It is a big day for Canon shooters! The EOS 6D Mark II has been announced along with the tiny APS-C DSLR – the EOS SL2. We’ll start with the EOS 6D Mark II. The original 6D was a major success for Canon despite its underwhelming specs for the simple reason that it was a far more capable camera than anyone expected. One of my most popular articles ever was why I chose a 6D over a 5D Mark III. The 6D has continued to be an extremely popular model because of its great image quality and reasonable price. While I do primarily shoot a 5D Mark IV, I continue to own and use a 6D on a regular basis. The 6D Mark II promises to keep up the affordability standard (the body only price in the US market is $1999, some $1500 less than what the 5D Mark IV was announced at.)
What has changed is the feature list, which has grown into a much more competitive camera. I’ll share the official overview, but jump down to the bottom for my observations on what I think most important in this release.
Here’s the official overview:
Step up into the full-frame game with the EOS 6D Mark II DSLR Camera from Canon. Making high-performance full-frame imaging more accessible, the 6D Mark II makes numerous advancements over its predecessor to improve upon every aspect of image capture and creation. The main update comes in the form of a 26.2MP CMOS sensor and the use of the DIGIC 7 Image Processor to deliver sharper, more vivid imagery in a variety of shooting situations. This setup offers an improved native sensitivity range of ISO 100-40000, which can then be expanded to ISO 50-102400, as well as speedy shooting rates of up to 6.5 fps.
Ensuring your images are tack sharp is a 45-point all-cross type AF system, which is able to track subjects with accuracy. This marks a significant improvement over its predecessor and will result in faster acquisition of your subject. Along with a revamped AF system, the sensor features Dual Pixel CMOS AF technology to provide a boost to focusing in live view and video shooting, which itself has been bumped up to Full HD at 60p. This setup works well with the 3.0″ vari-angle touchscreen LCD, which permits use at various angles and with intuitive controls.
For hybrid stills/video shooters, you will enjoy the enhanced video quality as well as the ability to plug in an external mic via a 3.5mm input. Users will also have the ability to create time-lapse movies as well as HDR video with dedicated settings and modes. Additionally, the body design has received an upgrade with improved ergonomics and durability, including dust and water resistance. Users will have access to many connectivity options as well, such as Wi-Fi, NFC, and Bluetooth, for connecting to a smart device, and built-in GPS for geotagging your photos.
- Vari-angle LCD screen. This is Canon’s first DSLR to have the articulating screen, and it’s a BIG deal for a lot of reasons. Canon’s articulating, touchscreen LCDs are the best.
- 45 Point AF system. This appears to be something similar to the Canon EOS 80D’s focus system, which is really quite excellent and a far cry from the 11 AF point system in the original 6D.
- Native ISO performance up to ISO 40,000. When the 5D Mark IV came out I discovered that the original 6D was still very, very close in performance to it at high ISO settings. I suspect that the 6D Mark II will be better than the 5D Mark IV at high ISO settings…a very big deal.
- New 26.2 MP sensor. Canon’s new sensors have been great, and I think this should prove a sweet spot for getting great performance while adding a nice amount of resolution over the original 6D.
Other notable specs:
- 6.5 FPS burst rate. For all practical purposes the 6D Mark II will have as fast a burst rate as the 5D Mark IV (7 FPS). What will probably be lacking is as deep a buffer.
- The ability to do 4K time lapses and a built-in intervalometer. The intervalometer is a great feature to have.
- DPAF – one of Canon’s best technologies, and it will make a huge difference for video tracking and Live View focusing.
- 5 axis image stabilization for video recording. Only for video recording, but this helps bolster the capabilities of the camera…but…
Notable exceptions:
- No 4K video of any kind. This one hurts for me, as I see the 6D Mark II as a fantastic video platform otherwise because of the articulating screen and DPAF video. On a positive note the 1080 60P standard is now supported.
- Shutter speed is still limited to 1/4000th of a second and flash sync speed at 1/180th second. These are clearly just ways that Canon is limiting the 6D Mark II to keep it at a certain market point. Disappointing but not unexpected.
One final question that isn’t completely answered is whether or not the focus screens will be easily interchangeable as the focus screens on the 6D are. This is a big deal for me personally, as I now mostly use the 6D as a platform for all of my manual focus glass due to having an EG-S matte precision screen installed in it.
You can preorder the 6D Mark II here (the Amazon links will take a week or two to populate; they are a little slower with new releases). It can be ordered as body only or in a kit with the two 24-105mm options.
Canon EOS 6D Mark II: B&H Photo | Amazon | Amazon.ca
Canon EOS SL2 Announcement
The second exciting announcement is of the Canon EOS SL2. The SL1 became a favorite of many because of the extremely compact size and yet versatility of using all of Canon’s EF and EF-S lenses natively without an adapter. It eliminated some of the weaknesses of mirrorless and provided a great travel option. The SL2 takes that to a new level by adding a much fuller feature set, including an articulating screen, 5 axis image stabilization for video, Canon’s excellent 24.2 MP sensor, DPAF focus, and more…
Here’s the official announcement and product overview:
With a compact and lightweight body, the black Canon EOS Rebel SL2 DSLR Camera provides users with a fully-featured system that won’t weigh them down. Packed into the tiny body is a capable 24.2MP APS-C CMOS sensor and a DIGIC 7 Image Processor, both of which work together to create sharp, vivid images at native sensitivities up to ISO 25600. Video shooting has received a boost with Full HD 1080p recording possible at up to 60 fps. The SL2 also manages some significant body upgrades, with the main addition being a 3.0″ vari-angle touchscreen LCD for intuitive operation and the ability to work at odd angles with relative ease.
As a DSLR, the SL2 obviously retains the optical viewfinder for fast, natural composition of your images. This setup also features a 9-point AF system for capturing tack sharp images. If you are working in Live View or shooting video, the SL2 does offer Dual Pixel CMOS AF technology, providing fast, accurate focusing in these modes and with intuitive control via the touchscreen. Additionally, the SL2 has a microphone input for higher quality audio recording during movie shooting.
For those inclined to share their journeys, the SL2 features built-in Wi-Fi with NFC and Bluetooth, making connecting to a smart device fast and simple. This setup permits wireless control over camera settings as well as the ability to transfer files to your phone. The SL2 also offers a Feature Assistant to help new shooters learn how to use the camera and its functions.
Travel Banner:
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