Review: Canon EOS R6 by DPReview

[ahsanford]

There are also some RF lenses that do not have IS installed in them. The 28-70 F/2.0 is one of them. I am considering a purchase but I want to know how much the IBIS alone will help to steady it.

Here you go -- it's charted out here, from DPReview:

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- A

 

[gbc]

I see where you are coming from and you do have a point that the R6 was given an honest upgrade with good technology and even edges the R5 in a couple areas- the 6D did much the same to the 5D3 although they held back the autofocus system. The 5D3 was an option when I first went full frame, but the 6D checked most of the boxes I needed at the time and bettered it in a few interestingly similar ways as the R6 does now for the R5. When I was in this same decision before, I got the cheaper body.

I'll concede the resolution and associated capabilities is the headliner feature of the R5, and if it had only 20MP I would be hard pressed to want it as much and definitely not for $1400 more, but might still buy it to get weather sealing and all the rest. As a package, the add on differences are of some real value and like you said it is for each person to decide if they need any of the added features enough to justify the additional monetary pain. Canon are pretty smart at marketing though- they split out features some might find must haves to the higher model, while leaving the lower model still competitive against many other brands.

I have both on preorder but will cancel one. At this point, leaning toward getting the R5. There's just ONE too many concessions I think with the R6. If it was even the 30MP of the original R I'd probably stick with the R6. Or if it had the better weather sealing. Or maybe even the top LCD. The R6 looks great... but, maybe irrationally, I finally just want the top of the line item.

 

[padam]

As for an EOS R being a solid upgrade for me over my 6D II, I'm far from convinced about that. Yes it would give me a newer sensor, but I'd get lesser battery life, lower FPS when tracking and, most importantly to me, have to deal with an EVF introducing latency into what I'm seeing (not to mention I spend too much time looking at screens as it is!). Plus the current asking price for an EOS R plus control ring adapter is around A$3000, which is almost 50% more than I paid for my 6D II. And as I alluded to in my earlier post, there is the price of the RF lenses too consider too. All in all, I'm not at all sure I'd be happy if I spent money on an R.

At the moment, Canon is offering more, so of course they have the right to charge more for it.

I can only say that I shoot people and the EOS R does a far, far better job than the 6D II ever did, the focus was off sometimes (so it was actually not bad changing to the LCD sometimes, where it was more reliable), while it is dead-on on the EOS R as long as focus point is placed at the right place or in some cases it is just easier to let it track the face and fire at the right moment without worrying about focusing. Not a small improvement.
I have shot a running event with it where the 6D II faired better, but I was using the wrong settings, so not giving the 6D II a win there either but the R is not a sports camera.

The battery life is honestly very good on the R as well, I guess it was even better on the 6D II, but it didn't matter in practise (far superior to the RP, and that is enough, probably much better than these new cameras as well with the IBIS and other stuff).

Well, if you hate the EVF, then you'll hate it a lot more on the Sony, that's all I can say about that...
The EOS R is the best EVF I've used but I still only rate it as 'decent', certainly not anything like an optical viewfinder, but it's pretty good and the trade-off is that I can get accurate focus a lot better and the right exposure is also easier to achieve.
Not the best camera by any means, but pretty capable overall, especially for the money, it is probably in stock everywhere, so deals can be found sooner or later.

 

[Isaacheus]

Cheap lenses like an RF 70-200 f/4L IS USM are in development. It's obvious which system has the most lenses, especially the smaller and cheaper ones (Sony), but also obvious which system has a stronger foundation with the mount and IBIS, ergonomics with bigger lenses, etc. (Canon)

The EOS R is still a fine camera for stills images and a very solid upgrade over the 6D II for not that much (had both) especially where dual card slots might not be mandatory to have and the video drawbacks don't play a big factor.

Sigma lenses are rumoured to come in RF-mount, we just don't know anything concrete about it yet.

