Second hand body dilemma - 6D or 5D3

[Mikehit]

I have a Canon 7D2 for wildlife and action photography and would like something to offer more options in low light where ISO creeps up to 1600+. The limitations of the 7Dii for me lie largely in the noise you start to see above 800 especially with shadow recovery. Current lenses are 100-400ii and 70-200f4LIS and 17-55 f2.8.
I will be buying this camera second hand and based on much reading, my thinking is:

6D - Second hand price about £900. AF is decent for slow-moving wildlife and is very good in low light. Given that a lot of my wildlife stuff is cropped even on the 7Dii, I am not sure how the image quality of the 6D holds up vs 7Dii when cropped to the same FOV (BTW: I know I need to improve field skills but let's park that one for now). The 6D has a lower frame rate than the other models but at the moment I am probably not going to shoot a lot of fast action stuff at those light levels.
Overall, the price makes the 6D my benchmark against which I need to see significant benefits in getting a different model

5D3 - Second hand price about £1,700 so a considerably greater outlay. The AF is about equal to the 7Dii which I have anyway. The 5D3 image is about equal to the 6D and when cropped to the same FOV as the 7Dii is not much different (in good light, anyway). The main discussion I have seen is the reliability of the AF vs the 7Dii and the 5D3 seems to edge it.
So the main benefit of the 5D3 compared to the 6D is its versatility in giving me 6D+7Dii in a single body.

5DSR - this is a tricky one. Sort of combines the 5D3 and the 7Dii in a single body. At FF image quality seems on par with the 5D3 and when cropped gives the same resolution as the 7D2. The significantly higher price makes it very hard to justify

So my conclusion is that if I do not mind having 2 bodies, and I do not mind making the decision before I leave home which body I want with me, then the 6D makes a pretty sound case for itself.

Would anyone come to a different conclusion?

 

[expatinasia]

It is not clear what type of wildlife and action photography you do, but have you considered a 1D Mark IV, even the 1DX (Mark I) is very reasonable these days.

Alternatively a new 80D may be a good idea, seems those that have it are very pleased with results.

If you absolutely forced me to choose from the 3 you listed I would go with the 5DSR but again that really depends on the type of action / wildlife you shoot and whether it is work or pleasure etc.

 

[Random Orbits]

Mikehit, I went the other way. I had a 5D2 and replaced it with a 5D3. I then picked up a refurbed 7D2. The 5D3 is used about 80% of the time. The 7D2 is used for kids soccer on the larger fields in good light and for some birds (7D2 + 1.4x/2x + 100-400 II). I find it easier to get the focus I want with the 5D3 because each AF point cover too much area on the crop sensor, and the main advantages for the 7D2 are framerate and potentially more pixels on target.

One of the advantages of the 5D3 is its AF system, which is big step above the 5D2/6D. You have more flexibility in framing and don't have to crop as much. It's much better for portraiture when using fast primes, but for wildlife, it'd give you more freedom in composing without having to crop as much and if you're reach-limited, then you'd want to crop as little as possible.

 

[j-nord]

- If you are satisfied with the 7Dii for your action/wildlife needs then a 6D will pair well for other things such as landscape.

- If not, the 5Diii is probably your best bet for low light wildlife shooting.

- If you are willing to take the huge fps hit you could replace the 7Dii with a 5DSR and not get a 2nd body.

Keep in mind that Canon is going to announce the 5DIV in the next month or 2. If you can hold off your G.A.S. for several months then you could potentially save several 100 on a used 5Diii vs current used prices.

 

[monkey44]

I've never shot the 6D, so come ill-equipped to judge its performance. However, I do own the 7D2 and the 5DM3 ...

The 5DM3 is an amazing camera, and will shoot both wildlife, sports, and scenic. The 7D2 paired with the 100/400 v2 is hard to beat for distant wildlife (performs well with 1.4 ext).
For my general shooting, the 5DM3 w/16/35, 24/105, 70/200 gets it done. When I need it, the 7D2 and 100/400 takes over.

IF you can afford the cost - you'll probably keep a 5DM3 longer than the 6D, simply because it's more versatile. And that pair with the lenses will give you an excellent choice each time yiou go out.

 

[FEBS]

I would for sure take the 5D3 in that case. Such a great body. I would never doubt if that choice is on your mind. You will see, it will become your main body.

 

[Larsskv]

I have had the 6D. I own the 7DII, the 5Ds (and after getting the 1DX, my 7DII is for sale.)

Image quality wise, I don't think you will miss anything if you choose the 6D over the 5DIII. It is a great camera. It is also smaller and lighter than both 5DIII and 7DII.

