Canon EOS 6D Official Specs

[K-amps]

It just feels like this camera was more of an attempt to hit a price point without trying to hit features of any other existing Canon camera rather than a model directed at a specific user base.

They avoided competing with the 60D, t4i & 5D3 by lacking live AF from the t4i, no headphone jack like the 5d3 and no tilt screen of the 60D & 4ti, no clean hdmi out, and no dual card slots.

For photography it seems weak as it is lacking a decent AF system (even something like the 7D), no dual card slots, or at least a single pro CF slot if you can only have 1 (such as the 7D), only 3 bracket exposure vs 7 of the 5d3, way slower than the 5d3 or 7D, no flash, no 100% view finder, only 1/4000 max shutter speed, only 1/180 max flash sync, and usb 2.0.

Then it seems that since this resulted in a body to inexpensive, they added gps & wifi which few people need in a DSLR rather than adding back some of the specs they removed to not compete with the other cameras.

It's a camera that seems weak no matter what area of photography you are in:
For sports - too slow and bad focus system, no CF or dual card slots, No 100%VF, no joystick, limited controls
For Wedding/Event - No dual card slot for backup, poor focus system, slow flash sync, No 100%VF, no af joystick
For video - No live AF, no swivel screen, no headphone jack, no clean hdmi, no dual cards for backup or overflow, no silent operation like the 5D3 or D600
For studio/landscape - No 100%VF, No Backup card, only 20MP vs the D600 & D800, limited DR most likely
For Travel/consumer - No popup flash, no card backup, no swivel screen, no live af, no touch screen

What/who is this camera for. This is clearly Canon's attempt to produce a camera without stepping on any other camera's toes.

Instead, the best camera for each item never include the 6D:
For sports - Buy the 1Dx, 7D, or even 5D3 (don't buy a 6D for this ever)
For Wedding/Event - buy the 5D3, 1Dx, then maybe a 7D or 6D (both have some negatives)
For video - Sony A99, 1Dc, 5D3, 1Dx, 60D, t4i, then maybe a 6D
For studio/landscape - 5D3 or go Nikon because they are the best for this with the D800 & D600
For Travel/consumer - Nikon D600 or 5D3, t4i, then maybe i'd get a 6D

Great Analysis!

 

[K-amps]

Canon must have been on the crossroads as to naming the new body. So what makes a body attain the xD moniker? It used to be FF's only. Then came the 7D. So then it became FF + pro bodies.

With the 6D, they had a cheap FF body with little to no; Pro features... they could have gone with an xxD name but since they have chosen the XD name, they have now limited themselves as "price" being the differentiator between a xD and non xD Body.

So it seems.

 

[Toronto]

Lets all see how well the camera really performs and to see real world raw image samples before we abandon canon. Tho I am very disappointed in the choice of SD cards vs CF already, canon seems to be pushing this camera as an upgrade path for rebel owners as most of us with 7D's and MKII's have alot of CF cards already. I want this to be an upgrade to my MKII but it's looking like it will be aback up body or I hand out the extra cash for a MKIII.

 

[cliffwang]

It just feels like this camera was more of an attempt to hit a price point without trying to hit features of any other existing Canon camera rather than a model directed at a specific user base.

Agree. I am one of Canon users who has been disappointed by Canon for months. There are very understandable why Canon is not really doing good job.
1. Big market share. Using the market share power to provide high margin products to gain more money from its customers.
2. Many royal customers. Canon has too many royal customers. No matter how bad the price policy Canon has, its royal customers will pay for it. You actually can see many posts here are trying to find the excuses for Canon's high price policy.
3. Non-flexible product pricing and bad planing. I think Canon push 6D out because D600. Now what kind specs you want from 6D and that will not hurt its current products? 19 cross AF points + 24MP for 2500? That will have a big impact to 5D3. Or current specs for 1500? That will kill 7D and 60D. Thus, what Canon can do now?

 

[Albi86]

The saddest part is that this camera still has to be proven to be better than the cheaper and 4 y.o. 5D2. The AF might be better, but that's it: less MP, 1/4000s shutter speed, 1/180s flash sync, etc...

I agree that Canon wanted to put on the shelves a camera @2100$, but with little intentions to sell it. Seems like they suggest customers to buy either the 5D2 (to clear their stock) or the 5D3 (so overpriced that they get a lot of money with each unity sold).

Wi-Fi and GPS units are so cheap that nowadays every smartphone has them, so please let's not consider them as the important premium over the 5D2.

