Canon EOS 60D Digital SLR Camera (Inc EF-S 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens Kit)

this is a great step up from my 30D. This item arrived on time as promised and was safely packaged for transport.The live shoot facility is great for high or low shots.An all round great value for money purchase.

OK, I had a Canon EOS 400D that had served me well for nearly 3 years (and I had a 300D before that) and was looking to upgrade it, but I couldn't decide between a 550D or a much more expensive 7D. Then the 60D was launched and from the reviews I read, it filled the gap perfectly between the two. As ever, launch pricing was really toppy at over £1k but I took the plunge just before Christmas 2010 and bought the 60D with a 18-55 IS lens for a great price of £799. It's still fairly early days but so far, so good. The camera is a dream to use, images are razor sharp. Handling is easier than the lower spec DSLRs in Canon's range due to the fact that the 60D is a slightly bigger, bulkier machine but without this being a negative. If you are familiar with a Canon DSLR, all of the controls and features are logical and easy to use without having to spend hours trawling through the manual. The tiltable screen is a work of genius, especially the fact that you can store the screen facing into the camera for even more protection when not in use. You can also tilt the screen and take shots based on the screen view if, for example, you are taking shots with the camera held above your head to get a clearer view. I am primarily using my trusty 28-135mm IS USM Canon lens and image quality is fantastic. I have also bought a Canon 70-300mm IS USM zoom (circa £400) and again it seems to produce great results paired with the 60D. I am using Class 10 SDHC cards (whereas my previous 2 Canon DSLRs used CompactFlash) and the speed is lightning fast - I have bought a couple of the Transcend ones from Amazon and they seem to do a remarkably good job for a lot less money than the competition. Only time will tell if they prove to be durable and reliable... The only downside is that my camera was supplied with an old version of firmware installed (v5), which needed updating (to v8) to cure a quirk with over-exposure when using certain lensses (and the two lenses mentioned above were included in this list). I went through the whole firmware update process in a mild panic but it was a remarkably pain-free experience - if you need to do similar, the Canon website features a good step-by-step idiot's guide. Overall, the 60D is a great mid-range camera and a worthy upgrade from my 400D. The 60D strikes the perfect balance for me in that it offers more functionality / flexibility than the 550D but without the complexity of the more advanced 7D. I am fairly loyal to Canon gear but I did look around at the Nikon equivalents before making my purchase - however, I ruled out Nikon as you just seem to get more for your money with Canon. Also worth saying that the lens/flashgun I already had are compatible with the 60D. The next step for me is properly testing out the camera's HD video capability.

im new to the whole photography thing but anyways. I went shopping the other day looking to get a camera as i remember at college i enjoy taking photos and used mobile phone camera alot but was frustrated over how poop the images are (iphone for ya) even digi cams dissapoint ya with the lag after awhile. I origanally wanted to get the 550D but when i went to get it they didnt have any instock and the guy pointed out this one was a newer model i would enjoy. I was reluctant to get it at first as i spent hours looking at review after reveiw and how to use it ect but im SOOO GLAD i did get it. I found it really easy to use straight from the box, i found the software that came with it pants (but i didn't buy it for the editing stuff i have photoshop n what not for this if its needed) The quality of photos is amazing and it focuses so fast. I had a go on my friends Nikon D3 something another yesterday and that took ages to focus and didnt match the clarity this has. Yeh ppl will bang on its costs alot compared to other's but you get what ya pay for. I know the tech in this 60D is going to last me for years the build quality is brill and far better than some of the rivals ive looked at( i found alot of entry level DSLRs to be abit plasticy' this isnt at all, the kit lens is good too and the functions are quick to learn like the 'q' button. battery life is superp it lasts ages before needs a charge i spent all day xmas and boxing day taking photos and was still ok and i got over 600+ photos egnor the 320 shot thing. The video i had a quick play with this aswell i recordered a program on Tv to see if it picked up lines and would be jerky ect but not at all it was silky smooth and sound quality also spot on. if you want a great allrounder, to possibly print big photos, HD video thats easy to use and great qaulity and awsome photos without paying the price for a pro camera or the likes of the 7D canon then buy this you will not be dissapointed. i cant find anything to fault it. (sorry about the spelling im an artist by trade not a writer as you can tell)