What to expect from the Canon EOS 60D?

[Mishel]

I've just posted a review (opinion) why I think that Canon 60D won't be such a great upgrade over the Canon 50D DSLR.

As far as I concern, the fact that Canon has added the 7D into the EOS series, it certainly narrows the upgrade options for the Canon 50D. So me might expect a new upgrade with minor changes, but nothing that will be a huge leap over the current Canon 50D DSLR.

I guess that many Canon 50D owners will be quite upset with the fact that the gap between the Canon 50D and the Canon 5D Mark II has been narrowed significantly after the announcement of the Canon 7D in Pre-IFA 2009. Let's hope that I am wrong, and that we will do see some significant improvements that will convince 50D owners to upgrade to the Canon 60D (whatever Canon will decide to call it).

 

[usayit]

If you are too busy looking forward then you won't enjoy the now. How can such an article even be remotely reasonable when the camera isn't even out yet?

Photographer not the camera...

 

[Mishel]

It is not actually about the Camera itself, but the optional upgrade path that is available for Canon to make. If the Canon 7D wasn't there, there was enough room for considerably amount of improvement over the 50D. One thing I know for sure, is that Canon will not make the 50D better then the 7D. But if the Canon 7D wasn't there, we will probably have seen a 7D like camera with a cheaper price I think. Again, this is just my opinion. I personally waiting for a new camera before making any decision. And if it is so close ot be announced, I guess waiting a little bit more won't hurt.

I also agree with you that the time to take pictures is now, and there is no reason to wait "too much".

 

[bentcountershaft]

They may just scrap the xxD line since they have the 7D. If it were up to me the only improvement of the 50D I'd care to see on a 60D would be the 7D's ISO range. Do that and leave off the video to save money and I'll get one.

 

[Mishel]

I don't think that the video feature makes the camera more expensive. I think it will be there in future models by default. Have you seen any real difference in prices where the video feature first came out?

I think that the Canon 60D will probably have a new battery and grip (Canon loves to make money on accessories), a more advanced focusing system and I think that we will see increase in the ISO range as well. Regarding the Canon 60D video feature, I wouldn't mind having it and shoot some high quality product reviews on my blog (even though it can be done with consumer level cameras as well, with pretty good results).

 

[usayit]

Don't complain about too many choices...

My choice of drug (Leica RF) has one choice and only one choice in their lineup. Its an expensive one too...

 

[Mishel]

Leica are as good as it gets I suppose. BTW, my other debate was whether I should buy the Sigma SD15 or the upcoming Canon 60D. When you said Leica, at the same time you said "highest quality" (at least from what I know).

Before I dive into more details, I just want to tell you that I have no DSLR camera right now, and I intend to purchase one till next month. I used to shoot with Canon 400D and have 2 'L' lenses (17-40mm F4L and 70-200mm F4L). I sold those lenses and the 400D because I needed more money for a business that I was starting at that time. So now I am at the same situation when I was before, just more experienced I guess.

The Canon 60D/50D fits my budget perfectly, considering that I intend to buy 2 lenses (wideangle and telephoto zoom). The Sigma SD15 was also a great contender, because it has to Foveon sensor, which produce some amazingly sharp images. I haven't find many sample pictured of the SD15 (cause its new I guess), so I have decided to dig a little deeper and found pictures at Chinese and Japanese sites. The sharpness and dynamic range are just something to admire.

Anyways, I am in the middle of making a decision, whether I should buy the Sigma SD15 or the Canon 60D. I love shooting landscape photography pictures and I intend to open an online website for that specific niche as well. So I wanted to hear you opinion about the upcoming Canon 60D, who knows, maybe I will just grab the SD15 next week.

I am eager to shoot pictures and because it is the end of the Summer, I wanted to buy a camera until next month.

when I have my Smugmug account ready, I will share some photographs with you (not here I know, on the galleries forum).

Wanna hear something funny: I've just looked at bentcountershaft avatar and saw the "I spend too much of my life on TPF!" - SO I was interested to know what TPF means, so I went to Google to search for it - didn't find any relevant info. Until I came back here and finally realized that it is shortcut for Digital Photography Forum -- Silly me

 

[Josh66]

I think that the Canon 60D will probably have a new battery and grip (Canon loves to make money on accessories),[...]

Of course it will.

At least the grips can take AA batteries, so you don't necessarily have to buy a bunch of new proprietary batteries. Still gotta buy a new grip though, that's pretty much a given.

 

[Mishel]

What do you mean "at least"? -- Do you mean that the 50D grip doesn't support AA batteries ?

