60D owners...help, i need reassurance before i pull the trigger

[kriptikracing]

Please, post your opinion and/or pictures with your 60D. Especially if its portraits, action shots, or macro. I'm gonna buy a 60D with the 18-200 lens before the end of June since that's when the rebates stop. My newborn son is growing fast and I'm missing a lot of memories from a slow p&s. I really just need reassurance that even if the 60D is 2 years old its still capable of awesome shots! I really can't afford to wait for a 70D nor afford the price. I'm just assuming a 70D is coming out and based on the rise in price of the new rebel. Please help me out!

 

[Marsu42]

Especially if its portraits, action shots, or macro

Everything is fine with the 60d, except for action shots - the autofocus system isn't up to it if you use af tracking, get a 7d for a more current af system for not so much money more than it used to be. I'd get the 60d because it runs magic lantern, any for you coming from a p&s the 60d body is adequate for the not-so-stellar lens and since you'll have some learning to do using a dslr.

 

[rpt]

Please, post your opinion and/or pictures with your 60D. Especially if its portraits, action shots, or macro. I'm gonna buy a 60D with the 18-200 lens before the end of June since that's when the rebates stop. My newborn son is growing fast and I'm missing a lot of memories from a slow p&s. I really just need reassurance that even if the 60D is 2 years old its still capable of awesome shots! I really can't afford to wait for a 70D nor afford the price. I'm just assuming a 70D is coming out and based on the rise in price of the new rebel. Please help me out!

I had asked for advise earlier and the 18-200 was one of my chosen lenses. I got some good advice. The thread is at
http://www.canonrumors.com/forum/index.php?topic=4594.msg92804#msg92804

Eventually I ended up getting the 5D3 with the kit lens and I am happy as the 7Dii is nowhere in sight.

 

[Stuart]

I'm a 60 owner for just over a year now and love it. I don't do much action shooting with the subject running towards me, but i do do some dance and people shots see here: http://www.ephotozine.com/user/jackalltog-97593

Personally i think its great and will be big step up from where you are, but you will have to learn how to use a SLR to get the best out of it.
Also note that a big bulky SLR can really get in the way on family outings and may mean you actually get less shots. Recent point and shoot camera's are also very good options for discrete or family shots.

Stuart

 

[able 1039]

Please, post your opinion and/or pictures with your 60D. Especially if its portraits, action shots, or macro. I'm gonna buy a 60D with the 18-200 lens before the end of June since that's when the rebates stop. My newborn son is growing fast and I'm missing a lot of memories from a slow p&s. I really just need reassurance that even if the 60D is 2 years old its still capable of awesome shots! I really can't afford to wait for a 70D nor afford the price. I'm just assuming a 70D is coming out and based on the rise in price of the new rebel. Please help me out!

I love my 60D! If you get it, I highly recommend also getting a 50mm canon F1.8 lens ($99). I heard of it being referred to as a "portrait lens" and that sounds about right.

Here's a portrait I did with the lens and 60D (hope my links work)

Here's a video with the lens and 60D
Lazy Sunday

If you are concerned about the burst performance (5.3 shots per second) for sports, here's a sequence that may give you an idea how fast it shoots. (shot with rokinon 8mm lens)

and finally, here's a video so you can actually hear the 5.3 shots a second speed of the 60D
Burst Mode Test Canon EOS 60D 5.3 FPS

 

[kriptikracing]

Thanks for the help everyone! I used to own an xsi but had to sell it. I still consider myself a newbie to dslr's though. Was contemplating the t4i but after a bit of research on the net and then playing with the 60d at best buy...the 60d just felt better compared to the rebels. That 50mm f1.8 lens is nice...I like it and will order it also. What other lens should I pick up? Was gonna get the kit with the 18-200mm lens but not anymore. Seems like the 18-135mm is a better choice so I might go with that. Or I'll just pick up the body only and get whatever lens you all recommend. I have about $1500 to start off with.

 

[bkorcel]

I own a 60D. Used it extensively for shooting soccer games and wildlife such as eagles and herons. I would still be using it but had a need for full frame and some advancement on the AF front. Now my 5DIII is the primary and 60D is a backup.

Nothing wrong with the 60D for it's price point. Unless you have a need for advanced features it should be fine. If you dont know if you need the advanced features then you dont need them yet.

I eventually did trade in my 18-200 for a 70-200 F2.8L which was 1000X sharper than the kit lens but also more expensive. After your 60D you should consider a lens upgrade. A good lens will make any camera look like it's a pro model.

 

[Jotho]

Please, post your opinion and/or pictures with your 60D. Especially if its portraits, action shots, or macro. I'm gonna buy a 60D with the 18-200 lens before the end of June since that's when the rebates stop. My newborn son is growing fast and I'm missing a lot of memories from a slow p&s. I really just need reassurance that even if the 60D is 2 years old its still capable of awesome shots! I really can't afford to wait for a 70D nor afford the price. I'm just assuming a 70D is coming out and based on the rise in price of the new rebel. Please help me out!

