HDSLR Shopping? What You Want is a Canon 60D
Sunday, November 14, 2010 at 1:53PM 
If you’re shopping for a DSLR right now, for the primary purpose of shooting video (being familiar with all the pros and cons), what you want is the Canon 60D.
I felt compelled to write this because the 60D seems to get left out of the conversation a lot, and it shouldn’t. It’s the best filmmaker’s DSLR out there right now. People still ask my which they should buy, the 5D Mark II or the 7D, and when I recommend the 60D, I sense resistance. How is it possible that a sub-$1,000 camera body shoots video as good as one costing $600 more?
The 7D is a great camera, and it was the first HDSLR to offer a smattering of useful frame rates and manual control. It also is a Canon, so if you were a 5D Mark II shooter, a 7D was an easy body to fold into your kit. I bought one the day they became available, and encouraged you to do the same — arguing then, as I still believe today, that the APS-C sensor size — while not as luxuriously huge as that of the 5D Mark II — is a perfect size for filmmaking, being a close match to the Super35mm film frame.
The sensors of the 7D and the 60D are the same size, but with the 7D you’re paying for a best-in-class APS-C stills camera, which you may or may not need. It has a more advance autofocus system than the 5D Mark II, a weatherproof metal body, and dual DIGIC 4 chipset for rapid-fire motodrive. If you’re not a serious stills shooter, these features are overkill. They have no affect at all on the camera’s video performance.
Still, the 7D got lodged in the hearts and minds of not only shooters, but their clients. Everyone knows the 7D.
Then along came the Rebel T2i and the 60D. Both have almost the exact same video features as the 7D (with one notable exception, as you’ll read in a moment). The 60D even has a handy feature that the 7D lacks: manual audio level control. But more importantly, the 60D alone has something I routinely wish my 7D had: an articulating LCD screen.
This single feature is enough reason to recommend the 60D. Quite simply, it’s painful and often impossible to shoot video with an HDSLR without an external monitor. While the amazing Zacuto Z-Finder is great for shoulder-mounted work, if you’re like me, you often shoot at something other than eye-level. A flip-out LCD has been on my HDSLR wishlist for a long time, and we finally have it with the 60D. And by the way, you can use the Z Finder with the 60D, as shown here.
I don’t have a 60D (yet) or a Rebel T2i, but everyone I’ve spoken with who has done comparisons says the video from the three cameras is nearly identical. So here’s my recommendation:
If you are just getting started and are on a budget, sure, consider the Rebel T2i. Do not, under any circumstances, buy it with the kit lens. A year ago the only SLR worth shooting video with was $2600. You just got one for $750. Take the extra money and buy some fast lenses. At the very least, get a thrifty fifty.
If you are a serious amateur or aspiring-pro photographer who doesn’t care about full-frame or “real” pro bodies like the 1D Mark IV, and you also want to shoot video, the 7D is a great camera. And it is worth noting that the 7D does have one advantage over the 60D: The 7D outputs an HD signal through its HDMI port while recording, while the 60D, like the 5D Mark II and Rebel T2i, outputs Standard Definition. If your primary shooting mode will be with an external HD monitor such as the SmallHD DP6, the 7D will give you a better signal for frame and focus.
The 5D Mark II remains an awesome stills camera hampered only by an aging autofocus system, and it shoots lovely 24, 25 and 30p video with better low-light performance than any of Canon’s APS-C offerings, including the 60D. Its full-frame sensor allows beyond-cinematic depth of field control. The 5D lacks 50 and 60p modes though, and costs a lot. It’s entirely possible that your heart and photo soul are screaming at you to own a full-frame DSLR, and if that’s the case, of course the 5D Mark II is great. But it’s no longer the king of the video hill unless achieving the shallowest-possible depth of field is your top priority.
If you are specifically interested in video, and stills are a nice feature but not your raison d’être, get the 60D. You’re basically paying the difference between the Rebel and the 60D for manual audio levels, the flip-out screen, and the (occasionally reported) possibility that the 60D is slightly less prone to overheating than the Rebel. It’s a great camera for a great price, and the articulated screen alone is worth it. Again, just say no to the kit lens.