A 2-year-old A7III is going to be more discounted that an R5/R6 that could be on backorder for quite a awhile actually, that's quite obvious.

I'm looking at the prices here down under (NZ) and the r6 is coming in at 5k nzd, which is only $500 less than what I pre-ordered my a7r3 for when it first announced.

The r5 is nearly 8k, which is more than an A9 mk2 here

Lenses don't seem quite as bad over the others, but still nearly a good 1k more in many options, and sometimes more.

Certainly expect to see things come down with time, but right now it's not that easy to get into the rf line

 

[jd7]

At the moment, Canon is offering more, so of course they have the right to charge more for it.

I can only say that I shoot people and the EOS R does a far, far better job than the 6D II ever did, the focus was off sometimes (so it was actually not bad changing to the LCD sometimes, where it was more reliable), while it is dead-on on the EOS R as long as focus point is placed at the right place or in some cases it is just easier to let it track the face and fire at the right moment without worrying about focusing. Not a small improvement.
I have shot a running event with it where the 6D II faired better, but I was using the wrong settings, so not giving the 6D II a win there either but the R is not a sports camera.

The battery life is honestly very good on the R as well, I guess it was even better on the 6D II, but it didn't matter in practise (far superior to the RP, and that is enough, probably much better than these new cameras as well with the IBIS and other stuff).

Well, if you hate the EVF, then you'll hate it a lot more on the Sony, that's all I can say about that...
The EOS R is the best EVF I've used but I still only rate it as 'decent', certainly not anything like an optical viewfinder, but it's pretty good and the trade-off is that I can get accurate focus a lot better and the right exposure is also easier to achieve.
Not the best camera by any means, but pretty capable overall, especially for the money, it is probably in stock everywhere, so deals can be found sooner or later.

But is Canon really offering more than the competition? The answer will no doubt depend on what you want to do with the camera. I have no interest in video and for my use, a Sony A7 III would offer me at least much of what the R6 would offer (although I am confident I would prefer the R6's ergonimics) and a slightly higher resolution (which I would appreciate, even if it is not a lot) and access to lenses like the Sigma 24-70 f/2.8 DN and Tamron 70-180 f/2.8 (which are much cheaper than the similar RF lenses and get great reviews, even if they may not be quite as good as the Canons).

As for EOS R versus 6d II, I'm glad the R has worked out for you. I certainly don't think the R is a poor camera, and I have thought about it giving it a go. Battery life has been a big deal for me though as I have taken my camera on hiking trips where I don't have access to power for days at a time (although the reality is I probably won't be doing any more of those trips any time soon, so that has probably become less of an issue for me now). I take your point about AF accuracy, and that is certainly one of the attractions with mirrorless, but I am not a fan of EVFs so I doubt I would be thrilled by one whether it's Sony or Canon (atlhough I will be interested to hear more about the EVFs in the R5 and R6). And with the 6D II I have an OVF but still do have the option of switching into live view when I want AF accuracy. So, in the end I remain unconvinced about the EOS R for me, especially once you factor in RF lens prices.

The R system gear seems fantastic in many ways, but if I'm going to end up with a mirrorless camera, and therefore have to deal with an EVF and reduced battery life compared with an DSLR, I cannot help feeling that a Sony-based system would give me much better bang for the buck, at least at the moment. As a long time Canon user, I'm surprised and unhappy to be saying that, but that is how it seems to me.

 

[Bert63]

It is also about the same cost that the old 5Ds-R is currently selling for, which is similar in MP, but far lacking in many other ways compared to the R5. (fps, autofocus, etc.)

This may be true, but unless something dramatic happens I'll never own anything but a mirrorless from here on out. I like them that much.

 

[padam]

The R system gear seems fantastic in many ways, but if I'm going to end up with a mirrorless camera, and therefore have to deal with an EVF and reduced battery life compared with an DSLR, I cannot help feeling that a Sony-based system would give me much better bang for the buck, at least at the moment. As a long time Canon user, I'm surprised and unhappy to be saying that, but that is how it seems to me.

