Why I Chose a Canon EOS 6D over a 5D MKIII

[Shield]

For me, the choice for the 5d3 is pretty simple.
The CF card allows write speeds fast enough for raw 1920x1080 video.
The 6d has a moire / aliasing issue in video mode.
If I ever shot weddings I'd be too nervous not having dual slots.
6fps *does* make a difference shooting sports. So does the 5d3's larger buffer - I get 30 shots @ 6FPS with a 1000x card.
Little extra resolution can't hurt, and the 5d3's AF system is just ridiculously good.

Having said all that, I really like the 6d. If I didn't have kids in sports or care about video, I'd sell the 5d3 and get a 6d.

That's a pretty fair assessment. I think it really boils down to one's shooting style/priorities.

Agreed, however, regarding video and the aliasing issue. It's possible ML could help alleviate some of it, if there is ever a RAW video hack for the 6D. Regarding the autofocus...the 6D's works well enough in good light, even for sports. Obviously you pay more for the 5D3's AF sensor and its fast processing. Regarding the 6 fps vs. 4.5....that's an extra 1.5 frames per second. Not much difference...the real advantage here is obviously the buffer (as was mentioned), and the ability to use those pricey 1000x CF cards. Fps differences are more noticeable when you jump to 8 or 10 fps...or 12+.

Regarding "extra resolution"...at higher ISO there is no real advantage here, because the 6D's luminance noise (or lack thereof) absolutely murders the 5D3's. Above ISO 12,800 or so, yes the 5D3 has slightly less chrominance noise...but this noise is still high on both cameras. Given my own experience editing the RAW files of the 5D2, 5D3, 1DX, and 6D....the 6D has the least luminance noise of all of them below ISO 12,800 or so. And luminance noise is what truly robs "detail resolution"...since at these boosted ISO levels, color resolution is already very compromised on all digital sensors (even on "Nikon's"). Fortunately reducing chrominance noise seems to destroy the least amount of detail, such as with Lightroom and Photoshop...at least up to a certain point.

Canon didn't make the 6D to compete with the 5D3, though...so there really should not be any difficulty choosing between the two. They are clearly meant for different photo/video work, and the one that costs more to produce, and more oriented for pro use, is priced accordingly.

How many shots can the 6d get in a burst? 1.5 FPS extra for 5 full seconds means I have at least 7-8 more shots to review and choose from assuming the 6d can do 4.5 for 5 seconds (which I doubt). The sweet thing about all those extra cross type focus points is shooting subjects that aren't dead center in the frame - one doesn't always have time to "focus and recompose". There is raw video for the 6d; you just can't get enough write speed currently to shoot anything near 1920x1080. Still moire and aliasing in video mode though, and I shoot a good deal of video.

It's not any single one reason for ME to choose the 5d3; it's the sum of the parts. I don't lust after other cameras anymore nor do I video (except maybe the Sony FS-700 due to the very high framerate for super slowmo). I don't want you to think I'm in any way putting down the 6d - I'd love to have some of its options as well.

 

[Sporgon]

Smaller
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[Chuck Alaimo]

Not a downgrader, but, agt the beginning of the summer I was in search of a backup/secondary body - something to compliment my 5d3. After lots of reading about the 6d, I rented one in April just to see if it could keep up with the mk3. As primarily a wedding shooter, I needed something that would produce good images in low light, I knew that technically the sensor in the 6d could kick butt, but, I was worried about the AF, particularly how the outer points would work.

I have to say I have been pleasantly surprised by how well the 6d performs in the field. I use it without hesitation. And so far, my clients seem to like what the 6d can do as well. It';s about a 60/40 split in image picks (sometimes 70/30, depends on what lenses I mount and what the circumstances are, IE larger weddings both bodies get more use, smaller ones I favor the mk3 cause there is no need for using both bodies).

Even in the low light of the reception, with a flash mounted the outer points lock on! (take the flash off and its center point only, so I end up having the 6d be my on cam flash body, and the mk3 handles the off camera flash work because the AF i much better across all the points).

