Canon 60D vs 7D: A Detailed Comparison and Review
Canon 60D vs 7D – Which One is the Best?
Before we compare Canon 60D vs 7D in this article, let us first discuss the features of Canon 60D then the 7D to further understand their differences.
Canon 60D
Canon 7D
Canon EOS 60D came out early last year (2011) to the market with some good surprises, yet there are a few unexpected loses as well. It is not surprising though that Canon EOS 60D is easy and straightforward when it comes to operation for people who are already familiar with cameras in this professional – consumer line, it produces excellent image quality across the ISO range.
Canon EOS 7D on the other hand is the long rumoured camera that has finally materialized and came to existence. It has an advanced sub-frame DSLR that is in the similar class as the Canon EOS 5D Mark II. It is actually a whole new line and not the 60D with a new name. It represents a whole new class of camera which is created and designed to be the tool of choice for serious photographers and semi-professionals.
Canon 60D vs 7D Comparison Table:
| Image |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Feature | 18.0-megapixel CMOS sensor and DIGIC 4 Imaging Processor; ISO 100-6400 (expandable to 12800) Body only; lenses sold separately Improved EOS HD Video mode with manual exposure control; Vari-angle 3.0-inch Clear View LCD monitor 5.3 fps continuous shooting; enhanced iFCL 63-zone, Dual-layer metering system Compatibility with SD/SDHC/SDXC memory cards (not included); please note that the EOS 60 is not compatible with CF memory cards | 18.0-megapixel CMOS Sensor and Dual DIGIC 4 Image Processors for high image quality and speed Body only; lenses sold separately Advanced HD movie mode with manual exposure control and selectable frame rates Intelligent Viewfinder with 100 percent field of view; 19-point, all cross-type AF system equipped with dual diagonal cross-type sensors Capture images to CF Card Type I and II, UDMA-compliant CF cards (not included) |
| Title | Canon EOS 60D 18 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3.0-Inch LCD (Body Only) | Canon EOS 7D 18 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3-Inch LCD (Body Only) |
| Price | $817.51 | Too Low to Display |
| Height | 3.1 inch | 2.9 inch |
| Weight | 1.66 pound | 1.81 pound |
| Width | 4.2 inch | 4.4 inch |
| Rating |  | |
| Reviews | Read Reviews | Read Reviews |
| Link | More Info | More Info |
So what’s the difference between Canon 60D vs 7D in terms of build quality?
Canon EOS 60D is made of polycarbonate resin with glass fiber. It definitely feels like a solid camera. The Canon EOS 7D on the other hand is hard as a stone. EOS 7D is highly configurable with 19 point AF system and is capable of 8 frames per second continuous shooting.
The look and feel of Canon EOS 60D vs 7D:
Most of the photographers, whether professionals or amateurs who thought that Canon 50D is a little too bulky to hold, are going to appreciate Canon 60D for it is smaller in size and lighter in weight. The body weight of Canon 60D including battery and card has decreased by 1.5 ounces to 27.5 ounces, despite the additional swivel screen. The body of EOS 60D is made of a mixture of polycarbonate resin, ABS resin, and polycarbonate resin with a special conductive fiber, probably for EMI or electromagnetic interference shielding. The body frame is made of aluminium and polycarbonate enhanced with glass fiber. The dimensions of this model are 5.7 x 4.2 x 3.1 inches which is a little bit shorter and is narrower than Canon 50D. 7D on the other hand is really tough compared to 60D. It is very solid and bigger as well.
Overall, it is just a bit thicker from the lens mount to the LCD perhaps because of the swivelling LCD. This camera is tough, compact body which is densely packed and is resistant to dust and water, but Canon did not make any details about how many environmental seals that this one has. It is noticeable that the sealing of 60D is fairly extensive compared to others. But Canon 7D is much thicker and heavier than 60D.
