The latest addition to Canon’s EOS stable, following in the recent launch of the EOS 5D Mark III, is a the 60Da DSLR, which caters to the niche field of astrophotography.

 

To this end, the new camera offers a modified infared filter and a low-noise sensor with heightened hydrogen-alpha sensitivity.

 

The company explained that these modifications allow astro-photographers to capture photographs of red hydrogen emission, nebulae and other cosmic phenomena, due to a hydrogen-alpha light sensitivity that is approximately three times higher than that of a normal Canon DSLR camera.

 

Additionally, the EOS 60Da camera sports a 18- megapixel CMOS sensor (APS-C) that far supersedes its predecessor, the 20Da’s 8.2 megapixels.

 

 

The camera further offers an improved 3.0” Clear View LCD screen with 1 040 000 dots for detailed focusing, while its flip-out Vari-angle functionality allows users to adjust the screen for easy viewing when the camera is mounted to a telescope via a third-party T-ring adapter.

 

Astronomy enthusiasts can also connect the camera to a TV with the provided AVC-DC400ST Stereo AV Video Cable, and display the night sky on a TV monitor using the camera's Live View mode. Moreover, the EOS 60Da's Live View mode is equipped with a Silent Shooting feature that eliminates shutter-induced vibration for maximum camera stability when the camera is mounted to a telescope or super-telephoto EF lens.

 

 

Escaping the noise

Canon elaborated that enhanced noise reduction on the EOS 60Da sensor offers photographers the ability to experiment with the wide array of ISO settings and increased ISO speeds up to 6400, which is further expandable to 12800. Other features include an intelligent nine-point autofocus system, full manual controls, and RAW, JPEG, and RAW+JPEG image recording capabilities.

 

Additionally, the EOS 60Da is packaged with Canon's RA-E3 Remote Controller Adapter, providing the ability to connect a Canon Timer Remote Control such as the optional TC-80N3. The TC-80N3 enables photographers to control time exposures longer than 30 seconds, as well as capture a series of consecutive time exposures that can be composited during post-processing for improved image quality.

Great things to come

 

While the camera will no doubt be of interest to those who favour taking photos of the night sky, it heralds reason for general photographers to get excited about what other developments may be coming down the line as well.

 

In fact, Roger Machin, the product manager for Canon South Africa, teased at an event in Midrand that the launch of the EOS 1D X and EOS 5D Mark III were “the tip of the iceberg” in so far as the year ahead is concerned.  

 

Machin elaborated that its recent EOS 5D Mark III addressed the limitations of its predecessor, the 5D Mark II, while functioning as a more multi-purpose machine that could readily fit into a number of photographic genres.

 

In our first hands-on time with that camera since it was announced, we found it to be every bit as impressive as we hoped, boasting the same focusing system that we marvelled at on the EOS 1D X without feeling nearly as cumbersome.

 

We were particularly impressed by the built-in HDR functionality, which processed three images of different exposures and combined them into one, in camera, with excellent results.  

 

 

 

However, both the 60Da and EOS 5D Mark 3 appear to have something in common, namely that they appear to highlight the company’s apparent strategy to cater to niche photographers as well as the broad spectrum of photographic styles.

 

"The EOS 60Da is a testament to the constant desire to meet the needs of every customer, including those in specialized fields," explained Yuichi Ishizuka, executive vice president and general manager, Imaging Technologies & Communications Group, Canon US.

 

"This new camera enables an accurate depiction of a part of our solar system which is hard to achieve with conventional cameras but should be enjoyed and celebrated," he concluded.