Canon 6D review

[michaelstringer]

My real-world review of the Canon 6D. It's fairly short but contains a few pictures mostly illustrating it's excellent noise characteristics at high-iso. It's especially useful for wedding photographers but anyone considering buying it or wanting a comparison with the 5D Mark III should find it useful.

http://www.michaelstringer.co.uk/blog/

 

[jcollett]

Thanks Michael for adding your insights to this camera. Enjoyed the read. Best of luck with the new blog!

 

[michaelstringer]

Thanks for that.

 

[Canon-F1]

you compare JPG or RAW?

 

[michaelstringer]

They were in Lightroom and they were raw - or more accurately Lightroom's rendering of the raw images. The Fuji image is jpeg since it produces such good jpegs and it's difficult to get any better with current raw processing engines.

 

[RustyTheGeek]

My experience has been similar and I agree: The 6D would be a superb backup to a 5D3 for weddings. The 5D3 is a superior sports/action AI Servo camera, the 6D is a superior low light One Shot camera. And Low/Available light shooting is what I do most so I have shot more 6D shots than 5D3 shots when they are both hanging as I work. I get tired of missing shots while waiting for the 5D3 to focus in low light. That's very irritating after spending $3K+ for that camera. Grrrr!

 

[michaelstringer]

I don't usually have a problem with the 5D III focussing in low light - it can occasionally hunt a bit though - but I'd say the 6D's centre point is even better and seems able to focus quickly in almost no light at all.

 

[bholliman]

Nice review Michael. I too enjoy "real world" over technical reviews. I look forward to following your blog going forward.

I too am very impressed with the low light capabilities of the 6D.

 

[michaelstringer]

Thanks. I will be adding reviews slowly but surely.

 

[mathino]

Nice review and thanks for sharing your experience !

I'd like to ask you, 6D owners, about the AF. I do a lot of really low light stuff like events and club photography - especially DJs - and they are really far from staying still (erratic movement). I'm frequently using my 430 EX II and AF grid (with flash turned off) to achieve focus with my 450D + 28 f/1.8. I'm also using my flash with Pixel Kings to get some interesting shots on longer exposures. Later this year I'd like to jump into portraits and other events like proms. Sometimes I'm shooting bedminton and running (but it's like 5-10% of shots I do).

I had a chance to play with 6D at couple of photo shows/events here and I think it's a great camera. One of my friends has 5D Mk III - and he could borrow me that body for some events if I need it. Investment in L glass seems to me like wiser decision - 24-70 f/2.8 II some time later.

1.) Do you think that 6D's AF could manage all stuff I mentioned above ? I have no problem with focusing on center and cropping in post.

2.) Have you missed that 1/8000 shutter speed ?

 

[Frage]

Thank you for your very nice review.

Good for you that point out the negative aspects in your own blog, otherwise the red necks straps could come and put you in your place ;D

Just a question, pointing out the the very only usable AF point works very good isn´t like to praise how good the one leg from a one legged person works?

Greetings.

 

[michaelstringer]

Nice review and thanks for sharing your experience !

I'd like to ask you, 6D owners, about the AF. I do a lot of really low light stuff like events and club photography - especially DJs - and they are really far from staying still (erratic movement). I'm frequently using my 430 EX II and AF grid (with flash turned off) to achieve focus with my 450D + 28 f/1.8. I'm also using my flash with Pixel Kings to get some interesting shots on longer exposures. Later this year I'd like to jump into portraits and other events like proms. Sometimes I'm shooting bedminton and running (but it's like 5-10% of shots I do).

I had a chance to play with 6D at couple of photo shows/events here and I think it's a great camera. One of my friends has 5D Mk III - and he could borrow me that body for some events if I need it. Investment in L glass seems to me like wiser decision - 24-70 f/2.8 II some time later.

1.) Do you think that 6D's AF could manage all stuff I mentioned above ? I have no problem with focusing on center and cropping in post.

2.) Have you missed that 1/8000 shutter speed ?

I probably would miss 1/8000 if I didn't also have a 5D III. It's not a major issue for me or most people though.

I'm sure the excellent centre point of the 6D would work well for you - especially since its low-light performance is so good. However the 5D IIIs centre point is nearly as good and the outer points are way better (and more numerous) so if I were you I would try to stretch to the 5D III for its added versatility. If you are diversifying into other areas of photography and you only have one camera body then I would recommend the 5D III.

 

[mathino]

I probably would miss 1/8000 if I didn't also have a 5D III. It's not a major issue for me or most people though.

I'm sure the excellent centre point of the 6D would work well for you - especially since its low-light performance is so good. However the 5D IIIs centre point is nearly as good and the outer points are way better (and more numerous) so if I were you I would try to stretch to the 5D III for its added versatility. If you are diversifying into other areas of photography and you only have one camera body then I would recommend the 5D III.

As you said, 1/8000 is not a major thing for me. I've lived with that for last 5 years so it shouldn't be a problem.

I'm also a "field experience" type of person, not a specs geek, so I really appreciate your point of view. My plan is to keep shooting with one body, but I can borrow another if I need (for a particular shoot). I've learned how to get shots I want/need with One Shot drive mode. And you're right, Mk III is more versatile - especially AF and all possibilities to personalize it. Hmm, I think I'll need to think about pluses/minuses a little more.

