Canon Announces the Canon EOS 6D DSLR

[Stephen Melvin]

I've finally seen a direct head-to-head comparison between the D600 and the 6D, and it's not as cut-and-dry as some people seem to think it is. In three areas that are very important to me, the 6D actually wins:

1. ISO range. The 6D has two full stops more high ISO settings at the top of the range. Based on my experience with Canon cameras, I expect this difference to show up in real world performance. This is an extremely important feature to me.

2. AF sensitivity. Yes, the 6D has a very disappointing 11 point AF system. It's irritating that Canon clings to these basic AF units. On the other hand, the AF is one stop more sensitive in low light than the state-of-the-art unit in the 1Dx and 5D Mk III, and two stops more sensitive than the AF in the D600. I love to shoot in ridiculously low levels of light, and coupled with the superior high ISO sensitivity, the 6D would seem to have the advantage in low light situations.

For my style of shooting, this is much more important than dynamic range, and Nikon's sensors lose that advantage at high ISO's.

3. Weight. I've been dying for a smaller, lighter FF camera from Canon. The 6D is a full 80 grams lighter than the D600 with the battery installed. This sounds like an awesome walk-around and backup camera. I intend to buy one to back up my 5D Mk III, as its specs are superior to the Mk II's in ways that are very important to me.

[Stephen Melvin]

It's odd that it does not use CF cards. My 50D used CF cards.  For a pro that point is hard to overlook.

CF is obsolete.

[Marine03]

I guess I'm one I the few saps who like this camera.  Sure I'd like 45 pt AF but for the last 3 years I've been center point only in my 450D.  And the high/low iso performance will blow it away.  4.5 fps hmmm could be 5d2 slow but it's not. And. SD cards. Thank you that there will save me 100 or more dollars in new cards. Everyone bent on CF needs go get a life.   Plastic body sounds good to me saves weight and plastics are used in guns etc.  might take me about a year to save the money but this will be my next body

[rjhigh]

.
Is this their first digital SLR that doesn't use a prime number?

No. 30d, 40d, 50d, 60d, t2i, t4i. Also rebels in some countries are 500d, 550d, etc...

[Don Haines]

And the Battery in the 6D is the same battery as:
60D
5D II
5D III
7D

That's pretty good for keeping the same battery usable in different models.

[Ew]

Like it or not, this body probably will gain acceptance in the market.

This is now the top teir consume camera.

7D 5D 1D line will now be the clear "pro" cameras.

It not be a surprise if non-photo specific chain stores (eg BestBuy) will cap off their on the shelf line with the 6D. If you know that you need more, you obviously "know more than our sales reps working the floor", and will go elsewhere to actually make the purchase. Why deal with the inventory and customer confusion??

[DonHorne]

It's odd that it does not use CF cards. My 50D used CF cards.  For a pro that point is hard to overlook.

CF is obsolete.

I hope your wrong otherwise I'll be forced to by large cards. A few years back I tried to change SD cards while wearing gloves and ended up dropping cards in the snow. I'll gladly stick with obsolete CF cards.

[libertyranger]

... on the 6d there is *no* cross point at all if you attach a lens with f2.8+ (i.e. fast zooms, most primes). It's no speculation to say that a cross point will provide more reliable af than only horizontal/vertical, no matter what magic you put in the firmware and how dark it can be.

Not quite true.  The f/2.8 line is superimposed on an f/5.6 '+' (technically, the f/2.8 line pair is outside the f/5.6 lines).  They act in concert. If the f/2.8 line cannot achieve focus, the f/5.6 line is used.  Also, the f/5.6 lines are better with substantial defocus, so often with a hybrid AF point, a 'coarse focus' is achieved with the f/5.6 line(s), and that's refined by the f/2.8 line(s).

Okay, I've spent some time researching this tonight, but I'm still not too sure.  So how is this cross type AF point on the 6D different from the cross type AF point on the 5DII or T3i?

[Marsu42]

... on the 6d there is *no* cross point at all if you attach a lens with f2.8+ (i.e. fast zooms, most primes). It's no speculation to say that a cross point will provide more reliable af than only horizontal/vertical, no matter what magic you put in the firmware and how dark it can be.

Not quite true.  The f/2.8 line is superimposed on an f/5.6 '+' (technically, the f/2.8 line pair is outside the f/5.6 lines).  They act in concert. If the f/2.8 line cannot achieve focus, the f/5.6 line is used.  Also, the f/5.6 lines are better with substantial defocus, so often with a hybrid AF point, a 'coarse focus' is achieved with the f/5.6 line(s), and that's refined by the f/2.8 line(s).

