Canon D60 vs Canon R

The Canon EOS-D60 and the Canon EOS R are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in February 2002 and September 2018. The D60 is a DSLR, while the Canon R is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. The cameras are based on an APS-C (D60) and a full frame (Canon R) sensor. The D60 has a resolution of 6.3 megapixels, whereas the Canon R provides 30.1 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon D60		Canon R
Digital single lens reflex		Mirrorless system camera
Canon EF mount lenses		Canon RF mount lenses
6.3 MP – APS-C sensor		30.1 MP – Full Frame sensor
no Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 100-1,000		ISO 100-40,000 (50 - 102,400)
Optical viewfinder		Electronic viewfinder (3690k dots)
1.8" LCD – 114k dots		3.2" LCD – 2100k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Swivel touchscreen
3 shutter flaps per second		8 shutter flaps per second
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
620 shots per battery charge		370 shots per battery charge
150 x 107 x 75 mm, 855 g		139 x 98 x 84 mm, 660 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS-D60 and the Canon EOS R? 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 D60 and the Canon R 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 width, height and depth measures 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 R is notably smaller (15 percent) than the Canon D60. Moreover, the Canon R is markedly lighter (23 percent) than the D60. It is noteworthy in this context that the Canon R is splash and dust-proof, while the D60 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. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

Concerning battery life, the D60 gets 620 shots out of its Canon BP-511 battery, while the Canon R can take 370 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E6N power pack. The power pack in the Canon R can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.

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 (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon D60	150 mm	107 mm	75 mm	855 g	620	n	Feb 2002	2,999	ebay.com
2.		Canon R	139 mm	98 mm	84 mm	660 g	370	Y	Sep 2018	2,299	ebay.com
3.		Canon 6D	145 mm	111 mm	71 mm	770 g	1090	Y	Sep 2012	2,099	ebay.com
4.		Canon 6D Mark II	144 mm	111 mm	75 mm	765 g	1200	Y	Jun 2017	1,999	amazon.com
5.		Canon 10D	150 mm	107 mm	75 mm	850 g	500	n	Feb 2003	1,999	ebay.com
6.		Canon 20D	144 mm	106 mm	72 mm	770 g	700	n	Aug 2004	1,499	ebay.com
7.		Canon 30D	144 mm	106 mm	74 mm	785 g	750	n	Feb 2006	1,399	ebay.com
8.		Canon 40D	146 mm	108 mm	74 mm	822 g	750	n	Aug 2007	1,299	ebay.com
9.		Canon D30	150 mm	107 mm	75 mm	750 g	540	n	May 2000	2,999	ebay.com
10.		Canon R6	138 mm	98 mm	88 mm	680 g	360	Y	Jul 2020	2,499	amazon.com
11.		Canon Rebel	142 mm	99 mm	72 mm	649 g	400	n	Aug 2003	899	ebay.com
12.		Canon T7	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	475 g	500	n	Feb 2018	449	amazon.com
13.		Canon XC10	125 mm	102 mm	122 mm	1040 g	370	n	Apr 2015	2,499	ebay.com
14.		Contax N Digital	152 mm	138 mm	80 mm	990 g	100	n	Feb 2002	7,399	ebay.com
15.		Leica M10	139 mm	80 mm	39 mm	660 g	210	Y	Jan 2017	6,595	ebay.com
16.		Nikon D100	144 mm	116 mm	81 mm	780 g	370	n	Feb 2002	1,999	ebay.com
17.		Nikon D750	141 mm	113 mm	78 mm	750 g	1230	Y	Sep 2014	2,299	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

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The Canon R was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 23 percent) than the D60, which makes it more attractive for photographers on a tight budget. 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 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. 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 tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon D60 features an APS-C sensor and the Canon R a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the Canon R is 152 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.6 and 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

With 30.1MP, the Canon R offers a higher resolution than the D60 (6.3MP), but the Canon R has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 5.36μm versus 7.38μm for the D60). Yet, the Canon R is a much more recent model (by 16 years and 6 months) than the D60, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units.

The resolution advantage of the Canon R implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the Canon R for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 33.6 x 22.4 inches or 85.3 x 56.9 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 26.9 x 17.9 inches or 68.3 x 45.5 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 22.4 x 14.9 inches or 56.9 x 37.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon D60 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 R has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Canon EOS-D60 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 1000. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS R are ISO 100 to ISO 40000, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-102400.

