EOS 60D 18 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 is UD Lens

I bought this camera primarily for shooting YouTube videos of tricking and parkour. After years of salivating over DSLRs, and reading dozens of reviews, and trying to understand the technical specs, I chose the 60D for several reasons. 1) Price. It is affordable, and becoming more so. As I write this review, it's dropped ~$70 since I bought it a couple weeks ago. I'm still happy with my purchase. Not only is the 60D a good value, but the EF lenses that cropped-sensor DSLRs use are also generally more affordable than their full-frame counterparts. 2) Durability. The "build quality" of the 60D is what separates it from the T3i and other Rebel models, for me. This was truly the selling point. There is less plastic and more metal on this camera. Deathklok would be proud. I know that I'm going to take this on cross-country flights, road trips, hiking trips, beach adventures, and more. It's not bullet proof, but a little extra resistance to moisture and the elements is worth it for how I'm going to use it. 3) Versatility. I'm going to use this camera to make YouTube videos to share my progress in my sport, and to promote my gym. The fact that it's a high quality camera means I can also use it for snapshots of friends, marketing photos for the website, action shots of events at the gym, head shots of my employees, etc. Using different lenses I can get into all kinds of fun stuff: wildlife photography, macro photography, perhaps even astrophotography (though the 60Da is better for that). I can add microphones, separate flashes, mount it on a Glidecam, or a tripod, etc. It is upgradeable and useful in a variety of situations. 4) It's an "industry standard." After talking to a lot of people who make awesome parkour and tricking videos, Canon DSLRs in general are the cameras of choice. If you're looking for a camera for wedding photography, vacation photos, or whatever else, ask people who do that what camera they like. Fifty million Elvis fans can't be wrong. If they're all using Nikons, and have good reasons why, then get a Nikon, or a Pentax, or whatever. Okay, that said, I have only been using it for a few weeks. It is definitely going to take me awhile to learn how to use this camera to it's fullest. I have however taken a few pictures and videos already that I am very happy with. The resolution is clear, the autofocus in photo mode is great, and the controls are easy to use once I have learned them. I am pretty much a noob, so if I can do it, you can do it. In summation: 1) Get this camera 2) Do backflips 3) PROFIT!

I go along with all the praise on this and will just mention a few points. First, I went back and forth: Body only or kit? I'm glad I went with just the body, because I spent a little more and also bought the Canon EF 50mm 1.4 lens. What a fantastic combination! Startlingly clear shots, richness of depth and color, and very, very lightweight combined with the 60D. The resolution is so sharp that you can crop your image quite small to get a good zoom effect and still have great prints. Another point to consider about the kit lens is the AF. Using a lens that has a minimum aperture smaller than 2.8 dumbs down the center AF point on the 60D, as clearly stated in the manual. I want to get the most out of my AF. Plus, those several extra fractions of stops below 2.8 come in very handy and allow for low light shots without the need for a flash or cranking the ISO too high. I was disappointed that Micro-Focus Adjust was not one of the features built-in; however, before buying the 60D, I did test my three old lenses and found them to be focusing accurately. I hope they stay this way! As said, I bought the 50mm 1.4 with this and, fortunately, it focuses precisely. The flip screen is handy for still shots in live view if your subjects are staying still and you have time to let the contrast AF find its target. To get the most out of a DSLR that has amazing video quality, I couldn't imagine going without a screen that can tilt like this. EDIT: You can also use "AF Quick Mode" in Live View, but it takes two distinct presses of the shutter button--one to focus, the next, all the way down, to take the shot. It seems a little awkward, but it is the way to use the camera's AF points while in Live View. One other feature I like about Live View: I can disable it. I have been accidentally engaging it while handling the camera. Believe me, it is easy to turn it on by mistake and drain the battery. Since I'm rarely going to need Live View spontaneously to grab a quick shot, I just leave it disabled. If I need to put the camera over my head or on the ground in and awkward position, making the Live View button active again is pretty quick. And, BTW, disabling the Live View button does not affect movie mode at all that I can see. The LCD display itself is wonderful for quick, accurate feedback and for reading the menus. The Quick Menu's large font on such a sharp screen makes life very easy for those of us who don't want to be slipping on reading glasses all the time. Before using the camera even once, I trimmed down an iPod screen protector to fit on the 60D's LCD. For sure your nose is going to leave big greasy prints on the screen when you are using the viewfinder! I like being able to flip the screen inward for safety when stowing the 60D, but otherwise I just leave it screen-side out (with the protector on) so I'm not constantly putting wear on the hinge. That hinge, by the way, is smooth and seems durable, but I'll still be very easy on it. Coming from a 20D, this is a massive, wonderful upgrade. I thought a bit about getting a FF sensor, but the clarity and the size of the RAW images make me happy I saved the money by going with the cropped sensor. Plus the 60D's features are so rich, so up-to-date. Compared to the 20D, the AF is faster and more accurate. Ergonomically, this fits my hand better. The right-side grip area feels a little deeper than the 20D's, making this easier to carry securely in one hand when you get tired of carrying it on your neck. My other choice was the 7D, but I felt like the savings could go towards the better lens and Photoshop. Yes, the 7D has some stronger specs in a few areas, such as faster rapid-fire and more sophisticated AF, but the features of the 60D, and the same sensor as the 7D, made me feel this was the better value. And I already mentioned the flip screen being so important for easy video use. By the way, I'm using a Transcend 16GB Class 10. No problems with long bursts or full HD video. Heck, I'm just getting started, but it is an astounding upgrade.

I'm an experienced amateur photographer who does professional video work. Last year, I purchased a Rebel T3i to use for both photography and video. After doing some research, I decided that the T3i was probably the best value in DSLR video and I was (and still am) very happy with that camera. However, the recent price drops on the 60D (due to the announcement of the 70D) inspired me to trade in my T3i and upgrade from the "Rebel" line of DSLRs. I'm incredibly happy I did so and would whole-heartedly recommend the 60D to anyone serious about photography or DSLR video. It's important to remember that the 60D has the exact same cropped sensor as the T2i, T3i, T4i, and T5i Rebel cameras. That means that the quality of photos and videos produced by the cameras will be virtually identical – and very good. In the right hands, any one of those cameras can capture stunning photos and HD video. The difference is largely in the quality and layout of the body, as well as the smarter, faster focusing system in the 60D. The 60D feels great in the hands and – although it isn't advertised – there is apparently much better weather-sealing in the 60D than there is in the Rebels. It has an articulating LCD screen, like the T3i (a real plus for video work), but it lacks the touch functionality of the T4i and T5i. Where the 60D really shines is in its manual controls. Instead of having to hunt through menus or use combo-button presses, the 60D puts a ton of controls right at your fingertips. The buttons are laid out in a fairly logical way and I became familiar with the workings of the camera pretty quickly. The 60D is a camera that really wants to be used in "manual" mode. If you're the kind of photographer that sticks mostly to automatic settings – which is fine! – this might not be the camera for you. I actually love having the digital readout on the top of the camera, which displays the aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and more. Having that info on the top of the camera means that the rear LCD screen can remain off until you want to use the menus, check the electronic level (which is kind of rad), or review your pics. This saves battery life (at least in photo mode) and is great for sunny conditions that make LCD screens tough to see. Speaking of battery life, the 60D uses higher capacity batteries than the Rebel line. They're a little heavier and a little pricier, but at nearly double the battery life, this is well worth it. I have a few nitpicks with the camera, although nothing very substantial. It lacks some of the features, particularly for video, introduced into some of the more recent Rebels. It doesn't have electronic video zoom (introduced in the T3i) and it can't autofocus during video recording (introduced in the T4i). As I mentioned earlier, the LCD screen is touch-free. Probably my biggest gripe is that it is weirdly inconvenient to switch the camera from photo-mode to video-mode. Video mode is down at the very bottom of the mode dial, below all the "creative" modes (Sports! Face! Flower!) that I frankly wish weren't even there. Going from "M" manual photo mode to video mode requires you to depress the dial lock and turn the thing almost completely around. The T4i switches into video mode from the power switch, instead of the mode dial, which just makes so much more sense. It's a tiny gripe, but a persistent one. I also desperately wish that Canon would make a headphone jack standard issue on their video-equipped DSLRs for audio monitoring, but this is apparently wishful thinking. There's one on the 5D Mark III, but right now that's five times the price of the 60D. Going from the T3i to the 60D has felt like switching from a consumer-grade camera to a professional one. While I don't expect it to capture drastically better images, it has absolutely encouraged me to take ownership of the camera's manual controls and become a better, more knowledgeable photographer. Now that the 60D's successor, the 70D, has been announced, I'm sure that many people are wondering if the 60D is still worth it. The 70D will have an improved sensor (the first new Canon ASP-C sensor in years), and more video features, such as autofocus and digital zoom (still no headphone jack, though). However, the 70D will also sell for around double what the 60D is currently selling for. As far as I'm concerned, as a photographer and video user on a budget, that means that there has never been a better time to pick up a 60D.