Anyway, thanks for your quick response

 

[curby]

The two biggest considerations for planning my next body are bulk and AF performance with both moving and low-lit subjects. I had heard that the 5DIII tracks moving subjects very well, but not that it's horribly slow in low light. The dpreview.com review of the 5DIII seems reasonably satisfied with its low light focusing speed and accuracy, though I understand it's just one opinion based off limited experience so it should be taken with a grain of salt.

If the 5DIII really has trouble in low light, that's a pretty serious blow against it, and would bias me strongly towards the cheaper and lighter option. Of course the number, utility, and coverage of the 6D's AF points can't compare to the 5DIII's, but speed in low light matters to me as well.

All that said, I'm coming from a 400D/XTi, which is one of the reasons I'm concerned about size and weight. Would any aspects of either of these autofocus systems seem like a step down compared to the Rebel? E.g. do the 6D's AF points actually cover a smaller portion of the frame compared to the Rebel's 9 points?

 

[michaelstringer]

I probably would miss 1/8000 if I didn't also have a 5D III. It's not a major issue for me or most people though.

I'm sure the excellent centre point of the 6D would work well for you - especially since its low-light performance is so good. However the 5D IIIs centre point is nearly as good and the outer points are way better (and more numerous) so if I were you I would try to stretch to the 5D III for its added versatility. If you are diversifying into other areas of photography and you only have one camera body then I would recommend the 5D III.

As you said, 1/8000 is not a major thing for me. I've lived with that for last 5 years so it shouldn't be a problem.

I'm also a "field experience" type of person, not a specs geek, so I really appreciate your point of view. My plan is to keep shooting with one body, but I can borrow another if I need (for a particular shoot). I've learned how to get shots I want/need with One Shot drive mode. And you're right, Mk III is more versatile - especially AF and all possibilities to personalize it. Hmm, I think I'll need to think about pluses/minuses a little more.

Anyway, thanks for your quick response

No problem. Just to add to the confusion; the new version of the 7D is rumoured to be announced soon. With (probably) better high iso than the current 7D it might actually be better for your types of photography.

 

[michaelstringer]

The two biggest considerations for planning my next body are bulk and AF performance with both moving and low-lit subjects. I had heard that the 5DIII tracks moving subjects very well, but not that it's horribly slow in low light. The dpreview.com review of the 5DIII seems reasonably satisfied with its low light focusing speed and accuracy, though I understand it's just one opinion based off limited experience so it should be taken with a grain of salt.

If the 5DIII really has trouble in low light, that's a pretty serious blow against it, and would bias me strongly towards the cheaper and lighter option. Of course the number, utility, and coverage of the 6D's AF points can't compare to the 5DIII's, but speed in low light matters to me as well.

All that said, I'm coming from a 400D/XTi, which is one of the reasons I'm concerned about size and weight. Would any aspects of either of these autofocus systems seem like a step down compared to the Rebel? E.g. do the 6D's AF points actually cover a smaller portion of the frame compared to the Rebel's 9 points?

I think you may have misread my review (or I wasn't very clear). The 5D IIIs AF is excellent and fast in all situations - including low light. Very low light is obviously more of a challenge but mostly it locks fine. The 6D however has a slightly better centre point in near darkness - it locks a bit quicker and doesn't seem to hunt at all (yet).

I haven't used the 400D but the 6D focus points are reasonably well spread. For example in portrait format the top point is quite close to a person's eye if filling the frame with a face. In practice the focus points are well placed (for my use).

 

[aalbert]

Michael - thank you for taking the time to do the review... I bought a 6D a week ago, and have been quite happy with what little testing I have been able to do, and your observations confirmed many of mine.

Thanks again.

 

[michaelstringer]

Michael - thank you for taking the time to do the review... I bought a 6D a week ago, and have been quite happy with what little testing I have been able to do, and your observations confirmed many of mine.

Thanks again.

No problem.

 

[BL]

2.) Have you missed that 1/8000 shutter speed ?

i don't believe 1/8000 will be missed by many, or if the exclusion will even be noticed.

just out of curiousity, i did a metadata search through my archives and found a handful shots at 1/8000 - images shot at 1.2 or 1.4 in broad daylight for DOF, when i really should have been using an ND filter

 

[hemidesign]

2.) Have you missed that 1/8000 shutter speed ?

i don't believe 1/8000 will be missed by many, or if the exclusion will even be noticed.

just out of curiousity, i did a metadata search through my archives and found a handful shots at 1/8000 - images shot at 1.2 or 1.4 in broad daylight for DOF, when i really should have been using an ND filter

I don't think you going to miss the 1/8000.. the 6D you can shoot at 50 ISO... (50~4000 or 100~8000, is almost the same)
IMO, the 6D has the best AF from any camera from Canon to date, the camera can focus DEAD ON using the center point which I use 99.99% of the time, and I don't shoot moving subjects, like sports or anything similar...
Buying this lightweight and solid camera, best AF center point, and the best ISO performance from any Canon camera?.. its a winner for sure.. that's why I bought 3..