Review: Canon EOS 6D Camera

The Canon EOS 6D (WG) is the entry-level camera in the full-frame sensor category. However, its numbering indicates that it is intended for professionals. So, what should we think of this body?

Here is my feedback on the Canon EOS 6D, our loyal companion for our trip >.

It had been a while since I traveled with a DSLR. The reasons? I explain them in the article What camera to travel with >>. In summary, two main flaws made me decide to leave the DSLR range:

These arguments ultimately led me to switch from a Canon EOS 450D to a Sony NEX-5, a hybrid model.

However, almost 2 years later, I traded that hybrid for the Canon EOS 6D. The reasons are numerous:

The Canon EOS 6D has many advantages, its three main strengths being, in my opinion:

Although it has many advantages over the Sony NEX-5, the Canon EOS 6D also has its share of drawbacks, especially for a traveler. I identify mainly 4 disadvantages of this camera, which correspond to the classic flaws of DSLR cameras:

Let's be honest, if I had started 6 years ago with a Canon EOS 6D instead of a Canon EOS 450D, I would undoubtedly have abandoned DSLRs a long time ago! Not that it's impossible, but there are so many different settings and buttons everywhere that starting with such a body would have certainly put me off photography.

On the other hand, for those accustomed to the pro Canon lineup, nothing special to report. The functions are what you would expect.

I wondered about the meaning of the WG in the Canon EOS 6D (WG) designation. In fact, these letters represent WiFi and GPS, two functions more interesting than I initially imagined.

The first feature addresses what I believe to be the biggest flaw of this body: the screen is not removable! Fortunately, with WiFi, you can connect to a smartphone to frame differently or even remotely trigger the shot (essentially, no need for a traditional remote). Still, I would have preferred a removable screen, because connecting via WiFi doesn't happen instantly, and you don't always have your smartphone on hand when traveling.

As for the GPS system, it is the first Canon camera to offer this option. Although very convenient, you can sense the system's youth: even when off, the body continues to search for a GPS signal, draining the battery in a few days. Too bad! Fortunately, I have 2 batteries and I remember to recharge the one in the camera every 5-6 days.

One last point regarding handling is the flash: there isn't one. While I hardly ever use a flash, it was psychologically unsettling for me at first. However, you get used to it! After some research, I finally understood that the GPS antenna is in the notorious integrated flash hump, which is why there couldn't be an actual flash.

It was only when I looked through the viewfinder that I realized how much I had missed this type of shooting in the last 2 years (hybrid cameras are devoid of them or have abysmal electronic viewfinders).

Some may criticize the limited number of viewfinder sensors (13) for a camera in this range. For my part, I don't feel that's too few.

It's hard to talk about the Canon EOS 6D without mentioning its bigger brother (also full-frame), the Canon EOS 5D Mark III. Indeed, the two bodies share many components and technical characteristics. The big difference lies in the price, as the 5D body costs about 50% more. And, rather strangely, the Canon EOS 6D outperforms its older brother in one regard: noise. It is capable of better rendering at the highest ISO settings!

Without going into technical details, not all Canon lenses work on this body. The > full-frame sensor only accepts lenses from the EF lineup (goodbye EF-S)... which are also the most expensive.

While this might seem limiting, given the price of the body, you might as well invest in high-quality optics. And how can we talk about quality without mentioning the Canon EF lens series? Out of my 3 lenses, 2 are from the L series:

One significant factor for choosing optics is the crop factor. Where the Canon EOS bodies use an APS-C sensor, there is a 1.6 crop factor. A 200 mm lens will therefore simulate a focal length of 320 mm (200 mm multiplied by 1.6). The Canon EOS 6D's full-frame sensor, on the other hand, has a crop factor of... 1! Therefore, 200 mm yields exactly 200 mm!

When traveling, this requires longer focal length telephoto lenses than for an APS-C sensor. And a longer focal length means higher price, weight, and bulk of the lenses.

The LiveView mode allows for real-time display of the image on the screen: no need for the viewfinder. This can be useful for testing settings without taking a photo. But in practice, focusing in this mode is quite slow and imprecise. Once again, unfortunate!

Despite the focus issue explained earlier, I must say I am quite satisfied with this feature. During our trip to Peru, we filmed almost everything with the 6D; the result is in this video:

One of the strengths of the video mode: Canon allows us to film in fully automatic or fully manual mode. I just need to learn the basics of filmmaking!

For me, it's an excellent camera, with the advantages as well as all the disadvantages of full-frame sensors. It's also a precursor of future technologies for other Canon bodies (WiFi and GPS), but comes with the weaknesses of this novelty.

The Canon EOS 6D is not designed for sports photography, at least not as much as the 5D, but it still performs well and will please travelers looking for an accessible full-frame camera.

The non-removable screen is the point that brought my rating down from 5/5 to 4/5.

The tested product: Canon EOS 6D