Posted on December 3, 2012
by jthorpephoto 
61 Partners
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First off sorry everyone for the lack of posts, I have a bunch of backlog that I'll get to, but for now here is my review of the new Canon 6D.
The Canon 6D was announced back in September, and is officially announced as of Dec 9th (according to Canon's official release) but I got my grubby little milts on one. I won't go into much of the specs of the actual camera, you can easily Google that, but I will touch on how it performs, on a professional use level. First off I'm coming off using a 5D MKii as my primary camera, and believe me, it was wonderful, so no real complaints with it, I was just in the market for something new, as my MKii was getting a bit work out. (shutter was starting to stick) So why did I go with the 6D over the MKiii?? The sensor is nearly the same, (20mp vs 22mp), and the LCD is the same (3" vs 3.2") Few reasons…
1) Price: Let's be honest, price does matter. The MKIII is listed at $3,899 body only, while the 6D is listed at $2,800 WITH a 24-105L lens, and $2,100 body only. Thats a thousand dollars saving buying the kit and $1,700 saving with the body only. Thats pretty substantial savings, if the price were $500-$700 apart I'd say go with the MKiii, but at nearly $2,000 cheaper its hard to argue with it. Like anything you get what you pay for, and I'll touch on what that means in a bit.
2) Weight: Id say the size of this is a tiny bit smaller than a MKiii and a bit bigger than a 7D. It's a good size for sure and also weighs much less, and for doing video that means alot, to me atleast. I use a glidecam alot and being able to use a lighter camera will give me smoother and better shots. Its mostly plastic, but I'm not a photographer who throws there stuff around so I don't see it breaking or anything like that, plus it is weather sealed.
3)Button Layout: (see pic)
I do like the fact they moved all the buttons from the left to right. From what I've heard the back of the camera is similar to a 60D, but I've never used that camera, so I can't comment on that, but having everything on one side is nice. What I've always liked about Canon over Nikon is how simple they make their cameras, there's normally ALOT of buttons on a Nikon, but Canon figures out a way to make it simple. The "Q" button I've circled here, is kind of a "do-it-all". Depending on if you're in live view, or movie mode, it brings up all your camera settings, while the info button can bring up things like a digital level, and audio levels for video.
4) Movie: It can record in all the same resolutions as the MKiii, so no difference there, I've heard of reports of Moire with the video, but I haven't seen it really. The video is a big upgrade from the MKii. Also the LCD is MUCH better than the MKii, and damn near the same as the MKiii.
Now the reason its cheaper…
Small things have be stripped from this over the MKiii, but you can decide if its that important to you. I can tell you this, I shoot nearly everyday professionally, and the features "missing" really don't matter to much to me.
1) No dedicated WB button: eh, really not the big of a deal with this camera. You have to go into the menu, or live view-"Q" button then thumb over to WB to select. Actually, this is the first time I've trusted using an Auto white balance setting with a camera as opposed to using "sunlight or flash" so like I said def not a deal breaker for me. You can change it in movie mode though on the LCD which is all that matters to me really.
2)Missing Headphone Jack: Kind of a big deal, but my wireless system as its own headphone attached to it, so I can hear the levels just fine. Like I said before, you can monitor audio on the LCD, so again not a big deal to me. It also has a built in Wind screen and Attenuator setting in the camera.
3)Shutter sound: Personal preference really. I liked the sound of the mirror on the MKii, over this, it just sounded "beefier" for lack of a better term. The 6D and MKiii both share the same shutter and sound as well as silent shutter setting, for those moments where being discreet is necessary. Still not a deal breaker.
Other than those above things, I really don't see a difference from the MKiii, I've used it, and to be completely honest, its damn near the same. Well except for one thing….
BUILT IN WI-FI!!!!
