Review: Canon EOS R6 by DPReview

[marioslrzn]

I am not getting a Ninja V, I need unlimited 4K60 dual SD card video recording without any overheating internally. I have to stick to my Panasonic G9 with unlimited 4K60 hack on 1.2 firmware for now (even the AF isn't good enough) until something better comes along. Maybe the Sony A7S3 will be the one for me. Or maybe Sony or Canon soon come with an APS-C that has unlimited 4K60 to dual SD with perfect AF.. or perhaps the GH6/G10 will be the perfect camera upgrade for me. I consider myself pro videographer, I sometimes film 4-6 hours of long footage per day of filming with very short breaks between takes, and I can never have the risk of loosing all footage with an SD card loss/failure. I don't understand how any serious or semi-pro or pro videographer would even consider filming with an R6 that can record video to only one SD card slot. For example a wedding videographer who may lose footage to SD card corruption failure. It's unacceptable. Having to work around overheating and 30min limits is a total deal breaker for me. The Canon Full Frame range is not for me, not for now anyway.

Sounds Like the G9 is perfect for you, and if it works for you, then there’s no need to go to fullframe with the better video quality. Some people like that matrix look on the Panasonic , I just don’t like my videos looking like they’re all shot with a matrix LUTs

 

[padam]

Claim and deliver are different things. I expect the IBIS to be good, but I always seem to see reviewers say 'I didn't quite get as much as they claimed, but the IS is still pretty good.'

I personally find the non-IS lenses getting more benefit than IS lenses pretty baffling. Seeing the RF 28-70 f/2L on the 8 stops IBIS list is bonkers. That's a ton of glass and weight to account for, so to make that claim one wonders how they pulled that off.

- A

It really isn't. If anything, the weight actually helps, that's why a lot of people prefer bigger and heavier cameras for filming.

If Sony rates its stabilisation at a maximum of 5.5 stops (without lens IS), and we know the Canon stabilisation is much more powerful with the faster communication of the RF mount and bigger image circle and mount diameter, then 8 stops with some lenses do no seem that far-fetched by the same standard.

 

[marioslrzn]

They're masters of segmentation but for potential customers it's quite demeaning. "We know the one feature that you want, but you're going to have to pay for the next tier up to get it. Because we're in charge."

Imagine if cameras were like cars, wherein you picked your base platform and then specified sensor, software features and connectivity modules. The price might be higher but at least it was due to *your* choices.

You don’t think cars are like that? Ford F150 has like 6 different models, each with better features that you have to move up to get. What car available doesn’t have a base medium premium model? People want different things, and that’s why companies offer it. The r5 has everything you could want, but a lot of people don’t need all the features so R6 might offer 90 percent of what they want with the lesser cost. People forget, it’s your choice to buy it, if it doesn’t meet your needs, don’t buy it

 

[BeenThere]

Sounds Like the G9 is perfect for you, and if it works for you, then there’s no need to go to fullframe with the better video quality. Some people like that matrix look on the Panasonic , I just don’t like my videos looking like they’re all shot with a matrix LUTs

As a pro videographer, why would you not be looking for a pro video camera?

 

[marioslrzn]

As a pro videographer, why would you not be looking for a pro video camera?

that’s what say, I just like laughing about people complaining about the shortcoming of a mirrorless camera,

 

[Danglin52]

I looked at them again just now – set my screen resolution to max and made sure I only zoomed in to 1:1 in PS – they look ok now I guess, but some look sharper than others to me (like the motel sign looks sharper than some of the shots of the fields). Maybe I'm just used to the resolution of the R and its weak AA filter.

If you noticed on the video, they had a lot of wind movement in the fields. He may not be shooting at a high enough shutter speed to compensate. IBIS doesn’t help if the subject is moving.

 

[padam]

Further clarification on the IBIS ratings, with measured focal lengths given as well:

RF24-105mm F4 L IS USM	105 mm	8.0
RF35mm F1.8 MACRO IS STM	35 mm	7.0
RF24-70mm F2.8 L IS USM	70 mm	8.0
RF15-35mm F2.8 L IS	35 mm	7.0
RF24-240mm F4-6.3 IS USM	240 mm	6.5
RF70-200mm F2.8 L IS USM	200 mm	7.5
RF24-105mm F4-7.1 IS STM	105 mm	8.0
RF100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM	500 mm	6.0
RF85mm F2 MACRO IS STM	85 mm	8.0
RF50mm F1.2 L USM	50 mm	7.0
RF28-70mm F2 L USM	70 mm	8.0
RF85mm F1.2 L USM	85 mm	8.0
RF85mm F1.2 L USM DS	85 mm	8.0

f/11 DO lenses not supported (only 4-stop or 5-stop lens IS) as I wrote earlier.

 

[Jonathan Thill]

One thing I would like to see Canon comment on is whether we need lens firmware updates to fully enable the dual IS. I have seen some posts on this in videos but have not been able to find anything official from Canon.

To me this makes sense because all my lenses are from pre R5/R6. Canon has had to update the firmware on the R and RP to fully support the lenses that came after the bodies were released.

So unless these early reviews are also getting firmware updates for the lens we may yet still see more improvement.

 

[Danglin52]

Then you need Bryan Carnathan (TDP) or CR Forum regular Dustin Abbott (at his own site and he also has a YouTube channel). Both excel at the overall review in the long-form format without hammering you with samples.

