Hands on Field Test of the Canon EOS 6D Mark II

[infared]

I have a 5DIII & 5DIV. I have to say I am realively happy with my cameras, especially the IV (It hits a sweet spot for me with image size and camera features)..but I feel that Canon is not as innovative as other companies, now. I have a lot of EOS-mount glass...so I am not switching any time soon...but I absolutely hear the disappointment about the 6DII. The sensor should have all-round improvement. And it just doesn't. I also read a lot of people here making excuses for this camera, and somehow rationalizing it into something that it isn't.
When I read the specs for the Nikon D850 I have to admit it sounds fantastic and will be more camera for the money relative to anything that Canon will be producing to compete with it in its price/feature range. It's just true. I am not making any fanbois excuses for that fact.
Canon needs to do more.

 

[Chaitanya]

...

Latest rant noted. No need to repeat. Either you are right or Canon is. We shall find out.

Many of us feel same way and want to rant.

I went Canon when I went SLR because they were innovative.. first to bring video to an SLR, many other features etc. It was a leader.

I loved it and invested into their ecosystem and had hoped to work towards full frame, more pro bodies. But I don't make money from it and I can't afford to keep changing glass on each whim, so it's painful watching luke warm release after luke warm release while you see some really good innovation elsewhere.

Still watching the reviews, but looking more and more like I'll be still waiting.. again.

Yes, today Sony and Nikon are vying for the innovation crown. Recent rumors for the D850 release are pretty heady. 45-46MP, a true ISO 50, improved low and high ISO DR, up to 10 fps continuous (not clear if this will be just in 20MP crop-sensor mode), D5 AF, tilty screen, and XQD card slot, and full-frame 4k video. Now, video AF will still pale compared to Canon's, but if true, most of these rumors are true, this will be an amazing camera. Of course this is a whole different category from the 6DMII. What it means though is that Nikon has created enough room below the D850 that it won't have to "nerf" the D750 replacement to create product differentiation. Nikon can release a (D780?) with a 30MP sensor, 8-10FPS, 4k video, dual-card slots and marginally improved sensor (if at all) and still have a far superior camera campared to the 6DMII.

Yes, Nikon has had quality control problems, and yes, Canon's lens portfolio is a bit better. However, between Nikon's offerings and third party lenses, there is nothing that isn't covered from my perspective.

Will this cut into Canon's lead? Probably not. The switching costs are simply too high. But since I'm not invested in Canon stock, their lead in market share does me absolutely no good.

So bye bye Canon. I have a few L lenses in good shape--24-70mm L II, 70-300mm L, 100mm L, 85mm L II, and 100-400mm L II--that are going on the market soon. Selling these lenses should more than cover the purchase of D850 and Nikon 105E lens.

Troll or simply illogical? You do not want to pay for 5DMkIV but you are willing to sell your excellent lenses to pay for ... D850 ?

http://www.canonrumors.com/forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=53f3756e83ed21cdae34510ac9750cac&topic=33164.0

 

[kdsand]

Ugh if canon had even just released the 6D2 with the same sensor as the original & updated the auto focus I'd be less irritated. Having brand spanking newly developed (as stated) sensor & then saying it's on par with the old model.... What what? I'll be looking for some great deals on the original 6D for landscapes & portraits & use that & my 7D2 for action. Phooey on 6D2 at these prices.

 

[Cthulhu]

I have a 5DIII & 5DIV. I have to say I am realively happy with my cameras, especially the IV (It hits a sweet spot for me with image size and camera features)..but I feel that Canon is not as innovative as other companies, now. I have a lot of EOS-mount glass...so I am not switching any time soon...but I absolutely hear the disappointment about the 6DII. The sensor should have all-round improvement. And it just doesn't. I also read a lot of people here making excuses for this camera, and somehow rationalizing it into something that it isn't.
When I read the specs for the Nikon D850 I have to admit it sounds fantastic and will be more camera for the money relative to anything that Canon will be producing to compete with it in its price/feature range. It's just true. I am not making any fanbois excuses for that fact.
Canon needs to do more.