Seriously, I never thought this would ever matter to me, but since using it today on an ad shoot with the art director, I can't believe I've never had it before. You can use this anywhere, as the camera has its own dedicated Wi-fi, and by downloading the "EOS Remote" app for the iPhone, Android, or iPad. To do this with the MKiii you'd have to buy a $600 accessory, which is just ridiculous. From the app you can control all normal camera functions like shooting mode, WB, shutter/aperture, etc. as it operates like a wired cable release. You can also view all pics and EXIF data from the camera, download images and email them directly, it can also link up to other Wi-fi enabled cameras. For an art director this is huge. You set it up so they can view every photo from the shoot instantly on their smart phone or tablet. So long are the days of running a wired setup to a monitor, now tethering can be done anywhere. You can also save the pics directly to your device, and have it act like an external hard drive.
In conclusion I have to say I'm very pleased with the 6D over my MKii, its a pretty big upgrade from it. It retains all the ability of any professional level camera, and honestly any professional with a high skill level, can produce amazing images with damn near any camera. The addition of the wi-fi being built into the camera is a big selling point for me and my career. If I had to compare it to an iphone it would be like this: MKii=iPhone 4 6D=iPhone4S MKiii=iPhone5 I really hope that makes sense. The 6D is incredibly similiar to the MKiii, so if you wanna save nearly $2,000 and upgrade from a MKii or 7D buy yourself a 6D, if you have a MKiii, keep it.
More posts coming soon, about all the shoots I've been doing, thanks guys!!!
61 Comments for Product Review: Canon 6D
Keith
Thanks for the review & your site.
So, I just bought my 6D today. I previously used the 5D MK1 & 40D.
I was deciding btwn this & the 7D. Being newer & what I beleive are better specs, I chose the 6D.
IImmedietely I noticed the single function of the top buttons & the lsck of WB button as well. I dislike the buttons all moved to the Right. I prefer to Delete images via 2 hands when reviewing. Now my left hand has to each all the way across the body.
This is my first DSLR that captures video, I moslty use SONY vdedicated video cameras & want to dabble w/ the dslr video. I immeditely noticed the lack of a headphone jack. To me this is kind of major.
As Im going to shoot some studi stuff tonight, I also just noticed the lack of a dedicate sync port. Luckily I have an old hot-shoe adapter. This again is something that could be resloved as I did, but Id rather a built in sync connnection. Im sort of disapointed here.
It's a huge improvement from my older Canons & will take some getting used to, especially the video functions.
Like Apple who keeps eliminating features in the quest to be small(no internal disc drive on new iMacs) they are overlooking some very important, basic functions.
jthorpephoto
Thanks for checking out my review.
yeah the WB button is strange, but in video mode its very easy to change the WB on the screen using the “Q” button. I touched on the lack of headphone jack, but you can view the audio levels while recording video, a feature that too many DSLRs lack. The sync port being gone is starting to become more and more common, as dedicated wireless triggers are becoming more affordable and are much more convenient.
Let me know how the camera is working out for you!!
OFFICIAL: CANON EOS 6D - User Thread - Part 2 - Page 4
[...] Re: OFFICIAL: CANON EOS 6D – User Thread – Part 2 First complete 6D review by a photographer spotted Product Review: Canon 6D ‹ Jonathan Thorpe [...]
joe
hi, could you explain about the focus speed ? is it 100% like 60d ?
and i read many review that if you are in lowlight situation no flash, you just can use the center point to focus, other can't focus. is it true ?
jthorpephoto
the focus is very fast and snappy, and yes in low light you can focus -3EVF with the center point
joe
how about not in center point in lowlight ? is it hard to focus ??
cause im using it for lowlight candid no flash. im confusing about this 6d or 5diii.
Deddy
Hi there,
What's the meaning of -3EVF?
Thanks,
jthorpephoto
basically 3 stops underexposed
Anders C. Madsen
Ooops – not really 3 stops underexposed. 
EV 0 corresponds to an exposure time of 1 second and a relative aperture of f/1.0 at ISO 100, so EV -3 is a 8 second exposure at f/1.0 or a 64 second exposure at f/2.8 and ISO 100.
