Canon EOS 60Da

If you are an astronomy photography buff, you certainly know that most current photo cameras include a digital imaging sensor which is very sensitive to Infra-Red light but which is covered with a filter to remove this. As a matter of fact, the IR sensitivity is annoying in most day-to-day photography situations. But astronomers like to be able to capture the light associated with some hydrogen atom emission (very common in the galaxies around us).

In the past some astronomers grabbed their tools and modified their cameras (yes removing parts from them!) but Canon is known to be willing to help (see the EOS 20Da a few years ago). Now, they offer a modified Canon EOS 60D where the IR filter has been modified substantially to keep it sensitive to most of the useful IR light. The Canon EOS 60Da should be marvelous for most astronomers at the price of US$1500 and with its sensitive 18 MP sensor.

Press Release

New Canon EOS 60Da DSLR Camera For Astronomy Enthusiasts Captures The True Colors Of The Cosmos

LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., April 3, 2012 – Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, today introduced the EOS 60Da Digital SLR Camera, a long-awaited successor to the EOS 20Da that is optimized for astrophotography. This DSLR caters to astronomers and hobbyists who enjoy capturing the beauty of the night sky by offering a modified infrared filter and a low-noise sensor with heightened hydrogen-alpha sensitivity. These modifications allow the camera to capture magnificent photographs of “red hydrogen emission” nebulae and other cosmic phenomena.

“The EOS 60Da is a testament to the constant desire to meet the needs of every customer, including those in specialized fields,” said Yuichi Ishizuka, executive vice president and general manager, Imaging Technologies & Communications Group, Canon U.S.A., “This new camera enables an accurate depiction of a part of our solar system which is hard to achieve with conventional cameras but should be enjoyed and celebrated.”

The Canon EOS 60Da camera packs a powerful 18-megapixel CMOS sensor (APS-C) that produces sharp and high-contrast images of astronomical objects, a major enhancement over the EOS 20Da model’s 8.2-megapixel sensor. The improved infrared-blocking filter is a modification suited specifically toward astronomy enthusiasts to achieve a hydrogen-alpha light sensitivity that is approximately three times higher than that of a normal Canon DSLR camera. This produces a 20-percent higher transmittance of Hydrogen Alpha line, or H α wavelength, allowing astronomers to capture crisp, clear images of reddish, diffuse nebulae.

Enhanced Features
Crisp images of the stars and planets can be viewed on the EOS 60Da’s improved 3.0-inch Clear View LCD screen with 1,040,000 dots for detailed focusing. The flip-out Vari-angle screen allows photographers to adjust the screen for easy viewing without straining even while the camera is mounted to a telescope via a third-party T-ring adapter. Optimized for stargazing with friends or in an educational setting, astronomy enthusiasts can connect the camera to a TV with the provided AVC-DC400ST Stereo AV Video Cable and display the night sky on a TV monitor using the camera’s Live View mode. Moreover, the EOS 60Da’s Live View mode is equipped with a Silent Shooting feature that eliminates shutter-induced vibration for maximum camera stability when the camera is mounted to a telescope or super-telephoto EF lens.

Enhanced noise reduction on the EOS 60Da sensor offers photographers the ability to experiment with the wide array of ISO settings and increased ISO speeds up to 6400 expandable to 12800. Other features include an intelligent nine-point autofocus system, full manual controls, and RAW, JPEG, and RAW+JPEG image recording capabilities.

Accessories
The EOS 60Da helps capture the wonders of the night sky with its use of Canon’s award-winning EF and EF-S lenses along with other EOS accessories. Additionally, the EOS 60Da is packaged with Canon’s RA-E3 Remote Controller Adapter, providing the ability to connect a Canon Timer Remote Control such as the TC-80N3 (optional accessory). The TC-80N3 is ideal for controlling time exposures longer than 30 seconds as well as capturing a series of consecutive time exposures that can be composited during post-processing for improved image quality. This is especially useful when the camera body is connected to a telescopei or an EF super telephoto lens.

