Canon EOS R6: Specs
Sensor: 20.1MP full-frame CMOS
Picture processor: Digic X
Picture stabilization: 5-axis, as much as 8 stops
AF factors: 6,072 Twin Pixel CMOS AF II
Viewfinder: 0.5-inch OLED EVF, 3,690k dots, 100% protection, 0.76x magnification, 120fps refresh fee
Show: 3-inch absolutely articulating touchscreen, 1,620k dots
ISO: 100-102,400 (expandable to 50-204,800)
Max video decision: 4K at 60p, 50p, 30p, 25p, 24p
Ports: USB-C, micro HDMI, mic, headphone, E3 distant, 2x UHS-II SD/SDHC/SDXC
Wi-fi/Bluetooth: Sure
Capturing velocity: 12fps mechanical, 20fps digital
Battery life (CIPA): 510
Dimension/weight (physique): 5.4 x 3.8 x 3.5 inches; 21 ounces
It took Canon some time to seek out its toes with mirrorless cameras, however the Canon EOS R6 is proof that these faltering days are properly and really over.
A fast take a look at its spec checklist reveals it’s able to going head-to-head with the perfect mirrorless cameras from Sony, Nikon and Fujifilm and certainly beating them in some regards. How so? Effectively it’s a 20.1-megapixel full-frame digicam that comes with class-leading picture stabilization, a 6,072-point dual-pixel autofocus system, 12fps burst capturing, 4K video and high-res OLED digital viewfinder.
Briefly, it has virtually every little thing you might need in an fanatic mirrorless digicam, and with solely a few minor drawbacks. Chief amongst them are that it lacks the actually excessive megapixel rely loved by its costlier 45MP sibling, the Canon R5 and the equally priced 33MP Sony A7 IV, whereas video falls wanting the very best.
However make no mistake: the Canon R6 is true on the prime finish of full-frame mirrorless cameras and I’ve loved each second of my time with it. It is an apparent alternative for our greatest mirrorless cameras checklist, and certainly our greatest cameras checklist general. Discover out what makes it so particular on this full Canon EOS R6 overview.
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Canon EOS R6 overview: Worth and availability
The Canon EOS R6 got here out in July 2020 and prices $2,499 for the physique alone. It’s additionally out there with two equipment lenses: the RF 24-105mm f/4-7.1 IS STM for $2,799 or with the RF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM for $3,599.
I examined it with the superb RF 24-70mm F2.8 L IS USM lens, which prices $2,399 by itself. However don’t suppose you’d need to spend that a lot, as Canon now has a 24-model robust vary of RF lenses, all of that are appropriate with the R6. These vary from the $199 RF 50mm f/1.8 STM to the $12,999 (sure, actually) RF 600mm f/4 L IS USM.
You can even use any of the handfuls of older EF lenses by including a $99 adapter, or there’s a $199 adapter that additionally provides any EF lens the particular management ring operate discovered on all RF lenses. There’s additionally a battery grip ($349).
To seek out some reductions, head to our Canon promo codes web page.
Canon EOS R6 overview: Design
A number of the greatest mirrorless cameras have actual aptitude about them, however the Canon R6 is just not one among them. There’s no retro attraction as on Fujifilm’s or Olympus’ cameras and no actual try to maneuver away from the look of older Canon DSLRs. That’s clearly a deliberate choice, too; Canon’s personal advertising for the digicam talks about how anybody who’s used an EOS digicam earlier than will discover it “reassuringly acquainted,” and it’s. However whereas that call makes a whole lot of sense, it additionally makes for a reasonably nondescript digicam.
However appears apart, the R6’s design has lots going for it. The physique is usually crafted from magnesium alloy however Canon added tactile rubber bits the place your palms relaxation, and the grip is massive and gives loads of buy. It’s fairly a big digicam — greater than 15% larger and barely heavier than the Sony A7 IV, as an illustration — but it surely’s very properly constructed, providing full mud and moisture resistance so you’ll be able to shoot in poor circumstances with out worrying about injury.
The digital viewfinder is superb. It’s a big 0.5-inch OLED EVF with a excessive decision of three,690k dots and a quick 120 fps refresh fee, though its 0.76 magnification is a tiny bit behind its key rivals the Sony A7 IV and Nikon Z7 II. However don’t fear an excessive amount of about that — it’s massive, vibrant, straightforward to shoot by way of and covers 100% of the view.
