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Canon 50D vs 60D

The Canon EOS 50D and the Canon EOS 60D are two enthusiast cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in August 2008 and August 2010. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The 50D has a resolution of 15.1 megapixels, whereas the 60D provides 17.9 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications
Canon 50D
versus
Canon 60D
Canon 50D   Canon 60D
Digital single lens reflex Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF mount lenses Canon EF mount lenses
15.1 MP – APS-C sensor 17.9 MP – APS-C sensor
no Video 1080/30p Video
ISO 100-3,200 (100 - 12,800) ISO 100-6,400 (100 - 12,800)
Optical viewfinder Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 920k dots 3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive) Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)
6.3 shutter flaps per second 5.3 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed bodyWeathersealed body
800 shots per battery charge1100 shots per battery charge
146 x 108 x 74 mm, 822 g 145 x 106 x 79 mm, 755 g
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS 50D and the Canon EOS 60D? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

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Body comparison

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Canon 50D and the Canon 60D. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Size Canon 50D vs Canon 60D
Compare 50D versus 60D top
Comparison 50D or 60D rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon 60D is somewhat smaller (3 percent) than the Canon 50D. Moreover, the 60D is markedly lighter (8 percent) than the 50D. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. In this particular case, both cameras feature the same lens mount, so that they can use the same lenses. You can compare the optics available in the Canon EF Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the 50D gets 800 shots out of its Canon BP-511A battery, while the 60D can take 1100 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E6 power pack.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

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Body Specifications
  empty Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price
Street
Price
1.
 
Canon 50D 146 mm 108 mm 74 mm 822 g 800 Y Aug 2008 US$ 1 299ebay.com
2.
 
Canon 60D 145 mm 106 mm 79 mm 755 g 1100 Y Aug 2010 US$ 1 399ebay.com
3.
 
Canon 7D 148 mm 111 mm 74 mm 860 g 800 Y Sep 2009 US$ 1 699ebay.com
4.
 
Canon 7D II 149 mm 112 mm 78 mm 910 g 670 Y Sep 2014 US$ 1 799ebay.com
5.
 
Canon 20D 144 mm 106 mm 72 mm 770 g 700 n Aug 2004 US$ 1 499ebay.com
6.
 
Canon 30D 144 mm 106 mm 74 mm 785 g 750 n Feb 2006 US$ 1 399ebay.com
7.
 
Canon 40D 146 mm 108 mm 74 mm 822 g 750 n Aug 2007 US$ 1 299ebay.com
8.
 
Canon 70D 139 mm 104 mm 79 mm 755 g 920 Y Jul 2013 US$ 1 199ebay.com
9.
 
Canon 80D 139 mm 105 mm 79 mm 730 g 960 Y Feb 2016 US$ 1 199ebay.com
10.
 
Canon 90D 141 mm 105 mm 77 mm 701 g 1300 Y Aug 2019 US$ 1 199 amazon.com
11.
 
Canon T1i 129 mm 98 mm 62 mm 520 g 400 n Mar 2009 US$ 799ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The 50D was somewhat cheaper (by 7 percent) than the 60D at launch, but both cameras fall into the same price category. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.6. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Canon 50D and Canon 60D sensor measures

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the 60D offers a higher resolution of 17.9 megapixels, compared with 15.1 MP of the 50D. This megapixels advantage translates into a 9 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the 60D has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 4.31μm versus 4.69μm for the 50D). However, it should be noted that the 60D is much more recent (by 2 years) than the 50D, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that compensate for the smaller pixel size.

The resolution advantage of the Canon 60D implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the 60D for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 25.9 x 17.3 inches or 65.8 x 43.9 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 20.7 x 13.8 inches or 52.7 x 35.1 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 17.3 x 11.5 inches or 43.9 x 29.3 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon 50D are 23.8 x 15.8 inches or 60.4 x 40.2 cm for good quality, 19 x 12.7 inches or 48.3 x 32.2 cm for very good quality, and 15.8 x 10.6 inches or 40.2 x 26.8 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Canon EOS 50D has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 3200, which can be extended to ISO 100-12800. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS 60D are ISO 100 to ISO 6400, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-12800.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

50D versus 60D MP

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The Overall DXO ratings for the two cameras under consideration are close, suggesting that they provide similar imaging performance. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

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Sensor Characteristics
  empty Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Canon 50D APS-C 15.1 4752 3168none21.811.469663
2.
 
Canon 60D APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p22.211.581366
3.
 
Canon 7D APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p22.011.785466
4.
 
Canon 7D II APS-C 20.0 5472 36481080/60p22.411.8108270
5.
 
