Canon 5D vs 60D

The Canon EOS 5D and the Canon EOS 60D are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in August 2005 and August 2010. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are based on a full frame (5D) and an APS-C (60D) sensor. The 5D has a resolution of 12.7 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 5D		Canon 60D
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF mount lenses		Canon EF mount lenses
12.7 MP – Full Frame sensor		17.9 MP – APS-C sensor
no Video		1080/30p Video
ISO 100-1,600 (50 - 3,200)		ISO 100-6,400 (100 - 12,800)
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
2.5" LCD – 230k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)
3 shutter flaps per second		5.3 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
400 shots per battery charge		1100 shots per battery charge
152 x 113 x 75 mm, 895 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 5D 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.

Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Canon 5D and the Canon 60D is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. 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 60D is notably smaller (11 percent) than the Canon 5D. Moreover, the 60D is markedly lighter (16 percent) than the 5D. 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. A larger imaging sensor (as in the 5D) will tend to go along with bigger and heavier lenses, while more compact options are available for the smaller-sensor camera (60D). You can compare the optics available in the Canon EF Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the 5D gets 400 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 adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon 5D	152 mm	113 mm	75 mm	895 g	400	Y	Aug 2005	EUR 3 399	ebay.com
2.		Canon 60D	145 mm	106 mm	79 mm	755 g	1100	Y	Aug 2010	EUR 1 149	ebay.com
3.		Canon 1D Mark II N	156 mm	158 mm	80 mm	1565 g	1200	Y	Aug 2005	EUR 4 199	ebay.com
4.		Canon 5D Mark II	152 mm	114 mm	75 mm	850 g	850	Y	Sep 2008	EUR 3 299	ebay.com
5.		Canon 5D Mark III	152 mm	116 mm	76 mm	950 g	950	Y	Mar 2012	EUR 3 299	ebay.com
6.		Canon 5D Mark IV	151 mm	116 mm	76 mm	890 g	900	Y	Aug 2016	EUR 4 065	amazon.com
7.		Canon 5DS	152 mm	116 mm	76 mm	930 g	700	Y	Feb 2015	EUR 3 499	ebay.com
8.		Canon 5DS R	152 mm	116 mm	76 mm	930 g	700	Y	Feb 2015	EUR 3 699	ebay.com
9.		Canon 6D	145 mm	111 mm	71 mm	770 g	1090	Y	Sep 2012	EUR 1 999	ebay.com
10.		Canon 6D Mark II	144 mm	111 mm	75 mm	765 g	1200	Y	Jun 2017	EUR 2 099	amazon.com
11.		Canon 7D	148 mm	111 mm	74 mm	860 g	800	Y	Sep 2009	EUR 1 499	ebay.com
12.		Canon 7D II	149 mm	112 mm	78 mm	910 g	670	Y	Sep 2014	EUR 1 699	ebay.com
13.		Canon 50D	146 mm	108 mm	74 mm	822 g	800	Y	Aug 2008	EUR 1 099	ebay.com
14.		Canon 70D	139 mm	104 mm	79 mm	755 g	920	Y	Jul 2013	EUR 1 099	ebay.com
15.		Canon 80D	139 mm	105 mm	79 mm	730 g	960	Y	Feb 2016	EUR 1 285	ebay.com
16.		Nikon D700	147 mm	123 mm	77 mm	1074 g	1000	Y	Jul 2008	EUR 2 599	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 60D was launched at a markedly lower price (by 58 percent) than the 5D, which puts it into a different market segment. 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. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants 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. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon 5D features a full frame sensor and the Canon 60D an APS-C sensor. The sensor area in the 60D is 62 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.0 and 1.6. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Technology-wise, the 60D uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC 4) than the 5D (DIGIC 2), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

Despite having a smaller sensor, the 60D offers a higher resolution of 17.9 megapixels, compared with 12.7 MP of the 5D. 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 8.25μm for the 5D). However, it should be noted that the 60D is much more recent (by 5 years) than the 5D, 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 5D are 21.8 x 14.6 inches or 55.5 x 37 cm for good quality, 17.5 x 11.6 inches or 44.4 x 29.6 cm for very good quality, and 14.6 x 9.7 inches or 37 x 24.7 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Canon EOS 5D has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 1600, which can be extended to ISO 50-3200. 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.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. Of the two cameras under review, the 5D has a notably higher overall DXO score than the 60D (overall score 5 points higher), which gives it an advantage in terms of imaging quality. This advantage is based on 0.7 bits higher color depth, 0.4 EV of lower dynamic range, and 0.8 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 5D	Full Frame	12.7	4368	2912	none	22.9	11.1	1368	71
2.		Canon 60D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.2	11.5	813	66
3.		Canon 1D Mark II N	APS-H	8.2	3504	2336	none	22.3	11.2	975	66
4.		Canon 5D Mark II	Full Frame	21.0	5616	3744	1080/30p	23.7	11.9	1815	79
5.		Canon 5D Mark III	Full Frame	22.1	5760	3840	1080/30p	24.0	11.7	2293	81
6.		Canon 5D Mark IV	Full Frame	30.1	6720	4480	4K/30p	24.8	13.6	2995	91
7.		Canon 5DS	Full Frame	50.3	8688	5792	1080/30p	24.7	12.4	2381	87
8.		Canon 5DS R	Full Frame	50.3	8688	5792	1080/30p	24.6	12.4	2308	86
9.		Canon 6D	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	23.8	12.1	2340	82
10.		Canon 6D Mark II	Full Frame	26.0	6240	4160	1080/60p	24.4	11.9	2862	85
11.		Canon 7D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.0	11.7	854	66
12.		Canon 7D II	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.4	11.8	1082	70
13.		Canon 50D	APS-C	15.1	4752	3168	none	21.8	11.4	696	63
14.		Canon 70D	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	22.5	11.6	926	68
15.		Canon 80D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.2	1135	79
16.		Nikon D700	Full Frame	12.1	4256	2832	none	23.5	12.2	2303	80