Yes, I do find situations where the 6d doesn't cut it without some assistance (external constant lighting, flash on camera). But I'd say for close to 85% of what I want to do on a wedding shoot, the 6d handles it quite admirably!

With that said, I wouldn't downgrade. My mk3 is awesome and does serve me well. But, if the 6d had been released last spring, and I was facing this decision with only a 7d in my bag and a limited budget - I would have no issues making the 6d my main body (until I could snag a mk3).

Different strokes for different folks though. If you need fps and shoot fast moving subjects, the 6d just isn't the right tool. For my needs though, I have been very impressed with what the 6d can do.

 

[papa-razzi]

I just picked up a refurbished 6D direct from Canon for $1,600 USD (it arrives tomorrow). After starting my DSLR journey with an XSi about 5 1/2 years ago, (then traded up for the 7D about 3 years ago), I am finally getting the FF camera.

For me it was a no brainer - roughtly 1,000 reasons (the difference in cost of a 6D vs a 5DIII)

I already own and will keep a 7D, so I won't use the 6D for a sports/action camera. I don't do video, so none of those features matter to me.

I want to do portraits, indoor events (plays, etc.), landscapes, and explore some other creative stuff.

If I wasn't keeping the 7D, it would have been a more difficult decision, and I would have likely gone for the 5DIII (because I'm just not in a position to justify the cost of the 1Dx - but who wouldn't want that puppy)

 

[CarlTN]

I just picked up a refurbished 6D direct from Canon for $1,600 USD (it arrives tomorrow). After starting my DSLR journey with an XSi about 5 1/2 years ago, (then traded up for the 7D about 3 years ago), I am finally getting the FF camera.

For me it was a no brainer - roughtly 1,000 reasons (the difference in cost of a 6D vs a 5DIII)

I already own and will keep a 7D, so I won't use the 6D for a sports/action camera. I don't do video, so none of those features matter to me.

I want to do portraits, indoor events (plays, etc.), landscapes, and explore some other creative stuff.

If I wasn't keeping the 7D, it would have been a more difficult decision, and I would have likely gone for the 5DIII (because I'm just not in a position to justify the cost of the 1Dx - but who wouldn't want that puppy)

The 1DX is great, but it's a beast. I too had the Xsi 5 years ago...

Your post is well-reasoned, +1 !

 

[CarlTN]

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+1

 

[CarlTN]

Not a downgrader, but, agt the beginning of the summer I was in search of a backup/secondary body - something to compliment my 5d3. After lots of reading about the 6d, I rented one in April just to see if it could keep up with the mk3. As primarily a wedding shooter, I needed something that would produce good images in low light, I knew that technically the sensor in the 6d could kick butt, but, I was worried about the AF, particularly how the outer points would work.

I have to say I have been pleasantly surprised by how well the 6d performs in the field. I use it without hesitation. And so far, my clients seem to like what the 6d can do as well. It';s about a 60/40 split in image picks (sometimes 70/30, depends on what lenses I mount and what the circumstances are, IE larger weddings both bodies get more use, smaller ones I favor the mk3 cause there is no need for using both bodies).

Even in the low light of the reception, with a flash mounted the outer points lock on! (take the flash off and its center point only, so I end up having the 6d be my on cam flash body, and the mk3 handles the off camera flash work because the AF i much better across all the points).

Yes, I do find situations where the 6d doesn't cut it without some assistance (external constant lighting, flash on camera). But I'd say for close to 85% of what I want to do on a wedding shoot, the 6d handles it quite admirably!

With that said, I wouldn't downgrade. My mk3 is awesome and does serve me well. But, if the 6d had been released last spring, and I was facing this decision with only a 7d in my bag and a limited budget - I would have no issues making the 6d my main body (until I could snag a mk3).

Different strokes for different folks though. If you need fps and shoot fast moving subjects, the 6d just isn't the right tool. For my needs though, I have been very impressed with what the 6d can do.

