Canon EOS 60D User Manual: A Comprehensive Guide
Delve into the world of photography with this guide! Explore initial setups, focusing modes, exposure control, and advanced features.
Discover lens compatibility, including EF and EF-S options, alongside popular choices like the 28-80mm, 85mm, 24-105mm, and 24-70mm.
Master picture styles, RAW vs. JPEG, white balance, and flash usage for stunning results. This manual unlocks your 60D’s potential!
Welcome to the Canon EOS 60D, a versatile Digital SLR designed for both amateur and experienced photographers. Released in 2010, this camera quickly became a favorite due to its blend of performance, features, and affordability. This manual serves as your comprehensive guide to unlocking the full potential of your 60D.
The 60D boasts an 18.1-megapixel CMOS sensor and the DIGIC 4 image processor, delivering high-quality images with excellent detail and clarity. Its intuitive controls and customizable settings allow for a personalized shooting experience. Whether you’re capturing landscapes, portraits, or fast-action shots, the 60D is equipped to handle a wide range of photographic scenarios.
This guide will walk you through every aspect of the camera, from initial setup and basic operation to advanced techniques and creative possibilities. We’ll explore the camera’s body, controls, shooting modes, and image quality settings, empowering you to capture stunning photographs and videos.
Key Features and Specifications
The Canon EOS 60D stands out with its impressive feature set. It features an 18.1-megapixel CMOS sensor, delivering detailed images. The DIGIC 4 Image Processor ensures fast processing and excellent image quality, even in low light. A key innovation was the introduction of an autofocus start button, previously found only on higher-end models like the EOS-1D Mark III.
Key specifications include a 3.0-inch vari-angle touchscreen LCD, offering flexible viewing angles. It supports continuous shooting at up to 5.3 frames per second. Full HD 1080p video recording capabilities provide high-quality video output. The camera is compatible with Canon EF and EF-S lenses, expanding your creative options.
Further highlights include 9-point autofocus system, ISO range of 100-6400 (expandable to 12800), and built-in flash; Its robust build quality and ergonomic design ensure comfortable handling during extended shooting sessions.
Understanding the Camera Body & Controls
Explore the 60D’s layout! Learn button and dial functions, navigate the LCD screen and menus, and interpret viewfinder information for optimal control.
Button and Dial Functions
The Canon EOS 60D features a thoughtfully designed control scheme. The main dial on top controls shooting modes – Auto, Program, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, Manual, and various creative options. A quick control dial allows for swift adjustments to settings like aperture, shutter speed, and exposure compensation.
Crucially, the autofocus point selection button and surrounding dials enable precise focus control. The multi-controller allows navigation through menus and autofocus point selection. A dedicated button activates Live View, while the ‘Set’ button confirms selections. The AE-L/AF-L button locks exposure and focus independently, useful for tricky lighting.
Furthermore, the rear control dial facilitates image playback and menu navigation. Understanding these functions is key to harnessing the 60D’s full potential, allowing for intuitive and efficient operation during shooting.
LCD Screen and Menu Navigation
The Canon EOS 60D boasts a 3.0-inch Clear View LCD screen offering a bright and detailed view for composing shots and reviewing images. The screen’s resolution is sufficient for accurate image assessment. Menu navigation is achieved through the directional buttons on the multi-controller, combined with the ‘Set’ button to confirm selections.
The menu system is logically organized into several tabs: Shooting, AF, Exposure, Picture Quality, and Setup. Within each tab, options are clearly labeled and easy to locate. The Quick Control Screen, accessed via the ‘Q’ button, provides direct access to frequently used settings like ISO, white balance, and picture style.
Mastering the menu structure allows for efficient customization of camera settings, tailoring the 60D to your specific shooting preferences and needs. Familiarity with the LCD interface enhances the overall shooting experience.
Viewfinder Information
The Canon EOS 60D features an optical viewfinder providing a clear, real-time view of the scene. It offers approximately 96% coverage, meaning what you see isn’t exactly what the sensor captures – be mindful of edges. The viewfinder displays crucial shooting information, including focus points, exposure settings (aperture, shutter speed, ISO), and metering mode.
