Canon 6D Review

Last Updated on December 6, 2023 by Sharon Advik

Canon 6D Review:

I’m a full-time professional travel photographer.

I needed a good camera for my tours and outings.

I was seeking the best camera to travel with and record my adventures.

The “Canon 6D” met all of my needs perfectly.

I take pictures of many interesting subjects on days off from touring, like mountains and moving objects.

I can say with certainty that this razor-sharp camera never lets me down.

The “Canon 6D” is the ideal camera for traveling.

It generates sharp images with little discernible noise when shooting at high ISO settings.

I also use it to shoot pictures with lengthy minimum shutter speeds and extended exposures.

Overall, this camera is the finest one for taking photos when traveling.

Overview:

Canon EOS 6D is a 20.0 MP Advanced DSLR camera featuring a Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sized CMOS sensor, weather-sealed chassis, and Canon EF lens mount.

It was released in February 2013. Later, the 6D was superseded by the 6D MII by Canon.

Canon has developed a more compact, lighter, and reasonably priced full-frame digital SLR with the 20.2-megapixel EOS 6D for prosumer photographers.

The well-designed 6D functions like a miniature 5D Mark III for the rest of us.

The Canon 6D is a superb, responsive DSLR with full-frame benefits in a thin but comfortable camera body.

However, its autofocus technology is rather basic, and it doesn’t have a camera build that is as sturdy as that step-up model.

Canon responded by announcing its budget-friendly full-frame DSLR, the EOS 6D, less than a week after archrival Nikon made waves with the D600.

The mid-range full-frame DSLR was the first product in this new market sector.

As it is comparable in control arrangement and dimensions, the EOS 6D is arguably best described as a full-frame variant of the well-known EOS 60D.

The 6D aims to stand out on the spec sheet with built-in Wi-Fi and GPS, a “silent” shutter mechanism, and unmatched low-light focusing sensitivity, according to Canon, even though it is lighter and front-to-back thinner than the Nikon D600.

It’s unclear if this arrangement will win over enthusiasts who appreciate the D600’s two card slots, built-in flash, and noticeably faster autofocus system.

Body, Size, and Weight:

The Canon 6D is built similarly to the Nikon D600/D610, made of magnesium alloy and polycarbonate.

Magnesium alloy makes up the front and back plates of the 6D, while plastic makes up the top and bottom plates.

The EOS 6D strongly resembles recent EOS designs, best described as a fixed-screen 60D with a dash of the 5D Mark III.

It features Canon’s most up-to-date design cues, such as the power switch below the mode dial, the integrated live view/movie control next to the viewfinder, and the Quick Control ‘Q’ button.

Only the Menu and Info buttons are on the left, below the mode dial and power switch, so you can primarily operate the controls with your right hand.

The construction is sturdy, if not as bulletproof-feeling as the EOS 5D Mark III or EOS 7D.

The 6D’s plastic top plate, which Canon claims is required for the Wi-Fi and GPS to function, is partially to blame for this.

Canon describes the rest of the body as “dust and drip-proof,” made of a magnesium alloy shell.

The external measurements of the Canon 6D are 145 x 111 x 71 mm (5.71 x 4.37 x 2.8′′), and it weighs 770 g (1.70 lb / 27.16 oz). Its weight is roughly average for its class, given that DSLR-type cameras typically weigh 773g.

It also has an average thickness, measuring 71mm.

Weather Sealing:

The Canon 6D incorporates environmental sealings on its body, making it a weather-resistant camera and protecting against water and dust ingress.

The Canon 6D will serve you well if you enjoy taking pictures in the great outdoors and need a camera that can operate in harsh settings.

Your camera will become a fantastic all-weather gear if you use one of these Canon 6D weather-sealed lenses.

Lenses:

There are 257 native lenses now available for the Canon 6D’s Canon EF lens mount. Canon can remain the top choice among professional photographers worldwide because of the EF mount’s most extensive and comprehensive native lens selection in the DSLR market.

Although the Canon 6D lacks a sensor-based image stabilization mechanism, 77 of these lenses already include optical image stabilization.

Weatherproof Lenses for the Canon 6D:

You may pair the weather-sealed body of the Canon 6D with 88 lenses with weather sealing.

