At first glance, the Canon EOS R6 Mark II does not seem to be much different from its predecessor. But looks are deceiving. It’s probably the best mirrorless camera at a reasonable price you can buy at the moment. Canon Netherlands gave me this camera for review.
I have received Canon EOS R6 Mark II from Canon Netherlands for review. While I was just expecting an upgraded model, this camera is really a mini camera. EOS R3 as mentioned by many others. Except for some minor differences, it looks exactly like its predecessor and has the same styling and construction. It’s no surprise that nearly every improvement is found inside. I think it’s one of Canon’s best mirrorless cameras at a reasonable price at the moment.
Some specifications
The Canon EOS R6 Mark II There may be only a slight increase in sensor resolution, but the biggest improvement can be found in the autofocus system. It is fast, accurate and can recognize people, animals and vehicles. I have some of the more interesting specs listed below.
- 24.2-megapixel CMOS sensor
- Track people, animals (dogs, cats, birds, horses) and vehicles (racers, motorcycles, planes, trains)
- Left/right eye selection
- Flexible AF area selection
- 12fps mechanical shutter and 40fps electronic shutter
- Raw continuous shooting mode (30 fps) with 0.5 second pre-shot
- Built-in image stabilization rated up to 8 stops
- Focus stacking including in-camera merge
- Moving subject HDR mode (JPEG only)
- 3.68 million-dot OLED EVF, with a refresh rate of up to 120 fps
- 3-inch fully articulating rear touchscreen with 1.62 million dots
- Dual UHS-II SD card slots
- Power switch and movie/still photo switch rearranged
I have not used the EOS R6 Mark II for movie shooting, but it is still worth mentioning. I believe the camera is now better equipped for video than its predecessor. It can capture oversampled 4K 60p video from 6K or 6K ProRes RAW using an external Atomos recorder. There is no longer a 30-minute recording limit, although peaks may be limited to 40-50 minutes due to thermal constraints.
The sensor’s reading speed is very fast, making the rolling shutter effect almost invisible. Has a high frame rate of 180 fps. Other options are displaying wrong colors and recording proxy. There is a dedicated video switch, allowing full access to PASM options.
Look at Body and Menu
The camera doesn’t come as much of a surprise to those familiar with the Canon ecosystem. There are three main dials, which can be customized. The power switch is located on the camera’s right shoulder instead of the left shoulder. The switch that was previously reserved for turning the camera on or off is now a movie/still switch.
The camera has a multifunction hotshoe, a USB-C port, microphone and headphone jacks, and a micro HDMI connector. Two UHS-II SD slots are available. Besides, the camera has simplified Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity options as well as MFi connectivity, allowing iPhone connection for file transfer.
The menu of the EOS R6 Mark II is similar to all other EOS models. It allows you to enable simplified screens that you can also find on lower-end EOS models, such as EOS R7 and EOS R10. For the JPEG photographer, there are creative shooting modes and settings.
The camera can be customized to your liking, with plenty of options for AF. The quick menu, which can be activated by pressing the M-Fn button, has been redesigned for more options.
Upgrade to the Autofocus System
The Canon EOS R6 Mark II feels more capable than the first version. This is mainly due to the autofocus system, I think. Subject can be detected even if the subject is very small in the frame and the AF point sticks to the subject like glue. Much depends on the settings, which can be optimized for the situation.
There are eight AF areas to choose from, from single point to full frame. The camera offers more than 4,000 autofocus points to choose from, or you can let the camera choose. There are three flexible area AF settings. They can be programmed to cover an area of the frame to your liking. This way, you can ensure that autofocus will detect the subject in the part of the frame you want.
It is already possible to assign a certain autofocus behavior to the button that you use to autofocus. The EOS R6 Mark II goes one step further and inherits the customizability introduced with EOS R3. For example, you can set the AF-ON button for human-eye AF with full-frame AF area and the asterisk button for vehicle AF and flexible area AF.
These are just a few examples of how to install the EOS R6 Mark II. In addition, other buttons can be adjusted to your liking, with separate functions for movies and stills.
If you shoot more subjects in one session, you can also let the camera choose which subject it will focus on. This way all objects will be detected, making it more flexible. Additionally, left/right eye selection can be set to auto, in which case the camera will prioritize the closest eye.
Capture up to 40 frames per second
Using the mechanical shutter, the Canon EOS R6 Mark II will capture up to 12 frames per second. While this is fast enough for most situations, up to 40 frames per second can be sped up. For this, an electronic shutter must be used. Thanks to the fast sensor reading, the rolling shutter effect is well controlled. It’s not entirely absent, but it doesn’t distract as much.
The buffer is large enough to hold 190 JPEGs, or 75 raw if you set the camera to 40fps. If you switch to c-raw, the camera can capture about 100 files before the buffer runs out. At 12 frames per second, you can get up to 1,000 c-raw files in one burst, which is probably more than you need.