Ah, thx for the explanation, the Canon spec does not only seem to be a mystery to me - are you sure it is this hybrid af? So does this mean, do you expect the center point af on the 6d to be "better" overall than on the 5d2, or does the hybrid construction (first f2.8, then f5.6 line) slow it down? This really will be the decisive point when people want either a 6d and the added gimmicks or a new/used 5d2.

[libertyranger]

... on the 6d there is *no* cross point at all if you attach a lens with f2.8+ (i.e. fast zooms, most primes). It's no speculation to say that a cross point will provide more reliable af than only horizontal/vertical, no matter what magic you put in the firmware and how dark it can be.

Not quite true.  The f/2.8 line is superimposed on an f/5.6 '+' (technically, the f/2.8 line pair is outside the f/5.6 lines).  They act in concert. If the f/2.8 line cannot achieve focus, the f/5.6 line is used.  Also, the f/5.6 lines are better with substantial defocus, so often with a hybrid AF point, a 'coarse focus' is achieved with the f/5.6 line(s), and that's refined by the f/2.8 line(s).

Ah, thx for the explanation, the Canon spec does not only seem to be a mystery to me - are you sure it is this hybrid af? So does this mean, do you expect the center point af on the 6d to be "better" overall than on the 5d2, or does the hybrid construction (first f2.8, then f5.6 line) slow it down? This really will be the decisive point when people want either a 6d and the added gimmicks or a new/used 5d2.

This is what I'm trying to figure out too.  I know with certain EOS bodies (T4i, 7D), when you use a f/2.8 lens you get a dual cross-type point.  One of them is an f/5.6 cross point and the other is a diagonal f/2.8 cross type.  For the 6D, you don't get the dual, but rather an superimposed high precision f/2.8 vertical sensitive point.  I can't seem to find any info. on the net as to whether or not the 5DII had this or if it had both horizontal and vertical lines at f/2.8 when using the appropriate lens.

[neuroanatomist]

Okay, I've spent some time researching this tonight, but I'm still not too sure.  So how is this cross type AF point on the 6D different from the cross type AF point on the 5DII or T3i?

The 5DII and T3i have a center point with one horizontal f/2.8 line and one vertical f/5.6 line - that makes the cross. The f/2.8 line is more accurate, but only works with vertically-oriented features.  Worth noting is that all of the 39 cross-type points on the 1DIV are this type, too. for this type point, it's a cross only with an f/2.8 or faster lens (and only half f/2.8-accurate), with an f/4 or slower lens, it's just a single vertical line (although there are f/4 exceptions on the 1-series).

The 1D X, 5DIII, 7D, 40-60D, and T4i have a dual cross center point - an f/5.6 cross in a '+' shape with and f/2.8 cross in an 'x' superimposed.  This point type is fully cross type with any lens down to f/5.6.

The 6D center point has an f/5.6 cross in a '+' shape with a single f/2.8 horizontal line '-' superimposed. It behaves like the first type (5DII etc.) with an f/2.8 or faster lens, but is better in that it remains cross type down to f/5.6.

Hope that clarifies.

[Marsu42]

The 6D center point has an f/5.6 cross in a '+' shape with a single f/2.8 horizontal line '-' superimposed. It behaves like the first type (5DII etc.) with an f/2.8 or faster lens, but is better in that it remains cross type down to f/5.6.

Thx for the explanation - so at least it's no regression in comparison to the 5d2 after all. Why do you think Canon did this and didn't add a dual cross type sensor - any possible tech reasons like the -3ev sensitivity, except protecting the more expensive 5d3?

[sandymandy]

The 6D is gonna replace the 7D money-wise in the future. But its a full frame! Big plus! Probably my first fullframe im getting.

[samirachiko]

No CF= -10 points
No articulated screen= -15 points
New sensor()= -10 points
No built in flash= -5 points
No built in time lapse= -7points
Touchscreen= -20 points
AF= -30 points
Price= -30 points

Canon 6D final score= -127 points.... 

This reflex is VERY VERY VERY VERY SAAAAAAAD

Canon if you don't know we are in the 2012...
Please see the Nikon D600......

I have wasted My time to wait for this (toy) reflex...
You have lost a customer...

[Noink Fanb0i]

It's odd that it does not use CF cards. My 50D used CF cards.  For a pro that point is hard to overlook.

CF is obsolete.

I keep reading this misinformation. "SD cards are cheap, if you can afford to get the body, surely you can buy a few new memory cards." The problem with that is you lose the interoperability with your existing cards. CF cards would always be faster and have more capacity than SD cards due to the bigger real estate and built-in memory controller. Any advances in memory density that manufacturers can apply to SD cards can also be made to CF cards, the physically bigger area would ensure that it would always have bigger maximum capacity than SD cards. And people keep talking as if most potential upgraders to the 6D were using cameras with SD slots. The Rebel 300D, 350D and 400D all use CF cards. At the very least Canon should have made dual CF & SD slots for a $2000 camera.