The verdict
I am very impressed with the Canon EOS 60D, not least by the new handling. It seems that having to move some of the buttons due to the vari-angle screen has given Canon the opportunity to revisit the handling of the camera.
The results is a camera that almost blends the best bits of both high-end Canon and, dare I say it, Nikon DSLRs. By retaining the jog control wheel the camera feels unmistakably like a Canon, but the addition of the thumb control in the centre is similar to the control used on Nikon’s professional series. The EOS 60D is consequently a pleasure to use.
When the handling is combined with the fast AF system and 18-million-pixel sensor, the EOS 60D really comes into its own, and the addition of the vari-angle screen is another nice touch. While it is disappointing that the body is polycarbonate rather than magnesium, it does help to keep the cost down and make it more accessible to enthusiast photographers than the EOS 7D.
Whether the 60D has enough new features to warrant an upgrade for 50D users may depend on their needs, but the introduction of video and the new metering and AF system is a big draw. Similarly, 550D users will be impressed, but the 60D may not offer enough to warrant a purchase. However, for users of the 500D, 40D and even the 450D or 30D, this is probably exactly the camera you have been waiting for.
Canon EOS 60D – Key features
Viewfinder
The EOS 60D’s viewfinder has 96% coverage with a magnification factor of 0.95x
Multi-controller
The scroll wheel around the edge works as it has done on previous Canon EOS prosumer and professional cameras. However, the inner cursor control is a new addition
AF point select
Pressing this button when in shooting mode allows you to change which AF point is being used
Quick menu
Pressing this button shows the quick menu, which allows easy access to all the most regularly changed settings
Flash sync
Although compatible flashguns can be controlled wirelessly via the Canon EOS 60D, Canon has not included an external flash sync socket on the EOS 60D.
Eye-Fi Wi-Fi
The EOS 60D has a dedicated menu system for Eye-Fi cards. These SD cards offer limited Wi-Fi capabilities, including the ability to upload images online for backup. The options in the EOS 60D allow the Wi-Fi signal from the card to be turned off when not in use, and the camera also won’t turn off until uploads are finished.
Auto Lighting Optimiser
Like many other cameras, the EOS 60D has a dynamic range enhancement setting called the Auto Lighting Optimiser. This doesn’t actually increase the dynamic range, but instead brightens shadows to bring out details. I found that it works very subtly, even at its strongest setting, producing a realistic effect.
SDXC
Canon has made the EOS 60D SDXC-compatible. The new X(tra) C(apacity) cards will in the future have huge capacities of up to 2TB. I found that even a 4GB SD card becomes full very quickly, so being able to use the new-generation cards is essential.