A small LCD panel within the viewfinder presents this data digitally. You can customize the displayed information via the camera’s menu system, choosing what’s most relevant to your shooting style. A focus confirmation indicator illuminates when the subject is in focus, particularly useful in One-Shot AF mode.
Diopter adjustment allows you to fine-tune the viewfinder for your eyesight, ensuring a sharp and accurate view without needing glasses. Understanding the viewfinder’s information is key to precise control.
Setting Up Your Canon 60D
Begin with initial settings – date, time, and language – for personalized operation. Customize settings to match your preferences and explore diverse picture styles.
Initial Camera Setup (Date, Time, Language)
Upon powering on your Canon EOS 60D for the first time, a crucial initial setup process begins. The camera will prompt you to configure essential settings, starting with the date and time. Accurate date and time stamping are vital for organizing and referencing your photographs later.
Navigate to the setup menu using the directional buttons and the SET button. Select the date format (Year/Month/Day or Day/Month/Year) and carefully input the correct values. Similarly, set the time, ensuring AM or PM is correctly designated.
Next, choose your preferred language from the available options. This will change the menu displays and on-screen messages to your chosen language, enhancing usability. Confirm each selection by pressing the SET button. Proper initial setup ensures a smooth and personalized shooting experience with your Canon 60D.
Customizing Camera Settings
The Canon EOS 60D offers extensive customization options to tailor the camera to your shooting style. Dive into the menu system to personalize various functions. Begin by adjusting the button and dial functions, assigning specific operations to controls for quicker access.
Explore the menu’s ‘Custom Functions’ section to remap buttons and dials. You can also configure the Quick Control screen to display frequently used settings. Further personalization includes setting the image quality and size, choosing a file naming convention, and adjusting the LCD screen brightness.
Don’t overlook the ‘Menu Display’ settings, allowing you to choose how menu items are organized and displayed. These customizations streamline your workflow and enhance your overall shooting experience, making the 60D truly your own.
Understanding Picture Styles
Canon’s Picture Styles are pre-set image processing parameters that significantly impact the look of your photos directly within the camera. The 60D offers several built-in styles: Standard, Portrait, Landscape, Neutral, Faithful, and Monochrome. Each adjusts sharpness, contrast, color saturation, and tone.
Standard is a versatile all-purpose style, while Portrait prioritizes skin tones. Landscape enhances blues and greens for vivid scenery. Neutral provides a flatter profile ideal for post-processing, and Faithful aims for accurate color reproduction. Monochrome delivers black and white images.
Crucially, you can customize these styles or create your own! Adjust individual settings within each style to achieve your desired aesthetic. Shooting in RAW format allows for greater flexibility in post-processing, but Picture Styles offer a convenient way to achieve a specific look in-camera.
Focusing and Shooting Modes
Explore autofocus options like One-Shot, AI Servo, and AI Focus for static or moving subjects. Master drive modes – Single, Continuous, and Self-Timer – for varied shooting scenarios.
Autofocus Modes Explained
Canon EOS 60D offers versatile autofocus (AF) modes to suit diverse shooting conditions. One-Shot AF is ideal for stationary subjects; the camera locks focus when the shutter button is half-pressed. AI Servo AF continuously tracks moving subjects, maintaining focus as they change position – perfect for sports or wildlife.
AI Focus AF intelligently switches between One-Shot and AI Servo, detecting subject movement and adapting accordingly. Understanding these modes is crucial for sharp images. Utilize the AF point selection to pinpoint focus precisely. Experiment with different AF area selection modes – single point, zone, or automatic AF point selection – to optimize performance; Remember to consider back-button focus for enhanced control.
One-Shot, AI Servo, and AI Focus
The Canon EOS 60D provides three primary autofocus modes: One-Shot, AI Servo, and AI Focus. One-Shot AF excels with static subjects, locking focus upon half-pressing the shutter. It’s best for portraits or landscapes where the subject isn’t moving. AI Servo AF is designed for tracking moving subjects, continuously adjusting focus as they change distance. Ideal for sports or action photography.
AI Focus AF intelligently alternates between One-Shot and AI Servo, attempting to predict subject movement; While convenient, it can sometimes be less reliable than selecting a dedicated mode. Mastering these modes allows for precise control over image sharpness. Consider the subject’s behavior when choosing the appropriate AF mode for optimal results.
