Canon SX60HS in Action (3 Viewers)

crazyfingers · Dec 11, 2016

Something else I have noticed about the SX60 that would be a serious problem is the way that Framing Assist works. When Framing assist is pressed of course the zoom backs off but the area outside of the original frame is darkened and the origional frame, now small in the screen, is bright. This is not what's needed when the bird jumps out of the frame. It forces hunting for the bird in an arbitrarily darkened area. Not good!

With the SX50 using Framing Assist the area inside and outside of the original frame are the same brightness and brightness doesn't change.

On the SX60 I can just imagine how hard it will be to re-find the Dark-Eyed Junk that's just jumped outside of the frame!

HermitIbis · Dec 11, 2016

crazyfingers said:
Something else I have noticed about the SX60 that would be a serious problem is the way that Framing Assist works. When Framing assist is pressed of course the zoom backs off but the area outside of the original frame is darkened and the origional frame, now small in the screen, is bright. This is not what's needed when the bird jumps out of the frame. It forces hunting for the bird in an arbitrarily darkened area. Not good!

With the SX50 using Framing Assist the area inside and outside of the original frame are the same brightness and brightness doesn't change.

On the SX60 I can just imagine how hard it will be to re-find the Dark-Eyed Junk that's just jumped outside of the frame!

Ouch. That doesn't sound good. Zooming out with the framing button was one of my favourites with the SX50.

I just notice that another "Canon PowerShot SX 70 HS - Zoom Test" video was published nine hours ago. (Of course there is no guarantee that this is the real thing, and not just someone with another camera.)

crazyfingers · Dec 11, 2016

HermitIbis said:
Ouch. That doesn't sound good. Zooming out with the framing button was one of my favourites with the SX50.

Yes. At max I don't know how I would get along without it following the bird as it keeps jumping out of the frame. It's a must-have feature when birding.

I just notice that another "Canon PowerShot SX 70 HS - Zoom Test" video was published nine hours ago. (Of course there is no guarantee that this is the real thing, and not just someone with another camera.)

Time may tell!

crazyfingers · Dec 11, 2016

So the hope that the SX60 would be a good upgrade to the SX50 didn't work out. |=(| It's going to be returned. It will take me a few days to get around to it. If anyone wants something tested speak up soon before it's shipped out.

Condor305 · Dec 13, 2016

Apples to apples comparrison

Hello Crazy Fingers, I have been lurking for some time on this subject. It was your observations that compelled me to purchase a second SX50. I purchased my first one at Best Buy because I wanted to purchase an extended warranty, something I never do. That was September 2013. October 2014 the camera died after about 250,000 photo. Took it back to BB and they gave me another but with a bit of a hassle because the SX60 was out and they were no longer making or promoting the 50 so they had none in there store. Luckily there was one at a store 100 miles away and they got that one. I have since bought a second one from ebay as a backup. But I digress..

I have been seriously tempted to get a SX60 simply for the view finder, but I have resisted due to constant negatives on so many other issues. But I have one question as I listen to your analysis. It would seem that at some point it is no longer going to work to hand hold a telephoto lens no mater how much image stabilization there is. I question a comparison of maximum zoom out on both cameras because at some point you will pass the ability to hold a long lens steady. In fact you even said that indicating you had to steady on the car with the 60. It would seem that a better comparison would be to not zoom out past the max of the SX50 in order to actually get a even comparison.

crazyfingers · Dec 13, 2016

Condor305 said:
Hello Crazy Fingers, I have been lurking for some time on this subject. It was your observations that compelled me to purchase a second SX50. I purchased my first one at Best Buy because I wanted to purchase an extended warranty, something I never do. That was September 2013. October 2014 the camera died after about 250,000 photo. Took it back to BB and they gave me another but with a bit of a hassle because the SX60 was out and they were no longer making or promoting the 50 so they had none in there store. Luckily there was one at a store 100 miles away and they got that one. I have since bought a second one from ebay as a backup. But I digress..

