Canon 60D testreport: measurements

This testreport supplements our Canon 60D review. Measurements were made using Imatest. For a brief description of the test method and explanation of terms, see the FAQ section.

Sensor Resolution

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If you combine the Canon 60D with a good lens, like the Canon 70-200/2.8 L IS MK2, the Canon 60D will deliver you a jpg file with an average resolution of almost 1200 LW/PH. A RAW file, after a standard development applied in Lightroom, delivers a higher perceived sharpness and an average resolution of nearly 1900 LW/PH. These numbers are considerably lower than the resolution of files from a full frame camera (Canon 5D MK2: RAW 3000 LW/PH; jpg 2000 LW/PH). But taking your pictures with a Canon 60D in RAW, will result in images with the same resolution and perceived sharpness as someone shooting jpg files using a Canon 5D MK2. That sounds much better, doesn't it?

Dynamic range

The Total dynamic rangeis 12,2 stops on average for a RAW file and 10,1 stops on average for a jpg file. Which is a good result for an APS-C sensor.

In comparison with the Canon 5D MK2 (with a full frame sensor), the dynamic range is almost the same for both RAW files (12,3) and jpg files (10,6). For a brief description of the test method and explanation of terms, see the FAQ section.

Not all of the dynamic range will deliver you pictures with a good signal to noise ratio. Especially in the shadows, noise will be disturbingly visible.

Dynamic range is, therefore, reduced to a usable dynamic range of 7 stops at lower ISO settings and further down to 3 stops at 6400 ISO. The usable dynamic range of jpg files shown in the figure is - because of in-camera noise reduction - higher than RAW files. That is the result of the development parameters we have chosen for Lightroom. Dynamic range of RAW files is tested without using any noise reduction. By doing that, one maintains the highest possible detail in the images (50% higher in comparison with jpg files). The noise in these developed RAW files, although measurable and clearly visible at 100% on your monitor, will not be visible in print.
If you carefully adjust contrast, sharpening and noise reduction for RAW files, it is possible obtain a usable dynamic range better or equal to that of the jpg files.

Noise

Even without noise reduction the RAW files can be used up to ISO 1600, before any noise becomes noticable in prints. Even in an A3+ print of a 1600 ISO file, noise will not be disturbingly visible. But a large amount of fine detail will be shown, because of the minimal noise reduction applied.

Below sections of a gray card, photographed at different ISO settings, are shown. As mentioned earlier, we didn't use any form of noise reduction for the RAW files. By applying noise reduction to the RAW files even better results would have been achieved.

A comparison of the greycard patches and the measurement data shown in the charts of this Canon 60D test with those in our Canon 5D MK2 review, shows that the difference between the Canon 60D and the Canon 5D MK2 is about 1 stop.

Color reproduction (Delta E 94) Canon 60D in daylight

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Color reproduction (Delta E 94) Canon 60D in daylight

Gemiddeld 4,2 (RAW) / 8,5 (jpg)
Beste 3,8 RAW @ 6400 ISO
Slechtste 10,6 jpg @ 1600 ISO
Huidskleur: 4,4 (RAW) / 8,4 (jpg)
Natuurlijke kleuren: 4,9 (RAW) / 6,8 (jpg)
Felle kleuren: 4,1 (RAW) / 6,8 (jpg)

De Canon 60D levert RAW bestanden met een goede kleurweergave ((houd je muis boven het linkerplaatje voor een grotere versie), waarbij de nauwkeurigheid van de kleurweergave afhankelijk is van het cameracalibratieprofiel dat je in Lightroom gebruikt. De gemeten verzadiging van RAW bestanden ligt tussen de 105 en 107%. De linker illustratie toont de kleurfouten van een 200 ISO jpg opname gemaakt bij daglicht. Hoe verder de ideale kleur (vierkantje) is verwijderd van de kleurweergave van de camera (rondje), des te groter het kleurverschil. Voor de testwijze en de uitleg van begrippen: zie FAQ

Aan de rechterkant zie je een rechtstreekse vergelijking van de originele kleurenkaart (bovenste schuine helft) ten opzichte van hetzelfde 200 ISO jpg bestand van de 60D (onderste schuine helft). Ook de nauwkeurigheid van de kleurweergave van jpg bestanden hangt sterk af van het profiel dat je op de camera instelt (neutral, faithful, standard, etc.), maar is altijd minder nauwkeurig dan van een RAW bestand. Afhankelijk van de ISO instelling hebben de jpg bestanden (standard) een gemiddelde kleurfout (Delta E94) tussen 6 en 11. Dat is net zo goed als de kleurweergave bij daglicht van de Canon EOS 5D MK2, overigens.

Color reproduction in artificial light

Color reproduction (Delta E 94) Canon 60D in artificial light

Average 11,4 (RAW) / 12,8 (jpg)
Best 11,1 RAW @ 200 ISO
Worst 18 jpg @ 6400 ISO
Skintones: 8,6 (RAW) / 10,2 (jpg)
Natural colors: 11,6 (RAW) / 13,8 (jpg)
Vivid color: 9,0 (RAW) / 11,3 (jpg)

Especially in artificial light, auto white balance of the Canon 60D is not good enough. All of our images shot in tungsten light were too red and too much saturated. In the left image this is clearly shown for an ISO 200 JPG file. On mouse over you'll see a larger version of the left picture.

For more information, see our Canon 60D review.