Well said, and it seems to me that most wedding shooters would feel similarly.

 

[CarlTN]

How many shots can the 6d get in a burst? 1.5 FPS extra for 5 full seconds means I have at least 7-8 more shots to review and choose from assuming the 6d can do 4.5 for 5 seconds (which I doubt). The sweet thing about all those extra cross type focus points is shooting subjects that aren't dead center in the frame - one doesn't always have time to "focus and recompose". There is raw video for the 6d; you just can't get enough write speed currently to shoot anything near 1920x1080. Still moire and aliasing in video mode though, and I shoot a good deal of video.

It's not any single one reason for ME to choose the 5d3; it's the sum of the parts. I don't lust after other cameras anymore nor do I video (except maybe the Sony FS-700 due to the very high framerate for super slowmo). I don't want you to think I'm in any way putting down the 6d - I'd love to have some of its options as well.

Well said, I don't disagree with it (please provide a link of RAW video via the 6D with aliasing and moire...I want to know how bad it looks). "Sweet things" come at a price, and as you said, there are tradeoffs.

As for not being completely 1920x1080...unless the finished video is left unscaled and with a border around it (which it wouldn't be), I'm not sure the lower resolution would reveal itself that much (though obviously moire and aliasing would be noticeable, and often times a deal-breaker...don't get me wrong). But just from the video resolution standpoint alone...I guess it depends on just how much below "full HD" it is. It's all relative. Are the bride and groom, or their family, watching the final resulting video on a front projection screen at least 100 inches diagonal? Or are they watching it on a tv that is 60 inches or smaller, from 10 feet away or more? The latter is the more likely scenario...and unless you shot everything closed to f/14 or smaller, there is a very shallow plane that is making use of that "full HD". That's why cinema cameras with their smaller "super 35" sensors, can generally have a resolution advantage that makes video look more detailed...partly because they aren't using the periphery of the lens' image circle, but mostly because it's easier to get deep focus with a smaller sensor and more moderate f/stops...

I don't know if you have seen the Samsung and Sony 4k video demos...but the Samsung's seems superior to me. Of course it is all shot at infinity focus...and is a time-lapse of cityscapes...to make use of that 4K resolution. If it was shot with the 1DC (or similar "full frame" 4k camera) and with fast aperture lenses, at a wedding...a few pores on people's faces would very momentarily make use of that 4K resolution...the rest of the image would not be focused. I.E., a wedding video is not necessarily a standard-bearer of high resolution video content.

 

[Shield]

Not a downgrader, but, agt the beginning of the summer I was in search of a backup/secondary body - something to compliment my 5d3. After lots of reading about the 6d, I rented one in April just to see if it could keep up with the mk3. As primarily a wedding shooter, I needed something that would produce good images in low light, I knew that technically the sensor in the 6d could kick butt, but, I was worried about the AF, particularly how the outer points would work.

I have to say I have been pleasantly surprised by how well the 6d performs in the field. I use it without hesitation. And so far, my clients seem to like what the 6d can do as well. It';s about a 60/40 split in image picks (sometimes 70/30, depends on what lenses I mount and what the circumstances are, IE larger weddings both bodies get more use, smaller ones I favor the mk3 cause there is no need for using both bodies).

Even in the low light of the reception, with a flash mounted the outer points lock on! (take the flash off and its center point only, so I end up having the 6d be my on cam flash body, and the mk3 handles the off camera flash work because the AF i much better across all the points).

Yes, I do find situations where the 6d doesn't cut it without some assistance (external constant lighting, flash on camera). But I'd say for close to 85% of what I want to do on a wedding shoot, the 6d handles it quite admirably!

With that said, I wouldn't downgrade. My mk3 is awesome and does serve me well. But, if the 6d had been released last spring, and I was facing this decision with only a 7d in my bag and a limited budget - I would have no issues making the 6d my main body (until I could snag a mk3).