 

[Derrel]

Mishel,
You must truly be an open-minded soul if you are even considering the Sigma SD15 as an actual purchasing choice. I commend you for your open-mindedness. But, even if the Canon design team gets drunk on sake and submits its 60D plans, I am pretty sure the Canon camera will be a better all-around system than anything Sigma can come up with. But as to the 60D...I think that pony is played out...the D60 (remember all six month of its life?),10D,20D,30D,40D,50D has been basically the SAME BASIC camera,iterated rapidly. I do not think they at Canon are anxious to cap off the series with a D60 at the start,and a 60D at the end of the same old same old camera for years on end...I think the 50D is the last of the line, and that Canon will take a new naming direction. The D60-10D-20D-30D-40D-50D is now six bodies old....I am omitting the original d-slr effort from Canon, the D30...which make seven in a row along the same basic lines.

Canon needs to get some better, smarter, color-aware light metering in its prosumer body,and arguable they have finally achieved color-aware light metering in the 7D. Canon needs wider-area AF coverage, which they do NOT have in the 7D. Canon needs a wireless flash commander system, which the 7D has. All in all, I think Canon will soon be abandoning the XXD line and its behind the competition aspects of color blind metering, and no flash commander and moving toward the newer, higher-technology 7D features in light metering and flash command. I think rewarming the 50D to a seventh iteration of the same-old same-old would be like microwaving leftover dinner for two nights in a row...a letdown on night one,and totally unpalatable on night two.

Canon has always been willing to move forward, even if it means screwing over current owners...and alienating current owners...Canon will move forward whenever it needs to,and it seems that Canon's innovation stalled very,very badly in the 40D and 50D, and influential people like Michael Reichmann started complaining that Canon was failing to innovate. And they did get stagnant, and Nikon made huge inroads. Nikon became #1 in slr sales in Japan in 2009, and Canon lost its top dog spot. Canon's 7D and its new technologies are a direction I think Canon will go with its prosumer $1500 body class, so the 50D will, In think, be the end of that line of cameras...it's shopworn and the same old $hi+, model after model.

 

[Josh66]

What do you mean "at least"? -- Do you mean that the 50D grip doesn't support AA batteries ?

I mean - at least they (all) take AA batteries, which are commonly available everywhere. So - there's no need to buy the overpriced proprietary batteries that every new camera uses. 'At least' there is a cheap alternative.

(You still have to buy the new, not cheap, battery grip though...)

 

[Mishel]

I have two questions, and sorry for my newbie questions:

1) What is "color-aware light metering"? (I will be a little be smarter after this one).:blushing:

2) Derrel, which photography gear you shoot with? - After this answer, I am eager to know you preferences.

And about Derrel slogan "It's about time people started taking photography seriously, and treating it as a hobby." - Exactly what I think!

And Derrel, about the Sigma SD15. I have been digging around many Sigma users' websites and find only few images, nothing to be really inspired about. I have decided to dig a little bit more and spent two hours trying to find sample images taken with the Sigma SD15 in foreign (Japanese and Chinese) website, and finally came with a few websites with truly amazing Sigma SD15 photos that shows the high dynamic range that the camera has. I am doing a lots of research before deciding on my new equipment.
If you can be kind and evaluate the photographs yourself, maybe you have a different opinion on the SD15, just maybe? (please, I really need a professional opinion -- What can I do, I am not ).

I also checked you profile page and it seems that you shoot both with Nikon and Canon gear. So you opinion will be unbiased.

OOPS, I almost forgot to ask about Sigma lenses optical quality. I know that it is off-topic maybe, but I really try to make a decision (before Summer ends).

Thanks.

 

[KmH]

The metering sytem in all Nikon dSLR cameras can see in color: 1,005-pixel RGB sensor 3D Color Matrix Metering II

Even the entry-level Nikon's: 420 pixel RGB sensor 3D Color Matrix Metering.


Except the 7D and the 1D MKIV, all the other Canon dSLR's metering systems only see black and white.
From Canon USA's advertising for the 7D: "New iFCL Metering with 63-zone dual-layer metering system uses both focus and color information to provide accurate exposure..." In the specs they list: 63-zone SPC TTL metering. I don't know what SPC means.

 

[Mishel]

It seems like a very huge advantage that the Nikon has over Canon in that respect. I wonder why Canon is not improving it own metering system??
But what is the difference in the real world?

I had a chance to talk Lean Evans on another forum (a Sigma tester - at least that what she told me) and she told me that the Sigma SD15 performs extremely well, and it is a measure improvement over the previous version. After you answer about the metering system (thanks), I want to know what type of metering the Sigma SD15 uses.

Can you please post a link to a page that explains in in-depth details about those different metering system (something simple to read please, not math equations and stuff). I would also like to hear opinion from photographers who have shot both with the Nikon and Canon gear and have their own opinion about the metering system.

I am going to find some information about metering on Google. But please share your knowledge. (finally I have found a forum with professional photographers, not kiddy forum as found on my mother tongue language :er: -- Also really excited to meet other photographers abroad | too emotional I know).

 

[Canosonic]

why not an affordable full frame?
nah, just kidding, that'll never happen, though I'd appreciate that.
Well, I don't care about video, maybe....
Digic V?
Built in printer? Sandwich maker?