I actually really hope the d850 rumors are true. It's exactly what I wanted the 5d4 to be - lots of detail and lots of speed.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

It was a tough decision, but I picked a 5D MK IV rather than the 6D II for 1/3 more $$. That was a month ago.

I have yet to see any DR difference in my photos or to use 4K video.

The two features I use are

1. The touch screen, I love it!

2. DPAF in live view works well with quick enough and accurate enough AF in most cases. It burns thru batteries.

I also use wi-fi, but I'm not thrilled about it using my battery so quickly when tethered to a phone or tablet, but it worked well with them. I did tether it wirelessly to my PC via my wi-fi, that was a frustrating experience, waiting on a photo to appear. I'd use a eye-fi card to download photos to my pc via network access point over the Canon wi-fi any day.

GPS worked fine, but I really don't have a need for it 99% of the time.

 

[geonix]

It seems the only way Canon would change its policy is by not buying their new cameras.
But somehow their sales are increasing. The mirrorless products of canon are as mediocre compared to the competition as are a lot of their dslrs. Yet, it seems they sell well.

So people like us, in forums etc., can complain and demand for improvement as long as we want.

 

[Gnocchi]

It seems the only way Canon would change its policy is by not buying their new cameras.
But somehow their sales are increasing. The mirrorless products of canon are as mediocre compared to the competition as are a lot of their dslrs. Yet, it seems they sell well.

So people like us, in forums etc., can complain and demand for improvement as long as we want.

I think Canon is the whipping boy/girl of the photographic community, a little bit like Collingwood in the AFL.

 

[Jack Douglas]

It seems the only way Canon would change its policy is by not buying their new cameras.
But somehow their sales are increasing. The mirrorless products of canon are as mediocre compared to the competition as are a lot of their dslrs. Yet, it seems they sell well.

So people like us, in forums etc., can complain and demand for improvement as long as we want.

I think Canon is the whipping boy/girl of the photographic community, a little bit like Collingwood in the AFL.

You are of course right!

Jack

 

[Talys]

Dunno what to say. After using 6D2 for a few days, I'm very happy with it. But perhaps it's all in the expectations.

I was not expecting a camera that was equal to or better than 5D4 for image quality. I don't care about and wasn't looking to do video, beyond extremely casual stuff that I could do with a smartphone.

What I wanted was an 80D (which is a camera I'm ecstatic with), pretty much exactly the way it is, with a full frame sensor so that I could shoot wider on my EF lenses. That included a flippy screen, because without one, I pretty much have to attach a field monitor. What I expected was to pay a more than 80D, but less than 5D4. And I guess, the camera pretty much met my expectations, so I'm a happy customer.

I think the things that people want -- which is essentially everything equal to or better than 5D4 -- should be expected to be in the 5D5, and probably cost more than 5D4. At this point though, Canon could announce a 5D5 with a flippy screen, a ginormous DR boost, and 50 megapixels, and I'd shrug, because for the price, the 6D2 is pretty much perfect.

But of course, what I want (a full frame, tight space studio camera) isn't necessary what other people want. Perhaps the solution for Canon is to drop another model that sits between 6D2 and 5D4 (or successor). I just don't think it's reasonable to expect a $2,000 FF camera that essentially makes the 5D4 obsolete.

In a lot of ways, I think, what people were expecting was that the 6D2 vs 5D4 would be like 80D vs 7D2, and it just didn't turn out that way. I never expected that -- 5D4 is extremely popular (to an extent that 7D2 never was, though this is just my opinion), so why would Canon cannibalize those sales? The 6D was never really good enough for professional photographers who needed a 5D4, so why did anyone assume that the 6D2 would be?

So anyhow... TLDR... I think I was just expecting less for a camera that's much cheaper than 5D4. Life's full of compromises, and the featureset of 6D2 versus its price is a pretty good compromise for me.

 

[Pippan]

I think Canon is the whipping boy/girl of the photographic community, a little bit like Collingwood in the AFL.

The difference of course is that Canon's won the premiership for the last 14 years.