If you are an event photographer we are talking about an exposure time of 1/8 second at f/2.8 and ISO 51200, done with autofocus! However, this is the sensitivity – real world AF on anything but a perfectly stationary target is another story…
Charles
The 5D Mk3 is $2899……Moire is rubbish on this cam…..might as well save up and get the "real" camera……everyone else test prove this….this guy is just trying to justify why he bought it by "mistake"
jthorpephoto
actually the camera is still retailing from REPUTABLE dealers at $3,299 check calumet, b&h, adorama etc. I also just wrapped production on a commercial for BMW where we used the 6D extensively for the driving shots. I didn’t purchase this as a mistake, I know what I’m buying as I do this full time, thanks for reading.
jthorpephoto
also if you add the same 24-105L lens to the mkIII the price goes to $4,200
Bernardo
There is nothing in the rieevw referenced that states that the HDR image output is a JPG. If you are going to make a statement like this, it would be helpful if it was backed up with some factual evidence. As a 7D user, I have been waiting for the Mark III before making the jump to a full-frame sensor, and this camera looks like a winner.
Terry
Actually the camer is now $2999 at Adorama, B&H, Amazon, etc…..you just have to place it in the cart…..makes sense to get the 5D Mk3……sense price is soo close why would you get the 6D instead of the monster? I incourage you to check prices….5DMK3 isomer bang for the buck
jthorpephoto
so how would I know how much a camera is, by looking right? i shouldnt have to place it in the cart to see a discount, thats terrible marketting. im quite happy with the 6D
Vlast
LOL, unfortunately the pricing that can be displayed by the stores mentioned above is controlled by Canon and they do not have a choice in the matter. There was story on that a few weeks back somewhere.
I am pretty sure I will be buying the camera in a week or so once I find a store to get it.
Thanks for the review.
Jamie
Thanks for the great review and your patience with some of the pissy comments.
Since you talked a lot about the wi-fi and you clearly shoot a lot of video, can you please answer a lingering question. Can you shoot video when controlling the camera through the EOS Mobile App – or is that important feature somehow not enabled???
Thanks!
jthorpephoto
thanks!
as of now, if you put the camera into video mode it clicks the wifi off. i think it could be fixed with a firmware upate which i hope is the case. for now i use a HDMI external monitor for video
Anders C. Madsen
I doubt that a wireless connection will be fast enough to transfer video unless the resolution is significantly reduced from full HD or the stream heavily compressed (think "YouTube HD"). Also, any network dropouts would kill the stream and stop the capture, leaving the videographer fuming pretty quickly.
Dino
I just wanted to say thanks for the review. I too purchased the 6D kit the day it came out and I have used it on a shoot the very next which went extremely well. I also considered the Mark III but when you can get the 24-105L and still pay less than you would for the Mark III then I think that is a great deal. Maybe it depends on what you are shooting I guess but for weddings and portraits this camera is great! Thanks again for the review I appreciate it.
jthorpephoto
thanks!! so far its been good, im gonna look at some focus issues today that i noticed yesterday on my shoot
Dino
Excellent for self portrait….set on wifi and iPhone 4s.
SuperDave
Lol the wifi app only works during photo…seems like a gimmick to me…they won't add in a firmware update because they would've done it up front…they know we really wanna use this feature for video more than taking pics…ohh wow I can use a app to control my camera during picture mode…that's sad and everyone knows it
jthorpephoto
why so hateful? relax dude, its a camera
Z
SuperDave, did you forget that this is also a stills camera? There are plenty of photographers who will buy this camera to do stills, not video — because they are photographers. Not everyone is a videographer. The wi-fi will be perfectly good and useful for them. That's not a gimick.
jthorpephoto, Thanks for the interesting and helpful review.
Merry
According to this post , the HDR file the camera derilevs is a jpg and not a raw. I fail to see the benefit from this, I can have better results with more control by using LR Enfuse, a donation based little program that derilevs a tiff file. The best part is that I can work on the raw files in Lightroom first and then blend them with LR Enfuse. I have been doing this for some time now (when I need extended Dynamic Range) and it works great, no reason to upgrade for this. For all those unfamiliar with LR Enfuse, you can download it .
Steve M.