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. The 60D indeed provides for movie recording, while the 5D does not. The highest resolution format that the 60D can use is 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The 5D 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 field of view (96%), but the viewfinder of the 5D has a higher magnification than the one of the 60D (0.71x vs 0.59x), 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 5D and Canon 60D 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 5D	optical	Y	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	3.0/s	n	n
2.		Canon 60D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	n	1/8000s	5.3/s	Y	n
3.		Canon 1D Mark II N	optical	Y	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.5/s	n	n
4.		Canon 5D Mark II	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	3.9/s	n	n
5.		Canon 5D Mark III	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	n	n
6.		Canon 5D Mark IV	optical	Y	3.2 / 1620	fixed	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	n	n
7.		Canon 5DS	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
8.		Canon 5DS R	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
9.		Canon 6D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.5/s	n	n
10.		Canon 6D Mark II	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.5/s	n	n
11.		Canon 7D	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.0/s	Y	n
12.		Canon 7D II	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	10.0/s	Y	n
13.		Canon 50D	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.3/s	Y	n
14.		Canon 70D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	n
15.		Canon 80D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	n
16.		Nikon D700	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.0/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The 60D has one, while the 5D does not. While the built-in flash of the 60D is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The 5D writes its imaging data to Compact Flash cards, while the 60D uses SDXC 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 5D and Canon EOS 60D 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 5D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Canon 60D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon 1D Mark II N	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
4.		Canon 5D Mark II	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Canon 5D Mark III	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Canon 5D Mark IV	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	Y	-
7.		Canon 5DS	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	3.0	-	-	-
8.		Canon 5DS R	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	3.0	-	-	-
9.		Canon 6D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
10.		Canon 6D Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
11.		Canon 7D	Y	mono / -	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Canon 7D II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
13.		Canon 50D	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Canon 70D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
15.		Canon 80D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Nikon D700	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

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

Both the 5D and the 60D have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The 5D was replaced by the Canon 5D Mark II, while the 60D was followed by the Canon 70D. Further information on the features and operation of the 5D and 60D can be found, respectively, in the Canon 5D Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon 60D Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Which of the two cameras – the Canon 5D or the Canon 60D – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS 5D:

• Better image quality: Scores markedly higher (5 points) in the DXO overall assessment.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Requires less light for good images (0.8 stops ISO advantage).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.71x vs 0.59x).
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in August 2005).

Advantages of the Canon EOS 60D:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (17.9 vs 12.7MP), which boosts linear resolution by 19%.
• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC 4 vs DIGIC 2).
• Broader imaging potential: Can capture not only stills but also 1080/30p video.
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 2.5") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 230k 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 burst: Shoots at higher frequency (5.3 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More compact: Is smaller (145x106mm vs 152x113mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 140g or 16 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (1100 versus 400) out of a single battery charge.
• Easier fill-in: Has a small integrated flash to brighten shadows of backlit subjects.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (58 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 5 years of technical progress since the 5D launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the 60D is the clear winner of the contest (14 : 4 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. 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 5D 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 specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the 5D or the 60D perform in practice. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera 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 5D	..	88/100	..	+ +	o	..	Aug 2005	EUR 3 399	ebay.com
2.		Canon 60D	5/5	+	..	79/100	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2010	EUR 1 149	ebay.com
3.		Canon 1D Mark II N	..	..	..	..	..	..	Aug 2005	EUR 4 199	ebay.com
4.		Canon 5D Mark II	4/5	91/100	..	79/100	4/5	..	Sep 2008	EUR 3 299	ebay.com
5.		Canon 5D Mark III	..	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2012	EUR 3 299	ebay.com
6.		Canon 5D Mark IV	4.5/5	+ +	4/5	87/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2016	EUR 4 065	amazon.com
7.		Canon 5DS	..	+	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	EUR 3 499	ebay.com
8.		Canon 5DS R	5/5	+	..	83/100	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	EUR 3 699	ebay.com
9.		Canon 6D	5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	EUR 1 999	ebay.com
10.		Canon 6D Mark II	4/5	+	4/5	80/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2017	EUR 2 099	amazon.com
11.		Canon 7D	5/5	+ +	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2009	EUR 1 499	ebay.com
12.		Canon 7D II	4.5/5	+	3.5/5	84/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	EUR 1 699	ebay.com
13.		Canon 50D	..	+ +	..	+ +	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2008	EUR 1 099	ebay.com
14.		Canon 70D	5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2013	EUR 1 099	ebay.com
15.		Canon 80D	4/5	+ +	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	EUR 1 285	ebay.com
16.		Nikon D700	..	89/100	..	+ +	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2008	EUR 2 599	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated 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. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time 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, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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Other camera comparisons

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