Canon 20D APS-C 8.2 3504 2336none21.911.072162
6.
 
Canon 30D APS-C 8.2 3504 2336none21.510.873659
7.
 
Canon 40D APS-C 10.1 3888 2592none22.111.370364
8.
 
Canon 70D APS-C 20.0 5472 36481080/30p22.511.692668
9.
 
Canon 80D APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p23.613.2113579
10.
 
Canon 90D APS-C 32.3 6960 46404K/30p24.013.5184883
11.
 
Canon T1i APS-C 15.1 4752 31681080/20p21.711.566363
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. The 60D indeed provides for movie recording, while the 50D does not. The highest resolution format that the 60D can use is 1080/30p.

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Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The 50D and the 60D are similar in the sense that both have an optical viewfinder. The latter is useful for getting a clear image for framing even in brightly lit environments. The viewfinders of both cameras offer the same magnification (0.59x), but the one in the 60D has a wider field of view (96%) than the finder in the 50D (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Canon 50D, the Canon 60D, and comparable cameras.

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Core Features
  empty Camera
Model
Viewfinder
(Type or
000 dots)
Control
Panel
(yes/no)
LCD
Specifications
(inch/000 dots)
LCD
Attach-
ment
Touch
Screen
(yes/no)
Max
Shutter
Speed *
Max
Shutter
Flaps *
Built-in
Flash
(yes/no)
Built-in
Image
Stab
1.
 
Canon 50Doptical Y3.0 / 920 fixed n 1/8000s 6.3/s Y n
2.
 
Canon 60Doptical Y3.0 / 1040 swivel n 1/8000s 5.3/s Y n
3.
 
Canon 7Doptical Y3.0 / 920 fixed n 1/8000s 8.0/s Y n
4.
 
Canon 7D IIoptical Y3.0 / 1040 fixed n 1/8000s 10.0/s Y n
5.
 
Canon 20Doptical Y1.8 / 118 fixed n 1/8000s 5.0/s Y n
6.
 
Canon 30Doptical Y2.5 / 230 fixed n 1/8000s 5.0/s Y n
7.
 
Canon 40Doptical Y3.0 / 230 fixed n 1/8000s 6.5/s Y n
8.
 
Canon 70Doptical Y3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/8000s 7.0/s Y n
9.
 
Canon 80Doptical Y3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/8000s 7.0/s Y n
10.
 
Canon 90Doptical Y3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/8000s 11.0/s Y n
11.
 
Canon T1ioptical n3.0 / 920 fixed n 1/4000s 3.4/s Y n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.
The 60D has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing. This characteristic will be appreciated by vloggers and photographers who are interested in taking selfies. In contrast, the 50D does not have a selfie-screen.

The 50D writes its imaging data to Compact Flash cards, while the 60D uses SDXC cards.

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Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon EOS 50D and Canon EOS 60D and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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Input-Output Connections
  empty Camera
Model
Hotshoe
Port
Internal
Mic / Speaker
Microphone
Port
Headphone
Port
HDMI
Port
USB
Port
WiFi
Support
NFC
Support
Bluetooth
Support
1.
 
Canon 50DY- / ---mini2.0---
2.
 
Canon 60DYmono / monoY-mini2.0---
3.
 
Canon 7DYmono / -Y-mini2.0---
4.
 
Canon 7D IIYstereo / monoYYmini3.0---
5.
 
Canon 20DY- / ----1.1---
6.
 
Canon 30DY- / ----2.0---
7.
 
Canon 40DY- / ----2.0---
8.
 
Canon 70DYstereo / monoY-mini2.0Y--
9.
 
Canon 80DYstereo / monoYYmini2.0YY-
10.
 
Canon 90DYstereo / monoYYmini2.0Y-Y
11.
 
Canon T1iYmono / mono--mini2.0---

Both cameras feature a PC Sync terminal to control professional strobe lights, which will be appreciated by studio photographers.

Both the 50D and the 60D have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The 50D was replaced by the Canon 60D, while the 60D was followed by the Canon 70D. Further information on the features and operation of the 50D and 60D can be found, respectively, in the Canon 50D Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon 60D Manual.

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Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is the Canon 50D better than the Canon 60D or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.


Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS 50D:

  • Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (6.3 vs 5.3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
  • More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in August 2008).


Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS 60D:

  • More detail: Has more megapixels (17.9 vs 15.1MP), which boosts linear resolution by 9%.
  • Broader imaging potential: Can capture not only stills but also 1080/30p video.
  • More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (96% vs 95%).
  • More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 920k dots).
  • More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
  • More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
  • Longer lasting: Gets more shots (1100 versus 800) out of a single battery charge.
  • More modern: Was introduced somewhat (2 years) more recently.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the 60D is the clear winner of the contest (9 : 2 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

50D 02:09 60D

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon 50D and the Canon 60D place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the 50D and the 60D in practical situations. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

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Expert Camera Reviews
  empty  Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price
Street
Price
1.
 
Canon 50D..+ +..+ +4.5/54.5/5 Aug 2008 US$ 1 299ebay.com
2.
 
Canon 60D5/5+..79/1004/54.5/5 Aug 2010 US$ 1 399ebay.com
3.
 
Canon 7D5/5+ +..84/1004.5/54.5/5 Sep 2009 US$ 1 699ebay.com
4.
 
Canon 7D II4.5/5+3.5/584/1004/54.5/5 Sep 2014 US$ 1 799ebay.com
5.
 
Canon 20D......+ +.... Aug 2004 US$ 1 499ebay.com
6.
 
Canon 30D..+ +..+ +o.. Feb 2006 US$ 1 399ebay.com
7.
 
Canon 40D..+ +..+ +4.5/54.5/5 Aug 2007 US$ 1 299ebay.com
8.
 
Canon 70D5/5+ +..83/1004.5/55/5 Jul 2013 US$ 1 199ebay.com
9.
 
Canon 80D4/5+ +4.5/584/1004.5/54.5/5 Feb 2016 US$ 1 199ebay.com
10.
 
Canon 90D4/5+4.5/585/1004.5/54.5/5 Aug 2019 US$ 1 199 amazon.com
11.
 
Canon T1i..+ +..74/1004.5/54.5/5 Mar 2009 US$ 799ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just use the search menu below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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    Specifications: Canon 50D vs Canon 60D

    Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.

    Camera Specifications
    Camera Model Canon 50D Canon 60D
    Camera Type Digital single lens reflex Digital single lens reflex
    Camera Lens Canon EF mount lenses Canon EF mount lenses
    Launch Date August 2008 August 2010
    Launch Price USD 1,299 USD 1,399
    Sensor Specs Canon 50D Canon 60D
    Sensor Technology CMOS CMOS
    Sensor Format APS-C Sensor APS-C Sensor
    Sensor Size 22.3 x 14.9 mm 22.3 x 14.9 mm
    Sensor Area 332.27 mm2 332.27 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 26.8 mm 26.8 mm
    Crop Factor 1.6x 1.6x
    Sensor Resolution 15.1 Megapixels 17.9 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 4752 x 3168 pixels 5184 x 3456 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 4.69 μm 4.31 μm
    Pixel Density 4.53 MP/cm2 5.39 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability no Video 1080/30p Video
    ISO Setting 100 - 3,200 ISO 100 - 6,400 ISO
    ISO Boost 100 - 12,800 ISO 100 - 12,800 ISO
    Image Processor DIGIC 4 DIGIC 4
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 63 66
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 21.8 22.2
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 11.4 11.5
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 696 813
    Screen Specs Canon 50D Canon 60D
    Viewfinder Type Optical viewfinder Optical viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 95% 96%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.59x 0.59x
    Top-Level Screen Control Panel Control Panel
    LCD Framing Live View Live View
    Rear LCD Size 3.0inch 3.0inch
    LCD Resolution 920k dots 1040k dots
    LCD Attachment Fixed screen Swivel screen
    Shooting Specs Canon 50D Canon 60D
    Focus System Phase-detect AF Phase-detect AF
    Continuous Shooting 6.3 shutter flaps/s 5.3 shutter flaps/s
    Shutter Life Expectancy100 000 actuations100 000 actuations
    Fill Flash Built-in Flash Built-in Flash
    Storage Medium CF cards SDXC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot Single card slot
    Connectivity Specs Canon 50D Canon 60D
    External Flash Hotshoe Hotshoe
    Studio Flash PC Sync socket PC Sync socket
    USB Connector USB 2.0 USB 2.0
    HDMI Port mini HDMI mini HDMI
    Microphone Port no MIC socket External MIC port
    Wifi Support no Wifi no Wifi
    Body Specs Canon 50D Canon 60D
    Environmental SealingWeathersealed bodyWeathersealed body
    Battery Type Canon BP-511A Canon LP-E6
    Battery Life (CIPA)800 shots per charge1100 shots per charge
    Body Dimensions 146 x 108 x 74 mm
    (5.7 x 4.3 x 2.9 in)
    145 x 106 x 79 mm
    (5.7 x 4.2 x 3.1 in)
    Camera Weight 822 g (29.0 oz) 755 g (26.6 oz)
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