Wow! I swear every single DSLR related website you go to, it's the same scenario, someone posts their opinions and viewpoints about a camera and people just want to get nasty about that opinion. It's sad and pathetic. It was never like this 5 years ago, before the DSLR revolution, but ever since this technology was brought to the masses, it's turned many into self-proclaimed DP's, Cinematographers, and basically just a bunch of know-it-all jerks. I urge you to look at the other DSLR related websites and read some of the posts, it's nothing more than one big argument over basically nothing. It's just a camera, and it is amazing how it's changed people into such unpleasant individuals.
JS
+1
Me
Steve M,
Well said. This is just one person's opinion on a camera. If you don't like what he has to say, that's fine, but no need to base someone for sharing their thoughts.
I thought the review was good for a person's opinion. I thought it was helpful as well.
In short, like it or don't like it, but no need to be jerks. Create your own website and base the Canon 6D all you want!
Bayasgalan
I can certainly unstedrand the dissapointment on so many of the photographers who have been waiting waiting waiting for years now for Canon to pull out another ground breaking camera. However, it does seem that with the MarkIII, they have at least corrected the Major Major Major problem that all 5D (I and II) lovers were missing, and that of course is AUTO FOCUS !!! They also have apparently improved the sturdiness of the body to withstand weather conditions and wear and tear. And i think the processor is now more sophisticated so that it can get better results from the same amount of Megapixels as the first and second generation 5D’s. Another apparent tweak is the ability to shoot at higher ISO’s and still retain a semblence of natural smoothness and detail. I’m not a high ISO fan but in the right hands and under the right circumstances this gives a creative artist a huge potential to experiment when the lighting conditions are just plain poor. All in all this camera may not be breaking NEW ground but in a very real sense, this camera may be the perfect answer or should i say “tool” to all those out there who are in need of a really RELIABLE and PRACTICAL camera that we know will PRODUCE on a very HIGH LEVEL. How do i know that ? Because i have been lucky enough to have had great success with the 5D I and II. And although the 5DIII will be similar, It will also have many of the wish list items that the first two cameras should have had. It may also be good to remember that when the first 5 D came out it actually had a better IQ than the 8,000 dollar IDS. It did not have the robustness but it was less than half the price and it allowed a whole new generation of semi pros and pros alike to make world class images with a reasonably priced new system. Relatively speaking, the 3500 dollar price tag for the new MarkIII camera would seem to me to be in line with what the first two cameras cost when they came out, only perhaps just a bit more, which can be chalked up to the times (this is after all 5 years later). And also the new autofocus and reinforced body quality make that little extra seem reasonable. j
ta
Have you noticed any moire or soft image issues with the video?
jthorpephoto
nope i haven’t
PoChop
Great review! I've been going nuts reading all the useless nitpicking on other websites. I see you have taken great pictures with the 5d mkii which makes your opinion on the 6d more credible than all the pixel peeping junk out there.
Ryan
Nice look on the 6D. I must say that I also bought a 6D. I have used a 5Dii and shoot mostly weddings and portraits. I would have to say that I find the 5Diii pretty unneccessary for weddings and portraits. I think there are gear heads with deep pockets out there that insist that you need everything the 5D has, but I would argue that if you cant get a good photo with a 6D, you won't be able to get one with a 5D either. They are so close it's completely rediculous to say that you need anything the 5D has to offer unless you are getting paid to photograph F1 races for Ferrari or are purposfully trying to put yourself in poor lighting situations. To me, I see that a great majority of professionals have used the 5Dii for years. Now the 6D is better, but since there is a 5Diii out there as well it is regarded as an inferior camera. But hey, go throw down $900 more on that 5Diii. Ill watch you screw on your $700 wifi attachment as I send clients photos minutes after they left their wedding from my 6D that cost half as much.
Daniel Winter
Nice review, thanks!
How do you like the AF so far? Ryan said he shoots weddings (i.e., no need for 61-AF points, alright, but you've gotta be able to catch some action and to rely on your focus points) and likes it.
(Sorry, Ryan, wanted to reply directly to your post but was not able to, not sure why.)
I own a 60D which I do enjoy, but I'm considering upgrading to FF mainly because I'm having a hard time with WA lenses in the range of ~24 mm equiv (EF-s WA are expensive and will be ditched whenever I go FF; I could use better low-light IQ, too). Main uses would be indoor shots with a little action (my kid) and some events, like parties. I'm no pro (wanted to be), but want to start experimenting by shooting parties on weekends and then feeling how it goes.