I ordered the Canon 60D from Celltime (through amazon) as a factory refurbished unit. I prefer to buy refurbished when possible. I like that the product has been completely tested rather than hoping that it came off the assembly line in perfect condition. It arrived as described and works flawlessly. I had no trouble at all with the purchase and the delivery was on schedule. I did a lot of research prior to my purchase as I wanted a full-frame dslr. Since photography is a part time job for me I wanted a good quality camera that wouldn't break the bank. Unfortunately, a 5D MkII was just out of my budget and a 5D Classic is a still a great camera but is getting long in the tooth and has known mirror issues. Coupled with the fact that I would have to replace all my lenses, I decided to stay with a crop body. For the type of shooting I do I saw no real benefit to going with the 7D. I don't need the extra fps and the "build quality" argument a joke in my opinion. When I think about all the "plastic" power tools that I own it really becomes clear. I have been using the 60D for a while now and am pleased with it's operation. I was upgrading from a 1000D (Rebel XS)and find the auto-focus to be considerably better and the low-light performance to be very good too. I really like the auto ISO with limit function. I also like the 1/3 stop ISO intervals. The rotating LCD is nice but I rarely use it. I would not pick this camera just for that feature. I always shoot raw so the scene modes and other fluff are unimportant to me. The size and button layout work well for me. I use back-button focus and had to spend a bit of time retraining my thumb to account for the extra buttons the 60D has that the XS didn't. For me it is all about function. This camera does what I need and does it quite well. It has a ton of stuff that I don't need but that is easy enough to work around. I find the IQ to be very good especially coupled with my Sigma 17-50 f2.8. A fantastic combo. Bottom line: a great camera at a good price.

I think the Canon 60d is a magnificent camera. It takes great images in even the most difficult settings. It has a wonderful grip which makes it very comfortable and secure to hold. It does not weigh too much with the basic 18-55 kit lens but with longer zooms it is a handful. It focuses very quickly, stores the image quickly on a high speed SD card (you buy) The high speed capture allows 5 shots per second. The many options available make even the most difficult to take images, possible. I rated this camera 5 stars because it is a true 5 star super Rebel camera that has everything any non pro could ever want. It is missing some of the great new features that have been added to the Canon T4i and newer Canon T5i like the fabulous touch screen LCD. You do get a full user manual unlike the standard rebels. This is very helpful and it is small enough to carry in a dSLR bag. Right now, Amazon is selling the body for almost half the price I paid for my original Rebel and it is an good bargain. Many will be tempted to buy the newer T4i model which now is about the same price. The t4i may have some newer features and better video performance so it may be a very difficult decision for some to choose which way to go. If you are a beginner looking at this camera for your first purchase of a dSLR, may not a good choice. I would stick with an entry level Canon or Nikon dSLR camera because it will take just as good images and be much easier to learn the basics. I think you can learn faster with a more simplified interface and lighter camera. If you find you really love photography, it will be much easier the second time around to choose a more competent camera which will have more features and will probably cost less to buy in the future. The Canon 60d matched with a nice lens, is possible to get superior images of macro objects, very low light scenes with image quality not possible with the smaller sensor cameras. However, I must admit now, I will not take this camera on a trip because of total weight with lenses and body. This is always a personal decision everyone has to make when packing for a trip. I find a super zoom (bridge camera) like the Canon SX50, or the Panasonic FZ200 and subcompacts such as Canon S95 or S110 are easier to take anywhere and allow more candid photos. Things I like about the Canon 60D which are not available with the entry level Ti series. 1. Extra info LCD display on top, which gives extra helpful info but not easy to see in dark setting,it has weak light which helps a little 2. Great button placement and many individual controls for ISO, Drive, exposure, etc 3. Better and brighter viewfinder with pentaprism. 4. Wireless flash control, more flash options 5. Q menu allow quick change of functions... T4i has this with touch screen 6. Longer battery life. Can take a huge number of images, 500 plus before needing to recharge battery 7. Many more custom settings allowed. They can easily be reset 8. Electronic level helps keep horizon level, helpful especially when on tripod. 9. Many extra features and options in the menu system. 