Hi, I can't post any pics as I'm currently traveling, but I would like to encourage you to go for the 60D. I've had mine for almost two years, upgraded from 400D. I am about to sell the 60D as I have now upgraded to 5D3. I guess that's what the 60D does to you, it makes photography fun and exiting and makes you want to learn more. I have used it with several lenses, 18-200 Sigma, 15-85 and since a year L-lenses. It's a perfect match with the 15-85. Shoots great video also so you can catch your son. I've shot some golf stuff with it for youtube fun.

Go for it, you will be very happy.

 

[able 1039]

Thanks for the help everyone! I used to own an xsi but had to sell it. I still consider myself a newbie to dslr's though. Was contemplating the t4i but after a bit of research on the net and then playing with the 60d at best buy...the 60d just felt better compared to the rebels. That 50mm f1.8 lens is nice...I like it and will order it also. What other lens should I pick up? Was gonna get the kit with the 18-200mm lens but not anymore. Seems like the 18-135mm is a better choice so I might go with that. Or I'll just pick up the body only and get whatever lens you all recommend. I have about $1500 to start off with.

Right on! I'm glad you are considering my recommendation! The Canon 50mm f1.8 is a beautiful and cheap lens but FYI: you need a lot of room to back up and get the shot. That's why I've still got my 18-135mm kit. It's nice to be able zoom back to 18mm for when you are shooting in small rooms or crowded areas. However, I must say the 50mm F1.8 makes people at ease when you are shooting portraits. People won't realize how close up the shot is even though you are standing 10-15 feet away! It tends to make people more comfortable when you're not shooting up close.

If you are looking for a long zoom lens the 70mm-200mm and the 70-300mm zoom lenses are great for shooting sporting events. Be sure to get one with at LEAST an auto focus and at BEST an Image Stabilizer too. (However, most people on here will probably say that an Image Stabilizer is absolutely necessary.) Keep in mind that if the 50mm f 1.8 means you gotta stand 10 feet away to take a portrait, a 70-300mm means you gotta stand at least 15-25 feet.

Here's the site I check first before I make any major purchases...
www.dealnews.com

Type in whatever you are looking for into the search box. If you don't see anything listed, check mark the "show expired deals" box and it will show you how often the thing you are looking for goes on sale, and how much you can save if you wait for the next deal. Happy shopping!

 

[Bruce Photography]

This spring I spent three days in San Francisco in GG Park and I love my 60D with the 18-200. I do have the 18-135 lens and the lens creep is so bad that I won't use it. The don't like my copy of the 135 as far as IQ either. My copy of the 18-200 is just great. It is my favorite combination. I think the 60D Kit with the 18-200 is really the best value in the entire Canon line. I recomend this combination to anyone who just want a fun combination. The articulated screen if a wonderful feature with the sunken in base in the camera. A real screen protector when you face the lcd toward the camera. I use a Sun Sniper strap to complete this outfit and even find that Auto ISO works with the 18-200 in the dark of the de Young museum using IS handheld (no flash of course).

I hope you enjoy it.
Bruce

 

[LSV]

I'm an absolute DSLR beginner and I highly recommend the 60D. I'd bought the 60D a month ago from Adorama at a great price thanks to the link provided by CanonRumors. I also got the Canon zoom lens 100-400mm for birds shots...some samples here: https://picasaweb.google.com/102416362590573303444/2012_06_12?authkey=Gv1sRgCMXopv2sho-EPA

 

[preppyak]

Thanks for the help everyone! I used to own an xsi but had to sell it. I still consider myself a newbie to dslr's though. Was contemplating the t4i but after a bit of research on the net and then playing with the 60d at best buy...the 60d just felt better compared to the rebels. That 50mm f1.8 lens is nice...I like it and will order it also. What other lens should I pick up? Was gonna get the kit with the 18-200mm lens but not anymore. Seems like the 18-135mm is a better choice so I might go with that. Or I'll just pick up the body only and get whatever lens you all recommend. I have about $1500 to start off with.

My suggestion, go to the Canon Loyalty program. A refurbished 60D body is $640+tax...and they also let you take 20% off one of their refurb lenses (except L glass). You could use that on one of the 50mm lenses (f/1.8 or f/1.4), or the 100mm Macro if you'd want that. The 18-135 can be had for $250ish on Ebay or Craigslist, usually a decent amount of people selling them out of their kit. You could probably get the 60D, 18-135, 50 f/1,8 and the macro all for your $1500 price point.

 

[dstppy]

Please, post your opinion and/or pictures with your 60D. Especially if its portraits, action shots, or macro. I'm gonna buy a 60D with the 18-200 lens before the end of June since that's when the rebates stop. My newborn son is growing fast and I'm missing a lot of memories from a slow p&s. I really just need reassurance that even if the 60D is 2 years old its still capable of awesome shots! I really can't afford to wait for a 70D nor afford the price. I'm just assuming a 70D is coming out and based on the rise in price of the new rebel. Please help me out!

The 60D is fast enough AF and FPS and it has a lot of really nice features. No hesitation on recommending it.

The 15-85mm is nice and sharp and fast to focus . . . if I had only one lens to choose on that body, that would be it (my first setup actually), for the second, I'd recommend the 50mm 1.4

50mm is my favorite focal length on a crop body for children that you're around (close enough to supervise them)

 

[Orion]

Why not just get the new T4i????