Canon 60D vs 7D: The Grip
The grip is quite nice and small with a comfortable indentation just inside the grip in order to improve your hold whenever you are taking photos. It is something that most of the photographers long appreciated in Nikon DSLR models. You won’t notice it from the front but aside from the side indentation, there’s another indentation specifically for your middle finger so you could quickly align your hold of the camera. In the indentation, you will also find an infrared remote control window that you won’t find on the 60D’s predecessors but included on the digital Rebels. On the upper right of the lens mount are four holes that are designed for the new mono microphone. Canon also built a stereo microphone jack into this camera in order to achieve better quality movie recording.
Canon EOS 7D has a big, good grip that enables you to hold your camera comfortably. Just like the EOS 60D, this camera also has indentation for the middle finger and infrared sensor into the front of the grip for the purpose of remote release. It also has four holes on the upper right and has stereo microphone jack as well which is created for those who are pretty serious to achieve quality audio.
Canon 60D vs 7D: Power Switch
The power switch of EOS 60D can be moved from bottom right to upper left, similar to EOS 7D. The trashcan button is just beneath the power switch. Obviously, Canon is inconsistently indecisive on the format for buttons on their DSLR, as each model is completely different from one another. At least the live view and record button is in the same place on 7D, 50D, and T21. Canon added an unlock button beneath the power switch as there was no switch handy to actually deactivate the Quick control dial. Many users got confused with this because when it is in default mode, the Quick control dial is unlocked, and this button actually does nothing. It will finally serve its purpose only if you enable the Lock (Quick control dial) in the menu. It allows you to choose to adjust Quick control dial to EV in Aperture, Program, and Shutter priority modes.
Canon integrated the 8-way joystick of the previous models for further economizing the space. It has smaller quick control and the end result is an 8-way control disk. You will use this disk in order to select among the nine AF points in the viewfinder and to navigate in the menus.
The Cost of Canon 60D vs Canon 7D:
You will spend a thousand dollars for Canon EOS 60D but pretty sure that your money is all worth it. But are you willing to spend 400 dollars more for the Canon EOS 7D? It’s really hard to say, but it does pretty worth it for the additional features it offers. The price of Canon 7D is justifiable because of the new features and additional power it provides. And if you are planning to have a camera that will be with you for years, then 7D is a good long term investment, it is definitely worth its price. But if your budget is limited to $1,000, you’ll probably be satisfied and happy with Canon EOS 60D.
Difference between Canon 60D vs 7D video and LCD screen:
When it comes to LCD screen, Canon EOS 60D has a big advantage. If only 7D had an articulated LCD screen, it would be more appealing to the customers especially to those who wanted to shoot much high quality videos.
The most noticeable difference between Canon 60D vs 7D is the Vari-angle LCD screen. Only EOS 60D has the Vari-angle LCD screen as an additional feature that some photographers find it cumbersome to use as you are required to swing it out and flip it to use it in most cases. But this exciting feature provides more versatility than any other models on the market today. It is quite an additional work for a photographer but you’ll realize that it is handy once you get used to it. This Vari-angle LCD screen is considered one of the better swivel mechanisms that Canon has ever produced. It is easy and smooth to move but it is stiff enough to stay in place.
One cool thing about Canon 7D is the custom modes that has three custom positions on the dial such as C1, C2, and C3. This is a brilliant idea where you can create a quick setting that you actually use frequently. The power switch of EOS 7D is completely and entirely in a new place. The location of the Status LCD illumination button is in the upper right of the LCD while the Multi-Function is just behind, left side of the shutter release button. It is used to adjust severe camera parameters.
Canon EOS 60D vs Canon EOS 7D Storage and Burst Speed:
The winner when it comes to storage is the Canon 60D because it uses SD cards. There are not too many new CF devices being made. This should not be a problem when you got stock up. But when it comes to burst speed, Canon 7D is on top of everything else. 60D shoots faster burst speed and owners are happy and contented with how it performs but their views changed when they discovered that 7D performs 8FPS which is an awesome burst speed for a camera.