Drive Modes (Single, Continuous, Self-Timer)
The Canon EOS 60D offers versatile drive modes to suit various shooting scenarios. Single shooting captures one image each time the shutter button is fully pressed – perfect for deliberate compositions. Continuous shooting (or burst mode) rapidly fires multiple frames per second, ideal for capturing action sequences or fleeting moments. The 60D can capture up to 5.3 frames per second.
The Self-Timer introduces a delay before the shutter fires, allowing you to include yourself in photos or minimize camera shake. You can select a 2-second or 10-second delay. Experimenting with these modes expands your creative possibilities. Understanding each drive mode’s function ensures you capture the perfect shot, whether it’s a single, well-composed image or a dynamic series of action shots.
Exposure Control
Master light with aperture, shutter speed, and ISO! Learn exposure compensation and metering modes—Evaluative, Partial, Spot, and Center-Weighted Average—for optimal results.
Aperture, Shutter Speed, and ISO
Aperture controls the lens opening, influencing depth of field and light intake. Lower f-numbers (like f/2.8) create shallow depth of field, ideal for portraits, while higher numbers (like f/16) yield greater sharpness across the scene.
Shutter speed dictates how long the sensor is exposed to light. Faster speeds (e.g., 1/1000s) freeze motion, perfect for sports, whereas slower speeds (e.g., 1/30s) allow more light in, suitable for low-light situations, but require stabilization.
ISO measures the sensor’s sensitivity to light. Lower ISOs (like 100) produce cleaner images, but need ample light. Higher ISOs (like 3200) excel in darkness, though they introduce more noise. Balancing these three elements is crucial for achieving well-exposed, visually appealing photographs. Experiment to understand their interplay!
Exposure Compensation
Exposure compensation allows you to fine-tune the camera’s automatic exposure settings. When the camera’s meter is fooled by bright or dark scenes, this feature is invaluable. It’s measured in stops (+/- EV), with positive values brightening the image and negative values darkening it.
For example, shooting a snowy scene without compensation often results in underexposure (too dark). Applying +1 or +2 EV will brighten the image to a more accurate representation. Conversely, a very bright scene might require -1 or -2 EV to prevent overexposure (too bright).
Mastering exposure compensation ensures you capture the scene as you envision it, overriding the camera’s automatic decisions for creative control and accurate results; Practice using it in various lighting conditions!
Metering Modes (Evaluative, Partial, Spot, Center-Weighted Average)
Canon’s 60D offers four metering modes, each influencing how the camera assesses light to determine exposure. Evaluative metering (the default) analyzes the entire scene for balanced exposure, ideal for general photography.
Partial metering focuses on approximately 6.5% of the frame, useful when the subject is backlit or strongly contrasted. Spot metering narrows this to just 2.8% – perfect for precise exposure on a small subject.
Center-weighted average metering prioritizes the center of the frame while still considering the surrounding areas. Understanding these modes allows you to tailor exposure to specific scenarios, ensuring properly exposed images in challenging lighting conditions.
Advanced Features
Unlock creative potential! Explore RAW versus JPEG, white balance customization, and effective flash utilization. These features elevate your Canon 60D photography.
RAW vs. JPEG Image Quality
Understanding the difference between RAW and JPEG is crucial for maximizing your Canon 60D’s potential. JPEG files are compressed, meaning some image data is discarded to reduce file size, offering convenience for immediate use and sharing. However, this compression is lossy, impacting editing flexibility.
RAW files, conversely, contain all the data captured by the sensor. This results in larger file sizes but provides significantly greater latitude for post-processing adjustments. You can recover details from shadows and highlights, correct white balance inaccuracies, and fine-tune colors with minimal quality loss.
For serious photographers intending to extensively edit their images, RAW is the preferred format. It’s an invaluable asset for achieving precise results. If quick sharing and smaller file sizes are priorities, JPEG is a suitable choice, but remember the trade-off in editing control. Utilizing RAW formats is a great help for those unfamiliar with PS.
White Balance Settings
Achieving accurate colors is paramount in photography, and the Canon 60D offers a comprehensive suite of White Balance (WB) settings. WB corrects color casts caused by different light sources, ensuring your images appear natural.