If you’re already a Canon shooter, remember that while the 60D shares batteries with the 5D Mark II and the 7D, it uses SDHC cards instead of CF. I’ve put together a 60D Cine page on the ProLost store to help you get your kit going.
Using a DSLR for video is a compromise. In addition to the technical limitations we’ve discussed here at length, the time-honored form factor of the SLR just wasn’t made for movies. The 60D takes a big step toward fixing this. To me, this matters a lot. The 5D Mark II shot you blew because you couldn’t see the LCD well enough to focus is worth nothing compared to the 60D shot you wrangled from an angle.
Reader Comments (34)
Hey very nice post as I´m asking myself the question what camera to buy. My idea: get the 60D now, buy L Lenses and if you get addicted to Still photography buy the 5Dmk3 someday... the 7D seems to sit inbetween chairs, Canon has a crazy way to structure their camera lineup.
PS: if only these L Lenses weren´t so damn expensive.
Great post!
I'm pondering on the 60D since finding hackable models of the GH1 is as hard as finding a needle in a haystack here in the UK nowadays... and there's always the GH2 (I say this as a Panny fan and possible B-Cam for the AF-100 when the time comes...)
what about the Nikon D7000? Would you recommend I sell my D90 and optics for the 60D and some lenses? Or just sell D90 and get D7000? I have a nikor 50mm f1.8, a 18-200 3.5-5.6 G ED VR and a 70-300 . What would you recommend?
Totally agree about the screen hinge. I've been going on about rotating screens for a year on EOSHD. GH1 had one way before the 60D and I avoided the 5D Mark II (even ended up selling it) for exactly that reason - the screen, and moire.
The 60D is better at high ISOs than the hacked GH1 but the GH2 has closed the gap and although it has a slightly smaller sensor you get a few bonuses thrown in...
- Mirrorless means greater lens adaptability, PL mount without mod, c-mounts, etc.
- Quick and silent video AF with 14-140mm kit is good for docu / run and gun shooters
- No moire to worry about, less aliasing especially in 720p mode
- Possibility of hack in future
- Similar price for the body as 60D
You can't recommend the 60D without mentioning the GH2!! I don't know why the Canons have been so popular for video relative to the Lumix cameras which have always had a slight edge at anything below ISO 800 and a huge edge in terms of usability.
Hey Stu, great post. I've been wanting to set up a simple DSLR shooting package for the occasional pickup (I work mainly in post) shot, or personal project. I really like the full frame 5D but I'm not inclined to spend for it due to lack of any real business model for shooting that would rapidly recover it's cost. The other reason is we are well over two years into the 5D Mk II product cycle and I don't think it's a good time to buy that late in it's cycle unless you've got the ability to quickly pay it off. I don't. So I popped for the 60D, my lower cost favorite (really attracted to the swiveling screen) today as almost an impulse. The Amazon $100 off coupon was all the nudge I needed to get that mouse click. LOL.
Picked up an EF 50mm 1.4 for now, and have some Nikon gear I may sell off and start buying Canon glass. I know I'm gonna need a wide, probably a zoom pretty much right away though but haven't really figured that out yet. If I shoot any interviews I'm really going to want to vary the focal. Maybe if I get into this a little deeper and start acquiring more lenses, I'll upgrade to whatever replaces the 5D Mk II in full-frame territory down the line.
Andrew,
The Panasonic GH2 is definitely a camera to watch, although it is not yet available, even for pre-order. I'm looking forward to learning more about its "Variable Movie Mode" (80, 160, 200 and 300 percent frame rates), and to seeing if Panasonic has improved the compression and pulldown issues that have plagued their other Lumix HD offerings. That it is touted as a "1080i" camera does not make me too hopeful about the latter.
