AMAZING AF IN ACTION
The EOS R6 mirrorless is for enthusiasts and semi-pros who feel the need for speed with 20fps, amazing AF and IBIS
The new Canon EOS R6 is built for capturing anything that moves with its ace AF tracking, 20fps burst rate and IBIS. Our big verdict is on
Canon has unleashed two very similar yet distinct beasts, which have turned the industry on its head. Last issue we tested the Canon EOS R5, a mirrorless answer to the EOS 5D (and, according to reports, the closest we’ll ever get to a 5D Mark V) that packs overwhelming 45Mp and 8K firepower. However, it’s the EOS R6 (again the all-but-official successor to the 6D Mark II) for keen amateurs and semi-pro photographers who don’t need that kind of, frankly, nuclear armament.
Which isn’t to say that the EOS R6 doesn’t have any muscle to flex. Far from it; it possesses the same sensor (sans a fancy low-pass filter) and the same blistering burst shooting top speed as the flagship Canon EOS-1D X Mark III. And not only does it take the flagship’s extraordinary Deep Learning AF system, it actually trumps it with a new and exciting animal autofocus system and improved Dual Pixel AF II technology.
Some have suggested that the R6’s 20.1Mp sensor might be too modest, though, plus there’s the overheating issues that limited the R5 also apply here to the superb (but shortlived) 4K modes. So now that we’ve given it a thorough testing, how does the Canon EOS R6 fare – and how does it compare to the existing R and RP bodies?
Key features
As noted, the R6 shares plenty of DNA with the 1D X Mark III right down to its resolution. However, certain critics may be sniffy about the modest 20.1Mp sensor – particularly when the R6 sits one branch down from the R5 at top of Canon’s full-frame mirrorless tree, but has lower resolution than the entry level 26.2Mp EOS RP, and only two-thirds the resolution of APS-C cameras, such as the Canon EOS 90D.
“Not only does it take the EOS-1D X Mk III’S extraordinary Deep Learning AF system, it actually trumps it”
Still, it matches the R5’s top shooting speed of a lightning-fast 20 frames per second via the electronic shutter, and even out-punches most sports DSLRS with its 12fps using the mechanical shutter. And where the 1D X Mk III could only take advantage of its full AF wizardry when shooting in Live View, the R6 delivers the full suits of autofocus functionality through the viewfinder as well. That means both human and animal eye AF – including while shooting birds in flight – through the EVF, which can be set with a 120fps refresh rate, ensuring you don’t miss a beat.
Although it lacks the 8K capability of the R5, the EOS R6 can still capture full-readout 4K video (albeit only in UHD, not DCI) up to 60p, and can record Fullhd / 1080p footage right up to 120p – something that the R5 cannot do. And again, all the autofocus magic is fully functional in all of the video modes.
It’s better equipped to tackle low light situations, too, thanks to the fewer pixels on the image sensor, which enables each photosite to be bigger, and thus gather a greater amount of light. As standard the Canon R6 boasts an ISO range of 100-102,400, which is expandable to 50-204,800, and it can autofocus down to an impressive -6EV.
Thankfully, the camera also possesses Canon’s newly implemented and highly impressive 5-axis in-body image stabilization – and this delivers up to 8 CIPArated stops of stability depending on the lens you mount. While you’ll only enjoy the full 8 stops on native RF lenses, the IBIS system also stabilizes EF, EF-S and ‘dumb’ lenses (with no electrical contacts, such as cine optics or vintage lenses that are so easy to adapt on mirrorless cameras).
Build and handling
While in function the EOS R6 has plenty in common with the Canon 1D X Mk III, in form it bears a close resemblance to the EOS RP. While slightly chunkier and heavier, it features almost identical ergonomics – the exception being the addition of a joystick that will keep pros happy (something that isn’t typically found on 6-series cameras) and a rear control wheel that will be familiar to DSLR users. Likewise, the mode dial is of the traditional EOS variety, rather than the hybrid mode/rear control dial seen on the EOS R and R5.
Weather sealing is equal to the 6D Mark II, so it’s good but not quite as robust as the 5D or 1D X, but you can still happily shoot with this camera in wet and windy conditions. That being said, you’ll need a similarly weather-sealed lens otherwise you’re at risk of
“Weather sealing is equal to the Canon 6D Mk II DSLR, so it’s good but not quite as robust as the 5D or 1D X”
doing some serious damage to your expensive kit.
What really separates the R6 from both the 6-series DSLRS and the existing R-series mirrorless bodies is the presence of a second memory card slot. Unlike the R5, the camera features twin UHS-II SD slots – meaning that you can use two cards without having to invest in new Cfexpress cards. The R6 also uses the new 2130mah battery, the LP-E6NH. This features 14% greater capacity than the LP-E6N that it replaces – and, of course, you can still use those batteries in the R6, if you’re anything like us and have loads of them lying around.
