Canon EOS 6D camera - reviews

Canon EOS 6D camera - reviews

"My smartphone shoots no worse than a SLR camera." This is the same statement that is widely spread on the Internet and is partly confirmed by good pictures on social networks. So why now buy "bricks" in the form of "mirror" cameras. The first is the physical size of the matrix.

If you sometimes need to print photos, display high-resolution photos on a large monitor, then a smartphone will not help much. Secondly, artistic moments in the form of "bokeh", background blurring and so on. Digital technologies work wonders, but they have not yet reached the capabilities of the "full frame". The third and most important thing is the possibility of shooting with insufficient lighting.

These are the features we got with the Canon EOS 6D camera. The camera is not outdated at all, despite the update in the form of the next model. Now it will be possible to buy a camera in a used version at a good price. And since the model was positioned as an amateur "full frame", then it is operated by amateurs, carefully. Among the disadvantages of the camera, we can note the large weight, the lack of a rotary screen and a built-in flash. It's not critical for me.

I'm not going to change my 6D to a more modern model at all. For me, there is still enough reserve of technical capabilities, if it is changed, then in a generation.

The EOS 6D model was announced by Canon as early as the end of 2012, but I got it three years later, when it became catastrophically lacking a full frame.

Of course, this was preceded by an analysis of the possibilities and cost, as well as comparisons with other alternatives from a leading manufacturer of photographic equipment. And since the friendship with Canon DSLRs has been going on for years, there was absolutely no need to buy a new camera in the whale version, with any unnecessary lens.

The six, as expected, turned out to be a cut above the previous "fifty" (EOS 50D), has a larger matrix both in size and in the number of sensitive elements, as well as a larger buffer size and rate of fire. Of course, the latter directly depends on the memory card used and the selected shooting modes.

Some subjective disadvantages include the incompatibility of the batteries and memory cards used with the previous Canon camera. But these are precisely subjective "disadvantages", since SD cards, with a larger capacity, are cheaper and more accessible, and the battery used in the six is enough for a very long time. The latter is also likely due to the lack of a built-in flash. However, if you forget to turn off the built-in GPS and leave the camera indoors for a few days, the battery runs out at once.

In addition, Canon EOS 6D, like many modern cameras, also has a video shooting function. But since there is a Canon Legria HF G10 HD video camera for this, with an optical image stabilizer and providing a deliberately higher quality of video shooting, of course, the six is used exactly for its intended purpose.

For six years of operation, the EOS 6D has shown itself only on the good side and I don't see any point in changing it to something else yet.

And also for those who do not know how to use such equipment and want a camera to fix their jambs for them - learn: the higher the camera level, the more it requires knowledge and skill from the photographer. This is not a cheap soap dish designed for users who have picked up a camera for the first time, where after pressing the button, smart electronics should do the rest for you. Learn to use good technology and you will succeed.

I am a wedding photographer. Before this camera, I shot on 30D and was, I must say, pleased. But time passes, everything changes. The camera began to fall into disrepair and the choice fell on the 6D camera. At first it was inconvenient, because the functionality was slightly changed. The 30 has a very convenient joystick for focusing, many buttons are combined in this camera, which makes some confusion at the beginning of use. So we'll have to get used to each other a little. There are no technical complaints. The case is comfortable, there is a mirror self-cleaning system. It's a bit heavy, but it's more of a soap dish with all the cameras. Pictures can be taken in any conditions, in any light. ISO has a fairly large range. There is no built-in flash. Which didn't bother me at all, because I've never used it. The images are obtained in large size and resolution, which allows you to make high-quality photobooks and large-format prints.

For six months now, I have been quite a happy owner of the Canon EOS 6D and, having shot more than 15,000 frames during this time, I can reliably tell you about its pros and cons. But first, a little bit about your activity and the reason for the purchase.

I am a professional photographer in a small town. I specialize in family, children's, studio, wedding, fashion photography and related areas of photography. At the beginning of the summer of 2016, my old Canon 500D, which had served me faithfully for 8 years, broke down, there was no point in repairing such an elderly camera, savings did not allow me to swing at 5Dm3, and I really wanted to switch to FF at the same time - under these conditions, the choice was obvious and only one.

The camera cost me about 86,000 money, at a price of about 105,000 money in the stores of official partners, i.e. from suppliers of "white" equipment, at that time. No, it was not bought from famous Hindus at VDNH. The discount of almost 20 thousand dollars was obtained due to the already annual cashback from Canon and coupons from the Svyaznoy store, googled in 10 minutes. Now the camera can be purchased even cheaper if you follow the same scheme. Well, or go to stores with gray equipment.

General impressions of the camera: it suits me completely, there is enough for work, new opportunities have opened up. But you need to understand that the camera is not designed for dynamic reporting. I was thrown into a slight shock by some reviews in which people complain about focusing or rate of fire - my dears, it's all indicated in the characteristics of the camera, why buy a device that has nothing to do with your kind of activity, and then blame the mirror.