However I would recommend the 5DIII. Apart from the superior AF-system, you should take into account that the handling and control layout on the 5DIII is almost identical to the 7DII, making it very easy to switch beween the two. With the 6D, you will probably miss having the joystick and multiple cross type AF-points that you get used to with the 7DII.

 

[tron]

You say that you will you pay 1700 pounds for a used 5DIII. I assume that you live in UK.

But even in EU you could get a new 5D3 for this amount of money (grey import). At least that's what I did (twice).

I will not mention any details since I am not affiliated with anyone and this would be advertising.

I am just presenting another option for you. You could investigate yourself if you are interested.

But as j-nord mentioned, 5D4 is close...

 

[Omar H]

Keep in mind that with the 6D you will only use the central focusing point. If that's ok, with you. the 6D is a decent option. I have it and can say that there are times when I would love to have the 5DIII for the added cross type focusing points. But since I use it for my kid's basketball games and don't really get paid for that, I can afford to loose a shot or two.

 

[FramerMCB]

My advice...if it is at all possible for you, rent a 6D, a 5D mk III, and the 5DSr. See how they handle, how the autofocus works relative to your 7D mk II, the layout/controls, etc. I would do this over the next 1-2 months. By then, as a few others have mentioned, the 5D Mk IV will have been announced.

Keep in mind, based on my reading/research, I think you would be pleased with any of the choices you mentioned.

That said, the two 5D options both will have much better autofocusing than the 6D. However, the 6D will edge them out slightly in low-light performance. I don't think the 5DSr is much of a low-light performer however...not ment as a high-ISO performer (ironically, it does pretty well compared to the 5D Mk III).

I would rent them as I suggested and see which you like best.

 

[mehaue]

I use a 7D Mark II and recently bough a 6D as a "backup" kind of camera. For macro work I still prefer the 7D Mark II but for wildlife and birds I tend to shoot more often with the 6D when I don't need a fast autofocus with a lot of points. When I need the reach and try to capture birds in flight I use the 7DII with the 100-400 MkII.
Also the 6D pairs very well with the 50mm f1.8 STM and gives you a very light combo for low light. Compared to the 7DII, the 6D feels so much smaller and lighter... very welcomed while travelling.

 

[chasinglight]

Here is my opinion and your mileage may very. In the past I owned the 7d mk1, currently I have the 6d and the 5d3. Both the 6d and the 5d3 are execellent cameras, but for low light wildlife you may find that there is more compromise between the two than you would think. In my experience the 6d actually has slightly greater dynamic range (recovery) than the 5d3. Additionally I have found the 6d's AF to be more reliable in low light, even with fast f/1.2 or f/2.8 lenses. On the other hand, when conditions are still favorable for the 5D3's AF, you have the advantage of more points and better tracking. One of my favorite features on the 5d3 that distinguishes it from the 6D is the ability to have one af point assigned to the af on button and anther point assigned to the shutter half press, this makes for lightening fast af point changes; I miss this feature when using the 6D. Moreover, 5D3 has faster FPS, but not significantly faster than the 6D.

As for build quality the 6d is actually built very well; however I am not a fan of the plastic screen protector. It is much less resilient than the glass screen protector on the 5D3. When I first got the 6D I was worried about the ergonomics, it's is ever so slightly smaller and the layout is a little different, but after a short while you get used to it and in the end I sometimes find myself guessing incorrectly when camera I have in my hand if I don't think really hard about it.

Sorry I cannot give you a definitive get the _D answer, but hopefully these points can help you make yor decision. One more thought though. At one point I had the 7d1 and the 6d; after a short while I found that I never liked to use the 7d1 as the IQ of the 6d was so much better; even for action shooting like air shows; that said I have never used the 7D2.

 

[monsieur_elegante]

I use a 7D Mark II and recently bough a 6D as a "backup" kind of camera. For macro work I still prefer the 7D Mark II but for wildlife and birds I tend to shoot more often with the 6D when I don't need a fast autofocus with a lot of points. When I need the reach and try to capture birds in flight I use the 7DII with the 100-400 MkII.
Also the 6D pairs very well with the 50mm f1.8 STM and gives you a very light combo for low light. Compared to the 7DII, the 6D feels so much smaller and lighter... very welcomed while travelling.

I second this. I have a 7DII and bought a 6D technically as a "backup." 6D's center point (and honestly, just center point) is very accurate, but doesn't even come close to the 7DII when it comes to servo. Still, I find myself using the 6D more and more these days. Like MartinH said, macro/birds -> 7DII; everything else -> 6D. And the 6D does pair amazingly well with the 50mm f/1.8 STM for general walk-around.