Different strokes for different folks though. If you need fps and shoot fast moving subjects, the 6d just isn't the right tool. For my needs though, I have been very impressed with what the 6d can do.

Chuck, a co-worker shot a close friend of his' wedding. He had a single card slot camera, and even remembered to switch memory cards during the middle of the event. When he got home one of the cards could not be read nor could it be recovered - this wasn't an el cheapo Microcenter brand card either; I think it was SandDisk. Anyway their was much anger from the bride's side and I swore that day I'd never shoot a wedding without and instant backup and a 2nd camera body with the same. Which to me makes the 6d a poor choice for a wedding.

 

[Chuck Alaimo]

Not a downgrader, but, agt the beginning of the summer I was in search of a backup/secondary body - something to compliment my 5d3. After lots of reading about the 6d, I rented one in April just to see if it could keep up with the mk3. As primarily a wedding shooter, I needed something that would produce good images in low light, I knew that technically the sensor in the 6d could kick butt, but, I was worried about the AF, particularly how the outer points would work.

I have to say I have been pleasantly surprised by how well the 6d performs in the field. I use it without hesitation. And so far, my clients seem to like what the 6d can do as well. It';s about a 60/40 split in image picks (sometimes 70/30, depends on what lenses I mount and what the circumstances are, IE larger weddings both bodies get more use, smaller ones I favor the mk3 cause there is no need for using both bodies).

Even in the low light of the reception, with a flash mounted the outer points lock on! (take the flash off and its center point only, so I end up having the 6d be my on cam flash body, and the mk3 handles the off camera flash work because the AF i much better across all the points).

Yes, I do find situations where the 6d doesn't cut it without some assistance (external constant lighting, flash on camera). But I'd say for close to 85% of what I want to do on a wedding shoot, the 6d handles it quite admirably!

With that said, I wouldn't downgrade. My mk3 is awesome and does serve me well. But, if the 6d had been released last spring, and I was facing this decision with only a 7d in my bag and a limited budget - I would have no issues making the 6d my main body (until I could snag a mk3).

Different strokes for different folks though. If you need fps and shoot fast moving subjects, the 6d just isn't the right tool. For my needs though, I have been very impressed with what the 6d can do.

Chuck, a co-worker shot a close friend of his' wedding. He had a single card slot camera, and even remembered to switch memory cards during the middle of the event. When he got home one of the cards could not be read nor could it be recovered - this wasn't an el cheapo Microcenter brand card either; I think it was SandDisk. Anyway their was much anger from the bride's side and I swore that day I'd never shoot a wedding without and instant backup and a 2nd camera body with the same. Which to me makes the 6d a poor choice for a wedding.

That is a bummer. I would not want to be in that situation. Plan as you may, stuff happens. I know of one wedding photographer that had their memory cards from the day in a bag in her car ---guess what happened to that bag...stolen! I had another friend who missed a good portion of the day because she ended up getting into a car accident that day. I personally second shot a wedding for another beginner, and her camera died before the ceremony!!!! She had to use my main body for the day, luckily I had a backup body. So while I agree that you do havet o plan for the worst, you never know what the worst will be - and - at the time of the purchase I could not afford a second 5d3, so it was either grab a 6d or go with one body ---- which would you choose?

 

[sarakoth]

What about using the wireless on the 6D to send/backup directly to tablet or PC instead of needing dual slots?

You can also then run cloning software on your laptop or even directly backup to the cloud (like dropbox) on the fly as well.

 

[CarlTN]

Not a downgrader, but, agt the beginning of the summer I was in search of a backup/secondary body - something to compliment my 5d3. After lots of reading about the 6d, I rented one in April just to see if it could keep up with the mk3. As primarily a wedding shooter, I needed something that would produce good images in low light, I knew that technically the sensor in the 6d could kick butt, but, I was worried about the AF, particularly how the outer points would work.

I have to say I have been pleasantly surprised by how well the 6d performs in the field. I use it without hesitation. And so far, my clients seem to like what the 6d can do as well. It';s about a 60/40 split in image picks (sometimes 70/30, depends on what lenses I mount and what the circumstances are, IE larger weddings both bodies get more use, smaller ones I favor the mk3 cause there is no need for using both bodies).