I own a 5D2 and a 550D and I shoot stills and video with both. I love the 550D for its compactness and lightness and I will take it places where the 5D2 would be too much hassle. However, if I was making the choice now I would take the 60D as a second camera even though it loses a lot of the portability. This is for all the reasons Stu mentions and it shares batteries with the 5D. It also handles better. If I was going to own just one Canon then the 7D has still probably got the best feature set for the money. I wouldn't swap my 5D for one though, it still has an appeal the others can't match for me.
For a Nikon shooter like Jorge I would definitely look at the D7000 first before switching. I have yet to see any definitive video comparisons but it seems competitive and is probably a match for the 7D.
If you are starting from scratch then have a look at the Lumix too and possibly Sony. I hesitate with the last recommendation because, compared to Canon and Panasonic, Sony still don't quite get the DSLR thing. However, they do have some interesting technologies and may yet surprise us.
The main thing is to get some hands on. I read as many reviews as the next man (plus the guy standing next to him if I am honest), but there's no substitute to getting some hands on experience. Stick an empty CF and SD card in your pocket, head down to your dealer and shoot some stills and videos from each camera. Take these home and compare the results. It also gives you a chance to check out the workflow. The manufacturers will vary with respect to this. This can be an important part of the cost/pain implications of the camera systems if you are new to them. Tempting as Amazon is I would part with a little more coin and buy from the dealer. Trust me, buy a DSLR and this a trip you will be repeating.
Regarding the Nikon D7000, I do like that it offers 1080p video, manual exposure control, and the option of autofocus while recording. But do remember that 1080p is only available at 24fps — for 30 or even 25 fps you're limited to 720p, and there's no 50 or 60p option.
I was once a Nikon shooter and don't mean to snub them — the D7000 clearly shows that they are listening to the needs of video shooters, but they're still catching up to Canon.
GH13/2.
Trust me on this - and download the 1080p source vid of this:
http://vimeo.com/13524883
or this:
http://vimeo.com/15480369
And have a distribution worthy Red look alike. (it comes down to the 'film mode' settings w/ the Panny)
{I should note: I have the Canon... the gh2 blows it completely away in dr/resolution/iso/color science when customized correctly, and most definitely on any other video feature}
good post on the 60D. surprisingly not too many on the internets.
i agree as far as the 60D being a great film-making tool. rodney charters spoke about it at the photocine expo and mentioned that people are going to take these screens and detach them. then add a length of cord and mount it on the front of a camera rig. in that matter, you save 500-1000$ just on a on-board monitoring system alone.
i think this camera is great for a b or c cam. canon should release these screens as an accessory for any canon camera.
I was wondering if you knew how long that coupon on Amazon would work, I wish Amazon would let you put things away on layaway! $900 is a big chunk of change all at one time, I'm dying for this camera though. Too bad X-Mas is coming, won't be seeing this thing until the holidays calm down I reckon, holidays are probably the reason for the drop in price and the coupon too :-/
I think it's worth noting that 5D mark II is the only consumer-ish level camera that will give you access to fast and WIDE lenses. To my knowledge, there is no other way to get at 24mm f1.4 or 35mm f1.4 equivalent without spending many, many thousands of dollars on PL lenses and mods to your camera. The Olympus 14-35 f/2.0 is a CLOSE exception for GH1/GH2, but certainly there's nothing like that for 60D.
This all comes down to knowing what you want. If you know what you're looking for out of a camera, then making a purchase decision is easy. For me, I wanted to use SLR lenses at their "native" focal lengths and manual audio, so 5D is the only choice. If you DON'T know what you want, then certainly 60D is the absolute best combination of price/features/performance to get your feet wet on. For the purposes of video, I don't think there's a whole lot of reasons to consider the 7D anymore. I'll take manual audio over HD monitor out any day of the week.
For all you GH2 people: at the risk of pissing ya'll off, since you can't buy it right now it doesn't count. It's coming soon, yeah, and supposedly it's going to be great according to all the pre-production impressions going around, but if you have a project that starts shooting next week, you can't use it. According to B&H specs, it does do 24p 1080. How exactly it does that, we'll have to wait and see.
Hold up Stu!