 

[dara]

It seems the 6D can be controlled by an Android or Iphone. That's pretty cool! People will make timelapps : within the week. Remote LV anyone?

that can be done already, http://www.dslrbot.com/

they made their android apps
http://www.canon.co.uk/For_Home/Product_Finder/Cameras/Digital_SLR/eos_remote.aspx

 

[dswatson83]

This reminds me of what happened when the 60D was announced. 50D owners were hoping for an upgrade and instead Canon put out a more consumerish 60D thus making the logical upgrade to the 50D the vastly more expensive 7D. This seems to be what Canon is doing here where instead of a 5D mark II or FF 7D competitor at a similar price, they have restricted some pro features and added wifi & gps to bring it to more of a rebel upgrade than pro model. Thus 5D mark II owners are forced to upgrade to the vastly more expensive 5D mark III.

 

[zim]

It’s a FF Rebel nothing more nothing less
I’m happy with that. It’s good they included AFAM and quiet mode (surprised they included that) & 4.5fps is better that most were expecting, yes 1/4000 is a disappointment but hey remember - rebel
But none of that matters, I look forward to IQ tests and raw files analysis – when they can be processed correctly (remember the 5D3 debacle when images from that first appeared)
Then there is AF, lets have it tested first before condemning it out of hand, yes it may well be rubbish but please innocent before proven guilty.

5D3 is still plan A and the price is coming down but so far this looks like it may well be a descent plan B, for this rebel owner at least.

I await the meltdown when someone takes a photo with this thing with the lens cap on……..

 

[DianeK]

This reminds me of what happened when the 60D was announced. 50D owners were hoping for an upgrade and instead Canon put out a more consumerish 60D thus making the logical upgrade to the 50D the vastly more expensive 7D. This seems to be what Canon is doing here where instead of a 5D mark II or FF 7D competitor at a similar price, they have restricted some pro features and added wifi & gps to bring it to more of a rebel upgrade than pro model. Thus 5D mark II owners are forced to upgrade to the vastly more expensive 5D mark III.

Yes, does seem like deja vu

 

[7enderbender]

A thought I just had: There seems to be a lot of concern on this post as to who will buy this camera. That this camera won't sell well. And my response to this is.... Who cares? I would be totally fine if this camera only sells 1 unit worldwide (and that would be to me of course...). We should really be less concerned with Canon's sales numbers and more concerned with our own creative output.

I don't care either if they are selling a lot of these or not. I'm more concerned that the 5DII is now going to be discontinued probably and my 2-year old camera will be considered "too ancient to repair" - without having an appropriate replacement in that same price bracket (unless of course the Mark III starts getting into the <$2500 bracket at some point soon).

 

[Ryan_W]

This from Engadgethttp://www.engadget.com/2012/09/17/canon-eos-6d-hands-on/:

What really blew us away, though, is the new camera's size and weight. It's more compact than the 5D and even the 7D, an APS-C camera, weighing in at 690 grams -- a 20-percent decrease from that larger pro model. 20 percent may not sound like a tremendous improvement, but it's certainly noticeable, boosting the 6D's versatility, and making it an ideal choice for street and travel photography.

This is what I'm talking about. Ever carry a gripped 5dMkIII w/ bright glass on a four mile round trip hike through a city following a protest?

How about three so you can cover the whole focal range?

How about three with bright lenses and a six foot stepladder

I will be sufficiently able to overcome the loss of AF points by regaining the use of the muscles in both hands.

 

[Marsu42]

It seems the 6D can be controlled by an Android or Iphone. That's pretty cool! People will make timelapps

... for timelapses just install magic lantern, done - should drain less battery than constant wifi control btw.

 

[kukhuvud]

Count in in with the people who will buy this as a backup one it drops below $1500US. Otherwise, I'm happy with my 5D3 with 7D as backup.

 

[enraginangel]

I think what the 6D does is make the 5D Mark III more palatable for customers to buy. People balk at the features of the 6D and now the 5D Mark III doesn't look so bad. Give 6 months for people to trash the 6D and then Canon will introduce an even crappier camera to make the 6D look good by comparison. Canon is playing mind games with everyone.

 

[Marsu42]

People balk at the features of the 6D and now the 5D Mark III doesn't look so bad.

High praise for the 5d3 indeed :-> ... but I fear you're correct, and the 5d3 price will stay just below $3000 for quite some time because Canon made sure the 6d is no "mini-5d3" but a high iq tourist camera.

Count in in with the people who will buy this as a backup one it drops below $1500US.

Some people might use it as a 2nd camera with a fast prime mounted and an exchangeable focus screen.

