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New products
EOS 6D full-frame DSLR
14
Reproduced from EOS magazine October-December 2012
Reproduced from EOS magazine October-December 2012
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comparison chart
EOS 6D
EOS 5D Mark III
EOS 60D
EOS 7D*
Announced
Autumn 2012
Spring 2012
Autumn 2010
October 2009
Lens mount
EF (not compatible with EF-S lenses)
compatible with EF and EF-S lenses
CMOS
Sensor
effective megapixels
20.2
22.3
18.0
18.0
size (approx)
36 x 24mm (full-frame)
22.3 x 14.9mm (APS-C)
Viewfinder
type
TTL pentaprism
coverage/magnification
97% / 0.71x
100% / 0.71x
96% / 0.95x
100% / 1.0x
dioptric correction
-3 to +1.0 dioptre built-in
Recording media
SD/SDHC/SDXC
UHS-1 compatible
CF+SD/SDHC/SDXC
(two card slots)
SD/SDHC/SDXC
CF
Image processor
DIGIC 5+
DIGIC 5+
DIGIC 4
Dual DIGIC 4
File type recording
raw, JPEG, raw+JPEG, MOV
Exposure
metering
type
TTL full aperture with 63-zone SPC
exposure compensation
±5 stops in 1/3 or 1/2 stop increments
autoexposure bracketing
±3 stops in 1/3 or 1/2 stop increments
ISO settings
standard range
100 to 25600
100 to 6400
extended values
50, 51200, 102400
12800
Autofocus
AF points
11
61
9
19
AF working range
EV -3 to +18
EV -2 to +18
EV -0.5 to +18
AF microadjustment
–
available
–
available
LCD monitor
size
3.0-inches
3.2-inches
3.0-inches
pixels
1,040,000
920,000
Shutter
maximum speed
1/4000 second
1/8000 second
maximum flash sync.
1/180 second
1/200 second
1/250 second
Flash
built-in
–
GN 13
GN 12
built-in flash acts as wireless master
external
E-TTL II compatible with EX-series Speedlites
Continuous
shooting
maximum speed
4.5fps
6fps
5.3fps
8fps
max. burst (JPEG/raw)
1250/17
16,270/18
58/16
130/25
Live View
available for still photography and movie recording
Movie mode
Movie size
Full HD, HD, SD
built-in microphone
none
built-in mono
headphone terminal
none
provided
none
Custom functions (number/settings)
20/tba
13/47
20/59
27/70
Battery
and approx.
battery life
battery pack
LP-E6
23°/0°C - no live view
1090/980
950/850
1100/1000
800/750
23°/0°C - with live view
220/190
200/180
320/280
220/210
Size and
weight
w x h x d
144 x 110 x 71mm 152 x 116 x 76mm 144 x 106 x 77mm 148 x 111 x 73mm
body + card + battery
755g
950g
755g
900g
Other features
battery grip
BG-E13
BG-E11
BG-E9
BG-E7
GPS
built-in
GP-E2
–
GP-E2
Wireless file transmitter
built-in
WFT-E7
–
WFT-E5
Remote switch
RS-80N3
RS-60E3
RS-80N3
Wireless controller
LC-5 / RC-6
RC-6
LC-5 / RC-6
Price (RRP)
£1799.99
£2999.99
£1049.99
£1699.99
* EOS 7D with firmware upgrade 2.0.0 E&OE
14
Internet inferno
Canon has caused much confusion among
internet bloggers with its latest camera
announcements.
Some complained about the lack of a
built-in flash and optical viewfinder on the
EOS M (see page 30). Others used this
mirrorless model to predict the end of the
single-lens reflex camera.
The full-frame EOS 6D was greeted with
protests about the lack of built-in flash
(again), the relatively low number of AF
points, the low flash synchronisation speed
(only 1/180 second) and even the inclusion of
‘gimmicky’ features such as Wi-Fi and GPS.
Some claimed that the EOS 6D was the
beginning of the end for APC-S cameras and
even started berating Canon for ‘conning’
users into buying EF-S lenses which would
be useless when upgrading to full-frame.
The fuller picture
So what is really happening? Well, EOS
magazine has no insider information
of Canon’s plans, but we can offer a
perspective based on experience and
research.
First, Canon is an international company
producing products for a global market.
Japan, USA and Europe are major outlets,
but India and China, among others, are
becoming increasingly important. A camera
which enjoys modest sales in one country
might be very popular in another.
Second, Canon does not design a camera
for a specific individual. This will come as
a shock to some internet bloggers, who
feel aggrieved if the latest model does not
address a previous complaint they made,
or fails to improve on the specification of a
camera they already own.
The EOS 6D is a case in point. It has
been introduced as an entry level full-frame
DSLR, so it is perverse to criticise it for not
having the features of a mid-range full-frame
camera or a top-of-the range APS-C model.
More choice
Neither the EOS M nor the EOS 6D replace
previous models. They have been introduced
to expand the market by offering more
choice to consumers.
It is a strategy which has worked well for
Canon and many other manufacturers. Here
at EOS magazine we have no concerns over
the long-term viability of mirrorless cameras,
APS-C format DSLRs and full-frame DSLRs.
EOS 6D
information
Left
The layout on the
back of the EOS 6D is
simpler than that of the
EOS 5D Mark III (below).
Most of the buttons are
now grouped around
the Quick Control Dial.
Two buttons are missing
(circled below) – these
operate the creative
display and the rating
system. Neither feature is
available on the EOS 6D.
The multi-controller now
surrounds the SET button.
Above and right
There is a new battery grip for the EOS
6D – with the smaller body, the grip for the EOS 5D Mark III
will not fit. BG-E13 provides additional power for extended
shooting while also making it easier to shoot both
vertically and horizontally. It can be used with two
LP-E6 batteries to double the number of shots possible
with a single battery. Six AA batteries can be used when it
is not possible to recharge the main batteries.
Left
In keeping with the other EOS
full-frame models, the 6D does not have
built-in flash. This improves the weather
protection – there are fewer joints for
water to seep through. Canon says that the
EOS 6D body is dust and drip-proof.
If you want to use flash, there is a
range of EX-series Speedlites available.
As a built-in flash replacement we
recommend the Speedlite 270EX II. This
has a guide number of 27 – more than
twice that of most built-in flash units.
However, the high ISO values and the
ability of the AF system to focus in low
light might mean that you need flash less
often than with some previous models.
Canon says that the construction
of the EOS 6D body is part-magnesium. It
does not go into details, but it is likely that
part of the body is non-metallic to allow
operation of the GPS and Wi-Fi systems.
Who will buy the EOS 6D?
Where is the market for the EOS 6D? The killer feature for some current
EOS owners will be the built-in GPS. EXIF data freed us from recording
technical data with notepad and pencil. GPS means that we will not
need to write down where an image was taken either. But we think that
the camera will also have a strong appeal to people looking to buy their
first DSLR. The wireless connectivity and the promised EOS Remote
app gives a two-way link to smartphones, which many will find hard
to resist. Of course, these features are already available to some EOS
users from wireless accessories, Eye-Fi SD cards and GPS units, but
these do not have the appeal of a camera with everything built-in.