The following list includes some of my top-used Canon 6D lenses.

 Canon EF 24-105mm f4L IS USM
 Canon EF 75-300mm f4.0-5.6 III
 Canon EF 35-80mm f4.0-5.6 III
 Canon EF 70-300mm f4-5.6 IS USM
 Canon EF 35-350mm f3.5-5.6L USM
 Canon EF 50mm f1.8 STM
 Canon EF 70-200mm f2.8L IS II USM
 Canon EF 80-200mm f4.5-5.6 II

Handling:

I thought the Canon 6D was more ergonomically superior in terms of handling.

As a Nikon photographer, it took me some time to get acclimated to the controls, but using the 6D was simple once I did.

It includes a dedicated AF-ON button that comfortably rests where it should and has a more protruded grip that is easier to hold.

The 6D has a logical control arrangement and is a simple camera.

Photographers who like to adjust camera settings to their preferences can change all buttons on the rear, including the depth of field preview button.

While many applications may benefit from the default behavior, several alternatives—such as setting the AE lock button to activate AF instead—are highly helpful.

Additionally, you may alter the tracking sensitivity, lens-specific micro-adjustments, and several other characteristics of the AF system’s behavior.

After a long day of shooting, the 6D is easy to sling over your shoulder.

Sensor Details:

The newly created Canon Full-Frame 20.2 Megapixel CMOS sensor in the EOS 6D produces high-resolution, exquisitely detailed photographs delivered with incredible speed and performance.

Great detail and an excellent signal-to-noise ratio are achieved with a 35.8mm x 23.9mm sensor’s 5472 x 3648-pixel resolution and 6.55 m square pixel size, immediately giving rise to amazing photos.

Due to the EOS 6D’s sensor’s lack of a conversion factor, lenses attached to the camera will produce the same field of vision as they would on a conventional 35mm camera.

The sensor with a novel photodiode structure and the EOS 6D’s DIGIC 5+ Image Processor team up to produce ISO sensitivities of 100–25600 (with enhanced sensitivities of L: 50, H1: 51200, and H2: 102400) and up to 4.5 frames per second.

Thanks to the EOS 6D’s compact and lightweight body, full-frame photography has never been so easy or portable.

Image processor:

The DIGIC 5+ Image Processor in the EOS 6D offers an entirely new level of performance.

The DIGIC 5+ Image Processor enhances data processing performance and includes new algorithms that provide more robust noise reduction at higher ISOs.

It uses two 4-channel A/D converter front-end processing circuits and can process data at up to 4.5 frames per second (RAW + JPEG).

The DIGIC 5+ Image Processor provides real-time chromatic aberration compensation in still and moving photos and typical image processing capabilities.

The impressive results speak for themselves, and because of the power of this processor, speed increases are immediately noticeable after turning on the camera.

Autofocusing:

An entirely new 11-point AF system on the EOS 6D allows for rapid, accurate AF in every situation.

The EOS 6D offers impressive performance in composition and AF, even in the darkest lighting conditions, thanks to its newly developed and bright 21mm eye point viewfinder with 97% coverage and its new centered cross-type AF point with EV -3 sensitivity for improved performance and focus in low light.

The EOS 6D’s AI Servo focus features One-Shot AF, AI Servo AF, and AI Focus AF in addition to tracking, acceleration, and deceleration tracking sensitivities and adjustments for first or second image priority.

Adjusting values for the wide-angle and telephoto ends of particular lenses can be entered and retained in the camera’s memory for even more customization.

Suppose you find yourself in a circumstance where the 6D’s AF system loses its ability to concentrate and precision.

In that case, I suggest switching to the middle focus point and using the focus and recompose technique.

LCD:

Similar to the LCD on the 5D Mark III, the 6D’s screen is gorgeous.

To make it more valuable in the field, Canon placed a toughened glass shield in front of the LCD with an anti-reflective coating.

While the screen appears a touch darker, viewing photographs on the 6D outdoors is a considerably better experience than on the D600/D610, which features a protective plastic cover.

Because the LCD and screen protectors of the Nikon D600/D610 lack an anti-reflective coating, they both reflect light obnoxiously.

