D60 to 20D Upgrade -- First Impressions

[ian_hobday]

Well, I decided to trade in my D60 and EOS 3 and get a 20D. My

regular camera shop had some 20Ds in stock yesterday so I went down

and did it. Selling the D60 at such a huge loss was painful...<br>

<br>

Today my daughter had her yearly sports festival at school. This is

not at all my normal type of shooting but it was a good chance to take

a variety of types of photos and make my wife happy at the same time.

:) <br>

<br>

So, my first impressions, likes and dislikes: <br>

<br>

Overall I am happy with the camera. It came with the 1.0.5 firmware

and I had no lockup problems. I swapped lenses with the power on (as

I always do) and nothing "weird" happened. <br>

<br>

I think a big part of my list of good things matches what everyone

else has said: <br>

<br>

<b>-</b> Faster and more intelligent focusing<br>

<b>-</b> Ability to review images in the buffer<br>

<b>-</b> Immediate power-on<br>

<b>-</b> Joystick for scrolling through zoomed images<br>

<b>-</b> Clean high ISOs<br>

<b>-</b> Great battery life<br>

<br>

Beyond the above that everyone says I have a few to add: <br>

<br>

<b>-</b> I have large hands, but I would say the 20D with grip is more

comfortable than the D60 with grip<br>

<b>-</b> The ability to really zoom in on the thumbnail is far better

than what the D60 offered<br>

<b>-</b> The neck strap included with the 20D is far better than the

one that came with the D60<br>

<b>-</b> Being able to use AA batteries in the vertical grip is great!

Apparently only about 80 shots from a set of AA, but still useful if

"stuck".<br>

<br>

<br>

In the "different from what I've heard" department: <br>

<br>

<b>-</b> Some people say they are worried about mirror slap from the

20D. Although it is certainly a faster and stronger movement than the

D60 was, it is also <b>way</b> weaker and quieter than the EOS 3. I

don't think this will be a problem at all. <br>

<br>

<br>

And in the "things I miss or dislike" department: <br>

<br>

<b>-</b> Being unable to change the ISO using the Set button. I think

this is mostly habit though, I will get used to using the button near

the LCD. <br>

<b>-</b> Single battery charger included. Good for travel, but

annoying for use at home. I will buy another charger. <br>

<b>-</b> No camera power adapter in the box<br>

<b>-</b> The weird texture in the viewfinder bothers me<br>

<b>-</b> Because the VG takes AA batteries too the overall design of

it is blocky and too big. I dislike this. <br>

<b>-</b> Scrolling through full-size thumbnails is too slow. On the

D60 you could scroll full-speed through a "draft" view of the

thumbnails. Pausing for a brief time would bring up the sharp

thumbnail image. In this way it was possible to zip back and forth

through the thumbnails and I really miss this on the 20D. <br>

<br>

<br>

Finally the things I wish Canon had included: <br>

<br>

<b>-</b> Better TFT! It's too small Canon, and needs better

resolution. <br>

<b>-</b> ISO in the viewfinder! Even a "1" for ISO 100, "2" for 200

etc, maybe "L" for 50 and "H" for 1600, and "U" for 3200. This

wouldn't take up much space and would be very helpful. <br>

<b>-</b> Spot meter! Come on Canon, give us a spot meter. <br>

<br>

Of course there is a list as long as my arm of things I want... But

most wouldn't be realistic for a 20D, unfortunately. <br>

<br>

Overall very happy with the 20D. I feel it is a large and worthwhile

upgrade for a D60 user, and I am happy with my decision. <br>

<br>

Now to get some fast primes and do more night-life street shooting!<br>

<br>

Ian<br>

--<br>

Ian Hobday<br>

Osaka, Japan<br>

<a href="http://hobday.net/photos"

target="_blank">http://hobday.net/photos</a> (Opens in a new window.)

[501.4]

How was the "undokai"?

 

Out of curiosity, how much did you pay for it?