The LCD display screen is equally spectacular. It’s a 3-inch touchscreen LCD panel with a 1,620k dot decision; whereas it doesn’t have fairly as many pixels because the Sony A7 IV, it beats that rival by with the ability to flip out and spherical so you’ll be able to shoot selfies whereas seeing what’s on the display screen. That’s notably helpful in the event you use it for video streaming, and it additionally helps when capturing stills in awkward positions.
One remaining bonus is that it comes with twin SD card slots; hardly stunning at this worth level, however welcome all the identical.
Canon EOS R6 overview: Controls
With regards to controls, the Canon R6 feels very DSLR-like. There are actually loads of choices: 16 buttons plus three management dials, a mode selector, on/off change and AF joystick. And naturally you get contact controls too. Add to that the truth that all RF lenses have an additional management dial on the lens itself, and you’ve got loads of methods to regulate the digicam.
That doesn’t essentially imply you’ll at all times know what you’re doing, although. In concept, the three management dials provide you with management over your fundamental capturing choices, however as a result of they aren’t labelled and may be custom-made to your coronary heart’s content material, you’ll have to spend a while with the R6 earlier than all of it turns into second nature.
That’s notably obvious whenever you’re altering settings within the R6’s menus, with one management dial scrolling by way of classes, one shifting by way of pages inside every part and the third scrolling by way of the varied choices on every web page. I repeatedly discovered myself utilizing the fallacious one and leaping to a different part once I simply needed to maneuver down a listing — although I think about I’d get used to it in time. Personally, I desire Fujifilm’s commonplace follow of a devoted ISO dial and aperture controls on the lens, however that may simply be familiarity.
Many of the buttons are extra simple, though a number of serve multiple goal relying on what else you’re doing on the time. The inclusion of a devoted button for ranking photographs appears pointless, however the truth there’s a ‘Q’ fast menu choice is welcome.
The joystick ought to be helpful, however I discovered it barely too shallow for my liking, and my thumb had an inclination to slide off it in use. Then once more, autofocus is so particular right here that you could be not use it a lot anyway.
Canon EOS R6 overview: Efficiency
Autofocus is dealt with by an extremely adept dual-pixel CMOS AF II system which presents a scarcely plausible 1,053 AF zones and 6,072 AF factors. However don’t fear an excessive amount of concerning the numbers, as a result of all you really want to know is that it really works fantastically.
First issues first: it’s quick. I might say it’s blink-and-you’ll-miss-it quick, besides that it’s in all probability quicker than that, too. Fast as it’s to lock on to topics, although, its monitoring capabilities are in all probability much more spectacular. Not solely can the R6 deal with and observe individuals and eyes, but it surely additionally works with animals (particularly canine, cats and birds) and autos.
Happily, I’ve an acceptable check topic within the type of a really energetic 15-month outdated chocolate Labrador that repeatedly strikes too swiftly and unpredictably for many cameras. The R6 couldn’t fairly seize each body of his leaping and bounding, but it surely got here rattling shut, giving me a far higher share of keepers than I may have hoped for. It’s even superior sufficient to trace an animal’s eye whereas it’s shifting; really that is witchcraft.
The beneath shot is cropped in to indicate simply how good it’s — the canine is mid-bound however is completely captured and in focus.
What’s extra, it has superb mild sensitivity: the EOS R6 can go down as little as EV -6.5, making it doable to lock on seamlessly with out searching, even in dim circumstances.
If the autofocus is superb (and it’s), the picture stabilization is each bit its equal. In addition to having 5-axis IS within the digicam physique, it might probably work along with any IS-equipped Canon lenses to offer as much as an astounding 8 stops of IS. In follow, I may often get sharp pictures at 2 seconds and typically whilst a lot as 4 seconds. Nice information for photographers, much less so for tripod producers.
The shot beneath was taken indoors at evening, in pretty dim lighting and at f/8 — all circumstances which ought to problem most cameras. Nonetheless, the R6 was capable of get a super-sharp picture at simply 1/10 second.
Not all Canon lenses will get the total 8 stops, however even these with out lens-based stabilization will get some profit from the IS and in the event you’re fortunate sufficient to personal one of many 5 RF lenses that do provide the most impact, you’re in for a deal with.
