This is a fantastic camera, and a great first DSLR. I say that because if it is your first, you will not be comparing the control layout with your old XXD or XXXD, and that seems to be an issue with some.
Most of my shooting is in M or Av mode. I find the controls easy to work with, and use the top LED and control buttons almost exclusively, but now and then I'll use the q-menu. Over all, I find the controls easy to use.
The 18-200 kit lens is useful for outdoor shooting, but for indoor stuff you will want a better prime. I went with an older version of the "nifty fifty" with the metal mount and range meter. Since this is a crop sensor camera, a 50mm lens behaves like an 80mm, so I find myself needing to back away from my subject often. I think a prime in the 20-30mm range and f/1.4 would be useful in a lot of situations. In general, you should determine why you are buying the camera. If you want to take lots of outdoor shots (birds, wildlife etc) get the body only and buy a nice 300M zoom. If you are going to take lots of indoor shots (family gatherings, baby etc) get the body only and a wide aperture prime in the 20-50MM range (a wide aperture lets more light in so you don't need a flash as often, and yields that nice soft focus "bokeh" effect). If you want to be ready to shoot a variety of situations right out of the box and don't mind using the flash indoors, then pick a kit lens and go with it. I would not recommend the 18-55 kit lens though...you will bump against its limitations very quickly, even if you are a beginner like me.
Video on this thing is amazing, and I didn't even consider that when I bought the camera! Beware file size though. 2 minutes of 1080 @ 30FPS left me with an 800+meg .mov file. I think there is a 4 GB limit on video file size, so figure you will get 5 minutes of continuous shooting at that definition and frame rate. That will be enough for most applications, unless you are filming a wedding or childbirth and don't want to stop shooting, in which case you could film at 720p or standard definition.
Playback through the included cable is so so, so get yourself a mini HDMI to HDMI cable on Amazon or Monoprice (should cost $5-$10) and prepare yourself to be amazed by the resolution and image quality. I would also recommend a program called Any Video Converter, which enables you to change the resolution and format of your video to suit different hardware (iphones, droids, youtube etc). Imagine uploading a 4GB file to YouTube, for example. You can download the program for free, and then pay $40 bucks to be able to use the full menu set.
The only negative about this camera is that the auto focus in video mode and live view mode is borderline useless. In live view mode, it is so slow that everyone else would have got the shot with their point and shoot cameras before the 60D settles down and takes the picture. As for Video, I don't think AF works once you start shooting, so if you zoom or your subject moves, you have to stay on top of it. I don't shoot in live view mode and I am getting the hang of manual focus during Video (it is actually a creative outlet) so I'm fine with these shortcomings. From what I can tell, they are software based and related to the video codec...so it is possible that a firmware upgrade will address these issues. Canon EOS 60D 18 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3.0-Inch LCD and EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Standard Zoom Lens
I wanted to buy a camera in the $500 price range, but could not find one that would make better pictures than my old Canon PowerShot S3 IS.
I've tried some 'bridge cameras' but was very disappointed with their noisy image quality.
Finally I've found www.imaging-resource.com where I was able to see sample shots from all the different cameras.
Comparing the sample images it was clear that the Canon EOS 60D is the best choice under $2000.
I took a leap of faith and decided to get the Canon EOS 60D.
All the pictures I take with this camera have delicate details, beautiful colors and come out razor sharp.
I can definitely suggest this camera.
I bought this camera several days ago, it is an absolutely great camera. You may be confused on which brand to buy: Nikon D7000 or Canon 60D, that's pretty understandable. I've researched both Nikon and Canon for six months, personally, I like Canon 60D for its natural, crystal clear pictures as well as the super video quality. As to camera features, I think the most important is the picture and color quality. Canon 60D is awesome, it has the same picture quality as the Canon 7D but you can save five hundred dollars or more, in addition, you get very nice Canon 18-200 len, I enjoy it very much.
Wishing to be a serious amateur photographer, and wishing to enter the world of digital photo, I spent three months researching practically every day to decide what equipment to buy.
The market has great options, which makes the choice very difficult.
Finally I chose the Canon 60D and I can say it was worth it!!
It is an amazing camera that I recommend to all those keen amateurs like me, and even professionals.
Bought with the 18-200 mm lens which is another wonderful thing, it is a kind of an All-in-1 in lenses.
For all these reasons I strongly recommend buying this product !!!!!
I'm pleased to say that the Canon 60D is a worthy investment for those upgrading from the Canon T2i. I had the great opportunity to own both cameras and see in-hand the differences between the two, and the differences are enough to warrant the extra hundred dollars, maybe more. First of all, I know that they share the same sensor and light metering so pretty much pictures under the same conditions turn out the same - high ISO noise control, color rendition, resolution. But take note that A LOT of how a picture turns out depends on the User and how they compose the shot, and thats where the 60D significantly differs...in handling and performance.