How can you suggest the well-known flawed $899 Canon 60D over next month's $999 Panasonic GH2? (To be fair, you didn't go easy on Canon's 4K concept camera or the AF100 either, and you've been right to call for real video instead of the "good enough" aliasing/moire stuff we get now).
I think it good advice to tell people to wait a month and see how the Panasonic GH2 compares, then decide with your wallet. If you believe Panasonic's feature list, it makes the Canon 60D look like last year's flawed repackaged technology, which of course it is...
Emmanuel Pampuri posted 8+ minutes of Panasonic GH2 footage on Vimeo from Japan last week.
http://pampuri.net/2010/11/14/panasonic-lumix-gh2-de-pre-serie-aussi-teste-a-osaka/
It shows most conceivable conditions shot handheld with commonly available lenses, warts and all...
If we believe Amazon, my USA bound GH2 kit is shipping in 8 days, so I guess it is relevant to the discussion unless something drastic happens.
If I don't like it, back it goes and the AF100, warts and all, may just have to do for 2011. I'll go with Nikon F mount glass and an adaptor for safe measure in the meanwhile in case Canon or Nikon pull a full-frame or APS-C RAW miracle any time soon...
I am under no delusions the GH2 will be the perfect camera, but I think it will certainly be superior in most aspects to the Canon 60D when it comes to 24p video, and absolutely worth $100 more and a month wait...
I like your articles, just wanted to offer a a different entry point which may work for some...
Nick, how exactly were you able to order a GH2 from Amazon? I don't see it even listed there.
I hate it when people knock the kit lens, get it, its only 100$ at most, it will keep a good resale value, and it is more versitile then if you just get the 50 and nothing else.
If you have the money, sure go all out and put a few grand down on glass, but why would you be thinking of the 60d / t2i if you had that kind of dough?
If your looking at the croped cameras for shooting, take the kit lens and the 50 and its a good start.
Hi Stu,
I ordered my GH2 from Amazon on September 23rd...
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 16.05 MP Live MOS Interchangeable Lens Camera with 3-inch Free-Angle Touch Screen LCD and 14-140mm HD Hybrid Lens (Black)
Sold by: Amazon.com, LLC
Shipment 1 of 1, Not yet shipped
Shipping Estimate: November 23, 2010
From what I've read, they hit the max number of pre-orders allowed, and took it down for now until they get that lot filled. Other sites show December availability, so not much further off in the long run...
OFF topic:
Stu, I'd love for you to discuss the chicken or egg scenario in attempting to achieve the "film look" without film stock in a completely digital world where the future of digital acquisition (no film grain), excellent dynamic range with better 24p motion is available from all manufacturers:
Does Zeiss glass/bokeh, lighting and grading contribute more to the "film look" ...
or
Does the future hold for us simply loading in a "Cine" picture profile and using a kit lens achieve the same "film look" baked in or software manipulation later...
(BTW: I want to gauge my eyes out after so many times reading criticism about how one's footage looks too "video" here or there, and not filmic enough... like, my footage is more "fillmic" than yours )
Hi Stu, I've been filming music tutorials for the last year with a couple of Canon 550D's and a Panasonic HVX200 and I wanted to know if the audio input level on the Canon 60D can be independently controlled for the L and R channels?
I know the camera only has an onboard mono audio input, but I'd like to be able to record a voice to the left channel and a guitar to the right channel via the stereo mic input jack.
If I'm not using the HVX200, then I currently do this on one of the 550D's via an external mixer panned hard left and right, but the AGC (automatic gain control) makes the 550D's audio input pretty much unusable.
If I could control each channels input gain independently, this would be the deciding factor for my 3rd DSLR purchase.
I've even asked this question directly to Canon and they suggested I go to the shop and try it - Hmmm - I haven't had the chance to do this yet, so I thought I'd pop the questions to you as you've had a good hands on with the 60D and might be able to try it for me.
Many thanks in advance.
Cheers
Phill
Kevin,
"If you have the money, sure go all out and put a few grand down on glass, but why would you be thinking of the 60d / t2i if you had that kind of dough?"