Performance: Stills
In most respects, the Canon EOS R6 feels the same as shooting with the R5 – the difference being, of course, that its sensor has significantly reduced resolution. While some might feel that 20.1Mp is a bit on the low side, it really comes into its own in service of the continuous shooting speeds; the lower pixel count means that the R6 can buffer almost three times as many JPEGS as the R5.
It can maintain bursts of over 1000 JPEGS or 240 Raws, meaning that whether shooting at 12fps (mechanical) or 20fps (electronic) you won’t miss a moment of the action – which is a very big deal if you’re photographing sports or wildlife, and it really makes the modest amount of megapixels make sense. Indeed, the 20.1Mp is more than enough for the pros who shoot spreads and front covers for
National Geographic, so it should be more than enough for most people on a typical shoot.
Speaking of electronic shutter, it’s worth noting that rolling shutter (the phenomenon whereby vertical lines and objects appear ‘skewed’ during panning shots) is more pronounced than it is on the R5, owing to the slower readout speed of the sensor. This is one of the perils of shooting electronically on any camera, and the R6 isn’t the worst culprit by any means, but bear in mind that the effect is much less offensive on the R5.
Of course, the big bonus of having a sensor with fewer megapixels is that it gives the EOS R6 an advantage in terms of low light and ISO performance. Anecdotally we experienced cleaner results than both the 45Mp R5 and the 30Mp EOS R.
In terms of autofocus, the R6 seems absolutely on par with its big brother – and shares the honour of featuring the best autofocus system of any camera we’ve ever used before. The Deep Learning AF
“The R6 can track the eyes of birds in flight – an incredible feat for sure, and one that is wholly reliable”
engine from the 1D X Mark III, combined with the new Dual Pixel AF II, means that the eye, face and head detection is just as reliable as it was on the flagship DSLR, but more impressive is the absolutely astonishing Animal AF.
Yes, other cameras have autofocus that can track animals and birds in flight. However, the R6 can track the eyes of birds in flight – an incredible feat for sure, and one that is wholly reliable and positively game-changing if you shoot wildlife. Again the 20Mp sensor provides an advantage here, as you can machine-gun more frames before the buffer fills up, though of course you have less leeway to crop into your shots than you do on the 45Mp R5.
If you’re worried about electronic viewfinder lag making you miss shots, you can push the refresh rate of the EVF up to 120fps – it’ll gobble up the battery faster, so we’d only advise it specifically for sports or wildlife shooting, but it’ll definitely make a clear difference if you do.
Performance: Video
Moving on to video, the R6 boasts full-readout 4K video up to 60fps – however, since it only outputs UHD video (with no option for DCI) there is actually a minor 1.07x crop invoked. No such crop is present for 1080p capture, though, which can record up to 120p (and it’s worth mentioning that 1080p 120fps isn’t an option on the R5). And all the new autofocus toys are available in every video format.
While it’s easy to be wowed by the 8K capability of the EOS R5, the reality is that many content creators still aren’t even shooting (or, at least, outputting) in 4K. It’s 1080p that’s the common currency of choice for everyday video, so the ability to capture Fullhd footage all the way up to 120 frames per second will likely be more relevant than the 4K functions to most people interested in this camera – especially when there are no recording limits in 1080p.
Yes, like its big brother, the R6 is subject to some recording limitations when shooting 4K, which here is oversampled from 5.1K to provide beautifully crisp footage. It can record between 30 and 40 minutes of 4K 60p video before overheating, and between 40 minutes and an hour for 4K 30p – and note that those times will be
“If you’re worried about electronic viewfinder lag making you miss shots, you can push the refresh rate of the EVF”
affected by the temperature of the environment in which you’re shooting, as well as the amount of stills photography you’ve conducted as well.
Those limitations can be a real frustration, especially if you’re a hybrid shooter splitting your time between stills and video (if you’re covering a wedding, for example). If you shoot everything in Fullhd, or you just want the occasional 4K clip to stick on your Instagram, then you’ve got nothing to worry about at all and this camera is a very valid option.
However, if you’re looking to shoot 4K video primarily or significantly, the R6 isn’t the best body for you to choose.
If you’re willing to persevere, though said limitations, you will reap the rewards of fantastic 4K footage. You can also take advantage of zebras, a feature new to Canon’s consumer bodies, which will prevent you overexpose your shots when shooting in bright conditions. And, while rolling shutter can be a bit obnoxious when it comes to stills photography, the phenomenon isn’t very invasive for video work.