Let us discover the difference of Canon EOS 7D vs 60D when it comes to Autofocus and Micro-Adjust. For some, setting the AF point to anywhere but the center is rare, and the 60D’s 9 point setup is just adequate for a camera. However, AF accuracy is very crucial feature and 7D won the crown in this aspect. 7D autofocus system has new features that needs to be mentioned which are related to the metering system. Compared to 60D’s 9 point setup, 7D’s has 19 autofocus points. That’s a huge difference, and do you know that each of them is a cross type, optimized to detect both vertical and horizontal features in order to achieve greater accuracy across the frame? Canon 7D is able to cluster AF points and move them around the screen. A Spot point allows you to select a finer point than usual, selecting from all 19 across the LCD screen. There are indeed a lot of autofocus options that can create confusion or trouble for some but one good thing about it is the Custom function III:6 which gives you an option to disable the ones you are not going to use that can save you time and appears to be more organized. Although, both 7D and 60D had the same problem when it comes to autofocus although 60D is a little bit sharper.
Image Quality and Noise difference between Canon 60D vs 7D:
When you use both camera and shot in high ISO or low light, and long exposure situations, you’ll definitely make a clear comparison of their image quality and noise. Most of the people who tried to compare the performance of these two cameras have the same findings when it comes to ISO settings of 1000+. It is clear that 7D produced slightly less luminance and color noise in that particular setting. The difference between the two would be negligible, unless you are going to continue comparing these two cameras head to head. There is no doubt in fact that both cameras produce good, usable shots all the way up to 3200 ISO setting. The low light image quality is quite tremendous in both cameras.
What’s in the box? Canon EOS 60 package contains the following items:
- Canon EOS 60D digital camera
- 18 – 135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS zoom lens
- Body cap
- Front lens cap
- Rear lens cap
- Battery charger LC-E6
- Batter pack LP-E6
- Wide strap EW-EOS60D
- Interface cable
- Stereo AV cable
- Software CD-Rom
- Warranty card and owner’s manuals
What’s in the box? Canon EOS 7D contains the following items:
- 18.0 effective Megapixel EOS-&D camera body
- F3.5-5.6, 28 – 135mm IS USM lens
- LP-E6 lithium-ion battery
- Battery charger
- Shoulder strap
- Body cap
- USB cable
- A/V cable
- CD-ROMs featuring EOS Digital Solution and Software Instruction Manuals
- 275 pages of printed camera manual
To further understand the difference between Canon 60D vs 7D, let us try to take into account the quick guide below:
- Canon 60D key features are 18 Megapixels, 1080vp video mode, flexible LCD, wide ISO range while Canon 7D key features are 18 Megapixels, HD video, 19 point autofocus.
- When it comes to uniqueness, Canon 60D is the first Canon DSLR that has flexible LCD while Canon 7D has an awesome burst speed.
- Canon 60D is great for action, low light, and portraits while Canon 7D is great for action, low light, portraits, and video.
- Canon 60D is recommended for Intermediate to Advanced levels while Canon 7D is recommended for Advanced to Semi-Professional ones.
- Canon 60D’s competitor is the Nikon D7000 while the Canon 7D’s competitor is the Nikon D300s.
After carefully comparing the two cameras, some photographers or users preferred the Canon EOS 7D for the following primary reasons (in priority order):
- AF Micro-Adjust
- Buttons and controls
- Image Quality
- Ergonomics
- Burst Speed
To summarize it all, the Canon EOS 60D is a pretty good complete camera. It is considered a do-it-all sort of a solid camera that action photographers can take advantage of because of its 5.3 photo per second speed and 9 point autofocus features. All types of photographers will get to enjoy the Canon’s first flexible, swivel 3 inch LCD screen on a DSLR. But nothing is really left out of the Canon 7D. It can produce good quality photos at 8 per second speed and has a new 19 point autofocus. The 7D can capture full high definition video clips which is its winning feature against 60D.
After learning the differences between the two controversial cameras from Canon, try to weigh them and see which one will suit your needs. It is still up to you to decide which one to get. Choose the one that you know you will be comfortable using for a long time.
