Canon 6D Green/Magenta Issues

[DanThePhotoMan]

I bought a 6D yesterday to accompany my 5Dmk3, and I have been quite underwhelmed with it so far. I was shooting a wedding last night and when comparing images the 5D looked to be an entirely different league of camera. The colors the camera produced were absolutely terrible. I matched white balance, color shift, profiles, everything. It looked about 2000k warmer and greener than the 5D at any given time.

I did some more tests this morning, and from what I can see the 6D leans waaaayyyy towards the greens instead of magentas. For example, I took a picture of my wife in our kitchen as a test. Sigma 35mm Art was used on both bodies, and both cameras were exposed to +.3. When I imported the images into ACR, both cameras were right around the same white balance; the 5D at 4000 and the 6D at 3950. The 5D had a +38 magenta, but for some reason the 6D had a +4 magenta. Obviously it looked way too green. I took about a dozen more images and it's the same in every one. The 6D simply is not adding magenta to any image unless I go in and calibrate the color shift.

Is this normal? Is there something I'm missing?

Thank you, and I appreciate your responses.

 

[dak723]

Not normal at all, as far as I know. I don't have a 5D III to compare my 6D to, but my 6D seems quite true when it comes to color. If anything, I would say my 6D (as the other Canon's I have had) lean slightly towards being a touch to red. I normally adjust my WB shift to +1 on the green axis in the menu.

 

[zim]

How/where did you buy the 6d and is it on factory defaults?
Are external shots showing the same issues?

 

[andrewflo]

That's interesting. I've been using my 6D for almost 2 years and haven't noticed that sort of behavior. I also don't have a 5DIII to compare it to though.

Do you have any example shots to show?

 

[DanThePhotoMan]

Dak, that's really weird, because I had to put this at a Blue +9 and Magenta +9 color shift before it even started looking decent.

Zim, the camera was purchased at Best Buy since every camera shop in my area is back ordered on the 6D. And yes, the same issue on external shots.

I handed off my card with the photos from a wedding I shot last night, but I'll post images as soon as I get it back.
Here's a quick little snap shot I just did of my wife in the kitchen in the mean time.

6D: http://imgur.com/6vjT2P8,ewAS9ym#0

5D: http://imgur.com/6vjT2P8,ewAS9ym#1

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

I'd return it. You can find one easily and get overnight shipping. Order the CPW street price deal for $1250. You will get it from a authorized dealer.

 

[tolusina]

You might be seeing fluorescent color shift.
Fluorescent color shifts continuously 50 or 60 times a second, ramping up and down.
Try this with both cameras, I just did this with my 6D;
Back in the kitchen with fluorescents only, set to shutter preferred, auto WB, auto ISO should be ok (worked for me), shoot a burst of at least three frames at 1/20. Increment shutter to 1/25 and repeat the burst, continue incrementing speeds up through 1/125, 1 /160 or so. I was shooting under 60Hz ACV, if you are working with 50Hz mains you might want to start at 1/10.
Compare the sets.
My shots at 1/20 were consistent and reasonable, at 1/25 color shift was just perceptible, shift was incrementally and unacceptably worse as shutter speed increased.

My non scientific guess at what's happening is that the slower speeds capture a complete fluorescent color cycle
As shutter speed increases and only a partial fluorescent color cycle completes, the color changes between the time AWB as measured and the time the shutter cycles, hence whacky recorded color.

I didn't try, but I rather expect manual white balance to be no help, might even exaggerate the effect.

Only two cures I can think of are slow shutter speeds as I think you'll see or completely overpowering the fluorescents with flash.
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I'm real curious if 5DIII AWB is fast enough to compensate where 6D cannot.
Anxious to read your findings.
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Not seeing EXIF on your Imgur posts. What shutter speeds were used?

 

[zim]

I'd return it. You can find one easily and get overnight shipping. Order the CPW street price deal for $1250. You will get it from a authorized dealer.

+1
its not second hand (well I mean its not been bought as second hand) and its happening with daylight shots

 

[dak723]

If you bought it at Best Buy then definitely return it. While I usually try to support my local businesses, Best buys easy no questions asked 15 day return policy makes them my camera store of choice. If they have another one in stock, you will have some answers in no time.

 

[DanThePhotoMan]

Issue solved. Returned it and got a new one. No problems now whatsoever.