Is it worth saving more for the 5DmIII — and its terrific AF — and never looking back, or is the 6D's AF really good enough for indoor portraits and events so that I could just get one and save one grand? I understand focus and recompose is not a reliable method, so I'm concerned about precision of the outer AF points.
Keep up the good work!
Thanks again!
jthorpephoto
Focus is super snappy. Especially in low light situations. The focus is very similar to a 5D Mark II, So using the Centerpoint and recomposing will be essential but the focus is much more responsive and precise. I would also look into the micro adjustments featured in the menu on the 6d. this feature is also with the 5D Mark III and fine-tuning Each lens will give you even more precise focus. As stated before if you can’t get picture with a 6d.then you won’t get a good picture with the 5D Mark two or a 5D Mark III these cameras are simply tools for the photographer to use and all them are very capable of producing excellent images. That being said I feel that the 6D image quality is very similar to the 5D Mark III at nearly half the price
Daniel Winter
Thanks! Will buy one!
Terrific work, btw.
jthorpephoto
Please consider purchasing through calumet here on my blog thanks!
Ryan
Hey Daniel,
I used a 5Dii to shoot a wedding last weekend and was shooting around 1/50 sec, f/2, at 3200 ISO nearly the entire time due to dim lighting. Even then, I never found the autofocus a big problem. I think it looks as though the 6D is better. Canon themselves have documentation out there I have seen pointing out that the focus/recompose diminishes accuracy, but even then I think it is just something you have to practice. It becomes difficult if you are shooting at f/1.2 or f/1.4, but unless you are doing macro or shooting up really close, generally the depth of field is big enough that it makes no difference. I think that the 6D offers….90+% of what the 5Diii does, and at a far cheaper price point. If you match up specs the 5D seems way better but if you had both in your hands, I think unless you found a very particular thing worth another $1000, the 6D is the way to go.
jthorpephoto
totally agree
Slava
Thank you for a positive review! i wanted to ask you if the price difference was 400-500$, would it make sense to buy 5D3 or wifi/gps/weight/size is still big pluses of 6D?
jthorpephoto
I really do like the wifi, especially for checking focus. Honestly the biggest difference between the two now that I’ve used the camera for a few more days is a headphone jack, and pc sync. Other than that, the 6d can do all the things the Mkiii can in a smaller lighter body with wifi. Sounds good to me
Cecilia
Thanks for the review! I have a question about the wifi app: can an iPad be used as a large focusing aid via LiveView BEFORE the shot is made?
jthorpephoto
yes it can! please also consider buying from calumet on here if you chose to get it it would help me out alot
Fran
Thanks for the straightforward and helpful review. In the middle of deciding what to go for… your review has been helpful.
Ronnie Chan
Great review,thanks for sharing.I am highly considering this 6D as my 2nd body shoting side by side of my 5D mark III
Sir Les
Thanks v. much for the review – it's always good to get a perspective from someone who actually uses their camera to make their living. One thing that doesn't seem to have been mentioned vis-a vis the 5DMkiii is the 6D's lack of a second card slot. This is a v. useful feature, esp. for professionals, as you can use the 2nd slot as a backup for the first in case the card gets corrupted (heaven forfend!). Alternatively, you can use the first slot for stills and the second for video, or as an overflow for the first. Any thoughts about this from a pro point of view?
jthorpephoto
True but if you enable the wifi you can write your backup to any device. Have your phone in your pocket and connect the wifi and you can have up to an additional 64gb of space with no delay in write speed
Jeff
Thanks for the positive review – I wholeheartedly agree! I purchased the camera 12/2 from local Best Buy and I love it! Definitely an upgrade to my 5d mk ii. I will mostly use the 24-105 lens for outdoor portrait shoots. I came across the 6d when I googled "smallest full frame dslr". The 6d is smaller and lighter than 5d and with a 50mm f2.5 compact macro lens attached it makes for a versatile, easy-to-carry-around rig suitable for many subjects from macro work to street and other portraiture uses. I'm not a videographer and don't intend to use it for video so any shortcomings in that area are of no concern. So far I haven't found anything I don't like about the 6d for photography. I was really impressed by the low light, high ISO performance as compared to the mk ii. I'm very pleased with the purchase.