All bodies expire.
Glass breathes forever.
At least, that's how I see it.
Not to mention you won't see much of a difference between video shot on a 60D and that made with a much more expensive SLR, but you will see a huge difference between a $100 zoom lens and a more expensive one.
Variable aperture lenses are a real pain for video. Light your set, set your ISO, stop, and shutter speed, then zoom in and suddenly your image gets dark. Now you're messing with ISO every time you change focal lengths. No thanks.
There are plenty of great lenses that aren't super-expensive Canon L glass. On my 60D Cine Kit page I have the Tamron 17–50 F2.8, which is only $500 and gets great reviews.
When it was first released, I was unimpressed with the 60D specs. I was among those hoping for faster auto focus, better audio options, etc. etc. But I'm so sick and tired of having to kneel down and break my neck to obtain focus on my T2i, which I've been using for nearly a year, that when the 60D was released, I purchased it simply for the ergonomics. It was a good move.
What I discovered is that ergonomics matter, a lot. This camera is seriously a pleasure to shoot with. The T2i just sits in my bag untouched, a nice B camera, while every day I revel in the magic that is an articulating screen.
If you haven't used an articulating screen DSLR, you will have no idea how much better the 60D can make your shooting experience. This one feature alone makes this camera worth running out and buying, especially now that the price has come down with holiday rebates.
And here's a couple other things that have really impressed me about the 60D over the T2i:
1) You can set ISO as low as 100 in 1/3 stop increments (T2i lowest is 200 and rises in full stop increments only.)
2) The 60D batteries last longer than T2i batteries do.
3) The control wheel on the 60D is a vast improvement over T2i, esp. since you can control aperture instantly without awkwardly holding down another button at same time, as you must on T2i
4) The mode dial that allows you to change from video into stills locks on the 60D, which means it can't accidentally get changed (which happens on T2i all the time).
5) The LCD screen on the top of the 60D is extremely useful, putting many things at your immediate control that are hidden on T2i.
All in all, the ergonomic improvements of the 60D have made it a game changer for me.
One gripe: I wish Canon would improve the manual audio ergonomics - in practice it's difficult to use manual audio on the 60D, because you have to navigate to a deeply buried audio menu to set the levels, and you can't visually monitor or change them while shooting.
Re: Phil's question about inputing two separate channels of audio - yes, it's simple to input two sources of audio on 60D or any Canon DSLR: just purchase a Y 1/8" adapter plug, stereo male to dual mono female. They have them at Radio Shack. If one of the incoming sources is stereo, you will need to add a 1/8" stereo plug to 1/8" mono adapter (part number 274-882 at Radio Shack).
Thanks Stu,
Finally I have a good place to send people to find out what to buy of the 5DMk2, 7D, 550D or 60D.
The hinge screen is nice, but may be fragile too. dont like the tradeoff.
Personally I went for the 7D, because of it´s good reputation and design. Have not decided what kind of EVF or field monitor, I should go for.
Hope Canon will fix the audio controls in next firmware.
Awesome article Stu! I'm sold! Question for you, how long is that $100 off promo code good for?
@Alex Mack I watched the videos you post, expecting to be blown away. Frankly, I wasn't. Don't get me wrong, they are both great videos. But they definitely don't prove that the GH2 is a "Canon-killer."
They both actually look pretty similar to results that I get out of my T2i, even with only a nifty fifty. Which goes to prove you can make great videos with either, and that creativity and knowledge of what makes an image good are both more important than whether you use a Canon, or a Panasonic.
So here are my links to "blow away" your links.
http://vimeo.com/13051424
http://vimeo.com/13418093
You nailed it, Stu ... this is why I bought a 60d (couple weeks back) to go with my 5dmkII. I dig this camera, and it's a great 2nd body to have (although I may fall in love with it pretty quick).
I tested out the EF-s 18-200mm and it just can't hold a candle to L-series glass, so I'll throw my 24-105 mm (kits lens from 5dmkII) on and add some primes, hopefully.
