Camera Labs

Gordon, we keep hearing that the 60D has a plastic body and the new a D7000 magnesium alloy body. From my understanding the 60D has an aluminium chassis while the D7000 has a magnesium alloy chassis only.

When you do your reviews, or comparo, it would be appreciated if you could explain how much metal each has in their body construction.

Also, I recently found an interview on youtube where a Canon rep states that the 60D has better weather-sealing than the 50D. This would be very interesting to confirm. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPNXYh6uvZg

Cheers,
Neal

Neal, there's a lot of misunderstanding about the D7000. Only the top and rear plates are magnesium alloy.

And just becuase a body is plastic doesn't necessarily compromise its toughness or weatherproofing.

I will of course be providing as much detail as I can in my upcoming reviews on the construction.

Thanks Gordon. Some of these modern high-tensile polycarbonate products outperform any and all metal construction so not a problem for me.

Today I got my hands on a 60D! (Tried it out, not bought it.)

It just started selling today here in Japan. The price in yen is 128,000. But, for about 400 (4 US dollars) LESS you can get yourself a 7D. Of course, the price will come down on the 60D, but who in their right mind would pay more for the 60D just because it's new?

So, here were my impressions of it:

It's noticeably lighter than the 50D, which is no doubt due to the lack of a metal frame. I really liked that aspect of it. And yes, it's solid and feels just as tough as the 50D. Some people were afraid it would feel like a 550D in terms of quality. Not at all. In short, the build quality was very nice, and I thing the lack of a metal frame and the lightness it affords is a good thing. Personally, I don't think Canon was trying to nickle and dime us with the plastic body, but aiming for a lighter camera. I also think they want to save the metal frames for the 7D and up.

I liked the buttons on top having only one function. It's easier to make changes to the Drive, ISO, etc. without taking your eye away from the eyepiece. [The 50D and 7D can be confusing in that what you change depends on whether you spin the front wheel or back one.] Of those top buttons, the third from the left has a little bump on it (like the F and J on your keyboard), so you know from the its feel that it's the ISO button, and from there you'll be able to move your finger without looking. The buttons don't "click" as nicely as the ones on the 50D when you push them, which is too bad. They're lined up to match the display on top, which is nice.

I can't say I liked the toggle/wheel combo in the back. The toggle within the wheel doesn't click/snap when you press it like the toggle on the 50D. I found its movements unsatisfying. I much prefer the separate toggle, and hope Canon doesn't start using this combo nonsense in the future.

The "click" of the mirror flipping up isn't as crisp as the 50D, but better than the flappy sound of the 7D. Ya know, Nikons have such a nice sound when you press the shutter button, and Canon's did in the past. I wish they would get their act together in this respect on these newer cameras. I like to hear some sharpness when I press the shutter button.

The flip out screen is nice. Solid as expected to would be.

OK, that's enough for now.

hello guys thought i would share the first video review


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x471_CL0iPg&feature=sub

enjoy got to run so peace

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Canon 7D<>OP Tech Utility Strap Camera Labs <>28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM<>VANGUARD Alta+ 263AT With SBH-250<> Transend 16gb 400x<>Vivitar 283 Flash

KevinM "hello guys thought i would share the first video review"

Those guys are a hoot - Not much of a review but I enjoyed it. The 60D does look like a very nice camera.

On the 60D hangs a Nikon camera strap

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Ruben

Panasonic DMC-FZ18, Panasonic DMC-FZ28, Canon G5, Canon 350D, Canon 50D + BG-E2N
Tamron 17-50 2.8, Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM,
Canon 18-55 II plus lots of Minolta MD/M42 lenses and bodies

Nice report Austin, thanks!

Thanks a lot Austin, I really like where canon is going at the moment, definitely will look forward when my replacement is due and see what canon has to offer that time

I visited our local Big Box store today and lo and behold they had a 60D on display - Right next to the 7D and 550D. I gave it a good 20 minute whirl and these are my impressions.

Build quality is much better than the 550D and almost as solid as the 7D. Weight wise it seems perfect. Not as heavy as the 7D plus not quite as big. The 550D felt too small in my hands but with the 60D my thumb and trigger finger fell nicely into place.

I played around with the menu's, the new toggle at the rear and the locking mechanism on the top dial. After about 10 minutes and some practice the whole operation felt quite natural. As I have no experience with the 550D or 50D I have no leaning to either so my experience with the 60D was all positive with no negatives to compare to.