Canon has also included an AC adapter kit with the EOS 60Da, allowing the camera to be powered through an AC wall outlet or a battery-powered inverter, ideal for long exposure image or video capture at home or in the field.

Availability
As a specialized product, the EOS 60Da is only available to order from select authorized dealers. The estimated retail price is $1,499.00 and it is expected to be available this month.

• 18MP APS-C digital sensor
• Continuous shooting: 3.7 frames/s
• 3″ LCD screen, orientable
• Digic IV processor
• full HD video, with “video snapshot mode” to grab a photo in mid-video
• Autofocus: Improved LiveView AF
• Electronic Level
• New in-body flash or newly styled flash
• Improved menu system, with easier newcomer assistance

This kind of camera would serious competitor even for the Canon EOS 60D which should stay much higher priced than the Canon EOS 600D.

For those who still doubt about this camera existence and the immediacy of its launch, there was a serious leak of the Canon EOS 600D (in a Korean Regulatory Agency listing).

Canon lenses, which one is best?

Amateur

The obvious priority of the amateur will be, for sure, to completely master his/her budget, while keeping in mind that wildlife photo requires a large focal length.

So, at Canon, there is no doubt about the lens to select; This will be the famous 100-400mm f/4-5,6 L IS USM. After all, for a price somewhat reasonable (taking into account the maximum focal length of 400mm), it is a good lens. Not perfect (it does not have the quality of the prime tele-lenses from the same brand and the maximum aperture has nothing to impress while still compatible with auto-focus), but terribly powerful (the focal length variation is done just by pushing the “pump“).

photo credit: damir.ME

I should also say that this the zoom that its owners love to hate. There are some real issues, but they can be handled:

• The useful “pump” earns its name when working in a dusty environment. The sensor will be copiously dusted even without removing the lens from the body.
• The stabilization is using Canon’s first generation technology. It would be good to upgrade it now. But Canon does not seem to be ready to prepare a version II yet.
• This is all the more annoying because this stabilization has the bad reputation of breaking down (too?) often. And Canon, considering that this is a wearing part, excludes it from the warranty and will charge more than 400€ for repair.
• Last but not least, this 100-400mm also has the bad fame of being subject to sample variation in quality. Some go to the extreme of recommending not to buy it online without a return warranty.

All in all, this is not a surprise that this lens is so frequently present in safari cars and in bird hideouts.

In order to provide an SLR body up to the task, I would suggest the Canon EOS 60D (rather than the Canon EOS 550D) for its reactivity, its well contained price and its weather resistance always needed for outside operation. Moreover, the 18MP sensor will be perfect to support significant re-framing without too much quality loss.

As you will also take some time to do some landscaping, put a 24-105mm f/4 IS USM in your bag. It will ideally complement the tele-zoom in terms of focal length and it has a nice price.

Enthusiast

However, the expert photographer will not be satisfied with the quality of the 100-400mm (it shows its limits on the EOS 7D). He/she will look at the prime lenses. Canon has a superb offering but you need to have very deep pockets and strong shoulders to haul most of the L-series gear. Otherwise, there are some possibilities to check thoroughly, tele-lenses that are no longer in the news but which kept there excellent image performance.

Canon prime lenses: 300mm / 400mm

In order to keep a good coverage, I recommend to select the 300mm f/4 L IS USM and the 400mm f/5,6 L USM. These two lenses are often ignored (the 400mm because it does not have the image stabilization) but they have optimal quality). Their maximum aperture is nothing great but this won’t be an issue with the high sensitivity of today’s sensors. Moreover, they can accept the x1.4 focal multiplier (The focal doubler from Canon will be left alone because it degrades images too much).

