Canon releases EOS 60D and lenses

[Chase55671]

Group,

Interesting find on Facebook this evening revealed that Canon has released the EOS 60D along with several new L lenses.

http://www.dpreview.com/

I'm really interested in the 8-15mm fisheye they've released and the 70-300mm looks sharp, too!

Chase

[Ween]

However, following the launch of the EOS 7D, the 60D has been repositioned in the market, so isn't a simple upgrade to its predecessor. Instead the 60D is a smaller camera featuring an articulated screen and plastic body shell and utilizing SD memory cards.

My gut says...fail?

[Joe the Photog]

I think it would do nicely as someone who wants to upgrade his XTi to get into the video capabilty, but can't afford the 7D. I also like the wireless possibilities, the "endless memory card" as well as the flip around screen for easier shooting it tight corners.

[milwman]

Originally Posted by Ween

My gut says...fail?

What's a FAIL about it, A price drop of $500 isn't going to keep the same build as a 50D and why would they make a 7D like camera for $200 less then what it sells for. The 60D falls in to its slot of pricing that makes (cents)

[troy12n]

That sucks that it is a smaller body and plastic

[JRMDC]

Originally Posted by milwman

What's a FAIL about it, A price drop of $500 isn't going to keep the same build as a 50D and why would they make a 7D like camera for $200 less then what it sells for. The 60D falls in to its slot of pricing that makes (cents)

Yes, as prices for the upper end come down the gaps narrow and sooner or later it just becomes too narrow.

Interesting, though, for my personal needs I find the 50D now attractive. It has always been the case that I have looked to see what is coming along, with a mind to then buying the previous generation. But there has always been a feature on the new camera (40D, 50D) that seemed not-to-be-missed. At last, I think the new camera doesn't do enough to justify waiting for its prices to come down or to appear on the used market. I have no complaint about the product repositioning at all, just that for me there isn't anything really necessary. Will have to consider the 50D, which is under $1k and yet lower on the used market.

I am cheap, however, and for that matter I don't shoot that often anymore, so I suspect I will stick to the 20D for just a while longer.

Originally Posted by troy12n

That sucks that it is a smaller body and plastic

Agree about the smaller body, as the main reason I went 20D instead of XT back in the day was the Rebel series was too small. Don't care about the plastic, I have never understood why so many get worked up about that. I have never heard of a camera body failing because the plastic cracked. Plastic (whose higher-end forms really need a different name to differentiate from the truly cheap stuff) is just fine with me.

[Ween]

Originally Posted by milwman

What's a FAIL about it, A price drop of $500 isn't going to keep the same build as a 50D and why would they make a 7D like camera for $200 less then what it sells for. The 60D falls in to its slot of pricing that makes (cents)

Like I said, it was a gut feeling over:

- Plastic body (the plastic on my XT started to wear smooth with time)
- Smaller size (smaller isn't always better; the X0D-series was well-sized, IMO)
- Slower continuous shooting speed (40D > 50D > 60D...not sure why Canon's going slower)
- Articulated LCD panel (not for me)
- HD video blah blah blah (I want a camera, not a portable studio. Axing the video would be a real price point and knock a couple hundred off the list price)

I understand that the 60D is placed right between the Rebel and 7D (literally size-wise and specs-wise), but I'm not sure of the wisdom. Again, it's more gut feeling than anything...

[crazytiger]

As of right now, I agree with J, this is going to mean when I upgrade (hopefully within the next 6 mos.) that I will, almost definitely, buy the 50D. The main thing up in the air is, I haven't seen an iSO test, which is pretty important to me.

And I'd love that new EF 8-15 f/4L, but let me guess it will be out of my price range.

[jnohallman]

I'm waiting for a camera with their new 120 MP CMOS sensor . . .

Jon

[trainboysd40]

Originally Posted by Ween

Like I said, it was a gut feeling over:

- Plastic body (the plastic on my XT started to wear smooth with time)

Hey, there are bits on my 5D that are starting to get shiny too!

[trainboysd40]

Originally Posted by jnohallman

I'm waiting for a camera with their new 120 MP CMOS sensor . . .

Jon

It's a crop sensor, I'm not interested

[Joe the Photog]

Originally Posted by crazytiger

And I'd love that new EF 8-15 f/4L, but let me guess it will be out of my price range.

$1400. The way I read it, it's a true fish eye on a full frame sensor and a really wide angle lens on a 1.6X sensor.

[John Ryan]

Originally Posted by trainboysd40

Hey, there are bits on my 5D that are starting to get shiny too!

Gee, and the same thing is happening with my 1Ds Mark-lll. A few dings and nicks, too.

