R6 Update

[Mike...]

It's time! The R5 and R6 are both getting to be 9-months old.

I wish Canon would update the R6 instead of coming out with expensive cinema bodies and the R3.

I'm pretty much a still photographer and don't need all the video features of the R5. But I would like
a body with at least 35-45MP, and a top LCD display. And cheaper! I can't afford a month's pay just
for a body.

Come-on Canon!

 

[neuroanatomist]

Perhaps you should review the intervals between the 6D and 6DII, and the bodies in the 5D series, and consider while no doubt you personally want an updated body, it’s clearly not time from Canon’s perspective.

 

[privatebydesign]

What makes you think an R6 II would be an R5? If an R5 is what you want then save the money and get one, or get a cheaper competitor...

 

[Czardoom]

Thanks for the laugh! You want a camera with higher end features...but cheaper! And you think a 9 month old camera is due for an update! Good one! For a second I thought you might be serious!

 

[Act444]

It's time! The R5 and R6 are both getting to be 9-months old.

I wish Canon would update the R6 instead of coming out with expensive cinema bodies and the R3.

I'm pretty much a still photographer and don't need all the video features of the R5. But I would like
a body with at least 35-45MP, and a top LCD display. And cheaper! I can't afford a month's pay just
for a body.

Come-on Canon!

The original R is probably the closest you're going to get to that at this point. Whether they will update THAT or not, though, is anyone's guess...

Alternatively, in the DSLR world, good deals can be had on the 5D4 as well...

I think the update cycles will probably be 2-3 years (at least initially), I wouldn't expect either the R5 or R6 to be updated before then TBH.

 

[slclick]

Why should I improve my craft and technique? I have money to spend!

 

[john1970]

Does anyone seriously expect an update in 9 months. Personally for me I am happy with 3-4 year update cycles on hardware. Under no circumstance do I want MILC to become the next iPhones with annual updates that are essentially useless. I update my phone every 4-5 years because generally by then the old one starts to show its age.

I would find annual or biannual firmware updates that add additional features or improvements useful and encourage all manufacturers to do that when possible.

 

[ashmadux]

It's time! The R5 and R6 are both getting to be 9-months old.

I wish Canon would update the R6 instead of coming out with expensive cinema bodies and the R3.

I'm pretty much a still photographer and don't need all the video features of the R5. But I would like
a body with at least 35-45MP, and a top LCD display. And cheaper! I can't afford a month's pay just
for a body.

Come-on Canon!

Yeah I also didn't understand this one at all.

The only thing the R6 needs in terms of photography is more megapixels. That said these are still brand new cameras so that's some seriously delusional hopes and dreams.

Can't knock you for dreaming but some dreams are just kind of wacky LOL

 

[Ruined]

It's time! The R5 and R6 are both getting to be 9-months old.

I wish Canon would update the R6 instead of coming out with expensive cinema bodies and the R3.

I'm pretty much a still photographer and don't need all the video features of the R5. But I would like
a body with at least 35-45MP, and a top LCD display. And cheaper! I can't afford a month's pay just
for a body.

Come-on Canon!

IMO that is simply not how Canon works. It's not that they can't deliver those things, but they segment the product line so that some of the things you are asking for are only available in a more expensive body even if you don't need the more expensive body's other features.

Like the 6D line was great for stills but they always saddled it with max 1/4000 shutter speed and lesser AF than the 5D line to try to get people who only take stills to spend more for 5D.

Since it is discontinued, the 5Ds R actually has what you are looking for and is on blowout for $1499 (MSRP $3899) at B&H (they are still delivering backorders even if you order today, it takes like a month) but it is not mirrorless like the r6. I am not sure how long it will be before you get a mirrorless camera that is spec'd similar to the 5DsR for a low price but it sounds like that is what you are looking for.

My guess is that it's going to be a very, very long wait, because Canon is likely going to continue to gimp the 6 line in some way for stills to get you to spend more money (in this case for the r5). The 6 line is looked as the introductory full frame line so the things you mentioned are probably not considered needed for the introductory line. When they updated the 6D to the 6D2 years after the 6D came out, there was very minor improvement - the big improvements were reserved for 5D line.

 

[padam]

IMO that is simply not how Canon works. It's not that they can't deliver those things, but they segment the product line so that some of the things you are asking for are only available in a more expensive body even if you don't need the more expensive body's other features.