The EOS R6 Mark II also has a raw continuous shooting setting. When enabled, frames are stored in a single file and the rate is set to 30 frames per second with a limit of 190 frames per shot. The images must be extracted from the in-camera file. This can be done as a JPEG/HEIF or a raw file.
It also offers a pre-shot feature, in which case the camera will continuously record frames when the shutter-release button is pressed halfway. If the button is pressed all the way down, it saves the recorded frames 0.5 seconds before the shutter is released.
Saving images from a buffer filled in raw continuous shooting mode locks the camera until the buffer is cleared. This does not happen when you set the camera to the normal drive mode of 40 fps.
ISO Performance and Dynamic Range
The first version of the Canon EOS R6 had good ISO performance and dynamic range, partly due to its relatively small resolution. The EOS R6 Mark II has a slightly higher resolution and its performance seems to be slightly better. Unfortunately, the sensor is not stacked or unlit on the back, which would increase its performance even further. I found the EOS R6 Mark II perfectly usable up to ISO 12,800, You can go even higher if you accept a little noise.
While not the best out there, the sensor’s dynamic range is certainly good. Shadows can be raised up to five stops before noise levels become too obvious. You can go even higher and use some noise reduction software.
Shooting in the real world
The use of the Canon EOS R6 Mark II shows just how good this camera really is. While the autofocus system can be tailored to every detail according to your genre of photography, it turns out to be very easy to use. It selects subjects with ease, even in difficult lighting situations, such as strong backlighting. In addition, dynamic range allows for highlights to be exposed and darker parts to be lifted in post-production.
Action poses are not an issue for the EOS R6 Mark II. It’s really a fast camera, capturing every action you can think of. With the electronic shutter, it has a maximum shutter speed of 1/16,000th of a second, which is more than enough to freeze most movement. AF tracking worked smoothly, although it had some issues with my dog when hair covered his eyes. I guess all AF systems will have problems with that. However, it switches to head and torso autofocus and follows the dog in any direction.
I like the newly designed quick menu that can be activated with the M-Fn button. It is located between the shutter-release button and the dial. It offers the most used settings and you never have to take your eyes off the viewfinder. The button is located in a position that makes it easy to find without mistaking it.
Conclusion
When I have to choose between Canon EOS R5 and Canon EOS R6 a few years ago, I had no doubt. I like the former more than the latter. The LCD screen was very important to me, and the movie shooting functions of the first EOS R6 were too basic for my taste. But now, the Canon EOS R6 Mark II solved most of the minor problems I had after that. On top of that, it heavily inherits autofocus capabilities from the EOS R3. It makes this camera a very capable and versatile device. I love it. If I had to choose again between the EOS R5 and the EOS R6 Mark II, I would definitely choose the new EOS R6 Mark II.
There are a few functions that I really like, although you may not use it too often. Of course, there’s the bulb timer, time lapse, pre-shot and, above all, focus stacking capabilities. Not only does it automatically focus stack, with up to 999 shots if you want, but it also creates a composite image from the stack. This may just be a JPEG image, but it can be obtained directly from the camera without the help of a computer. If you prefer raw files, the stack files are also saved on the memory card.
It’s a pity that Canon didn’t decide to add an RS-80N3 connector for remote control, like on the EOS R5 and EOS R3. Another improvement could be a full-size HDMI port and decent doors instead of rubber caps on the connectors. I also like the nice AF/MF switch on the front of the camera, like the Canon EOS R10 and EOS R7 have. I know of lenses with an AF/MF switch, but it would be a great addition. That said, these are just the small things I’d like to see changed.
The Canon EOS R6 Mark II may not produce the highest possible resolution, but I think 24 megapixels is a nice number, perfect for almost any genre of photography. I think Canon has done a great job with this camera. If you haven’t entered the world of Canon’s mirrorless cameras yet, the EOS R6 Mark II is a good reason to do so. I think it’s better than any of its peers in this price segment.
What I Like
- Up to 40 frames per second
- Pre-shot up to 0.5 seconds
- In-camera focus stacking
- dynamic range
- Multi-subject detection and tracking autofocus system
- Three programmable flexible-area AF settings
- Expanded M-Fn menu
- New location for power switch
- 4K 60p no crop (oversampled from 6K)
- 180 fps high speed movie
- False color overlay and C-log3 for movie recording
What can be improved
- Full-size HDMI connection is recommended
- There is no AF/MF switch on the camera
- Exposure bracketing is more accessible
- The movie/still photo switch is perhaps too prominent
- No LCD/OLED
- Remote control connector is not RS-80N3
what do you think about Canon EOS R6 Mark II? If you’ve used one of these, please share your experience in the comments below. If there are things you think Canon should add, I’d love to know too.