I have been seriously tempted to get a SX60 simply for the view finder, but I have resisted due to constant negatives on so many other issues. But I have one question as I listen to your analysis. It would seem that at some point it is no longer going to work to hand hold a telephoto lens no mater how much image stabilization there is. I question a comparison of maximum zoom out on both cameras because at some point you will pass the ability to hold a long lens steady. In fact you even said that indicating you had to steady on the car with the 60. It would seem that a better comparison would be to not zoom out past the max of the SX50 in order to actually get a even comparison.

Hey there. I agree that at some point in terms of maximum zoom no image stabilization will be able to cope.

The SX50 has not reached that point yet. Personally I don't think that the SX60 should have reached that point because it's actual maximum zoom isn't that much greater than the SX50. But I think that there is something wrong with the SX60's image stabilization. Notice post #559 and #560 above, I tested the stabilization hand-held between the SX60 and SX50 and at least my experience was that at even a lower zoom than the SX50, 171mm x2x vs 215mm x2x , the SX60 was less able to stabilize using a zoom factor that was lower than the SX50. That says to me that it's must not as good as the SX50 stabilization and that observation has been a pretty consistent theme with the SX60 but I think mainly only noticeable to people who have experienced how good the SX50's stabilization is.

Condor305 · Dec 14, 2016

It does seem that the people that are OK with the 60 have no or little experience with the 50. Going on you experiments, I am glad I have two 50s. My oldest and most used 50 seems slower on the focus that it used to, but it has been in service for over two years now and I am certain it has shot well over 200,000 shots. I still have 10 months on the three year warranty. As a birder first and photographer second, I have camera in my hand every day. Bird records committees really turn their noses up at a report without a photo these days

crazyfingers · Dec 14, 2016

I had the SX30 and loved it. I got the SX40 when it came out and I loved it. I got the SX50 when it came out and now I have three of them.

My sister in law now has the SX30. My wife uses the SX40.

I tired the Nikon P900 and hated it. I first took a pass on the SX60 because of the negative reports of image quality and stabilization but after 2 years gave it a try. No good.

I'm stuck. I love the SX50 but I wish that after 4 years now something better was out there.

But the SX50 is still the old reliable. It doesn't act up or behave badly and it's so easy to use. And from my testing, the 50 still has the best IQ and IS of the lot.

pshute · Dec 14, 2016

crazyfingers said:
That says to me that it's must not as good as the SX50 stabilization and that observation has been a pretty consistent theme with the SX60 but I think mainly only noticeable to people who have experienced how good the SX50's stabilization is.

I was starting to wonder that myself. Has anyone done a comparison of both of them at similar focal length and with IS turned off? They should be hard to aim, but equally hard.

crazyfingers · Dec 14, 2016

pshute said:
I was starting to wonder that myself. Has anyone done a comparison of both of them at similar focal length and with IS turned off? They should be hard to aim, but equally hard.

It could be interesting. But at this point I have the SX60 all packaged up and ready to drop off at the UPS store later today.

crazyfingers · Dec 14, 2016

Although the SX60 is now at the UPS store, I did a quick test on the SX50 at maximum zoom with Image Stabilization turned off and keeping the thing centered on a leaf way up in the trees was pretty much impossible. If there was a bird I would not have been able to keep the center rectangle on the bird at all. The image was all jumping around. I would probably not even have been able to tell if the bird was looking at me or looking away it was jumping around so rapidly.

The SX50 IS is truly remarkable.

pshute · Dec 15, 2016

crazyfingers said:
Although the SX60 is now at the UPS store, I did a quick test on the SX50 at maximum zoom with Image Stabilization turned off and keeping the thing centered on a leaf way up in the trees was pretty much impossible. If there was a bird I would not have been able to keep the center rectangle on the bird at all. The image was all jumping around. I would probably not even have been able to tell if the bird was looking at me or looking away it was jumping around so rapidly.

The SX50 IS is truly remarkable.

Thanks for doing that test. Apart from the difficulty getting the bird in frame, are the actual photos showing such a difference in IS effectiveness? I wonder if the problem is not that the IS doesn't fix vibration problems, but that it drifts. It makes you wonder why it even got released like that.