I tried out the swivel screen and this to me is going to be a big selling point. Many will like the different angles this allows one to shoot with but my likes are purely practical. I can face the screen inwards which affords two things. One; my sweaty face does not leave oil all over the screen when using the viewfinder and two; the LCD is protected from scratches, etc. Two big plusses for me. The swivel screen is quite sturdy and well built.

As a complete rookie to DSLR I cannot comment on the 60D's performance but as a rookie I am really taken with this as my first camera.

I await Gordon's review before finally committing.

Cheers,
Neal

My 2c.

Just got the 60D - intro price here for body alone was reasonable (€1100). I'm charging the batteries.

Concerning first impressions, I concur with Howzit and Austin: the body is very sturdy, but much lighter than the 7D at the same time. The grip is slightly smaller too, but more substantial than the Rebels.

I've also learned that it also supports inbody wireless flash transmission..so the only thing missing from the 7D is the 8fps, magnesium body, and AF microadjust.

I'll get some test shots out soon with more impressions!

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1. Initial impression



The 60D is lighter than the 7D. The grip is also slightly smaller. No creaking whatsoever. The plastics are a bit textured, and feel nicer than the Rebels. Concerning size, the 60D is again slightly larger, but doesn't feel as bulky as the 7D or 5D Mark II. Although the body is wonderfully balanced on L lenses or the heavier EFS lenses, it works well too with the smaller primes or EFS zooms.



2. Operation



The mode dial on the left now has a release button. I'll need to get used to this, I'm used to quickly flick this with my thumb. The delete button is the only button on the left side, all the rest is on the right side. The layout is reminiscent of the Rebel line. The joystick is gone, and the jog dial now is fitted with a multidirectional switch inside it: it is slightly fiddly, but if you're used to xxxD operation it should be fine. You can also turn off the wheel in the settings.
The return of the top panel is nice, the buttons there also setup things like ISO, exp comp, drive, metering.



The menus all feature nice transitions, since the processor is a DIGIC4 one. Overall structure remains the same with many stuff buried inside custom function menus.

3. Features



The main feature is without doubt the swivel screen, which works very well. The excellent ClearView panel makes this camera a valuable tool for Live View, outside work, and for many situations like crowds, groundwork macro, etc.
The next thing that was crucial to me was the 9 point cross type 50D AF system. With my 17-55, it is significantly better than my 450D. Even in dark conditions, the 60D manages to select the most relevant points in auto-AF point select, something my 450D never managed to do.
Another thing I noted: the shutter sound is 50D-ey..a dull thump instead of the whirr of the Rebels.
Something the xxD series never carried over from the 450D/500D/550D is the nice continuous timer drive mode..I really miss this for action (self) portraits. The xxD series requires a separate wireless shutter release.
There's many other things, I'll detail them later.

4. Image quality impressions

The 60D is still APS-C, and it shows. Although the Auto ISO will quickly go up the ISO scale, the chroma noise starts at ISO 1600. On a pixel level, the detail and noise is not better than my 450D. I prefer to turn off noise reduction, and to maintain the fine details. The Low ISO resolution is amazing, and the noise reduction is smart: crucial detail like facial features or focused/lighted portions still look good. The AF is wonderful, absolutely loving it! Also, Live View can now focus with shutter release half depress: this is very convenient and intuitive.



5. Test shots

Available here: http://picasaweb.google.com/erwinho84/C ... irstShots#

There's also an ISO series, compared to my 450D, both on 50mm f1.8.

6. Preliminary conclusion

The 60D is not really a continuation of the xxD line. Instead, it is a super Rebel. If you look at it that way, you get a package that offers an awful lot at the APS-C level, at a reasonable price!

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WoW what a great review and pic thank Shonen84.
still waiting for full review form Gordon, sir

edit sorry my bad i accidentally write the wrong name and forget to check it.

P.S sorry Shonen84 and Ruben123.

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Canon EOS 7D + Red Canon IXUS 300HS.
Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L,Canon EF 100mm F/2.8L IS USM.
Sigma 70-200mm F/2.8 APO EX DG OS HSM, Sigma 50mm F/1.4 HSM
Canon Speedlite 480EX II + Tripod+ B+W MRC (2x77+67), hoya HD UV (77) B+W MRC 77mm(CPL slim+10 ND).

I didnt write the review!

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Ruben

Panasonic DMC-FZ18, Panasonic DMC-FZ28, Canon G5, Canon 350D, Canon 50D + BG-E2N
Tamron 17-50 2.8, Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM,
Canon 18-55 II plus lots of Minolta MD/M42 lenses and bodies

Shonen84, that's a great report, thanks! I hope to test the 60D very soon...