The Canon 6D sports a Fixed Type 3.00-inch LCD screen with a 1,040k-dot resolution.

The screen dimensions and resolution are appropriate for this class.

Unfortunately, the screen on the Canon EOS 6D is not selfie-friendly.

Check out the top DSLR cameras with selfie-friendly LCD screens if this feature is crucial to your shooting style.

Viewfinder:

The EOS 6D offers the kind of big, bright perspective that will be a revelation to photographers who have only used APS-C cameras in the past, which is one of the main draws of full-frame SLRs.

The Canon 6D’s built-in optical (pentaprism) viewfinder makes it easier to snap pictures in settings where it might not be easy to see the LCD panel, such as bright sunlight.

With a magnification ratio of 0.71x, the viewfinder provides a 97% coverage area.

97% coverage implies that the view you see while taking the picture will be slightly off the final product.

Even while the EOS 6D has “only” 97% coverage, this is more of a theoretical than a practical drawback.

There is a chance that some invisible objects will unintentionally end up in the corners of your final shot because the viewfinder covers 97% of the actual scene capture.

However, a difference in this scale might be largely academic for most regular real-world applications.

Additionally, you may always shoot in live view mode to preview the entire picture when correct framing is crucial.

Metering:

Additionally, Canon reused the 7D’s 63-zone metering sensor rather than the 1D X’s 100,000-pixel RGB sensor (not that there was anything wrong with the older metering sensor).

Despite its age, I generally found the metering sensor reasonably accurate.

All metering options—evaluative, center-weighted, partial, and spot metering—performed as expected.

When I occasionally encountered exposure concerns, using the 3-step exposure compensation slider on the camera’s back was a simple solution.

Chromatic Aberration Correction:

In addition to vignetting and distortion corrections, the Canon 6D has a built-in Chromatic Aberration Correction function, just like the Canon 5D Mark III.

Contrary to Nikon DSLRs, which automatically correct chromatic aberration using an algorithm compatible with every Nikon lens, Canon chose to program the algorithm only to correct chromatic aberration in specific Canon EF lenses.

This system may be more accurate, but it has one significant flaw: the camera’s lens database must be updated whenever a new lens is available.

Furthermore, third-party lenses like the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art do not support such corrections.

Wireless Connectivity:

One aspect of the Canon EOS 6D that is simple to ignore on the specification sheet but is helpful in everyday use is its Wi-Fi functionality.

The first DSLR to offer this connectivity as a built-in capability, without extra external equipment, is the EOS 6D.

According to Canon, the camera’s built-in Wi-Fi transmitter complies with 802.11b/g/n standards.

The transmission range of this is up to 30 meters. Be advised that the Camera’s Wi-Fi is not activated while movie mode is used. n.

With the free Canon Camera Connect app, an iOS or Android smartphone* may wirelessly control the exposure settings of the EOS 6D, including aperture, shutter speed, ISO, focus, and shutter.

Photos can even be printed on a Wi-Fi-capable printer without a computer via the “CANON iMAGE GATEWAY” to share images and videos quickly on social networking sites.

Unbelievably, the EOS 6D obtains all of these wireless features without needing additional accessories—they’re already included.

Built-in GPS:

Because it can save longitude, latitude, and altitude information as EXIF data, with its logging feature, you can keep tabs on movement at predetermined intervals and even change the camera’s internal clock to local time; the EOS 6D’s built-in GPS is ideal for taking images of travel or nature settings.

When using a computer’s logger feature, you can see the precise route you followed, and the map will indicate the locations and times of each photograph you took.

Battery:

According to CIPA standards, the Canon 6D’s LP-E6 battery offers 1090 shots of battery life.

A DSLR-type camera has an average battery life of 948 images; thus, its battery life is about average for its class.

Getting extra batteries for extended picture excursions would still be a good idea.

Video Feature:

With the Canon 6D, you may capture films at a maximum resolution of 1920 x 1080 at a speed of 29.97,25,23.976 frames per second and store them in the H.264 format.

The Canon 6D’s Full HD resolution will be sufficient in most circumstances.