As for the lenses, I know I want the fisheye zoom and the 300mm, but dang, is that telephoto expensive.

[troy12n]

After further review, apparently it does not have the joystick and uses SD cards instead of CF. While that may not seem like a big deal, it will require you to buy new storage cards. Fewer FPS and no micro adjust. This body is a DOWNGRADE from the 50D

[JRMDC]

Originally Posted by troy12n

After further review, apparently it does not have the joystick and uses SD cards instead of CF. While that may not seem like a big deal, it will require you to buy new storage cards. Fewer FPS and no micro adjust. This body is a DOWNGRADE from the 50D

It is a mixed bag, and from what I read on dpreview, a disappointment to many. For some that may actually be true, for others puffery. Some comments:

VIDEO: I think that many who are panning the camera (maybe you, Troy) are ignoring the addition of video, which by itself makes it a major upgrade (although of no value to those who have no interest in doing video).

Loss of features: micro adjust seems like a definite downgrade. 5.3 fps instead of 6.3 is a downgrade but not that much of one (is there a big difference between a frame every .16 seconds and one every .19 seconds?) and is still solidly in the middle between the 550D and the 7D from what I have read. Magnesium to plastic - not a big deal for me, and there is a trade-off, not just a downgrade, as the camera now weighs less.

Shift of features: I too would prefer CF to SD, but lets face it, sooner or later standards like that change and there is no good time to do it. Joystick - we will see what people say about usability of the dial/rocker/whatever once people get their hands on it; may be different but not worse.

Low light: unknown exactly what it is offering, but the 50D had ISO 6400 in an "H1" setting and the 60D has it as part of what I will call the "standard" range 100-6400. Maybe some improvement, maybe not, only testing will tell.

Gain of features: 18mp (minor), articulating LCD.

Overall, it does seem to be a product repositioning to some extent, no longer a linear line following 40D/50D or between 550D and 7D. Repositioning is not automatically bad, how one feels depends on what one is looking for, some people lose out, some gain.

[crazytiger]

I still haven't seen a price on this camera.

(the $1400 number from Joe was the lens, right?)

500th post!

[JRMDC]

Originally Posted by crazytiger

I still haven't seen a price on this camera.

$1099 body only, available late September

[trainboysd40]

Originally Posted by John Ryan

Gee, and the same thing is happening with my 1Ds Mark-lll. A few dings and nicks, too.

As for the lenses, I know I want the fisheye zoom and the 300mm, but dang, is that telephoto expensive.

Yeah, I haven't had my mark III long enough for that to happen
I want that fisheye. I have the siggy 8mm, but I'd love to have more flexibility...

[Dennis A. Livesey]

I guarantee the first time you really use the orientable screen, you will be sold and wonder how you ever got along without it.

[travsirocz]

If you ask me the the 7d was the 60d and the 60d is the new rebel. I wouldn't doubt if the rebel falls away or turns into a even cheaper and smaller consumer camera.

[travsirocz]

Originally Posted by Ween

Like I said, it was a gut feeling over:


- HD video blah blah blah (I want a camera, not a portable studio. Axing the video would be a real price point and knock a couple hundred off the list price)

.

I hate this. I want a camera. If I wanted a video recorder I would buy one. Tell my cell phone company this also. I already have a camera, video recorder, and laptop, I just want the phone. I could glue wings on my phone and charge people airfare.

[JRMDC]

Chris, Travis, I hear you, and whatever body I eventually upgrade to, I doubt I will be using the video either, but the entry level Nikon 3100 has video, the world is going to video on sub-pro DSLRs all the way up to 7D and 5D2, you can't fault Canon for putting video on the 60D and you aren't getting any more video-free DSLRs in any affordable price range, that is the new reality.

J

[Joe the Photog]

Originally Posted by travsirocz

If you ask me the the 7d was the 60d and the 60d is the new rebel. I wouldn't doubt if the rebel falls away or turns into a even cheaper and smaller consumer camera.

I had the same thought last night. Looks like there may have been some confusion on the branding. Although some Rebel users might balk at the idea of the $1099 price tag where as for the D series, it looks like a price drop. If that makes sense.

I'm ready to trade in my XTi for it.

[troy12n]

So basically this is a Rebel with a 1 grand price tag, no thanks. 7D apparently takes up where the 50D left off

[troy12n]

Originally Posted by Dennis A. Livesey

I guarantee the first time you really use the orientable screen, you will be sold and wonder how you ever got along without it.

I doubt it, thats a point and shoot gimmick, a good # of my shots are made on a tripod anyway