The 60D provides presets like Daylight, Cloudy, Shade, Tungsten, Fluorescent, and Flash, catering to common shooting scenarios. Custom WB allows you to manually set the color temperature using a white or gray card for precise results. The Auto White Balance (AWB) is convenient but can sometimes be inaccurate.
Experimenting with WB is key. Slight adjustments can dramatically alter the mood of your photos. RAW shooting provides even greater flexibility, allowing you to fine-tune WB during post-processing without quality loss. Understanding these settings unlocks vibrant and true-to-life colors in your photography.
Using Flash with the Canon 60D
The Canon 60D’s built-in flash and external flash compatibility offer versatile lighting options. The integrated flash is useful for fill-in light or low-light situations, but its direct nature can create harsh shadows. Explore flash modes like Auto, Manual, and Red-Eye Reduction.
For more control, utilize external Speedlites. The 60D supports E-TTL (Evaluative Through-The-Lens) flash metering, providing automatic exposure control. Flash Exposure Compensation allows fine-tuning the flash output. High-Speed Sync (HSS) enables flash synchronization with faster shutter speeds.
Consider bounce flash techniques using walls or ceilings for softer, more natural lighting. Mastering flash control expands your creative possibilities, allowing you to shape light and enhance your images. Experiment with different flash settings to achieve desired effects.
Lens Compatibility and Usage
Unlock photographic potential! The Canon 60D seamlessly works with Canon EF and EF-S lenses, offering diverse focal lengths and apertures for creative control.
Canon EF and EF-S Lenses
The Canon EOS 60D boasts compatibility with both EF and EF-S lenses, expanding your photographic possibilities. EF lenses, designed for full-frame cameras, can be used without issue, providing a wider field of view. EF-S lenses, specifically engineered for APS-C sensor cameras like the 60D, offer a more compact and affordable option.
EF-S lenses generally provide a 1.6x crop factor, effectively increasing the focal length. This is beneficial for wildlife or sports photography, bringing distant subjects closer. Popular choices include the EF-S 18-55mm kit lens, a versatile starting point, and the EF-S 10-18mm for wide-angle landscapes.
When choosing a lens, consider your photographic needs. Prime lenses (fixed focal length) often offer superior image quality and wider apertures, ideal for low-light situations and shallow depth of field. Zoom lenses provide flexibility, allowing you to adjust the focal length without changing lenses. Explore options like the 24-105mm or 24-70mm for versatile performance.
Understanding Lens Specifications (f-stop, focal length)
Lens specifications are crucial for understanding a lens’s capabilities. Focal length, measured in millimeters (mm), determines the angle of view and magnification. A lower focal length (e.g., 18mm) provides a wider view, ideal for landscapes, while a higher focal length (e.g., 200mm) offers greater magnification, suitable for wildlife.
F-stop, or aperture, indicates the lens’s ability to gather light. Represented as f/number (e.g., f/2.8, f/5.6), a lower f-stop allows more light, creating a shallower depth of field – blurring the background for portraits. A higher f-stop lets in less light, resulting in a greater depth of field – keeping more of the scene in focus.
Consider the interplay between focal length and aperture. A lens like the Canon EF 28-80mm f/2.8-4L offers a variable aperture; f/2.8 at 28mm and f/4 at 80mm. Understanding these specs empowers informed lens choices for diverse photographic scenarios.
Popular Lens Choices for the 60D (28-80mm, 85mm, 24-105mm, 24-70mm)
The Canon EOS 60D benefits from a wide range of lenses. The Canon EF 28-80mm f/2.8-4L USM, a highly-regarded older lens, delivers exceptional image quality. For portraiture, the 85mm f/1.2L is often hailed as a “king” – renowned for its beautiful bokeh and sharpness.
Versatility is key with the 24-105mm f/4L IS USM. It’s a fantastic all-rounder, covering a useful zoom range with image stabilization. The 24-70mm f/2.8L USM is a professional workhorse, offering a constant aperture and superb performance across the zoom range.
Choosing depends on your needs. The 24-70mm excels in low light, while the 24-105mm provides greater reach. Consider your shooting style and budget when selecting the ideal lens for your Canon 60D.