Canon SX60 Review

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Basic Specifications
Full model name:	Canon PowerShot SX60 HS
Resolution:	16.10 Megapixels
Sensor size:	1/2.3 inch (6.2mm x 4.6mm)
Lens:	65.00x zoom (21-1,365mm eq.)
Viewfinder:	EVF / LCD
Native ISO:	100 - 3200
Extended ISO:	100 - 6400
Shutter:	1/2000 - 15 sec
Max Aperture:	3.4
Dimensions:	5.0 x 3.6 x 4.5 in. (128 x 93 x 114 mm)
Weight:	22.9 oz (650 g) includes batteries
Availability:	10/2014
Manufacturer:	Canon
Full specs:	Canon SX60 specifications

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Canon SX60 HS

SX60 Deals

16.10 Megapixels	65.00x zoom	1/2.3 inch size sensor

Canon SX60 HS Review -- Hands-on Preview

By Dave Pardue
Preview posted 09/15/2014

The Canon SX50 HS, released in late 2012, boasted an already impressive 50x zoom range and received not only a coveted Dave's Pick from us, but an even rarer 5.0 overall rating. The SX60 HS, debuting almost a full two years later, leapfrogs a few 60x offerings from other manufacturers this year, including the Nikon P600, and brings to the table the world's first 65x fixed lens optical zoom camera.

With an equivalent focal length range of a generous 21mm at wide angle to a whopping 1365mm at the tele end, and boasting a 4x digital mode to extend that range, this model certainly appears to have you covered if super-zooming is your passion. The SX50 HS sported a 24-1200mm eq. range by comparison, while the Nikon P600 offers a 24-1440mm eq. range - which is slightly longer on the tele end but not nearly as wide in comparison.

Design. The most significant design upgrade on the SX60 HS is the re-designed grip, one that Canon refers to as "EOS-styled". Borrowing the design from their DSLRs, the SX60's grip is in fact even slightly larger than that on the SL1 according to Canon. This is a move to allow for better stability in keeping steady at longer focal lengths, and also to provide a more attractive and comfortable grip.

EOS-styled grip: Borrowing the grip style from cameras like the SL1, the SX60 HS (shown below) looks a great deal sleeker and more modern than the SX50 HS from two years ago. The model name has also been moved to the lower corner.

Electronics. Taking a look under the hood, the SX60 HS sports a 16.1 megapixel 1/2.3" CMOS sensor as compared to its predecessor's 12.1MP chip, along with a DIGIC 6 image processor -- a combination that Canon claims will extend the capabilities of their HS (high sensitivity) system and produce better results in low light shooting. As with the SX50 HS, RAW capture is supported on this model in .CR2 format.

ISO is offered from 100-3200 in regular shooting modes and extends to 6400 for low light mode. Metering is switchable between Evaluative, Center-weighted and Spot. Shutter speeds range from 1 - 1/2000s, with 15s available in Tv and M mode. The built-in flash has settings for Auto, On, Slow Synchro and Off. And there are traditional 2-sec and 10-sec delay self-timers, and also a custom self-timer with variable increments for both time and number of shots. Face detection mode and Tracking AF are both offered on the SX60 HS, with full resolution shooting possible up to a reported 6.4 fps when not in Tracking AF mode.

Optics. The single largest trade-off that most fixed lens models are forced to make for super zooming is in the area of aperture, and the SX60 is no exception, retaining the same range as the SX50 of f/3.4 to f/6.5. This is also similar to the Nikon P600's aperture range, but not as bright as models like the Panasonic FZ70 which has a range of f/2.8 to f/5.9 across its 60x capabilities. In addition, image stabilization is reported to be improved in their Intelligent IS system, now featuring what Canon calls eight-mode shake correction.

Enhancements. In addition to that now gargantuan zoom range, there are a few more rather notable improvements to this model, and we'll start in the area of zoom assist functionality. While the SX50 HS sports Zoom Framing Assist, which allows the zoom position to be saved while the lens zooms out temporarily to allow you to "find your position", the SX60 HS takes this a few steps further. First, when in the temporary zoomed out position, there's now a box on the LCD to delineate the actual zoom position. Second, there are presets that allow shooters to choose among settings for whole body, upper body or face, which instructs the camera to choose that composition during zoom assist. If that sounds complicated, it is, but once you see it in action it's a neat feature and easy to use as well. After all, the zoom range is so long that it's tough to keep your subject in the proverbial crosshairs, and this is a terrific tool for assistance in doing that with just the push of a button.

Moving onto additional enhancements, there's now an external microphone jack to allow for higher quality sound in your videos, and some additional video enhancements that we'll cover in a bit.

Rear view. Another major improvement to the line is the new 922K dot vari-angle LCD and the 922k dot electronic viewfinder, both significantly higher in resolution than the SX50 HS. The interface and thumb rest area are also sleeker than the predecessor's, sharing the aesthetic upgrades of the front grip. The hot shoe is reported to be fully compatible with all Canon EX-series speedlights as well.

Video. Extending Full HD (1920x1080) with 30p and 60p options is the big story in the video department, as the SX50 HS only offered 24p here. Users can choose manual exposure mode or fully automatic, including a wealth of scene modes (21) to help assist you if needed. And as referenced above, there is now an external microphone jack, and audio can be adjusted manually -- including while shooting -- giving a somewhat more professional-grade video experience overall.

As with most cameras these days, zooming is fully operational during movie recording. Super slow motion video is offered in both VGA and QVGA resolutions, and Miniature Effect in both HD and VGA resolutions as well. Video is now compressed with H.264 into MP4 files, switching from .MOV files in the previous model.

Wireless functionality. Yet another upgrade to the line is the addition of both built-in Wi-Fi and NFC capabilities, both of which Canon reports to be significantly more streamlined for intuitive usability compared to wireless connectivity on previous models in other lines. However, there is currently no wireless control listed in Canon's specs for this model.

Battery and storage. Power for the SX60 HS is supplied via a rechargeable lithium-ion pack (NB-10L) as found in the SX50 HS, and the camera comes with the CB-2LC dedicated battery charger. Canon's ACK-DC80 AC Adapter Kit is compatible and available separately.

The SX60's battery is rated for 340 shots with the LCD and 450 shots using ECO mode. This is up from 315/335 with the SX50 HS. Supported storage media includes SD/SDHC/SDXC and UHS-1 memory cards. Canon's cloud service, Image Gateway, comes free of charge including 10GB of free storage, a nice little bonus feature.

Pricing and availability. The Canon PowerShot SX60 HS is scheduled to ship from October 2014 at an estimated retail price of US$549, available in black only.

Comparison shopping?

There are a whole host of super-zooms in the market offering similar features and close to as much zoom range, so we decided to pit them head-to-head in our 2014 Best Superzoom shootout with 8 cameras all extending to 1200mm eq. zoom range or beyond, and the earlier SX50 is also included in the shootout. Check it out for all the details!

In addition to our Best Superzoom shootout, clicking on any of the following will take you to our new comparison pages where you can see features, pros and cons listed for virtually any pair of cameras you'd like to compare. Here are a few obvious choices to compare to the SX60 HS: