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

[awinphoto]

Then again, clients are usually blown away you got the shot rather than look at any grain in the image.

And it is for that reason that I have believed for a long time that a lot of guff spoken about 'image quality', and 'only use the best gear', is more about the photographer's ego than it is about what clients expect to see.

Exactly. In my career, I've never had a client ask or comment about noise, about DR, about settings or Megapixels or whatever... Did you get the shot? If so you get paid. Simple.

 

[Don Haines]

Then again, clients are usually blown away you got the shot rather than look at any grain in the image.

And it is for that reason that I have believed for a long time that a lot of guff spoken about 'image quality', and 'only use the best gear', is more about the photographer's ego than it is about what clients expect to see.

Exactly. In my career, I've never had a client ask or comment about noise, about DR, about settings or Megapixels or whatever... Did you get the shot? If so you get paid. Simple.

As has been said so many times in the past, "Nobody cares what the DR is of a blurry photo"

 

[awinphoto]

Then again, clients are usually blown away you got the shot rather than look at any grain in the image.

And it is for that reason that I have believed for a long time that a lot of guff spoken about 'image quality', and 'only use the best gear', is more about the photographer's ego than it is about what clients expect to see.

This last week, i had a conversation with a professional videographer... and gasp, a large chunk of his gear is Canon 5d's and the like... he makes bank... i mentioned this forum and thread how a review complained about how you cant push un underexposed image 4-5 stops without it falling apart and we had a good laugh asking the obvious question? Who doesn't know how to properly expose images in which this is a big problem? Seriously, if you are so bad that you are underexposing on a regular basis and cant get it right in camera, google the exposure triangle, learn some photo 101, and stop blaming the camera.

 

[awinphoto]

Then again, clients are usually blown away you got the shot rather than look at any grain in the image.

And it is for that reason that I have believed for a long time that a lot of guff spoken about 'image quality', and 'only use the best gear', is more about the photographer's ego than it is about what clients expect to see.

Exactly. In my career, I've never had a client ask or comment about noise, about DR, about settings or Megapixels or whatever... Did you get the shot? If so you get paid. Simple.

As has been said so many times in the past, "Nobody cares what the DR is of a blurry photo"

Very true =) I welcome discussions about AF and keeper rates as that is critical to "getting that shot"... discussion about DR and high ISO, by now, makes me less and less involved with this forum...

 

[Mikehit]

This last week, i had a conversation with a professional videographer... and gasp, a large chunk of his gear is Canon 5d's and the like... he makes bank... i mentioned this forum and thread how a review complained about how you cant push un underexposed image 4-5 stops without it falling apart and we had a good laugh asking the obvious question? Who doesn't know how to properly expose images in which this is a big problem? Seriously, if you are so bad that you are underexposing on a regular basis and cant get it right in camera, google the exposure triangle, learn some photo 101, and stop blaming the camera.

...but..but what if his flash does not go off and that is the only photographer of Aunt Edna dancing drunk on the table and who died of Ebola the following week while climbing the North Face of the Eiger in celebration of her 95th birthday? You cold be sued for millions!

 

[Loswr]

...but..but what if his flash does not go off and that is the only photographer of Aunt Edna dancing drunk on the table and who died of Ebola the following week while climbing the North Face of the Eiger in celebration of her 95th birthday? You cold be sued for millions!

Clearly, it's the camera's fault and if a Canon camera was used, Canon should be held liable for not making a camera where the exposure could be pushed 6 stops in post without any loss of IQ.

 

[awinphoto]

This last week, i had a conversation with a professional videographer... and gasp, a large chunk of his gear is Canon 5d's and the like... he makes bank... i mentioned this forum and thread how a review complained about how you cant push un underexposed image 4-5 stops without it falling apart and we had a good laugh asking the obvious question? Who doesn't know how to properly expose images in which this is a big problem? Seriously, if you are so bad that you are underexposing on a regular basis and cant get it right in camera, google the exposure triangle, learn some photo 101, and stop blaming the camera.

...but..but what if his flash does not go off and that is the only photographer of Aunt Edna dancing drunk on the table and who died of Ebola the following week while climbing the North Face of the Eiger in celebration of her 95th birthday? You cold be sued for millions!

Lol... That's where 2 very lovely and vital clauses come into play with my wedding contracts...

A) we welcome photo requests and will make every attempt to fulfill the requests but we cannot guarantee or be held liable that any specific photo will be captured due to the nature and spontaneity of the wedding event.

and

B) Do lawsuit may be brought forth regardind our services greater than the total ammount paid within this contract (brought about thanks to that guy in LA where he got paid $1,000 for a wedding shoot and burn and they tried suing him for crazy money)...

But on a serious note, we will push that image but at the end of the day, it is what it is.

 

[Luds34]

A FF Rebel is not the best comparison. Right now, there is a 6D2, a 5D2, a 7D2, and a 60D sitting on top of the desk. The similarities between the 60D and the 6D2 are striking! Size, controls, shoulder display, tilt/swivel screen, and build are pretty well the same..... the 6D2 is a FF 80D.