Instead of speculating, why not try the cameras out? I just see to much hypothesis on this.

Maybe I got used to the older mirrorless cameras, but I really do think the battery life is very good on the R, considering the screen and EVF are both much higher quality than the Sony.

If you take it for hike for days, why not carry a power bank as well? One spare battery (original of course), plus the power bank should be enough, but of course you can carry more if you don't feel safe.
As long as it is PD compatible, it will fully charge up the EOS R in two hours, when it is not being used, almost as fast as the wall charger.
While the Sony also has USB charging, it is not PD so it is slower.
I use a Huawei CP12S which very small and light, weighs like 225g, and it can probably charge the camera four times but I'm sure that there are other options.

 

[BeenThere]

That would suggest they planned IBIS all along. I recall, perhaps incorrectly, that they where pushing IS as 'the' way.

Well all along for about the last 3 yrs when they must have decided internally to throw in the towel in the IS superior to IBIS argument. That would have been when they were laying out the R5/6 design and how they would communicate between IBIS and IS , or lens embedded sensors. Just speculation on my part, but makes some sense. Remember the new -iii EF superteles got the extra pin outs in anticipation of this.

 

[IcyBergs]

I think that if they are concerned about impact of Olympus demise on their site usage, they have serious problems.

Yeah Oly fans aren't in abundance, that wasn't what I meant. Canon fan traffic could help offset whatever Oly was clearly paying them to pimp their gear. Nobody pimped Olympus quite like DPReview in my opinion.

 

[privatebydesign]

No they haven’t. I’ve been reading them for many years, and I haven’t seen any lies. What lies are you referring to? And all reviewers do talk about how manufacturers dont get things right, like the bar on the original “R”. It seems almost everyone doesn’t like that, and Canon said it was an experiment. Ergonomics is important. Menus are important too, and often get criticized. Look at comments about Sony menus.

They lied about the 5DS R, we even had Rishi on here trying to defend and obfuscate around his lies, but despite the many thousands of RAW image files they have posted he refused to prove his truthfulness and would not post even the EXIF of the file he was lying about.

Here is a screenshot of the image, he even agreed it was misleading and took it down for a few days then threw his toys out his pram and put it back up even though he agreed it was not a fair representation.

 

[Isaacheus]

Instead of speculating, why not try the cameras out? I just see to much hypothesis on this.

Maybe I got used to the older mirrorless cameras, but I really do think the battery life is very good on the R, considering the screen and EVF are both much higher quality than the Sony.

If you take it for hike for days, why not carry a power bank as well? One spare battery (original of course), plus the power bank should be enough, but of course you can carry more if you don't feel safe.
As long as it is PD compatible, it will fully charge up the EOS R in two hours, when it is not being used, almost as fast as the wall charger.
While the Sony also has USB charging, it is not PD so it is slower.
I use a Huawei CP12S which very small and light, weighs like 225g, and it can probably charge the camera four times but I'm sure that there are other options.

Jumping on this, is it known whether you can power/charge the r6/5 while using the camera or does it have to be powered down to work? The sonys I use let you power it through the usbc port, which is fantastic for longer video and timelapse

 

[jd7]

Instead of speculating, why not try the cameras out? I just see to much hypothesis on this.

Maybe I got used to the older mirrorless cameras, but I really do think the battery life is very good on the R, considering the screen and EVF are both much higher quality than the Sony.

If you take it for hike for days, why not carry a power bank as well? One spare battery (original of course), plus the power bank should be enough, but of course you can carry more if you don't feel safe.
As long as it is PD compatible, it will fully charge up the EOS R in two hours, when it is not being used, almost as fast as the wall charger.
While the Sony also has USB charging, it is not PD so it is slower.
I use a Huawei CP12S which very small and light, weighs like 225g, and it can probably charge the camera four times but I'm sure that there are other options.

I've tried out the cameras in stores, and I don't otherwise have access to them. There is nowhere near me which does cost effective rental of camera bodies, so far as I know. So, if I'm going to make a choice just based on handling cameras in a store, the decision is easy for me - I didn't like the EOS R or the A7 III nearly as much as my 6D II. The 6d II seemed faster (ie more responsive) and I preferred the OVF - I simply preferred shooting it. However, I accept that sometimes you have to use something for a while to get used to it, and then your opinion can change. So, I accept it's possible that if I had extended time with the cameras, maybe they might win me over ... I'm just not betting on it, and I cannot cost-effectively just give it a try.

 

[padam]

I'm looking at the prices here down under (NZ) and the r6 is coming in at 5k nzd, which is only $500 less than what I pre-ordered my a7r3 for when it first announced.

The r5 is nearly 8k, which is more than an A9 mk2 here

Lenses don't seem quite as bad over the others, but still nearly a good 1k more in many options, and sometimes more.

Certainly expect to see things come down with time, but right now it's not that easy to get into the rf line

The A7RIII is from 2017 and a lot has changed since then.
It is just like in the the EU, except the Sony cameras are also similarly priced, the A9II costs significantly more than the R5, as it should be.

I don't like paying full prices just to get that novelty, I would rather wait a year and pay as little as possible and buy lenses in the meantime, etc. these cameras are very nice, but probably not strictly necessary for a lot of people, but if they are already in the Canon system, the cost may not be that excessive either.

Jumping on this, is it known whether you can power/charge the r6/5 while using the camera or does it have to be powered down to work? The sonys I use let you power it through the usbc port, which is fantastic for longer video and timelapse

Yes they have improved that and these new models can be continuously powered from USB-C

 

[Bert63]

Sure, but the big, beefy horsepower specs and major feature adds are all here:

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DPAF II​

1DX3 sensor (i.e. outdated handmedown off-chip 5D3/6D1 sensor tech no more for this price point)​

IBIS​

12 / 20 fps​

Huge buffer​

Eye AF for all sorts of creatures​

Two slots​

Joystick​

Thumbwheel​

Or put another way, put the R6 sensor in the R5 and take away the 8K and nicer 4K features. Would you sell that camera alongside the R6? I'm not sure I would. That sensor is the beating heart of the $3899 value proposition.

There are all sorts of differences between cameras, but the features that get people pulling out their credit cards are largely available on both bodies. The R6 got hooked up. I still contend the R5 is largely asking +$1400 for a better sensor and the expanded video it can bring down.

- A

Respectfully disagree.

All the little things you pass over add value and they are things that matter to most people. I use the top LCD all the time. The big, brilliant R5 EVF is going to be a joy to use. The rear display is better. Not only does R5 offer better video, it offers more modes in which to shoot the video. The R6 is mostly plastic, the R5 is mostly metal, and it's weather sealed. R5 wifi is 5ghz compatible. R5 gets dual-pixel RAW.

Then there is the sensor.

I'll agree that the R6 is a good, feature rich buy, but I believe the R5 is an absolute bargain for all it offers - not just the vastly superior sensor.

20MP? Seriously?

 

[padam]

I've tried out the cameras in stores, and I don't otherwise have access to them. There is nowhere near me which does cost effective rental of camera bodies, so far as I know. So, if I'm going to make a choice just based on handling cameras in a store, the decision is easy for me - I didn't like the EOS R or the A7 III nearly as much as my 6D II. The 6d II seemed faster (ie more responsive) and I preferred the OVF - I simply preferred shooting it. However, I accept that sometimes you have to use something for a while to get used to it, and then your opinion can change. So, I accept it's possible that if I had extended time with the cameras, maybe they might win me over ... I'm just not betting on it, and I cannot cost-effectively just give it a try.