 

[Jack Douglas]

Talys, just say whoopee! Or whine and grizzle that it doesn't have enough DR.

I'd rather be happy than sad so you know which camp I'm in.

Jack

 

[Mikehit]

What it means though is that Nikon has created enough room below the D850 that it won't have to "nerf" the D750 replacement to create product differentiation.

According to the Canon critics, simply not providing technology that is available in higher range models is 'nerfing'. But with Nikon it is market segmentation which seems to be bad when Canon does it.

Go figure.

 

[Jack Douglas]

Yes go figure.

I think I've about read enough to accept the camera as it is when hopefully the price softens a little after Christmas. Can't think of too many reasons why I desperately need it now. It will be interesting to compare notes in 2 or 3 years - success or failure for Canon. I lived through the 6D kerfuffle so my bet is on success.

Jack

 

[Joules]

What I wanted was an 80D (which is a camera I'm ecstatic with), pretty much exactly the way it is, with a full frame sensor so that I could shoot wider on my EF lenses.

That's precisely the expectations that I had and from my point of view, leaving things like a headphone jack and On-Chip ADC off the 6D, that expectation wasn't met.

When the 6D came out I liked that Canon offered a way to get Images from the same quality as their best cameras at a lower price point, by simply reducing the experience. Now, the 6DII doesn't have the full experience, but it also doesn't have the same image quality as the higher end models.

The 80D and 800D seem to offer all the better value now that you could pay less to get one of those and still get more in some regards than you'd get with the 6DII. But as I use a 600D (T3i) and am looking to upgrade, those cameras weren't my first choices as they are still APS-C.

I mean, I agree that all these cameras are great and as the price will come down, the 6DII will get even greater. But all these excuses you hear are pretty annoying. Canon is pushing profits really hard currently, as you can tell from their reports and all the focus they put on entering new markets. They seemingly don't have the capacity to produce enough full frame sensors with On-Chip ADC, and because they could accept a compromise to their profit, so they didn't extend their capacity for now.

But if a current Canon users feels like he doesn't wants to compromise either, he's just told to be happy and pay. Sounds well enough, but at some point I'm forced to wonder if the internet isn't right and Canon users are just sheep who buy because it says Canon on the box

 

[Mikehit]

But if a current Canon users feels like he doesn't wants to compromise either, he's just told to be happy and pay.

Who has said that. The only thing that has been said is 'make a choice for the right reasons'.
You (and others) constantly misinterpret quite reasonable comments then use that to build a straw man about shills, fanboys and sheeple.

 

[tron]

...

Latest rant noted. No need to repeat. Either you are right or Canon is. We shall find out.

Many of us feel same way and want to rant.

I went Canon when I went SLR because they were innovative.. first to bring video to an SLR, many other features etc. It was a leader.

I loved it and invested into their ecosystem and had hoped to work towards full frame, more pro bodies. But I don't make money from it and I can't afford to keep changing glass on each whim, so it's painful watching luke warm release after luke warm release while you see some really good innovation elsewhere.

Still watching the reviews, but looking more and more like I'll be still waiting.. again.

Yes, today Sony and Nikon are vying for the innovation crown. Recent rumors for the D850 release are pretty heady. 45-46MP, a true ISO 50, improved low and high ISO DR, up to 10 fps continuous (not clear if this will be just in 20MP crop-sensor mode), D5 AF, tilty screen, and XQD card slot, and full-frame 4k video. Now, video AF will still pale compared to Canon's, but if true, most of these rumors are true, this will be an amazing camera. Of course this is a whole different category from the 6DMII. What it means though is that Nikon has created enough room below the D850 that it won't have to "nerf" the D750 replacement to create product differentiation. Nikon can release a (D780?) with a 30MP sensor, 8-10FPS, 4k video, dual-card slots and marginally improved sensor (if at all) and still have a far superior camera campared to the 6DMII.

Yes, Nikon has had quality control problems, and yes, Canon's lens portfolio is a bit better. However, between Nikon's offerings and third party lenses, there is nothing that isn't covered from my perspective.