The one thing I don't understand is why it is always Canon that is mentioned regarding this, all other camera manufactures are exactly the same, only their "crippling methods" are different but somehow it got most sticky with Canon regarding their "temporary abandonment" with regards to video on stills cameras.

Sony might have pushed the envelope with the A7III offering a lot for a price point (and the 6D II became way cheaper, becoming rather good value for the money) to try and push more people towards mirrorless, but they will make sure that the upcoming camera will not be stepping on the A7SIII's toes regarding video, etc. all the other manufacturers can do better if they want to.

 

[Ruined]

The one thing I don't understand is why it is always Canon that is mentioned regarding this, all other camera manufactures are exactly the same, only their "crippling methods" are different but somehow it got most sticky with Canon regarding their "temporary abandonment" with regards to video on stills cameras.

Sony might have pushed the envelope with the A7III offering a lot for a price point (and the 6D II became way cheaper, becoming rather good value for the money) to try and push more people towards mirrorless, but they will make sure that the upcoming camera will not be stepping on the A7SIII's toes regarding video, etc. all the other manufacturers can do better if they want to.

I wasn't saying other brands didn't do it, but OP is interested in a Canon and I just wanted to let him know what he is asking for there is a very tiny chance, if not no chance, of happening based on Canon's history.

The R6 probably won't be updated for a while and when it is it likely won't be a revolutionary update based on what they did with the 6D2's minor upgrades after all those years. The 6 series is supposed to be a gateway drug to the 5 series, it's not a place canon wants you to stay permanently.

The only realistic course of action for the OP is to either pay extra for the R5 or pick up a $1499 clearance 5DsR while they are still available at B&H. To be honest the $1499 5DsR is one of the best bargains I've seen in the past decade for stills shooters, but I can understand if OP finds the R6 features more compelling.

 

[slclick]

Can't see much wrong or missing in the R6, very impressed here.

 

[Michael Clark]

IMO that is simply not how Canon works. It's not that they can't deliver those things, but they segment the product line so that some of the things you are asking for are only available in a more expensive body even if you don't need the more expensive body's other features.

Like the 6D line was great for stills but they always saddled it with max 1/4000 shutter speed and lesser AF than the 5D line to try to get people who only take stills to spend more for 5D.

Since it is discontinued, the 5Ds R actually has what you are looking for and is on blowout for $1499 (MSRP $3899) at B&H (they are still delivering backorders even if you order today, it takes like a month) but it is not mirrorless like the r6. I am not sure how long it will be before you get a mirrorless camera that is spec'd similar to the 5DsR for a low price but it sounds like that is what you are looking for.

My guess is that it's going to be a very, very long wait, because Canon is likely going to continue to gimp the 6 line in some way for stills to get you to spend more money (in this case for the r5). The 6 line is looked as the introductory full frame line so the things you mentioned are probably not considered needed for the introductory line. When they updated the 6D to the 6D2 years after the 6D came out, there was very minor improvement - the big improvements were reserved for 5D line.

The 6D Mark II (2017) was almost the equal of the five years older 5D Mark III (2012), other than build quality, 1/4000 vs. 1/8000, and 1/180 vs 1/200 x-Sync.

 

[Michael Clark]

IMO that is simply not how Canon works. It's not that they can't deliver those things, but they segment the product line so that some of the things you are asking for are only available in a more expensive body even if you don't need the more expensive body's other features.

Like the 6D line was great for stills but they always saddled it with max 1/4000 shutter speed and lesser AF than the 5D line to try to get people who only take stills to spend more for 5D.

Since it is discontinued, the 5Ds R actually has what you are looking for and is on blowout for $1499 (MSRP $3899) at B&H (they are still delivering backorders even if you order today, it takes like a month) but it is not mirrorless like the r6. I am not sure how long it will be before you get a mirrorless camera that is spec'd similar to the 5DsR for a low price but it sounds like that is what you are looking for.

My guess is that it's going to be a very, very long wait, because Canon is likely going to continue to gimp the 6 line in some way for stills to get you to spend more money (in this case for the r5). The 6 line is looked as the introductory full frame line so the things you mentioned are probably not considered needed for the introductory line. When they updated the 6D to the 6D2 years after the 6D came out, there was very minor improvement - the big improvements were reserved for 5D line.