For unhurried creative shooting, it fits perfectly. At the end of the review, I will tell you how not to make a mistake when choosing a camera and what to pay attention to when buying.

Canon EOS 6D pleased with this.

Good working ISO. This is the most important plus and an inexhaustible source of joy for me. With my old camera, I could not even dream of shooting at ISO 2000-4000, which means that whole genres were closed to me, and the picture in semi-dark rooms was indigestible. Now everything has changed, I have gained more freedom, in the semi-darkness of the restaurant I no longer necessarily grab the flash, in simple Soviet apartments there is enough light from the window, you can safely experiment with night photo shoots and even astrophotography.

I think you understand my point. The camera is very friendly with high ISO. Of course, the porridge is already starting at 8000, but this range is enough to work. With this camera, for the first time it was possible to see the Milky Way without leaving the city.

Full-frame and all that follows. Wide-angle lenses have finally become such, and in order to use my favorite 135 mm from canon, you no longer need to turn 5 km per shot.

I almost never part with this lens, so it's important for me. Now sometimes it is even possible to fit with him in a cramped studio.

GPS and Wi-Fi. Filming takes me to the craziest places, not only in my hometown, but all over Russia, and sometimes beyond its borders, so keeping track of the map of my movements is a kind of little game for me. But unfortunately GPS noticeably affects the camera's operating time without recharging, so I don't always keep it on. I often take one or two frames in a new location with GPS turned on, so that I have a mark that "I was here" GPS is very accurate, determines the location with an accuracy of up to a meter, then you can see what happened on the shoot using the map tab in lightroom or Canon programs.

There's nothing to say about wi-fi. The camera creates its own network, which you can connect to from any device anywhere and anytime. There are many practical applications of this function: you can connect to a model's smartphone so that she can see herself from the outside, you can share photos immediately during shooting, display images on a large screen without any wires, the remote shooting function helps a lot with long exposures, unusual angles, replaces remotes and cables for self-portraits or group shots.

Other pleasant things

The size of the raw files is noticeably smaller than on my old camera, while the resolution is higher.
Long-lived battery (quietly withstands an entire wedding or several smaller shoots without recharging)
Uses SD cards (this is a plus for me, since there are a lot of SD cards left from 500D and I didn't have to buy cards of a different format)
3 different resolutions for raw (very useful when you know for sure that large photos are not boring)

And now about the unpleasant:

The number of focus points (this has been written about so many times that I will not develop this idea, I will only note that it is not critical for me)
The display "lies" (the picture on it is noticeably lighter, brighter and richer than it actually is, so focusing on it, you can't expect photos that don't need basic correction)
It may seem heavy to girls (the weight for a full frame is quite normal, but personally my hands are very small and after the first month of use there was pain in my right hand)
Slow serial shooting (I point this out only because it is important for reporters and it needs to be taken into account, it does not affect my work in any way)
The low speed of flash synchronization is the working value for the studio about 1/125, I was not able to get used to it right away, it is already starting to strip at 1/160. At the very first studio shoot after the purchase, out of habit, I screwed 1/200 on half of the photos and then molded gradients on all the photos in the lightroom to fix it Laughing out loud
The viewfinder coverage is 97%, in contrast to the 100% typical for professional equipment. I didn't have to get used to it, since it's the same on the 500D, but 100% would be a nice upgrade.
Terrible quality of camera jpg. But I don't think anyone buys full-frame cameras to shoot later in this format. In practice, this disadvantage manifests itself only when you want to upload photos to social networks already during shooting and when connected via wi-fi, a very stripped-down camera jeep is saved. It looks acceptable on mobile devices, but not on PC.
Only one memory card slot.
I will not find fault with the design and location of the buttons (especially since it clearly wins in comparison with 5Dm3), since this is a matter of individual preferences and a matter of habit. At first it was hard, changing the settings required a few seconds of "stupidity" on my part, since the control was radically different from my previous camera. But this is a matter of practice, now I feel quite comfortable with him.

All the listed disadvantages in working in my genres do not interfere, so my rating for the camera is 4.75, rounded up to 5.

And now about how to choose a camera and not make a mistake.

The first question you should ask yourself is "who am I and why do I need a camera".