The most glaring difference not easily seen in online reviews is the increase in viewfinder size. The brightness and larger size is like upgrading from a 21-inch lcd monitor to a 23-inch one. At first, I never knew or cared for this increase in spec, but seeing it first hand changed what I wanted in a camera. After all, you spend most of your time viewing through it and it definitely helps to see more of your shot before you take it. Next is the increase in build quality and hand grip size. Yes, its still not magnesium alloy but it feels much more sturdy than the T2i. Weight-wise the 60D is about one kit lens heavier (~200g) which does better balancing heavier lenses like the L series. That's what this camera promotes, a good upgradeable path to handle better lenses. The hand grip is much more filling in my hand. Despite the increase in weight, the ease of holding the camera and preventing strain actually depends more on how your hands hold in position. Another feature is the 9 cross-type AF sensors (T2i has only 1 in center) which allow better focusing in continuous shooting and low-light conditions. One example where I noticed the difference is indoor lighting. After taking random shots, the 60D just feels a little "smarter" on how it chooses the main focus points. Battery life is the next big difference for me. The 60D actually uses the same battery as the Canon 5D Mark II so you know its serious stuff. During one photo trip, one charge lasted over 1,000 photos with about 50% of them using liveview. The included battery charger is very fast too, and it has a retractable built-in prongs..none of that separate cord nonsense you get with the T2i charger. Take note that Maximal Power on Amazon has 3rd party batteries for cheap that works just like the original.
Obviously there are blatant differences too. The swivel screen is great for self-portraits handheld in front of you because you can compose the picture instead of guessing the angle. My gf loves this feature the most for couple shots, and it makes us less relying on unsuspecting passerby's to take our photo. It does inspire creativity when using liveview to compose your shots as well since you dont have to strain your neck or pull a back muscle trying to bend down to take low-to-the-ground photos or over peoples gigantic heads. I haven't tried, but it turning the screen around would be useful for people doing self videos for youtube. The top lcd screen is also great for quick access for basic information, plus it saves battery life and it looks pro. You can basically use this top screen while having your main lcd screen inverted backwards for protection and compose your shots. The faster continuous burst rate of 5.3 vs 3.7 fps is noticeable, but the main difference is that the buffer size for the 60D is much bigger than the T2i to increase your chances of getting that perfect shot. Couple this with the better autofocus system and you can see what I mean about handling and performance. If you like to take shots of your kids running around in the house or fast dogs playing in the yard, then I would highly recommend the 60D over the T2i.
Other difference in features that I haven't tried: horizontal virtual level, wireless flash control, and control over audio levels in movie mode.
Dont get me wrong though, the T2i is a very good camera and probably more popular than the 60D. It has in its favor a lighter body, easier learning curve, and lower price. However, if you are just starting with DSLR's, I would highly recommend getting the T3i instead. Prices are almost the same as the T2i, and its more user friendly with the enhanced Auto mode. Plus it has the swivel screen!
Everything is not mind-blowing with the 60D though. CONS include the same irritable white balance implementation and heavy orange-cast under tungsten lighting. The directional pad within the circular control wheel is almost flush and does not have distinct clicks to let you know if you sucessfully pressed it. Contrast liveview is still slow.
Either way, all these cameras are great choices that will not let you down. This review includes my purchase with the 18-200mm lens. The lens is a little better than the 18-135mm version because it has a little more reach and magnification for close-up shots (.25x vs .21x) but comparing their prices I do not think its worth upgrading to the 18-200mm. Resolution, contrast, color and sharpness is about the same, but the 18-135mm is much cheaper and the difference between 135mm and 200mm is not significant.
A handy tip if you want to take your camera to the next level is a hack called Magic Lantern orginally started as a videographer tool. It safely adds more features like trap focus, zebra control, plus much more. Please proceed at your own risk though. Hope this review helps!
UPDATE 7.24.11 ********
Came back from a trip from Niagara Falls, which also has fireworks every Friday. FYI, the 60D doesnt have more of the beginner, user-friendly mode scenes like fireworks apart from the basic portrait, night, landscape, sports, and flower mode. Another thought is that I wished the top lcd screen showed what PASM mode I'm in, as I often found myself struggling to see the setting of my mode dial in the dark. Granted, one can press the Info button to bring up the main screen, but then whats the purpose of the top lcd screen then?
Despite its shortcomings, I am starting to really like this camera. The auto focus is fast and did fairly well in very dark conditions (without flash assist). Taking self-portraits (with the gf) using the swivel screen takes the guesswork out and was enjoyable, since the optional contrast-detect was much faster than phase-detect (plus it chooses the focus points for you). Let me tell you, being able to compose your shot for a self-portrait is great. Couple this with the 15-85mm lens (which I recommend) and you get great background coverage holding the camera in front of you. The camera body itself handled the humid, misty conditions of the majestic waterfalls no problem. And being able to adjust exposure on the fly with the rear wheel dial was convenient.
On a side note, the camera strap itself comes custom made with "Canon 60D" in big bold, stitching. Hope this info helps some of you.
UPDATE 8.3.11 ***********
Bought the new 270EX II external flash to compliment the 60D. Its great! I previously owned the original 270ex (non-wireless version) so I knew its capabilities. Let me tell you, the new one really opens up a world of possibilities with the 60D since the 60D is capable of controlling groups of external flashes (or one in my case). When taking pictures, I was able to fire both my built-in flash and the 270EX II (off the camera) at the same time plus control the ratio of flash intensity between the two. I think flash photography is yet another upgrade path the 60D allows you to partake.
I also just discovered that the 60D is the only Canon body in its class to allow interchangeable focus screens! Hope this helps.'
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