The Obligatory Canon EOS 60D Thread

[Andyjb]

I am more than a little confused by the Canon camera lineup at present, it almost seems as though they have become confused themselves and are bringing out new models just for the sake of it with so many of them being too close in spec and price to each other.

I am looking to upgrade my camera soon but I will wait until the spring when prices should have stabilised and the 60D has had more of a field test.

[Carly Drew]

Originally Posted by donoreo

So when are you getting your 7D or did you get it already?

When the money fairy decides she would like to grace my fair palms with £1500. Luckily, we have a general PhotoPlus 7D which I have adopted like an orphaned child!

[donoreo]

That is really why you became a photo journalist, isn't it?

[Carly Drew]

Originally Posted by donoreo

That is really why you became a photo journalist, isn't it?

Yes. Very much so!

[match14]

The 60D has conviced me that I'll be going for a 7D as soon as possible. The fact they removed a lot of buttons that the 50D had has crippled the ergonomics for me. I sometimes wish that I got a 50D when they where still avalible but hey the 7D is big upgrade for me so I'll hold out 'till I can afford one.

[donoreo]

I agree, looking at it, I would go for a 7D over a 60D. The only thing I see it has going for it is cost. I see the screen as a gimmick and not useful to me.

[match14]

I see the 7D is now around £1100 to £1200.

[gggg]

Having had a Canon G3 for many years with a swivel screen, I found it invaluable on many occasions - especially low-level shooting when I did not really want to lie down in the mud. It really is the stand-out feature of these cameras from a usability point of view.

Moved to DSLR a while back with a second hand 400D. Just bought a 60D mainly for the swivel screen (as well as Live view and HD video, plus all the other additional capabilities).

Would not be without it.

[gggg]

Originally Posted by Carly Drew

I'm not entirely sure how I feel about the whole HD Video thing. I like having the option available, I love the quality of the resulting video, but I don't like that it's driving prices even higher up and that it seems... well... a bit gimmicky? I've used several Canon DSLRs with HD Video capabilities now, and I've not ever felt the need to use it.

HD Video, gimmicky???!!! Well you would not say it was gimmicky in a video camera so why is it gimmicky here?

I find the sniffiness in some quarters about the pointlessness of video on "proper" stills cameras very tiresome:
- it costs hardly any more to include (whereas build quality costs a lot more) - it is mostly software - marginal cost is pretty low, I'd guess.
- stills from HD video can be a pretty useful source of pics in some circumstances.
- anyone seen the Canon prototype/proof of concept a while back that was effectively a video camera which let you pick any still at pretty much the same quality as the best stills camera? This will be the future. (Wish I could find the link to it - I'll keep searching)

Remember these are CONSUMER devices and convergence is key. If you want to be a specialist in the future you'll end up with specialist kit that will cost more (due to limited demand), and unless very expensive pro kit, will be less capable than high end general consumer kit.

And who wants to carry two devices when one can do the job of both, and in many respects do it as well as if not better than the "dedicated" devices can?

I'm afraid that to me, the "I'm not buying that wonderful camera because it has a function that costs next to nothing and I don't need and I'd like to suspect it may have compromised what a real camera should be for" brigade really do have a strong whiff of "I'd rather cut off my nose to spite my face" about them.

But then again we all have our own "snob" cut-off points, don't we. I find it amazing that the majority of pics on Flickr now are from iPhones, not "proper" (i.e. dedicated) cameras. I know this proves my point about convergence but - well, they're not real cameras are they? ;-)
But I can see that my view here might be something to with not being familiar with iPhones and their photographic capabilities, just like the anti-video brigade above are in the main probably not very interested in/familiar with video.( I've yet to meet any video enthusiast decry the availability of HD video in DSLRs.)

[mondmagu]

Upgraded from a 450D to the 60D a few months ago and I must say I am not disappointed.
Two main reasons for my choice were,couldn't afford the 7D and the swivel screen is a god send as I have a dodgy back.I coupled the 60D with the EFS 17-55 F2.8 and am very pleased so far and will have this combo for the foreseeable future....unless I win the lotto!!!!!!

Des