Everything else will depend on the answer to this question. Here are the possible answers to it that come to my mind:

You are an amateur photographer, you don't know much about the technical side of photography, you need a camera to

to shoot family, children, gatherings with friends, parties, in general for social purposes. In this case, you definitely don't need a 6D, even if your girlfriend has one and you like photos from it. For these purposes, there are more budget solutions that are no worse and do not weigh more than a kilogram with a lens. Pay attention to the most budget models of DSLRs, and spend the saved money on a good high-power lens and on-camera flash, much more will depend on them in your case than on the camera. You can take a closer look at used cameras.
to shoot on trips, hikes, trips, in general for tourist purposes. You don't need a 6D either. Pay attention to mirrorless mirrors with interchangeable optics, when packing suitcases, long walks and on mountain trails, size will matter and every gram will count. The motivation to carry 1.5 kg of photographic equipment disappears pretty quickly when you take 10-kilometer walks in mountainous terrain.
shoot for yourself - macro, subject, portraits, in general for creative purposes. For you, I have the same advice as for the first point - a budget DSLR + a good lens. 6D is worth buying only if the lion's share of your creativity is shooting in low light and budget allows.

Are you a professional or are you going to become one in the near future, you need a camera to

shoot a report, sports events, club parties, etc., in general, everything that is in constant motion. 6D is absolutely not suitable for you and its characteristics just scream about it. Pay attention to the number of frames per second, the shortest shutter speed, the focusing system, and then choose according to the budget, reportage cameras sometimes cost half a million. Do not skimp on memory cards, as they can also affect the speed of serial shooting.
shoot portraits in the studio or in nature, subject, macro, in general, everything that allows you to shoot thoughtfully and slowly. 6D is perfect for these purposes for professionals of any level. In some circles, a somewhat snobbish attitude has developed towards him, they say, not the most serious camera for a professional, but in my opinion this is a delusion, and thousands of professionals will support me in this. However, if you are a novice photographer, I would advise you to pay attention to more budget drops, you will always have time to change the camera when you realize that you have become cramped on the crop, but if you immediately invest in a full frame and as a result you will not have a photo, it will be a shame, and for home purposes the camera it won't fit. Invest in lenses and lighting equipment - they play a much bigger role in the final picture than the camera itself, and a full frame is not a magic wand and will not automatically make your photos better, just keep practicing and learning, and you will always have time to switch to expensive equipment.

In summary, I will say that 6D left mostly positive impressions, allowed me to expand my horizons, opened up what was previously unavailable. And I can definitely recommend this camera. I hope that we have more than one year of adventures ahead of us.

If you still have any questions after reading my review, write in the comments and I will definitely answer them.

Recently I have been working as a photographer. I like this business, so for a nominal fee I accept applications for various kinds of shooting. I want to develop in this business, to become more professional, to understand everything more deeply.

In general, I have been photographing from time to time for several years, since this is not my main job. I hope so far.

Before buying Canon 6D, I was shooting at 600D. The main lens, except for the whale 18-135, I had 85 mm 1.8. With such a portrait, there were often problems with space, it was terribly lacking in the frame. 85 mm is still too narrow for a crop. Therefore, I was often made comments about the circumcised limbs of people in the pictures. I myself understood that it was not very beautiful. Here are examples, it is clear that there is not enough space.

The pictures themselves are not bad, considering that they were taken in natural conditions, in a good light.

And finally decided to switch to full frame. Long live the fullframe.

I began to monitor the appropriate option. The Canon 6D turned out to be the most optimal and inexpensive. There was no doubt left. I purchased this device.

And you know, I've never regretted it.

I liked the camera right away. Everything is easy to use and there were no difficulties.

When I bought the 6D, I had another 600D on my hands. I began to test and look at the difference in the pictures. Unfortunately, I didn't save the photos for review.

I took several pictures with the same lens, but with different carcasses.

I noticed the following. First of all, of course, it's the difference in space. Canon 6D takes much wider.

Secondly, there is a difference with the white balance. With the same settings, the 6D showed a clearer picture, the colors are clean and natural. 600D for some reason gave parasitic cyanide.

Thirdly, the 6D is able to produce excellent shots in low light conditions, without flash. Here is an example of a photo taken in a restaurant in low light.

1. This is a full-fledged FF, with a full-fledged picture.
2. IOS. It's just not a transferable feeling of freedom after the 50D, 40D and 650D that I shot before. If necessary, you can not hesitate to put 12,000, and it's just that 6000 is working, there is nothing to say at all without questions.
3. Ergonomics personally, after 50 years, I did not immediately adapt to zooming the picture when viewing. The rest is all at hand and easily accessible.
4. GPS, due to its voracity for electricity, is not a function for permanent wear. But there have repeatedly been situations when this feature in the camera was sorely lacking until now, where some shots were shot. Take this thing without hesitation. She's head and shoulders above any crop.

I bought a Canon eos 450D to replace it and I don't regret it a bit. Full frame, writes videos in HD quality. The difference with the previous camera is very noticeable, the pictures are juicy, the detail is high. I was choosing between the Canon 5D mark II and this carcass. With the Canon EF 135 mm 2.0 lens, it's a bomb in general, just perfect pictures, there is no noise. I recommend it to everyone.