Will this cut into Canon's lead? Probably not. The switching costs are simply too high. But since I'm not invested in Canon stock, their lead in market share does me absolutely no good.

So bye bye Canon. I have a few L lenses in good shape--24-70mm L II, 70-300mm L, 100mm L, 85mm L II, and 100-400mm L II--that are going on the market soon. Selling these lenses should more than cover the purchase of D850 and Nikon 105E lens.

Troll or simply illogical? You do not want to pay for 5DMkIV but you are willing to sell your excellent lenses to pay for ... D850 ?

http://www.canonrumors.com/forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=53f3756e83ed21cdae34510ac9750cac&topic=33164.0

So what? D850 will be a 5DsR or 5D4 competitor not a 6D2 competitor! Billybob was disappointed with 6D2 not with 5D4... I insist on "troll or illogical"....

 

[Joules]

Who has said that.

Yeah, good point. That's an issue with my perception, nothings that's been said by anybody here around. Reading YouTube comments isn't the best idea at any rate ;D

Reading multiple post, it's easy to take away only what's most impactfull from those, and these impacts add up until I get the impression that being disappointed in Canons choices is not allowed. Well, sorry for that, thanks for the hint.

I disagree though, I'm not for using shill and fanbody or sheep to label anybody. Everybody has their own reasons to get what they do, and those obviously are subjective and therefore perfectily fine.

it certainly doesn't help that a ton of bad wheather and a lot of stuff to do have kept me away from going out to shoot for weeks now. Just need to twist my perspective back around from "No camera offfers all I want" to "Any camera offers way more than I need".

 

[Takingshots]

I guess when Canon put out the 5D mkiv, the camera itself does not have great 4K coverage. So I guess putting 4K into 6dmkii would have an overall negative effect on 5D mk iv. Secondly not sure why they did not upgrade the DR... I would even be willing to pay a little more money for this 6D mkii upgrade.
Sure, there will be people who are willing to try this camera but also now it stands to lose more existing customers who want to upgrade. Also with the review, new customers (within this budget range) will probably shy away from buying it and consequently also not buying the L lenses. Sad ...

 

[djack41]

He keeps mentioning the Nikon D750. The D750 has a horrible reliability record. Beware the 750.

 

[Yasko]

Very few people here seem to have a reasonable view of things (in my view ;D), some are too picky, some are too indifferent.

The 6D mk II is generally fine... ok, 2 card slots wouldn't have broken Canon's back and might have saved a few unlucky customers' photos one day... yet it prohibits to use a 6D mk II professionally for a lot of photographers, which still is fine because as a lot of people said: It must not cut 5D mk IV sales.

Beside the bells and whistles the camera has, what I expect to be top technology (always!) is the sensor. That is my personal view and sure it doesn't always come down to the best marketing decision a company can make. Still this is how I perceived the ideology behind the 6D. Less bells and whistles, but top Image Quality.
There is just no reason to not cripple a camera when it comes to the sensor.
That doesn't include that Canon may use a sensor that is already in production to safe on research & development or use a lower MP count to leave their top line at top position...
But generally DR and low light performance should go up (and they did, though the DR seems to be comparable as with the 5 year old predecessor).
That doesn't mean that the 6D mk II's sensor is a no go, it is just not the best that Canon might be able to offer (at least a lot of people think so).

Yet it somehow is incoherent. They put in a tilty screen, which is great even for stills. But especially in the video segment (where a smaller body size is also a good choice!) that would be ground breaking. If it only had 4K (not important for me) or at least a good 1080p output with good codec. But I guess, you know what you buy when you buy it. So it's everyone's own choice to do so.

The DR is only thing I am really disappointed about, because it feels like missing out on sthg for the time you have the camera. Yet still I find it different to find anologies.
Buying a small car, you wouldn'T expect it to drive faster than or accelerate faster than a more expensive car...
Sensor <-> Motor doesn't seem to get the point there .

Yet still, although you might miss DR, there are other things to be happy about with this camera (first flipscreenm on FF with DSLRs).

I am eager to hear about FF mirrorless news from Canon!
Cheers