Even in the low light of the reception, with a flash mounted the outer points lock on! (take the flash off and its center point only, so I end up having the 6d be my on cam flash body, and the mk3 handles the off camera flash work because the AF i much better across all the points).

Yes, I do find situations where the 6d doesn't cut it without some assistance (external constant lighting, flash on camera). But I'd say for close to 85% of what I want to do on a wedding shoot, the 6d handles it quite admirably!

With that said, I wouldn't downgrade. My mk3 is awesome and does serve me well. But, if the 6d had been released last spring, and I was facing this decision with only a 7d in my bag and a limited budget - I would have no issues making the 6d my main body (until I could snag a mk3).

Different strokes for different folks though. If you need fps and shoot fast moving subjects, the 6d just isn't the right tool. For my needs though, I have been very impressed with what the 6d can do.

Chuck, a co-worker shot a close friend of his' wedding. He had a single card slot camera, and even remembered to switch memory cards during the middle of the event. When he got home one of the cards could not be read nor could it be recovered - this wasn't an el cheapo Microcenter brand card either; I think it was SandDisk. Anyway their was much anger from the bride's side and I swore that day I'd never shoot a wedding without and instant backup and a 2nd camera body with the same. Which to me makes the 6d a poor choice for a wedding.

That is a bummer. I would not want to be in that situation. Plan as you may, stuff happens. I know of one wedding photographer that had their memory cards from the day in a bag in her car ---guess what happened to that bag...stolen! I had another friend who missed a good portion of the day because she ended up getting into a car accident that day. I personally second shot a wedding for another beginner, and her camera died before the ceremony!!!! She had to use my main body for the day, luckily I had a backup body. So while I agree that you do havet o plan for the worst, you never know what the worst will be - and - at the time of the purchase I could not afford a second 5d3, so it was either grab a 6d or go with one body ---- which would you choose?

It makes economic sense no doubt, and if the event is so critical, it does look like it pays to have a main body and two backups.

I read, I think it was a review or blog...about the 200 f/2...was a pro sports shooter doing AMA motocross...and his lens was stolen!! Talk about hoping the insurance would pay! At some point it's time to hire bodyguards...

 

[CarlTN]

What about using the wireless on the 6D to send/backup directly to tablet or PC instead of needing dual slots?

You can also then run cloning software on your laptop or even directly backup to the cloud (like dropbox) on the fly as well.

An excellent idea whose time has come!

 

[Chuck Alaimo]

Not a downgrader, but, agt the beginning of the summer I was in search of a backup/secondary body - something to compliment my 5d3. After lots of reading about the 6d, I rented one in April just to see if it could keep up with the mk3. As primarily a wedding shooter, I needed something that would produce good images in low light, I knew that technically the sensor in the 6d could kick butt, but, I was worried about the AF, particularly how the outer points would work.

I have to say I have been pleasantly surprised by how well the 6d performs in the field. I use it without hesitation. And so far, my clients seem to like what the 6d can do as well. It';s about a 60/40 split in image picks (sometimes 70/30, depends on what lenses I mount and what the circumstances are, IE larger weddings both bodies get more use, smaller ones I favor the mk3 cause there is no need for using both bodies).

Even in the low light of the reception, with a flash mounted the outer points lock on! (take the flash off and its center point only, so I end up having the 6d be my on cam flash body, and the mk3 handles the off camera flash work because the AF i much better across all the points).

Yes, I do find situations where the 6d doesn't cut it without some assistance (external constant lighting, flash on camera). But I'd say for close to 85% of what I want to do on a wedding shoot, the 6d handles it quite admirably!

With that said, I wouldn't downgrade. My mk3 is awesome and does serve me well. But, if the 6d had been released last spring, and I was facing this decision with only a 7d in my bag and a limited budget - I would have no issues making the 6d my main body (until I could snag a mk3).