 

[preppyak]

Why not just get the new T4i????

Cause you can get the 60D cheaper, and because part of taking pictures is holding the camera. If you've held a Rebel and the 60D, you'll feel a huge difference.

 

[picturesbyme]

...some will tell you that you need the newest of the newest but I think the 60D is pretty capable... of course the body is only a part of the final image... I would pay attention on the lens and the technique too...

...watch this, it's a cool video

http://youtu.be/eQLwdD9BstY


Regards,
http://atlanticpicture.com/

 

[kubsztal]

Why not just get the new T4i????

- smaller buffer,
- shorter battery life,
- smaller grip,
- no back wheel,
- pentamirror,
- slower max shutter,
- no top lcd,
- no kelvin white balance,
- smaller range of exposure bracketing,
- no custom mode on selector knob,
- wider center/spot metering points,
- slower flash sync speed,
- no magic lantern,
- and so on...

 

[1DSLR]

Lots of good advice by the posters.

The EF-S 15-85 is quite a nice lens with the only limitation being it is not particularly fast for photographing rapid movement in low light.

The tilt-swivel LCD is very helpful for macro work (or self/all-the-family portraits). Between the two photographers in the family, we have both the EF-S 60mm macro and a 100mm macro. If you intend to do macro of small moving things such as insects, I suggest the 100mm non-L as it's image quality is very close to the 100mm L-version and the extra distance makes it less likely you will frighten off the small critter you are macro photographing. Plus, it gives you a slightly longer and much faster telephoto than the 15-85mm zoom.

Magic Lantern is wonderful; worth it for the focus peaking alone. Do make a contribution to the Magic Lantern web site when you get it; I did.

The Canon Loyalty program mentioned is a very good idea also as long as you are not the sort who seems to have very bad luck with electronics/cameras since the warranty is 90 days, not 1 year. I keep a $5 nonworking Canon I got on the local CraigsList just in case something comes up I really need on the Loyalty Program.

Finally, the poster who noted you should consider if you will really take this much larger a camera with you all the time is correct. There are a number of relatively high-end non-DSLR cameras that are quite good including Canon's newer models, Sony NEX (espescially the NEX 7, but with some of the good lenses for it such as the Sigma 30mm or the Zeiss 24mm it will be out of your price range), Olympus, etc. My Panasonic LX-5 still gets lots of good photographs and high quality video, particularly of family activities, because that is the camera I can always take with me without "the camera" becoming the main "focus" of what would be a family activity.

Save some of your money for a good circular polarizing filter (pick one for the larger diameter lens and get a step-up ring for the smaller diameter lens(s)) and consider a reasonable quality tripod. Also a few dollars for the quite reasonable quality 3rd-party aftermarket lens hoods. I picked mine based on Amazon reviews and they work well, only lacking the inner flocking that the Canon hoods have at literally 5X or more the price. Other items in the budget might include a brighter flash than the 60D's so you can bounce flash, etc. (Canon's are pricey but well-integrated with their system), a camera bag with some room for at least one more lens/flash than you start out with, and one of the under $10 aftermarket infrared remote trigger releases for the all-the-family portraits and macro work.

I do not shoot sports, so I can not comment on focus speed or tracking.

 

[kriptikracing]

nice...awesome pictures and info everyone! 60D is my camera to buy. I'm usually a "buy new" person, but I'm willing to checkout that canon loyalty program since it's so cheap. Anyone ever receive a lemon going that route? For example, the camera died within a year. LOL, it's funny how I go from one bind to another...now I'm having a hard time deciding which lens(s). Anyone have a picture with a non-L 100mm f2.8 macro lens? If possible, I might squeeze that lens into my price...along with a zoom lens and for sure the 50mm f1.8. That macro lens might be a stretch though. Don't I need a macro ring light to take macro shots? I might be wrong so please correct me.

 

[bkorcel]

To be honest you wont paymuch more for a new one with a warranty. The non L 100 macro is a fine lens. I chose the L version because I want consistent color and contrast across all of my lenses. The non-L is almost as sharp as the L model...some even claim its sharper but it's obviously so close that most wont notice.

The macro ring light is nice but not necessary. You can use one of the other speedlights and a hotshoe extension cable to locate the light where you want it. I use the ring light as it makes it all one unit. My particular style of insect and wildlife macro work doesnt afford me time to get another light in place. The ring light also has a bulb light for low light focusing.

nice...awesome pictures and info everyone! 60D is my camera to buy. I'm usually a "buy new" person, but I'm willing to checkout that canon loyalty program since it's so cheap. Anyone ever receive a lemon going that route? For example, the camera died within a year. LOL, it's funny how I go from one bind to another...now I'm having a hard time deciding which lens(s). Anyone have a picture with a non-L 100mm f2.8 macro lens? If possible, I might squeeze that lens into my price...along with a zoom lens and for sure the 50mm f1.8. That macro lens might be a stretch though. Don't I need a macro ring light to take macro shots? I might be wrong so please correct me.