I feel like the 7DII/6D makes a great combo because a) low price of the 6D (I got mine for under $1000 on Canon Refurb) and b) I feel like these two complement each other's weakness. At the same time, there's probably a lot more give and take than if you were to get a 5DIII (or even a 1DX) instead (6D's slow continuous shooting FPS and focus point limitation come to mind).

 

[sunnyVan]

If you mean carrying 7dmk2 + a second body (for occasional use), then I would pick 6D if I were you. Having owned 6D in the past, I can tell you that the images are cleaner than 5dmk3 at same ISO. I also miss the smaller size and weight.

If you only carry one camera at a time, 5Dmk3 would be a much better option.

I have a Canon 7D2 for wildlife and action photography and would like something to offer more options in low light where ISO creeps up to 1600+. The limitations of the 7Dii for me lie largely in the noise you start to see above 800 especially with shadow recovery. Current lenses are 100-400ii and 70-200f4LIS and 17-55 f2.8.
I will be buying this camera second hand and based on much reading, my thinking is:

6D - Second hand price about £900. AF is decent for slow-moving wildlife and is very good in low light. Given that a lot of my wildlife stuff is cropped even on the 7Dii, I am not sure how the image quality of the 6D holds up vs 7Dii when cropped to the same FOV (BTW: I know I need to improve field skills but let's park that one for now). The 6D has a lower frame rate than the other models but at the moment I am probably not going to shoot a lot of fast action stuff at those light levels.
Overall, the price makes the 6D my benchmark against which I need to see significant benefits in getting a different model

5D3 - Second hand price about £1,700 so a considerably greater outlay. The AF is about equal to the 7Dii which I have anyway. The 5D3 image is about equal to the 6D and when cropped to the same FOV as the 7Dii is not much different (in good light, anyway). The main discussion I have seen is the reliability of the AF vs the 7Dii and the 5D3 seems to edge it.
So the main benefit of the 5D3 compared to the 6D is its versatility in giving me 6D+7Dii in a single body.

5DSR - this is a tricky one. Sort of combines the 5D3 and the 7Dii in a single body. At FF image quality seems on par with the 5D3 and when cropped gives the same resolution as the 7D2. The significantly higher price makes it very hard to justify

So my conclusion is that if I do not mind having 2 bodies, and I do not mind making the decision before I leave home which body I want with me, then the 6D makes a pretty sound case for itself.

Would anyone come to a different conclusion?

 

[unfocused]

One more opinion to add to the pile: I would not do anything except rent until the new 5DIV is announced. The price of used 5DIIIs will almost certainly drop at that point and you may even be able to find a new 5DIII on closeout.

I have not owned a 6D. I own a 7DII and used to have a 5DIII, but recently sold it to finance a 1DX II. The 5DIII is cleaner at higher ISOs than the 7DII, but only by about 1 stop. I chose the 5DIII because I had a 7D I at the time and wanted to retain the same controls (joystick, etc.)

If you need to be able to adjust exposure, focus, etc., quickly, then I think you will find the 5DIII more suitable, because the ergonomics are the same as the 7DII. If that is not a factor, you may find it worth the money to get a 6D, but keep in mind that the 6D is nearing it's end-of-life, so if resale value is of any interest to you, a 5DIII bought after the 5DIV is released, if likely to be a better buy and hold its value longer than a 6D bought before the release of a 6D II.

 

[ashmadux]

Don't get the 6D, period.

The 5d af alone makes it head and shoulders above the 6d, even with it's older(and banding, unfortunately) sensor. It is quite literally shooting with confidence.

But like someone else said, keep renting until the impending price drop is likely your best bet.

Knowing canon, the price will "drop" to around 2250, and the 5d4 will be in the 3k range, keeping them nicely separated from each other on the pricing scale.

My 6d is about to be on the block - i just dont use the cam anymore, and im craving some Einsteins.

 

[takesome1]

The 5DsR is my main body now and the 7DII is shelved, the only reason I use the 7D II now would be for video. For action I would prefer the 1D IV.

There is no gain in ISO advantage with the 5DsR over the 7D II. They are about equal.

I had the 5D II paired with 1D IV for years. When the 7D II was released I bought the 7D II and used it paired with the 5D II and occasionally used the 1D IV for action.

I did just what you are talking about for years, the 1D IV and 7D II for birds, action and wildlife. The 5D II for everything else including higher ISO.

The 6D and 5D III will give you a bit more ISO. I think what you will find out is that you prefer the 7D II for wildlife because of the higher resolution.