Agreed,

The 60D/70D/80D and 6D/6D2 follow the same, what I like to call, "4 button single use" layout in front of the LCD screen where the 5 and 7 series use the "3 button dual purpose" layout. The former seems to have gone to flippy screens and has the D-pad, the later is joystick. All in all the xxD/6D form factor layout is much much closer to the 5D/7D series then to a Rebel. Just the sheer size of all those cameras are in the same ball park. Even the weather sealing on the 6D2 isn't suppose to be half bad. Every time I pick up my sister's 650D it just feels like a toy in comparison.

 

[WoodyWindy]

Seems more like a FF Rebel than anything else.

That is all the 6D series was ever meant to be - an entry level camera that just happens to be full-frame. When you look at the original 6D when it came out, it was behind the curve in almost every operational area compared to anything higher than a Rebel and even the latest contemporaneous Rebel had it beat in a number of areas (rear dial and center AF point excepted). The sensor was considered great, but really was that due to anything that separated it from other FF cameras, or was it because it was a "typical" FF sensor offered in an relatively affordable, but competent, body?

I'm starting to wonder if any of you have ever shot a Rebel. The 6D/6D2 have so little in common with the Rebel. Just the pure ergonomics/handling alone put it in a different class. Rear dial, dedicated buttons on top, dedicated AF back button, and on and on. The ability to AFMA a lens is another important checkbox. I couldn't give two hoots about stuff such as 1/4000th max shutter speed, the stuff I think some of you think makes it a "full frame Rebel". That matters not in real world shooting 99.9% of the time. Not being able to AFMA fast glass? Can get you on every shot.

A FF Rebel is not the best comparison. Right now, there is a 6D2, a 5D2, a 7D2, and a 60D sitting on top of the desk. The similarities between the 60D and the 6D2 are striking! Size, controls, shoulder display, tilt/swivel screen, and build are pretty well the same..... the 6D2 is a FF 80D.

When the 6D came out, compared to its contemporaries, it was behind the curve in most areas except the sensor and the magnesium build (the control layout isn't necessarily anti-Rebel, if you consider the later T6s/760D). The 60D was already 2 years old, and the 70D was still 9 months away.

https://www.dpreview.com/products/compare/side-by-side?products=canon_eos60d&products=canon_eos650d&products=canon_eos5dmkiii&products=canon_eos6d&products=canon_eos700d&products=canon_eos70d&sortDir=ascending

 

[SecureGSM]

Ephotozine just posted Canon 6D II sample photos.

https://www.ephotozine.com/article/canon-eos-6d-mark-ii-sample-photos-31251

This is truly amazing.. I am looking at the photo of the X-Rite ColorChecker taken at ISO 12800 and could not believe the IQ at such a high ISO level.. about 1.5 high ISO advantage over the 6D Original to my eyes.

 

[Luds34]

When the 6D came out, compared to its contemporaries, it was behind the curve in most areas except the sensor and the magnesium build (the control layout isn't necessarily anti-Rebel, if you consider the later T6s/760D). The 60D was already 2 years old, and the 70D was still 9 months away.

https://www.dpreview.com/products/compare/side-by-side?products=canon_eos60d&products=canon_eos650d&products=canon_eos5dmkiii&products=canon_eos6d&products=canon_eos700d&products=canon_eos70d&sortDir=ascending

It is a fair point about the latest "high end rebels" are getting closer to the ergonomics of the higher end bodies.

As for the 6D following 70D or whatever, as someone who owned both at the same time I'm well aware which came out first. I was merely stating that all those models are following the same ergonomic layout and can be grouped together.

 

[tron]

...but..but what if his flash does not go off and that is the only photographer of Aunt Edna dancing drunk on the table and who died of Ebola the following week while climbing the North Face of the Eiger in celebration of her 95th birthday? You cold be sued for millions!

Clearly, it's the camera's fault and if a Canon camera was used, Canon should be held liable for not making a camera where the exposure could be pushed 6 stops in post without any loss of IQ.

Maybe but even so aunt Edna wouldn't be able to sue Canon so everything would be OK ;D

 

[SecureGSM]

6d II vs 5D IV @ISO 12,800:

https://www.magezinepublishing.com/equipment/images/equipment/EOS-6D-Mark-II-6499/highres/Canon-EOS-6D-II-ISO12800-IMG_9894_1501769013.jpg

https://www.magezinepublishing.com/equipment/images/equipment/EOS-5D-Mark-IV-6184/highres/Canon-EOS-5D-MKIV-ISO12800-7S0A0048_1474037456.jpg

as good as it gets.

 

[dak723]

Then again, clients are usually blown away you got the shot rather than look at any grain in the image.

And it is for that reason that I have believed for a long time that a lot of guff spoken about 'image quality', and 'only use the best gear', is more about the photographer's ego than it is about what clients expect to see.

