What Makes the Canon PowerShot SX60 HS Special
The Canon PowerShot SX60 HS is a superzoom camera with a 65x optical zoom lens (21mm to 1365mm equivalent). That’s enough reach to photograph the moon with visible detail or pull in a bird on a distant branch. It also shoots RAW, records 1080p video, and has built-in Wi-Fi and NFC.
It’s a bridge camera, meaning it handles like a DSLR but has a fixed lens and a smaller sensor. This guide walks through every major feature. If you’re also considering the smaller Canon SX420, the SX60 offers more zoom, RAW support, and manual controls.
First-Time Setup
When you power on the SX60 for the first time, it asks you to set the date, time, and time zone. Use the directional pad to make selections and press the center SET button to confirm.
Battery and Card
The SX60 uses a Canon NB-10L rechargeable lithium-ion battery. Charge it fully before first use (about 2 hours via the included charger). A full charge gives you roughly 340 shots.
Insert an SD, SDHC, or SDXC card into the slot next to the battery compartment. Cards up to 64GB work well. For shooting RAW files, pick a card rated at Class 10 or UHS-I so the camera can write files quickly without lag.
Initial Settings to Change
– Image quality: Go to Menu > Shooting Settings and set quality to Fine or RAW + Fine if you plan to edit your photos.
– Image stabilization (IS): Make sure this is set to Continuous for general shooting. It helps at all zoom lengths but makes the biggest difference at full zoom.
– Date stamp: Unless you specifically want the date printed on your photos, leave this off. You can’t remove a date stamp after it’s baked into the image.
Shooting Modes on the SX60
The mode dial on top of the camera gives you access to a wide range of options.
Auto and Scene Intelligent Auto
The green Auto mode lets the camera make all the decisions. Scene Intelligent Auto goes a step further by analyzing the scene and applying optimizations for portraits, landscapes, close-ups, and backlit subjects automatically. Both work well for quick shots when you don’t want to fiddle with settings.
P (Program)
Program mode is like Auto, but you can adjust ISO, white balance, exposure compensation, and flash behavior. The camera still picks the shutter speed and aperture combination. This is a great mode for everyday shooting when you want a little creative control.
Tv (Shutter Priority)
You set the shutter speed, and the camera picks the aperture. Useful for:
– Fast shutter (1/500 or higher): Freezing sports, birds in flight, kids running.
– Slow shutter (1/30 or lower): Blurring waterfalls, light trails, intentional motion blur.
Av (Aperture Priority)
You set the aperture (f-stop), and the camera picks the shutter speed. The SX60’s aperture range is f/3.4 at wide angle to f/6.5 at full zoom. Use the widest aperture to blur the background. The smaller sensor means background blur is less dramatic than on a DSLR, but it’s noticeable at longer zoom lengths.
M (Manual)
Full manual control over shutter speed and aperture. Use the front and rear dials to adjust each value and watch the exposure meter on screen. Manual mode is where you learn the most about exposure, even if it takes a few extra seconds per shot.
Getting the Most Out of 65x Zoom
The SX60’s 65x zoom is its standout feature, but shooting at extreme zoom takes some technique.
Stabilization Matters
At 65x, even tiny hand movements cause big shifts in the frame. The built-in Intelligent IS system helps, but it has limits. For the sharpest results at long zoom:
– Use a tripod or monopod whenever possible.
– If shooting handheld, brace your elbows against your body and spread your feet for a stable stance.
– Use the Zoom Framing Assist button on the side of the lens. When you lose track of your subject at full zoom, press this button to temporarily zoom out, reframe, and release to snap back to your original zoom level. It’s a lifesaver when tracking birds or distant subjects.
Shutter Speed at Full Zoom
As a general rule, your shutter speed should be at least 1/focal length to avoid blur from camera shake. At 1365mm equivalent, that means 1/1400 or faster. On bright days this is easy. On cloudy days or in shade, you’ll need to bump the ISO up to maintain a fast enough shutter speed.
Skip the Digital Zoom
The SX60 offers a digital zoom that extends the range to 260x, but the quality drops sharply beyond the 65x optical limit. Stick with optical zoom for usable images.
RAW vs JPEG Shooting
The SX60 is one of the few superzoom cameras that can shoot RAW files (Canon’s CR2 format). RAW files capture all the data the sensor records, giving you far more flexibility in post-processing. You can recover blown highlights, lift shadows, adjust white balance, and tweak colors without degrading the image.
JPEG files are processed in-camera. The camera applies sharpening, noise reduction, color adjustments, and compression. They’re smaller (around 5 to 7MB versus 20 to 25MB for RAW) and ready to share immediately.
If you want the best of both, set the camera to RAW + JPEG. You’ll get both files for every shot. The downside is that each photo takes more space on your card and the camera writes to the card slightly slower.
Edit RAW files using Canon Digital Photo Professional (free), Adobe Lightroom, or Capture One. Even free tools like RawTherapee and darktable support the SX60’s CR2 files.
Wi-Fi Transfer with Canon Camera Connect
The SX60 has built-in Wi-Fi and NFC. You can transfer photos wirelessly to your phone or tablet using Canon’s free Camera Connect app (available on iOS and Android).
Setting Up Wi-Fi
1. On the camera, press the Wi-Fi button (or go to Menu > Wi-Fi Settings).
2. Select Smartphone as the connection target.
3. The camera creates its own Wi-Fi network. On your phone, connect to the network starting with “Canon_”.
4. Open the Camera Connect app. It will find the camera and ask for permission. Confirm on the camera’s screen.
5. Browse images on the camera and select the ones you want to transfer.
If your phone has NFC, just tap it against the NFC logo on the camera. The connection starts automatically. Transferred images are saved to your phone’s camera roll.
Video Recording
The SX60 records 1080p Full HD video at 30fps. Press the red movie button on the back to start and stop recording. You can zoom during video, but the motor noise may show up on the audio track. For smoother zoom movements, use the lever gently. Light pressure zooms slowly (better for video), and firm pressure zooms quickly.
The camera also has miniature effect and slow-motion video modes. Miniature effect creates a tilt-shift look with sped-up playback. Slow motion captures at a higher frame rate for dramatic effect.
Creative Filters and Manual Focus
The SX60 includes creative filters you can apply while shooting: Fisheye, Toy Camera, Monochrome, Poster Effect, and Super Vivid. These are fun for social media and casual shots. If you’re shooting RAW, the filters only apply to the JPEG version, so the unprocessed file is always there as a backup.
For manual focus, flip the focus toggle on the side of the lens and use the focus ring around the barrel. The screen shows a magnified view or focus peaking display to help you nail precise focus. Manual focus is handy when shooting through glass, picking out one subject in a busy scene, or working in low light where autofocus tends to hunt. At full zoom, manual focus can be more reliable than letting the camera decide.
Wrapping Up
The Canon PowerShot SX60 HS packs a lot into a camera body that costs a fraction of a DSLR kit. The 65x zoom opens up subjects most cameras can’t reach, RAW support gives you editing flexibility, and Wi-Fi makes sharing easy. Spend a few minutes with the mode dial and settings menu, and you’ll get results that go well beyond what Auto mode can deliver on its own.