Tom
Apparantly the prices for 5dm3 have just plummeted like anything, down by almost $1100 by now, it almost looked like an immediate reaction to 6D's launch. After using both cameras, I would personally prefer 6d over 5dm3 (even if they were selling at the same price) because of the extra features such as wi-fi, etc. I don't use the AF one either cameras anyways so 63 vs 11 AF-Pts doesnt matter to me.
Quality of image and/or footage I guess is the same on both cameras. For folks who have already purchased the 5dm3, its still a great camera, I don't see much value in upgrading to 6d.
Nkhan
Excellent review. I was pretty much in the same dilemma – 6d vs 5d mk iii. However, your review has made things pretty easier for me. Coming from 550D and being an amateur photography enthusiast, I was looking for an ff upgrade and 6d couldn’t have arrived at a better time for me. Its still hard to find this camera even in big cities in India, but my local retailer has promised to mage one available next week.
One funny thing though, the quoted street price if 6d body is almost the same to that of 5d mk ii (approx 2300 usd). Actually canon india website last week publish the official prices and that was infact $50 less than mkii. Not sure if this is a general trend in other markets as well
While talking to a “pro” friend of mine, he reckons that due to its construction and “non-pro” feel, this camera might not be a hit with serious shooters. Being a professional photographer yourself, do you also feel the same? Also its there any known workaround for the missing headphone jack problem? Apart from visually monitoring the sound levels on lcd?
Thanks again for the fantastic hands on review!
jthorpephoto
i dont mind the “non-pro” feel of the camera. at the end of the day the only things that matter are that you make a good picture, and your client is happy. they dont care what camera you use, they just want a good product. people caught up in “looking professional” normally arent. also with the audio thing, the Azden lav mac i use has a headphone jack in it so i can monitor the sound that way. also if you use a pre amp system with your dslr to capture the best quality audio through an XLR input, you can plug a headphone into that unit
Geoy
Thanks for an interesting review.
I have been musing between the 6D and D600 for Ice hockey.
The AF is very important for me and the D600 may have the upper hand, but I like the smaller size of this baby.
Do you have an opinion on using the 6D for ice hockey and is there a zoom that you favour?.
Thanks for a reply.
Geoy.
jthorpephoto
well, it may not be the best for sports, it has the same focus as a MKii, so its more center weighted which may not be ideal, but the dim lighting conditions of the rink, wouldnt be a problem for the camera though. i love the Tamron 24-70 VC 2.8 Lens i use it nearly everyday
Jack
http://www.canonwatch.com/canon-eos-6d-sensor-less-noisy-than-eos-5d-mark-iii/ shows one good reason why one would get the 6D over the 5DMkIII.
I do a lot of night photography. Stars and Auroras and available light night exposures. The very low noise in longer exposures is enough to tip the scales for my use. Would be nice to have a faster frame rate for daytime wildlife but I lived with slower rates shooting film for years. Don't know what I would ever use as wifi for(not sure what it does either) and GPS is silly. I know where I am when I photograph.
It is image quality that matters to me and that is why I'll get one of these unless Canon finally answers the D800E in January. Nikon sure has Canon by the short hairs lately with their latest full frame bodies.
jthorpephoto
wow i hadnt seen that before, thats awesome
JS
Thank you for your review. That is exactly the feedback about the 6D that I was looking for.
Stan
Thanks for the review. Have you used the HDR mode?
jthorpephoto
actually havnt yet, i know it takes 3 RAW files and combines them into 1 jpeg, which im not to fond of. Id rather just do the exposures manually then use photomatix if i were to do HDR
Tom
The 5dm3 price has further crashed, with the difference now just $700. I truly feel 5d3 should retail for price atleast $200-300 lower than 6D. I am sure, it must be on the way in times to come.
J
Great review. Thanks for sharing.
A