Now, about the body, Canon has exactly what you need to power these tele-lenses: The Canon EOS 7D. It brought a clear progress for auto-focus and continuous shooting to a range that was in dire need compared to Nikon’s most recent offering. Its ability to produce good pictures at ISO 1600 will be appreciated to compensate for the limited aperture of the selected tele-lens primes.

The only thing left is to complement this with shorter focal length. The excellent 70-200mm f/2.8 IS II USM cannot be beaten. And we will add the nice EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM which, while not part of the L series has the needed definition to correctly feed the strong needs of the Canon EOS 7D sensor.

There’s more: The advantage of slightly old tele-lenses is that they are relatively easy to find on the second-hand market (for example on eBay). This will reduce the tab too; It was already climbing quite high.

Pro

Now, we need to go from tabs to major invoices. The pro photographer has requirements widely over the limits of most wallets, even the more enthusiast ones. If you don’t want to be frightened here, you should no longer look at the prices: Most people will buy a car for the kind of prices we are going to reach to equip a pro wildlife photographer, but we cannot be greedy if we need top quality.

Canon L-series tele-lenses are at the top of the shopping list. First and foremost, the 300mm f/2,8 L IS USM is king here. It has been considered by most reviewers as simply the best lens ever. The price is scary but the weight is also frightening: 2.55 kg / 5.6 lb. Its successor is coming around the beginning of 2011, with a slightly lower weight but the cost will climb toward 7000€.

It will probably be associated to a superb 500mm f/4 L IS USM, despite being even heavier and more expensive; But you will feel like Michel and Christine Denis-Huot when they wander on the Masai Mara plains in Kenya.

The recommended body will also be a Canon EOS 7D (Yes! It has seduced many pros including those mentioned above). But if you are attracted to large sensors, a Canon EOS 5D MkII will add very pro video capture.

As before, the tele-lenses will be complemented with the 70-200mm f/2,8 L IS USM and EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM.

Cross-Section of the EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

But, if you went the Full Frame way, you’ll need some changes. To start with, the 17-55mm wide-angle zoom does not cover the field of the large sensor, it will be replaced with a EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM. Then, if you don’t want to compromise quality with a x1.4 focal multier, the 300mm and 500mm will probably be replaced with a 400mm f/2,8 L IS USM and a 600mm f/4 L IS USM. But the weight is becoming really astounding (prohibitive?) and the tripod is now unavoidable.

Conclusion

It is easy to admit that the choice offered by the lens offering from Canon is impressive and this explains how anybody can find what they want, what they need, what they can pay.

Canon offers a new firmware (v1.0.8) for the Canon EOS 60D.

It fixes a phenomenon in which captured images may become overexposed when using the camera’s built-in flash or an external Speedlite in combination with the lenses listed below:

a) EF300/4 L IS USM
b) EF28-135/3.5-5.6 IS USM
c) EF75-300/4-5.6 IS USM
d) EF100-400/4.5-5.6 L IS USM

Download freely from Canon.

Canon EOS 60D / cover page of the user manual

We all know how difficult it can be to find the online versions of the SLR photo cameras operator/user manuals in general, and Canon manuals specifically. For a recent photo camera like the Canon EOS 60D, this is somewhat more difficult, and I decided to specially look around for the YLovePhoto readers. Here are the (current) results of my investigations, some PDF files to be downloaded as you would like:

• Canon EOS 60D Instruction Manual (9.14MB PDF file, in English)
• Mode d’emploi du Canon EOS 60D (fichier PDF de 10.3Mo, en français, depuis le site Canon Canada)
• Canon EOS 60D (nichts auf Canon Deutschland)

if you detect a change (a user manual which becomes unavailable or which moved to a different location, or a new manual to download), please, tell us about it with a small comment below. The Canon EOS 60D lovers and those who would like to read the manual before buying the product will thank you.

