Canon 6d Review

EOS 6D With 24-105 Lens AttachedTop View of Canon 6D
With 24-105 Lens

Side View of Canon 6DSide View of Canon 6D
With 24-105 Lens

This Canon 6d Review was originally written about a year after the EOS 6d was released by Canon in 2012.  

One year's time was ample enough to get real worthwhile reviews, not only from professional camera reviewers, but also real live everyday photographers who had purchased and used the EOS 6D. Now that so many more DSLR and mirrorless cameras have been released, it's a great time where you can get a new 6D or a used 6D in great condition from my friends over at KEH.

One of the empirical pieces of data I calculate is what I call the Canon Geek 4-5 user index.  It is calculated by adding up the 4 and 5 star ratings of buyers on Amazon and figuring the percentage of total reviewers that gave that rating.

In the case of the Canon 6d ratings, 95% of reviewers gave this camera a 4 or 5 start rating.  That is remarkably high and a green BUY IT flag goes up if I am in the market for that specific camera or accessory.

Is The Canon 6D Still Any  Good?

The Canon 6D is still a good camera despite the fact that is was first released in 2012. The 20.2 MP, full frame sensor, combined with the huge selection of EF lenses, and cheap price, make the camera a great value in today's marketplace. The Canon 6D is a big upgrade over the original 5D.

I've been a big proponent of getting full frame sensors (not to be confused with just more megapixels) since I purchased my Canon 5D many years ago now.

The original Canon 5D has only 12.8 Megapixels, but the fact that it had a  full-sized sensor and was so much more affordable than the Canon 1D series of cameras motivated me to buy it and it was a great decision at the time. 

The original manufacturer's Suggested Retail price at the time of its release was over $2000.00. NO you can get a 6D for less than 1/6 of that price.  It's the Canon EOS 6D. Don't confuse the 6D with the Canon EOS 60D.

Best Specs of the Canon 6D

20 MP Full-frame Sensor

1080p HD Video


Maximum ISO 102,400

Hot Shoe


GPS Enabled

WIFI

Shooting RAW Mode


Weakest Specs of the Canon 6D

Back of Canon EOS 6D CameraThe LCD is not a touch screen and is fixed in place

Fixed LCD Screen

Older Digic 5+Processor

4.5 fps burst rate

Only 11 focus points

No 4K Video

No dual pixel auto-focus

Canon EOS 6D FAQ

You may have additional questions about the Canon EOS 6D and this next section will answer the frequently asked questions about the 6D.

Is the Canon 6D a professional camera?

The Canon 6D can easily be used for professional photography. Although some full time pro shooters might disagree, the EOS 6D has a full frame sensor capable of capturing sharp, colorful photographs with excellent detail, and the 6D capable of giving you professional level images that will satisfy clients.

How old is the Canon 6D-When did the EOS 6D come out?

The Canon 6D was released in November 2012, 5 years after the full frame 5D was released, and 5 years before its successor, the 6D Mark II was released. 

Is the Canon 6D good for low light photography?

The 6D is excellent for low light photography. The 6D full-sized, 20 MP sensor has larger pixels which are more efficient at collecting light than smaller APS-C sensors that have more, but smaller individual pixels on their sensor.

Additionally, the 6D has a very high maximum ISO sensitivity setting of 102,400 (extended) which enables you to get proper exposure in dark shooting situations.

Is the Canon EOS 6D good for portraits?

The EOS 6D is good for portraits because it has a full frame 20 megapixel sensor. Full frame sensors can give you a better quality bokeh blurring of the background in a portrait.

Is the Canon 6D a DSLR?

Yes, the Canon 6D is a Digital Single Lens Reflex camera, also known as a DSLR. The 6D uses a mirror that flips up out of the way and enables you to view your subject through a viewfinder before the time of exposure.

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If you are using both the WiFi and GPS features, power usage is more intense and you should consider getting  your hands on a Canon 6D battery grip.

For me the best feature is the full-frame sensor bundled with all of the extra capabilities at this price. If you are shooting landscapes, doing travel photography or are into geo-tagging the GPS capabilities are super cool.


WIFI gives you the ability to share images to a myriad of other devices or locations and control your Canon 6d remotely with apps.  Ah, it truly is a great time to be interested in photography.

Here are some of the essential, uncommon and best Canon EOS 6D accessories.


Closing Remarks in This Canon 6D Review

Conclusion of Canon 6D Review:

I believe that Canon (and Nikon with its D600 offering) opened up the door to full sized sensor quality at reasonable prices for the photo enthusiasts with the release of the Canon 6D.

The 5D was my first full-sized sensor and the improvement in quality at higher ISO settings that comes with a bigger sized sensor (not more pixels) is well appreciated.

Professional photographers looking for a good backup will love this camera too!

Shoot more Canons. Watch less TV.


Author Bruce Lovelace
Bruce Lovelace Signature

Bruce Lovelace is the publisher of Canon Camera Geek. Read more about him on the About Page. He also publishes how to articles and camera gear reviews at the Photography Tips website.

View some of Bruce's photos on Instagram  and Flickr.   Join the tribe of followers on YouTube. Bruce also runs photo workshops and provides 1 on 1 digital photography coaching.

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