Though I believe both focus on stills usage. If you want to drill down on some aspect of video, I couldn't give you a recommendation as I just shoot stills.

- A

Bryan and Dustin are both good.

 

[koenkooi]

Which means the tilt shift lenses should be good for 15 stops

The baffles in the current adapters will limit the circle a lot

 

[Richard Anthony]

There seems to be a few videos being put up on You Tube that are claiming to be footage from the R5 and R6 , apparently they are using videos from older Sony cameras , and have set up YouTube channels pretending to be Tech companies , I have seen 3 videos now .

 

[highdesertmesa]

If you noticed on the video, they had a lot of wind movement in the fields. He may not be shooting at a high enough shutter speed to compensate. IBIS doesn’t help if the subject is moving.

Makes sense, but I was also seeing it on the manmade object in the fields. Probably I'm just not used to 20mp vs 30mp. Also I'm shooting the RF 28-70, RF 50, and RF 70-200 from wide open to maybe f/8 max – so the shots using the 24-105 at f/11 might not match up.

Could also be the wind moving the photographer's body one direction at the same time as it's catching the end of the lens hood and moving the camera a different way could interfere with the IBIS calculations.

 

[highdesertmesa]

One thing I would like to see Canon comment on is whether we need lens firmware updates to fully enable the dual IS. I have seen some posts on this in videos but have not been able to find anything official from Canon.

To me this makes sense because all my lenses are from pre R5/R6. Canon has had to update the firmware on the R and RP to fully support the lenses that came after the bodies were released.

So unless these early reviews are also getting firmware updates for the lens we may yet still see more improvement.

I do remember reading (or seeing on YouTube) that we need lens firmware updates for it all to work right. But the kits delivered with the 24-105 probably already have it. Not sure if this review was done with a 24-105 from a kit or one they already had. Could be their IBIS/IS combo on the 24-105 was working with IBIS-only.

 

[Richard Anthony]

One thing I would like to see Canon comment on is whether we need lens firmware updates to fully enable the dual IS. I have seen some posts on this in videos but have not been able to find anything official from Canon.

To me this makes sense because all my lenses are from pre R5/R6. Canon has had to update the firmware on the R and RP to fully support the lenses that came after the bodies were released.

So unless these early reviews are also getting firmware updates for the lens we may yet still see more improvement.

I spoke to Canon and they said that there will be firmware coming out for lenses like the 28-70 F2 to activate the IS , apparently there is a chip in the lenses and camera body that talk to each other to give you the IS range

 

[highdesertmesa]

I spoke to Canon and they said that there will be firmware coming out for lenses like the 28-70 F2 to activate the IS , apparently there is a chip in the lenses and camera body that talk to each other to give you the IS range

Right, so if DPReview was using a 24-105 they already had, chances are we're not seeing ideal IBIS/IS at work in the results.

 

[Richard Anthony]

Right, so if DPReview was using a 24-105 they already had, chances are we're not seeing ideal IBIS/IS at work in the results.

Probably not , certain lenses will not have the full IS working at the moment , it will be coming around about the same time as they go out for delivery to the public .

 

[Richard Anthony]

When I asked Canon UK if it was true that the 28-70 F2 will have 8 stops of IS this was their response ..

"Hi, this matches the information we have (the notes say you will need a firmware update which will be available after launch). These figures are in line with CIPA testing and may be going through final validation, but this may be information available on the website when the support pages are live to confirm. Thanks."

So the chances are there will be other lenses that need a firmware update also .

 

[highdesertmesa]

Probably not , certain lenses will not have the full IS working at the moment , it will be coming around about the same time as they go out for delivery to the public .

Thanks, so until the lens firmware updates are released, we can pretty much discount all the reports of how long people can hand-hold with the IBIS unless they're using a kit lens (firmware should be updated) or EF lens (won't ever have an update).

 

[Richard Anthony]

Thanks, so until the lens firmware updates are released, we can pretty much discount all the reports of how long people can hand-hold with the IBIS unless they're using a kit lens (firmware should be updated) or EF lens (won't ever have an update).

Yes for now , not sure on the EF lenses sorry , but if the EF lenses have IS built into them , then I should imagine they will work just fine with the IBIS in the cameras .

 

[Deleted member 381342]

Then you need Bryan Carnathan (TDP) or CR Forum regular Dustin Abbott (at his own site and he also has a YouTube channel). Both excel at the overall review in the long-form format without hammering you with samples.

Though I believe both focus on stills usage. If you want to drill down on some aspect of video, I couldn't give you a recommendation as I just shoot stills.

- A

Thank you for the links, the other issue with Youtube is a overall focus on video. I will maybe turn the video feature on once. I am most excited to see how the R5 does with the 100-500mm @ 400mm and 500mm to compare it to the the existing Nikon D850 with the 500mm PF and the upcoming 100-400 S lens. Basically I want to see how these combinations will compare. I know the Nikon 500mm PF will likely be the sharpest and fastest, but it still feels like investing in 'old tech'. I also need to rent a few combinations to see what the size and weight of all of them feel like. I am just back from a 16Km hike and my Z6 felt like nothing but only 6Km with my Canon 5DII and 300mm f/2.8 feels like pain.

I was all in the mood for a 200-400 f/4 + 1DXIII until I started walking to the places I want to shoot.