[robin_sibson1]

I have just bought a 20D, my first digital, to use alongside my -1v, although I am quickly starting to think that the -1v may start to gather some dust fairly soon. I am using my 17~40 as a standard zoom on the 20D. Works fine. When I choose to spend money on it, the new 10~22 will fix the gap at the wide end. No substitute in sight for the TS24, alas. Clear wins at the long end for wildlife. 50/2.5 works fine for the botanical close-up work I do a lot of, good results with my usual mixed daylight and flash technique with the MR-14EX. Big win on colour reproduction for some of the most demanding flower colours, like the blues of some Gentiana and Salvia species (always pinkish on film when any daylight is involved because of the UV) and the scarlets and reds of some of the other Salvia species (most film pigments just are not equal to the task).

 

As far as the 20D itself is concerned, I agree with much that Ian and others have said; overall it is a pretty together camera. I prefer the button-based control layout of the -1 series, but I can live with a mode dial if I have to. Permanently visible ISO setting would be nice, but I have no problem with the way it is changed on the 20D because I never got used to any alternative, although SET button plus MAIN dial would be really neat. With CF-13-1 set, selecting AF is MUCH easier than on the -1v, thanks to the brilliant joystick. I like a focusing screen with a good 'bite' (when I had a -3 I changed the screen from the Ec-N to the Ec-CIII), and I find the screen in the 20D allows me to focus quite easily for close-up work. Although it subtends a smaller angle at the eye than the -1v screen, this has the side effect of improving usability of the Angle Finder C. What I do not like about the screen is the presence of very obtrusive permanently displayed focusing points. I would like to be able to swap the functionality of the two control dials in Manual mode (as I can on the -1v), since I prefer to have the aperture control on the main dial; this is presumably a pure firmware issue. And it would be great if the built-in flash could act as a wireless master - if you are going to accept the vulnerability and limitations of a pop-up flash, it seems sensible to get as much mileage from it as possible. On the EOS-5 it actually zoomed with the lens.

[ian_hobday]

<b>Kent Lee wrote:</b> <i>How was the "undokai"?</i><br>

<br>

Too hot! It was 29 today in Osaka. But the event itself went off well. And I got some interesting pictures of other spectators as well as the typical pictures of my daughter running around.<br>

<br>

<i>Out of curiosity, how much did you pay for it?</i><br>

<br>

I got it for 160,000 plus tax at <a href="http://www.mapion.co.jp/c/f?grp=all&uc=1&scl=5000&el=135%2F30%2F31.731&pnf=1&size=500%2C500&nl=34%2F39%2F46.768" target="_blank">Tokiwa Camera</a> in Nipponbashi. They are just south of Exit 5 of Nipponbashi station. The service and selection at Tokiwa are excellent! I strongly recommend them if you are in Osaka. Unfortunately they do not have a homepage and do not do online/phone/mail sales. Old fashioned kind of place I guess, but they really are fantastic.<br>

<br>

Are you in Japan at the moment?<br>

<br>

Ian<br>

--<br>

Ian Hobday<br>

Osaka, Japan<br>

<a href="http://hobday.net/photos" target="_blank">http://hobday.net/photos</a> (Opens in a new window.)

[socke]

I was prepared to spent around 2.500 Euro on something with a bigger viewfinder and 1.3 sensor.

So I stick to my D60 and bought another lens and microdrive for the Canon, 10 rolls Tri-X and 10 rolls Sensia 100 for the Contax G2 and T-VS and a ticket to Mantanzas/Cuba.

And thanks to the letterhead of a local magazin and a friend working at the travel agency I got aditional 10kg free for photogear :-)

[digitmstr]

>>Selling the D60 at such a huge loss was painful...<<

 

sure, the dealer gave HALF (or less) of what he's going to sell it for. That's the case with trade ins.

[bieg]

The one thing I prefer about the D60 over the 20D (I own both) is being able to shoot RAW

in the basic modes. The 20D (as did the 10D also I believe) switches you back to large

jpeg. Strange that the D60 was the only camera in the D30 (My first Canon Digital), D60,

10D, 20D line. I hope they make it a firmware upgrade option as a custom function or

something.