Canon EOS 60D

If you are ready to buy your camera gear in the USA (or if you live there), you may want to take advantage of the Canon offers and Canon rebates from B&H, our partner in New York City. Starting with offers on the all-new Canon EOS 60D (already available):

• Canon EOS 60D DSLR Camera (body)
• Canon EOS 60D DSLR Camera Kit with Canon EF-S 18-135mm Lens
• Canon Instant Rebates on DSLR & Kits

Canon EOS 60D

This month of August 2010 is definitely rich in news of importance for the expert photographer. After Nikon and Sony, Canon is ready to present its new offering. Where Sony had 4 new DSLR cameras, Canon has one new Canon EOS 60D and 4 high-quality new lenses.

Canon EOS 60D

This is a very coveted market segment where Canon places its new Digital SLR photo camera, the EOS 60D. It comes right after the Canon EOS 50D and brings a nice set of improvements that will be welcomed by all Canon lovers.

More pixels (as usual) with an 18 mega-pixel APS-C CMOS sensor (borrowed to the Rebel T2i or EOS 550D), continuous shooting at 5.3 frames/s, a sensitivity range of ISO 100-6400 (extendable to ISO 12800) and the Canon EOS 7D metering system. These are systematic improvements to the existing EOS 50D. Canon is used to small increments in this camera range, but they decided to be more consistent than usual.

On the other side, to avoid direct competition with the EOS 7D, the new EOS 60D is actually a smaller, lighter body than the 50D, and it sports a new articulated tilt-and-swivel LCD screen.

In the same direction, we can no longer be surprised to see than the EOS 60D uses SD/SDHC/SDXC memory cards.

Canon EOS 60D

Main features:

• 18 MP CMOS sensor (APS-C)
• Digic 4
• Sensitivity: 100-6400 ISO (Hi: 12800 ISO)
• Exposure Metering: iFCL system (already used in the EOS 7D)
• Continuous shooting: 5.3 frames/s
• Viewfinder: 98% with 0,95x (interchangeable focusing glass)
• Full HD Video mode (from 1080p @ 30 fps) with manual control
• 9-point AF system (new system all Cross-type Sensors, all f/5.6 except for f/2.8 center)
• Improved Autofocus for Video capture and supporting LiveView mode
• LiveView mode
• In-camera RAW image processing: brightness, contrast, white balance or correct distortion or chromatic aberration
• Tilt-and-swivel 3″ LCD screen (1040k pixels)
• Integrated flash GN13 (able to control distant flashes)
• SD/SDHC/SDXC memory card slot
• 800g

This is nice to see Canon able to reposition the elements of its DSLR camera offering after the introduction of the EOS 7D which was temporarily reducing the readability of the whole range. Now, the EOS x0D (with 60D now) is clearly positioned between the 550D and the 7D. And it is a damn-good camera, too.

New lenses

EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM

Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM

“Lightweight, compact and versatile”, this is a good description of a zoom lens that is covering an important product range.

A little more than 1000g and a price that should be accessible (let’s see when Canon gives a precise figure).

EF 8-15mm f/4L Fisheye USM

Canon EF 8-15mm f/4L Fisheye USM

Simultaneously a zoom lens and a fisheye! And it is opening at f/4!

This lens will probably be expensive (the L marking and the red ring is a sure sign), but there is not much competition here.

EF 300mm f/2.8 L IS II USM

Even more expensive, here comes a prime lenses that needed a little refreshing:

EF 300mm f/2.8 L IS II USM

Many a wildlife photographer will be interested by what is often considered as the last reasonable prime lens (wide opening and long focal length). AF speed and price will be a deciding factor (we have to already assume exceptionally good optics, in part due to the 2000 g of glass and metal).

EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM

You still have money and pro needs, here comes the heavy-weight:

EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM

I would even be frightened to ask for the price. The quality will probably be superlative and the weight is not for everybody: 3850 g.

That’s not all!

If you still don’t have enough (I know that the YLovePhoto readers are exceptionally demanding, but I hoped you would already be satisfied…), Canon has other ideas to appeal to you. They announced new focal extenders (EF 1.4x III & EF 2x III).