Point blank (or break), the articulating screen is worth it's weight in gold!
'J-dog
www.twitter.com/Jdog23
Well, it looked like a great deal on Nov 14 so I just went to do the deed a few minutes ago (Nov 15), and got a coupon expired when I entered the code. :( ... so unless someone has some better info it looks like that $100 took a very quick hike.
Stu, I appreciate your drawing attention to the articulated LCD screen.
The thing is, it's not just important for video work- it would be great for professional still photography, too.
I used to remove the pentaprism from my film Nikons in order to look down at the focus screen, for low-angle shots. No such luck with recent still cams.
My guess is that the manufacturers are concerned about upholding pro-style durability for their more expensive still cams, and the LCD articulation is a potential failure point, no doubt. And it's a feature associated with consumer cams, so there's a culture issue in play here, too.
But an articulated LCD screen would be a HUGE win for video & still photographers alike. A huge, practical, let-me-do-my-job-better-and-get-paid, win. Seriously.
Nikon? Canon? Please?
@ Daniel Bean
The most important factor in those links is the resolution. Key here is to watch the the downloaded source on a good 1080p monitor (not on vimeo). Its enough to replace the unwieldy Red until the Scarlet/Epic comes out. Its a pristine artifact free 2K image that will get an 'ok' for distribution - from a camera that fits in your hand.
Other things to look for in a camera's base potential - dynamic range (look to see if sun light is blowing out) and chroma detail. Crushed blacks/whites and over-saturation are a bad thing in raw output.
I have a video from the canon up in 1080 directly on vimeo (don't have to download)-
http://vimeo.com/13871484
Note the inadequacy of resolving power there.
Now watch this (in download form!):
http://vimeo.com/13982269
Adequate! :)
I went with the 60D as a place holder for the 5D MKII replacement. Then my 60D will be a good B camera. Invested the rest of my hard earned dough into a Miller DS20 Solo and a bunch of L glass. Good recommendation Stu!
@ Alex Mack
I actually did download the source clips of both the videos you posted, as you suggested, and watched them on my 24-inch iMac. That's what I was referring to.
Certainly you were amazed when you saw the resolution? Its a real 1080p cam with no artifacts! In dslr land, that is a first, and the most important missing factor in the others.
The canons are nothing compared to the gh1 in terms of resolution with their fake HD and artifacts. I would choose the GH1/GH2 over the 60D just for that if I were to buy an HDSLR for the first time
Just to make a short add to the article.
The 7D does have the dual digic4 chips that, amongst other things, allow it to output 1080p, vital for focussing on an external monitor. It however also makes it overheat even faster.
As with the 7D, it uses a much lower bitrate than the 60D, google tells me between 19 and 24mbit/s vs 48 on 60D (assuming its the same as the 7D). Not straightforward to compare as the Nikon uses a long-GOP though. Looking forward to detailed comparisons.
Ohh also, I can find a Canon 60D for 1100$ with 18-135 lens, the D7000 is still at the 1499$ retail with its 18-105 lens.
Also interesting with the GH2, possibly better for video, but as a hybrid still/video, the Canon still wins in my mind. For clean video I guess the AF100 is probably a better choice.
Hi Stu,
Philip Bloom started his comprehensive review on the Panasonic GH2
http://philipbloom.net/2010/11/21/gh2/
Looks pretty good compared to the 60D. Competition is great, might want to add it to the shopping list!
Happy Thanksgiving and Cheers!
I've shot with the HV20, the HV30 (due to an HV20 accident), and I did my last short with a Canon SX20 at least partly as an experiment, which you can see here:
http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/585b7c530b/took
Now, I'm pretty well sold on the 60D. But I have a question about peripherals. Is the built in audio recorder good enough that I could go single system via a Beachtek or JuicedLink? I'm a one man band on my shorts and double system is a true pain.
Thanks in advance for any info.
What is the feeling about the 600D (Rebel T3i) now it's out on the same score... again, not as nice a stills camera but an equal to the 60D in video, but cheaper (and thus more moeny for glass!)?