I think we have seen that demonstrated over and over again on this forum. People have actually said they want to have bragging rights when they get together with their photographer buddies. Why people equate IQ with DR or noise is totally incomprehensible to me as an enthusiast photographer of 35 years. I almost never even look for or reduce noise in my photos while post processing. Color (both accuracy and ability to pick up subtle color gradations) and contrast are far more important to me when it comes to IQ.

 

[Woodwideweb]

So, where are we on the graph?

https://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2013/01/rogers-law-of-new-product-introduction/

 

[WoodyWindy]

When the 6D came out, compared to its contemporaries, it was behind the curve in most areas except the sensor and the magnesium build (the control layout isn't necessarily anti-Rebel, if you consider the later T6s/760D). The 60D was already 2 years old, and the 70D was still 9 months away.

https://www.dpreview.com/products/compare/side-by-side?products=canon_eos60d&products=canon_eos650d&products=canon_eos5dmkiii&products=canon_eos6d&products=canon_eos700d&products=canon_eos70d&sortDir=ascending

It is a fair point about the latest "high end rebels" are getting closer to the ergonomics of the higher end bodies.

As for the 6D following 70D or whatever, as someone who owned both at the same time I'm well aware which came out first. I was merely stating that all those models are following the same ergonomic layout and can be grouped together.

Thanks. In any case, I'm not one of the ones complaining about the specs or positioning of the 6D (Mk I or II), just stating where I see it relative to everything else. I'm also not one who worships at the altar of DR or (as "another website" has coined the phrase) ISO Invariance. If I were in the market for an entry-level FF body, I'm 98% sure the 6D2 would be at the top of my list. I may be there someday - possibly sooner rather than later. For now, I have other priorities in my life, and I'm quite content with my Rebel T6s.

 

[Luds34]

Then again, clients are usually blown away you got the shot rather than look at any grain in the image.

And it is for that reason that I have believed for a long time that a lot of guff spoken about 'image quality', and 'only use the best gear', is more about the photographer's ego than it is about what clients expect to see.

Exactly. In my career, I've never had a client ask or comment about noise, about DR, about settings or Megapixels or whatever... Did you get the shot? If so you get paid. Simple.

As has been said so many times in the past, "Nobody cares what the DR is of a blurry photo"

Very true =) I welcome discussions about AF and keeper rates as that is critical to "getting that shot"... discussion about DR and high ISO, by now, makes me less and less involved with this forum...

+1 on all the quoted comments. While people who are not even in the market for this camera will spend time pontificating on this forum the failings of this release, I'm going to take my 6D2 out and take photos with it. Crazy concept huh? In all fairness I'm looking to find just a bit of time this afternoon to AFMA a lens or two and then I'm going to take my daughter to the park, let her run around and have fun, while I get a feel for the new rig.

Most people (aka not photo geeks) appreciate a photo for the real reasons, stirring an emotion, raw beauty, etc. Their not checking off criteria like it's a point system weighing noise, DR, was rule of thirds followed, etc. My original 6D gave me this image. And if the 6D2 sensor is just as capable I'll be MORE than happy.

Sparklers! by Ryan Ludwig, on Flickr

 

[Sporgon]

^
Great shot !

 

[Luds34]

Thanks. In any case, I'm not one of the ones complaining about the specs or positioning of the 6D (Mk I or II), just stating where I see it relative to everything else. I'm also not one who worships at the altar of DR or (as "another website" has coined the phrase) ISO Invariance. If I were in the market for an entry-level FF body, I'm 98% sure the 6D2 would be at the top of my list. I may be there someday - possibly sooner rather than later. For now, I have other priorities in my life, and I'm quite content with my Rebel T6s.

And to be clear, I'm not disparaging the Rebel line. I shot a T2i for a number of years and was plenty happy with what it could do. Trust me, with this guy the tech is very very rarely the shortcoming of the the produced product. My only argument is calling a 6D(2) a full frame Rebel is a bit disingenuous.

While I DID pre-order the 6D2 and that appearance alone would make it look like I have far too much disposable income lying around (I'm just an enthusiast after all), I am normally much much more pragmatic in my purchases. Aka, continuing the logic above I know I am the limiting factor of my photography and not the tech. I've picked up some solid L glass (examples: 70-200 f/2.8L, 100mm f/2.8L macro, 135mm f/2L) all second hand for very solid prices. In the last 18 months I've dipped my toes into the Fuji XF system. It makes a great travel system. And while many today on forums debate the X-T2 vs the competition, eagerly await for the X-E3, I've quietly picked up a couple of last gen cameras (X-trans II 16 MP) in an X-E2 and X-T10 for Rebel or less prices. Great little cameras for vacation photography. My point in this rambling? People can and will debate the tech all they want, but any of these cameras in the past how many years now will make excellent images in capable hands.

So I enjoy they forums, sometimes I come for the entertainment alone, but you won't fine me uploading any test charts, or worrying about the "limited" DR at base ISO. I'll just be out shooting.

Cheers!

 

[Luds34]

^
Great shot !

Are you sure? even at the 2048px web res you can see noise.

Seriously though, thanks!