 

[Ryan_W]

People balk at the features of the 6D and now the 5D Mark III doesn't look so bad.

High praise for the 5d3 indeed :-> ... but I fear you're correct, and the 5d3 price will stay just below $3000 for quite some time because Canon made sure the 6d is no "mini-5d3" but a high iq tourist camera.

Count in in with the people who will buy this as a backup one it drops below $1500US.

Some people might use it as a 2nd camera with a fast prime mounted and an exchangeable focus screen.

Alternatively I'm thinking of building a featherweight street shooter by pairing the 6D with the 40mm STM.

 

[Meh]

A thought I just had: There seems to be a lot of concern on this post as to who will buy this camera. That this camera won't sell well. And my response to this is.... Who cares? I would be totally fine if this camera only sells 1 unit worldwide (and that would be to me of course...). We should really be less concerned with Canon's sales numbers and more concerned with our own creative output.

Well... the simple and obvious answer to your question is that the people who are discussing it care. They may care for their own personal reasons or simply personal interest in such things. If you don't care then the posts don't concern you and you can choose to discuss other matters.

The more in depth reason is that this is a Canon gear site and it's full of people who care about Canon gear and all the intricacies of Canon's gear line up. They are interested in discussing a wide range of topics with like-minded people and value those discussions. Some people here work in the retail photography business and care deeply that Canon introduces products that will sell well and be commercially successful.

For my part, one area of my profession is market and product analysis and forecasting... I look at new products that are pitched to me and assess whether such a product will have mass appeal and be commercially successful. I'm also a camera gear-head so I enjoy these conversations, they are instructive to me. I'm also and investor and make investment decisions based on the direction I think large companies are going and that as well means it's valuable and interesting to dig deep into what drives consumer acceptance of product releases and whether a company like Canon still has it's wits about them or is struggling with product development that will have mass appeal or if they will start to lose market share over a 12-36 month investment horizon.

As Canon customers it's in our interests (to a degree) to hope Canon is commercially successful with their photography gear because it means they will continue to be profitable and develop new and better photography gear for us to buy, use, and talk about with our fellow photographers.

If you don't care about such things, don't respond. If you do respond your input is valued and desired, I would appreciate it and learn from what you have to say. You are one person and in the grand scheme of things your purchase decision doesn't matter and nor does mine. But the overall market forces do matter to product development.

Ok?

 

[Albi86]

As Canon customers it's in our interests (to a degree) to hope Canon is commercially successful with their photography gear because it means they will continue to be profitable and develop new and better photography gear for us to buy, use, and talk about with our fellow photographers.

This is a myth.

If Canon puts crappy or overpriced products on the market and they sell well all the same, this is exactly what they will keep doing. As a Canon user you should only hope that they get their ass kicked so badly to never do that again.

 

[Canon-F1]

As Canon customers it's in our interests (to a degree) to hope Canon is commercially successful with their photography gear because it means they will continue to be profitable and develop new and better photography gear for us to buy, use, and talk about with our fellow photographers.

This is a myth.

If Canon puts crappy or overpriced products on the market and they sell well all the same, this is exactly what they will keep doing. As a Canon user you should only hope that they get their ass kicked so badly to never do that again.

yep canon needs to get the ass kicked badly so they produce GREAT cameras not good enough cameras again.

 

[Meh]

As Canon customers it's in our interests (to a degree) to hope Canon is commercially successful with their photography gear because it means they will continue to be profitable and develop new and better photography gear for us to buy, use, and talk about with our fellow photographers.

This is a myth.

If Canon puts crappy or overpriced products on the market and they sell well all the same, this is exactly what they will keep doing. As a Canon user you should only hope that they get their ass kicked so badly to never do that again.

yep canon needs to get the ass kicked badly so they produce GREAT cameras not good enough cameras again.

They do. They are the 1DX and 5D3... everything below those in the line will be "lesser cameras for a lower price". If what you're trying to say is that Canon should make a GREAT camera at every price point well that is subjective and certainly they won't shoehorn a 1DX into a cheaper body just so everyone can get one at a lower price. If what you're trying to say is Canon should make a variety of gear that meet specific market needs at price points that makes sense for the intended use and market segment then you are right. And that is the question, is the 6D with it's list of attributes, which are neither good or bad in absolute terms, a body that will be address a decent size market segment and at what price will it sell at... in my view I think it's too expensive as a next level up from a top end Rebel (since most Rebel users don't know and don't care about sensor size) and too hobbled to be of interest to enthusiasts and pros. But this could be wrong... there could be 50,000 enthusiasts out there that are lusting after a FF body and will sacrifice other features.