However, if you’re looking for footage with the best resolution possible, check out our Top Cameras with 4K (Ultra-HD) Video list.

The camera can record up to 29:59 minutes without overheating in normal operating conditions.

It can split a single clip into many files to get around the 4GB file limit of the FAT 32 file system.

Additionally, taking a cue from its Rebel-series products like the EOS 650D, Canon has incorporated its video snapshot feature, enabling concise films (8 seconds or less) to be assembled in the camera for sequential playback.

In video recording mode, the 6D offers automatic and fully manual exposure adjustments, making it easy to use and customizable for novice DSLR video shooters and seasoned advanced amateurs or experts.

A Mono speaker and Stereo microphone are also included within the 6D.

A connection for an external microphone is also included on the Canon 6D, allowing you to capture high-quality audio with the aid of an external microphone.

Unfortunately, there is no headphone jack on it.

Photography Feature:

To determine the areas in which this camera excels, I also tested it for other types of photography.

It is what I discovered.

Sports photography:

Ordinary (everyday life) photography and photojournalism are related, and “sports photography” describes various activities.

A short moment and the ferocity of a sports competition are both recorded.

Photographers’ skills, creativity, and technology improvements are essential to capturing and recounting such brief events.

This type of photography likewise ignited our current love.

The Canon 6D is a GOOD choice for this genre of photography, with a score of 79 for Sports Photography.

Daily Photography:

The Canon 6D is a GOOD choice for this style of photography, with a score of 76 for Daily Photography.

Even though most photographers focus on one or two specific photographic genres, experimenting with various shooting techniques may lead to unexpected discoveries.

It is what I would call “everyday photography.”

With the same technical and aesthetic skills, you can produce a variety of photographic styles.

If you succeed in one endeavor, you might pick up valuable techniques and abilities to improve your photography.

Unposed, everyday photography is the best kind to use for it.

You can capture a wide variety of images with just one good camera.

Street Photography:

A type of photography known as street photography captures ordinary life in public spaces.

The openness of the setting frequently allows the photographer to shoot unguarded candid photos of strangers.

The practice of street photography encourages environmental awareness.

It urges you to pay attention to your surroundings. Among other things, shooting can help you develop your character.

With a Street Photography score of 64, the Canon 6D is a GOOD option for this genre of photography.

Why should one get Canon 6D?

 Excellent detail over the ISO range in raw file output

 Sensitivity to the dim light that is superior to class (from the central AF point)

 At the highest ISO sensitivity, JPEG noise reduction is outstanding.

 ‘Silent’ shutter drive mode is tranquil.

 The Quick Control menu provides easy access to shooting settings.

 Control of a remote camera via Wi-Fi through a smartphone or tablet

 Multi-exposure HDR method that is efficient and simple to utilize

 GPS built-in with text logging functionality

 One can toggle exposure simulation in live view on and off.

 the complete manual in video mode

 IPB and All-I video compression options are available.

 in-camera conversion to raw

 Enough battery life (except when GPS and Wi-Fi are turned on)

 high-quality raw converter packaged (Digital Photo Professional)

Price:

Canon created the EOS 6D to appeal to DSLR users who want the advantages of full-frame photography, such as narrower depth of field and wide-angle lens coverage, but who can’t afford the EOS 5D Mark III.

Conclusion:

Canon created the EOS 6D to appeal to DSLR owners who desire the advantages of full-frame photography, such as narrower depth of field and wide-angle lens coverage, but who cannot buy the EOS 5D Mark III.

My analysis indicates that the Canon 6D has an overall score of 67/100, based on my examination of 69 technical factors.

In terms of DSLR cameras, the Canon EOS 6D is ranked #65 out of 208 (Top 20 DSLR) and #1244 out of 1244 (all Cameras) (Top 20 Overall).

200 in Top Ranking Cameras out of 1244

#65 on the Top Ranking DSLR Cameras list out of 208

Top Ranking Advanced DSLR Cameras, position 36 out of 93

Top Ranking Full frame Sensor Cameras, position 68 out of 92

#9 in the list of the top 23 Canon12 Lens Mount Cameras

Related posts:

Best Canon DSLR Cameras for Photography: