanted, and that's take photo's of the moon. With my… Read more

250mm lens I was able to capture the moon in all its glory. I'm not a fantastic photographer, but with this camera it's hard to take bad photo's.

Action shots are easy with this camera, you able to take photo's of leaves in the wind and maintain focus. I highly recommend this camera to anyone wanting to buy there first DSLR. Ease of use, great value with the twin lens kit, shoots full HD video.

Opinion from SLR Virgin – I'm a newbie to DSLRs, having used point-and-shoot cameras previously, with the best one being a 5MP Canon Powershot IS S2. So my review here will only be of interest to other people new to SLRs, and probably too untechnical for SLR Geeks. Of course, if you were an SLR Geek, you wouldn't bother coming here to read your review in the first place.… Read more

Hardcore enthusiasts would be reading full-on reviews on serious camera and lens sites such as dpreviews.com or the-digital-picture.com for example.

I'm not a pro, but I'm becoming an advanced enthusiast so that's why wanted to get involved with D-SLR photography. I chose the 60D because that was the only Canon EOS with the flip-out (they call "vari-angle") screen, and Nikon's then equivalent a few month's ago was a lower model. Since then, both SLR leaders have released a couple more models with flip-out screens.

I'm used to the flip-out screen on my Powershot IS S2, which allowed me to take shots from all angles, even above the heads of people blocking my view! So I wanted it in an SLR too. I got my 60D from outside of Australia, and interestingly, Canon Hong Kong has a special extended warranty which allows you to replace the camera body for around AUD$400 excess if it is damaged or stolen!

My kit came with the EF-S 18-135mm IS lens, which seems like a very good all-round walk-around lens. I also got the EF 85mm f1.8 USM prime lens which I love and won't review here since it's not a part of the kit.

So comparing with my previous experience with a point-and-shoot, it definitely takes some getting used to because even the most basic function of focussing has many methods and restrictions, depending on whether you're viewing through the viewfinder or on the LCD screen. I'm sure there's a technical reason, but I can't understand why such an advanced piece of technology has to force a choice between using the viewfinder or the LCD display, since when you use the LCD display, it has it's own advantages and disadvantages. I'm used to the Powershot where I can do either and both the LCD and viewfinder pretty much responds the same way.

Furthermore, video must be filmed using the LCD display, unlike the Powershot IS S2 which allows you to film through the viewfinder, which means you can discretely film events which permit photography but ban video! Bright sunlight also makes it a problem to use an LCD display where the viewfinder is more practical, which unfortunately you can't do with video on the 60D.

I also can't understand why these cameras have so many sophisticated automatic functions. They seemed to be aimed more at newbies who want to experiment with various automatic functions, but the irony is, if you were smart enough to know how to use all those extra automatic features (like Styles, Ambient settings, Portrait settings which are all adjustable), then you wouldn't bother with auto and set the aperature and/or shutter speed yourself! (Rather like those mobile phones or DVD players with lots of advanced features to make life more easier for a lo-tech person, if only you didn't have to study the manual to use it in the first place! As a result, lo-tech users and newbies don't touch those newbie functions!)

Other than the bulkiness and heavy weight (about 1.5kg with kit lens), I love using it especially after getting the hang of the various focussing options and learning not to rely too heavily on all the automatic functions. One of the things that has wowed me has been the high ISO settings with minimal noise compared with my simpler point-and-shoot camera, allowing me to take photos indoors with regular indoor lighting and not having to use a flashlight in most cases!

I wish they had thought of letting you customise the "Unlock" button at the back, which is pretty useless as it's not that easier to bump and change the dial control at the back. Perhaps they could do that in a firmware update?

The other thing where my Powershot IS S2 exceeds this 60D is the fact that the Powershot can record audio in stereo! With the 60D, it has a mono mic, although stereo is possible if you plug in an external stereo mic. I've used a mono gunshot mic and filmed video at it's lowest resolution of 640x480 and would have to say that it came out pretty good when viewed on an analogue TV. (HD video recording is possible but you need a fast SD card - Class 6 or higher and my cheap SD card can't handle it!) Unfortunately, you have to unlock and spin the mode dial all the way to the end to be able to film video, whereas the Powershot IS S2 allowed you to film video immediately by pressing a dedicated button.

