Canon 60D vs Rebel

The Canon EOS 60D and the Canon EOS Digital Rebel (labelled Canon 300D in some countries) are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in August 2010 and August 2003. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The 60D has a resolution of 17.9 megapixels, whereas the Rebel provides 6.3 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon 60D		Canon Rebel
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF mount lenses		Canon EF mount lenses
17.9 MP – APS-C sensor		6.3 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/30p Video		no Video
ISO 100-6,400 (100 - 12,800)		ISO 100-1,600
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		1.8" LCD – 118k dots
Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
5.3 shutter flaps per second		2.5 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body		not weather sealed
1100 shots per battery charge		400 shots per battery charge
145 x 106 x 79 mm, 755 g		142 x 99 x 72 mm, 649 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS 60D and the Canon EOS Digital Rebel? 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.

Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Canon 60D and the Canon Rebel is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon Rebel is notably smaller (9 percent) than the Canon 60D. Moreover, the Rebel is markedly lighter (14 percent) than the 60D. It is worth mentioning in this context that the 60D is splash and dust resistant, while the Rebel does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

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 60D gets 1100 shots out of its Canon LP-E6 battery, while the Rebel can take 400 images on a single charge of its Canon BP-511 power pack.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. 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.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon 60D	145 mm	106 mm	79 mm	755 g	1100	Y	Aug 2010	US$ 1 399	ebay.com
2.		Canon Rebel	142 mm	99 mm	72 mm	649 g	400	n	Aug 2003	US$ 899	ebay.com
3.		Canon 1D Mark IV	156 mm	157 mm	80 mm	1230 g	1500	Y	Oct 2009	US$ 4 999	ebay.com
4.		Canon 7D	148 mm	111 mm	74 mm	860 g	800	Y	Sep 2009	US$ 1 699	ebay.com
5.		Canon 7D II	149 mm	112 mm	78 mm	910 g	670	Y	Sep 2014	US$ 1 799	ebay.com
6.		Canon 10D	150 mm	107 mm	75 mm	850 g	500	n	Feb 2003	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
7.		Canon 20D	144 mm	106 mm	72 mm	770 g	700	n	Aug 2004	US$ 1 499	ebay.com
8.		Canon 50D	146 mm	108 mm	74 mm	822 g	800	Y	Aug 2008	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
9.		Canon 70D	139 mm	104 mm	79 mm	755 g	920	Y	Jul 2013	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
10.		Canon 80D	139 mm	105 mm	79 mm	730 g	960	Y	Feb 2016	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
11.		Canon G3 X	123 mm	77 mm	105 mm	733 g	300	Y	Jun 2015	US$ 999	ebay.com
12.		Canon T6s	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	565 g	440	n	Feb 2015	US$ 649	ebay.com
13.		Canon T7i	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	532 g	600	n	Feb 2017	US$ 749	ebay.com
14.		Canon XT	127 mm	94 mm	64 mm	540 g	400	n	Feb 2005	US$ 899	ebay.com
15.		Nikon D7000	132 mm	105 mm	77 mm	780 g	1050	Y	Sep 2010	US$ 1 499	ebay.com
16.		Sony RX10	129 mm	88 mm	102 mm	813 g	420	Y	Oct 2013	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX10 II	129 mm	88 mm	102 mm	813 g	400	Y	Jun 2015	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The Rebel was launched at a markedly lower price (by 36 percent) than the 60D, which puts it into a different market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. 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 imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels 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 are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the Rebel is 3 percent bigger. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.6. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Despite having a slightly smaller sensor, the Canon 60D offers a higher resolution of 17.9 megapixels, compared with 6.3 MP of the Canon Rebel. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 4.31μm versus 7.38μm for the Rebel). However, it should be noted that the 60D is much more recent (by 7 years) than the Rebel, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that make it possible to gather light more efficiently.

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 Rebel are 15.4 x 10.2 inches or 39 x 26 cm for good quality, 12.3 x 8.2 inches or 31.2 x 20.8 cm for very good quality, and 10.2 x 6.8 inches or 26 x 17.3 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Canon EOS 60D has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 6400, which can be extended to ISO 100-12800. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS Digital Rebel are ISO 100 to ISO 1600 (no boost).