Different strokes for different folks though. If you need fps and shoot fast moving subjects, the 6d just isn't the right tool. For my needs though, I have been very impressed with what the 6d can do.

Chuck, a co-worker shot a close friend of his' wedding. He had a single card slot camera, and even remembered to switch memory cards during the middle of the event. When he got home one of the cards could not be read nor could it be recovered - this wasn't an el cheapo Microcenter brand card either; I think it was SandDisk. Anyway their was much anger from the bride's side and I swore that day I'd never shoot a wedding without and instant backup and a 2nd camera body with the same. Which to me makes the 6d a poor choice for a wedding.

That is a bummer. I would not want to be in that situation. Plan as you may, stuff happens. I know of one wedding photographer that had their memory cards from the day in a bag in her car ---guess what happened to that bag...stolen! I had another friend who missed a good portion of the day because she ended up getting into a car accident that day. I personally second shot a wedding for another beginner, and her camera died before the ceremony!!!! She had to use my main body for the day, luckily I had a backup body. So while I agree that you do havet o plan for the worst, you never know what the worst will be - and - at the time of the purchase I could not afford a second 5d3, so it was either grab a 6d or go with one body ---- which would you choose?

It makes economic sense no doubt, and if the event is so critical, it does look like it pays to have a main body and two backups.

I read, I think it was a review or blog...about the 200 f/2...was a pro sports shooter doing AMA motocross...and his lens was stolen!! Talk about hoping the insurance would pay! At some point it's time to hire bodyguards...

All I am trying to say on the matter really is that try as all of us may, you never know what could happen. A card could fail, yes, 2 slots is one way, lower capacity cards so one card loss doesn't kill the day is another - neither matter if they are stolen on the way home, or, instead of a car accident during the day, one at night on the way home, one that involves a drunk driver and not only is all your equipment lost, but your being med evacuated in a helicopter...no amount of dual slots saves that. Lots can happen (hell, I almost got run down in the middle of the street...by another wedding photographer!!!! LOL its a funny story!) and try as we may we can't plan for everything, we can just plan as good as we can with the resources we have. Of course, 2 5d3's would be utterly badass, but - with being very new in the business, and planning a wedding for my own damn self, and moving very soon...yeah, it was either grab a 6d as a backup, or a 5d2 which though it's CF, only has 1 slot, and a lot lesser low light capabilities and AF too...or just run with 1 camera body for more than half the season. It was what I could afford, and I may very well end up with a second mk3 next season, then the 6d could be a true backup. we'll see how things shake out. Either way, I have been eyeing the markets and when the second body was needs...sorry, $2999 +tax and shipping was the cheapest i could find for a mk3 --- that's used too...refurbs for $3100, and yeah the grey market deals pop up, butt hey pop up and disappear very quickly. so, the 6d was the reasonable choice, and it's really not the dog its made out to be.

 

[TWI by Dustin Abbott]

Having dual card slots for instant backup is great, of course, but before we go out of control with paranoia, remember that not much more than a year ago all of the wedding photographers shooting with 5DII (including myself) somehow survived.

The 6D (through wireless - as has been pointed on on this thread) actually has much more flexibility for backup than the 5DII. I shoot weddings with two 6D bodies and have not yet had an issue.

 

[PVS]

Never had a CF card die on me, I could easily do just shooting on one CF card without a back-up SD/CF in the same camera.

On the other hand, I had couple of "pro" SD cards which just died for no apparent reason. I don't trust SD cards at all. It might be due to contacts, my guess is that you can easily destroy one with static electricity or some magnets.

Single SD card slot is my main drawback from getting 6D, I could easily do with other lack of features.

 

[awinphoto]

Not a downgrader, but, agt the beginning of the summer I was in search of a backup/secondary body - something to compliment my 5d3. After lots of reading about the 6d, I rented one in April just to see if it could keep up with the mk3. As primarily a wedding shooter, I needed something that would produce good images in low light, I knew that technically the sensor in the 6d could kick butt, but, I was worried about the AF, particularly how the outer points would work.