And they have been showing the first pictures of what will be the new 500mm and 600mm pro L tele-lenses (500mm F/4L IS II USM & 600mm F/4L IS II USM).

Did you notice? Canon will soon have fully renewed its range of white tele-lenses with the same high-level quality of optics, improved AF, and improved image stabilization. It’s time to go and attack a bank (your account will certainly not be enough).

An enormous overhaul of the Canon offering for pro and expert photographers.

Press Releases

Canon EOS 60D

Control, power, creativity – Canon empowers photographers to take the next step with the new EOS 60D

London, UK, 26th August 2010 – Canon today announces the latest addition to its world-famous EOS series of Digital SLR (DSLR) cameras – the new EOS 60D. Replacing the EOS 50D, the EOS 60D is designed for photographers who want to take their skills to the next level, offering high performance, a series of creative features, a Vari-angle LCD screen and enhanced ergonomics – empowering photography enthusiasts to capture outstanding stills and Full High Definition (HD) video for unique, creative results.

High speed, high resolution
With an 18 Megapixel APS-C sensor, the EOS 60D offers high levels of detail and a magnification of 1.6x the focal length of the lens to capture poster-size images in a variety of aspect ratios*1. Canon’s powerful DIGIC 4 technology rapidly processes image information captured from the CMOS sensor’s four-channel output, providing outstanding colour reproduction, as well as high-speed shooting at 5.3fps in bursts of 58 full-resolution JPEGs.

A standard ISO range of 100-6400 is extendable to 12800, providing smooth images with minimal noise in low light conditions. A 9-point, all cross-type autofocus (AF) system also provides swift and accurate focusing, with an extra-sensitive centre point for lenses faster than f/2.8, allowing photographers to artistically employ a shallow depth of field during portraiture or for more atmospheric shooting.

The EOS 60D features Canon’s iFCL metering system, first introduced with the acclaimed EOS 7D, with a 63-zone Dual-Layer sensor.  Information on subject location is gathered from the Auto Focus system, and is combined with colour and luminance readings for consistent accurate exposures whatever the situation. The Integrated Speedlite transmitter also provides in-camera control of multiple EX flash units for more creative lighting.

Shoot from all angles
A new 7.7cm (3.0”) Vari-angle wide LCD monitor features a 3:2 aspect ratio and a 1,040k dot resolution, providing added flexibility and allowing photographers to view their images in incredible detail. The Vari-angle wide LCD helps frame shots from difficult angles, and can be positioned with Live View enabled to achieve the desired composition if shooting isn’t possible using the viewfinder. The ability to capture wildlife portraits, overhead shots or ground-level photography is instantly enhanced, and the surface of the screen features an anti-reflective, water-repellent coating to protect the screen allows easy viewing in bright light and from a variety of angles.

Empowering creativity
A new Basic + function makes it easy for photographers to add their own creative touch to images without worrying about changing settings. Photographers can add ambiance to a scene by shooting according to lighting and scene type, with Portrait, Landscape, Close-Up, Sport, Night Snapshot or Creative AUTO modes all available. Different effects can be achieved by shooting with Basic + enhancements such as Daylight, Cloudy or Sunset or pre-set Picture Styles including Vivid, Soft, Warm or Monochrome.

Canon EOS 60D

Designed to provide power for those who wish to extend their creative vision, the EOS 60D features a host of new functions that help capture better images and in-camera effects to add an extra dimension. The powerful DIGIC 4 processor supports in-camera RAW image processing, allowing photographers to edit settings such as brightness, contrast, white balance or correct distortion or chromatic aberration. The edited image can then be resaved as a JPEG, ready to be printed or uploaded to a PC or the web.