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.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). Of the two cameras under review, the 60D provides substantially higher image quality than the Rebel, with an overall score that is 11 points higher. This advantage is based on 1.2 bits higher color depth, 0.7 EV in additional dynamic range, and 0.6 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon 60D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.2	11.5	813	66
2.		Canon Rebel	APS-C	6.3	3072	2048	none	21.0	10.8	544	55
3.		Canon 1D Mark IV	APS-H	16.0	4896	3264	1080/30p	22.8	12.0	1320	74
4.		Canon 7D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.0	11.7	854	66
5.		Canon 7D II	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.4	11.8	1082	70
6.		Canon 10D	APS-C	6.3	3072	2048	none	21.1	10.9	571	57
7.		Canon 20D	APS-C	8.2	3504	2336	none	21.9	11.0	721	62
8.		Canon 50D	APS-C	15.1	4752	3168	none	21.8	11.4	696	63
9.		Canon 70D	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	22.5	11.6	926	68
10.		Canon 80D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.2	1135	79
11.		Canon G3 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.4	12.3	521	63
12.		Canon T6s	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.6	12.0	915	70
13.		Canon T7i	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.7	13.1	1586	80
14.		Canon XT	APS-C	8.0	3456	2304	none	21.8	10.8	637	60
15.		Nikon D7000	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/24p	23.5	13.9	1167	80
16.		Sony RX10	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.9	12.6	474	69
17.		Sony RX10 II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	23.0	12.6	531	70
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. The 60D indeed provides movie recording capabilities, while the Rebel does not. The highest resolution format that the 60D can use is 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The 60D and the Rebel 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 viewfinder in the 60D offers a wider field of view (96%) than the one in the Rebel (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the 60D has a higher magnification (0.59x vs 0.55x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon 60D and Canon Rebel in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

Core Features

		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 60D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	n	1/8000s	5.3/s	Y	n
2.		Canon Rebel	optical	n	1.8 / 118	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
3.		Canon 1D Mark IV	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	n
4.		Canon 7D	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon 7D II	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	10.0/s	Y	n
6.		Canon 10D	optical	Y	1.8 / 118	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon 20D	optical	Y	1.8 / 118	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	n
8.		Canon 50D	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.3/s	Y	n
9.		Canon 70D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	n
10.		Canon 80D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	n
11.		Canon G3 X	optional	n	3.2 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/2000s	5.9/s	Y	Y
12.		Canon T6s	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
13.		Canon T7i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
14.		Canon XT	optical	n	1.8 / 115	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
15.		Nikon D7000	optical	Y	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	Y	n
16.		Sony RX10	1440	Y	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/3200s	10.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Sony RX10 II	2359	Y	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/3200s	14.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that is present on the 60D, but is missing on the Rebel is a top-level LCD. While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.

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

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 60D and Canon EOS Digital Rebel and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Canon 60D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Canon Rebel	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
3.		Canon 1D Mark IV	Y	stereo / -	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Canon 7D	Y	mono / -	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Canon 7D II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
6.		Canon 10D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
7.		Canon 20D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
8.		Canon 50D	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Canon 70D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
10.		Canon 80D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Canon G3 X	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Canon T6s	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Canon T7i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
14.		Canon XT	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Nikon D7000	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Sony RX10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
17.		Sony RX10 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Canon 60D (unlike the Rebel) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

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

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Which of the two cameras – the Canon 60D or the Canon Rebel – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS 60D:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (17.9 vs 6.3MP) with a 69% higher linear resolution.
• Better image quality: Scores substantially higher (11 points) in the DXO overall assessment.
• Richer colors: Generates images with noticeably better colors (1.2 bits more color depth).
• More dynamic range: Captures a larger spectrum of light and dark details (0.7 EV of extra DR).
• Better low-light sensitivity: Requires less light for good images (0.6 stops ISO advantage).
• Broader imaging potential: Can record not only still images but also 1080/30p movies.
• More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (96% vs 95%).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.59x vs 0.55x).
• Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 1.8") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 118k 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.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (5.3 vs 2.5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (1100 versus 400) on a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (2.0 vs 1.1).
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• More modern: Reflects 7 years of technical progress since the Rebel launch.

Advantages of the Canon EOS Digital Rebel:

• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 106g or 14 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (36 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in August 2003).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the 60D is the clear winner of the match-up (20 : 3 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon 60D and the Canon Rebel 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 technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the 60D or the Rebel. 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 where reviews by experts come in. 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.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon 60D	5/5	+	..	79/100	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2010	US$ 1 399	ebay.com
2.		Canon Rebel	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Aug 2003	US$ 899	ebay.com
3.		Canon 1D Mark IV	5/5	..	..	89/100	..	..	Oct 2009	US$ 4 999	ebay.com
4.		Canon 7D	5/5	+ +	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2009	US$ 1 699	ebay.com
5.		Canon 7D II	4.5/5	+	3.5/5	84/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	US$ 1 799	ebay.com
6.		Canon 10D	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Feb 2003	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
7.		Canon 20D	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Aug 2004	US$ 1 499	ebay.com
8.		Canon 50D	..	+ +	..	+ +	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2008	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
9.		Canon 70D	5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2013	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
10.		Canon 80D	4/5	+ +	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
11.		Canon G3 X	3.5/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2015	US$ 999	ebay.com
12.		Canon T6s	5/5	+	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	US$ 649	ebay.com
13.		Canon T7i	4.5/5	..	3.5/5	80/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	US$ 749	ebay.com
14.		Canon XT	..	80/100	..	+ +	o	..	Feb 2005	US$ 899	ebay.com
15.		Nikon D7000	4/5	..	..	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2010	US$ 1 499	ebay.com
16.		Sony RX10	5/5	+	..	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2013	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX10 II	5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2015	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, 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 comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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Other camera comparisons

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