Understood. Ultimately, it always comes down to personal preference.
It did take me quite a long time to set it up (I still think I can set it up even better), but it felt right in the hands from the first time, better than the 6D II.
I find it more responsive than the Sony, which wakes up slower from standby and there is a slight lag with the controls that is absent on the R. The touch screen is just easy to use, these are just some things that don't show at all in the spec sheets.
While I do prefer the OVF as well, I just can't be confident about getting the focus and there are some RF lenses which represent good value, like the 24-105L or the 35/1.8, and the list will keep growing but yes I definitely think it is geared more towards people who like f/1.2 primes or f/2 zooms (or f/2.8 holy trinity zooms with image stabilisation) while the Sony is best at keeping everything as compact as possible.

 

[Isaacheus]

The A7RIII is from 2017 and a lot has changed since then.
It is just like in the the EU, except the Sony cameras are also similarly priced, the A9II costs significantly more than the R5, as it should be.

I don't like paying full prices just to get that novelty, I would rather wait a year and pay as little as possible and buy lenses in the meantime, etc. these cameras are very nice, but probably not strictly necessary for a lot of people, but if they are already in the Canon system, the cost may not be that excessive either.

Yeah, the point I was making is that right now the Canon system here is quite a jump to get into (especially so if you need new lenses). Even with the ef lenses that are around.

In more recent terms, the a7r4 is very similarly priced to the r6 (about 200 in it), the comparison to the a7riii price was just because I knew the launch price (not sure what the a7r4 came in at locally to start)

 

[padam]

Yeah, the point I was making is that right now the Canon system here is quite a jump to get into (especially so if you need new lenses). Even with the ef lenses that are around.6,

In more recent terms, the a7r4 is very similarly priced to the r6 (about 200 in it), the comparison to the a7riii price was just because I knew the launch price (not sure what the a7r4 came in at locally to start)

I expect the gray market prices in the A7R4 with the discounts to be very close to the R6 launch price here, so it is not too dissimilar.
I'd still choose the R6, on the basis that it is a better all-round camera, while the A7R4 is strong if one really needs 61MP (a 26MP crop mode for instance), but not that necessary otherwise.
They are different cameras, I am just not that surprised that the pricing is not that different, because the Canon offers many things that are better, despite being the cheap version of the two new models. It's practically one generation newer camera, and it shows. Sony still has some things to fix in the inevitable A7R5 while Canon is pretty good to go for some years, maybe they will shorten their usual 4-year product cycles with the RF, I am not sure about that.

Some may mock the 20MP on the R6, but apart from that, not only everything works that's useful, but they also work very well.

 

[davidhfe]

They lied about the 5DS R, we even had Rishi on here trying to defend and obfuscate around his lies, but despite the many thousands of RAW image files they have posted he refused to prove his truthfulness and would not post even the EXIF of the file he was lying about.

Here is a screenshot of the image, he even agreed it was misleading and took it down for a few days then threw his toys out his pram and put it back up even though he agreed it was not a fair representation.

omfg I'm having flashbacks I forgot about that image

 

[snappy604]

I'm with you. My now pensionable 5D3 is highly likely to finally be retired for the R5. We're just not traveling anytime soon , so I may save my money and get one next year when the price comes down a bit.

I certainly have the funds to get it right now, but I'd overwhelmingly just be shooting the family and flowers in the yard, you know?

- A

Are you saying your flowers don't deserve the best?!

 

[Charbax]

Not a mention of the huge deal breakers of the R6:
- R6 cannot record video to both SD card slots, photo proxies to second SD card only. They added a useless second SD card slot
- R6 has a 30min limit even though the EU 30min tax ended 19 months ago.
- R6 overheats 4K60 and it also overheats oversampled 4K30 at standard room temperature, in normal summer weather it probably burns up even much sooner.

The R6 looked great initially, but Canon needs to fix all those issues in an R6 mark2 before this camera can be considered.