I have to say I have been pleasantly surprised by how well the 6d performs in the field. I use it without hesitation. And so far, my clients seem to like what the 6d can do as well. It';s about a 60/40 split in image picks (sometimes 70/30, depends on what lenses I mount and what the circumstances are, IE larger weddings both bodies get more use, smaller ones I favor the mk3 cause there is no need for using both bodies).

Even in the low light of the reception, with a flash mounted the outer points lock on! (take the flash off and its center point only, so I end up having the 6d be my on cam flash body, and the mk3 handles the off camera flash work because the AF i much better across all the points).

Yes, I do find situations where the 6d doesn't cut it without some assistance (external constant lighting, flash on camera). But I'd say for close to 85% of what I want to do on a wedding shoot, the 6d handles it quite admirably!

With that said, I wouldn't downgrade. My mk3 is awesome and does serve me well. But, if the 6d had been released last spring, and I was facing this decision with only a 7d in my bag and a limited budget - I would have no issues making the 6d my main body (until I could snag a mk3).

Different strokes for different folks though. If you need fps and shoot fast moving subjects, the 6d just isn't the right tool. For my needs though, I have been very impressed with what the 6d can do.

Chuck, a co-worker shot a close friend of his' wedding. He had a single card slot camera, and even remembered to switch memory cards during the middle of the event. When he got home one of the cards could not be read nor could it be recovered - this wasn't an el cheapo Microcenter brand card either; I think it was SandDisk. Anyway their was much anger from the bride's side and I swore that day I'd never shoot a wedding without and instant backup and a 2nd camera body with the same. Which to me makes the 6d a poor choice for a wedding.

That is a bummer. I would not want to be in that situation. Plan as you may, stuff happens. I know of one wedding photographer that had their memory cards from the day in a bag in her car ---guess what happened to that bag...stolen! I had another friend who missed a good portion of the day because she ended up getting into a car accident that day. I personally second shot a wedding for another beginner, and her camera died before the ceremony!!!! She had to use my main body for the day, luckily I had a backup body. So while I agree that you do havet o plan for the worst, you never know what the worst will be - and - at the time of the purchase I could not afford a second 5d3, so it was either grab a 6d or go with one body ---- which would you choose?

It makes economic sense no doubt, and if the event is so critical, it does look like it pays to have a main body and two backups.

I read, I think it was a review or blog...about the 200 f/2...was a pro sports shooter doing AMA motocross...and his lens was stolen!! Talk about hoping the insurance would pay! At some point it's time to hire bodyguards...

All I am trying to say on the matter really is that try as all of us may, you never know what could happen. A card could fail, yes, 2 slots is one way, lower capacity cards so one card loss doesn't kill the day is another - neither matter if they are stolen on the way home, or, instead of a car accident during the day, one at night on the way home, one that involves a drunk driver and not only is all your equipment lost, but your being med evacuated in a helicopter...no amount of dual slots saves that. Lots can happen (hell, I almost got run down in the middle of the street...by another wedding photographer!!!! LOL its a funny story!) and try as we may we can't plan for everything, we can just plan as good as we can with the resources we have. Of course, 2 5d3's would be utterly badass, but - with being very new in the business, and planning a wedding for my own damn self, and moving very soon...yeah, it was either grab a 6d as a backup, or a 5d2 which though it's CF, only has 1 slot, and a lot lesser low light capabilities and AF too...or just run with 1 camera body for more than half the season. It was what I could afford, and I may very well end up with a second mk3 next season, then the 6d could be a true backup. we'll see how things shake out. Either way, I have been eyeing the markets and when the second body was needs...sorry, $2999 +tax and shipping was the cheapest i could find for a mk3 --- that's used too...refurbs for $3100, and yeah the grey market deals pop up, butt hey pop up and disappear very quickly. so, the 6d was the reasonable choice, and it's really not the dog its made out to be.

