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Canon has renewed one of its most popular full-frame mirrorless cameras with the Canon EOS R6 Mark II.
The new camera builds on the success of its predecessor but features several improvements, including a new 24MP sensor, 40 fps burst and new AF modes inherited from the EOS R3. Additional video options are also available.
Canon surprised everyone by releasing a brand new version of its versatile full-frame mirrorless, just two years after the EOS R6. This new EOS R6 Mark II will have to meet high expectations, as it succeeds one of Canon's best selling cameras.
Questioned by specialized blogs, Canon France did not give a real answer to this renewal. However, the new version seems to be better equipped to face the competition (the Sony A7 IV, not to mention), both in photography and video. It is also more in line with Canon's recent APS-C mirrorless (EOS R7 and EOS R10), especially in terms of autofocus.
This new camera is an improvement over its predecessor in many ways: it's fairly robust and lightweight, offers good image quality and has a high burst rate. We will come back to all these points later in the article.
Canon's new EOS R6 Mark II has a 24.2-megapixel sensor, 20% more than the previous model, and the same resolution as the Canon EOS R3.
This (slightly) higher definition puts Canon on par with its rivals, while retaining one of the strengths of its predecessor: a very high signal-to-noise ratio. That said, the 24MP is significantly lower than the A7 IV and even the EOS R, which exceed 30MP, leaving more room for cropping images.
The EOS R6 Mark II has a "conventional" CMOS sensor, like most other Canon sensors (except for the EOS R3). This means that it is not backlit or stacked. However, Canon promises us faster sensor readout speeds to reduce rolling shutter effects.
ISO sensitivity ranges from 100 to a maximum of 102400 (which is expandable to 204800), and Canon promises that the increase in ISO sensitivity "remains equivalent to that of the EOS R6, despite higher definition." So many characteristics that we will have to put to the test to verify.
The sensor is still 5-axis stabilized, offering a maximum gain of 6.5 stops - and up to 8 stops with some stabilized lenses - such as the RF 135mm f/1.8 L IS USM (launched simultaneously).
In conclusion, it is important to remember that this sensor is linked to the Digic X processor, which has already proven its usefulness on previous camera models of the same brand.
The EOS R3, released just a year ago, was known for its innovative AF system that used AI and Deep Learning to easily track and catch any subject. That same system is now found in the recently released EOS R7 and EOS R10 models.
Canon has equipped the EOS R6 Mark II with its new predictive AF system, inherited from the Dual Pixel AF II. This upgrade makes the AF more intelligent and capable of catching a subject even when the reticle is not placed directly on it - perfect for sports or wildlife photography.
To be more precise, the camera has eye tracking modes for both humans and animals. In addition to dogs, cats and birds, the EOS R6 Mark II can also track equines. Note that the camera should make it easy to choose between tracking the horse's head or the eyes (or head) of the rider.
The EOS R6 Mark II camera adds detection and tracking of planes, trains, cars and motorcycles - with the ability to track the rider's head. All of which we've seen before on other similar cameras, such as the EOS R3, Nikon Z9, Fujifilm X-H2S or Sony A7R V.
The autofocus should have better "distraction tolerance" for background elements (even complex scenes), and allow for more accurate subject tracking, even when the subject is moving quickly or another subject appears nearby.
The Canon EOS R6's sensor autofocus capabilities are nearly identical to those of the EOS R3, with 4897 AF points (4067 of which can be used in movie mode). The focus range extends from -6.5 to 20 EV and offers a 90 x 100% coverage area in manual mode or 100% in automatic mode.
The first generation EOS R6 already allowed shooting at 12 fps with the mechanical shutter and 20 fps with the electronic shutter.
By increasing the speed in burst mode with the electronic shutter, the EOS R6 Mark II easily outperforms its competitors. With a maximum burst speed of 40 fps, it easily beats other cameras like the EOS R3, which is limited to 30 fps. This burst mode will allow photographers to capture the finest details of fast-moving subjects so that they never miss a critical moment.
The EOS R6 Mark II appears to have the same buffer capabilities as its predecessor, which is perhaps not great news. That means the camera can take up to 190 JPEG images, 140 RAW files or 75 CRaw files in a burst at 40 frames per second. Your bursts will have to be fairly focused if you want to take advantage of the limited buffer capacity. But we already knew that about the EOS R7. Values are naturally higher when you choose the 12 fps mechanical burst option (1000 JPEG images, 110 RAW files and 1000 CRaw).
The EOS R6 Mark II has a "RAW burst" mode that it inherited from the EOS R7 and R10. This very practical mode allows to capture images continuously at 30 fps (with a slight cropping of 1.25x). Up to 191 images can be extracted in JPEG, HEIF or RAW format. There is also a 0.5 sec pre-recording function so you don't miss an action before you press the shutter button."