10. Better grip, camera is larger and easier to handle especially with a larger lens. 11. Better build quality than entry level or ti series. 12. Some weather sealing but not pro level. More robust than ti series but less than pro models which have magnesium frames. This doesn't have it. 13. Very fast focusing and display 14. Many more options than available to entry level models. Things not so great. I am struggling to find complaints, so here are a few weak arguments. 1. 60D has not been updated for almost 2 years. a new model will be out soon. 2. Camera is larger and heavier than ti series. 3. The LCD display is difficult to view in some lighting situations, could be larger 4. No touch screen, gps, or other newer features found on newer cameras which might be on upgraded model at a higher price. Canon wisely steered this model to the Amateur who wants a little more Camera but does not need a professional model with Magnesium frame and fully weatherproofed with a giant sensor, extra processors, and a camera that can be used and abused. The 60D uses a poly-carbonate frame like the other rebels. It's strong enough and tough enough for 97% of us taking pictures. It probably has enough to satisfy anyone maybe even the pros who may chose to buy it as a second or third body. If you are trying to decide whether to buy this camera over the T4i, the T4i has the edge because it has been upgraded to have many newer capabilities beyond the Canon 60D. The advanced amateur, semipro, and pro would probably be better off with the 60D primarily because of better ergonomics, build quality, weather sealing, better viewfinder and more customization. The novice photographer to advanced photographer might be better of with the T41 with its many great new features. Both take great images with a good lens (glass). What lenses to buy? The kit lens is OK starter lens and has the advantage of cost and lightness. Choosing a good lens is probably the most difficult decision in photography. The kit lenses offered by Canon for their cameras are a good start. Buying the Canon F1.8 is a no brainer because it's the best buy in lenses today. This review is about the Canon 60D but I mentioned the T4i which I also bought. You may wonder which I like better. I haven't decided yet because they are both great cameras and you can't go wrong with either. I hope this review has helped in your decision making.

_____________________________________________ Instant update!!!! I forgot to mention that this camera also shoots Video!!! Yes, I have always wanted a means to shoot video when photographing birds and well, I have never had a video camera with me when I needed one. Well, now I do! In the past, when out shooting (photographing) birds I have had an instance of rarity that I could not keep up with shooting still pictures. "You are photographing song birds and notice that a coopers hawk lands in a tree nearby". Yeah, you can use rapid fire to hopefully capture the "bird of prey getting it's prey" but odds are, you will miss it all... With video capabilities, you go from stills to video in a second and capture the entire footage. _____________________________________________ This model replaces a Canon Rebel Xsi, purchased in 2008, that also replaced a Canon Rebel XT purchased in 2005. Up until 2005, I had owned numerous digital cameras, but none of them had the diversity that a film camera possessed. So, I decided to make the move to a DSLR, and have had no regrets what so ever. Yeah, the price is higher, but what you save on film erases the cost difference in just one year if you take pictures like I do. I use mine for a variety of photos, but mainly, I love to photograph wildlife! Invest in a 200 mm or even better a 400 mm lens and you can get very up close and personal with even the most skittish hummingbird. For wildlife, you also need to invest, but it's not a must if you use a tripod, in an "IS" piece of glass. The "IS" stands for "image Stabilizer". It compensates for your hand shake. Trust me, it's worth the investment. With the past models, I have found that using the "manual" settings worked best with me for the best shots. With the 60D, so far, the "auto" setting gets me really breath-taking photos! I can't wait to see what I can do with the manual settings, but as with any new camera, the learning curve is steep. I also love taking photos of pets and so far, I am not disappointed at all shooting pictures inside. The MP increase from the Xsi is almost 50 percent, and it shows! All of my old lenses work on this model and also, my memory cards do too.... The battery is another beast. Seems that Canon has an evil plot to keep changing the battery design so that you can not use a battery from an older model in a newer model. So, if you plan on keeping up with the Jones, then don't buy a lot of extra batteries as if/when you upgrade cameras, you will not be able to carry them with you. Other than that, this is a great camera and for a really good price here on Amazon compared to every other place I have shopped.

