Canon EOS 6D review

Thanks to Lenslenders.ca for the review unit.

Just about a week after Nikon introduced the D600 to market, Canon has brought out their own entry into the emerging mid-range full frame DSLR camera the EOS 6D. Priced at about $1700 less then the companies flagship EOS 5D Mark III, there is quite a bit to this camera.

First off here are some of the basic specs.
Sensor 35.8 x 23.9mm CMOS
Maximum resolution (20.2 megapixels)
Lens Interchangeable (EF)
Shutter Electronic focal-plane
Shutter speed range 30 to 1/4000 s, bulb
Exposure metering TTL, full aperture, 63 zones
Exposure modes Full auto, programmed, shutter priority,aperture priority, manual
Metering modes Evaluative, Partial, Spot, Centre-Weighted average
Focus areas 11 autofocus points
Focus modes One-shot, AI Servo, AI Focus, Manual
Continuous shooting up to 4.5 frame/s.
Viewfinder Optical pentaprism with 97% coverage[1] and electronic (Live View)
ASA/ISO range 100–25600 (expansion up to 102400)
Rear LCD monitor 3.0 inches (76 mm), 1,040,000 dots
Storage SD (SDHC, SDXC)
Battery Li-Ion LP-E6 Rechargeable (1800mAh)
Dimensions 144.5 x 110.5 x 71.2 mm
Weight 680 g (24 oz), body only; 755 g (26.6 oz),CIPA standard
Optional battery packs BG-E13 grip allows use of 6 AA cells, a single LP-E6 or two LP-E6 batteries

The EOS 6D body was paired with a Canon 24-70mm f4L IS USM lens, both being provided by Lenlenders.ca, who offers both body and lens for rent through their website.

One note about myself.

I shoot a Nikon D50, I chose Nikon at the time as that’s what works for me. I find both Nikon and Canon’s to be excellent products. So several of my observations come from being a Nikon shooter.

Moving from a DX sensor camera to a full frame body, I expected the body to be much heavier then it is, however the EOS 6D feels right in my hands and has a good solid feel to it.

The menu controls are very familiar if you have used a Canon camera before and new users to Canon will find it very easy to learn.

The mode selection dial took me a while to get used to. To turn the dial you have to press down on the centre to disengage the dial lock. This does make sense as it prevents one from accidentally changing the mode. Something I have done on my own DSLR in the past. It should be noted that most of the new DSLR’s coming out included the most direct competitor the Nikon 600D has the same feature.

Canon totes this camera as being able to shoot in very low light conditions. They are not kidding, I have taken shots downtown and the ambient light was more then sufficient for hand hand shooting. The shutter feels and sounds very good. There are a total of four shutter modes, 2 silent and 2 regular modes. The silent mode while not completely noise free does allow you to be less obvious when shooting. Using the silent mode does reduce the fps but not by a large amount.

The controls are all placed in logical locations and after a few minutes of familiarization, operation is fairly easy. That being said, some time with the manual will highlight all the things this camera is capable of.

The various modes include aperture and shutter priority are very easy to understand and the large preview lcd screen makes seeing what you have just shot very easy. Using the quick mode function button with the lcd makes changing modes on the fly a matter of a quick glance and you are back to shooting.

Wi-fi and GPS modes

The 6D is the first camera in this range that has built in Wi-fi and GPS features in the base camera. These features combined with a smart phone app for both Android and iOS devices allow you to extend the uses of the camera. You can set up a wifi hotspot allowing the camera to connect to a smart phone running the Canon application. The app has several functions including remote shooting, upload to the smart phone, and several others. The app is available for both IOS and Android.

The remote shooting allows you to setup the camera and then via the smart phone see what the camera is seeing, you can then adjust focus, iso and aperture as well as remote triggering the shutter in the any of the four shutter modes. The viewing app allows you to browse the contents of the camera card and upload images to your own phone’s photo library as well as email them or upload to Canon’s own storage service online.

The GPS unit is very simple to operate and I feel most photographers will simply turn it off and on, Canon has software that allows collaboration with Google maps. Bear in mind both GPS and Wi-Fi will drain the battery more when in use.

The battery is the same one Canon uses in the EOS 60D, 7D and 5D Mark III models With minimal use of live view and with Wi-Fi and GPS turned off the estimated life is 1090 shots I found my own results to be very close to this number, If you use live view and the Wi-Fi / GPS options quite a bit you might want to consider a second battery or the optional BG-E13 battery grip which can double your battery capacity.

Other Notes.

The camera feels very solid and has a good sense of weight to it, and does not feel heavy. Lens selection will play a big part in determine the total weight. I use a carry speed strap to keep the camera by my waist until I am ready to shoot. The 6D felt just as comfortable as my Nikon D50.

On the lower right side below the lens there is a button that will give you a depth of field and exposure preview. Something that once I discovered it I used a lot in the initial process of composing a shot. One of the two things (the other being hi ISO) I would like to have on my camera.

Summary.

Canon has brought a excellent entry into the the new mid-range full frame category. For photographers looking to either upgrade their existing body or as a backup body, the EOS 6D offers an very competitive option. Unless you need a very specific feature that the more expensive Canon 5D Mark III has, the EOS 5D will more then meet your needs.