In addition, the camera efficiently handles the HEIF format. Files remain at a manageable size while maintaining high image quality, especially with gradients, thanks to HEIF's 10-bit color depth.
Canon has quietly added a Focus Bracketing mode, extremely useful for nature images or packshots. This technique allows you to stack the focus in post-processing, giving you sharper images overall.
The EOS R6 Mark II was launched with great fanfare by Canon, and for good reason. This camera comes with a number of options that make it the perfect choice for any demanding content creator.
The camera is capable of shooting 4K footage at 60 frames per second, using every pixel on the sensor - this is called upsampling. This allows for higher quality images without cropping.
In addition, the 30-minute limit has been completely removed; you can now shoot continuously for 40 minutes in 4K 60p without fear of overheating, and up to 6 hours in 4K 30p.
The EOS R6 Mark II can now shoot 6K 60p video in ProRes RAW format via the HDMI output and an external recorder, like the Atomos Ninja V+. This should appeal to experienced videographers - and helps Canon close the gap with its competitors.
A Full HD slow motion mode at 180 fps with AF tracking (not 120 fps) is now available, as well as a 3 or 5 second pre-recording function. As in photography, the latter allows you to recover footage before pressing the record button.
The brand also offers a "false color" option that facilitates the adjustment of exposure for the most complex scenes.
At the same time, Canon has integrated a function that keeps the focus when the subject goes out of the frame.
So instead of transitioning to the background, the camera keeps the focus on the last location of the subject, which is quite handy for professionally rendered footage.
In addition, there is an automatic focus breathing compensation feature, which is quite similar to the one the Sony A7 IV introduced last year. This allows you to create an ultra-reduced framing variation.
Unfortunately, at the moment, only 7 RF mount lenses are compatible with this function:
Finally, we find Canon Log 3 and HDR PQ (perceptual quantization) video capture.
In addition, Canon claims to have improved its video stabilization algorithms by combining optical and digital methods. The latter should make it easier to capture handheld video by studying the user's movements. However, it's still too early to tell if this feature could compete with Sony's Active Mode.
The Canon EOS R6 Mark II is compatible with USB UVC/UAC protocols, which means it can act as a webcam for Macs and PCs. This makes it useful for video conferencing platforms like Skype, Zoom and Teams.
The Canon EOS R6 Mark II features a magnesium alloy chassis that is not only comfortable, but also durable and resistant to water damage. Thanks to its many seals, this camera can withstand photography in any environment, whether indoors or outdoors.
The most significant change is the switch on the left side of the viewfinder. This switch now toggles between photo and video modes, with their neatly separated options. The On/Off/Lock button is now located next to the mode selector.
The multi-controller joystick has been slightly redesigned for your convenience, the mode dial (PASM) now offers Auto and Scene modes, and the camera has the new generation of multi-functional shoes found on other models.
The EOS R6 Mark II has the same body as its predecessor. Its design is rounded and ergonomic, with a recessed handle. The 3-inch (1.62 Mpts) touchscreen LCD is still mounted on a ball joint.
The electronic viewfinder is composed of a 0.5-inch OLED panel allowing 3.69 Mpts, with a maximum refresh rate of 120 fps and a magnification of 0.76x . According to Canon, the level of darkness and gradients in detail display have been greatly improved over previous models.
The EOS R6 Mark II, like its predecessor, has two slots compatible with SD UHS-II memory cards.
At the same time, the camera has full connectivity. In WiFi, both 2.4 and 5 GHz bands are supported for even faster transfers to image.canon services - an added bonus! The camera also supports the FTP/FTPS/SFTP protocols used by major news organizations around the world.
The EOS R6 Mark II features a USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 socket for even faster connection to a computer or iPhone (the case is Apple MFI certified). There's also a mini-HDMI port, a microphone and headphone jack, and a remote control jack.
Finally, the EOS R6 Mark II uses the LP-E6NH battery from its predecessor. However, Canon has optimized the use of the battery to give it a longer life: users can get up to 50% more images in LCD mode and 30% more in electronic viewfinder mode. That means you can potentially take 760 or 450 shots before needing to recharge it.
Canon is upgrading its versatile full-frame mirrorless to take on some particularly sharp competition. In 2020, the EOS R6 Mark I was supposed to compete with the Sony A7 III, a body launched in 2018; but in the meantime, Sony has struck a blow with its A7 IV.
To compete with this Swiss army knife, Canon uses increased responsiveness on both the AF and burst sides. They also have a more worked video part that offers many options to choose from for experienced videographers. It's an effective recipe... although the 24MP definition doesn't compare to the 33MP of their competitor, the A7 IV.
Also, the Canon EOS R6 Mark II is priced very high, which shows that this is a high-end camera.
Canon charges a lot for its products and services, targeting people who are passionate about photography and professionals who need a versatile camera.
So all that remains is to test it in the field to see if it lives up to our expectations.