Not to make this thread longer than it should, in 10 years as a pro shooting for clients and such, i've only had 2 cards fail on me... one was a complete fail, but to my credit, that was like in 2004 and at that time, Compact Flash Drives were becoming popular and they fit in the CF card slots and it failed the 2nd time i used it... and the other one was the best buy brand card I bought, and it corrupted 1-2 images I think... The rest of the card was ok, but i haven't trusted that card since. I now have the 5d3 with 2 card slots and to be honest, I rarely use both slots at the same time. I tried it when I first got the camera, but it eventually became a hassle and I stopped.

 

[wsheldon]

What about using the wireless on the 6D to send/backup directly to tablet or PC instead of needing dual slots?

You can also then run cloning software on your laptop or even directly backup to the cloud (like dropbox) on the fly as well.

An excellent idea whose time has come!

Absolutely! I just did that for a kiddie portrait shoot at a local zoo event last week, where I shot about 200 portraits in 2 hours. I configured the 6D to save RAW+JPEG on the SD, and set up the EOS Utility on a laptop to pull just the JPEGS automatically over WiFi to a laptop as I shot (for immediate 4x6 printing and backup), and it worked flawlessly. Pics arrived on the laptop and showed up in Lightroom within a few seconds (using Auto-import), and it never missed a beat.

You do need to watch your batteries when using WiFi, though, because I used up 1/2 of the capacity of an OEM battery within the 2 hour shoot, but I had spares just in case.

Great option to have, particularly if you want to hand out quick prints to participants (I used a Canon Selphy dye-sublimation printer for that purpose). Even better than dual slots for that particular scenario, because you don't have to keep pulling cards to print and worry about keeping track.

 

[Chuck Alaimo]

Having dual card slots for instant backup is great, of course, but before we go out of control with paranoia, remember that not much more than a year ago all of the wedding photographers shooting with 5DII (including myself) somehow survived.

The 6D (through wireless - as has been pointed on on this thread) actually has much more flexibility for backup than the 5DII. I shoot weddings with two 6D bodies and have not yet had an issue.

Yup, dual card slots is one of those things that has only been around and affordable for a short while, but now that its here some act like it's always been here and your a fool to not use it.

And yeah, after renting the 6d, my only concern/worry was the sd memory. My solution has been use nothing larger than a 16 gig card (i have mostly 8 gig ones), the best ones i can get (i favor the lexar cards for both SD and CF), and then just be really careful when dealing with them.

All that other stuff, not paranoia but just pointing out that lots can happen on a 12 hour day, yes one could be card failures, but other stuff can go down. I had it happen to me 3 weeks ago, had a saturday wedding, and shot an event friday night. Halfway through, my trusty used 580exII simply dies (af beam fired, all the back controls work, so i think its the flash tube, still have to call canon to see if its worth it to have it repaired.) So between the salon and picking up the second shooter i had to do the emergency run and spend way more than i wanted to that day on a 600rt (which i will say is a better flash than the 580, kind of glad the 580 died because if not for that i would not have been able to justify the upgrade).

Either way, the point is that we try within the best of our capabilities to plan for the unexpected - which is worse, having a back up with sd memory, or no backup at all? Little things like - if i had ponied up for a second 5k3, then that would have meant no advertising in the local paper, and ---probably would not have had the extra cash kicking around to snag the replacement flash. Not to mention the evil eye i was getting from my fiancee when i'd bring up the second body issue. It took a lot of talks on the porch to convince her that the 6d even was a valid and needed purchase.

 

[cayenne]

<snip>
Not to mention the evil eye i was getting from my fiancee when i'd bring up the second body issue. It took a lot of talks on the porch to convince her that the 6d even was a valid and needed purchase.

Hmm...hey, if you've not tied the knot yet, she has no say in how you spend you're money man....so, don't sweat that.



And man, just thinking...are you going to have to confer with her for everything you want or need to get for your business ? You might need to set some things straight before you actually make it legal...

Just sayin'...

C