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NEW powershot hs60 user

Started Jan 15, 2019 | Discussions
Cindytho New Member • Posts: 3
NEW powershot hs60 user

I've had a Canon Rebel for 10 years and absolutely love it, but my husband suggested getting a new, lighter camera to take on our trip to Portugal.  I did alot of research and talked to several friends who own the SX60 camera and love it.  But I am having great difficulty taking good pictures, especially zoomed in at 65x or greater.  I've looked all over the internet and can't seem to find a Powershot sx60 for Dummies.  I just want easy to understand and follow, step by step instructions and find the manual difficult to use and to see!

I love taking pictures of birds, wildlife, flowers, and scenery.  Can anyone help me set up my camera to quickly take these kinds of pictures?  I think Canon is missing the boat by not offering better instructions.  HELP please!

Canon PowerShot SX60 HS
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marksee Contributing Member • Posts: 969
Re: NEW powershot hs60 user
1

Your experience with a Canon DSLR may have spoiled you. You can't compare the photo quality of your DSLR's sensor to a 2/3" Power Shot sensor. The Canon SX series are excellent cameras within their scope which is, extraordinary zoom range in a small package. I have owned a few of the SX series cameras. I now use the SX50 IS. I know I can't get the same IQ from it as my SL2, but I would miss too many great shots without the range of the SX50. As far as settings, I use Program mostly and adjust the ISO (trying to keep it as low as possible) and the exposure compensation dial after reviewing the shot. Don't expect much success at the long end of the zoom. You will need very bright conditions to tame that focal length and a low ISO for optimum IQ. I'm interested to read other replies to your question. It's a great camera, give it time and learn it's limitations.

Sactojim Veteran Member • Posts: 9,104
Re: NEW powershot hs60 user

marksee wrote:

Your experience with a Canon DSLR may have spoiled you. You can't compare the photo quality of your DSLR's sensor to a 2/3" Power Shot sensor. The Canon SX series are excellent cameras within their scope which is, extraordinary zoom range in a small package. I have owned a few of the SX series cameras. I now use the SX50 IS. I know I can't get the same IQ from it as my SL2, but I would miss too many great shots without the range of the SX50. As far as settings, I use Program mostly and adjust the ISO (trying to keep it as low as possible) and the exposure compensation dial after reviewing the shot. Don't expect much success at the long end of the zoom. You will need very bright conditions to tame that focal length and a low ISO for optimum IQ. I'm interested to read other replies to your question. It's a great camera, give it time and learn it's limitations.

It's all about keeping your expectations in check since it's small sensor has it's limitations. Btw, it's a 1/2.3 size sensor and not 2/3" size which is much larger.

Some quick suggestions as I have a SX50:

  • stay with ISO 100 or 200 and 400 in a pinch
  • shoot in good light 
  • spot focus for birds/wildlife
  • brace (or tripod/monopod) if possible for stills and video.
  • I prefer P and A modes. Learn the various Scene modes, they work. Macro is excellent
  • Jpeg works best for me, set quality to 
  • Auto WB (white balance)
  • I like Vivid color (more pop/contrast especially on overcast days)
  • I use Super Fine jpeg setting 
  • At this stage (or any) don't spend time on shooting in RAW format which requires learning post processing software for little to no improvement on IQ
Chaplain Mark
Chaplain Mark Veteran Member • Posts: 6,539
Re: NEW powershot hs60 user
2

Cindy,

First off, welcome to the Canon PowerShot forum...!!

Secondly, your description of the difficulty you are experiencing is just too vague for us to indentify any issues.

Could you please post a photo or two to show us what it is about your new camera's output which displeases you?

Hopefully, with a posted example image or two, we can help....

Again, welcome. .!!

-- hide signature --

Thank You,
Chaplain Mark
-----
'Tis better to have a camera and not need one than to need a camera and not have one.
--------------
In pursuit of photographic excellence.

 Chaplain Mark's gear list:Chaplain Mark's gear list
Canon G3 X Canon PowerShot G5 X Sony a7R III Sony a7C Sony FE 135mm F1.8 GM +3 more
OP Cindytho New Member • Posts: 3
Re: NEW powershot hs60 user

Sactojim wrote:

marksee wrote:

Some quick suggestions as I have a SX50:

  • stay with ISO 100 or 200 and 400 in a pinch
  • shoot in good light
  • spot focus for birds/wildlife
  • brace (or tripod/monopod) if possible for stills and video.
  • I prefer P and A modes. Learn the various Scene modes, they work. Macro is excellent
  • Jpeg works best for me, set quality to
  • Auto WB (white balance)
  • I like Vivid color (more pop/contrast especially on overcast days)
  • I use Super Fine jpeg setting
  • At this stage (or any) don't spend time on shooting in RAW format which requires learning post processing software for little to no improvement on IQ

Thanks! These are exactly the kind of suggestions I'm looking for. I've been trying to take photos primarily using the Auto and SCN settings as I wanted a camera I could just pick up quickly and shoot. But I will "branch out" from that and try P and A modes. The landscapes I've taken are pretty good, especially on bright days and using Auto. Zooming in close seems to be a bigger issue for me and the camera seems to jump around alot.