For photographers who want to add post-production effects to their images without the need for expensive software, the EOS 60D also features a range of new creative filters that can be applied in-camera. Filters including Grainy B/W, Soft Focus, Toy Camera Effect and Miniature Effect provide images with a different feel, allowing photographers to create a themed collection – using Grainy B/W to give images a reportage style, for example – or easily smooth skin tone in portraits with Soft Focus.

EOS Movies: Full HD video with complete control
Offering photographers the freedom to go beyond stills, the EOS 60D captures 1920x1080p HD video with a variety of user-selectable frame rates, including 30, 25 and 24fps, as well as 720p video at 60 and 50fps. Movie Crop mode is also available, recording with the central 640×480 pixel area of the sensor to create an effective magnification of approximately seven times the focal length of the lens. 

Full manual control in Movie mode allows photographers to employ their own exposure and focus settings and take advantage of the effects achieved from Canon’s wide range of EF lenses. An external stereo microphone terminal and the ability to adjust sound recording level ensures the audio track recorded matches the visual quality of the video, capturing broadcast-quality sound.

For those who want to share images with friends and family, an integrated HDMI port is compatible with Consumer Electronics Control (HDMI-CEC), allowing video and images to be viewed on any compatible HD-ready TV and controlled via the TV remote.

Designed for flexibility
The EOS 60D features a completely redesigned body, combining an ergonomically enhanced, curved shape with a new button layout to make it quick and comfortable for photographers to change settings. Frequently used camera controls are grouped together for easy access, while the Quick Control Dial, Multi-controller and SET button have all been merged into one Multi Control Dial, enabling photographers to operate menus and enter settings quickly using their thumb. The mode dial also features a lock button, preventing unintentional changes to settings mid-shoot.

A dedicated Quick Control access button allows photographers to instantly reach the most common shooting settings and playback controls. Customising the functions of a number of buttons is also possible, allowing photographers to tailor the camera to suit their individual needs. To help achieve landscapes with perfectly level horizons, a horizontal Electronic Level can be displayed in the viewfinder or in Live View to assist composition and remove any potential need for post-production correction.

The EOS 60D is one of the latest Canon models to support high-capacity SDXC memory cards, providing up to 2TB of available space, allowing photographers to keep shooting HD video and full resolution RAW and JPEG stills without changing cards. For better management of larger image libraries on the camera, EOS 60D photographers can add a rating of 1 to 5 to their favourite images, allowing them to be easily located and viewed on-screen. Once transferred from the camera to a PC, the tags can also be viewed using a number of image editing and management programs, including Canon’s DPP software.

Share the moment
For photographers who want to transfer content wirelessly, the EOS 60D includes Eye-Fi connected functions*2. The EOS 60D features a dedicated Eye-Fi section in the User Interface allowing WiFi functionality to be turned off when not required to save battery life
EOS 60D features at a glance:

• 18 MP APS-C CMOS sensor
• Advanced creative features with Basic +
• Vari-angle 7.7cm (3.0”) 3:2 ratio LCD
• Full HD movies with manual control
• DIGIC 4
• ISO 100-6400, H:12800
• 5.3fps shooting for up to 58 JPEGs
• 9-point cross type AF System
• iFCL metering with 63-zone Dual-layer Sensor
• Integrated Speedlite transmitter
• In-camera RAW processing

*1 1:1, 16:9, 4:3 in addition to the standard 3:2 dimension
*2 This product is not guaranteed to support Eye-Fi card functions (including wireless transfer). In case of an issue with an Eye-Fi card, please check with the card manufacturer. Also note that approval is required to use Eye-Fi cards in many countries or regions. Without approval, use of the card is not permitted. If it is unclear whether the card has been approved for use in the area, please check with the card manufacturer

In parallel, we have to wait for what will probably be a set of two new high-end tele-photo lenses. Maybe two white pro ones. Canon Rumors says: 300 f/2.8L IS & 600 f/4L IS.

Old pictures

Canon EOS 60D

Canon EOS 60D

Canon EOS 60D