After all typically you’ll need a brief shutter velocity slightly than an extended one, and right here the Canon R6’s burst capturing comes into its personal. It’s able to hitting 12 fps with the mechanical shutter and 20 fps with the digital one. Nearly as importantly, it might probably accomplish that for completely ages; you’ll be able to take 1,000 JPEGs or 240 RAW photographs earlier than its buffer fills up, which ought to be greater than sufficient for anybody.
Canon EOS R6 overview: Picture high quality
With the entire above in thoughts, it ought to be no shock that the Canon EOS R6 takes pretty stills. The truth is, the mix of quick and correct autofocus and topic monitoring, speedy burst capturing and wonderful picture stabilization implies that there are only a few areas the place the R6 journeys up in any respect.
Some individuals may really feel that 20.1 megapixels isn’t sufficient for them, notably provided that most of the R6’s direct rivals have extra — typically much more. However the relative lack of pixels does have some apparent advantages. Velocity is one among them — it’s why the R6 can shoot so quick for therefore lengthy with out filling its buffer — however the different issues mild sensitivity. With fewer pixels packed on to the sensor, the R6 could make each larger — and that in flip provides it severe low-light capabilities.
That’s obvious with ISO sensitivity, which fits from 100 as much as 102,400 (or 50-204,800 in expanded mode), and which is usable all the way in which throughout that vary. Positive, at 102,400 there’s a good quantity of noise, however to not the extent that a lot element is misplaced and you might confidently shoot at ISO 6400 the entire time and never remorse it.
Under, you’ll be able to see its ISO capabilities in full impact: on the left is a shot taken at ISO 200, on the correct one at 102,400. Positive, the left picture is sharper, however you’ll be able to nonetheless clearly make out the shutter speeds etched on to the entrance of the outdated movie digicam.
Although decision will not be as excessive as on some cameras, there’s nonetheless loads of element out there. In one other shot of Rigby the Labrador, you’ll be able to see particular person drops of water on his nostril and tremendous whiskers on his chin.
Tremendous particulars are additionally obvious on this shot of him assembly one other Lab, the place veins may be seen on particular person leaves round their toes.
There are a wealth of various settings to delve into if you wish to mess around with the R6’s photographs, together with a number of HDR choices. The R6 also can output within the HEIF (Excessive Effectivity Picture File Format) format that you just is perhaps accustomed to from iOS gadgets. This allows you to shoot higher-quality photographs than JPEGs — they will show 10-bit shade slightly than 8-bit, however with out bigger file sizes, as an illustration. Simply keep in mind that to make use of them you’ll have to allow the HDR PQ setting and use the mechanical shutter.
Canon EOS R6 overview: Video
Video is just not a specific focus of the R6, so I did not make it a specific focus of my testing. It is actually ok to fulfill a stills shooter who desires to take movies sometimes on trip, however YouTubers might be higher among the finest cameras for vlogging.
As you’d count on, it might probably shoot 4K video at as much as 60fps, albeit with a small crop of 1.07x. There’s additionally 1080p seize at as much as 120fps, which may make for some pretty slow-motion movies. Plus, the entire varied autofocus modes, and the picture stabilization, can be found in video in addition to with stills.
The standard of the footage is not the problem right here — it is crisp and colourful, whereas the built-in IS, excessive sensitivity, full-frame sensor and excellent autofocus all allow you to get clean, well-exposed and in-focus footage. No, the issue is one among overheating: in 4K mode it will get severely scorching, so Canon limits it to only 30 to 40 minutes of footage in the event you’re capturing at 60 fps. You get greater than an hour at slower speeds, and there isn’t any restriction in 1080p mode, however anybody who takes video footage severely slightly than simply utilizing it sometimes will in all probability discover it too restrictive.
Canon EOS R6 overview: Verdict
The Canon EOS R6 is an outstanding full-frame mirrorless digicam for superior newbie photographers, notably those that spend extra time capturing shifting objects and portraits than they do landscapes.
The mixture of unimaginable autofocus — severely, it really works like magic — with class-leading picture stabilization and super-clean excessive ISO settings imply it is a supremely succesful performer in virtually each scenario. It barely tripped up as soon as in my time with it and if I needed a digicam to tackle trip with me tomorrow, I would be asking Canon to lend me one.
It isn’t low-cost, however you are getting a whole lot of digicam right here and it is no costlier than its fundamental rival, the Sony A7 IV.
Panorama photographers may desire a better decision and dedicated YouTubers will even need to look elsewhere, however for anybody else that is a straightforward digicam to suggest.