I take home videos of birds in the backyard, trains in the city, planes at the airfield and other natural settings where I like to switch back and forth between shooting stills and video quickly. I've long been a canon fan for the articulated screens that provide flexibility for shooting from the hip, both stills and video, although I've often found it difficult to switch between the two modes. I'm new to the DSLR world, and recently upgraded to the 60d from the Canon G12 for the purpose of gaining variable lenses to shoot video at the fraction of a cost for a decent video camera with comparable lens. I've owned the 60d for two weeks now, and have found the transition to zoom lenses relatively easy, and there's an obvious improvement to image quality for both stills and video. Since my use is primarily video, here's my initial reactions to utilizing the camera, while occasionally taking stills and primarily shooting video. Pros: Clear and crisp stills. Easy to understand menus and buttons that are similar to the G12 and most Canon point-and-shoots. Big articulated screen that folds away nicely when not in use, or opening wide when needed. The 60d takes SD cards, which are more portable and commonplace than Flash cards. The battery life is much longer than the Rebel. No real advantage for shooting video by upgrading to a full frame camera, so this is a relatively inexpensive DSLR. Canon 60d has more megapixels than the nikon d7000. Cons: For video the Nikon D7000 is better. Hands down. I understand the Nikon D7000 does real-time auto focus (although it is loud), the 60d does not. For switching between stills and video, the Nikon D7000 has a quick "jump to video mode" switch accessible to the right thumb, while the 60d requires the user to unlock the scene selector dial and scroll to video mode with the left hand requiring an extra 5 seconds of visual inspection and transition. Without this "jump to video mode" feature on the 60d, I must move the camera to visualize the dial and completely lose aim on my subject. Conclusion: I didn't do my homework before buying the 60d for my video needs. If you're looking for a fast transition between stills and video, or you want auto-focus for video, then I'd pay the extra 200 bucks for the Nikon D7000. I'm invested in the Canon lenses already, so I'll have to wait for the next innovation from Canon to catch up with the superior video features already offered by Nikon.

This is a late review I've been busy with college and other things. Anyways here is my review. ITEM: I purchase this camera a month and two weeks ago. I burned about 1,265$ for this DSLR camera. I THINK IT'S WONDERFUL (no sarcasm intended)!! I was so excited after un-boxing this package. The DSLR comes in with an audio function, which I can adjust the audio if it's too loud, and increase or decrease the sensitivity of the audio. I think the Canon 60D is the only DSLR camera (that I know of) with audio function adjustment. Hence this is why it's great for filming. It's good for photography, and enthusiast young filmmakers (like me). It's a little pricey, but hey, I voluntarily purchase this camera at my own free will, which I received this benefit in return. Both sellers and buyers (Canon Company, and I) earned wealth. In other words, we're both happy of this trade. I give this DSLR camera a 5 star overall. LENS: 5 stars on the 18-135mm lens. The lens came with the package because I did not ordered the DSLR body camera by itself. It wouldn't be great without a standard lens. It's great for beginners, and pretty big at first sight. Battery Performance: The battery performance last pretty long. Of course, when the battery arrives in the package it always needs a full charge. Don't expect it's going to be fully charge for you (just like any other kind of new a cell phone. Suppliers/Sellers don't have the time to charge your battery if they are selling their product). I would forget to turn off the camera for a few days and the battery still last really long (It's at a full battery power) probably because it can conserve in standby mode. Construction Quality & Controls: 5 stars for the construction and controls, not too difficult at all. The camera fits perfectly right in your hands as you firmly grip it. Comparing to my brother's DSLR Canon 600D(T3i), the 600D is slightly smaller than this 60D. The construction is bigger, almost as big as the Canon 7D from looking at the online reviews. What is different are the controls, buttons, and settings. It is different from any other kind of Canon DSLR cameras(It doesn't surprise me). It's pretty straight forward, if you don't understand or think the buttons and controls are overwhelming. Then read the manual that is what it's there for. Image Quality: I am not going to give the image quality a rating because taking photos and collecting footage are all base on YOU. You need to alter and adjust the settings. You can't just give the quality ratings by default. It's how you can change the image quality through the settings. You can color correct it through this Canon 60D, saturation, increase or decrease the ISO levels, landscape, portrait, in doors, out doors, etc. and other color correcting settings. I can't give my opinions on this. I would if I were to compare this to a different DSLR camera like Sony, Nikon, and etc. Other than that all the images are sharp when you focus with your lens (FYI, there are plenty of lens you can buy), or you can adjust the colors and sharpness through the settings. Other thoughts, I was going to purchase this DSLR camera on Newegg.com, however, when I was browsing online it was out-of-stock for two whole weeks. I had to buy one somewhere besides going to Best-buys or Fry's N Electronics. Luckily, Amazon only had 8 in-stocks left when I checked before I purchased one. This was the quickest option I did before it gets out of stock. When the package came in the box itself was slightly ripped. I was a bit afraid it could've been damage, however, it wasn't damaged at all Amazon got me a bit worried with the shipment hahahaha. It's an easy DSLR camera, great for beginners especially for young, new, intermediate filmmakers. This is a good camera for great investment. I'm sure I'll keep this for a very long time before I move on to a better camera.