Ok, hope that helps someone. Fast 5.3fps capture (if compared with point-and-shoot and low end SLRs, not equivalent or higher-end ones), clear and large flip-out LCD (you can shoot from awkward angles or see yourself for self-portraits), good battery life, fast focus on certain Auto Focus modes, 18MP, low noise at moderate ISO for low light exposure, auto functions for newbies and advanced newbies, all the manual and semi-manual settings for pros. Complicated auto functions which are confusing for newbies, and unecessary for pros, mono mic, video recording button only works after spinning the mode dial switch all the way to video, video can't be filmed through viewfinder, ,

Love It So Much We Bought Two! – I inherited my GF's 1000D after she got the 60D. I loved using the 60D so much that I recently bought my own. It takes great photos. You can notice the difference between the photo quality of the 1000D and the 60D. I find the 60D handles shots that are partially shaded much better than the cheaper model. It takes 5.3 frames per second in… Read more

continuous, which is pretty good.

There are lots of Auto options and settings to use if you're not comfortable shooting in Manual, or if you're still learning like me.

I thought the flip-out LCD screen wouldn't be all that useful, but I use it all the time. When I'm using a tripod, its great to just tilt the screen upwards, instead of having to do a half squat to get a look at it.

The 60D is also much heavier than the 1000D. I like the weight in my hands while I'm taking photos, but it does get heavy when you're carrying it with a strap around your neck. The bulk of the body feels great though. Easy to use. Takes great photos. Good fps for continuous shooting. Flip-out screen is useful. Heavy.

Excellent – The Canon EOS 60D seems to have been marketed at the mid level between the high end 7D and the entry level 550D series. This positioning in the market has cleaned up the indecision created by the release of the 550D and its advanced features and squarely provided a performance model that sits cleanly in the advanced enthusiast bracket, providing… Read more

professional results and flexability required of this level. The camera provides fantastic still pictures and allows the user the extended thier capability to high definition video as well. A smattering of easy to understand and use program modes assists in the day to day photography that this class of photographer is likely to encounter. Canon have made some very good decisions in this camera, and any existing Canon photog will love moving up the range to this new model. Less bulkier than the 50D

Supports full HD Video capture (1920x1080p @ 24,25 30 fps)(720p @ 50fps)

HDMI video output port.

External microphone terminal.

18 Megapixel sensor. New varia-angle LCD screen. Slower continuous shooting buffer when compared to 50D and 7D. Shoots only 5.3 FPS (58 Jpegs or 16 RAW) compared to 8FPS for the 7D and 6.3 for the 50D

Love it – Love my EOS. So easy to use . It's fool proof. Just what I need as I'm not that good with equipment. I just point and shoot and I get fabulous shots. Love it. Easy to use

Best SLR camera I've ever had – This camera is a dream to use. Fool-proof settings, really easily accessible menus, excellent crisp image quality and fantastic design. I think even amateurs or first time D-SLR users would find this ridiculously easy to navigate. Bought mine a few months ago and can't ever imagine using something else. Reliable, easy to use, excellent quality images, versatile settings

Great camera!!! – Best thing I have bought. Pictures are awesome, clear & colorful. Easy of use to get good pics, I haven't even used technical settings yet. I have 2 little kids who r hard to photograph, but this camera has made it zoo much easier to get get the perfect shot. Clearness, ease of use, bright colors, great action shots, Getting photo's onto computer a little tricky, a bit bulky, & a tad heavy.

Went from a canon ixus to this and it's amazing! – Although it has taken a little while to get used to (and for me to be brave enough to even touch it) this is an amazing camera with beautiful quality photographs. The size is taking a bit to get used to but the end results are worth any problems. I purchased it from a camera shop which is recommended for this type of product due to follow up services. quality, similarity to the other canon cameras only the size Show reply