I was considering setting up the "customized" settings (C1 and C2) for taking bird photos (C1) and macro/flowers (C2). Do you have specific recommendations for what to use?

DonA2
DonA2 Veteran Member • Posts: 3,720
Re: NEW powershot hs60 user

you may be overthinking this issue a bit.  Any of these SZs will be a handful fully zoomed in.  Especially the SX60.   Just set the camera on "P" mode which is the same as Auto but allows some changes.   Set the EC to -1/3 to avoid some white washout. The auto ISO can be set to a limit of 400.  Try to get less fanciful with settings and fire away.  Shoot a lot and discard a lot.  I like to shoot 2 or even three of any of real value and pick the best in post editing.  The "delete" button is your friend. 

 DonA2's gear list:DonA2's gear list
Canon PowerShot S2 IS Canon PowerShot SX10 IS Canon PowerShot S100 Canon PowerShot SX40 HS Canon PowerShot SX50 HS +2 more
OP Cindytho New Member • Posts: 3
Re: NEW powershot hs60 user

DonA2 wrote:

you may be overthinking this issue a bit. Any of these SZs will be a handful fully zoomed in. Especially the SX60. Just set the camera on "P" mode which is the same as Auto but allows some changes. Set the EC to -1/3 to avoid some white washout. The auto ISO can be set to a limit of 400. Try to get less fanciful with settings and fire away. Shoot a lot and discard a lot. I like to shoot 2 or even three of any of real value and pick the best in post editing. The "delete" button is your friend.

With the amount of "research" I've been doing there's no doubt I'm overthinking the issues:-) so these are good suggestions.  Thanks.

jshen808
jshen808 Forum Pro • Posts: 16,067
Re: NEW powershot hs60 user

Cindytho wrote:

I've had a Canon Rebel for 10 years and absolutely love it, but my husband suggested getting a new, lighter camera to take on our trip to Portugal. I did alot of research and talked to several friends who own the SX60 camera and love it. But I am having great difficulty taking good pictures, especially zoomed in at 65x or greater. I've looked all over the internet and can't seem to find a Powershot sx60 for Dummies. I just want easy to understand and follow, step by step instructions and find the manual difficult to use and to see!

I love taking pictures of birds, wildlife, flowers, and scenery. Can anyone help me set up my camera to quickly take these kinds of pictures? I think Canon is missing the boat by not offering better instructions. HELP please!

..Welcome to the club!

..I'm "new" to the SX60 camera too..

..as suggested, try using the "P" mode to begin with, as it allows more options in the menus..

..below are some "test" pictures I did from my SX60 camera, you can compare your results with mines..

..these are full size straight out of camera jpeg images..

..SX60, sooc jpeg..

..SX60, sooc jpeg..

..SX60, sooc jpeg..

..SX60, sooc jpeg..

..SX60, sooc jpeg..

***********

..Cheers..

 jshen808's gear list:jshen808's gear list
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ300 Panasonic FZ80/FZ82
jshen808
jshen808 Forum Pro • Posts: 16,067
Re: NEW powershot hs60 user

..The SX60 is a great camera..

..and as suggested by others, maybe post a few sample pictures from your SX60..

..and then can help you in getting the most from your camera..

..Cheers..

 jshen808's gear list:jshen808's gear list
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ300 Panasonic FZ80/FZ82
I2K4
I2K4 Senior Member • Posts: 1,441
Re: NEW powershot hs60 user

Back in the heyday of the SX50, in many respects similar, there was an active contributor here, "VisionLight" who produced a handbook for it. The old link on this site is still to a half-done draft, but apparently it became this:

https://www.amazon.com/Point-Nature-Photography-Stephen-Ingraham-ebook/dp/B075PC51W2

Not aware if he's completed anything specific to the Canon zoomers.

Steen Bay Veteran Member • Posts: 7,418
Re: NEW powershot hs60 user
1

I2K4 wrote:

Back in the heyday of the SX50, in many respects similar, there was an active contributor here, "VisionLight" who produced a handbook for it. The old link on this site is still to a half-done draft, but apparently it became this:

https://www.amazon.com/Point-Nature-Photography-Stephen-Ingraham-ebook/dp/B075PC51W2

Not aware if he's completed anything specific to the Canon zoomers.

Don't think that VisionLight would write a 'Point&Shoot' book He is shooting EOS M now and is posting in that forum. Think that Stephen Ingraham uses a Sony RX10 and is posting in the Cyber-shot forum.

PS - Link to VisionLight's blog. His SX50 review is still there (scroll down the page).

http://edwardmichaellach.zenfolio.com/blog

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