Both the Canon 60D and the 700D/T5i are built around the same basic sensor: Canon's 18MP APS-C sensor with 4.3µm pixel pitch. It has also appeared in the T2i/550D, T3i/600D, T4i/650D,SL1/100D, EOS M, and 7D. When shooting RAW and editing on a computer any of these cameras can use the latest updates to Canon's demosaicing algorithms and image processing that have improved over the time this sensor has been in use.

But the sensor is not the only thing that makes a camera a consumer grade, prosumer grade, or professional level camera. There are other things to consider:

• Handling speed. It doesn't matter how good the image quality of your sensor is if your camera handles too slow to get the shot you need. This applies to the placement of controls, how many clicks it takes to change a setting, the frame rate the camera can burst, and startup and shutter lag times.
• Durability. The ability to stand up to day in and day out heavy use in challenging environments is a larger consideration when your livelihood depends on the reliability of your gear.

The biggest difference in my mind is the faster handling of the 60D versus the 600D. The 60D has two control wheels and more direct controls that allow for changing settings on the fly without removing your eye from the viewfinder. This allows an experienced shooter who intimately knows his camera to get certain shots in challenging situations he couldn't get with the 600D.

In some ways the 60D was a step back from the 50D as a lower end pro grade camera. At the same time the 7D was a step up from the 50D. The magnesium alloy body of the 50D (and 7D) was replaced by a polycarbonate one for the 60D. The 60D is not quite as weather sealed as the 50D and 7D. The 50D (and 7D) included Auto Focus Micro Adjustment, the 60D does not have AFMA. But the 60D still has more features that pros demand that are lacking in the Rebel series.