 

[mehaue]

Don't get the 5D Mark III, period.
Why would you buy a 4 year old body with old sensor tech, no GPS and no WiFi? Ok, the AF might be superior but the 7D Mark II already has great AF, so you got that covered. And with a 6D you are still able to shoot some BIF in "low light" at 1600 ISO and still crop. When you think your 7DII will not cut it.

 

[rfdesigner]

I have a Canon 7D2 for wildlife and action photography and would like something to offer more options in low light where ISO creeps up to 1600+. The limitations of the 7Dii for me lie largely in the noise you start to see above 800 especially with shadow recovery. Current lenses are 100-400ii and 70-200f4LIS and 17-55 f2.8.
I will be buying this camera second hand and based on much reading, my thinking is:

6D - Second hand price about £900. AF is decent for slow-moving wildlife and is very good in low light. Given that a lot of my wildlife stuff is cropped even on the 7Dii, I am not sure how the image quality of the 6D holds up vs 7Dii when cropped to the same FOV (BTW: I know I need to improve field skills but let's park that one for now). The 6D has a lower frame rate than the other models but at the moment I am probably not going to shoot a lot of fast action stuff at those light levels.
Overall, the price makes the 6D my benchmark against which I need to see significant benefits in getting a different model

5D3 - Second hand price about £1,700 so a considerably greater outlay. The AF is about equal to the 7Dii which I have anyway. The 5D3 image is about equal to the 6D and when cropped to the same FOV as the 7Dii is not much different (in good light, anyway). The main discussion I have seen is the reliability of the AF vs the 7Dii and the 5D3 seems to edge it.
So the main benefit of the 5D3 compared to the 6D is its versatility in giving me 6D+7Dii in a single body.

5DSR - this is a tricky one. Sort of combines the 5D3 and the 7Dii in a single body. At FF image quality seems on par with the 5D3 and when cropped gives the same resolution as the 7D2. The significantly higher price makes it very hard to justify

So my conclusion is that if I do not mind having 2 bodies, and I do not mind making the decision before I leave home which body I want with me, then the 6D makes a pretty sound case for itself.

Would anyone come to a different conclusion?

I'd buy grey vs buying second hand.

I've bought 2 lenses and my 6D from www.hdewcameras.co.uk, all fine no hitches +3yr warranty which happens to be with the same people who have the contract for fixing canons under canons warranty.

They're a brick and mortar importer, who send you gear they've already imported, and will provide you with a VAT receipt on request to keep HMRC at bay.

no connection, just a repeat happy customer

 

[tron]

I have a Canon 7D2 for wildlife and action photography and would like something to offer more options in low light where ISO creeps up to 1600+. The limitations of the 7Dii for me lie largely in the noise you start to see above 800 especially with shadow recovery. Current lenses are 100-400ii and 70-200f4LIS and 17-55 f2.8.
I will be buying this camera second hand and based on much reading, my thinking is:

6D - Second hand price about £900. AF is decent for slow-moving wildlife and is very good in low light. Given that a lot of my wildlife stuff is cropped even on the 7Dii, I am not sure how the image quality of the 6D holds up vs 7Dii when cropped to the same FOV (BTW: I know I need to improve field skills but let's park that one for now). The 6D has a lower frame rate than the other models but at the moment I am probably not going to shoot a lot of fast action stuff at those light levels.
Overall, the price makes the 6D my benchmark against which I need to see significant benefits in getting a different model

5D3 - Second hand price about £1,700 so a considerably greater outlay. The AF is about equal to the 7Dii which I have anyway. The 5D3 image is about equal to the 6D and when cropped to the same FOV as the 7Dii is not much different (in good light, anyway). The main discussion I have seen is the reliability of the AF vs the 7Dii and the 5D3 seems to edge it.
So the main benefit of the 5D3 compared to the 6D is its versatility in giving me 6D+7Dii in a single body.

5DSR - this is a tricky one. Sort of combines the 5D3 and the 7Dii in a single body. At FF image quality seems on par with the 5D3 and when cropped gives the same resolution as the 7D2. The significantly higher price makes it very hard to justify

So my conclusion is that if I do not mind having 2 bodies, and I do not mind making the decision before I leave home which body I want with me, then the 6D makes a pretty sound case for itself.

Would anyone come to a different conclusion?

I'd buy grey vs buying second hand.

I've bought 2 lenses and my 6D from www.hdewcameras.co.uk, all fine no hitches +3yr warranty which happens to be with the same people who have the contract for fixing canons under canons warranty.

They're a brick and mortar importer, who send you gear they've already imported, and will provide you with a VAT receipt on request to keep HMRC at bay.

no connection, just a repeat happy customer

+1 This was the site I was talking about in my previous post. I didn't know if I should mention it so I did not. Current 5D3 price is 1699 pounds new.