Say ‘hello’ to the soon to be released Canon EOS R6.
Slated for late Aug. 2020, the mirrorless EOS R6 and R5 appear to be Canon’s answer to Nikon’s mirrorless Z6 and Z7. So in the spirit of friendly competition, I decided to put the Canon R6 and Nikon Z6 in a friendly head-to-head comparison.
Checkout the video below for my in-depth thoughts:
If you’re the reading-type, don’t worry, I have plenty more thoughts to share in this blog post. Let’s start off with an unbiased side-by-side spec. comparison, then I’ll share my opinion of each mirrorless camera body with you.
Canon EOS R6
Photo Imaging
- Full-Frame CMOS Sensor
- 21.5 Megapixels
- Sensor-Shift, 5-Axis I.S.
Exposure Control
- ISO 100-102,400 (Ext. 204,800)
Continuous Shooting
- Mechanical Shutter: 12 fps @ 20 MP
- Electronic Shutter: 20 fps at 20 MP
Video Recording Modes:
- H.265 4:2:2 10-Bit
UHD 4K (3840 x 2160) at 23.976p/29.97p/59.94p [170 to 340 Mb/s]
Full HD (1920 x 1080) at 23.976p/29.97p/59.94p/119.88p - H.264 4:2:0 8-Bit
UHD 4K (3840 x 2160) at 23.976p/29.97p/59.94p [120 to 230 Mb/s]
Full HD (1920 x 1080) at 23.976p/29.97p/59.94p/119.88p
Auto Focus Points
- Phase Detection: 1053
Nikon Z6
Photo Imaging
- Full-Frame CMOS Sensor
- 25.3 Megapixels
- Sensor-Shift, 5-Axis I.S.
Exposure Control
- ISO 100-51,200 (Ext. 50-204,800)
Continuous Shooting
- 12 fps @ 24 MP
Video Recording Modes:
- MOV/MP4/H.264
UHD 4K (3840 x 2160) at 23.976p/25p/29.97p
Full HD (1920 x 1080) at 23.976p/25p/29.97p/50p/59.94p/100p/119 - External 10-Bit
UHD 4K (3840 x 2160)
Full HD (1920 x 1080)
Auto Focus Points
- Phase Detection: 273
So those are the specs for the R6 and the Z6. Pretty darn similar right? These mirrorless bodies are nearly identical. Now I want to share my personal thoughts on the Canon and the Nikon.
My Thoughts: The Nikon Z6
The Z6 is one of my favorite run and gun camera bodies of all time. So let’s discuss the Pros. Starting with the photo capabilities, the Z6 kills it when it comes to my Neon Portraits. The video quality is breath-taking, especially when paired with the affordable Sigma Art 35mm f/1.4, 50mm f/1.4 or the 85mm f/1.4.
So what are the downsides of the Z6? For starters, the tilt-only rear LCD monitor is very limited, even for low-angle and “Hail Mary” shots. It also suffers from rolling shutter — more so with Photo than Video — meaning fast panning shots may be slightly skewed.
My final two critiques of the Z6 are rumored to be fixed in the Z6 Generation 2, potentially hitting the market in the 4th Quarter of 2020. Those being 4K60 and dual XQD card slots. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see!
My Thoughts: The Canon EOS R6
The rumors initially speculated that both the Canon EOS R5 and R6 had 8K video capability, but with a bit more research, it appears the R6 maxes out at 4K. The R6 does have the advantage over the Z6 with the option of 4K at 60 FPS, but still appears to have the same overheating issues as the EOS R5.
The Canon will have dual SD card slots which will still come in handy shooting 4K60. The R6 is still untested, in my humble opinion, when it comes to fast-paced action photography and its low-light video capability. (Canon, if you’re listening, I’m available…)
My Final Thoughts
While I think Canon has finally stepped up to the plate, and took a swing at the mirrorless market, I can’t help but to wonder if it’s too little, too late. After all, the R6 has yet to be released and it’s neck and neck with a body that’s nearly 2 years old already. Nikon could potentially make a big 4th Quarter leap with a [rumored] Z5 or Z8 and proceed to make Canon irrelevant again.
All in all, the R6 looks like a trusty run and gun camera that I don’t think anyone would be disappointed in, just like the Z6. If you prefer or already own Canon glass, it might be the best mirrorless camera of 2020, for you!
PreOrder the Canon EOS R6
Buy the Nikon Z6 w/ FTZ Adapter
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