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.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. 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"). The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon D60	APS-C	6.3	3072	2048	none	20.3	9.8	301	47
2.		Canon R	Full Frame	30.1	6720	4480	4K/30p	24.5	13.5	2742	89
3.		Canon 6D	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	23.8	12.1	2340	82
4.		Canon 6D Mark II	Full Frame	26.0	6240	4160	1080/60p	24.4	11.9	2862	85
5.		Canon 10D	APS-C	6.3	3072	2048	none	21.1	10.9	571	57
6.		Canon 20D	APS-C	8.2	3504	2336	none	21.9	11.0	721	62
7.		Canon 30D	APS-C	8.2	3504	2336	none	21.5	10.8	736	59
8.		Canon 40D	APS-C	10.1	3888	2592	none	22.1	11.3	703	64
9.		Canon D30	APS-C	3.1	2160	1440	none	..	..	..	..
10.		Canon R6	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	4k/60p	24.2	14.3	3394	90
11.		Canon Rebel	APS-C	6.3	3072	2048	none	21.0	10.8	544	55
12.		Canon T7	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	23.8	13.3	1684	81
13.		Canon XC10	1-inch	12.0	4000	3000	4K/30p	21.7	11.8	197	61
14.		Contax N Digital	Full Frame	6.1	3040	2008	none	21.5	10.5	1283	59
15.		Leica M10	Full Frame	23.8	5952	3992	none	24.4	13.2	2133	86
16.		Nikon D100	APS-C	6.0	3008	2000	none	20.4	9.9	394	48
17.		Nikon D750	Full Frame	24.2	6016	4016	1080/60p	24.8	14.5	2956	93
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 Canon R indeed provides for movie recording, while the D60 does not. The highest resolution format that the Canon R can use is 4K/30p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the Canon R has an electronic viewfinder (3690k dots), while the D60 has an optical one. Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The viewfinder in the Canon R offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the D60 (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the Canon R has a higher magnification (0.76x vs 0.54x), 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 D60 and Canon R 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 D60	optical	Y	1.8 / 114	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
2.		Canon R	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	8.0/s	n	n
3.		Canon 6D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.5/s	n	n
4.		Canon 6D Mark II	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.5/s	n	n
5.		Canon 10D	optical	Y	1.8 / 118	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
6.		Canon 20D	optical	Y	1.8 / 118	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon 30D	optical	Y	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	n
8.		Canon 40D	optical	Y	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.5/s	Y	n
9.		Canon D30	optical	Y	1.8 / 114	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
10.		Canon R6	3690	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
11.		Canon Rebel	optical	n	1.8 / 118	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
12.		Canon T7	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
13.		Canon XC10	none	n	3.0 / 1030	tilting	Y	1/2000s	3.8/s	n	Y
14.		Contax N Digital	optical	Y	2.0 / 200	fixed	n	1/8000s	4.0/s	n	n
15.		Leica M10	optical	n	3.0 / 1037	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
16.		Nikon D100	optical	Y	1.8 / 118	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
17.		Nikon D750	optical	Y	3.2 / 1229	tilting	n	1/4000s	6.0/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 D60 has one, while the Canon R does not. While the built-in flash of the D60 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the Canon R is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The D60 writes its imaging data to Compact Flash cards, while the Canon R 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-D60 and Canon EOS R 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 D60	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
2.		Canon R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.1	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon 6D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
4.		Canon 6D Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
5.		Canon 10D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
6.		Canon 20D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
7.		Canon 30D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Canon 40D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Canon D30	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.0	-	-	-
10.		Canon R6	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
11.		Canon Rebel	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
12.		Canon T7	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Canon XC10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Contax N Digital	Y	- / -	-	-	-	FW	-	-	-
15.		Leica M10	Y	- / -	-	-	-	-	Y	-	-
16.		Nikon D100	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
17.		Nikon D750	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	-	-

It is notable that the Canon R offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the D60 does not provide wifi capability.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Canon D60 (unlike the Canon R) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the D60 and the Canon R have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The D60 was replaced by the Canon 10D, while the Canon R does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the D60 and Canon R can be found, respectively, in the Canon D60 Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon R Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Canon D60 better than the Canon R or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Advantages of the Canon EOS-D60:

• Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (620 versus 370) on a single battery charge.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in February 2002).

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS R:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (30.1 vs 6.3MP), which boosts linear resolution by 119%.
• Better image quality: Is equipped with a larger and more technologically advanced sensor.
• Richer colors: The sensor size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger sensor captures a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger sensor produces good images even in poorly lit environments.
• Broader imaging potential: Can capture not only stills but also 4K/30p video.
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
• More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (100% vs 95%).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.76x vs 0.54x).
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 1.8") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (2100k vs 114k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
• 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 (8 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• More compact: Is smaller (139x98mm vs 150x107mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 195g or 23 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• More legacy lens friendly: Can use many non-native lenses via adapters.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.1 vs 1.1).
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• More affordable: Was released into a lower priced segment (23 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 16 years and 6 months of technical progress since the D60 launch.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the Canon R is the clear winner of the contest (28 : 5 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.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon D60 and the Canon R place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listings 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 remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the D60 or the Canon R. 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 (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon D60	..	..	..	+ +	o	..	Feb 2002	2,999	ebay.com
2.		Canon R	4/5	o	4/5	79/100	4.5/5	4/5	Sep 2018	2,299	ebay.com
3.		Canon 6D	5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	2,099	ebay.com
4.		Canon 6D Mark II	4/5	+	4/5	80/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2017	1,999	amazon.com
5.		Canon 10D	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Feb 2003	1,999	ebay.com
6.		Canon 20D	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Aug 2004	1,499	ebay.com
7.		Canon 30D	..	+ +	..	+ +	o	..	Feb 2006	1,399	ebay.com
8.		Canon 40D	..	+ +	..	+ +	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2007	1,299	ebay.com
9.		Canon D30	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	May 2000	2,999	ebay.com
10.		Canon R6	5/5	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2020	2,499	amazon.com
11.		Canon Rebel	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Aug 2003	899	ebay.com
12.		Canon T7	..	o	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	449	amazon.com
13.		Canon XC10	..	..	..	80/100	..	..	Apr 2015	2,499	ebay.com
14.		Contax N Digital	..	..	..	..	..	..	Feb 2002	7,399	ebay.com
15.		Leica M10	4.5/5	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	6,595	ebay.com
16.		Nikon D100	..	..	..	+ +	o	..	Feb 2002	1,999	ebay.com
17.		Nikon D750	5/5	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	2,299	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. 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, 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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