David142 · Dec 15, 2016

My SX40 has just developed a Lens Error .At four years old and unsure it can be repaired I will be in the market for a new Bridge Camera. In view of the adverse comments on the SX60 what other new camera should I go for.

crazyfingers · Dec 15, 2016

I don't know about the UK but here in the US there are still new Canon SX50's on Amazon. And I think that Canon USA sells refurbs still. Not sure what's still out there on your side of the pond but I'd first recommend checking what on-line resellers still have new SX50's available.

crazyfingers · Dec 15, 2016

Having a free moment I checked out more details on the SX50's still on Amazon (USA). The least expensive for a new one is $595, way higher than it's original price. Some resellers are asking $699 for the camera!

Checking my order history, I paid $424 for my first one in 2012. I paid $329 when I got my most recent one in August 2015.

Resellers appear to have gotten the message that there remains a demand for the SX50 long after it was discontinued and are jacking the price.

crazyfingers · Dec 15, 2016

pshute said:
Thanks for doing that test. Apart from the difficulty getting the bird in frame, are the actual photos showing such a difference in IS effectiveness? I wonder if the problem is not that the IS doesn't fix vibration problems, but that it drifts. It makes you wonder why it even got released like that.

You know, funny thing is I didn't actually snap any shots. I only observed that I couldn't keep the frame steady at all. I can do some shots and post them.

Tomorrow we are in the deep freeze with expected wind chill at -17 F. I can't promise I'll get outside right away.

pshute · Dec 20, 2016

birdboybowley said:
Why not use the 2x converter on the SX60? Mine outdid my mate's 50 every time....so much so he bought a 60 too. Never had any trouble keeping the 60 still on a subject...even at max zoom - the button on the barrel is a great way for additional stabilization but don't move the camera away fron your subject with it pressed in otherwise it'll have a spack. Dunno how people could ever see straight again after looking through the 50's evf.....

This posting has me wondering if the difficulties people seem to have with aiming the SX60 can be overcome with technique.

CalvinFold · Dec 20, 2016

pshute said:
This posting has me wondering if the difficulties people seem to have with aiming the SX60 can be overcome with technique.

Possibly.

Without the digital zoom or tele-converter I stopped using the framing assist.
I've used the 1.6x and 2.0x tele-converter on still subjects without the framing assist.
I don't "need" the tripod in either case as long as the shutter speed is above 1/250. I've just learned ways to hold and/or brace the camera with my body.
I don't even use the tripod as much as I thought I would except for really long distance shots or when there are alot of subjects making it worth the setup time (to prevent fatigue, not to stabilize the camera per se).

Now to be fair, I can't capture BiF when using the tele-converter, it's tough to track anything. I never use the Digital Zoom. Never. Ever. And rarely use the teleconverter unless I'm really desperate for a shot.

But I've long since remapped the framing assist button to instead toggle between the various tele-converter modes (none, 1.6x, 2.0x).

Granted it took some practice, but I've forgotten that I ever considered it a "problem" until someone new to the camera mentions it.

crazyfingers · Dec 21, 2016

CalvinFold said:
Possibly.

Without the digital zoom or tele-converter I stopped using the framing assist.

I've used the 1.6x and 2.0x tele-converter on still subjects without the framing assist.

I don't "need" the tripod in either case as long as the shutter speed is above 1/250. I've just learned ways to hold and/or brace the camera with my body.

I don't even use the tripod as much as I thought I would except for really long distance shots or when there are alot of subjects making it worth the setup time (to prevent fatigue, not to stabilize the camera per se).

Now to be fair, I can't capture BiF when using the tele-converter, it's tough to track anything. I never use the Digital Zoom. Never. Ever. And rarely use the teleconverter unless I'm really desperate for a shot.

But I've long since remapped the framing assist button to instead toggle between the various tele-converter modes (none, 1.6x, 2.0x).

Granted it took some practice, but I've forgotten that I ever considered it a "problem" until someone new to the camera mentions it.

One of the first things I did was assign the "frame Assist -lock" button, the lower button, to toggle the teleconverter. The location of the other wildcard button (s) I believe, was at a difficult location to use.

birdboybowley · Dec 21, 2016

I always used 2x converter and usually at full zoom...never had any issues. BiF shots were always zoomed out slightly though

Canon SX60HS in Action (3 Viewers)

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