6D had 11 AF points, the 6D II has 45 and a totally different class AF system
6D had Dual Layer light meter, the 6D II has RGB+IR meter
6D had fixed rear LCD, 6D II had Vari-Angle
6D did 4.5 fps for up to 17 raw images, 6D II does 6.5 fps for up to 21 raw frames

 

[Ruined]

The 6D Mark II (2017) was almost the equal of the five years older 5D Mark III (2012), other than build quality, 1/4000 vs. 1/8000, and 1/180 vs 1/200 x-Sync.

6D had 11 AF points, the 6D II has 45 and a totally different class AF system
6D had Dual Layer light meter, the 6D II has RGB+IR meter
6D had fixed rear LCD, 6D II had Vari-Angle
6D did 4.5 fps for up to 17 raw images, 6D II does 6.5 fps for up to 21 raw frames

And purposefully crippled autofocus (just like the 6D), this time using the compressed 80D APS-C spread instead of the 5d3's superior FF spread. 45 points aren't so useful when they are all smashed in the center of the VF; in fact, the spread of the 6D II AF points is slightly worse than the original 6D despite having 4x more points! 1/4000 also greatly cripples it for many popular applications, as well, with little justification. And still the single memory card slot, etc. The fact that they couldn't even let it be equivalent to the 2012 5d3 proves my point.

In truth, the 6D II isn't significantly better than the original 6D besides paper specs. I have a 6D as backup and wouldn't bother spending money to upgrade to 6D II even if it was my primary camera, would be a total waste.

 

[stevelee]

I've been shooting the 6D2 for 3 1/2 years now, if my math is right. I have yet to encounter a situation where the autofocus has been even a bit of a problem, except that I use manual focus in those circumstances where I would be using manual focus whatever the camera (TS-E lenses, most macro situations, rarely something else). If I had owned an original 6D, I likely wouldn't have bought the 6D2, but I didn't. From reviews I gathered that it was not a good camera if you underexposed by four or more stops. I wasn't doing that with my old camera, so it is not something I had wished for or felt a need to do.

 

[Michael Clark]

And purposefully crippled autofocus (just like the 6D), this time using the compressed 80D APS-C spread instead of the 5d3's superior FF spread. 45 points aren't so useful when they are all smashed in the center of the VF; in fact, the spread of the 6D II AF points is slightly worse than the original 6D despite having 4x more points! 1/4000 also greatly cripples it for many popular applications, as well, with little justification. And still the single memory card slot, etc. The fact that they couldn't even let it be equivalent to the 2012 5d3 proves my point.

In truth, the 6D II isn't significantly better than the original 6D besides paper specs. I have a 6D as backup and wouldn't bother spending money to upgrade to 6D II even if it was my primary camera, would be a total waste.

Keep fooling yourself. I've heard the same arguments regarding the 7D and 7D Mark II by those who never upgraded from the first to the second model. I know from personal experience of using both for years that there's no comparison.

I've also shot the 5D Mark III as my primary FF camera for several years before upgrading to the 5D Mark IV. What little I've shot with the 6D Mark II didn't feel in any way less capable than the 5D Mark III. The AF system seemed to have about the same hit rate, too.

 

[Ruined]

Keep fooling yourself. I've heard the same arguments regarding the 7D and 7D Mark II by those who never upgraded from the first to the second model. I know from personal experience of using both for years that there's no comparison.

I've also shot the 5D Mark III as my primary FF camera for several years before upgrading to the 5D Mark IV. What little I've shot with the 6D Mark II didn't feel in any way less capable than the 5D Mark III. The AF system seemed to have about the same hit rate, too.

I am not the one fooling myself here

Attached is the 6D2 AF spread (black AF points) overlay on top of the 5D3 AF spread (white AF points), which you said it was about equivalent to. Even 5 years later, it pales in comparison to the 5d3 in many ways including AF - for composition purposes the 6D2 AF was a bust just like the original 6D. Canon couldn't even give it 2012 AF because they always feel the need to make the 6 line crippled in some way, and I don't expect this to change with the next iteration of the R6.

 

[stevelee]

for composition purposes the 6D2 AF was a bust just like the original 6D.

Tell us more about your experiences of shooting with both models and what didn't work for you.

 

[Ruined]

Tell us more about your experiences of shooting with both models and what didn't work for you.

Don't need to shoot with something to see it has no AF points where i would like them to be, and after living with the 6D's 1/4000 shutter limitation for years , lack of 1/8000 shutter on its own would be an automatic deal breaker